Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001315
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00:01 [Theme Music] Mother's Day!
00:09 Happy Mother's Day, moms! 00:10 I could be@@@@@@ but I've said many times that 00:13 I don't know of any other influence in this world 00:15 greater than that of a mother's prayers. 00:17 In 1 Samuel, Hannah desperately wants to have a 00:19 child. 00:20 When the boy was born she dedicates him to the service 00:22 of God. 00:23 In 1 Samuel 1:27 we read some of the most powerful words 00:27 you'll ever read: For this child I prayed. 00:30 Think about that. 00:31 Every blessing Samuel experienced in his life could 00:33 be traced back to the prayers of his faithful mother. 00:37 There are thousands of books about raising children. 00:39 Some of them are good. 00:41 The best one is the Bible. 00:43 Some of the best advice you'll find in the Bible is 00:45 found in the example of Hannah. 00:47 For this child I prayed. 00:48 Moms and Dads - pray for your kids. 00:51 It's the greatest thing you could ever do for them. 00:54 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 00:56 Let's today by every Word. 01:02 [It Is Written Theme Music] 01:07 It has stood the test of time. 01:12 God's book, the Bible. 01:17 Still relevant in today's complex world. 01:22 It Is Written sharing hope around the globe.@@@@@@@@@@ 01:35 [Music] Did you know that right now, today, one out of 01:47 three people say that they're dealing with EXTREME levels 01:50 of stress? 01:52 One out of three! 01:54 And about HALF of us are lying awake at night because 01:57 we're having trouble coping with the very real problems 02:00 of modern life.We're getting angry, nervous, exhausted, 02:10 and depressed. 02:12 Well the good news is that there's something very real 02:16 that can do about it. 02:21 You know, when I was a kid, the futurists made us some 02:23 pretty incredible promises. 02:24 Technology was going to make life a whole lot easier. 02:28 We'd only be working fifteen or twenty hours a week, and 02:33 most of our household chores would disappear because 02:36 robots and other machines would be doing the work 02:39 for us. 02:40 So here we are, thirty or forty years later, and 02:42 honestly, I feel cheated. 02:44 The work week isn't shorter - it's actually longer! 02:47 According to the National Sleep Foundation, most people 02:50 are working FORTY SIX hours a week, and more than a third 02:53 of us are doing more than fifty hours a week. 02:56 While it's nice to have microwaves and dishwashers, 02:57 the promise of more free time seems like a cruel joke. 03:03 Families are gulping down their meals and even eating 03:06 in the car because kids have way too many extra-curricular 03:09 activities. 03:10 [Okay, come on everybody, we've got to get to soccer. 03:13 Put your bags in and your soccer ball. 03:16 I have your food here. 03:33 Sound of motor churning and vehicle driving off .]They 03:39 promised us virtual offices - we'd get to work at the beach 03:42 or by the pool. 03:43 But instead of liberating us, computers and cell phones 03:46 have made slaves of us. 03:48 They're virtual leashes, and now the office follows us 03:52 everywhere. 03:53 It's not at all like they promised. 03:56 We kind of thought we'd be living like the Jetsons, but 03:59 in reality, it looks a whole lot more like Survivor. 04:03 Some economists have noticed that we might be the first 04:05 generation in a long time that stands no chance of 04:08 living better than our parents. 04:11 The price of energy is shooting up, the cost of 04:13 quality food is rising, health care premiums are 04:16 going through the roof. 04:18 It takes at least two people, working hard, to pay down a 04:20 mortgage, even after the collapse of the market. 04:23 And we have far less time for basic human activities like 04:27 sitting down for a family meal or even getting a good 04:30 night's sleep. 04:31 Between 1960 and 1986, the average American family, if 04:37 you can believe it, had ten or twelve hours a week to 04:40 spend with their kids, but not too many people have that 04:43 kind of time anymore. 04:44 Now that we're actually living in the future, many 04:47 people are finding it kind of disappointing. 04:50 I could probably live with the disappointment, except 04:52 for the fact that the world we've built for ourselves is 04:54 actually starting to KILL people. 04:57 Some people are literally dropping dead from 05:00 unreasonable levels of stress, from a lack of sleep 05:02 or from a lousy diet. 05:04 Our evening meal far too often gets handed to us 05:07 through a little drive-up window, complete with fries 05:09 and a soda. 05:11 [music] We're getting lifestyle diseases at rates 05:14 that were unheard of just a hundred years ago, and a lot 05:17 of them are clearly stress-related. 05:19 It's becoming obvious, to most of us, that something's 05:22 wrong. 05:24 And it's not just the physical diseases that are 05:26 destroying us. 05:27 Some of us are dying inside. 05:30 We're tired, we're way too busy, and our family lives 05:33 are crumbling or non-existent. 05:36 Too many people wonder why they even bother. 05:39 The fun of life is gone. 05:41 Now today I'm going to show you why people feel that way, 05:45 and I'm going to give some simple, practical tools that 05:50 you can use - right now - to take back your life and start 05:55 enjoying it more. 05:57 Modern life has become so busy - so demanding - that 06:01 some people just assume that huge loads of stress are 06:05 normal. 06:06 But it's not the way we're meant to live. 06:08 Take a look around you: a lot of us are getting moodier and 06:10 less happy. 06:12 We're not enjoying life. 06:14 We sleep less, we play less, and some of us are even 06:20 developing nagging problems that are a sign that your 06:21 body is breaking down under stress. 06:24 It's protesting against the modern lifestyle: too much 06:26 work, too much anxiety, too much coffee, and not enough 06:29 sleep. 06:30 But that's NOT the way life is supposed to be. 06:34 The Psalmist tells us that we are fearfully and 06:39 wonderfully made,(Ps. 06:41 139:14) Our bodies have been designed for a far more 06:45 natural rhythm. 06:47 For example, when it gets dark outside, your pineal 06:50 gland starts producing a substance called melatonin, 06:54 and that substance actually lowers your body temperature 06:57 and makes you feel drowsy. 06:59 It's nature's way of telling you to go to sleep. 07:03 But what do most of us do at night? 07:05 We turn on all the lights we sit down in front of a TV 07:07 or a computer monitor and all that light (especially 07:11 the blue light) actually slows down the production of 07:15 melatonin and prevents us from falling asleep. 07:17 So, after living in a constant state of anxiety and 07:21 high alert all day, we actually cheat our bodies of 07:23 sleep and keep ourselves from recovering. 07:28 Now let me ask you a question: does any of this 07:32 kind of ring a bell for you? 07:34 Can you remember back to a time when you just enjoyed 07:35 life more? 07:36 A time when you had more energy - more enthusiasm? 07:40 Well, I've got some great news for you. 07:43 You can have it back. 07:44 Really, you can. 07:46 In just a moment, I'm going to show you how to get 07:48 started. 07:57 [Music] 08:07 Time for today' s bible question and thank you for sending 08:08 your questions in [Music] It seems like there 08:11 are a lot more natural disasters going on now then I 08:15 can ever remember in the past. 08:17 Does this mean that Jesus is about to return? 08:21 Well it certainly may. 08:23 Part of me wants to say an absolute Yes, all the 08:27 natural disasters do mean that Jesus is about to come. 08:30 There's a strong case that could be made for that. 08:33 It seems that could be the case. 08:34 I believe, based on what the Bible says, that the natural 08:37 disasters we see do indicate that. 08:41 But we need to keep something in mind. 08:43 First - let's remember what Jesus said in the Bible. 08:45 He said that when certain things start to happen with 08:48 greater frequency and intensity, we could know that 08:52 His coming was near, even at the doors, He said. 08:55 And among those signs He mentioned were wars & rumors 08:57 of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes 09:01 and so forth. 09:02 So Christians are inclined to believe, based on what Jesus 09:05 said in Matthew chapter 24, that these things going on in 09:09 the world - including natural disasters - indicate a 09:13 nearing of Jesus return. 09:15 But here's what we have to remember. 09:17 Actually, empirically, we don't really have 'evidence' 09:22 as such that the disasters mean Jesus is coming back 09:25 soon. 09:26 Now I know that might sound odd, but its the truth. 09:30 But when you combine those signs in the natural world 09:32 with the signs we see in the economic world, and the 09:35 political world, and the religious world, this gives 09:37 us more reason to believe that Jesus' return is near. 09:42 But you know what? 09:43 Whether the things we see in the world indicate Jesus is 09:46 coming back soon or not, that's not the point. 09:50 Jesus said in Matthew 24:42, Watch therefore, for you do 09:55 not know what hour your Lord is coming. And then He went 09:59 on to say in verse 44, Therefore be ye also ready: 10:03 for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man 10:07 cometh.In another place Paul wrote, But of the times 10:11 and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write 10:14 unto you.I think there's a very strong case for saying 10:17 that the signs we see in the world indicate Jesus is 10:21 coming back soon. 10:22 I believe that by faith in the word of God. 10:25 Can I prove that? 10:26 Probably not to the satisfaction of a skeptic, 10:29 but I believe it. 10:30 However, the key point is that whenever Jesus is going 10:34 to return, we need to be ready - to live ready, 10:38 whenever it is going to be. 10:40 And we need to live ready by living connected to Christ, 10:44 our lives surrendered to the will of God. 10:48 If you have a Bible question that you'd like answered, 10:51 please go to our website - www.ItIsWritten.com. 10:53 Click on the questions tab and submit your question, and 10:56 in a future program we might be able to answer your 11:01 question. 11:03 [Music] 11:09 If you're like most human beings caught up hectic pace 11:12 of the 21st century, you're probably feeling 11:16 a little run down. 11:17 And yet the drive to produce - the drive to be busy - to 11:21 be successful, it's almost irresistible. 11:25 When you read through the first few chapters of the 11:27 Bible, you'll find something interesting. 11:29 Listen to this: Genesis 2:15 Then the Lord God took the 11:36 man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 11:42 You might think that Adam and Eve spent their time 11:43 lounging by the pool or playing a round of golf, 11:46 relaxing in the easy life of Paradise, 11:49 but you'd be wrong. 11:50 In the very beginning, God designed human beings to be 11:53 productive and busy. 11:56 Our job was to tend and keep the garden. 11:59 Now, what I find really interesting about that 12:03 is the way lots of people still spend their day off 12:04 in the garden, tending and keeping in the best 12:07 of biblical traditions. 12:11 There's just something about working outside in the fresh 12:13 air and sunlight - with your hands in the dirt - that 12:17 makes the troubles of a stressful week just melt into 12:19 the background. 12:20 I love it. 12:21 And to add to that--I think, now this might not be 12:23 everybody's cup of tea--if you get your hands on one of 12:25 them weed whackers or your hands on a chainsaw. 12:29 Now I know that may not be tending and keeping, but it's 12:30 tending. 12:33 To me, there's something just great about that. 12:36 It makes stress melt away and somehow reconnects a person 12:40 with planet earth and the things that are really 12:43 important. 12:44 And all that ought to tell us something: maybe work was 12:47 never meant to be stressful. 12:49 Maybe we're just doing it wrong. 12:52 And maybe - if we pay attention to the details of 12:54 this ancient biblical story - maybe we could find some way 12:58 back to the joy of living - the quality of life that God 13:02 originally intended. 13:04 Now, I know what someone is thinking. 13:07 John, you've got to be kidding. 13:09 In this day and age, you want me to read the book of 13:10 Genesis to find answers for modern problems?I know: to 13:13 a lot of people, the Bible seems like it's kind of out 13:16 of date and sort of out of touch. 13:18 But what if I told you that right now, millions of people 13:21 who are taking this book quite seriously, are not only 13:25 living better lives, they are also living longer ones! 13:28 It's true! 13:29 In fact, back in November of 2005, National Geographic 13:33 featured three groups of people who outlive everybody 13:36 else by a considerable distance, and one of those 13:39 groups has built their success by simply following 13:42 the advice given in the Bible. 13:45 And what have they discovered? 13:46 Let me point out some really interesting things found in 13:49 the story of creation that will get you started on a 13:53 better life. 13:53 First of all, take a look at what was on the menu for Adam 13:56 and Eve: Genesis 1:29 And God said, See, I have given you 14:04 every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all 14:07 the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to 14:11 you it shall be for food. 14:15 According to the Bible, the original diet was a whole 14:18 food diet. 14:19 It wasn't loaded with preservatives or pre-cooked 14:22 and sold in the freezer section of the grocery store. 14:26 Now here's something really interesting: grab your laptop 14:29 or your iPad, and then Google the words healthy diet, 14:32 and see what you get. 14:34 Even better, do an image search on Google - 14:36 use the words healthy diet 14:39 and see what comes up. 14:41 It's really pretty amazing, the pictures look a lot like 14:44 the description we just read from the Book of Genesis. 14:47 But unfortunately, it doesn't look like the food found in 14:50 most Western refrigerators. 14:52 Health experts are starting to catch on that 14:55 the over-processed, over-refined foods we've been eating 14:58 aren't very good for us. 15:01 One of the key reasons we're not feeling good like we used 15:04 to is because we're not eating like we used to and 15:07 like we were designed to eat. 15:09 If we could raise a historical figure from 15:11 the dead and bring him into a modern kitchen - let's say 15:13 Abraham Lincoln - I'm guessing he wouldn't 15:16 recognize half the stuff we put in our mouths, because 15:19 back in his day, those foods simply didn't exist. 15:22 And really, you wouldn't have to go back as far as Abraham 15:25 Lincoln, because I'm guessing my own grandmother wouldn't 15:28 be able to name half the stuff we eat down here in the 15:30 21st century. 15:32 I heard someone say the other day that we are living 15:36 in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors 15:40 and furniture polish is made from real lemons.And you've 15:43 got to wonder: when you hear about an obesity epidemic - 15:46 and rampant cancer - and heart disease - and rising 15:49 numbers of people afflicted with Type II diabetes - 15:51 you've got to wonder if the way we're eating doesn't have 15:54 something to do with it. 15:56 According to some sources, processed food now makes up 16:00 an amazing 90 percent of our diet. 16:04 And as people get sicker, health experts are getting 16:07 more and more concerned. 16:08 They're warning us to eat more REAL food. 16:11 They're telling us to fill our plate with fruits, 16:14 and nuts, and grains, and vegetables. 16:17 And that's pretty remarkable, because that was the original 16:20 diet in the Garden of Eden. 16:22 Now take a look at something else: Genesis 2:18 16:29 And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should 16:34 be alone; I will make him a helper comparable 16:37 to him. 16:39 I want you to notice that human beings were made 16:41 for companionship. 16:44 The Bible says, it's not good for us to be alone. 16:47 And yet the modern working world has made most of us 16:49 functional hermits. 16:52 By the time we're done with an exhausting day cruising 16:55 by on not enough sleep and living in a cubicle under 16:57 artificial light and then fighting traffic all the way 17:00 home and then eating yet another meal out of a box 17:04 by the time we're done, we're too tired to spend any 17:07 quality time with friends or family. 17:09 And even if we had a little energy left, our friends 17:13 and family aren't readily available, because 17:15 they also are way too busy. 17:18 [Music] -- Yay! 17:24 Hey dad. 17:32 Hey dad, can you shoot hoops? 17:35 Father- You know buddy, it's been a long day. 17:37 I'm really, really tired and it's been a very hard 17:39 and long day. 17:41 So can we do that at another time? 17:42 Child-Okay. 17:45 Father - Hang on one second, hang on. 17:46 I've got to take this call. 17:49 Just hang on. 17:50 Hello. 17:53 Yes. 17:54 No, the reports were submitted on time. 17:56 Yes they were. 17:57 No, we did submit that. 17:59 Before I left the office. 18:01 Yes. 18:03 Yes they were. 18:04 They were accurate. 18:05 They were submitted. 18:07 Let me go check email right now and I'll get back to you. 18:11 I'll call you back. 18:12 Right. 18:14 Good-bye. 18:15 [Sad Music] You know, there might be 18:17 7 billion people living on this planet, but some 18:20 of those are the loneliest people in the history 18:23 of humanity. 18:25 The center of our human activity used to be the 18:28 family, but in recent decades that's all started to change. 18:32 I read the other day that back in the 1950s, only one 18:35 out of ten households had just one person living in it, 18:39 and most of those single people were widows. 18:43 But now, with all the changes we've seen, it's more like 18:45 one in three households are single people living alone. 18:48 Of course, there's nothing necessarily wrong with living 18:50 alone; some people like it that way. 18:53 But it does point out a trend: we appear to be 18:56 getting more isolated. 18:57 We don't enjoy the same number of meaningful 19:00 relationships we used to. 19:02 There are more of us crowded into every square mile than 19:05 at any other time in history, but we don't actually seem to 19:08 KNOW each other. 19:09 Our friendships are carried out in Facebook and Farmville. 19:13 We run home to watch Friends on TV instead of going out 19:15 and getting some real ones. 19:16 And it's kind of ironic, that as we get more connected on 19:21 the internet, we seem to get more disconnected from real, 19:25 live people. 19:27 All that loneliness is starting to take a toll. 19:30 Think back to a time when you used to actually hang out 19:32 with your friends, and think about how energized you felt 19:35 when you all got together. 19:37 And then compare that feeling to the way you feel right 19:40 now: busy, tired, and spent. 19:41 Ask yourself if the Bible wasn't right: it isn't good 19:44 for people to be alone. 19:46 Part of taking back our lives is making PEOPLE a priority, 19:51 refusing to allow technological progress to rob 19:55 us of meaningful relationships. 19:59 At the end of your life, you're not going to be glad 20:02 you spent more time working or surfing the web what's 20:04 going to make a real difference is the people in 20:09 whom you invested your time. 20:10 In just a moment, I'm going to show you one more critical 20:14 key to getting back your balance. 20:17 Don't go channel surfing, because I'll be right back. 20:20 It Is Written is dedicated to sharing the gospel around 20:23 the world. 20:24 Our dream is to impact the world for God. 20:27 Our television program is only one aspect of how we try 20:29 to accomplish that. 20:31 To discover more about It Is Written, I invite you to visit 20:33 our website, itiswritten.com and browse the dozens of pages 20:38 that describe what we do and how we do it. 20:40 Let's get to know each other better. 20:42 Visit our website itiswritten.com today. 20:49 Planning for your financial future is a vital aspect of 20:51 Christian Stewardship. 20:52 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer 20:54 free planned giving and estate services. 20:58 For information on how we can help you, please call 21:00 1.800.992.2219. 21:04 To receive additional material on the advantages of 21:07 life-income plans such as a Charitable Gift Annuity, 21:10 which can provide you with tax benefits and income for 21:12 life, Call today or visit our special website: 21:16 www.hislegacy.com. 21:20 You could also write to It Is Written, Planned Giving and 21:24 Trust Services, Box O, Thousand Oaks, California 21:27 91359. 21:29 Our toll-free number again is 1-800-992-2219 and our web 21:35 address: www.hislegacy.com 21:43 Today we're talking about the way that modern life has 21:45 taken its toll on millions of people. 21:47 We're working longer these days and enjoying life less 21:50 than ever before - and in the book of Genesis, we've 21:54 discovered a number of important keys that will help 21:56 you take back your life and find some balance. 21:59 Here is another good key. 22:00 Take a look at this often overlooked passage from 22:01 Genesis chapter two. 22:02 The Bible says, Genesis 2:3 Then God blessed the seventh 22:07 day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from 22:11 all His work which God had created and made. 22:15 It's remarkable: after creating the heavens and the 22:17 earth, the Bible says that God STOPPED and took a day 22:20 off! 22:21 Now, we know that God doesn't get tired. 22:23 So why did He do that? 22:25 Why did He take a day off? 22:28 Well, maybe He was trying to teach US something. 22:32 Maybe, as the manufacturer, He knew what the human body 22:34 needed. 22:36 Maybe He didn't design the human body to slave away 22:38 seven days a week, to the point of absolute exhaustion. 22:41 And maybe there's a rhythm to life we've forgotten about. 22:45 The Bible says that on the seventh day God rested from 22:48 all His work and you've got to think that if God can 22:51 afford to take a day of rest, then maybe we can afford to 22:53 do it, too. 22:55 In fact, God not only recommends a day of rest; He 22:58 asks us to take a day of rest. 23:01 You'll find it right in the heart of the Ten 23:03 Commandments. 23:04 Exodus 20:8, the Bible says, Remember the Sabbath day, to 23:09 keep it holy. 23:11 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the 23:15 seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. 23:18 In it you shall do no work. 23:21 (Exodus 20:8-10) Take a look at the human race the way 23:24 it is right now and you start to get the sense that 23:26 God knew what He was talking about. 23:28 This isn't just about rules and regulations. 23:30 Peoples' jaws are clenched; their shoulders are stooped 23:33 and rounded, and their muscles are tight. 23:36 Tempers are shorter, getting shorter by the day, blood 23:39 pressure is rising, rising by the moment. 23:42 So, maybe that sacred time in the fourth commandment is 23:45 worth a second look. 23:47 Maybe God was doing us a favor. 23:49 Think about it: What would happen if we actually started 23:53 to live the way God designed us? 23:57 What if life was full of satisfying work, and 24:00 meaningful relationships? 24:01 What if we had some space to breathe - some time to 24:04 actually live? 24:07 [Music] - Father: Hey buddy, 24:08 want to play some ball? 24:09 Son: - Really? 24:09 Father Yeah, yeah. 24:10 Come on. 24:11 Let's go. Come on. 24:12 [Music] 24:16 What if we had a whole day - every week - 24:19 for people, and for God? 24:21 What if, instead of the artificial rhythms set by 24:24 alarm clocks and digital planners, we started to live 24:27 by the rhythms designed for us by God? 24:31 Ask yourself how much you're getting out of life. 24:35 And I think you'll agree that you were born for something 24:37 more. 24:38 The way we're living today just isn't working for many 24:40 of us, but there is a better way to live, and it's well 24:44 within your reach. 24:46 It's the plan developed by God in the beginning and I invite 24:49 you today to consider reaching back and adopting 24:52 the original lifestyle designed by the Creator. 24:56 Why don't we pray that you and me both will find the 24:59 balance, the harmony and the peace of mind God 25:04 meant for us to have. 25:05 Let's pray together right now. 25:07 Father in heaven, there is no doubt we are living in 25:10 a stress-filled world and so many of us right now 25:14 are stressed to the max. 25:16 And that wasn't your plan. 25:19 I pray that you will help us to reconnect, to live that 25:22 healthy, restful lifestyle with you at the very center. 25:26 Show us, Lord, the way to optimum health and optimum 25:30 life. 25:32 And thank you that we were made for the purpose of 25:36 enjoying life in this world, for being blessed and being 25:39 a blessing to others. 25:40 And then, enjoying life in the world to come, 25:42 where there will be no stress at all. 25:45 Let that day come soon, I pray. 25:49 May we live today in your presence, 25:52 your way, by your grace. 25:53 In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. 25:56 [Music] 26:23 If you've ever questioned whether relentless activity 26:26 is really necessary or if something is broken in 26:28 the way we spend our time, discover some answers 26:32 in a free book called A Monument in Time. 26:35 This book will help you realize that if we stopped 26:37 our endless cycle of activity for even a few moments, 26:41 we would discover something amazing 26:44 the presence of God. 26:45 A monument in time describes how you can achieve a more 26:48 rewarding life by following a specific plan 26:53 God has designed for you. 26:54 Right now, this practical book is available free 26:56 from It Is Written. 26:59 Just call 1 800 253 3000. 27:01 Ask for the book A monument in time or write 27:07 to It Is Written, Box O, Thousand Oaks, California 91359. 27:11 And we will mail a copy to your address 27:13 in North America. 27:15 Please note this free book is limited to the supply 27:16 on hand. 27:18 For immediate access, you can download a free, 27:21 electronic version of the book A Monument in Time 27:24 directly from our website itiswritten.com It Is Written 27:27 is a faith-based outreach made possible 27:30 by viewers like you. 27:32 Thank you for your letters and your continued support. 27:34 Our toll-free number is 1 800 253 3000 27:38 and our web address itiswritten.com. 27:44 Thanks for joining me today. 27:45 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:47 And until then, remember It Is Written: man shall not 27:51 live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds 27:56 from the mouth of God. 27:59 [Music] |
Revised 2015-02-06