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Series Code: TIJ
Program Code: TIJ003113S
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00:26 We are living in a time of almost unprecedented global 00:29 crisis. A time when the world is swirling in a fog of panic and 00:34 uncertainty hopping from one alarming statistic to the next. 00:39 A time when fear is so palpable that it leads people to behave 00:45 in strange and bizarre ways. On the 11th of March 2020, the 00:51 World Health Organization declared the Coronavirus a 00:55 global pandemic and since then we have seen the world turn into 01:00 a state of chaos that hadn't been witnessed since Hitler 01:04 first swept into Poland. Across the globe world leaders are 01:10 scrambling to protect their citizens from an intangible 01:14 enemy while struggling to keep their economies from collapsing. 01:19 Entire countries have been placed in lockdown leaving 01:23 streets deserted and city centers looking like ghost towns 01:29 Thousands are rushing to their local grocery stores frantically 01:34 snapping up every essential item they can think of. Shelves 01:38 across the world are bare and stripped clean. Strained health 01:44 care systems are staggering under the influx of patients as 01:48 doctors and nurses try desperately to save the most 01:52 vulnerable among us. So what do we do during this time of 01:58 unprecedented global crisis? What precautions should we take 02:03 to help slow the spread of the virus and what steps can we take 02:08 to mitigate the rising tide of fear swelling around us. Join us 02:13 this week as we take a look at the Covid-19, its symptoms, how 02:19 to prevent its spread and how we can have peace and hope 02:24 during this time of uncertainty and fear. 02:27 ♪ ♪ 02:47 The coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan, China at a sprawling 02:52 wet market selling wildlife and seafood in the center of the 02:56 city. The market, like so many others across Asia, was known 03:01 for selling live exotic animals on sight. Some sources report 03:06 that the illness may have been transferred from a bat most 03:10 likely to one of the shoppers at the market. Before long the 03:14 illness exploded across China before spreading like wildfire 03:19 around the world. But health experts warn that this state of 03:25 affairs could take a turn for the worse if the appropriate 03:29 steps are not taken to mitigate the spread of the disease. So 03:34 far the federal government has taken steps to shut down social 03:40 gatherings and nonessential services to try to contain the 03:44 spread of the disease. So what can you and I do to help flatten 03:50 the curve. That is to help slow down the rate at which the 03:54 disease spreads so that the Australian health care system 03:58 can deal with the crisis and ensure the least amount of 04:03 fatalities. Well there are a number of things that we can all 04:07 do to help. Joining us today is Dr. Anthony Espinet one of the 04:13 leading physicians of the world. He's a senior medical doctor, a 04:19 senior pain management consultant and associate 04:22 professor with Bond University Medical School and a senior 04:26 lecturer with Griffith University Medical School 04:29 on the Gulf Coast, 04:33 Queensland, Australia. We decided to ask him a few 04:35 questions about the virus itself and also the steps that we can 04:39 each take to prevent it's spread Hello Dr. Espinet. Thanks for 04:45 taking time from your busy schedule to talk to us today. 04:49 Thank you very much Gary. I'm glad to be here. 04:52 Can you tell us, how does the virus spread? Does it spread 04:55 any differently to other viruses? 04:58 So the virus spreads like all other infectious communoviruses. 05:03 Which means it spreads by droplets, coughs, sneezes, you 05:09 know sputum's and spit and so on. So those are the reasons we just 05:13 try to express human to human contact and that is what 05:17 is so important in terms of how you would manage the condition 05:20 because it is by contact through droplets. 05:22 How long does it take to show symptoms once you've been 05:27 infected? 05:28 So most of the symptoms are symptoms of a flu-like illness. 05:32 So a cough, some people get a sore throat, some people will 05:36 get a fever, fatigue. Things that represent a normal illness. 05:42 Those are like we would see in most cases. Some people actually 05:45 present with a bit of diarrheal disease but those are a very 05:50 small group. In terms of the most severe illnesses it will be 05:53 severe respiratory conditions where people present with 05:56 shortness of breath. They could present with pneumonia-like 05:59 symptoms. Some people, because of that, get blue lips and blue 06:04 hands and so on. Those are severe conditions and those are 06:07 the people that need hospital attention pretty quickly in 06:10 order to intervene and unfortunately some of those 06:14 people will succumb to the disease. 06:16 How long is the incubation period for the virus? 06:20 So the incubation period is anywhere between 2 and 14 days. 06:26 It seems to vary from different places. So in different 06:28 countries the incubation seems to vary. There are reports of 06:32 incubation going as long as 24 days, a month. What we do know 06:37 is that a person can share the virus up to 24 hours before they 06:43 show symptoms or they could have a mild symptoms and be sharing 06:48 the virus. So again it underlies the big issue of this particular 06:53 virus. Not only is it highly contagious, not only is there 06:56 no immune response into the population. You can start 07:02 sharing the virus and basically spreading the disease to someone 07:07 else when you don't know that you have it and your symptoms 07:11 are mild or nonexistent. 07:12 That can go on for up to 6 to fourteen days. The current 07:16 guidelines is that 14 days is a sort of time that we feel 07:22 that they are symptom free that time. They very much don't have 07:26 it which is why, as you know, the current periods and 07:30 recommendations for isolation is 14 days. 07:35 What are some things that we can do to protect ourselves and 07:37 others from getting the virus? 07:39 There are five things you can do rather quickly that will 07:42 help us in managing 07:43 this condition. Number One is wash hands. Number two: Cover 07:49 coughs and sneezes. Number three stay home if you are 07:54 sick. Number four: Try not to touch hard and public surfaces 07:59 because that's where the disease will rest. And number five good 08:03 social distancing. And those five things if you just follow 08:06 that we'd see a great management and reduction of the condition 08:10 that we are dealing with. People have to be socially responsible. 08:12 For themselves, for their families, for their community 08:17 Dr. Espinet, thank you for sharing your knowledge and 08:21 expertise with us today. It's been a privilege to have you 08:25 on our program. 08:26 Thank you very much, Gary. It's been a pleasure being here. 08:29 With the world plunging deeper and deeper into a state of 08:34 unprecedented fear and uncertainty people all over 08:38 the planet are 08:39 looking for a sense of safety and security, an elusive sense 08:45 of certainty that seems just within their grasp. With a virus 08:50 like Covid-19 raging through our nations and neighborhoods it's 08:54 important for us to realize that viral epidemics create emotional 09:00 and spiritual epidemics in their wake. These epidemics tho' 09:06 intangible are sometimes harder to combat. So what's the biggest 09:11 social pandemic the world is facing right now? In a word, 09:16 it is fear. Over the last days and weeks the global media has 09:22 splashed dramatic photographs all across the internet and 09:27 news. Bare shelves in super markets, frantic shoppers 09:31 fighting each other for a single pack of toilet paper, frenzied 09:37 hoarding of thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer. But what is 09:41 behind all the crazy behavior? The climate of uncertainty and 09:47 desperation created by Covid-19 is fueling the sense of panic 09:52 and fear across the world and thousands of people are 09:56 struggling to fight against the overwhelming tide. Just like 10:01 viral epidemic, the social epidemic of fear is contagious 10:07 spreading from person to person at an alarming rate. Just like 10:11 the viral epidemic, the social epidemic of fear is also 10:16 triggered by little causes. Frenzied buying of essential 10:21 items in a single supermarket can trigger a chain reaction of 10:26 panic buying across the entire city and then the entire state 10:31 and then the entire nation. This is what sociologists call the 10:37 tipping point. The boiling point when everything that seems to 10:42 fairly calm tips over into something that is almost 10:47 unstoppable. Mark Granovetter a professor of sociology at 10:52 Stanford University presents his thesis for this kind of 10:56 collective behavior in the American Journal of Sociology. 11:00 In his article, Granovetter talks about how sometimes 11:06 people are compelled to make decisions they would never 11:10 usually make, simply because everyone around them 11:14 is doing so. 11:15 In other words, while we may not be concerned if one or two 11:20 people around you are panic- buying toilet paper in a frenzy 11:24 when that number gradually starts to increase to 10 and 11:28 then 20 or 30, you might start feeling nervous. As the number 11:34 of people panic-buying grows their fear becomes a viral agent 11:39 igniting fear in your own heart making you wonder if you need 11:44 to run to the store and buy up some toilet paper in case there 11:49 is a real shortage. Fear is a greater contagion as the tiny 11:54 viral particles floating around in the air in the aftermath 11:58 of a sneeze. 12:00 It is pervasive, paralyzing and all consuming. So what can we do 12:07 to stem the tide of this social epidemic? Well as certainly as 12:12 there are measures that we can take to slow down the spread of 12:15 of a viral epidemic, there are also measures that we can take 12:19 to slow down the rising tide of fear that is escalating all 12:24 around us. The Bible gives us so many valuable insights into 12:30 managing and overcoming fear. Let's walk thru a few examples 12:35 of how men and women of faith managed to overcome their fear 12:40 and find peace in the midst of the most turbulent storm. The 12:46 first story we'll look at is the story of David and Goliath 12:49 found in I Samuel chapter 17. At a glance the story of 12:55 David and Goliath is the story of a underdog battling against 13:00 a formidable opponent and coming away victorious. But on a 13:06 deeper level it is also the story of a young man who was 13:09 courageous in the face of fear. The story begins with the 13:13 Philistine and Israelite armies camped on either side of the 13:17 Valley of Elah ready to engage in battle. But instead of 13:22 charging down into the valley and engaging in battle, the 13:26 Philistines throw a wild card. They send out their champion 13:31 a three meter giant whose armor along weighed over 50 kilograms. 13:38 The champions name was Goliath of Gath and standing on the 13:43 valley floor he shouted out a challenge to the Israelite army 13:47 to send down a single champion from their ranks to face him 13:51 in hand-to-hand combat. If the Israelite champion defeated him 13:57 then Goliath claimed that the Philistines would surrender the 14:01 battle, but if Goliath defeated the Israelite contender then the 14:08 Israelites were required to lay down their arms and surrender. 14:13 Fear spread through the camp like a contagion washing over the 14:18 heart of every able bodied Israelite warrior. Looking at 14:21 the giant they all knew instinctively that to engage him 14:26 in hand-to-hand combat was a death sentence and none of them 14:30 wanted to undertake what they believed was a suicide mission. 14:35 And so they waited quailing and quivering in their camp while 14:40 every single day Goliath came out onto the valley floor, 14:45 shouted out his challenge and mocked them, their God and their 14:50 faith openly. It was an uphauling, disheartening 14:55 situation. 14:56 But no one wanted to die and no one was able to muster up the 15:00 courage to face the bellowing giant screaming at them from the 15:05 valley floor. That is until David entered the picture. 15:12 David was running an errand for his father when he first heard 15:15 Goliath's threats. His father, wondering how all his 15:20 sons were faring in battle, dispatched David, the youngest 15:24 to take his brothers some food. David was in the middle of his 15:28 reunion with his brothers when Goliath swaggered out to his 15:33 uusual spot and bellowed out his threats. Listening to the 15:38 giant's tirade David was filled with anger and determination. 15:43 He vowed that he would face Goliath in hand-to-hand combat 15:48 and defeat him. His brothers scoffed at him and King 15:53 Saul was terrified for him, but finally relented and agreed to 15:58 let David go out into battle. Armed with nothing more than a 16:04 slingshot and five smooth stones, David approached Goliath 16:09 decked out in a full suit of armor complete with a sword and 16:16 shield. Goliath was incredulous that the Israelites had 16:19 sent someone so 16:20 small and inexperienced to fight him. But David was 16:27 undeterred. When Goliath mocked him, David's response was calm 16:30 and sure. It's recorded herein I Samuel chapter 17 and verse 45 16:49 David's courage came from his faith in God. You know courage 16:55 isn't the absence of fear. Rather it's the willingness to 17:00 overcome it and do what is right. David was courageous 17:04 because he leaned on the arm of God. The rest of the story is 17:09 well earned. David defeated Goliath with a well-aimed swing 17:15 of his sling and a single smooth stone. Blinded, Goliath fell to 17:20 the ground and David dispatched him. His route was victorious 17:26 all because of the courage of a shepherd boy? The story of 17:32 David and Goliath is about facing giants and conquering 17:36 them in the face of almost insurmountable odds. But the 17:40 secret of David's victory was this. Fear did not consume him 17:46 because he leaned on the arm of God. At a time when fear 17:51 consumed every other man in the camp, David was immune to the 17:56 contagion because his faith in God and his power gave him an 18:01 edge that nothing else could. David understood better than 18:06 anyone what it meant to trust in the shadow of God's wings and 18:11 look to him and him alone for protection. It was this 18:16 understanding that prompted him to write some of the most well 18:21 loved psalms that we are familiar with today. In Psalm 91 18:27 David write this: 18:51 God promises to shelter us under the shadow of his wings. 18:56 He promises to be a refuge and a fortress for us. He promises to 19:01 deliver us even from the noisome pestilence much like the 19:07 one we are surrounded by now. If you're feeling overwhelmed 19:11 why not turn to Jesus and find refuge in him. Why not open his 19:17 word and find refuge in his promises. He is a safe and 19:22 secure refuge even in the midst of the worst storm or pestilence 19:26 David does goes on to write in Psalms 91: 19:54 When mother chicken is out in the yard checking for worms on a 19:59 warm, clear day, her eyes are always scanning the horizon 20:04 for hawks and other 20:06 dangers. Her little chicks are usually oblivious to the dangers 20:11 around them and are unable to defend themselves against 20:15 predators. When the mother hen sees the ominous shadow of a 20:20 predator flying briefly over her, she immediately calls 20:23 out an alarm 20:25 to the chicks frantically urging them to come to her. And as they 20:31 do she lifts her feathers and allows them to find shelter 20:35 under her wings. Now a hawk may be able to swoop down and easily 20:41 pick off a tiny baby chick but picking up a mother hen is much 20:46 more difficult. With the chicks safely under the shadow of their 20:51 mother's wings they are protected and the hawk has no 20:56 easy pickings. God is like that mother hen. More often than not 21:02 we are not only oblivious to the dangers around us, we are also 21:07 helpless in the face of the onslaught. But calls us to come 21:12 under the shelter and protection of his wings. In Daniel chapter 21:18 three when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, three Hebrew slaves in 21:23 Babylon faced an impossible situation of fear and panic, it 21:28 was their faith in God that saw them through. On that day the 21:34 three Hebrew young men were faced with an unprecedented 21:38 decision. A moment where under threat of death they were forced 21:43 to compromise their principles and surrender the freedom of 21:48 their conscience. All of them, intelligent, thinking men, bowed 21:53 down to the massive statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up 21:59 in the vast plain of Dura. Here were men of diverse backgrounds 22:03 opinions, convictions and tastes Men who had made diverse choices 22:08 when faced with any given situation and yet it was a 22:14 little thing that kicked it all off. A single, simple command 22:19 from Nebuchadnezzar. But it was also a single dramatic event 22:24 that brought it to a boiling point because within that single 22:30 simple command was an ultimatum, an ultimatum that brought the 22:35 entire situation to a head and spread fear like a contagion 22:39 through the entire camp. Every person present was asked to bow 22:45 down on the pain of death. In that moment a single, simple command 22:52 to took on a whole new dynamic. In order to survive every person 22:58 present was forced to relinquish his personal convictions 23:02 whatever they may have been and instantly and immediately obey 23:08 which almost all of them did. But there were three men who 23:13 refused to bow down. Three men who stood tall and stuck out 23:17 like a sore thumb in that great kneeling landscape. When they 23:22 were brought before the king and forced to answer for their 23:25 actions they were calm. Quietly they told the king this: 23:54 They refused to bow down because they trusted implicitly in God. 24:01 And that is what gave them the courage to stand even in the 24:06 shadow of death. Their faith in God and his promises gave them 24:12 the peace they needed to face an uncertain future. But the story 24:17 doesn't end there. The men are thrown into the fire for their 24:22 insubordination. But there in the very heat of the blaze they 24:28 find that they're not alone. Jesus Christ walks with them in 24:33 the fire and protects them from being hurt. Friend if you 24:38 stand with Jesus, 24:40 he promises that you will never stand alone. He will walk 24:44 through the fire with you and his hands will be a shield 24:48 around you. When the whole world seems to be falling apart, when 24:53 everyone around you seems to be going crazy, you need only to 24:59 look to Jesus. He will not only protect you but he will also 25:04 give you the grace to do what is right in the midst of the 25:08 chaos. If you would like to experience the power and 25:12 protection of Jesus in your life today why not pick up his word 25:17 the Bible. It's full of promises and encouragement, full of 25:23 hope, full of just the kind of peace and certainty that we 25:29 all need to quell the rising tide of fear and hopelessness 25:32 that surrounds us like a cloud. The Bible has the answers that 25:38 answers that we all long for. The Bible has the peace we all 25:41 crave and most importantly the Bible is able to point us to 25:48 Jesus to show us how we can find refuge and shelter in him during 25:52 these trying times. If you would like to find hope, peace and 25:57 encouragement during this time of crisis, if you'd like to find 26:02 out more about what the Bible says concerning our future then 26:06 I'd like to recommend the free gift we have for all our 26:09 Incredible Journey viewers today It's the booklet What Does the 26:16 Future Hold? This book is our gift to you and it's absolutely 26:21 free. I guarantee there are no costs or obligations whatsoever. 26:25 So take this wonderful opportunity to receive the gift 26:30 we have for you today. Phone or text us at: 26:36 0436333555 in Australia or 0204222042 in New Zealand or 26:45 visit our website TiJ.tv to request today's free offer and 26:51 we'll send it to you totally free of charge and with no 26:54 obligation. So don't delay. Call or text 0436333555 in 27:01 Australia or 0204222042 in New Zealand or visit our 27:08 website to request today's offer or write to us at: 27:23 Don't delay. Call or text us now. 27:28 If you've enjoyed our journey to discover more about the 27:32 corona virus and the tipping point we all face in our 27:35 communities then be sure to join us again next week when we 27:40 will share another of life's journeys together. Until then 27:44 let's pray to the God in heaven who can allay all our fears, 27:49 bring us hope and protect us. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you 27:54 for your love and goodness to us. Thank you for your promises 27:58 to care for us and to protect us. Lord, there's a deadly 28:03 virus threatening our lives a perilous pestilence that 28:08 threatens to overwhelm us. Lord please protect us under the 28:14 shadow of the Almighty from all the harm and danger. We pray 28:18 in Jesus' name Amen. 28:20 ♪ ♪ |
Revised 2020-07-20