WEBVTT 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:07.440 Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.759 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:15.839 Today, embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:19.120 Welcome to the Born for War podcast. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:26.239 Okay, I know that I was gone last week. 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:27.359 You know that too. 00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:34.000 And I thought that we would go back to Kingdom of God Health, part two. 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:46.799 We started with part one, knowing today that many of you would be maybe here for the first time, or maybe you missed the first one, so I'm going to do a rehash real quickly of Kingdom Health One. 00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:50.719 And I also want to recognize before I start that there's kids in here. 00:00:50.880 --> 00:01:02.159 So we've got little kids in here that are normally in their classes, and we are so glad you're here, and we love you, and we want you to be patient, and I'll try to be very interesting, okay? 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:04.319 I'll try to be interesting for you guys. 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:08.319 Let me give you a little bit of background of where we are in this country. 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:13.760 We are the sickest nation in the world among industrialized countries. 00:01:14.079 --> 00:01:19.760 We had the best health care in the world until 1986. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:23.840 In 1986, we began to drop off in health care. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:28.879 You could argue that we have sick care rather than health care. 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:31.040 Now I'm not going to go into all the reasons. 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:48.480 There's probably about 11 reasons that I've studied as to what happened in 1986 that began this regression, but by 2002, we were last in health care among industrialized nations in the world and have remained there now for 22 years. 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:58.480 We spend more than 4.6 trillion dollars on health care, which is five times more than our military budget. 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:03.760 Autoimmune disorders have grown 300% over the last decade. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:15.439 And when I was doing the research last night, we're growing in autoimmune diseases at a clip of 3 to 12% a year. 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:16.319 Robert F. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:26.080 Kennedy Jr., in his speech, in which he announced that he was going to join Trump in the campaign, is a very, very important speech. 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:28.400 I would encourage you to listen to it. 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:32.000 I think, and I listen to all the political speeches out there. 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:42.560 I would say it's the best political speech in 25 years because it's so honest, it's very authentic, and it calls out the right institutions. 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:51.280 And so only Kennedy has been the one in the last, say, 10 years that's actually telling the truth about what's happening in healthcare. 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:53.439 So I'd encourage you to listen to that. 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:55.439 Here's two things that I know. 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:58.560 Number one, people want the kingdom of God. 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:00.319 You may not know it. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:08.560 Some of you in this room may not even be Jesus' disciples yet, but you're here because you're seeking the kingdom. 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:17.680 You're not seeking religion, you're seeking the kingdom of God, a personal, vital, dynamic, growing relationship with God because God put that in your heart. 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:20.560 The scriptures say that He's put eternity in your hearts. 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:22.479 And so there's a longing for the kingdom. 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:26.240 But secondly, every person in this room wants to be healthy. 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:28.240 Raise your hand if you don't want to be healthy. 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:29.120 Anybody like that? 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:31.680 I haven't seen any hands raised, and everyone asked that question. 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:34.560 Everybody wants to be healthy and everybody wants the kingdom. 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:39.360 So in kingdom health, when I talk about kingdom of God health, I'm talking about integration. 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:52.960 I'm talking about integration, integration of all these different areas of our lives, that you are, you are a complex being created in the image of God. 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:57.439 Listen, you're not complicated, but you're complex. 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:01.680 How many of you know that complexity is a beautiful thing? 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:04.000 Complexity in chemistry is a beautiful thing. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:06.319 Complexity in biology is a beautiful thing. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:08.560 Complexity even in a family is a beautiful thing. 00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:14.800 If you have more than, if you have more than no kids, you understand complexity. 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:17.439 And if you keep adding to that, you have complexity. 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:21.360 And if you don't have any kids yet, you say, well, my life's pretty complex too. 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:29.279 But what happens when we don't want to deal with stuff in our life, it becomes complicated. 00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:32.000 So complexity is a good thing. 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:34.879 Being complicated is not a good thing. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:37.759 So I hope I can make this as simple as possible. 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:43.680 So what I'm going to talk about, and I did this the last time, was I talked about the integration of all these things. 00:04:43.759 --> 00:05:00.800 And here's what's exciting is in the medical field, those doctors that are willing to do the study, and guys, there's more and more of them that are beginning to get into homeopathy, getting into natural medicine, getting into functional medicine. 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:08.319 Man, I just applaud them because 90% of the med schools never cover nutrition at all. 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:13.680 It's more about pharmaceuticals and subscribing pharmaceuticals and analyzing what pharmaceuticals. 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:22.240 Wouldn't you use sell pharmaceuticals if they took you on an 18-hole golf course, you know, every three months to kind of win you over? 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:29.680 So the reality is this is that God's doing a miraculous work in the medical field that's exciting. 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:36.879 And I'll talk more the next time I speak on why, why I think we're such a sick, sick nation. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:44.079 But what I want to do is I want to hit on what I did before, and I want you to look at this Venn diagram that I spoke on before. 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:47.759 And this is based off Mark 12, 29. 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:51.519 So turn in your Bibles to Mark 12, 29 again. 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:53.920 We're gonna look at it again if you were here before. 00:05:54.160 --> 00:06:05.759 And if Jesus were standing here and he had a medical garb on, and he's a great physician, and we asked Jesus, what's the key to everything? 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:14.480 What is the most important thing that we as a people could do, Jesus, that would make us healthy? 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:16.480 Here's what I believe he would say. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:18.240 Mark 12, 29. 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:26.079 The parallel passage is Matthew 22, but Matthew, I'll look at Mark 12, because it adds one particular part to it that I like. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:37.839 So he says that the greatest commandment is love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength. 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:42.079 And then just like it is to love your neighbor as yourself. 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:47.439 So as you see in the Venn diagram, we're talking about these different arenas of our life. 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:59.040 And what we're learning, church, is that it's not just about being healthy, it's not just about being well, it's about being fit. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:01.519 It's about being fit. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:10.800 So you, you know, if everything is about being well or sick, then when you're well, okay, I'm well, I'm not sick, I'm fine. 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:26.959 If it's about being fit, physically fit, emotionally fit, spiritually fit, relationally fit, that when you're sick, because you will get sick, everybody gets sick, and by the way, getting sick's a good thing. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:28.800 Getting sick's not a bad thing. 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:30.399 It's called your immune system. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:34.079 You can't develop antibodies without getting sick. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:36.959 That's why my mom and then Liz did the same thing. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:41.439 When we heard of somebody had chicken pox, we took our kids to the chicken pox house. 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:42.079 Okay? 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:44.639 Not the chicken house, the chicken pox house. 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:48.480 And we got our kids naturally got chicken pox, and it was a good thing. 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:50.800 Well, I think there's a vaccine for that now. 00:07:51.040 --> 00:08:10.879 How many of you know that the natural elements, I'm not talking about diseases that can kill you, but I'm talking about the natural elements of most viruses and diseases and bacteria, it's a good thing, it's actually a good thing to naturally experience that than to get, you know, an injection that's a man-made chemical. 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:11.759 How many know that? 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:12.480 Okay, good. 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:13.439 That's what I thought. 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:16.560 All of you that are streaming, I'm sure you raise your hand too. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:29.680 Now, that's important because when you're fit, when you think fitness, instead of just being thick or well, then it enables you to realize the more fit you are, the quicker you get better. 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:33.039 So the more fit you are relationally, the better you get. 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:34.480 All the studies have shown that. 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:37.120 One of the most famous studies is in Japan. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:39.360 And in my new book, I'll cover that. 00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:43.360 When we go through my book, because I want to do a sermon series on that, I'll talk about that. 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:55.840 But that study of a mai, that's the Japanese word, a mai, is the idea that uh doctors and scientists said these, you know, these five things are the reason you get sick. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:09:00.480 And it was things like pollution, smoking, water, etc. 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:01.679 Had all these different things. 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:04.639 I don't remember them right off the top of my head, but about five things. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:06.240 Japanese had all of them. 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:09.519 And I was 10 years in Japan, so I know they have all of them, man. 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:19.759 Every time I went into a coffee shop, it was filled with smoke, because everybody smoked, all the kids smoked, and yet they're the health, one of the healthiest nations in the world. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:23.120 They live the longest, they're the healthiest, and here's why. 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:26.000 Because of their relational connections. 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:27.200 That's what they discovered. 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:28.559 It's called a Maya. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:33.440 So the relational connections that they have family and they take care of each other. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:35.279 It's called blood-stained allies. 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:36.320 That's what we call it. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:37.919 But these relationships were there. 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:39.200 See, do you see what I'm saying? 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:51.919 So you could be off on one area, but in other areas, as you're growing, and what I'm hoping is an integration of all that, we can become physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and socially fit in our lives. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:52.879 So here's my thesis. 00:09:53.039 --> 00:10:05.120 My thesis is the more you line up your life with the kingdom of God, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, and socially, the more healthy, vibrant, and resilient your life will become. 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:08.799 So the more you can see the balance of all these areas. 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:11.120 And so, and why is this important? 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:20.639 Because your bloodstream, your bloodstream is downstream from your emotions. 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:24.000 Your bloodstream is downstream from your emotions. 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:36.240 And so when you're emotionally upset and you're emotionally stressed, you release cortisol into your bloodstream that then begins to shred your immune system. 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:39.519 Anybody figured out that the more you worry, the sicker you get. 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:41.200 The more you worry, the sicker you get. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:42.960 Well, listen to the opposite of that. 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:55.600 That the more you trust God, the more you seek the kingdom, the more you meditate in Scripture, which is what I'm gonna focus on today, then the more faith is released and the stronger your immune system. 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:56.799 Isn't that exciting? 00:10:57.120 --> 00:10:58.240 God made it that way. 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:03.360 All I'm doing is giving the material to what God's already got in Scripture. 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:10.879 So we're looking at five perspectives, five perspectives on kingdom health. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:13.440 And let's go back over what I did before. 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:17.279 Health perspective number one, seek the first thing first. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:18.960 Seek the first thing first. 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:25.200 So seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, Jesus said, and all these things shall be added unto you. 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:34.559 So the reality is that men and women, the more you know where your focus is, the more you avoid a ton of stuff. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:35.600 Hello? 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:51.360 So I was talking to a police officer after the service, first service, he said, Steve, when we went through, I think it's called skid training, and they're talking about how to drive a car in icy weather, wet weather, you're in a chase, you gotta learn how to handle a car. 00:11:51.600 --> 00:12:00.159 The one thing they say to state police, city police, those that are in SWAT and stuff, is what you focus on is what you get. 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:02.480 What you focus on is what you get. 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:07.279 In other words, if you're looking at the tree and you're focused on the tree, guess what you're gonna hit? 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:08.080 The tree. 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:12.480 If you're focused on the car and you make your focus on the car, you're gonna hit the car. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:14.799 What you're looking for is the opening. 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:18.799 So a guy's driving a car, high-speed chase, he's looking for the opening. 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:23.360 And as long as the width is there, a lot of times the guy who's well trained can find that opening. 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:25.600 Well, it's also true in our lives. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:29.279 God made us to get what we focus on. 00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:39.759 So if you're focused on how crummy your life is, or how bad your husband or your wife is, or um what a loser you are, that's what you're gonna become. 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:42.159 I mean, that's what you're fixated on, that's what you'll get. 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:44.240 You'll get that tree, man, you'll hit it. 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:47.759 Or if you say, God, I understand what's going on. 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:56.240 I know what I was told as a kid, I know that this has been the pattern of my life, but but I'm gonna start seeking your kingdom first. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:12:59.440 I'm gonna believe that you can do miracles in my life. 00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:13.679 I'm gonna believe that there is a work in the future way better than anything in the past, and things are getting better because you're inspiring me, you're filling me, you're instructing me, and you're guiding me now because I seek first the kingdom of God. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:14.799 What do you think he's gonna have? 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:20.399 Well, guys up in heaven going, I don't really want to help you, because I'm really into your past rather than your future. 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:28.639 No, God comes down and his eyes look to and fro for those whose hearts are completely given over to him in 2 Chronicles. 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:32.399 And so the reality is that what you focus on, you get. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:35.200 So, number one, that's the point. 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:37.919 You can you can eat all the best foods. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:47.519 You can you can uh not worry about stuff or try to worry about deal with stress and all that, but I'm telling you, all of that needs to be under the rubric of seeking first the kingdom. 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:49.279 So that's the first perspective. 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:52.720 Second perspective is new thoughts, new life. 00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:55.360 New thoughts, new life. 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:57.200 So Romans 12, 2. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:08.639 Do not be conformed to the pattern or the copy of this world, but be transformed, and that's metamorphosu, where we get the metamorphosis by the renewing of your mind. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:14.240 Then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, pleasing, and perfect will. 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:23.039 Now I want to, we ran out of time last time, so I want to just give you four transformative truths about thinking. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:26.879 Okay, so I'm focusing on the head, I'm focusing on the mind right now. 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:30.879 The first three perspectives are all in your thinking. 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:32.879 I feel like that's the most important. 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:38.000 In my job as a pastor, the most important thing I do is teach you how to think. 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:43.039 It's the hardest thing to get people to do, is to get people to think right. 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:45.440 And the reason is we have patterns, right? 00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:58.320 We've copied this world, we've inundated ourselves with the internet, we've inundated ourselves with YouTube and all these different things, and so we have this skewed understanding God wants to transform our thinking. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:04.720 And so here, let me give you four fundamental transformative principles about your thinking. 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:08.559 Number one, you're not a victim of your biology. 00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:12.240 Number one, you are not a victim of your biology. 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:23.200 As a matter of fact, research in neuroplasticity shows that you actually can change your biology by the way you think. 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:45.200 So when you hear these stories of athletes who've got, you know, no talent, small, short, whatever it is, and they do amazing things, I'll guarantee you I'll show you a person that in their mind did not let the coach or the or the uh height or the weight of that particular person weigh on them. 00:15:45.360 --> 00:15:48.879 They decided to change their thinking and they saw themselves as a winner. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:51.519 It can actually change your biology. 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:57.600 Now, I can tell you I'm a pretty positive person most of the time, and I'm still five foot six. 00:15:57.919 --> 00:15:59.519 So don't take that too far. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:00.240 All right. 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:01.120 Number two. 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:05.039 Number two, your thinking is the real estate of your brain. 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:08.240 Your thinking is the real estate of your brain. 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:20.480 You can build new real estate of positivity, truth, and love if you capture, if you capture your toxic thoughts and change them. 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:24.000 You got to capture your toxic thoughts and you can change. 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:26.159 You have the ability to do that. 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:29.200 I was with someone last week and in the week before. 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:36.720 It seemed like every week I'm I'm in these situations with people in a store or somewhere in the church or whatever. 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:42.159 It wasn't like they had an appointment with me or anything, but we start talking, and I said, You know what you just did? 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:43.200 And they said, What? 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:50.240 I said, you captured your thoughts and you turned those toxic thoughts into faith. 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:51.440 Isn't that amazing? 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:52.639 Oh, I never thought of that. 00:16:52.799 --> 00:16:53.840 No, you did that. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:55.120 You can do that. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:17:06.319 And I see that happening at the road all the time, especially among our young people that are very malleable and really going after God and they're starting to learn how to do that. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:08.799 Number three, you are integrated. 00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:10.960 You are integrated. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:15.359 You are created by God as a complex, integrated image of God. 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:33.119 When you seek first the kingdom of God and renew your thoughts in a kingdom direction, God has designed your body to release chemicals and proteins that pour life into your whole being: the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:43.599 How many of you have had maybe something you're depressed about and you're feeling weak, maybe you're feeling sick, and then you get some kind of good news. 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:50.480 Like something comes your way that you didn't expect, and or maybe it's a touchdown by, you know, Georgia football. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:54.880 You're watching Georgia football, you know, and you see it tell you, man, now that's a great team. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:55.759 You know. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:57.839 Only kidding. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:03.039 But where something positive has happened and you suddenly feel better. 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:06.000 Yeah, I mean, that's the way our bodies are made. 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:13.119 So if you're thinking toxic thoughts, you're releasing toxicity into your bloodstream. 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:16.079 You worry and you worry and you worry. 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:17.680 Guess what you're doing? 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:24.240 You're releasing through adrenaline, cortisol, into your bloodstream, shredding your immune system. 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:25.599 Just shredding it. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:40.000 Or, faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God, you begin to think God's word, you can be thinking of truth that's true in your life that releases faith into your bloodstream and it's health to your bones. 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:42.880 We talked about that in Proverbs 3 last week. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:50.559 And then number four, you can't control your circumstances, but you can control your responses. 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:56.799 You can't control your circumstances, but you can control your responses. 00:18:57.279 --> 00:19:02.000 You have the power to activate your thoughts and how you respond to your circumstances. 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:13.039 As you learn to think Kingdom Truth, in the midst of your circumstances, you can turn certain genes on or off, changing the neurons of your brain. 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:24.400 So research shows that 75 to 98 percent of mental, physical, and behavioral illness comes from one's thought life. 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:27.279 Now, guys, listen, this is really important. 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:34.799 I believe, and I think our team believes, that we can have the healthiest church in America. 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:50.720 I believe we can have the healthiest church in America, both in our ministry time up front praying for people, but in some cases, many of you not coming forward because you're getting better in the way you eat, the way you sleep, the way you treat each other. 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:52.960 That's why these small groups are so important. 00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:58.960 That's the Amai principle of the Japanese, that being in a small group, having a small group. 00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:02.559 I mean, when we went met with Japanese, they just formed small groups. 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:06.400 It was like a drop of a hat, Japanese just form small groups. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:23.920 So in our ministry in Tokyo, um, I'd reach one guy, maybe I led him to the Lord in a smoky coffee shop with a sig in his mouth, and next thing I know, I've got five more guys coming to the next meeting, all of them with SIGs in their mouth, and they're getting saved and they're getting discipled and they're getting delivered. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:25.039 But Americans are different. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:25.839 We're different. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:29.279 We're independent, we're maverick, we're gonna do our own thing. 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:34.400 And so I have to challenge us to get in, get in one of our small groups. 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:36.799 Get involved in a community group. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:42.720 And you're gonna get a piece of paper that shows you all the community groups that we have here at the church, be in a community group. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:44.960 Especially what's happening, what's gonna happen this fall? 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:46.559 We don't know what's gonna happen this fall, right? 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:47.279 I don't know. 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:48.559 I don't know what's gonna happen. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:51.759 I've got some pretty good ideas of what I think's gonna happen. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:59.200 Tonight we're gonna be talking about how to prepare you by faith so that you're ready physically for whatever happens. 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:01.359 But I can tell you this for sure. 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:08.880 Whatever happens, if we've got friends, if we've got blood-stained allies, we're gonna be okay. 00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:11.920 And for some of you, you feel very vulnerable. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:17.599 You might be a you might be a single widow, a single widower, whatever, or you and we talk about these things about getting prepared. 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:18.720 I don't know anything about that. 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:21.440 We're gonna make it really, really simple tonight. 00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:22.960 Really simple tonight. 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:29.680 And hopefully you don't even have to use anything of the preparation that we talk about, but you're prepared for a snowstorm. 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:31.440 You're prepared for an ice storm. 00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:38.160 In other words, it's a win-win, either way, but you need and we need each other in our lives. 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:41.039 So turn in your Bibles to Joshua 1 9. 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:45.839 Joshua excuse me, let's turn to what Joshua 1 8. 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:48.000 Look at Joshua 1 8. 00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:55.279 This was my confirmation verse that God gave me through my parents when I was confirmed in the Lutheran church. 00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:59.759 And now it's a very, very special passage to me, and I think. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:01.839 To all of us here today. 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:04.480 I want you to get out your pen. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:08.079 If you've got a physical Bible with you, I want you to underline some words here. 00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:10.160 Look at verse 8 of Joshua. 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:12.480 Joshua's getting ready to go into the promised land. 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:15.920 Listen, everybody, God's got a promised land for you. 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:20.880 God's got a river, you got a river of doubt that you have to cross over. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:23.519 And I think Joshua's afraid. 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:24.720 He's concerned. 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:25.759 He's a fearful person. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:28.799 He comes across to me as a fearful person. 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:32.160 So God's telling him this. 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:39.119 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it. 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:41.359 Underline, meditate. 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:46.480 You shall meditate in it day and night. 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:49.359 That you may observe to do. 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:54.240 Underline, observe to do, according to all that is written in it. 00:22:55.519 --> 00:23:06.480 For then you will make your way prosperous, underline prosperous, and then you will have good success, underlined good success. 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:20.079 So there is this, this is kind of a kingdom principle of how we prosper in our lives, how we find success in our lives, and it's through meditation. 00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:31.920 Ruan is meditating in the Word of God, chewing on the Word of God, thinking deeply on the Word of God, but also doing it. 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:46.000 What you're doing with your life is a reflection of who you are. 00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:50.400 What you're doing in your life is a reflection of who you are. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:53.440 And you know, remember Flip Wilson? 00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:55.519 Does anybody hold enough to remember Flip Wilson? 00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:57.440 The devil made me do it. 00:23:57.680 --> 00:23:59.039 The devil made me do it. 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:02.079 The devil never makes you do anything. 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:03.279 You do it. 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:11.839 Now the devil could tempt you, he can inspire you, he could fake you out, but the reality is it's your thoughts that make you do it. 00:24:11.920 --> 00:24:16.880 So here's health perspective number three meditation and obedience in truth. 00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:21.279 Meditation and obedience in truth. 00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:22.720 That's really important. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:27.119 It's really important because being informs doing. 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:32.640 So it's in becoming, it's in becoming something that we do what we do. 00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:36.400 And listen, the other part of it is true that in doing you're becoming. 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:40.799 So I don't like working out every morning, but I I mean most of the time I don't like it. 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:42.640 But I I woke up this morning, I work out. 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:44.240 I work out every morning except one. 00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:45.519 I always take one day off. 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:46.799 I took yesterday off. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:47.599 I got up this morning. 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:54.880 The reason I did that was because it oxygenates my brain, gets me fired up, and when I get fired up and excited, I teach better. 00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:55.440 Okay? 00:24:56.079 --> 00:25:02.640 So I know that the physical informs my spiritual, which informs my emotional. 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:03.839 So I do that, right? 00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:09.920 But the reason I do it is because I want to grow into becoming something. 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:12.319 So I do something to become something. 00:25:13.359 --> 00:25:15.039 So, so this is what he's saying. 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:23.920 He's saying, look, this is a little formula I would say, meditation on truth plus obedience to truth is prosperity and success. 00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:24.640 And why? 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:25.599 This is important. 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:26.960 Why do we meditate on truth? 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:27.920 Because we hear from God. 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:30.480 When we meditate on truth, we hear from God. 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:32.960 We hear God's voice. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:38.960 Now, this may sound depressing what I'm going to say to you, but take it for what it's worth. 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:41.279 Some of you, you love God. 00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:43.599 I mean, most of us in this room, we love God. 00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:45.759 We're trying to do the right thing in our lives. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:53.200 We are going through the complexities of life that we have in our life, but you're not meditating in Scripture. 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:59.839 You're not spending time in God's word, and your life is way over here, and God wants to speak to you. 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:08.240 God wants to speak to you about something and a direction he wants you to go, but he's not going to shout it from the rooftops. 00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:09.119 He's not. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:15.359 It's going to be a still small voice, and it's in spending time in this book that God speaks to us. 00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:22.400 And when he speaks to us, when he speaks to us, he guides us into that place where he wants us to be. 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:39.359 But we have to be meditating in scripture, and here's Joshua trying to figure out what to do next with the ministry as well as the military of leading Israel into the most challenging thing, the most challenging battles that they're ever going to face. 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:49.119 And he says to them, he says, I want you to, I want you to sit down with your generals and I want you to come up with a strategy, and I want you to understand warfare. 00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:50.240 Didn't say any of that. 00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:52.079 There's no place in scripture where it says that. 00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:55.039 He said, meditate in scripture and you'll find success. 00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:56.079 Isn't that crazy? 00:26:56.240 --> 00:26:57.519 It's counterintuitive. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:27:04.160 That instead of worrying about all this stuff out here, would you meditate in my truth, hear my voice, and you know what? 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:06.480 I'll restructure your mind. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:10.960 I'll restructure your mind with what I have for you. 00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:29.440 So very interesting that in Philippians, Paul says, whatever things are true, whatever things are right, whatever things are of good reputation, whatever things are pure, if you'll meditate on these things, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. 00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:32.559 So it's in meditating, well, here's what John Hopkins has discovered. 00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:58.079 John Hopkins has discovered that people who meditate on truth, on positive things, have better stress management and coping skills, enhance psychological health, greater resistance to the common cold, increase physical well-being, longer lifespan, lower rates of depression, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease-related death. 00:27:58.240 --> 00:27:58.880 Come on. 00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:00.640 Who doesn't want that, right? 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:01.839 Men and women. 00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:08.640 Five minutes. 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:13.039 Try it five minutes for the next 30 days and watch what God will do. 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:14.079 Watch what God will do. 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:17.279 You say, Well, I can't do it in the morning, get up early, okay, whatever your excuses are. 00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:18.640 Do it in the evening. 00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:22.000 Well, I can't do it in the evening because I gotta watch football. 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:24.559 There's no hope for you. 00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:25.680 No hope for you. 00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:30.240 Here's what Dr. 00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:47.680 Caroline Leaf says poor focusing of attention, lack of quality in our thought lives is completely the opposite of how the brain is designed to work and causes a level of brain damage, like making a milkshake with your brain cells and your neurochemicals. 00:28:50.400 --> 00:29:11.759 So when we're multitasking, and kids do this all the time, and that's the reason we're having so many neurological problems and mental health issues with our kids, where they're, you know, they're on their phones, they're on their computers, they're on TV, you got the teacher telling them what to do, and all this stuff, all that multitasking, your brain is actually not made for that. 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:26.400 You're causing brain damage versus taking time every day, slow down, no phones, no computers, open your Bible and meditate in God's word. 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:34.000 You are made, listen, men and women, you are made for focused attention. 00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:39.359 Focused attention on truth heals your brain. 00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:41.759 Heal your brain, heal your body. 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:44.400 Heal your body, heal your relationship. 00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:48.000 Heal your relationship with God because you're going to hear God's voice. 00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:53.119 That's the best supplement you can take. 00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:58.559 The best supplement, the best vitamin of the day is meditating in scripture. 00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:03.359 Meditating in God's word, hearing his voice. 00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:05.039 And that means just take a verse. 00:30:05.119 --> 00:30:07.599 You just start with PB and Jack. 00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:13.440 Biblical Christian meditation is slowing down. 00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:18.079 Focusing on God's truth with deep intellectual thought. 00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:24.079 And this is the only way to find daily soul harmony. 00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:26.720 Everybody listen to me. 00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:29.680 PB and J, we talk about it all the time. 00:30:29.839 --> 00:30:30.720 Prayer, Bible, and journal. 00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:35.279 PB and J, not peanut butter, and jelly, but PB and J, prayer Bible, and journal, PB and J. 00:30:36.319 --> 00:30:38.240 You become what you behold. 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:42.559 You become what you behold. 00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:46.480 If you're beholding your problems, you'll become your problems. 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:51.680 If you're beholding all your anxiety, you'll become all your anxiety. 00:30:52.640 --> 00:30:57.200 The prayer Bible and journal is, let's start with Matthew in the New Testament. 00:30:57.279 --> 00:30:58.240 That's a good place to start. 00:30:58.400 --> 00:31:00.720 Just take that one chapter and read that. 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:09.759 And then Matthew 2 the next day, and then Matthew, take five, ten minutes meditating, saying, God speak to me, and he's gonna light up something in there. 00:31:09.920 --> 00:31:11.839 He's gonna light up something in there. 00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:13.279 Write it in your journal. 00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:15.440 I don't have a journal, we'll go get one. 00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:19.680 Well, I can't afford a journal, then steal one. 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:22.319 I don't care how you get one, just get a journal, okay? 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:24.000 Get a journal. 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:27.920 Get a spiral notebook. 00:31:28.079 --> 00:31:30.880 I don't care what you do, or just write in your Bible. 00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:32.559 But start somewhere. 00:31:32.880 --> 00:31:34.240 Quit making excuses. 00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:36.720 Have no time for your excuses. 00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:39.200 And then write what he's saying to you. 00:31:39.279 --> 00:31:39.839 Write the date. 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:41.759 Write down one or two things he's saying to you. 00:31:41.839 --> 00:31:42.400 Meditate on that. 00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:43.359 Say, God. 00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:47.039 God, I want to hear your voice. 00:31:49.920 --> 00:31:52.799 I want to walk in the path that you have for me. 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:57.200 I want to discover everything that you have for me in this life. 00:31:57.359 --> 00:32:06.000 I want to be as gifted and as talented and as much of a healer to others as I can be. 00:32:06.319 --> 00:32:07.839 My life's yours. 00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:10.240 You meditate in scripture, he'll show you. 00:32:10.400 --> 00:32:11.279 He'll speak to you. 00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:17.759 I don't care what your age is, I don't care how messed up your background is, God can come and change that. 00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:19.759