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Dr. Deb Muth 00:08What if the toxins in your food and water weren’t just harming our bodies, but rewriting the very code of human health? My guest today, MIT scientist Dr. Stephanie Sineff, has spent over a decade connecting the dots between environmental toxins, metabolic chaos, and neurological decline. You’ll want to hear every word of this conversation. You guys can put our, Serenity ad in here, and then I’ll do the standard intro.Welcome back to Let’s Talk Wellness Now, the show where we uncover the root causes of chronic illness, explore cutting-edge regenerative medicine, and empower you with the tools to heal. I’m Dr. Deb, your medical detective.And today, we’re diving into how environmental toxins and nutritional imbalances are silently shaping chronic disease patterns, from autoimmune disorders to neurodegenerative decline. And how we can take back control of our health. So, as usual, grab your cup of coffee, tea, or whatever helps you unwind, settle in, and let’s get started on your journey to deeper healing. So, Dr. Sunif, so glad to have you here. I can’t wait to have this conversation with you. We were just chatting off-camera a few seconds ago about what we’re going to chat about, but tell us a little bit about your background and how you got into this field of looking at toxins and mitochondria. Seneff 01:50Okay, yeah, my background is a bit eclectic, so it starts out with biology. I have an undergraduate degree in biology from MIT. My PhD is in electrical engineering and computer science, so that’s quite a switchover. And most of my career, I was writing computer code to train computers to talk to humans in a natural conversation… conversational interaction with computers. We were pioneers in that space. You can see that it has really taken off now. And actually, by 2006, 2007, I started to realize that the kind of work I did already then was getting compromised by the, by the emergence of AI. And I got concerned that, I wouldn’t be able to sustain the path I was on. And it’s happening now, of course, to the young… many people, young people today, are facing a crisis in computer science, because it used to be if you had skills in hacking code, you were good to go, you know, and that’s just not true anymore, so that’s another whole story, but anyway, I decided I needed to do something different, and I pivoted in a big way in 2007. managed to get the company that had been funding me, a Taiwanese company called Quanta Computers, And they,We’re willing to switch over to funding me to do research on health and toxic chemical exposures. Which was a miracle that they let… they let me switch over to that, and that was fantastic, 2007. So it’s been almost 20 years. that I’ve been looking for toxic chemical exposures and their association with human disease. And I focused initially on autism and heart disease, kind of for personal reasons, because I knew people who had, you know, who had those issues.But it led into a much, much bigger story, and I’m super excited about what’s happened over the last 20 years. It’s been a continual learning experience for me, and I’ve just kept broadening my space in biology, furiously reading papers as I discovered new concepts and trying to explore those. opening up new windows, and it’s just been a profusion of learning over the past 20 years, and I’ve published many papers at this point. Peer-reviewed papers on the topics of toxic chemical exposures and disease. Particularly, glyphosate is the one I really focused on, and I wrote the book, Toxic Legacy, how the weed killer glyphosate is Destroying Our Health and the Environment.That was published in 2021. So. Dr. Deb Muth 04:18So I’m sure you have a few thoughts about the administration wanting to bring that back to be made at home instead of China, right? Seneff 04:26I know, that’s so interesting. And actually, you know, he makes a point that I agree with, which is that we are relying on China. for importing a whole bunch of stuff that’s really toxic, and we’re pouring it all over our food supply, so China’s probably very happy to poison us, you know? Oh, absolutely. It’s kind of ironic that we’re doing that, and he makes a good point that we shouldn’t be relying on China for these chemicals that are poisoning us, but where he misses the point is he says, well, we just need to poison ourselves, you know? Rather than getting rid of that chemical, we need to really change the way we grow food.I think it’s the number one most important thing right now. in America is to change the way we grow food, and it has to be certified organic, regenerative. We need to focus on healing the soil, just as we have to heal the gut. I mean, we’ve really messed up the microbes in both the soil and the gut, and the consequences, as you can see, are a huge problem with human disease. Dr. Deb Muth 05:20They’re devastating. I mean, we have so much chronic illness and so much neurological disease these days, and just the rise of autism, it should be telling us that we’re doing something wrong, right? Seneff 05:31Absolutely. Dr. Deb Muth 05:32We have a problem. For those people who are listening that don’t understand what the term glyphosate is, can you explain that a little bit to them? Seneff 05:39Yeah, so it’s one of the many herbicides that we use. We use herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides in agriculture, all these poisons, and it kind of seems crazy to me that we would think it’s okay to pour poisons all over our food supply. I don’t understand why we think that’s fine.Yeah. You know, categorically. Glyphosate is supposed to be a wonderful chemical, because it’s an herbicide that kills all plants except for those that have been engineered to resist it. And supposedly is completely harmless to humans. And that’s what gets to be, you know, disbelief, because how can something so toxic to plants be harmless to humans? Just, how can it be? Dr. Deb Muth 06:14We haven’t been re-engineered like the seeds that they use from Monsanto, so how can it not affect us if it only affects everything but their seeds that they’ve modified to make grow beautifully under that condition? It doesn’t make any sense. Seneff 06:32Right, and of course, the critical thing they missed is that our gut microbes do have that pathway. It’s the chicken mate pathway that it disrupts. Really critical in all the plants, and in most of the microbes. In the soil and in the gut, and so it kills off the microbes as well as the plants, and when it kills off your gut microbes, you gotta watch out, because gut dysbiosis is a huge thing. And we’ve had so many papers coming out lately that Talking about the relationship between gut dysbiosis and all kinds of different diseases. Dr. Deb Muth 07:01Do you think that’s why we see so much gut dysbiosis these days? Seneff 07:04Oh, absolutely. I think it’s not just glyphosate, because we have lots of poisons that are messing up our gut microbes, but glyphosate is a really big one, because the shikimate pathway is essential for many of the microbes, and they use it to make essential nutrients for the host. So we get compromised as well, just because they can’t make those nutrients in that. Dr. Deb Muth 07:22It’s so… Seneff 07:22lies. Dr. Deb Muth 07:23so much harder today to treat people with gut issues than it was 25 years ago when I started. It was so much easier. And now, it’s, like, nearly impossible sometimes to get some of these people back to a good, healthy gut microbiome, no matter what you do, no matter how well they eat, and all the things that they do. It’s a struggle, for sure, compared to what it was 20 years ago. Seneff 07:44It’s interesting that you have that personal experience, because I think people like you really can see what’s happening. Dr. Deb Muth 07:49and appreciate. Seneff 07:50the difference between then and now. I, of course, as a child, autism was not something I knew about at all. Really, when I was a child. It didn’t exist, basically. I mean, it was so rare. And now, you know, everyone knows someone with autism, you know, pretty much. Dr. Deb Muth 08:08Autism and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s seems to be just so much commonplace. Everybody knows somebody in their family that is affected by one of those disorders, if not multiples, and We tend to say it’s genetic, right? Well, there’s got to be a genetic… why wasn’t it genetic 50 years ago, or 100 years ago? But now, all of a sudden, it’s so prevalent in our environment that we’ve just become acceptable of it, and I think that’s wrong for us to do that. We shouldn’t be doing that. Seneff 08:38I know. I find it very interesting how quickly it appears that humans adapt to the new normal, you know? Dr. Deb Muth 08:44Yeah. Seneff 08:45It’s normal that you have, you know. 3% of the kids have autism, that’s normal, you know? It’s just like, no, it’s not. And also, of course, all the Alzheimer’s and dementia and Parkinson’s, as you mentioned, in the elderly, those are connected, because they’re all related to brain problems that are being caused by chemicals that are destroying the brain. Dr. Deb Muth 09:03Yeah. So, how does glyphosphate interact with our body’s ability to absorb those essential nutrients, like sulfur? Seneff 09:12Yeah, well, it’s… that’s a big… that’s a big question. I don’t know where to begin with that one. Glyphosate, you know, it’s a train wreck for the gut microbes, and then that causes the gut dysbiosis. The microbes are unable to produce adequate amounts of nutrients that are essential for the host. And as a consequence, the host cells get sick, you know, so the colonocytes get sick because they’re not getting adequate nutrition. Because the microbes can’t produce the nutrition they normally would produce. I think that’s a good summary of what’s going on. You get inflammation in the gut.And then the inflammation causes immune reactions, so you get the immune cells coming in, and they create inflammation, you know, it’s just like there’s a kind of a festering going on in there that’s really a train wreck for the whole system. Dr. Deb Muth 09:58Do we see different, results with things like this in Europe, where they’re not allowed to use a lot of these chemicals that we’re allowed to use here? Seneff 10:07Yeah, they are allowed, but it’s much, much less there. My friend, Tony Mitra got his government, Canada, to do a test… to do a big test of over 8,000 samples, food samples, to get… look for glyphosate. U.S. government doesn’t bother to test for glyphosate, because they consider it to be safe.We know it’s all over our food supply from work by people like Zen Honeycutt. My friend Zan Honeycutt of Moms Across America has really been on a mission to test all kinds of different food samples for glyphosate and finding it extensive in our food supply, in the school lunches. in the fast food restaurants and the food that’s fed to the Army. She’s done all these different studies, breast milk. Wines, you know, all the wines were contaminated, even the biodynamic, which are organic.Had small amounts of glyphosate, so it’s just like it’s all over the food supply. Canada did 8,000 samples. Tony Beecher finally got them to do that after many years of harassing them, and then he published the results in a book called Poison Foods of North America, because they found that they had imports from Europe, imports from Mexico, imports from the U.S, And basically, the U.S. and Canada came out way on top, as far as overall, the numbers were much higher in those two countries. And Mexico lined up with Europe, which was quite interesting to me. So, you know, you’re better off if you buy food from Mexico. Dr. Deb Muth 11:31Yeah, and I wouldn’t have thought that, I would have thought that was different. Seneff 11:34And I know you often think that Mexican food is not going to be as carefully regulated, and you might get some kind of, toxin. You don’t expect Mexican food to be healthier than American, but it is. Dr. Deb Muth 11:44Yeah. Yeah, can you talk a little bit about deuterium? What is deuterium? Seneff 11:51Okay, that’s a good place to start. Yeah, deuterium… I am absolutely fascinated with deuterium, and I believe that the team of researchers that I’m working with, we are on to something really huge. I’m super, super excited. I almost can’t contain my excitement with this, because once we started looking, it’s just like everything made so much sense. Everything kind of came together. In terms of metabolism, and disruptive metabolism, and all the stuff that’s going on in the gut. It really, really makes sense. Deuterium is heavy hydrogen. It’s a natural element. Hydrogen is the smallest element, the upper left corner of the periodic table. One proton and one electron, and it’s by far the most common atom in the universe.And in our body, as well, by far the most common atom in our body, and it’s involved in all the chemical reactions that take place. And so, you know, have carbohydrates. The hydrates is hydrogen, you know, in the word carbon, hydrogen, carbohydrates. And of course, carbohydrates are, you know, basic foods. So anyway, deuterium has an extra neutron. It’s just like carbon-14, so carbon-12, carbon-14 is a little bit heavier. It’s got 14 instead of 12. It has extra neutrons. So there are these kind of isotopes of various atoms, but hydrogen has hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium. Tritium has two extra neutrons. It’s very rare, and deuterium has one extra neutron, and it’s rare compared to hydrogen, but it’s not rare, because hydrogen’s so common. So it’s actually present in the blood at five times the level of calcium, for example. Dr. Deb Muth 13:24Oh. Seneff 13:25So it’s not rare, but it’s a very interesting atom that has caused us trouble in the mitochondria. Dr. Deb Muth 13:32Is it actually considered a toxin? Seneff 13:34It’s a natural element, you know. I mean, you have natural elements that are toxic, you know, like some of those metals, like mercury, for example, is a natural element, but it’s toxic, so it’s not a chemical, it’s not a chemical, you know, not made in the chemical lab. It’s just an atom. And it’s all over the universe. It’s not like you can avoid it, or you can, you know, you can’t get rid of it. It’s everywhere. And so it’s a natural part of biology, and our biology has evolved. to very, very clever ways to protect the mitochondria from deuterium. So the thing is, mitochondria have ATPase, which makes ATP, and ATP is the universal… it’s the energy source for the cell.ATP. It’s made in the mitochondria, very, very important, oxidative phosphorylation, you know, that’s sort of basic in biology. And, those ATPase pumps, depend upon hydrogen flowing through the pumps to generate, motor force to make the ATP.And they pile up the hydrogen inside an inner membrane space. They’re kind of cute. The mitochondria have this internal matrix in the hole, like a donut hole. The matrix is where a lot of activity is going on. And then there’s a membrane, but the membrane has both an outer membrane and an inner membrane. So there’s an intermembrane space where the mitochondria dump a lot of protons. They make… put lots and lots of protons in there, and then the protons naturally come out through basic… through basic physics, they come out, and the pumps are there to grab the energy as the protons come out. It’s quite cool. Go back into the matrix. the protons go back into the matrix. So what the body does is it tries to keep deuterons out of those… out of that intermembrane space. It tries really hard not to put deuterons in there. So deuterons are the equivalent of protons.You know, proteom is the normal hydrogen, and then deuterium is the… is the one with the extra neutron that makes it twice as heavy. So because it’s twice as heavy, it behaves very, very differently. It’s kind of like a big, bulky thing coming through the pumps, and it can clobber them. It can really mess them up.And the body knows that, and so the body has designed incredibly elegant mechanisms to keep the deuterium levels inside that inner membrane space as low as possible. the body obsesses on that. And once you realize that, all of a sudden, lots and lots of things make sense in terms of looking at biochemistry and what’s going on. All kinds of things that didn’t make sense before suddenly come. clear… clear… are motivated by this idea of avoiding deuterium in the inner membrane space. So it’s really, really fascinating biology. Dr. Deb Muth 16:08So does the glyphosate tend to increase the deuterium in that space, or does it disrupt it? Seneff 16:16It definitely increases it, and the reason why is because it disrupts the enzymes that manage it. And so, for example. So this, I have to get into hydrogen gas and microbial production of hydrogen gas, which is central to the story. And you know, people get gashy, they have, like, bloating and stuff, there’s a lot. Dr. Deb Muth 16:34echo. Seneff 16:34That’s because those gases that are being made by the microbes are unable to be brought back into organic matter. So normally the microbes make lots and lots of gas, and they start with hydrogen gas, and they make methane gas, they make hydrogen sulfide gas, and they make all these gases. And then they use those gases as reducing agents to come back and make organic matter. So they basically convert food into basic gases, like hydrogen and carbon dioxide, right? And then they take the carbon dioxide and hydrogen to convert it back into food. And the reason why they do that is because the process of making the gas tremendously strips out the deuterium. This is absolutely central, I think, to metabolism.And it’s not something very many people are aware of. The microbes make the hydrogen gas. And when they do that, they lose 80% of the deuterium, because the deuterium tends to stay in the aqueous space, because it’s too heavy. You just think of, you know, trying to lift out… if you’re twice as heavy, it’s a lot harder to get out of the liquid into the air. You know, so basically to make the gas. When you make the gas, you lose a lot of the deuterium. And that is super, super central, I think, to metabolism. Dr. Deb Muth 17:47So, if that’s what’s happening inside of there, it’s obviously creating metabolism issues. What does that mean for energy and mitochondrial health, then? Seneff 17:58Well, what happens is that the microbes are unable to make enough of those nutrients that are super for the host that have low deuterium. And a particular one that I have in mind is butyrate. And I don’t know if you know anything about butyrate. Dr. Deb Muth 18:10Yeah. Seneff 18:12But it’s a very healthy resource for the gut. The colonocytes lining the gut, 80% of their food is butyrate. They love butyrate, normally. But lots of people have butyrate deficiency in their gut. And that deficiency is due to the fact that the microbes can’t make the hydrogen gas, because when they make the hydro… or they can’t bring the hydrogen gas back in to make. Dr. Deb Muth 18:34Beautiful. Seneff 18:35Because a butyrate comes from the hydrogen gas that’s produced by the gut microbes. Dr. Deb Muth 18:39So, if we supplement with N-butyrate, does that help that process work better, or does it not really do much with the deuterium, then? Seneff 18:48Well, there’s a big question with supplements, and I’m really starting to appreciate this more. You know, I always like natural, right? Natural versus synthetic. And I think there’s a huge difference. For many of these supplements that are popular, there’s a huge difference between natural and synthetic. Yeah. And that big difference has to do with the level of deuterium, because if it’s made synthetically. It’s not going to be depleted in deuterium. So when you’re taking… and I don’t know butyrate, you have to go and look at how they manufacture it to see if it comes from natural or synthetic ingredients. It’s extremely interesting with… I’ve looked into some of these other nutrients that people like to take as supplements. Choline by tartrate is one that I really was fascinated with, because… and there are papers that show that if you take choline by tartrate as a supplement… so choline, of course, is a very important nutrient, a lot ofAre deficient, especially if they’re vegetarian. And choline bitartrate is a synthetic form of choline. And, choline bitartrate, if you take… the studies have shown There’s a beautiful study that had people who ate a bunch of eggs, you know, because eggs are high in choline, and then they had people who took choline by tartrate to get an equivalent amount of choline in their diet compared to the eggs, right? And the people who ate the eggs were fine, and the people who ate the choline bitartrate were not. They had a very big increase in a metabolite called trimethylamine oxide, TMAO. Dr. Deb Muth 20:13in the. Seneff 20:14in the blood. And TMAO is a risk factor for a huge number of diseases, you know, all the usual suspects, the diabetes, the cholesterol, the heart disease, cancer, all kinds of diseases. Dr. Deb Muth 20:26TMA over. Seneff 20:26is a very interesting molecule that’s been studied quite a bit recently. There’s a lot of papers on it. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, TMAO . Dr. Deb Muth 20:32I have, yeah. Seneff 20:33Yeah, okay. Well, that one is a… it’s very, very interesting, and I have a paper that I’m trying to get published right now that I’m quite proud of that talks about all of this, but they found that when you eat the eggs and get the choline that way, you’re fine, but if you take the choline bichartrate, you’re not. You get all this TMAO. And the reason, I think, is because the microbes… the microbes make TMA from choline. the trimethylamine. Choline has a nitrogen atom with 3 methyls attached to it, and those methyls are going to be really low in deuterium. Because they’re part of the methylation pathway, which microbes make sure those methyls are low in deuterium. So all the whole methylation pathways, I think, is a distribution system to deliver low deuterium nutrients throughout the body, not just in the gut. You know, and the body has all these ways of hooking methyls onto things. Dr. Deb Muth 21:26and take it. Seneff 21:26them off, and when it takes them off, it metabolizes them in the mitochondria, delivering to them low deuterium nutrient. So, so when you take the choline bitartrate, and it’s not low deuterium, what happens is you end up with molecules of TMA, trimethylamine, that have deuterium in them. And when you have those, they won’t… the microbes won’t metabolize them, they won’t turn them back into hydrogen. You know, deuterium depleted hydrogen, they won’t do it. So they stick around, the TMA doesn’t get metabolized, and then it gets sent to the liver, the liver turns it into TMAO, and now you’ve got your problem. And I think TMAO is a marker for deuterium overload in the mitochondria, in the methylation pathways. Dr. Deb Muth 22:06That’s interesting that you’re talking about that. I belong to a group, and we’ve been researching plosmalogen therapy, and one of the supplements that was created was created with a large amount of phospholine. And,And by itself, when we used the phospholine in one of our formulations, it wasn’t bad, but when they doubled the dose and they were putting it in all of their formulations, people were starting to see the TMO levels go up. And we were trying to figure out, like, what’s happening here. It wasn’t everybody, but it was a good chunk of people, enough for us to say, hey, something needs to change here. We need to take out this phospholine, or not use as much of it. But now this explains exactly why the TAMO was going up. And if those people do have a lot of deuterium, maybe why we saw some people have a problem with it, but not everybody had a problem with it. Seneff 22:57It depends on their microbes. If their microbes are healthy enough to be able to metabolize the TMA, they’re fine. And the microbes produce the TMA, and then they metabolize it. And they’re doing that to generate more deuterium-depleted nutrients. They’re constantly trying to come up with new nutrients that are deuterium-depleted to feed to the host. I mean, they’re really obsessed with it. And they do a good job, normally, but they get so messed up by all these chemicals, and not just glyphosate, of course, all the chemicals in our food and in the air, it’s a mess, you know? Dr. Deb Muth 23:26It’s amazing the body works as well as it does. Seneff 23:28It is. I really am surprised that we don’t have more people who are super sick, you know? Dr. Deb Muth 23:33Exactly. Seneff 23:33Not for sure, but some of us are doing okay with it, you know? Dr. Deb Muth 23:37Yeah, exactly. So when we have this high level of deuterium, high levels of glyphosphate, what is that going to do to the body’s energy stores? Seneff 23:46well, it’s going to wreck the mitochondria, and then you’re going to get chronic fatigue. I mean, I think chronic fatigue syndrome, to me, is a very clear example of mitochondrial damage due to excess deuterium. I think that can completely explain that disease. Dr. Deb Muth 24:01Do you think this high level of deuterium is causing people to see more neurological diseases as well, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s? It’s fueling it. Seneff 24:11Absolutely, because the brain has so much dependence on energy, you know, the brain uses a lot of energy, and they need really healthy mitochondria. They have… neurons have lots of mitochondria. Neurons and muscle cells really, you know, are loaded up with mitochondria, and both of them get injured when they don’t have a… when they can’t keep deuterium out of the mitochondria. Dr. Deb Muth 24:30The cells. Seneff 24:31get injured by all the reactive oxygen the mitochondria are producing, which the ATPase pumps, once they’re getting contaminated with all that deuterium, they start spewing out reactive oxygen. It kills the mitochondria, then it kills the cell, then it kills the brain, you know? It’s like a progression. It really starts with the mitochondrial damage, and then the cell dies, and once the neurons start dying, then the brain dies, you know, and you’ve got all. symptoms. Dr. Deb Muth 24:55So can we measure deuterium like we can glyphosphate in the body? Seneff 24:59You can, yes. In fact, you can do a saliva test and send it off and get the… get a level of how much deuterium is in your saliva. I would love to know more… in more detail how much deuterium is in different parts of the body, because that’s really interesting to me from my studies. What I’m suspecting is that the body… so the cells actually dump deuterium outside the cell. That to try to get as little deuterium as possible inside the cell. And within the cell, they’re trying to get as little deuterium as possible inside the mitochondria. So there’s layers of trying to get rid of the deuterium. And so the convenient thing is to dump the deuterium outside the cell. So there’s a lot of deuterium in bones, for example, probably in your skin, you know, any kind of exterior materials. And the sort of glycocalyx, so there’s this glycocalyx that lines all the blood vessels.That’s these sort of complicated sulfated sugar… complex sugar molecules that, that create gelled water. this gets into Gerald Pollack’s work. I don’t know if you know anything about Gerald Pollack and gelled water, but that’s quite a fascinating field all by itself. But it has to do with really fascinating stuff, because Gerald Pollack talks about battery… a battery being created by the gel. He’s done a lot of research on gelled water. You know, like jello, for example.And you put some powder, you put some hot boiling water, you let it sit, it gels up. It’s mostly water, but it’s a funny phase of water. It’s called the… he calls it the fourth phase of water. He wrote a whole book about that. Gerald Pollack did. And, it’s a gel phase, so water has, you know, the liquid, the solid, the gas, and then the gel. And… and most of the water in our body is gel, is gelled. And especially all the water lining the blood vessels. The blood vessels have free-flowing blood in the middle, right? Dr. Deb Muth 26:46in the long… Seneff 26:46the edges, they have this gelled water that’s created by these sulfated glycos… I mean, the glycans, they’re called, complicated word there, but… They create the gelled water, and the gel… actually, what Pollock showed is that the gel becomes negatively charged, and it pushes out protons. It pushes protons out into the blood. And it ends up being negatively charged because of that. And it creates a battery, and that battery is a source of energy, so… so you can think of, the gel as being like a battery supporting the entire body. All the gel in the blood is a battery. It’s a giant battery. And when you get exposed to sunlight, the gel grows in volume by a lot, and so when the gel gets bigger, it gets to be a bigger battery, and it’s capturing the energy in sunlight. It’s like a solar panel. your skin is like a solar panel, capturing the energy in the sunlight and converting it into this energy in that gel that pushes out those protons. And the cool thing is the deuterons tend to stay behind Because, It’s a little bit of interesting physics here when you have a water molecule, could have one deuterium, one hydrogen, and an oxygen. Water is H2O, right? It would be HDO, one hydrogen, one deuterium, and oxygen, right? HGO. And when you separate that out, usually you separate water out into OH- and H+, right, when you pull it apart into ions. OH minus and H+. Well, what happens here is that the deuterium sticks harder to the oxygen. than the hydrogen does. So you get OD- and H+. more often than OH minus and D+. Dr. Deb Muth 28:22So you have a lot fewer D pluses inside that gel. Seneff 28:26And the H pluses go out into the blood, and the D pluses are… the Ds are stuck to the oxygen, so they don’t go out. So you end up, actually, that’s a sort of distillation process that pulls healthy proteins out of the gel, into the blood. And that makes the blood levels of deuterium lower. Do you see what I’m saying? The deuterium gets trapped in the gel. And the deuterium gets trapped in bone in the same way, in the bone, in the skin. So the body’s trying to keep the deuterium out of the cell, and within the cell, it’s trying to keep it out of the mitochondria, and actually out of all the organelles, not just the mitochondria. So it’s… there’s a whole… Metabolism cannot be explained without looking at deuterium. Dr. Deb Muth 29:07Yeah, so if deuterium’s getting trapped in the bone, much like lead does, does it take up space where we can’t have calcium, and then it leads to more osteoporosis as well? Seneff 29:16I don’t think so. I think deuterium is actually healthy in the bones. Dr. Deb Muth 29:19Interesting. It actually makes the bone stronger, and in fact, there was a really beautiful article on seals. Seneff 29:24You know, SEALs, they do the deep dives, they get into this really, high-pressure zone. Dr. Deb Muth 29:28with… Seneff 29:29in deep water. So they have to be really strong, and the seals actually dope up their bones with twice as much deuterium as what is normal. So they concentrate deuterium. They showed it with the seals, they concentrate deuterium in their bones, and the deuterium makes the bones stronger, so they can sustain the high pressure of the dot. Do you hear the thunder? We’ve got a big thunderstorm. Dr. Deb Muth 29:52So, when you’re testing for deuterium in saliva, are you testing the excess, then? Like, what the body doesn’t. Seneff 30:00Well, there’s the. Dr. Deb Muth 30:00The waste of it? Seneff 30:01It’s really complicated, because I think it’s hard to know how to interpret it. It’s just like when you test for, like, you know, toxic metals, like mercury, like in the hair, you can do a. Dr. Deb Muth 30:13It’s in the hair. Seneff 30:14And sometimes you can find someone who actually has a problem with that metal, but the hair doesn’t show it. Dr. Deb Muth 30:20Bismar. Seneff 30:21doesn’t actually excrete it in the hair, so you have to think about Can the body get rid of it that way? And actually, in the saliva, I believe the saliva the body concentrates deuterium in the saliva, because it’s trying to get rid of deuterium. So a way to… you have the salivary glands, and they can actually excrete, preferentially excrete deuterium. Into the saliva. to concentrate it there in order to keep it out of the body. But those enzymes that do that might be compromised, in which case you have less deuterium in your mouth, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s good. You see what I mean? So when you see whatever the level is, it’s hard to interpret it, I believe. Dr. Deb Muth 30:58Yeah, it’s hard to tell what to do with it, then. Seneff 31:01Yeah, whether it’s low because your salivary glands aren’t working well, or whether it’s low because your whole body’s low, you know? And you can’t really know which way that goes, necessarily. So that makes it hard to interpret, I think. Dr. Deb Muth 31:13It sure does. Seneff 31:15I’m interested, for example, breast milk has low deuterium. Saliva has high deuterium. And you’re… I haven’t been able to find… there’s very few measurements, so I’d like to see a lot more measurements on the… just what’s typical, you know? Right. Dr. Deb Muth 31:31expect the urine to have hydrocherium, so anything that you’re excreting, I would expect it to have hydrocherium. So, knowing this information that we have, how does one fix these metabolic issues that we’ve kind of created in our own environment, for lack of a better term, because of our own… our own misgivings of what we’ve done in the world. How do we protect our brain and repair that metabolic issue in the mitochondria these days, then? Seneff 31:58I would say the most essential thing is to eat certified organic food. Dr. Deb Muth 32:02Always buy certified organic. It doesn’t guarantee that it’s free from chemicals, but it’s generally better. Seneff 32:07So that’s… we’ve been practicing that ever since 2012, when I figured out that glyphosate is causing a mess. So we went organic, and we’ve been like that ever since. We did a purge, we threw away everything, even the spices, started over in our kitchen. Yeah. In 2012, and then we’ve just been consistently buying certified organic ever since then. Dr. Deb Muth 32:27at least lowers the load, right? I mean… Seneff 32:29Yeah, it’s. Dr. Deb Muth 32:30There could be… Seneff 32:30some contamination. Dr. Deb Muth 32:31there, but… Seneff 32:32It’s a lot less, generally, but not zero, not necessarily zero. Dr. Deb Muth 32:35Right. Seneff 32:36undetectable. But that’s a really important thing. Another thing is to eat… I think eating fiber can help the microbes to produce those low-deuterium nutrients. The microbesWe can’t digest… our cells don’t know what to do with fiber, but the microbes can digest the fiber, turn it into hydrogen gas, turn it back into nutrients, like short-chain fatty acids, you know, butyrate. So, by eating foods that contain fiber, you’re helping the microbes to produce butyrate, and butyrate is really, really important for the health of the colon, you know? Dr. Deb Muth 33:07Yeah, and we’re talking about eating whole food organic, not organic Doritos and Cheetos. Seneff 33:13Right, right. Dr. Deb Muth 33:14kinds of things, right? Seneff 33:15Whole foods is really important. I always say whole foods and organic foods, those are the two really important things. And then I don’t really, you know, there’s all these different fad diets with respect to, a loss of fat, or no fat, and all that kind of thing. I don’t buy into any of those. I think you just want to have a balanced diet.Carbs are okay, you know, fats are really healthy, and especially animal-based fats are healthy. I don’t like a vegan diet, because I think animal-based foods provide certain nutrients that are really hard to get otherwise. And like I say, you can’t take choline by tartrate to replace the choline that’s in the animal-based foods. Dr. Deb Muth 33:48Right. Yeah, I’ve worked a lot, and I’ve never seen a healthy vegan. I mean, we can say we’re vegan.But those people are eating a lot of junk food, typically. They’re not true vegans, where they’re just eating whole food and getting all their nutrients from good quality foods. Most of the people that I’ve worked with over the years that have been vegan eat a lot of processed foods, a lot of junk foods. It just doesn’t include the animal fats, and then that makes them unhealthy, and we see a lot of nutrient deficiencies and a lot of pain and energy issues. It’s very hard to be a healthy vegan. In my opinion, as well. Seneff 34:20I agree, I agree, yeah. Dr. Deb Muth 34:23So I like to ask this question of all of my guests, and if you were designing a public health policy tomorrow, what would your first change be? Seneff 34:32To switch the farming system to be small farms that are regenerative, not just organic, organic regenerative small farms, with no use of chemicals. Dr. Deb Muth 34:42Yeah. Seneff 34:43No insecticides, no fungicides, no herbicides, nothing, you know? And even natural fertilizer, of course, as well. Of course, right now, you know, the organic farms rely on the chickens to get. Dr. Deb Muth 34:57the. Seneff 34:58Manure, which has glyphosate in it, so they… they get their glyphosate from the manure. Dr. Deb Muth 35:04Yeah, because a lot of that chicken feed has glyphosate in it, and then they’re passing that through, and we think that it doesn’t pass through, but it does pass through, and… Yeah, I would agree with you. I think when we went to these big industrial farming practices, we did not do ourselves any favor. And shipping food across the country to be slaughtered, only to ship it back here. Seneff 35:29It doesn’t make any sense, and… Dr. Deb Muth 35:32Growing things in environments where people live that isn’t natural to them, that doesn’t make sense to me either, in a lot of ways. Seneff 35:41Yeah, it’s very frustrating, because I think we really… it’s too bad that we lost all those small family farms, because we need them back. We really need them back, and I think that’s really the… and you want to have a variety of different crops, you know, we have all these massive cornfields, that’s just wrong. Dr. Deb Muth 35:55Yeah. Yeah, and they do nothing but corn until…Until your county says you have to do something different now, because you’ve depleted the soil too much, and they don’t want to put any soil preservation back in, and put any nutrients back in, because that’s expensive. Seneff 36:12Exactly. Dr. Deb Muth 36:13And then they’ll rotate the crop maybe once a year, and then they’re back to growing corn again, because that’s the largest revenue producer for them at the time, and it really is a challenge for us. Really a challenge. Seneff 36:26Yeah, it’s going to be very difficult to pivot to the kind of agriculture we need, and if we don’t do it, we’re just going to get sicker and sicker. Dr. Deb Muth 36:33Like, my friend. Seneff 36:34frightening. Dr. Deb Muth 36:35Yeah. Seneff 36:35How sick we are. Dr. Deb Muth 36:37Yeah, and I think people trying to grow their own food, at least some of it, can be really helpful and beneficial, too. We need to go back to that practice. Seneff 36:44I know, yes, rooftop farms, right? Dr. Deb Muth 36:47Back in the city. Seneff 36:48That’s really quite cool. I’ve heard some lectures on that. Dr. Deb Muth 36:51Yeah. Yeah, even some of the hydroponic growing that you can do in your apartment and get some lettuce and some herbs and things like that. I mean, anything that you can grow yourself, I think, is a big benefit. A, you don’t. Seneff 37:03I think it’s. Dr. Deb Muth 37:04B, you know how it’s been grown. C, it’s just healthier for you, and it’s less that you’re gonna have to buy that you don’t know that, what’s been growing in it, so… Seneff 37:13And it’s also kind of fun, right? You feel good that you’ve produced your own food. I think it’s really quite neat. Dr. Deb Muth 37:18Yeah, and there’s something, therapeutic about digging in the dirt a little bit, and getting your hands dirty. Seneff 37:24It’s really good to be outdoors and getting exercise. I mean, really, the work that’s involved with growing food is quite healthy work, really. Dr. Deb Muth 37:31Yeah, it’s a lot of work, for sure. That it is. So, for listeners that might be feeling a little overwhelmed about what we’re talking about, and thinking about, how do I detox or nutrition, where do I get some of this education, what kind of resources would you recommend for them? Seneff 37:47That’s a tough one. There’s not much known about deuterium, so it’s really quite difficult to… you can search deuterium, and there are some… a couple of good resources, which I can’t name, I could probably send you a link, describing deuterium. I know there’s a woman who’s written some nice material. on deuterium, just to get a sense of… more… a better sense of what it is, and why it’s a problem. But there’s not much. I mean, we need to have a lot more. I really want to get the research community aware that. Dr. Deb Muth 38:17They need to be. Seneff 38:17researching deuterium and its role in the body, because I think it’s absolutely essential. We’ll never understand disease if we don’t look at deuterium. Dr. Deb Muth 38:24Yeah, I think so, too. I think… I think the… there’s a lot of amazing discoveries that are being found. That could open the doors and give us answers to reversing a lot of disease, if there was funding behind it, if there were people like you that were interested in it, to really dig down from a functional medicine standpoint and try to figure it out instead of looking at it from a big pharma aspect, where we just need to find a pill that’ll fix it. Seneff 38:50I know. Dr. Deb Muth 38:51There are not pills that are going to fix these kinds of things. Seneff 38:54Right, yes, pharma’s way off base, I think. They’re really going after the completely wrong approach to health. Dr. Deb Muth 39:01I agree. Well, thank you so much for joining me today. It’s been a pleasure. Is there any last words that you want to leave with our listeners? Seneff 39:09I don’t know, I just, you know, healthy living is basically just eating whole foods, eating organic foods, getting plenty of fiber and fermented foods.And healthy fats, you know, sort of a variety of diet, a really mixed diet. Lots of fresh vegetables. I mean, there’s all these different great things to eat. Just stay away from the soy protein bars, you know, and the candy bars, and that sort of thing. And the cookies, I mean, just, you know. And then, of course, getting outside in the sunlight is something I always have to say. I love the sun. I think it’s very therapeutic, and we don’t get enough sunlight. We’re just. Dr. Deb Muth 39:43We don’t. And if we do, then we’re lathering on all of our sunscreen so that we don’t get the sun, and that’s creating its own issues, right? Seneff 39:51That’s right. Dr. Deb Muth 39:54Well, thank you so much for being with me today. Seneff 39:56Thank you. My pleasure. Dr. Deb Muth 40:03Thank you for joining me today on Let’s Talk Wellness Now. If this episode has resonated with you, share it with another woman ready to reclaim their health and their vitality. And remember, wellness isn’t just about feeling good, it’s about thriving in every area of your life. If you’re ready to explore personalized regenerative medicine. Please visit serenityhealthcarecenter.com. You can also follow me on social media, and join our free programSeen at Last community on Facebook. Until next time, I’m Dr. Deb, reminding you to care for your body, mind, and spirit. Be well, and I’ll see you on the next episode. Meta Boxes Use up and down arrow keys to resize the meta box pane.Toggle panel: AIOSEO Settings SERP Preview Let’s Talk Wellness Now https://letstalkwellnessnow.com › 2026 › 06 › 05 › episode-267-env…The post Episode 267 – Environmental Toxins, Nutrition, and Their Role in Chronic Disease Development first appeared on Let's Talk Wellness Now.

A returning guest joins the podcast to talk about what we believe is a fan favorite live show song. We dig into the songwriting and lyrical content of this song, our personal histories and experiences with this song, and the Zombies on Broadway album as a whole. Official Song Audio: https://youtu.be/2pL4GgXdJO8?si=d8wAqEA-57gqPIQR Live, 2017: https://youtu.be/B6poeMWS2GE Live in 2019, Upside Down flowers tour: https://youtu.be/68WlfmcVRus Live on Holiday From Real, 2024: https://youtu.be/iSpsRGA69tk?si=tGEvO87s4Qr9vUBi Concord.com interview: https://concord.com/artist/andrew-mcmahon-in-the-wilderness/#:~:text=Consciously%20or%20unconsciously%20I%20began,work%20and%20done%20it%20well. TimeOut Interview: https://www.timeout.com/newyork/blog/musician-andrew-mcmahon-takes-us-on-a-tour-of-his-favorite-new-york-spots-020117

It's time for a solo episode to wrap up my Spring '26 first impressions—covering the anime I didn't get to talk about last week with The 950 Club Boys! Come hang out and chill for a bit! Let me know if there are any shows from this season that i missed or I should be checking out.Check out Part 1 of the spring first impressions where we talked about these shows (Links Below)Ramparts Of Ice Witch hat atelier Kill blue Marriage toxin My Ribdiculous reincarnationRelease that witchSnowball earth Liar gameKujima: why sing when you can warbleKirio fan clubAnime Degens Ep. 168: Let's Talk About The Spring 2026 Anime Season W/ The 950 club podcast!Youtube Video - https://youtu.be/sk84tscokjASpotify Audio - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6FyDFmsV4dl1H8aRtnZ1XY?si=0fb5790f59cd43bbApple Audio - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/anime-degens-ep-168-lets-talk-about-the-spring-2026/id1670458310?i=1000764998907To join the Discord, follow us on our socials (we're on Threads / Insta, Twitter (X), Bluesky): https://Linktree.com/animedegensThe Degen Videos are on YouTube now! So, Make sure you follow and like the videos over there at https://Linktree.com/animedegensPlease Rate us on your listening platforms and don't forget to tell your anime friends about us! its the best way to support us and we really do appreciate y'all! Thanks for listening!!If you have any Feedback that you'd like to share or have Topics that you'd like for us to discuss on the Degen Episode, Please reach out to us on any of our Socials, Discord or click here!Interested in being a guest? Reach out to Tyler on Discord or Twitter / Threads!Time StampsIntro & Sequels - 00:00Gals Can't Be Kind To Otaku - 08:20I made Friends With the 2nd prettiest girl in the class - 18:15The klutzy class monitor & the girl with the short skirt - 26:30Botan Kamina Fully Blossoms When Drunk - 32:50Nippon Sangoku: The 3 nations of the crimson sun - 39:55A Hundred Scenes of Awajima - 47:55Daemons Of The Shadow Realm - 50:15Warrior Princess & The Barbaric King - 55:25Akane Banashi - 59:30 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sunday AM ServiceMark 1:12-20I. The Temptation of JesusII. The Proclamation of JesusIII. The Invitation of JesusSupport the show

Dr. Deb Muth 0:03What are the answers to your child’s chronic allergies, ADHD, or autism?weren’t just in another prescription, but in restoring balance to their body chemistry. Today’s guest has spent nearly two decades uncovering those answers through integrative and biomedical medicine. That’s a mouthful, isn’t it?Helping children heal when nothing else seemed to work.This is the conversation about science, compassion, and changing the future of pediatric care.Welcome back to Let’s Talk Wellness Now. The show where we uncover the root causes of chronic illness, explore regenerative breakthroughs, and empower you with the practical tools to heal. I’m your host, Dr. Deb, your medical detective, and today’s episode is one every patient should hear.My guest is Dr. Anu Usman Singh, Medical Director of True Health Medical Center in Naperville, Illinois, and the owner of Pure Compounding Pharmacy.And for over 17 years, she has been pioneering evidence-based integrative interventions for children with ADD, autism, allergies, and complex gastrointestinal and metabolic disorders. She’s not only a practicing physician, she’s a researcher who’s investigated copper-zinc imbalances.metallonine dysfunction, biofilm-related infections, vitamin D in pregnancy, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.Dr. Usman serves on the executive board of TACA, and is a faculty member at MAPS, training other practitioners in pediatric integrative care. So get ready for a conversation that will open your mind and heart to the possibilities of when medicine truly becomes holistic.If you guys can insert the ad in here, that’d be great.Well, welcome back. I’m so excited to have Dr. Usman with me today. I have known her for, oh my gosh, 15, 17 years, something like that. We’re aging ourselves. Anju 02:32Oh, yeah, when we were in our 20s, right? Dr. Deb Muth 02:35Yes, exactly. So, welcome back, and I am so excited for you to be here, because you have literally helped thousands of families over the years.But I’d love for you to share a little bit about your journey, kind of who you are, what drew you into exploring integrative and biomedical approaches for helping children and families. Anju 02:58I think my journey is similar to a lot of you out there, the audience. I mean, we’re looking to help our families, and our kids, and ourselves, and I was doing my residency at Cook County Hospital, downtown Chicago, in the 80s.And I thought, oh my goodness, if I could take care of the sickest patients, then I can take care of anybody. So I came from Indiana, and I went to Cook County, and my children, my eldest daughter, started having, severe allergies and asthma, really, really at a young age.And I went to, like, my residence, and I went to my attendings, and I said, this baby is wheezing. And they told me, babies don’t have asthma.And I said, she has all the symptoms of asthma. She has asthma. And I remember with, in her crib, I would just nebulize her, you know, and I was like, what is going on?And I figured out that she had a lot of food allergies, and I was nursing her, eating the foods that she was allergic to, and back then, in the 80s, you know, we didn’t have the internet, we didn’t have Whole Foods, and I just…being a doctor, and I didn’t even know what to do, and I felt so hopeless. And I thought, gosh, you know, I’m a doctor, I have these, like, skills, I have… people I can talk to, and I still feel so… it’s so difficult. And then this… my particular daughter, the oldest one, her name is Priya, and she developed severe, asthma, and I couldn’t figure it out. She was in junior high. Every time she would walk into the lunchroom, she would have a severe asthma attack.And I’ll be like, what’s going on? What’s going on? I kept her home over the weekend, she was better. I sent her back to school, she was bad again.And we figured it out that it was other people eating peanuts. Dr. Deb Muth 04:54Severe peanut allergy. Anju 04:56And I went to the school, and I said, she…can you, like, put her somewhere else? Can… they said, oh, no, that’s not fair to other kids and their food. And this was in the 90s. Dr. Deb Muth 05:10Yeah. Anju 05:10And so, I just…You know, my heart goes out to families who are struggling to find answers for their kids, and my daughter Priya, the one I told you about, she ended up passing away from a peanut allergy.And so, I’ve just… Dr. Deb Muth 05:26Yeah. Anju 05:27My heart goes out to parents and my own kids and their illnesses.And so I just started working with families, with kids, andIt just kind of grew from there. Dr. Deb Muth 05:40Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and I think being a mom who went through that yourself, and…was seen but not heard, and turned away from the traditional medical community, you’re forced to start finding answers on your own. And we always feel like we’re on an island by ourselves in the medical world when we’re doing that. Anju 06:01Yeah, I, it was really hard when I found out, you know, about…Integrative medicine, and just different…ideas and approaches to diet and supplements, I thought, how come I wasn’t trained in any of this?And… Dr. Deb Muth 06:21So angry when I learned some of the things that I learned in the beginning. I was like, same thing, like, how did they not teach us this? And then I think, you know, it’s my fault, was I asleep, was I not paying attention, whatever. And then you just realize, like, there’s this whole part of the human body.That they just didn’t teach us. Anju 06:42Yeah, so then I… I, probably like you, we had to learn it on our own. There weren’t, like, classes or any way to learn this stuffAnd I just reached out. There’s a clinic that,I don’t know if you’ve heard of the Pfeiffer Treatment Center? Dr. Deb Muth 07:00No. Anju 07:01Do you know Carl Pfeiffer from the attendees.He has a clinic called the Pfeiffer Treatment Center in New Jersey. It was called the Princeton Brain Bio Center. Dr. Deb Muth 07:12And in the 70s, they did orthomolecular medicine for patients with ADD. Anju 07:18And schizophrenia. Dr. Deb Muth 07:20Mmm… Anju 07:21and depression.And they used to categorize them in 3 categories, and at the time, they called them histopenics, histidelics, and pyrolurics. Dr. Deb Muth 07:31Okay. Anju 07:32Histapenix were low histamine patients.Delix were high histamine patients, and pyrolurics were their own kind of category. We added another category of copper-zinc imbalances, and then we would categorize that population into high histamine, low histamine, pyrolurics, and copper-zinc.Now we talk about under-methylation, over-methylation. Sure. So, under-methylation is the, you know, the high histamine people, they can’t clear the histamine. And the over-methylators are, you know, what we call about low histamine now.And, and then pyrolurics and copper zinc. So…I lost my train of thought, but in the 80s, when I was going through this, in the 90s, I reached out to the Pfeiffer Treatment Center.He’s like, can I calm and just hang out and, like, see what you guys do? Because I need some answers.And I started working there and, started doing research on copper-zinc imbalances, and I did it in children with autism.And that’s how people started coming to me, and I kinda got, like. not famous, but I, you know, the word spread about, okay, we could talk about it, and Dr.Walsh was the, you know, PhD there that did a lot of the research, so we worked together for 8 years. Dr. Deb Muth 09:05Isn’t it crazy to think that we knew about histamine issues way back in the 70s? You know, I got the pleasure of being trained by, environmental medicine doctors. Dr. Wayne Konetsky and Glenn Toth taught me about environmental medicine, and what we called histamine issues that we call it today, mast cell, right? But when I was learning in the early 2000s, it was labeled as chemical sensitivity. And so it was just people that would react to everything, and we really didn’t know why, and they didn’t necessarily have this very specific allergic reaction, but we knew they were reacting, and we would try to treat them, to lower the histamine way back then. And it’s taken all these years, 25 years, to get to a point where we understand mast cell activation now, and histamine issues.And it’s really sad to me that it’s taking this long for us to identify things.And we’ve all got our journey, and I loved back in those days, too, because as I learned, I would call people up and say, hey, I just got a patient from you, and they told me this great story, and I have other people, can I come see what you were doing? And back then, everybody was very open. They were like, yes, please, come, learn. Now everybody’s like, oh, we can’t teach you, we can’t give you our secrets, but…Or pay me $20,000 to come learn with me. But back then, I mean, everybody was just… we were all in the same boat. We were all just trying to learn from each other. Anju 10:36Oh, yeah, oh yeah, and any bit of knowledge you got, you’re like… Dr. Deb Muth 10:41Yes. Anju 10:41God, you know, I learned this piece, and… Dr. Deb Muth 10:43Hmm? Anju 10:44We just kind of built from that. I keep thinking about back then, you know,the under-methylators, over-methylators, copper, zinc, and then I learned about metals.And then, as a physician, I was like, oh, okay, well, there’s mercury in vaccines, there’s aluminum in vaccines, and now I’m seeing these high levels. Dr. Deb Muth 11:04In my patients, now what happens? Anju 11:07And then we started, kind of, trying to get the word out about those things. Dr. Deb Muth 11:13Yeah. Anju 11:13And in 2000, a lot of the people that I knew put out a paper about, you know, mercury. Dr. Deb Muth 11:22And then… Anju 11:22And we all got on the Mercury bandwagon. Dr. Deb Muth 11:25Yes. Anju 11:26And did that for a while, and then we started learning about other things, like mitochondrial issues in chronically ill people, and these chronic infections, like Lyme disease, and so… and then now, you know, understanding mast cell activation, cell danger response. Dr. Deb Muth 11:44On endocrine, and adrenals, and hormones, and… Anju 11:48Yeah. Dr. Deb Muth 11:49biofilms. Anju 11:50Biofilms, I started talking about that in 2007. Dr. Deb Muth 11:54And so then… Anju 11:56It just… it just kind of keeps adding, and keeps adding, and keeps adding, and it’s like…Sometimes you think, how come I didn’t know about this back then? But I feel like it’s a process. Dr. Deb Muth 12:06It definitely is a process, and it’s amazing to seehow many people are researching different things, and they’re all, like, putting a piece of the puzzle together. And I think this is really important for our listeners to understand, is when you see a practitioner and they don’t have all the answers, this is why. It’s very complicated, it’s not black and white. And I’ve had patients over the years say to me, well, why didn’t you say this to me 6 months ago? And the truth of the matter was, I didn’t knowabout it 6 months ago. Like, all of this stuff is just… it’s evolving constantly, and when you’re a practitioner like Dr. Usman and myself, you are learning every single day. Our training has never stopped from the day we stepped into integrated medicine, and you just… you keep learning new things, and sharing new things, and talking to new people, and that’s what expands our knowledge base. Anju 12:57Yeah, the more I learn, the less I feel like I know. Dr. Deb Muth 13:01Yes, me too. Every time I go to a conference, I’m like, how did I not know this? How am I stupid? And I know we shouldn’t say that word and call ourselves that, but sometimes you feel like that. It’s like, how did I not know? Anju 13:14Or you’ll see a patient, and you’ll look at them, and you’re like, how come I didn’t realize this about this particular patient? Dr. Deb Muth 13:20Yes. Anju 13:21Yeah, they present differently, see things differently. I think that’s why it’s good to find a doctor that you trust and that you can work with, because it’s evolving. Dr. Deb Muth 13:31Yes. And, you know, we have those patients that they come, and I get those. I call myself, like, a tertiary care center. Anju 13:38You know, you get those patients that have been everywhere, and seen every doctor, and then they’re like, you’re my last hope, you’re gonna solve all my problems, and…I say to them. We’re a team, like, we’re gonna solve these together, but it takes time for me to unravel this puzzle. Dr. Deb Muth 13:54Excuse me? Anju 13:54And it… and sometimes, you know, there’s a few hits and misses along the way. Dr. Deb Muth 14:00Yup, but if. Anju 14:00If we keep at it, you know, we also say it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Yes. You know, if we keep at it, we can kind of figure it out together. Dr. Deb Muth 14:09Yeah, and a partnership, for sure, because without the feedback of the person you’re working with.understanding, like, we do this, and this happens to you, it’s very complicated as a practitioner to then be able to figure out, what do we do next? I see more and more clients these days, they come in and they just want to ask me within the first 5 minutes of, what am I changing? And I’m like, I have no clue yet. Like, you have to tell me what’s happened since the last time we did something, and then we have to look at labs, and we have to look at this, and we… it’s a synopsis.that we have to look at. You know, it’s not that black and white for us to be able to put the pieces together for them. Anju 14:47I think my most successful patients are the ones who are able to communicate with me.Their ups and downs. Yeah. And they also use their own intuition. Help me guide them. Dr. Deb Muth 15:06Yeah. Anju 15:07So, there are some people that they just hear, you do it, and you tell me.There are people who try to tell me everything. Dr. Deb Muth 15:15Okay. Anju 15:15Say, I want you to do this, do this, do this. Dr. Deb Muth 15:17Yeah, so I was like, okay. Anju 15:19I can do those things, but, you know, like. Dr. Deb Muth 15:21Yep. Anju 15:22think about blah blah. But, like, this… that collaboration.and, intuition. I kind of feel like even thoughI’ve trained allopathically as a traditional medical doctor. I feel like as I learn, I learn that being open and,Letting go of fear. Dr. Deb Muth 15:46Yeah. Anju 15:47And, not trying to jump on every, like, new thing, and being. Dr. Deb Muth 15:53consistent. Anju 15:54and diligent. really helps. Dr. Deb Muth 15:58It helps a ton. We see that, too, you know, the latest…Instagram influencer that’s talking about the latest topic, and all of a sudden, everybody sees themselves in there, and they must have that, but not realizing putting those connections together. It’s like when MTHFR came out, right? We were all so excited that this was going to be the detox gene.And then we learned so much more about genes, and now MTHFR is very popular again, and everyone’s talking about it, but they don’t understand how some of those other genetics fit together. And if you don’t understand that, we’ve all done it, we’ve all made people worse instead of better, sometimes when we’ve given too many methyl groups together, or this supplement without this support before we knew that there was another gene that we had to support for that.And I think it’s really important for people that are listening to us today talk about this, is don’t just jump on the bandwagon. Like, you really want to work with somebody seasoned who understands how all these pieces fit together. Anju 16:57Yeah, and I think that’s what individualized medicine is about.And there is no magic here, a magic bullet.I think that example of MTHFR is really good. Now, President Trump talked about Leukovorin. Dr. Deb Muth 17:14Yes. Anju 17:15in, and, you know, he’ll get up and say something like, leukovorin cures autism.And then the rest of us are like…Did you just say that? Dr. Deb Muth 17:26Yep, he did. Anju 17:30It’s folinic acid, it’s calcium folinic acid, it’s been around a long time. We’ve been using it for 20 years. Dr. Deb Muth 17:37Yeah. Anju 17:38But it does help a subset of people who potentially have what we call cerebral folate deficiency.And some of those people are misdiagnosed as autism. Dr. Deb Muth 17:50Yeah. Anju 17:51So, are you treating autism, or are you treating cerebral folate deficiency?same thing I could say about… I have a lot of cases of kids who recovered from autism.and severe ADHD using chelation type of. Dr. Deb Muth 18:06up. Anju 18:06Approaches, or detox approaches.again, did we treat their ADD and their autism, or did we treat their lead…Toxicity or lead burden, and their symptoms of those things got better. Dr. Deb Muth 18:20Yeah. Anju 18:20So, like, to put a big, like, a label like, oh, ADD on something, or autism on something, I think it does a disserviceTo the individuals, because it’s such a broad issue. Dr. Deb Muth 18:35It is, and I think the diagnosis has gotten to be much more popular these days.And yes, thank goodness we’re getting better diagnostics, but sometimes we’re getting over-diagnosis, or like you said, it may look like one thing, but it could be something else, but because it looks like autism, they’re going to get labeled with autism.And in some respects, that’s good, they can get more services that way, but sometimes we’re missing the actual picture of it. Can you talk a little bit about how autism is different than the cerebral folate deficiency? Anju 19:11Yeah, so there are some people that make an antibody to their folate receptor. Dr. Deb Muth 19:18Hmm. Anju 19:20So, to get folic acid into your cells, there’s a receptor on your cells. Dr. Deb Muth 19:25And then the folate has to bind to it, and then it lets it enter into the cells. Anju 19:30And there’s these receptors that allow folic acid to get into your brain.Now, you and I know when you put folate in your brain.On one end of the folate cycle, you help make more neurotransmitters. You’ll make something called BH4, and that’ll help make serotonin and dopamine, and then norepinephrine and epinephrine. So folate is really important for making your neurotransmitters, folate and B12.On the other end, it’s like, another cycle on the other end of folate is our methylation cycle.And methylation is so important for our RNA and our DNA, and making choline, phosphatoly choline, and making creatine for speech.And helping us with all the precursors for detoxification.So without folate in our brain, we can’t make our neurotransmitters efficiently, we can’t break them down efficiently, and we can’t detox our brain.Imagine what that will do to your brain. Dr. Deb Muth 20:36Yeah, Anju 20:37And you will see symptoms like speech delays, cognitive delays, processing issues, poor attention.All of those things. Excitation, anxiety.All of those, and so if the folate isn’t getting into the brain efficiently, then we’ll have all these symptoms, and we’ll end up with diagnoses like these. Dr. Deb Muth 20:59Yeah, so is there a way that people who are listening to this can request a test to see if they make this antibody to folate, or is it more of a diagnosis of exclusion? Anju 21:14That’s a great question. When I first started doing this, like, 20 years ago, there was, like, a university that was doing this.studies, and it was Dr. Quadros. He was the guy, and we would take samples and send them to his lab, and he would tell us about these blocking and binding. Dr. Deb Muth 21:30folate antibodies. Anju 21:32And if patients had positive blocking or binding folate antibodies, we would follow his protocol. And he’s done papers on patients with severe autism.Where he found these folate antibodies, and then did spinal taps on the kids, and they were associated with this cerebral folate deficiency. the cerebral… spinal fluid.And in his papers, he gave .5 to 2 milligrams per kilogram of calcium folinic acid, which is leukovorin. It’s a vitamin. And over a 6-month to a 12-month period.The majority of those patients improved drastically.Some of them regained speech, and some of them lost their autism diagnosis. Dr. Deb Muth 22:26Because they never truly had autism. Anju 22:29Well, they have autism symptoms, and that’s what autism is, but we call it autisms. Dr. Deb Muth 22:36Yeah. Anju 22:37And so now, like, we need the research to categorize these people. You know, what percentage of autism is cerebral folate deficiency? Yeah. What percentage of autism is, heavy metal. Dr. Deb Muth 22:51Bourbon. Anju 22:52And what percentage of autism is Clostridia overgrowth, or… Dr. Deb Muth 22:57Hmm. Anju 22:57microbiome… Dysfunction, and then there’s overlap. Dr. Deb Muth 23:01Right, yeah, Lyme and mold and viruses. Anju 23:04and infections, and you can see… Dr. Deb Muth 23:07injury from medications and things like that that happen, or birth traumas. Yeah, I mean, it’s not… it’s not as simple as what people think autism is.Why do you think that we’re seeing so much more autism today than when you and I were kids? We didn’t see this that often. I know environment has a lot to do with it, but do you have a couple of things that you suspect are contributing to the rise of autism these days? Anju 23:38Yeah, I mean, that’s a million dollar question. Dr. Deb Muth 23:40Right. Anju 23:41And, just because I work with children, you know it’s not just autism that’s epidemic, and yeah. Dr. Deb Muth 23:49You know that. I mean, it’s… it’s probably… if you add all the epidemics that are happening to children. Anju 23:54Autism still supersedes it.Now it’s 1 in 33s, 1 in 35 boys, I mean, it’s…children. It’s really sad. When I was in med school, it was 1 in 10,000. Dr. Deb Muth 24:10That’s crazy. Anju 24:11What’s causing it? I mean, obviously it’s multifactorial. Dr. Deb Muth 24:15Yeah, 80,000 chemicals in the environment that we never had before. Anju 24:20I, I, I, look, I’ve… 219 million. Dr. Deb Muth 24:26Oh my gosh. Anju 24:27I looked it up today. Dr. Deb Muth 24:29119 million different chemicals in the environment. Wow. Anju 24:33We don’t know how many of those are super toxic. Dr. Deb Muth 24:36Yeah, and we don’t know what they do together. Anju 24:38A lot of them were, like, before, like, grandfathered in and all of that.Yeah, it’s really crazy about the chemicals. So, chemicals… I kind of… feel like…you know, this burden of all this, it’s not just on our children, it’s on our mothers. Dr. Deb Muth 24:56Yes. Anju 24:56oh my gosh, the moms of these children that… And they don’t even realize it, you know, we’re just so happy to be pregnant and have a kid.So I think it really, really starts with that piece. Care, good prenatal care, yeah. Yeah, and not just what we think is prenatal care, taking your prenatal vitamins. Dr. Deb Muth 25:18Yes. Anju 25:19And going to your gynecologist, but what you and I think is prenatal care, you know, before you get pregnant, let’s detox, let’s clean up our diet, let’s get rid of those chemicals, let’s make sure we’re not in a moldy environment.You know, let’s do our due diligence, clean air, clean water, clean food, sunshine. When I did my residency at county, I don’t think I saw the sun for 3 years. Dr. Deb Muth 25:44How?Yeah. Anju 25:46it’s just that intense, and I was pregnant twice, and my eldest hasthe allergies and asthma. Number 2 is type 1 diabetes and mold sensitivities and allergies and asthma. Number 3 has severe chemical sensitivities, mast cell activation,Hormonal issues. Dr. Deb Muth 26:09Yeah. Anju 26:09And… number 4 is my… Golden, baby. Dr. Deb Muth 26:15And those three, you know, those years that you’re there, and you’re not seeing the sunlight, there’s vitamin D deficiency, and we don’t talk about vitamin D that much during pregnancy.I still am appalled that we’re giving folic acid these days during pregnancy instead of folate, but… Anju 26:36Folenic, or methylfolate? Dr. Deb Muth 26:38Yeah, nothing. So, when, when you,discovered vitamin D in pregnancy, and it’s linked to neurodevelopment outcomes. How did you stumble across that? Anju 26:50Well, in… when I started working on Copper Zinc, Dr. Walsh and I would go to the, like, DAN conferences.Yeah. At the time, and it was interesting, because DAM conferences were a collaboration between parents.And practitioners, and researchers. Dr. Deb Muth 27:10Very unique for. Anju 27:11That’s how that new IACC committee is. It’s a collaboration of parents. Dr. Deb Muth 27:17Hmm. Anju 27:18Practitioners, researchers, And individuals with autism. Dr. Deb Muth 27:25Yeah, so for those of you who are listening to us, it’s… we’re talking about the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee that Bobby Kennedy just put together. It’s called IACC, and they are on a mission to try to do the research to figure out what’s causing autism. Anju 27:43Yeah, and not just causing it, like, these people have been living it, most of the people on that committee have been living it, and their whole lives, for some of them.And being able to bring forwardlike the question about vitamin D, we started seeing a lot of patients in Minnesota. Dr. Deb Muth 28:04Mmm. Anju 28:05who were from Somalia. Dr. Deb Muth 28:08Okay. Anju 28:09Who were… it was, like, 1 in 4 families with kids with autism.And the theory was that the vitamin D levels that they get in Somalia versus the vitamin D levels that the moms get in Minnesota. Dr. Deb Muth 28:27Hmm? Anju 28:28Affected the immune system. Dr. Deb Muth 28:31Yeah. Anju 28:32predispose them. So there’s a few papers on that. Dr. Deb Muth 28:36Yeah, that’s a… I mean, it would be a very significant difference, and when you’re thinking about genetically, like, what their culture, who they are as a species.was used to and adapted to with the sunlight and different things from a different region, geographical region, and then they moved to a new geographical region, that can take decades before the body adapts and readjusts.to that new environment. We don’t think about those things in…traditional medicine, and conventional medicine, as most people know it, but we do in functional medicine. Anju 29:14Yeah, so again, the clinicians were bringing this up, like, why am I seeing so many families? Dr. Deb Muth 29:18Yeah. Anju 29:18Then let me go to the… and then in the think tank, the vitamin D researcher said it’s vitamin D. Dr. Deb Muth 29:24Yeah. Anju 29:25And then they started researching it, and it was almost like a backwards… backwards. Dr. Deb Muth 29:31Thank you. You know, they didn’t first… Anju 29:33Think it. Dr. Deb Muth 29:34Think about it, yeah. Anju 29:35Until you start seeing… and that’s why I think that, like.clinicians like you and me, who are… I consider us on the front lines. We’re the front lines. We are seeing… we’re seeing this epidemic unfold. Dr. Deb Muth 29:46Yes. Anju 29:47front of our eyes, we’re seeing, like, the gut issues and the severe inflammation. We’re seeing the autoimmunity, and now they have to study it. Dr. Deb Muth 29:57Yeah. Anju 29:57They have to study this. They really, really, we really need, we really need protocols, we need tools, we need things that you and I have been figuring out anecdotally with our colleagues over the years, and, oh, how do we treat yeast? How do we treat Lyme? How do we treat metal burden?For this podcast today, I wanted to talk about low-level lead exposure, because for me.1 in 3 children have a lead level, above 5. 1 and 3. Dr. Deb Muth 30:31Yeah, that’s very high. Anju 30:33800 million children. Dr. Deb Muth 30:36And let’s clarify this, because the first thing people are going to think of is, what are they eating? They’re not eating lead paint to get this. That is not what’s happening here. They are getting lead from someplace else, and their bodies are not able to detox this. Anju 30:53And the reason I’m bringing this up is because when I was in residency at County in the 90s, I ran a… I worked at a lead clinic. Dr. Deb Muth 31:01And back then. Anju 31:03When we looked… we just diagnosed lead toxicity, the level was 60. Dr. Deb Muth 31:10Their level had to be 60 to diagnose them. Anju 31:13Correct. Dr. Deb Muth 31:13Oh my gosh. Anju 31:14And that’s when we would treat.And back then, there was a study, it’s called the TLC study, where they used DMSA, which is a drug to lower lead.And our goal was to get it from 60 to 20. Dr. Deb Muth 31:33And was the normal range the same back then as it is today? Anju 31:37The normal range has gone from 60 to 40 to 20 to 10 to 5 to 3.5.But you and I know I’m the normal range. Dr. Deb Muth 31:47Yes. Anju 31:47Zero. Dr. Deb Muth 31:48Zero. Anju 31:50So… so again, in my… in the lead clinic, we were given DMSA, and we got the lead from 60 to 20, and the number one thing was to get rid of the lead in the environment. Dr. Deb Muth 32:02Yeah. Anju 32:03But we haven’t evolved since then.Because in that study, It did not improve cognitive abilities. So if you think about what lead does, it causes attention issues, slow processing, it affects hearing, it can cause hyperactivity, it can cause impulsivity, it can cause aggression, it can cause constipation, it can cause hypotonia.So if you think about all these kids with ADD and autism, how many of them have low-level lead exposure from the lead pipes? In Chicago, it’s a big, a big problem. Dr. Deb Muth 32:37Yeah, Milwaukee. Anju 32:38Everybody thinks Flint, Michigan, but Flint, Michigan is not the only place. Dr. Deb Muth 32:42Right. Our infrastructure is so terrible, it has not been updated, and even though you might look in your house and you might see a white PVC or plastic pipe, what’s coming under the ground to the house in the cities is usually still lead. Anju 32:58Right. Right. Dr. Deb Muth 33:00Yeah. Anju 33:01So, I guess the point is, is that…the… the idea of, like, studying this. So, again, they study this, and they say, well, we’re not going to treat low-level lead exposure because it doesn’t improve their cognition.But did they really treat it? Dr. Deb Muth 33:18Right. We got it from 60… we got it from 60 to 20. Right. But when I know, where is the lead hiding? Anju 33:24So high. Look at the bones, it’s gonna be coming out. It’s gonna be coming out, especially during puberty. What happens to some of our kids during puberty? They just go a little wonky. Comes out again during menopause. Dr. Deb Muth 33:38Yes. Anju 33:39I don’t know, male menopause, too. Like, we’re all losing bone mass then, and our lead is coming out, our blood pressure goes up. So, again, these are some of the areas that I think, like, really need some… hard… looks. Dr. Deb Muth 33:53Right, yeah. So, what are you hopeful about this committee? Like, are you hopeful that this committee is going to be able to research some of these big things, and we’re really going to be able to find answers around some of the functional things and the biochemical things that we see, you and I know happen in the body, that might give some standardization and education to practitioners in the future. Anju 34:23Well, I think this committee understands the scope of the issues.And they’re coming from different perspectives, like I mentioned, research. Dr. Deb Muth 34:33Yeah. Anju 34:35really highly qualified MDs. MDs like you and me, who have been on the front lines. moms. Dr. Deb Muth 34:43Yeah. Anju 34:44dads, patience, And so, the strategy would be to get, again, their input, and then…get the places… people in places to do their research. And even make some guidelines and some, like, you know, thoughts about what we want to put out there. Dr. Deb Muth 35:05Yeah. Anju 35:05You know, how do we want to strategize for… Dr. Deb Muth 35:08Prevention. Anju 35:10Like, the pre-pregnancy thing. Dr. Deb Muth 35:12Yeah, I’m really hopeful that this doesn’t become a… political football,And it doesn’t get taken away if the administration changes or whatever, because people need to understand that this kind of researchthis is going to take decades for people to do. Granted, we have AI, and AI can help a little bit and get some things quicker.But trying to figure out all of these nuances to why the body does what it does is not gonna be, like, next week we’re gonna find out that this was the single cause, and I know a lot of people, they’re afraid of the vaccines, and that’s gonna be the sole answer.And that has a piece of it, but it is just a small piece of it for some people larger, but at the end of the day, that’s not what this is about. This isn’t about just labeling one thing that is the cause of autism, because it is not one thing. It is so multifactorial. Anju 36:09And I think that whole cause, I know,A lot of money has gone into. Dr. Deb Muth 36:16Yeah. Anju 36:16looking at that. They’re looking for the gene, right? The gene that causes it, and… Dr. Deb Muth 36:23answer. Anju 36:24They have not… they’ve spent millions of dollars looking for this.And it’s not gonna pan out. It’s not. Dr. Deb Muth 36:33I’m not. Anju 36:34pan out. It’s more complex, like we’re talking about. Dr. Deb Muth 36:38Yeah. Anju 36:38And, I do think that sometimes, you know.Even though, like, politically, it seems like it’s a political topic, but it has zero to do with politics. Dr. Deb Muth 36:52Yeah, exactly. This is our children. This is the future of our country, the world. I mean, America’s not the only place that has kids with autism. I mean, this is the future of humanity. If we don’t figure out what’s injuring our children, there will not be a humanity that you and I have seen. It will be different. And, and this is important, we owe it to the future of our generations, we owe it to our children to figure this out and clean up our environment, and make it safe for everybody. Anju 37:24Yeah. Clean up our air, clean up our water, clean up our food… Dr. Deb Muth 37:29Yeah. Anju 37:30You know, our lifestyle a little bit, but… Dr. Deb Muth 37:32hoodie? Anju 37:33It’s… it’s… it’s everywhere. I travel all over. Dr. Deb Muth 37:36Bye. Anju 37:37Consult with doctors in different countries, in Italy, in India, Bulgaria, Romania… Dr. Deb Muth 37:46Yeah. And. Anju 37:48we’re going to Australia for med maps to treat doctors in, in April. And it’s a problem everywhere. Dr. Deb Muth 38:00Yeah. Anju 38:01really big problem, and it affects everybody. Even if you don’t have a child with autism or a grandchild with autism, it’s still affecting families, becauseI kind of think of ADD as being on the spectrum, in the sense thatI think the same kind of positive issues that lead to the autism are causing the ADD, just to… you know, your genetics are playing a little bit of a different role, whatever… whatever protection you have is a bit more there, but we’re seeing kind of, like, similar metabolic… issues in our ADD population. Dr. Deb Muth 38:43Yeah. Yeah, there’s so many different levels of this, and it does affect everyone. Like, I think everybody knows… a family or someone in their classroom or their school or their community that’s affected by, definitely, ADHD, Asperger’s, autism, all of those things, whether you’re high functioning or not functioning or whatever.everything is affected. The school system is affected, your social circles are affected, your families are affected.the healthcare is affected. I mean, everything is affected. We owe it to our families and our communities to help people try to figure this out. Anju 39:22Yeah, and I think even if it’s not ADD, or ADHD, or autism we’re talking about, or even OCD, anxiety, depression, I mean, you know… Dr. Deb Muth 39:33Candace? Anju 39:34Any kind of chronic illness that people are dealing with has underpinnings of these kinds of, you know, issues. Dr. Deb Muth 39:43Yeah. Anju 39:44Any autoimmune issue? That’s great. Dr. Deb Muth 39:48inflammatory syndrome that we’re seeing these days, I mean, the pants-pandas piece, the biofilms, the strep, I mean, our environment is just so laden with infections and biofilms, and And, you know, when you and I first were learning about this, we never thought anything could cross the blood-brain barrier, right? It was pristine, there’s nothing getting in there unless you could drive it in there, and now we know that’s different, and now we’re seeing bugs in the brains of people who have had Alzheimer’s disease and dementia because they’ve donated their brains for research, and we can see what’s crossing the blood-brain barrier, and it’s really scary. Anju 40:24Yeah, yeah. There’s a lot of things we don’t know. Remember when we just found out that they… the brain had a lymphatic system? Dr. Deb Muth 40:33And that wasn’t About, what, 5, 6 years ago? 7 years ago, maybe? Yeah, not that long ago. Anju 40:38You’d be like, why wouldn’t the brain have a lymphatic system? Dr. Deb Muth 40:41Yeah! Yep. Anju 40:44Yeah, so things get in and out. Dr. Deb Muth 40:46They, they definitely. Anju 40:47You know, they get in easier than they get out, I think. Dr. Deb Muth 40:50I agree, I think they do, for sure, for sure. You know, when you’re talking to a family who’s undergoing issues like this, what’s the role, do you feel, in personalized nutrition to help them make things better? Anju 41:10I kind of go through, like, a little bit of a start here, start there, and then do this. I always start, number one, I say, okay, you gotta clean up your environment, because… We gotta do that. Dr. Deb Muth 41:24But that’s a… Anju 41:24process. And then number 2 for me is cleaning up the diet. And then, when you say personalized nutrition. To me, figuring out what is a good diet for the individual. Dr. Deb Muth 41:38Makes it a little bit difficult. Yeah. Anju 41:41I mean, there is, like, healthy eating concepts, where, you know, eat upside-down food pyramid kind of concept, I guess, is the new one, but whole foods, whole grains, organic as much as possible, especially for animal products, good fats, avoiding, you know, hydrogenated oils, and those seed oils, and… Just some basics, and then individualizing for my patients, a lot of people with any kind of autoimmune condition, and we kind of put autism in that neuroimmune, autoimmune, inflammatory That, gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free kind of go there, like, as a given. If there’s a lot of gut issues, a lot of our folks have oxalate issues. And then we have to sometimes do low or limited oxalate diets. Many of my patients can’t convert glutamate to GABA efficiently. Dr. Deb Muth 42:44Yeah. So, high glutamates associated with OCD, and kind of looping or repetitive behaviors. Anju 42:51So, low-glutamate diets. And then some of my patients have SIBO, and then we do the low FODMAPs diet, and then some of my patients have messel, and we’ll do the fail-safe kind of concept with the fail-safe diet, so nutrition can get a little bit complex for certain people, but there are some basics, and then there are some, like, more of… Individual, kind of, diet approaches. And then there’s supplementation. There’s some things that I call foundational. For me, certain things most people need that have a chronic illness. Dr. Deb Muth 43:26Yeah. Anju 43:26Vitamin D3 is one of those. Omega-3s are another one for most. And then, because I did a lot of research on copper, zinc, I think 3 mineral… 4 minerals. I feel like people underdo minerals. They’re so important. Every single enzyme has a mineral cofactor, so… zinc is really important for my population with autism and ADD. 99% of them had high copper or low zinc in. Dr. Deb Muth 43:58Wow. Anju 43:59Over 400 patients that we tested. Dr. Deb Muth 44:01Wow. Anju 44:03And, magnesium.So, zinc, magnesium, and then the other two minerals I really like are selenium for glutathione. and molybdenum for sulfation, and glycolysis. So… So those are kind of my foundational pieces, and then I like to work on the gut next. So, from a nutritional perspective, prebiotics are my new favorite. Dr. Deb Muth 44:29Yeah, we go in and out with prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics. Anju 44:34Yeah, exactly, symbiotics. Dr. Deb Muth 44:36Yes, exactly, exactly. Anju 44:38demos, and… Dr. Deb Muth 44:40Yeah. Anju 44:40So yeah, biofilm busting, and all of that, so… And then I go into my other nitty-gritty stuff, like you probably do. Dr. Deb Muth 44:47individualized, right? So, you created, True Healing Nature, a supplement line, a supplement company, correct? Anju 44:56Yeah, True Hing Naturals. Dr. Deb Muth 44:58Truly Naturals, okay. Anju 44:59True, he is hard. Dr. Deb Muth 45:01Oats! Anju 45:01True! Dr. Deb Muth 45:01Healing natural. Got it, sorry about that. Tell us a little bit about what made you decide to create a supplement company. Was it because you couldn’t find formulations that you wanted? Couldn’t find clean products? That’s a big problem for people, for sure. Anju 45:19Yeah, a little bit of both. I told you that my kids were really sensitive, they had a lot. Dr. Deb Muth 45:23I know. Anju 45:24And when I would even try to give them things like ibuprofen. Dr. Deb Muth 45:28or Benadryl. Anju 45:30For allergies, they couldn’t tolerate the products that were over-the-counter. Dr. Deb Muth 45:35Yeah. Anju 45:35So, in 2007, I opened a compounding pharmacy so I could make things clean for them. Dr. Deb Muth 45:42Yeah. Anju 45:43And I thought it was so valuable. And so then I started seeing, like, certain issues with my patient population, for instance, say, mitochondrial issues. So, I would compound a mito cocktail. in my pharmacy. And then I had True Healing Naturals manufacture it, so I didn’t have to have patients get it compounded. Dr. Deb Muth 46:08Got it. Anju 46:09So that particular product’s called Mito Rescue. Okay. But then, I started… I do a lot of oats testing. Organic acid urine tests. Dr. Deb Muth 46:19Yeah. Anju 46:20But there’s, like, a marker on there for, oxalates, and I saw a lot of patients with oxalates, and oxalates inhibit some… an enzyme called, pyruvate decarboxylase. And that basically means you can’t take your carbs and turn them into energy. Dr. Deb Muth 46:38Okay. Anju 46:39So, if I saw this pattern with high oxalates and high pyruvic acid, I knew that that enzyme wasn’t working very well, and that enzyme is B1, molybdenum, and biotin dependent. So, I started compounding doses of that. And then I turned that into a product called Motor Connect, because high doses of biotin help with connectivity in the cerebellum. Dr. Deb Muth 47:08Got it. So, I did come… kind of start with the compounding pharmacy, try it, use it, and then turn it into. Anju 47:17products, and I have one for copper-zinc imbalances called True Minerals. Dr. Deb Muth 47:21Yeah, to fix the problems that were not commercially available. Could you talk a little bit for people who don’t understand what a compounding pharmacy is? Anju 47:32So, when you guys go to a pharmacy, you, you know, you send a prescription, and it’s already, it’s manufactured, and you get it. Well, a compounding pharmacy actually makes that for you. So they get the raw ingredients, and then they make that prescription. So it’s still prescription-based. But, for instance, say, I want Nystatin. And I go to Walgreens or CVS, and the nystatin there is a liquid, and it has yellow dyes and sugar. Dr. Deb Muth 48:02Yep. Or it’s a title, and it’s red. Anju 48:04or it’s bread, and a tablet, and I, like, oh, I want to treat the yeast, but I don’t want to use this. So I sent my nystatin prescription to a compounding pharmacy, and it’s Nystatin. That’s what you got. Yep. Dr. Deb Muth 48:17disappear. Anju 48:18So, pure compounding pharmacy, it’s pure, it’s pure stuff. Especially for our mast cell people. They’re so sensitive, and, you know, my kids are all mast cell, and so I just find that excipients, some people will say, oh, this doesn’t work, and I said, it’s probably the excipient that’s stimulating your mast cell activation. So, yeah. So, compounding pharmacies, You know, with all the big, kind of. conglomerates and big companies, they’ve become… they used to be, like, mom-and-pop kind of places. And my pharmacy is like that. It’s just… it’s… it’s a few of us, and we… we do it, and it’s nothing big or fancy, but we get the job done. So, we compound things like methylcobalamin injections, hydroxycobalamin, low-dose naltrexone. Different things for chelation. So, it’s nice. I love having it. Dr. Deb Muth 49:11Yeah, the compounding pharmacies really have made a huge difference for people who are sensitive. You know, so many ingredients are contaminated with corn and gluten and soy and dairy and all the big things that we want to stay away from, especially if we’re trying to treat the immune system. And even if the manufacturer says that’s not in our product. it’s contaminated, usually, because they’re usually preparing it in a facility that has those things floating around. Right. And for people who are really sensitive, that’s going to create some issues. Anju 49:45Yeah, people who are sensitive are sensitive to parts per trillion. Dr. Deb Muth 49:48Yeah. Anju 49:49I found that with my daughter with chemical sensitivity. You don’t have to see it, or you don’t have to smell it, but they could react to it. Dr. Deb Muth 49:55Yeah. And, a lot of these, like. Anju 49:58These different, substances, for instance, like enzymes, even the natural enzymes. Dr. Deb Muth 50:03They’re cultured in Aspergillus. Anju 50:07And so they’re extracted from mold. Dr. Deb Muth 50:10Yeah. Anju 50:11And so the really mold-sensitive people will maybe take a digestive enzyme, and they’ll have a reaction, and they’ll not understand why. Yeah. But it’s not because of the enzyme, it’s because of where it’s coming from. Dr. Deb Muth 50:22Yeah, where it’s cultured from. And if you have mold toxicity and mold sensitivity, and we’re looking at your mold test, wondering why are you getting a hit while we’re trying to clear it out, sometimes we forget that those products, and a variety of products that we used are cultured from molds. Yeah. Anju 50:40Yeah, yeah. It’s hard for the laypeople to understand all. Dr. Deb Muth 50:45You know. Anju 50:45of these pieces, but I think that… It used to be, like, the insurance companies would cover prescriptions from compounding pharmacies, but over the years, the lobbying and all of that has gotten so intense where, you know, a lot of that ends up out of pocket, but it’s really… it doesn’t really get that much more expensive than a copay would be. Dr. Deb Muth 51:05Right, right. Anju 51:06People just don’t know about it, yeah. Dr. Deb Muth 51:08Yeah, absolutely. So, you’ve been doing this now for more than 17 years, and you’ve made some remarkable progress with your patients. Can you share some success stories that still inspire you to do what you do every day? Anju 51:27I don’t know about you, but, like, when you first start, I think, God puts you… God puts all those really gray cases in front of you, because you’re like, whoa! Dr. Deb Muth 51:37Yes, and maybe… Anju 51:38I gave this patient methylcobalamin, and they started talking. Yeah. So methyl B12 back in the day was huge. you know, Dr. Nebrander’s protocol, and we would use that, and we would get speech, and… I mean, I’ve… it’s just… there’s hundreds of cases. There’s hundreds of cases, and same with Leukovorin now. Not for everybody, but when it really works, it’s really, really decent. Dr. Deb Muth 52:07Yeah, and worth a try, you know, if… if we suspect that’s what’s going on, these things are worth a try, because sometimes you just never know what’s going to be the key that unlocks the answer for them. Anju 52:19Yeah, but I think, you know, like, I can say… chelation, or… you know, I can, like, throw out a bunch of stuff. Dr. Deb Muth 52:26Okay. Anju 52:27In terms of, like, I’ve… I… I have those families, and I have those kids who are just… they’re just amazing, and they’re in college, and having jobs, and having kids, and… Dr. Deb Muth 52:38Yeah. Anju 52:38you know, all of that, but I think, you know, the ones that really strike me are the ones that I have to work really hard to get. Dr. Deb Muth 52:44And then we’. Anju 52:45they go, it’s not like, oh, I just did the diet, I’m cured, or I did this, and I’m better, or… Right. And I have those cases where the parents come to me and they say, I never thought my kid would Be going to college. And I never thought we would be here. So, those are the ones that really, like, when I get the little notes, or the, like, the college or the high school graduation pictures, and they… and some of them, you know, you lose touch with because they don’t need me anymore. Dr. Deb Muth 53:19Yeah. Anju 53:20And then you hear about it later. And then, I think the ones that don’t get better are the ones that, like, sit with me the most They just sit with me, and we’ve had this population of children with severe apraxia. So, apraxia is a motor planning issue, but if you saw these patients, you would think that they were… mentally deficient. Dr. Deb Muth 53:44Hmm. Anju 53:45Because they can’t talk. Dr. Deb Muth 53:46Yeah. Anju 53:47They’re the classic person that you would see that looks autistic. You know, running around, excited, verbal stimming, no speech. Dr. Deb Muth 53:57Hmm. Anju 53:58And that group of patients are incredibly Brilliant. And we are just finding out about how smart they are. There’s a book called Underestimated by J.B. Hanley and his son Jamie. JV has all the resources in the world. He used to put those ads in the New York Times about autism and vaccines. He could take his kid anywhere and do any treatment, and still, we… Blocked. Locked. Couldn’t get through. Couldn’t get through. And they started, spelling. To communicate, and this speller’s method, and it just opened a door. And it opened a door for so many of my patients who are metabolically challenged, so we do help them metabolically. Getting that ability to communicate. Some of them never got high school diplomas, and they went back to get their high school diplomas so they could go to college. Dr. Deb Muth 54:56Oh, wow, that’s amazing stories. Anju 54:59Yeah, and Elizabeth Bonker is one of those spellers, and she… she was a valedictorian in her high school, college. And she did a valedictorian speech that went. Viral, and she’s one of the people on that committee. Dr. Deb Muth 55:13That’s awesome. Anju 55:14He’s non-speaking. She… she can’t not speak. Dr. Deb Muth 55:20Wow. Anju 55:21But they asked her to be on this committee. Dr. Deb Muth 55:24That’s fantastic. Anju 55:26Huge. Dr. Deb Muth 55:27That’s huge. It is huge. There’s a way she can communicate, she just can’t verbalize the way you and I verbalize. Anju 55:34She’s brilliant. I mean, people on that committee, the, the individuals with autism on that committee, I know they’re brilliant people. Wow. But if you… if… If people saw them, they wouldn’t see that. Dr. Deb Muth 55:47Right. Anju 55:47So, I guess, for me, it’s like seeing the brilliance, seeing the competence in individuals, and as a practitioner, just trying to optimize it. But I know, like, the neurodiversity people say, okay, you know. We’re fine, and it’s like, yes, you are fine, you’re fine, and it’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s okay. But if you’re struggling metabolically, and we can help you feel better. What’s… what’s the harm in that? Dr. Deb Muth 56:13Right, let’s do that. Yeah. So you’re also part of something called MAPS, and you’re educating doctors worldwide. Tell us a little bit about MAPS, and how do you see the integrative pediatrics evolving in the next decade as a result of what we’re learning today? Anju 56:36I think we’re at a crossroads, and Maps is kind of in the middle of that crossroads. It used to be called Dan. Dr. Deb Muth 56:47Okay. Anju 56:47Autism Now. Dr. Deb Muth 56:48Yeah. Anju 56:49And then they kind of dissolved Dan and turned it into MedMaps. And MedMaps is Medical Academy for Pediatrics and Special Needs. So it’s not just special needs, it’s pediatrics. as well.So it’s kind of like the functional medicine for peds. And our goal is to train an army of clinicians to be the frontline. And how medicine should be, and how people should be trained. We should train them to do these types of things from the beginning. Because now it’s backwards. Dr. Deb Muth 57:28Right. Anju 57:30they come see us when nobody else can help them. But, so, we have some good leadership, and then… We are just trying to get people trained so that they understand that this is the future. Dr. Deb Muth 57:50If there’s a practitioner that’s listening to this, how do they get involved in MAPS? Anju 57:55They could come to a conference. Dr. Deb Muth 57:57Okay. Anju 57:58And the website is medmaps.org. And there’s 2 conferences a year. And we have scholarships, and we want people to come, so contact You know, the executive director, and… We just want people to come, share… their experiences, learn about functional medicine, it’s evidence-based, we try to… it’s really scientific, you know, we talk a lot of science. Dr. Deb Muth 58:25Oh yeah, a lot of science. Anju 58:26We talk a lot of science, and and so hopefully we can move all of this forward. Baster. Dr. Deb Muth 58:35I think the greatest thing, when you get into the functional medicine integrative space like this, and MAPS, and some of the other environmental academies and things like that. A lot of people might think it’s not science-based, and I’m always amazed at how much science we have, and it’s right, it’s all the things that you and I learned in biochem class, and chem class, and organic chem, and we were like, oh, let’s just learn this to be done with it. And then you get back, and you start doing integrated medicine, and you realize, like, all of that biochemistry stuff is what we needed to truly understand to fix people these These days, and you go back and you have to learn that in an intense version of it. Anju 59:18I felt like I finally understood the Krebs cycle, when I learned how it made metabolic stents, instead of just memorizing these cycles for… For the… Dr. Deb Muth 59:30Right? Like, they, like. Anju 59:32They just make sense to me. Dr. Deb Muth 59:34Yeah. Anju 59:35And I think that’s so important to understand, that all of this has science behind it, and it’s there, and the research is there. Dr. Deb Muth 59:46It’s just us having to learn how to utilize it, and recognize that not every person is going to be straightforward, and what we do for one might not work for another. There’s… It’s not as easy as prescribing a prescription and letting the person walk out the door in 10 minutes. That’s not what this is about at all. Anju 01:00:05No, and at MedMaps as well, they have a call for abstracts, and so we’re always looking for research, experience, so if any of the clinicians out there have, you know, things they want to share. then send an abstract to Maps. What a great blonde. I think, one of my doctor friends is doing an abstract on research that was done on sensory qigong massage. Dr. Deb Muth 01:00:34Oh. Anju 01:00:34And it helped with speech, and the theory was that, we were all thinking of the sensory system in the brain, the sensory system. In the periphery being affected neurologically, and how to turn that back on. So, it was… it’s… Dr. Deb Muth 01:00:51That’s neat. Anju 01:00:51Again, with the research, and with the science behind it, and with, like, clinical trials, and all of that. Dr. Deb Muth 01:00:58That’s awesome, I love that.For parents that are just starting in this journey, what would you recommend be their first one or two steps? Anju 01:01:10Educate, educate, educate? How do you get educated? I do think that, TakaNow.org is a good place for, like, a biomedical approach, or this functional approach for autism. It’s the Autism Community in Action. MedMaps is doing a parent conference in March. Dr. Deb Muth 01:01:31Oh, awesome. They usually do that around, Memorial Day, right? Anju 01:01:36They’ll do it around Labor Day in September. Dr. Deb Muth01:01:40Labor Day in September, okay. Anju 01:01:42Yeah, and then mid-March. Dr. Deb Muth 01:01:44Okay. Anju 01:01:45Yeah. And they hadn’t done a parent conference before, but we had parents that wanted to come to the conferences, and it was just for clinicians before. Dr. Deb Muth 01:01:54Got it. Is it Autism One that does theirs around Memorial Day? Anju 01:01:59Oh yeah, they don’t exist anymore. Dr. Deb Muth 01:02:01Don’t, really. Anju 01:02:03conferences. There was. Dr. Deb Muth 01:02:06NAA, the National Autism Association. Anju 01:02:09They don’t do a lot of parent conferences in functional medicine either, so there’s a few left. Documenting Hope. That’s another really nice one. Oh, that’s great. Dr. Deb Muth 01:02:21So, what last words do you want to leave with our listeners? Anju 01:02:29You know, that’s… people always ask that at the end of these… I, I do feel that, Listen to your heart, you know, follow your intuition. Dr. Deb Muth 01:02:40I’ll let that guide you. Anju 01:02:42There’s a lot of information, sometimes it gets to be too much information. It’s hard to process everything, try not to make impulsive decisions about things. And… If you have a child with special needs, or if you have a grandchild with, issues. Presume competence. There’s a lot there. Dr. Deb Muth 01:03:04Yeah. Anju 01:03:05Especially some of these kids with behavior issues. I don’t know how many patients of mine are… Put on psychotropic meds. Metabolic issues, and, you know… It’s like, a lot of them have pain, like headache, abdominal pain, and inflammation, and they’re treating them with psych meds. Dr. Deb Muth 01:03:25Yeah. That’s sad, isn’t it? Anju 01:03:28I think, you know, try to look for the underlying cause. Not just band-aid things. Dr. Deb Muth 01:03:34Where can listeners, learn more about your work and what you do? Anju 01:03:40Oh, that’s tough. I don’t have a book. One of these days. Dr. Deb Muth 01:03:48Yes! Anju 01:03:49Yes, one of these days. I think, you know, med maps, we have a… if they’re clinicians. Dr. Deb Muth 01:03:55Hmm? Anju 01:03:56I have lectured a lot. For, for, communities like Taka, so there’s just a lot of… lectures that I’ve given online. Dr. Deb Muth 01:04:09Awesome. Well, thank you for taking your time with us today. It’s been a great conversation with you. Anju 01:04:15Thank you so much for inviting me, Debra. I’m honored to be here, and thank you for doing the work that you do to put Put this out there for people, because it’s really important information. Dr. Deb Muth 01:04:27Thank you. Thank you for joining me today on Let’s Talk Wellness Now. Today’s discussion with Dr. Usman reminds us that there’s always more we can do. We can look deeper into biology, environment, and lifestyle. to heal the next generation. If this episode inspired you, please share it with a parent or a practitioner who believes every child deserves a chance to thrive. And to learn more about Dr. Usman, you can visit TrueHealthMedical.com or TrueHealingnaturals.com. And if you’re ready to explore your own root cause healing, visit us at Serenityhealthcarecenter.com. You can also follow me on Instagram, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of Let’s Talk Wellness now. Until next time. I’m Dr. Deb, reminding you to nurture your body, mind, and spirit. Be well, and I’ll see you soon.The post Episode 262 – The Root Cause of ADHD & Autism: Beyond the Diagnosis with Dr. Anju Usman Singh first appeared on Let's Talk Wellness Now.

Dr. Deb Muth 0:03What if everything you’ve been told about getting healthy is backwards?What if chasing symptoms with pills, procedures, and quick fixes is exactly why you’re still sick? Tired, inflamed, and frustrated. Today, I’m sitting down with Dr. Holly Donahue, a naturopathic doctor who walked away from corporate burnout to discover the truth.Your body already knows how to heal. You just need to remove what’s blocking it, and give it what it’s missing. If you’re done with Band-Aid solutions and ready for real, lasting transformation, this conversation changes everything. Welcome back to Let’s Talk Wellness Now, the show where we uncover the root causes of chronic illness, explore cutting-edge regenerative medicine, and empower you with the tools to heal. I’m Dr. Deb, your medical detective, and today, we’re diving into the hidden truth about whole body wellness, and why treating symptoms will never give you the vibrant health you deserve. I’m joined by Dr. Holly Donahue, a licensed naturopathic doctor with over two decades of clinical experiencing Helping high performers heal from burnout, chronic fatigue, hormone imbalance, and stubborn weight issues. She’s the founder of Simple Health, and she’s here to share the science-backed approach to root cause healing that addresses your body, mind, and spirit, not just your lab values. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with a chronic condition, or is struggling with unexplained symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, hormonal chaos, or chronic inflammation. This episode is for you. Please share it with them. So, as usual, grab your cup of coffee, tea, or whatever helps you unwind, settle in, and let’s get started on your journey to deeper healing. And we’ll be right back after a word from our sponsor. All right. So, Dr. Donahue, let’s start with the question that’s on everyone’s mind, right? How did you transition away from corporate and into the world of, naturopath… natural medicine, naturopathic medicine, root cause medicine, all the wonderful terms we’re using for this these days? Dr. Holly Donahue 02:56Yeah, first of all, thanks for having me, Dr. Debb. I so appreciate it, and that is a beautiful question, and I will share with you my health journey and why I got into this, and… how I got to do this amazing work, right? Because I always believed, for me, my higher being is God, and it walked right into me, right? Because I was pretty happy in the apparel industry. So, just as you said, I was in the apparel industry, I, my education doesn’t really matter, but double, like, marketing and textile marketing, and I was in design, and I was working in design. from LA to London to the East Coast. And 2 days after September 11th, to sum it up, I got laid off. Even though I had been pulled out of a job where my vice president of the company was like, I want you to come down here with me, and the apparel industry, you’re switching every two to three years. For those that don’t know it, that’s just how the journey works, and I was known as a changemaker in the field. And so, here we are two days after September 11th, and I was seeing a naturopath, and I was, let’s see, 29 to 30, right? And so, prior to that, the reason why I searched out for a naturopath was because in my teenage years, and… Up until that time, I was suffering with horrible menstrual cramps and horrible depression, hence why I moved to LA, thinking if I was in the sun all the time, my life would change, which we all do, change our place, change our time, things will change. Had nothing to do with family or roots, but I thought, if I’m around sunshine all the time, I won’t be depressed. Well, wherever you go, there you are, because it went with me, right? So I had my foot down to the ground, and I was just like, I am committed to not living life like this, right? Even at 7 years old, I had strep ear all the time, and my mom’s like, we’re gonna have your tonsils out, and I’m like, no we’re not. And she goes, no, you’re gonna feel so much better, no more strep ear. And I’m like, God gave them to me for a reason, you’re not taking them out. She’s like, okay, like, I was really strong. And so, let’s wind up to 2 days after September 11th. Prior to that, I had started to retake chemistry and biology, because I haven’t taken it since my textile years, which was a different chemistry, right? And so, I thought, well, I’ll just start and see where it goes, because my naturopath at the time. Dr. Dadama was like, we need more naturopaths, and I’m like, I’m really good where I am. I love what I do, I love corporate America, I love designing, I love product development. And he’s like, no, no, no, so he kept talking. Well, when this all fell… And 2 days after September 11th, I raised my hand and I said, God, I hear you. I went off to naturopathic medicine school in my 30s. And I never looked back, and I just really believe the gift of healing was, put together for me in so many ways. And so, why do I love talking about natural medicine, naturopathic medicine? Because I was not gonna just take an antidepressant, which is what the medical world… they wanted to give me a pill for a nail, that’s what I call it. I didn’t need to be on birth control. I wasn’t sexually active. Right? So none of that made sense to me. And it wasn’t until I really changed my nutrition, began to understand who I am as a person, and what my body really needed, did I heal. Dr. Deb Muth 06:20Isn’t that amazing? Like, I think so many of us enter into the alternative quote-unquote world. Because what is happening over here in what is known as the traditional medicine world isn’t working for people, and no one’s listening to them, and we just follow the traditional protocol, whether it makes sense or not, this is the protocol, everybody gets it. There’s no individuality, no personalization, nothing that happens in that world. And so, people tend to go looking for that… that uniqueness that natural medicine and naturopaths allow to happen. And that’s where true healing actually begins, for so many people. Dr. Holly Donahue 07:02 Yes, and honestly, once my hormones were healed, hence why I talk about hormones all the time, and my thyroid was healed, and I was eating the right nutrition, and for those of you that are listening, please stop playing with nutrition, like, get on that… get on that connection of what works for you. And I’ll be honest, like, none of us as doctors can… we can guide you. what’s really good in eating, but figuring it out for yourself is important. And the other naturopath that I saw. Never healed me. I only got so far by just taking supplements and herbs. And I speak that into that, that’s why I’m so driven around the foundation of our medicine. I am not just saying this, is your nutrition. And until I changed my nutrition, and I figured out what workouts work best for me, and I took all the toxicity and mucus out of my body, I was just inflamed, and I didn’t really it. I was eating all the wrong foods. Right? My body can’t do searches and simple sugars, hence why I talk about it, and so many people are addicted to sugar, and they deny it. Dr. Deb Muth 08:11Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 08:11It’s a comfort food, right? So, I always say, I can’t heal you until I fix your nutrition and your sugar, and if that’s not something that you’re willing to work on with me with love, I am not the right practitioner. Because I remember it didn’t heal me. Dr. Deb Muth 08:29Yeah. I think we forget that nutrition is our medicine, right? Food is thy medicine. And it’s so easy for us to just say, but it’s easier to just take 10 supplements than it is to change my diet, cook for the whole family, and then cook for me. Nutrition is really, really difficult for people, because so much of who we are is born into nutrition, right? All of those family traditions of what we make at Christmas, or Easter, or what do you do for a celebration, when all of that changes, you kind of… you have a loss for things. So how do you work around that with people? Dr. Holly Donahue 09:12Yeah, so I look at that as, I’m always suggesting to individuals in all these different celebrations, like, if you’re the one, kind of. that is the pinnacle that’s creating the celebrations, could you change that, right? So maybe you always have people over for your children’s birthday parties, and you have cake, and, you know, you have a spaghetti dinner, whatever it looks like. I’m not judging, I’m not here to judge, I just know what works, right? Then maybe you get to change that. How about doing an outdoor activity with the children? Maybe choosing to go on a hike to the beach where they’re active. And then, you know, you do a healthy treat with them, or do we always have to have these celebrations around sugar? And I’m talking America, because I never saw this when I lived in Europe, like, the way it is here, right? Or, as adults, we’re celebrating with alcohol all the time, right? I removed sugar and alcohol from my diet years ago just because I knew I just didn’t feel good with it. I’m not judging that that’s what you need to do. So, back to your question, the other suggestion I say, if you can with your family, because I know there’s all sorts of… Hidden rules, quiet rules, ways you have to do things to be fit in. First of all, stand up for your own health, so I suggest that. And secondly, how about if you bring something to that meal that you can share with everybody that you know that you can eat? If that doesn’t work, I’m pretty sure, I’m pretty confident, unless I’m really not connected, and I’ve never had anybody not be able to maneuver this. When you go to a meal, look at where… what the protein is there, look at what vegetables are there. And if you’re wanting to have a piece of cake, or a bread, or whatever that looks like for you as you’re carbohydrate simple starch, choose one or the other, and make those choices. And secondly, never go to a holiday, or a meal, or a function, or a gathering starving. Dr. Deb Muth 11:22That is a great suggestion, because once you go there starving, it’s a smorgasbord of food, right? And you’re just grabbing whatever, because you’re so hungry. we don’t think about that. Most people do go to the party starving because they know there’s going to be all this amazing food there that tastes good but might not be healthy for us, but we’re looking forward to having those kinds of things. Dr. Holly Donahue 11:45And just have a little bit less, right? So, like, extreme, you know, maybe, like, grab 2 tablespoons of something if you want to have it, if that’s something. And the other truth is, is that I don’t want people to not live their life and enjoy their life because they’re learning what works for them. And when I say that, like, the 7 pillars of wellness, like. I’m saying movement, I’m saying relationships, I’m saying lifestyle, I’m even saying job, you guys, like, emotions, how you were born and raised, what that, like, that is all important for your health. And I always say, lots of times, I’m not even having constant medical conversations with patients, I’m really having discipline and connection. Like, how can you change how you’re doing things Because we’re so wired. to do… do it the way that we knew how to do it, and it’s really hard to change our neurological habits, and it’s really hard to change our wiring, especially if that’s how we were born and raised, right? And so, sometimes that can really trigger us. But, if you’re going to go to that meal, right, that we’re talking about. Then how about you can, like, encourage everybody afterwards, if it’s nice out, to go for a walk, or have some sort of movement together, so that you had what you wanted, you showed up, you didn’t feel like you were, like, out in left field, and you couldn’t have what everybody had, but you’re still grounded in your own truth, and making decisions, and then you’re like, hey, how about if we all go for a walk, like, and have a chat together? You know, like, you know, and you’re changing, probably, in the family, and then the deeper one that I love, Dr. Deb, the deeper one, is that ripple effect. Once people start to see you heal, they’re gonna ask you what you did. Dr. Deb Muth 13:42Yeah, that is so true. Dr. Holly Donahue 13:43effect is in the family. Dr. Deb Muth 13:45And people notice. We don’t always think people notice. They might not always say things, but they do notice when somebody’s changing. When they look better, their skin is better, their hair is better, they are more vibrant, they have more energy, they’re thinking better. They notice those types of things. Dr. Holly Donahue 14:04Yeah. And you’re not as short with loved ones, right? Because when you don’t feel good and you’re eating, you know, sugar, like, and I mean simple starches, because patients will be like, Dr. Donnie, I don’t eat sugar. And I’m like, okay, well, if you’re not eating sugar, why is your glucose 120 and your hemoglobin A1C 6?So the glucose is immediate, for those that are listening, don’t know. That’s an immediate reading of your glucose, or the hemoglobin A1C tells me what happened over the 3 months, right? A 3-month cycle, so then I get a clip picture of it, and I also test insulin as well, but what I say to them is, okay, you’re not eating sugar.But your body’s seeing something as sugar, because your glucose is still elevated, and your hemoglobin A1C is over 5.4 to 5.6, right? 5.8, you know what I mean? That’s when we start to look at prediabetes, and what people don’t understand is when those numbers, like hemoglobin A1C, are at that elevation, that didn’t just start yesterday. That has been fire in your body for a very long time. Same with cholesterol. Dr. Deb Muth 15:12Yeah.Yeah, we forget about that. You know, this is coming from decades of what we do, not 3 months of what we do. And most people, if we look back on their lifestyles. starting at a very young age, and it saddens me to see young little… little children, babies, right, 2 and 3 years old, that are drinking soda in a bottle. They’re drinking pure sugar everywhere, you know, Gatorade and all this stuff. That’s full of dyes and toxins and sugars, and then we wonder why they’re going crazy, driving mom and dad crazy, bouncing off the walls, or can’t sit still in school and can’t concentrate, because we’ve just fed them a drug that’s just wired them up. And then we just tell them to hurry up and be quiet, right? And that just doesn’t happen, but that… what we’re seeing now is starting at such a young age, you know? So many young people are feeding their kids just garbage all the time, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s terrible. Dr. Holly Donahue 16:14And it’s fascinating, because I’ll use an example of that. Every year, my family and I go to Antigua for a couple weeks, and I just got back a couple weeks ago, and we go in March, right? And so, when… I was at, like, I’ll say the breakfast buffet, right? It’s healthier foods, and I’m not judging, but, like, my family would grab eggs, and we’re like, where’s our protein? Okay, you can do yogurt, you know what I mean? Like, choosing, right? And then our fruit would be our carbohydrate, and then there was nuts there, and so we were really, like, being choice, and then we all do like coffee, right? And so, we chose… I was looking around at the children there that were beautiful, like, little kids, and they’re so sweet, and they’re on their vacation at this nice resort with their family, and they’re eating Froot Loops, and they’re eating all these sugary donuts. Of course, the resort makes them, right? Because a lot of those places, they’re made, they don’t bring them in. Dr. Deb Muth 17:14And they’re. Dr. Holly Donahue 17:14eating croissants and breads, and then they’re, you know, running around, and the families are, like, chasing them. And then, over in another corner.there was a very well-behaved little boy with a mother and father that you could tell was very quiet, very grounded in what they fed the baby, and I just happened to talk to them later. And she happens to be a holistic wellness, yoga and Reiki practitioner, and he happens to be a yoga instructor, and they’re very cautious what they eat, so I noticed they were asking for a lot of vegetables and protein like we were doing, even at lunch and dinner. And I said, you guys are so grounded. But there’s the difference. I’m not trying to compare, but the difference is, just give your kid whatever they want on vacation. Well, you can’t take them back and be like, okay, now you can’t have that at home. like, they’re gonna start to eat the way you eat, so if you don’t go up and get a donut and a croissant, I’m just using simple examples, you are really making the way for the health for your child for the rest of your life. Or for their life, I should say. Dr. Deb Muth 18:29And it’s so important, right? Because we see so much disease happening at such a young age. I don’t know how you are, but in my practice. We have so many young people, you know, 10, 12, 14, 16, that are sick. And really, really sick. And you… it kind of keeps going. We go back and forth with this, like. why do we see so many more young people? One of my doctors treats autism, so we’ve always had young people in our office. But now we’re seeing the young teenagers that are sick, that are not autistic, but they’re now sick, and it’s more and more and more of them, and we just haven’t seen that. I’ve been in practice 25 years. We didn’t see that before. You know, you didn’t see people that were sick until they were, like, in their 40s, because they were burning the candle at both ends, and they just got burned out. But now that’s happening younger and younger. Dr. Holly Donahue 19:24100%, and that goes back to everything that we were talking about. And if you want to step into the other piece of it, it’s all the chemicals and the toxicity that are around us, the radiation from the cell phones. We are vibrational frequency beings. That is not a woo statement, that’s true, that’s how our cell structure is. Then we’re putting all this unnatural makeup and fake eyelashes, a lot of people are wearing, non-organic, natural makeup, you know, underarm deodorant that has aluminum in it, cleaning products that are full of toxicity, we’re breathing them in, you know, there’s mold in so many houses as well. And really, if we don’t have a really strong nutrition protocol for ourself, sleeping well, sleeping soundly as a child, or even as an adult, we’re not spiking cortisol all the time. You know, how can we build up our immune system as a young person, or even as an adult? I mean, these young people are in, like, they tell me all these things they were in, and I’m just like, oh my gosh, I’d be exhausted before, like, 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Dr. Deb Muth 20:36Right? Right. Dr. Holly Donahue 20:38because their parents are trying to work two jobs, they think the more they do, the better they are, the more it’ll look better on the resume, or at school, or the college that they get into. And it’s like, we’re telling this messaging to go, go, go. When do we tell them to meditate and pray and just be quiet? Dr. Deb Muth 20:55Yeah, we never do. Dr. Holly Donahue 20:56Creative. Dr. Deb Muth 20:57We never do. I have a young man in my practice, and he’s just amazing. Typical Type A personality, mast cell. He’s out of college, he’s on a sports team.And they literally go from 5 in the morning until midnight, and then these kids have to stay up and study, get their homework done, and so they’re running on maybe, if they’re lucky, 2 to 3 hours of sleep, and this happens 5 to 6 days a week.How do we possibly think that this is healthy for these kids? Dr. Holly Donahue 21:27Hmm. Yeah, then they’re living in dorms that probably aren’t healthy. Like, my niece lived in a dorm that was full of mold, right? And my sister got her an air purifier, but still, it’s still coming in. And then the food that these institutions feed you, and then I’ll have these, you know, because I live near UNH, my clinic is near UNH, and they’ll be like, but we’re on the meal plan, do you know what I mean? And so I try to teach them the best way to maneuver, like, a buffet and a meal plan. But the truth is, is like, is it really organic foods? Healthy, quality foods? Probably not. So then it’s like, you can’t really… it’s hard for you to get off the meal plan, like, it’s all these, like… I call it the matrix kind of connections, like, you can’t… there’s not flexibility, and then if you have mast cell, it’s like, holy cow, your immune system is already overfiring itself, and now you’re burning the cortisol at all ends, like, how can you calm that flame down? Dr. Deb Muth 22:27Yeah, I remember when my daughter went to college, she had celiac disease, and they forced her to do the meal plan as a freshman, even though we said there’s not going to be anything she can eat, it’s all going to be contaminated. So they forced us to purchase the meal plan, even though she couldn’t have anything on the meal plan. And so she had to go outside of school to eat, which made it more difficult. And just all the way around, they don’t make anything easy for kids that have special dietary needs in these colleges. Dr. Holly Donahue 23:00It’s… it’s… It’s very unfortunate, you know what I mean? And then it… and then what is the first thing that people release, which they really need, is to move their body and do exercise and movement, so when they’re exhausted, they have to show up to so many classes, or they’ll get dinged, but yet they’re not getting sleep at night, and then they’re showing up exhausted, then they’re trying to eat, they’re trying to function. And then here we step in trying to help them, and it’s just like they’re already overloaded, and so to give them a protocol to follow. it’s just really hard for me to watch that maneuvering, so then I just say, okay, let’s just do one thing at a time. It’s gonna be a slow healing, but one thing is better than the other. Dr. Deb Muth 23:49Right. Dr. Holly Donahue 23:50Nothing. Dr. Deb Muth 23:51Yeah, let’s… let’s turn our conversation a little bit, because we’re already heading in that direction, to the burnout, you know?This is epidemic in our country, and especially among high-performing women, the college kids, even the high school kids, the leaders, the busy moms, and everybody’s trying to hold everything together. What are you seeing in your practice in this population? Dr. Holly Donahue 24:13Yeah, and I actually have a lot of entrepreneurs and, like, executives, and believe it or not, I have a lot of nurses and some doctors in my program. I am seeing aha moments that they, even though some of the medical practitioners I have know that sleep is important, they’re just like, I had no idea, right?that sleep was so important, and that shutting off the, light, and your computers, and your email and everything, like, to create a sleep ritual, right, for them. They are so shocked with that. But I am seeing, if you’re asking me diagnosis, I am seeing more autoimmunity than I’ve ever seen before, especially in women.I am seeing… I only used to see, because I do the blood type nutrition, because Dr. Dadamo trained me in that. Dr. Deb Muth 25:07I use… Dr. Holly Donahue 25:07to only see diabetes in O blood type. And prediabetes. I would see some sugar tweaks in A’s and ABs and B’s, but not too much. Like, I see more nervous system dysregulation in an A, and I didn’t see a lot of cardiac in A’s, I saw it more in O’s. That almost… he’d probably roll over in his grave, but that’s almost, like, debunked now, because I’m seeing diabetes in A’s all day long, I’m seeing it in B’s, I’m seeing insomnia like there’s no tomorrow, I’m seeing a lot of, you know, undiagnosed mold and Lyme, where people are completely exhausted, and I know the labeling of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia is just a catch-all diagnosis, so… Many of my patients know I don’t like to label, because if I tell you you have a condition, how many people hold on to that condition and use that as messaging for their life? And I… what I tell them is, let’s look at your labs functionally. I’m seeing very disrupt… I see a lot of mast cell now. I’m seeing a lot of long-haul COVID, or even lung conditions that… We have no idea where it’s coming from. Like, shortness of breath, wheezing, and they’re being diagnosed with asthma, but all the treatments that I’ve done over the years with asthma isn’t healing it. So I’ve got two people that are really at a risk, and have been on rounds of prednisone, and it’s really hard for me to watch, and so I’m stepping back into, you have to slow down, you get to do what you love, who are you being? everyday life, and how are you showing up? And your body, even though as an O, you can take a lot of stress. Dr. Deb Muth 26:57But yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 26:58your body is too stressed out. And it’s shocking that the first thing that… not really, but it still is to me, the first thing people let go of is the nutrition, and the movement, and the sleep. Dr. Deb Muth 27:13Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 27:14And the main things… Dr. Deb Muth 27:15We need to heal. Dr. Holly Donahue 27:16Exactly. So when you ask me that, the biggest piece is blood sugar and stress, cortisol, and adrenals. Dr. Deb Muth 27:24Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 27:24Without a label. Dr. Deb Muth 27:26Yeah, we’re seeing a lot of the same thing. The autoimmunity, the mast cell is huge. More recently, probably the last two months, we’ve been seeing a lot of, very rare, strange cancers that don’t make sense. Dr. Holly Donahue 27:38Oh. Dr. Deb Muth 27:38We’re seeing a lot of undiagnosed mold and Lyme and things like that as well. I mean, it’s just so much more unusual things than what we’ve seen before.and struggling with patients, like things that we used to do, kind of like what you’re saying with the asthma, things that we’ve always done that have worked are not working the same way as they used to, not responding the same way. Since 2020, things have really changed a lot. It’s very difficult.Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 28:07And I think we’re in such transition in the world itself, like, with the nutrient depletion of the soil. And so it’s like, okay, like, how much do we supplement? How much do we use herbs? Like, I love… I personally use a lot of homeopathy. You know, even… that was my go-to. I lost my dad a year ago, we, and I’ve been in a round of grief, and it’s real, you know, and so my go-to was homeopathy, because I had all the other pieces together. However, I did notice, like, the fatigue was real, like, I just kind of wanted to sleep more, you know what I mean? Because it was just, like… but I’ve allowed that to happen, right? And I’ve just had to pivot my schedule, but I know I can as an entrepreneur, but still, you can too. You just have to ask those questions. Do you know what I mean? Like, you gotta figure out what works for you. But if you keep in that go-go state, like you and I just mentioned, all these diagnoses, they’re all, like, almost to me, epigenetics from the outside world, and then the pressure that we’re putting on ourselves, and then when we put that pressure on ourselves, our cells are just completely disrupted. Our gut microbiome is off. If our gut is off. then our immune system can’t heal, so then if COVID or Lyme or something, we get reinfected, that our immune system knows, it almost doesn’t know it anymore, because it’s full of toxicity. Dr. Deb Muth 29:34Yeah, I agree. Dr. Holly Donahue 29:35People are constipated! Dr. Deb Muth 29:36Yes, yes, just about everybody we see is constipated these days, yeah.I really like your approach. I appreciate how you focus on not just supplements and protocols, but you address all of it, like sleep, nutrition, lifestyle. Why is that whole body approach so critical when you’re working with people that have either been burnt out or just have been ill for a while?What is it about that approach that makes it so, so much better than what we do traditionally? Dr. Holly Donahue 30:09Well, first of all, the first thing that comes to my mind is that, I don’t believe the body, you can use one system and one drug at a time. Pharmaceuticals are indicated when they’re indicated. I have somebody that came in with incredibly high elevated cholesterol and hemoglobin A1C, was put on Wegovy and was put on a statin, for example.Those were indicated then and there. Wegovy, I don’t know, but it’s okay, we can work through it, right?But if we just leave that individual there, whether I do herbs or drugs, I’m never getting to the root cause of what’s happening. I’m never getting to, what is your relationship with your wife? Do you enjoy work? Do you… what do you do? How many times do my patients, I say to them, don’t focus on weight.Like, what do you do for joy? So this, to me, is the whole person. The person is just not the pancreas, the blood sugar, the cardiovascular system, and the lungs. Those are very important in the whole arterial system, or we won’t. Dr. Deb Muth 31:18Right. Dr. Holly Donahue 31:18But, like, even the movement, if I don’t talk about movement, like, I don’t know about you, but after, like, a podcast, or after I go live, I have to get up and walk around. We’re not meant to be. It’s not good for our backs, right? Dr. Deb Muth 31:32Hmm? Dr. Holly Donahue 31:33And then if we don’t use the whole body approach, like massage, and I do colon hydrotherapies at the clinic, and muscle stim, and ultrasound, and visceral management, and craniosacral, like, but the biggest thing that heals is removing the toxicity, like with saunas, you know?And it’s like… If I just focused on… One system, for example.And, for example, thyroid. How many women have Hashimoto’s thyroid? Like, they’re gonna be on thyroid medicine for the rest of their life. Is that truth? No! I have gone on thyroid and come off thyroid when I was really sick, right? The receptors aren’t connecting to what’s going on, because my receptors, they’re all mooky, right? Dr. Deb Muth 32:19Like… Dr. Holly Donahue 32:20I’m using non-medical terms so they understand. It’s like, all of this toxicity, it can’t get to it, right? Because there’s so much toxicity in the body. So if I just focus on not doing the whole person… then I’m not getting to the root cause, and what’s gonna happen, and this is in my mind, because I’ve been through it, I’m just gonna only heal a little bit, like I did when I was a teenager. with… if I’m just giving supplements, and I’m not doing the whole body approach, right? And if I’m not looking at the bone health of women as they age, as estrogen and progesterone and menopause. Dr. Deb Muth 32:56cousin. Dr. Holly Donahue 32:56and I’m not focusing on that, then long-term, I mean, I’ve had my patients for 25 plus years, long-term.we’re gonna end up with bone challenges, osteopenia, osteoporosis, right? Placking of the arteries, so if I just do one system.I’m not doing you service. Dr. Deb Muth 33:17Yeah, I love that. I love that. And that’s so true, because we don’t think about, necessarily think about 10 years from now, 15 years from now. Everyone’s focused on.what’s going on right now, let’s fix right now. But that person still has to live in their body, no matter what we do right now. We’ve got to get them past that and get them to a place where they can function 10, 15, 20 years from now. And that makes a huge difference, and like you were saying, the toxicity, I mean, the toxins that we’re exposed to today are so much worse than they were 25 years ago when you and I started this. And it was bad then, but now it’s really bad, and trying to get these things out of people so they don’t develop autoimmune disease, they don’t develop cancer, they don’t get neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia and Parkinson’s. It becomes harder and harder, and the sooner you do that, the better success you have without getting those things later on, when you do get older and your immune system falls a little bit. Dr. Holly Donahue 34:11Yeah, and we are probably, even though most of our research is done on men, and thank God we’re, you know, getting more and more research on women, like the cardiovascular disease in women and heart attack myocardial infarctions. you guys is very different in women, so please ask and find out, because there’s a lot of women that we’re losing in the ER because they’re trying to do the diagnosing of a male, and that’s coming out now. I can’t remember the doctor that’s done several podcasts on it. I think she’s out of Stanford, and it’s like, she’s starting to speak up, right? This isn’t a gender thing, but it is a gender thing, right? And it’s not saying, poor me because I wasn’t research, I’m saying, like, we are different beings. When I treat a male.His wiring, when I treat him, is very different the way I treat a female.Right? A female’s ready to make changes, they’ve had to be flexible, you know, and a man is just wired very differently. Until they have an emergency, are they gonna jump on and really do something? And I’m not talking every man, if you have men that watch this. Dr. Deb Muth 35:18I’m tired. Dr. Holly Donahue 35:18We’re talking the average person. The other thing that I briefly want to speak into is, like, we have so much research on drugs. Why don’t we have more research on herbs, which actually start the beginning of drugs, often, with the synthetics, right? I would love to see that. Dr. Deb Muth 35:36Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 35:37I see so much crap being taken out of our food, and not that we’re talking about different people, because I don’t want to talk about them online, though it’s out there if you want to find it, creating and putting chicken in vats and feeding it to you. So, I don’t know about you, but I’m never eating chicken at a restaurant, unless I know the farm where my chicken came from. Right. Like, this is real, you guys, like, they are doing genetically modified food.The other question that I have is America’s such a growing, knowledgeable country, why do we have 1.3 trillion diagnoses and chronic disease? Dr. Deb Muth 36:11Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 36:11And climbing. Yeah. That’s what brings tears to my eyes every time. Dr. Deb Muth 36:15What am I saying? Dr. Holly Donahue 36:16Say it. Dr. Deb Muth 36:16I agree, I agree, and I’m right there with you on the research of women. I just wrote a book called Seen It Last, and when I did the research to see how do we research women and men and how different it is, it’s ridiculous. We just assume women are smaller versions of men. Half the time, women are not even involved in a study. They’re not allowed because of our reproductive abilities, and they don’t want anybody in there at that point.Which I totally understand. You want to try to, you know, prevent having something happen to somebody if they didn’t know they were pregnant, but that totally excludes us from the research to say, you know, does lisinopril work the same way for men as it does for women? If we don’t have women in the study, we have no idea. And we’ve been dismissed so many times over the years, and it’s like thalidomide, right? Like, hello? And it’s the same type of thing over and over again, year after year for women, and it is not right. It’s what we’re dealing with, but if we don’t all start speaking up, it’s gonna continue to be our legacy. Dr. Holly Donahue 37:17Yes, and it’s also, like, if we… even for both genders, if we give a drug, like. that person should understand the drug. Like, I just had somebody been given a drug, they gave Losartan, and then they also got ritorvastatin. They’re like, I’m on a statin, I don’t want to be on a statin, and I’m like, that’s what you were just given. Dr. Deb Muth 37:39Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 37:39And I’m the one who didn’t prescribe it, and I’m not feeling bad for myself, but I’m the one that’s the bearer of the bad news to be like, have you looked at the risks and benefits? You probably need it right now, but then do you also know how difficult it is to come off, like, lisinopril or Losartan? Dr. Deb Muth 37:59Right. Dr. Holly Donahue 38:00Like, once your body gets used to a lot of those calcium channel blockers, those beta blockers, it’s a lot of rebound blood pressure that you’re gonna be dealing with. So, I feel like the medical world should share that with them, and say, hey, do you want to do lifestyle first? And how about go see a naturopath, or we have a functional medicine practitioner on our team, are you willing to do the work? Unless they’re gonna… unless they’re We’re in an acute situation. And they’re gonna have a myocardial infarction, or congestive heart failure, you know, which, don’t get me started on that diagnosis, like. Radiologists are like, congestive heart failure is… the wrong diagnosis in so many cases. All that means, you guys, is that your heart isn’t pumping the way that it should be. Why can’t we have different levels? And cardiologists will say the same thing, it’s an awful term. Dr. Deb Muth 38:55It is. We have cardiologists… we text a lot of D-dimers post. Dr. Holly Donahue 39:00Oh, night. Dr. Deb Muth 39:01post the you-know-what, and we have some of them that come back, almost all of them come back high, but some come back really high, like 5 or 6, and we send them to cardiology for a workup, and the cardiologists are like, we don’t care, it’s not high enough for us to do anything with. And I’m like…It’s five! Are you kidding me? It’s supposed to be less than 1, and we’re not concerned about it? And they’re like, no, we’re not concerned about it. And I’m like, until the person has a stroke, or a heart attack, or has something happen, they’re not doing anything about this stuff.And as naturopaths, you and I look at this and go, wait a minute, there’s something happening in the body. We need to fix this before we have a big event that occurs. But nobody is looking at that. They don’t care anymore. Dr. Holly Donahue 39:44Hmm. Dr. Deb Muth 39:46Frustrating. Dr. Holly Donahue 39:46so exhaust, you know, I’m not making excuses for them, but, you know, my dad had an amazing primary care physician, and now he stepped out of, being in the medical system, you know? And he went off, and he’s doing, concierge primary care, direct primary care with another female doctor, and I think that was the best thing, because when my dad passed away, how many doctors call your family and wanted to show up for the funeral, and then said to my mom, your daughter, just meaning me, because I happen to. Dr. Deb Muth 40:25Have a mess. Dr. Holly Donahue 40:25medical license. Of course, my other sisters were amazing love and care and. Dr. Deb Muth 40:29Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 40:29But from a medical perspective, he’d be like, ask… you know, ask her, what can she give him for, like, decreased motility and for constipation? He passed at 91… at 92, you know what I mean? And his body was shutting down, but he had a desire to live. But he also said, like, if it wasn’t for all those supplements and the food that you fed him, and the love that you gave him, he wouldn’t have lived as long as he did, and he might have had a cardiac event. and not just died at home with his lung… I mean, his lungs were… he only had a third of his lung on his left side that was still functioning. That’s not the point. The point is, is when you ask me, why do I do whole body medicine? He had wished he had listened to me years ago about his diabetes, but he was too busy… he was too busy building. Dr. Deb Muth 41:19building a. Dr. Holly Donahue 41:20Business Entrepreneurs, like we just covered. Dr. Deb Muth 41:22Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 41:22He was too busy making income for his family, and he couldn’t stop, because he had a commitment to be successful in business, and boy, was he. But at what toll did that take him? We never saw him when we were children. We… he knew we loved her, you know what I mean? Right. But there’s a price that you pay exchanging your health for time and your job that you don’t spend time with loved ones, and that’s why I do lifestyle medicine. Dr. Deb Muth 41:52Yeah, and that makes… that is so true. I mean, I think that statement is so powerful, because it’s easy for all of us to get busy and get tied up in chasing the dollar and chasing what we want to be known for. And just go, go, go, go, go. But just putting it into that simple framework. That, yes, you can chase that, but you’re giving up these things on the other side, and this is what your life may look like when you are retired, makes a huge difference, because you’ve lost out on so much of that life then, as a result. Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 42:27Yeah, and then when he got to the point where he was doing really well, he’s like, let’s all go on vacation, let’s… and we’re like, honey, we have jobs. Dr. Deb Muth 42:34Yeah, can’t do it now. Dr. Holly Donahue 42:36You know? Like, we have to, like, make the time, and then let’s do it, you know what I mean? Dr. Deb Muth 42:40Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 42:41You can’t just, like, up and be like, okay, we’re outta here, like. Dr. Deb Muth 42:43Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 42:44Since we gotta go now, you know. Dr. Deb Muth 42:45Yeah, right? We think that someday when we have money, it’s like that, but it isn’t like that, unfortunately.Well, this has been such a great conversation. I have one last question for you. It’s the question that we ask everyone. If you had an opportunity to sit down with the changemakers in this country for healthcare, what would be the number one thing you would ask them to change? Dr. Holly Donahue 43:09The nutrition and how we grow it, and, you know, the toxicity, and the pesticides that are being sprayed, and all the farmers that are really being put out of business, because bigger, faster, you know, we werewe would feed more people by doing this. We have people that are starving every single day, and I… and I just think, like, if we were healthier on that movement, then we would have a healthier culture. And, you know. Everything would flow so much easier. Dr. Deb Muth 43:43Yeah, I agree. I think that’s where it has to start, really. Like, we can talk about all these other things that we could change, and yes, it makes great things and great sense, but the foundation has to be solid so people stop getting a lot of these diseases because they’re nutrient deficient and they’re full of toxins and everything else.That’s how we truly change the world of health and wellness, is nutrition out of the gate. Dr. Holly Donahue 44:07Yes, and, you know, with that being connected, I also wish that we could tell people, just because they have this label and diagnosis, that they can heal. as long as they get the foundation and the lifestyle pieces that you and I covered with the nutrition, which goes back to my answer, you don’t have to carry a label and a diagnosis the rest of your life. Dr. Deb Muth 44:35Yeah. Dr. Holly Donahue 44:36you have to ask yourself, how did I allow this in my body? How did it come in? And then work with practitioners to remove it. Dr. Deb Muth 44:44Yeah, that’s often.So… Dr. Hawley, how can people find you? And you have a big event coming up, so… Dr. Holly Donahue 44:51Cheers, man. Dr. Deb Muth 44:51information about that with our listeners. Dr. Holly Donahue 44:53Thank you so much. So, you can, you can actually find me on, Instagram at Dr. HollyDonoghuend and Facebook, so I’m in both of those, you know, both of those arenas all the time, my team, we’re out posting. And I also, thank you for asking, I also am doing a, summit, where I bring on speakers, which we love to have you sometime, where I bring on speakers, and it’s my give back. And we are hosting a 5-day summit, one day live on the 20th through the 24th, and it’s all about hormones. And we’re saying, like, we’re bringing on these medical detectives as practitioners that are speaking into how your vitality, you know, your hormones are disrupted. from all the pieces that you’re doing, whether it’s blood sugar, whether it’s your actual hormones, your hunger hormones, and how to actually solve that problem and have the energy and the desire to actually heal yourself. So we’re going to walk everybody on a journey on different arenas that will talk about, really the truth that doctors aren’t talking about, because they don’t share this information. They’re always constantly putting outAnd then with that, when we’re going to step into a metabolism reset challenge right after the summit, it’s a 5-day challenge that will go even deeper. And my goal is there’s a lot of people on GLP-1s, Ozempic, Wegovy, Moderna, and all of that, and they really don’t know, A, why they’re on it, they think they’re on it for weight loss, which could be true, but it does have really good benefits that weWe do see.But do you really have to be it on the rest of your life, right? Or if you’re not on it, and you really want to learn how to balance your metabolism, I’m gonna walk you through 5 days of teaching you all the pieces of the puzzle that I taught about today in a much deeper way, so that at the end of the actual challenge, you’ll have tools that you can actually make changes for yourself. Dr. Deb Muth 46:57Oh, that’s awesome. I love that idea. That is a great thing, because people need to learn that. And we do a lot of GLP-1 support, too, but the big, big question that everybody has is, do I have to be on this forever? And the answer is no, as long as you’re using it as a toolto make the changes that you need to change your metabolism, then you don’t need this forever. But if you’re not making the lifestyle changes, then yes, then you’re going to have to be on it forever, because you haven’t done the work to change it in the first place. So, that sounds awesome. Thank you. Dr. Holly Donahue 47:27Yeah, you’re welcome. Dr. Deb Muth 47:29Anything else you want to share with our listeners? Dr. Holly Donahue 47:31No, I just, you know, I don’t say no, but what I would love everybody to hear is, like.Natural medicine, and what Dr. Deb and I do, it’s not a magic bullet, but it… all the efforts that you put in to change your life and adjust your nutrition and change your habits, like I talked about in the very beginning, it becomes a ripple effect, and the more people that you bring on board to follow you on natural wellness and healing.you’re gonna hear comments like, what are you doing? You know what I mean? Your life is better, your sex life is better, your energy is better, your relationships are better, work is easier, there’s more joy in your life. And who doesn’t want to have all that? And it just is putting those pieces together, but you can have that as well. Like, anti-aging is all over the place, and biohackingBut what if we just go back to the basics so you learn how to become your own doctor and, like, what you need and can advocate for yourself? That’s my goal long-term. Dr. Deb Muth 48:36I love that, and that is so true. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for joining me. Dr. Holly Donahue 48:41Thank you so much for having me, I really appreciate it. Dr. Deb Muth 48:47Thank you for joining me today on Let’s Talk Wellness Now. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who could benefit from learning the truth about root cause healing and whole body wellness. A huge thank you to Dr. Holly Donahue for sharing her wisdom with us today, and her clinical expertise. If you want to learn more.About her, or explore how naturopathic medicine can help you heal from burnout, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, or chronic illness. Visit simplehealthnh.com.Or you can reach out to Dr. Donahue directly at DrDonahue at SimpleHealthNH.com. We will have those links for you below in the show notes as well. And remember, wellness isn’t just about feeling good. It’s about thriving in every area of your life.If you’re ready to explore how root cause medicine can help you break free from the symptom chasing, cycle, and build real sustainable health.Visit Serenityhealthcarecenter.com. And remember, no supplement, no hormone, no protocol can overcome ongoing toxin exposure, chronic stress, poor nutrition, gut dysfunction, and inadequate sleep.True healing requires your active participation. You have to be willing to address the root causes and change the lifestyle factors that disrupted your health in the first place.Root cause healing amplifies your body’s natural healing capacity, but you have to create the internal environment where healing can actually happen.Until next time, I’m Dr. Deb, reminding you to take care of your body, mind, and spirit. Be well, and I’ll see you on the next episode.The post Episode 261 – Root-Cause Healing and Whole-Body Wellness first appeared on Let's Talk Wellness Now.

Introduction: How to Get Self-Controlled: (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) You Must Give Maximum EFFORT. (1 Cor 9:24) 2 Peter 1:5-6 - For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control... You Must Be Motivated By the PRIZE. (1 Cor 9:25) You Must Have a PLAN. (1 Cor 9:26) The Plan for Self-Control: AVOID Situations Where You'll Be Tempted. ACCOUNTABILITY. Put OFF / Put ON. You Must Have a Healthy Fear of Being DISQUALIFIED. (1 Cor 9:27) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Audio Transcript 00:36-00:41Open up those Bibles to the book of 1 Corinthians, in chapter 9.00:43-00:55After a little break from 1 Corinthians to go through our Easter series about the offices of Jesus, Prophet, Priest, and King, we are back in 1 Corinthians.00:56-01:05Let's get caught up, let's review, for those of us who have been part of it, and for those of you who are visiting with us, of 1 Corinthians so far.01:05-01:11The first four chapters are about the church being united.01:13-01:15Paul's like, "You guys have to get it together.01:15-01:19You've got to stop the faction, stop your little clique, stop the divisiveness.01:20-01:32You guys have got to get it together." And then, chapters 5 and 6, he talks about the church purified, dealing with sexual sin in the church.01:33-01:34you guys got to get it together.01:35-01:42All right, and then when you get to chapter seven and beyond, 1 Corinthians sort of turns into a Q&A session.01:43-01:46Paul's like, okay, you had some questions for me and I'm gonna answer them.01:46-01:55And the first issue was about marriage and the issues that go with that singleness, intimacy, all of those things.01:55-02:06And then this last stretch we've been on before our little break was the issue of Should Christians eat the meat that was sacrificed to idols?02:08-02:23And that turned into a whole discussion where Paul says the mature believer is willing to lay down his rights or her rights for the sake of winning the lost.02:24-02:30And that takes us to chapter nine, verse 24, picking up where we left off last time.02:30-02:35So, I'd like you to just bow your heads and just take a moment and please pray for me.02:36-02:44To be faithful to clearly communicate the word of God, I'll pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is.02:46-02:49The Lord has something for each of us in this passage today, all right?02:50-02:50Let's pray.02:52-02:58Father in heaven, as we turn to your word today, it's such an ironic concept because we think we're in control.03:00-03:07But when we insist on doing things our way, we actually aren't in control at all.03:10-03:11You've commanded us, Father.03:11-03:15You've empowered us to be self-controlled people.03:17-03:40And I pray for every single one of us in this room, everyone who's watching the stream, everyone who's going to be downloading the podcast later, everyone who encounters this teaching from your word, Father, every single one of us, please, by the wisdom of your word, by the power of your Spirit, make us different than the world.03:43-03:50Make us kingdom people who are self-controlled. To your glory and honor, We pray in Jesus' name.03:52-03:56And all of God's people said, "Amen." Amen.03:59-04:03When you drive home today, just be careful.04:04-04:13I'm not sure legally if I'm allowed to say anything, but I have a pastor friend who, driving home from Easter, was crashed into by a door dash driver.04:15-04:17And I was so confused when he told me.04:17-04:25I'm like, "I thought they just brought the food to your house." Like, "Ah." But there's a lot of maniacs on the road.04:25-04:45You're like, "Yeah, I'm one of them." But several years ago, Aaron bought me a tire cover for the back of my Jeep that says, "To God be the glory." And at first I thought, that's just a nice little witnessing tool or something, right?04:45-04:49but I found that it's had a much different effect than I was expecting.04:50-05:18That thing has given me a lot of self-control. Aaron's always reminding me in traffic, "Remember what the back of your Jeep says, remember what the back of your Jeep says, do not give that driver a thumbs down, remember what the back of your Jeep says." And the reality is we all need help with self-control, don't we? We You and I, we have an enemy.05:20-05:22And if you're not careful, this enemy is going to destroy you.05:24-05:34And your enemy is not some spiteful coworker, not some other student in your school, not some slanderous church member.05:34-05:39And I'm not even talking about the devil himself.05:42-05:45Your biggest enemy is you.05:48-06:01And if we're going to be honest with ourselves, which we certainly encourage, many of your problems ultimately find their root in a lack of self-control.06:03-06:06I mean, just think about the problems a person can have.06:06-06:08Think about the problems that you have.06:08-06:13How much of it comes from just a complete lack of self-control, right?06:13-06:15People dealing with issues of lust.06:16-06:17It's a lack of self-control.06:18-06:21People dealing with anger issues, fits of rage.06:22-06:22What do they say?06:22-06:25"I just lost control." Right.06:26-06:28People dealing with addiction issues.06:29-06:33Zero self-control, whether it's a chemical or a drink or food.06:35-06:36Lack of self-control.06:36-06:37For some people, it's spending.06:39-06:40They just spend out of control.06:41-06:44There's no budget, there's no discipline, there's no self-control.06:47-06:49For some of you, it's your words.06:50-07:01Like, man, I just, I say things and I joke about things, I'm determined I'm not gonna do that, and then I just kinda go with it and I don't have any self-control.07:03-07:06But church, God's word is absolutely clear on this.07:07-07:13Your walk with Christ is to be on a path of self-control.07:15-07:19Self-control is going to affect every single area of your life.07:21-07:25Do you want to feel like you're walking in victory with Christ?07:28-07:30It's a path of self-control.07:32-07:34Lack of self-control can affect your physical health.07:36-07:39Lack of self-control can affect your mental health.07:40-07:46How many people dealing with depression, at the very base of it is, they lack self-control.07:50-07:54Lack of self-control can affect your witness for Christ.07:55-08:01So in this passage we're looking at today, Paul is going to show us how to grow in spiritual self-control.08:02-08:06And Paul says you need to learn principles from an athlete.08:07-08:17And they tell you, you know, when you're in preaching class, you don't always want to go to a sports illustration in your sermon.08:17-08:21And Paul didn't get the memo about no sports illustrations because that's where he went.08:22-08:28So this illustration we're going to look at is a familiar analogy to the Corinthians.08:29-08:32They were a sports-dominated culture.08:34-08:34Sound familiar?08:36-08:38They had the It's Me In Games.08:39-08:43It was every two or three years, depending on who you read.08:44-08:45But they were like the Olympics.08:47-08:49And I found this fascinating.08:49-09:01The athletes in these games had to take an oath that they were going to train for ten months, including abstaining from eating anything unhealthy.09:02-09:02Okay?09:03-09:35Funyuns for 10 months. These people were dedicated. But it was even harder than that because the last 30 days before the event, they were required to be in the gym every single day. And the winner of the event got a pine wreath. Alright, with that as a background, let's look at what Paul says, we're going to read all of it and then go back, pick up some principles.09:36-09:37That is a background.09:37-09:39They knew what he was talking about here.09:39-09:52He says in verse 24, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?09:53-09:55So run that you may obtain it.09:57-10:02Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.10:04-10:11They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we, an imperishable.10:13-10:15So I do not run aimlessly.10:15-10:26I do not box as one beating the air, but I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified.10:28-10:30It's obvious Paul's point here, right?10:30-10:33He says our life is like a race.10:34-10:41And we need to run our race in such a way that we are useful to God.10:43-10:48And to do that, Paul makes it very clear, we must be self-controlled.10:48-10:53We have to be willing to give up anything that's going to hinder our race.10:55-11:03So using this race metaphor, God gives us principles for self-control.11:03-11:07So if you're taking notes on your outline, I certainly encourage you to do that.11:08-11:11Just very simply, here's the point.11:11-11:12This is how to get self-controlled.11:13-11:18Number one, you must give maximum effort.11:21-11:25You must give maximum effort.11:25-11:26Look at verse 24 again.11:27-11:39He says, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?" Here it is.11:40-12:09run, that you may obtain it." Now their race only had one winner. But this prize he's talking about in this passage is open to everyone because it's your own race. Listen, in this race you're not competing with anyone but yourselves. You're like, "What's this prize he's talking about? Only one receives a prize. I knew what it was for the athletes, but how How does this analogy translate spiritually?12:10-12:12What prize is he talking about here?12:16-12:19You know, when you read the Bible, you have to read it in context.12:20-12:30You know, too many people just pull a passage out and kind of run with it, but he's keeping the same train of thought going throughout this whole section.12:32-12:33What is the prize?12:34-12:39Well, in the previous section, he talked about being all things to all people.12:41-12:43Why? Why, Paul?12:44-12:47If you recall, he said he wants to win people.12:48-12:49Win people.12:50-12:51He said it five times.12:52-12:54Verse 19, verse 20, verse 21, verse 22.12:54-12:58Paul's like the Jews, those under the law, those outside the law, the weak.12:58-13:00I want to win lost people.13:00-13:03That's the prize in view here.13:03-13:13You see, the prize he's not talking specifically here about salvation, or heaven, or some believers' heavenly rewards specifically.13:13-13:15All of those are prizes for sure.13:15-13:18But specifically in this context, he's talking about people.13:20-13:23Specifically here, he's talking about winning lost people with the gospel.13:24-13:34You see, this flows from the thought of the previous passage where he says, "Holding on to your rights can make you lose your opportunity to share the gospel and win people.13:38-13:41So what's his point here with this analogy, with this illustration?13:42-13:43This is the whole point.13:46-13:52If you're concerned about winning the lost, listen, church, you have lost your audience.13:54-13:55You have ruined your opportunity to share.13:56-14:04You have shot yourself in the foot when you're trying to win someone to Christ, but they don't see Christ in you.14:10-14:15You see, if somebody looks at your life, somebody that you're trying to win to Christ, they look at your life and they see sin.14:16-14:18They see hypocrisy.14:18-14:22And you're telling them that they need Jesus like you need Jesus.14:22-14:26They're thinking, well, Jesus didn't seem do you any good.14:27-14:32You know, all your church, and all your Bible studies, and all your Sunday school didn't seem to help you at all.14:33-14:35So why would I be interested in that?14:39-14:46That's why Paul says, "Run that you may obtain the prize." Run that you may obtain the prize.14:46-14:48You're like, well, that's obvious, right?14:49-14:51I mean, you run like you're trying to win.14:55-14:58He's talking about putting forth the effort.15:01-15:03Isn't this kind of a no-brainer?15:03-15:08I mean, what athlete would show up and not try to win?15:08-15:13Who shows up to the event and puts no effort into it?15:19-15:19a lot of people.15:23-15:24Here's what I mean.15:25-15:51For example, Christian men say, "I'm struggling with looking at things on the computer that I shouldn't look at." And I've dealt with a lot of this over the years where men come to me and they're like, "I'm struggling with that!" And I'm like, "Okay, well, tell me about your struggle." Well, I do it every day.15:52-15:53Like, that's not a struggle.15:54-15:55You know what struggle implies?15:57-16:01Struggle implies that there is some effort going on to deal with it.16:01-16:07But to just sort of roll over and give yourself to some besetting sin, and be like, well, it's a struggle.16:07-16:08You're not struggling.16:13-16:23Just doing it in no way suggests there's any effort for self-control with any besetting sin.16:24-16:24Not just that one.16:26-16:27And that's what Paul's saying here.16:27-16:28This is where it has to start.16:28-16:30Look, church, you've got to make the effort.16:33-16:37You can't just go to bed and hope the self-control fairy shows up.16:38-16:39You have to make the effort.16:42-16:46You have to get to the place where you're like, look, I am in a race, okay?16:47-16:52And maybe I haven't been putting the effort in, but that changes today.16:52-16:53I'm gonna win.16:53-16:58Look, you're gonna get to the place in your life where you say, I'm not okay with living in defeat.16:58-17:00I'm not okay with that anymore.17:01-17:02This ends right now.17:03-17:04You gotta put forth the effort.17:07-17:08How are you doing there?17:11-17:14As you know, I coach my son's deck hockey.17:14-17:17We, I've done it for years.17:18-17:25And several years ago, at the time, actually, the GOAT was coaching with me, we had a couple players on our team.17:25-17:26Don't say their name.17:26-17:36We had a couple, they're gonna be watching this, we're like, "Hey!" We had a couple players on the team a few years ago, extremely high-skilled players.17:40-17:52And during the game, we noticed - Sean and I did - we noticed that these two players in particular, any time we had a line change, they'd go out on the deck.17:54-17:57It was somewhere between a walk and a trot.18:00-18:37And I'm like, "Sean, what's going on there?" And he's like, "What are they doing?" we called them over like next line change and we're like what's going on out there why are you guys are like barely moving out there everybody else like running and they're just like and they said well we got a we got a big important game with another league this weekend we don't want to risk getting hurt so Sean and I were like hey that's great we'll help you with that you can and just sit the rest of the game.18:38-18:41Because we're not putting players out there that aren't putting forth any effort.18:42-18:43We're not going to do that.18:43-18:46You're embarrassing yourselves and you're embarrassing the team.18:49-18:54But you know, those two young men had everything they needed to win.18:55-18:57They had their equipment on.18:57-19:00They had a great knowledge of the game.19:01-19:03They had a lot of experience.19:04-19:29what they didn't have that day? Effort. So you see, it doesn't matter what else they had. When there was no effort, it was game over before it started. It's like, why did you guys even show up? Why did you put your gear on and go on the deck if you don't want You don't have to make any effort.19:32-19:36And I think that describes a lot of Christians in their walk with Christ.19:40-19:50I mean, you come to church, you go to small group, you go to the men's conference, you go to the women's conference, and you show up.19:50-19:57You have everything you need to succeed, but there's just zero effort in the area of self-control.20:00-20:00It's a problem.20:02-20:03It's a problem.20:06-20:10Look what 2 Peter 1:5-6.20:10-20:11Same thing.20:11-20:22Look, "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with..." Oh, oh, there it is again.20:24-20:25Self-control.20:27-20:28Yes, listen, I know.20:29-20:35Before you send me a text or an email, I know that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit.20:36-20:43I know that the only way that happens is if the Lord empowers you to do that.20:43-20:44I know that. Yes.20:44-20:47That is 100% true, and that is also another sermon entirely.20:48-20:51This is telling us right here.20:52-20:56This passage is telling us here, you and I are commanded to make every effort.20:57-20:58Are you doing that?21:01-21:02You must give maximum effort.21:04-21:07If you're not willing to do that, none of the rest of this sermon is going to apply.21:08-21:12But if you are willing to do that, if you're willing to say, "I'm done.21:12-21:16I'm done living in defeat." If that's you, great, let's keep going.21:16-21:19Number two, you must be motivated by the prize.21:21-21:23You must be motivated by the prize.21:24-21:25Look at verse 25 again.21:28-21:29Bless you.21:31-21:36"Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.21:39-21:53They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable." First of all, note, "every athlete." This isn't a passage for preachers and missionaries alone.21:54-21:55This is for you too.21:57-22:00And then notice he says self-control in all things.22:01-22:02All things.22:02-22:03Every area.22:04-22:14You have an area of your life right now where you're like, you know what, I think overall I'm doing good in my walk with Christ, but I do have this area where I'm not self-controlled.22:14-22:14Do you have that?22:19-22:20You need to stay motivated.22:21-22:22You've got to keep your eyes on the prize.22:28-22:29I like Paul's point here.22:30-22:32The comparison of the prizes.22:33-22:37Paul says here that these Greek athletes, all that training, right?22:37-22:40Ten months, 30 days, all that training.22:40-22:41And what do they win?22:43-22:44What do they win?22:44-22:49A Christmas decoration put on their head.22:52-22:53Hip, hip.22:54-22:55No.22:56-22:58No, not even close.23:00-23:01That's Paul's point, right?23:01-23:05He says, "They do all that for a lame prize." Talk about lame prizes.23:05-23:09In these past Olympics, didn't those medals like fall apart or something?23:09-23:15Wasn't there a whole thing like, "Hey, I've traded my whole life for this medal." Oh, and a stuffed animal, yay.23:16-23:16(audience laughing)23:19-23:30He goes, "It's a lame prize." It's like, you know, that's like several years ago, a bunch of guys from church, we went to, do you ever see those indoor places where you can throw the ax at the wood,23:30-23:31(imitates ax thudding)23:31-23:32when you're into the bulls eye,23:32-23:32(imitates ax thudding)23:33-23:34do you ever see these?23:34-23:40What's it called, the lumber jacks or something, or you know what I'm talking about?23:40-23:41The old ax throwing thing?23:42-23:48Well, a bunch of us went there, And there might've been some ladies there too, I don't remember, but here's what I do remember.23:50-23:51I won.23:53-23:53I won.23:56-23:58Yeah, thank you, the one person that's proud of me.23:58-24:02No, Tristan, just Tristan, just Tristan.24:03-24:05The rest of you, too late, thank you, Tristan.24:07-24:07I won.24:08-24:09Do you know what I won?24:11-24:11A sticker.24:11-24:12(Laughter)24:14-24:15I'm not even joking.24:16-24:19It's on my wastebasket in my office, the sticker.24:20-24:22That's what I want. And that's Paul's point here.24:22-24:36He goes, "They did all that training, all that competing, and all they got was a stupid wreath for their head." Paul's point here is, shouldn't we be more motivated?24:37-24:39Because our prize is winning people to Jesus.24:39-24:50We're talking about eternity, and we're talking about lost people who are going to suffer apart from the presence of God forever, and we have the opportunity to change that.24:54-25:00And look, if you've ever won someone to Christ, you know the humble joy that that brings.25:03-25:05And if you haven't, go do it.25:09-25:10And if you have, go do it again.25:12-25:14It's about winning people to Christ.25:14-25:15That's the prize.25:15-25:16That's the prize.25:17-25:28I know there are some people that are hearing this, and they're like, "Oh, that's the prize." Yet people aren't excited about the gospel because they aren't doing what makes the gospel exciting.25:29-25:31That's the problem in the church.25:31-25:33They're not living it, and they're not sharing it.25:34-25:35That's what makes the gospel exciting.25:38-25:39That's the prize.25:41-25:56I promise you, someday, someday, Christian, when you stand before the Lord, you're going to realize it was worth it.25:58-26:12You're going to stand before the Lord, you're going to say, "Jesus, You were worth it." You're going to say, "Jesus, every time I used the self-control you gave Me by the power of Your Spirit for the sake of imitating You, it was all worth it.26:12-26:22Every person that you reached, Jesus, through Me, that is now beholding Your glory and worshiping You for all of eternity, it's worth it.26:24-26:27There's a glorious victory celebration that's coming soon.26:29-26:31And Paul reminds us, keep your eyes on the prize.26:31-26:33Not some stupid wreath.26:34-26:35Perfecting eternity.26:38-26:40So keep control of yourself.26:42-26:44How to get self-control.26:44-26:45Maximum efforts.26:46-26:47Motivated by the prize.26:48-26:52Number three, you must have a plan.26:53-26:54You must have a plan.26:56-26:57Luke 26.26:59-27:04Paul says, "So, I do not run aimlessly.27:06-27:10I do not box as one beating the air.27:12-27:13I do not run aimlessly.27:15-27:18Track and field people, you know this, right?27:19-27:26When you show up for a meet, when you show up for a race, there has to be a track and a finish line, right?27:26-27:34You don't show up to the event, you're like, "I'm ready to run." They're just like, "Run wherever you want." Well, how do I know if I win?27:34-27:35That's his point.27:35-27:36I don't run aimlessly.27:37-27:39You got to stay on track.27:40-27:46You don't show up at the track meet and you just start running through the bleachers, running by the concession stand.27:47-27:48Well, this is my race.27:48-27:49No, no, no.27:50-27:51No track.27:54-27:55No finish line.27:57-27:58Likely, no effort.28:00-28:01Definitely no victory.28:04-28:05You have to have a plan to win.28:10-28:10Please hear me.28:12-28:14This is why many of you struggle with self-control.28:16-28:19Many of you struggle with self-control because you do not have a plan.28:21-28:21Here's what I mean.28:21-28:26You'll walk out of church today, and this is your big takeaway.28:26-28:27You'll say, "You know what?28:29-28:30He's right.28:31-28:33From now on I'm going to have self-control.28:36-28:41And you're going to leave it that vague, you're going to leave it that non-specific, and you're going to fail again.28:44-28:45Because you don't have a plan.28:49-28:50You're not being intentional.28:51-28:53You're running in a concession stand.28:54-28:55You have to have a plan.28:55-29:00So very quickly here, you're like, "Well, I don't know what the plan is." tells you what the plan is.29:00-29:02I'm going to give you the plan for self-control.29:03-29:04Start here, okay?29:06-29:07Three things, again, quickly.29:07-29:13We could spend a whole lot of time on these, but if you want to dig deeper, come and meet with one of our pastors.29:14-29:15We will be glad to walk through this with you.29:15-29:17But letter A, the plan for self-control.29:17-29:19Avoid situations where you'll be tempted.29:19-29:21We just talked about this recently in a message.29:23-29:28You know, I'd like to remind you, as I do often, I've never ever ever lost a fight to Mike Tyson.29:29-29:29Not once ever.29:30-29:32I have a perfect record against Mike Tyson.29:33-29:35Zero losses, thank you, thank you Tristan.29:35-29:37Tristan is the only person in this church that's proud of me.29:40-29:42I've never lost a fight to Mike Tyson, why?29:42-29:43Because I've never showed up.29:45-29:53Right, you have to avoid situations where you'll be tempted because I guarantee you if I would have showed up to fight Mike Tyson, my teeth would have been in the fourth row, okay?29:54-29:57you won't lose the fight if you don't show up.29:58-30:00So avoid situations where you'll be tempted.30:00-30:01Put up fences for yourself.30:02-30:06You're like, "Well, that sounds like legalism." Listen, it's okay to be a personal legalist.30:07-30:07It's okay.30:08-30:13Legalism is a problem when I start enforcing my convictions on you.30:13-30:14That's when it's a problem.30:14-30:19But when I have convictions and fences that I enforce on myself, that is healthy.30:20-30:21That is self-control.30:23-30:24You can be a personal legalist.30:25-30:25It's okay.30:27-30:29But avoid situations where you'll be tempted.30:30-30:31Letter B, how about accountability?30:32-30:33Accountability.30:33-30:35You should be in a small group.30:36-30:39You should have a trusted brother or sister in Christ.30:40-30:41Somebody that you can be open with.30:41-30:43Somebody that you can share your heart.30:44-30:45Where you're really struggling.30:45-30:46Where you really need prayer.30:46-30:48Where you really need them to check up on you.30:48-30:53You should have a two-way street with someone that way.30:53-31:04Someone that's not going to judge you or look down on you or be harsh with you, but somebody who's going to love you through it and encourage you.31:05-31:06And you do that for them.31:06-31:07Accountability.31:11-31:13The third plan for self-control.31:14-31:14Put off, put on.31:16-31:17Put off, put on.31:18-31:19This is all through the Bible, by the way.31:21-31:24This is a key piece in your personal discipleship.31:24-31:26This is a key piece in your walk with Christ.31:29-31:30Here's the short version.31:30-31:32The Bible doesn't tell you to just stop sinning.31:33-31:37The Bible tells us that you need to replace sinning with something good.31:38-31:40That's over and over and over in Scripture.31:43-31:45It's like, "Okay, stop sinning." No, no, no. Don't stop sinning.31:46-31:47Replace sinning.31:48-31:51Take the sin off and then replace it with something else.31:56-32:07If you've ever come to one of us for counseling, especially if you're dealing with a besetting sin, this is what we do, because this is what the Bible commands.32:08-32:11That besetting sin, okay, here's what we're going to do.32:11-32:18We're going to look at it the way God looks at it, and we're going to replace that sin with something else, with something that honors and glorifies God.32:20-32:22It's like the old story.32:24-32:25I've shared this with you before.32:26-32:27I didn't make this up.32:27-32:30This is ancient, but I love it because it's effective and I like dogs.32:30-32:32But this guy had two dogs.32:33-32:36He had a white dog and a gray dog.32:38-33:35And every time he let him off the leash to eat, that old gray dog, he just beat that white dog up and the gray dog got all the food. So over time the gray dog was getting stronger and stronger and the white dog not getting to eat was getting weaker and weaker and the guy's like this isn't working. So here's what he did he he leashed both dogs and for a season he gave the white dog all the best most Awesome dog food kibbles and bits and bits and bits and and the gray dog He barely gave enough food to keep it alive. It's just an illustration. It's made up. Do not call PETA But the guy says no for a season I'm only feeding the white dog So, you know what happened the white dog got bigger and stronger in the gray dog at that And that season got weaker and weaker. So when he let him off the leash guess which dog was stronger, right?33:35-33:39The point of the story is this, the dog that you feed is going to be the stronger dog.33:42-34:00And if you find in your life that you're constantly feeding your sin, whatever your sin, your besetting sin is, your sin tendency, if you're constantly feeding that, it's a lot harder if you don't want to do the right thing when you're constantly feeding doing the sinful thing.34:00-34:03Self-control is feeding the white dog.34:03-34:05I'm only going after the things that honor the Lord.34:06-34:07That's what I'm going after.34:07-34:08I'm not feeding my sin.34:08-34:11I'm feeding righteousness, so to speak.34:14-34:15That's the plan.34:16-34:20I want to remind you that self-control has to happen before you encounter temptation.34:21-34:27Self-control isn't, well, I hope if I encounter a temptation today, I hope I stand strong.34:28-34:29It's usually too late by then.34:30-34:31The work has to be done beforehand.34:32-34:34Decisions have to be made beforehand.34:36-34:48That's why Paul here says in the second part of the verse, "I do not box as one beating the air." Same principle, right?34:48-34:49Paul says I have a plan.34:49-34:50I stick to the plan.34:50-34:52I stay focused on the plan.34:52-34:53Like wait, wait, wait, wait.34:54-34:55Boxing? I thought we were talking about racing.34:58-34:59I thought we were talking about running.35:00-35:56boxing thing. You know that'd be a great new sport. Wouldn't that make the Olympics so much more interesting if the people that were running were also allowed to punch each other? Wouldn't that be awesome? You know, because you, right, as one person pointed out, you would have one guy that's like really fast and like he's not getting punched and he's probably gonna win but I think that everybody faster. And I think it would really make those middle-of-the-pack people... I think we need to get on this. So what's he talking about here? Well, Paul says, "Yeah, I'm still talking about racing, but while I'm running my race, I have an opponent who wants to knock me off track. I have this opponent that I I have to knock him out.35:58-36:00Like, who is that opponent, Paul?36:00-36:01And he's like, it's me.36:02-36:04I'm the biggest problem in my race.36:06-36:07My flesh is my biggest enemy.36:10-36:17Which is why number four leads us to this, you must have a healthy fear of being disqualified.36:19-36:21You must have a healthy fear of being disqualified.36:23-36:24Look at verse 27.36:25-36:39He says, "But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified." I was like, hey, hey, I control my body, not vice versa.36:39-36:42My body doesn't control me.36:42-36:46I tell my body what we're doing.36:48-36:51Paul, why are you so adamant about that?36:51-36:56Why are you coming in hot about self-control here?36:56-37:02What's your issue, Paul?" He tells us right here, he says, "Because I don't want to be disqualified." That's why.37:06-37:21You know, it's interesting, in these It's Me and Games, their Olympic Games, the whole The whole thing began with a herald.37:22-37:26They would have a guy who got up, he announced the contest.37:27-37:28He announced the games.37:29-37:30He announced the rules.37:30-37:32He announced the contestants.37:34-37:38And anyone who broke the rules was disqualified.37:38-37:39You're out.37:40-37:41We don't tolerate that.37:42-37:44And here's the point, church.37:46-37:57Paul here is telling us that the Christian is the herald and an athlete in the race at the same time.38:03-38:07Do you see why that's such an important point to make?38:10-38:21Paul is saying here, how embarrassing would it be You stood up and told everybody the rules, and then you got disqualified because you broke the rules.38:22-38:24How embarrassing would that be?38:25-38:27Oh, it's worse than embarrassing.38:31-38:36Because a ruined testimony discredits the gospel in the eyes of the unsaved.38:40-38:41It's Paul's point here.38:42-38:45He goes, "Look, you're no longer effective.38:48-38:50You're worthless when it comes to witnessing.38:50-38:52You've discredited yourself.38:54-38:54It's happened to too many.38:55-38:57It's happened to too many Christians.38:57-38:59It's happened to too many preachers.39:00-39:03You stand up and announce, and then you break the rules yourself.39:03-39:06Like, dude, shouldn't you have known more than anyone?39:11-39:13So you need another motivation for self-control?39:14-39:16You should have a healthy fear of failure.39:17-39:23And please, let's be clear, he is not, when he's talking about disqualification, he's not talking about your salvation.39:24-39:25Understand that.39:25-39:27You cannot lose your salvation.39:27-39:48If you are truly born again, I mean, if you are truly born again, you believe in Christ, you receive Christ, you believe in His death on the cross to take away your sins, If you believe He rose from the dead, He gave you the promise of eternal life, if you truly believe that, you are an adopted child of God.39:49-39:52You are sealed in the Holy Spirit and nothing can change that.39:52-39:55There is not a force in the universe that can change that.39:55-40:00And I see no language in the Bible that talks about being unadopted.40:02-40:05That talks about the seal of the Spirit being removed from you.40:05-40:07I don't see any language in the Bible about that.40:08-40:11He is not talking about losing your salvation.40:12-40:13You can't.40:13-40:17But, you can lose your ministry.40:21-40:29And if you're a believer, you know, that's one of the greatest losses that you can experience in this life.40:31-40:42Any ministry, however you serve God, Whatever you're doing for the king, you lose that.40:46-40:50You're like, "You know, I was partnering with the living God.40:50-40:54I was doing things that matter for eternity and it's over.40:55-41:01And I have no one to blame but myself because I just couldn't control myself.41:02-41:07And I got myself disqualified." on the outside looking in.41:09-41:13Watching other people do what used to give you so much purpose and joy.41:14-41:14You're disqualified.41:17-41:19You ruined your testimony.41:19-41:21You shattered people's trust in you.41:22-41:24You're no longer useful for ministry.41:26-41:27You're disqualified.41:29-41:31You should have a healthy fear of that.41:33-41:41You should always have it in the back of your mind what's at stake if you fail to be self-controlled.41:43-41:47If our worship team would come back up, I'd like you to just bow your heads, please.41:47-41:49I just want us to take a couple of moments.41:50-41:57I want us to take a couple of moments for prayer, self-evaluation.41:58-42:00You know, sometimes we get together and go to little groups and pray.42:03-42:05That's wonderful, but we're not doing that today.42:06-42:08Today, this is between you and the Lord.42:10-42:12Just you and the Lord.42:15-42:16Right now.42:19-42:26Is there any area of your life right now where you are not exercising self-control?42:28-42:30We talked about this not too long ago.42:30-42:30Confession.42:31-42:32Agreeing with God.42:33-42:35Do you need to do that today?42:35-42:36Agree with God.42:36-42:36Yeah, God, you know what?42:36-42:45This is an area, Father, where I have completely neglected to exercise any kind of self-control.42:46-42:55I just want to ask you today - your head's bowed - how much effort are you putting into this?42:57-43:00Can you honestly say you've been struggling with sin?43:01-43:06Or have you just been sort of letting sin walk all over you?43:08-43:10Are you putting forth any effort?43:12-43:14Do you realize the prize?43:17-43:19Oh, there are so many prizes.43:21-44:07Eternal life in the presence of our Lord, the rewards that come through faithful service, all of that, but specifically again, here he's talking about winning the lost in this whole section. He's talking about winning the lost. That's the prize. Changing eternity for people, winning people to Christ, should motivate us to repent of our hypocrisy. So Again, my friends, you don't want to walk out of here with some generic, "I'm going to try to be self-controlled." It's just not going to work.44:08-44:09You've got to have a plan.44:11-44:18Are you willing to put up fences for yourself to stay out of places where you know you're going to lose that fight if you walk in there?44:20-44:22Are you willing to get accountability?44:22-44:33Are you willing to replace that sin, that time, that energy, that effort you're putting into sin, will you put that into something that honors the Lord instead?44:33-44:37You're going to start feeding the white dog and stop feeding the gray dog.44:38-44:39What's your plan?44:41-44:42Remember what's at stake.44:44-44:55Oh yes, there's always shame and embarrassment in being found out that you've been living in some kind of unrepentant, besetting sin.44:57-45:15There's also forfeiting your ministry, disqualifying yourself, being completely ineffective for the kingdom because you were so unwilling to get with God.45:17-45:25Today's the day to put the flag in the ground, draw the line in the sand, whatever other metaphor you want to use, but today's the day.45:26-45:28We're changing things today.45:29-45:38Father in heaven, I pray for every single one of us who are called by Your name.45:40-45:45Father, we all have areas of our lives where we just have let it go.45:45-45:46We've made excuses.45:46-45:49We've not exercised any control.45:50-45:53Today, Father, let us be done with the excuses.45:53-45:56Give us a reality check on what's at stake.45:59-46:04The main thing, Father, is Your glory and honor.46:06-46:24So I pray today, Father, that we leave here recommitted that the light of Your Word, the and the light that comes from Your Holy Spirit would shine in all of the dark places in our hearts and minds and show us where we are not honoring You.46:26-46:32Father, let today be a day of confession and repentance.46:33-46:39Let us be people who actually show up to the race to win.46:42-46:46We thank You, Father, for the power that You give us to do that through Your Holy Spirit.46:48-46:52Give us the want to by that same power.46:53-46:56We pray in Jesus' name, Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 9:24-27What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What strategies have you found effective to be self-controlled?Why do you think many Christians put little (or no) effort in self-control?The “prize” in this context is winning lost people. How is that a motivation to self-control?NO NAMES! – but do you know someone who disqualified themselves from ministry due to lack of self-control? How did you react to that news? How does this make an unbeliever think about the Gospel? BreakoutPray for one another. In what area are you struggling with self-control? What is your plan for change?

Introduction: Hebrews 1:1-3 - Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high... The Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:14-22): Will Speak God's Words – But they did not all listen See: John 12:49-50 and John 14:10, 24 Will be Like Moses – But they did not all believe See: John 6:32-35 and John 6:51, 57b-58 Will Die if He Lies – But they killed Jesus for telling the truth See: John 8:26b-28 | Psalm 22:7-8, 16-18 | Psalm 22:22-25 Jesus is the Prophet – Will You: Listen to Him? Believe Him? Speak His words? Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Audio Transcript 00:00-00:01Good morning, Harvest.00:03-00:05It's a joy to be with you this morning.00:06-00:11Open your Bibles, please, if you haven't already, to Deuteronomy chapter 18.00:12-00:16It's where we will be studying God's Word this morning.00:18-00:37And as is our usual, sometimes usual custom, I would ask, please, that you pray for me, that I would clearly, accurately preach God's Word, and I will pray for you that your hearts will be open to receive it.00:37-00:37Let's pray.00:43-01:18Gracious and holy Father, I pray, Father, you would open our hearts and minds to receive your word, that we would be absolutely convinced beyond all doubt that your word is true and that Jesus is your prophet who speaks your truth to us through your word, through your spirit at all times.01:19-01:30And I pray as we believe and trust in Him, you would transform our lives and make us more like Him every day.01:30-01:33We pray in Jesus' great name, Amen.01:35-01:44So in preparation for Resurrection Sunday, we are beginning a three-part series examining the three offices of Christ.01:45-01:47the office of prophet, priest, and king.01:49-01:53And we begin this morning with the first of these, which is prophet.01:55-01:59Now, we may listen to a lot of modern day prophets for advice on how to live.02:00-02:12The experts, the doctors, the internet influencers, the media talking heads, podcasters, entertainment celebrities, even astrologists and politicians.02:14-02:16The sources of information are endless.02:17-02:24And now we have AI at our fingertips to synthesize and summarize the sum and substance of human experience.02:27-02:40Now to be clear, I'm not talking about doctors who say eating this one food three times a day cures sleep apnea or the weird trick that cures tinnitus caused by eating this one food three times a day.02:40-02:47Now I'm talking about the major life information, answers to questions like, "Who am I?02:48-02:49What's my purpose?02:50-03:03What's the best way to live?" And when it comes to that kind of information, few to none of the infotainment talking heads can really help us, because they can only tell us what they know.03:04-03:11I'm not suggesting they aren't intelligent, but what they say may or may not be true.03:12-03:15But you say like, well, no, hold on, hold on Sprung.03:15-03:20I've heard it said that all truth is God's truth, wherever it's found.03:22-03:24Well, let's think about that for a minute.03:25-03:29God's word is perfect, pure and true according to Psalm 19.03:30-03:44So I have a metaphor this morning for us, For God's word, I think that everyone can relate to the delight over opening a brand new container of Play-Doh.03:45-03:46It's all one color.03:47-03:49Nobody's played with it yet.03:49-03:51It's not mixed up with other colors.03:52-03:57It's just fresh and clean, and it's ready for my artistic expression.04:00-04:04But you know, the inevitable happens, doesn't it?04:04-04:19Soon, what was once pure and clean, it's all mashed together with a lot of other colors and that original color becomes unidentifiable.04:22-04:23I think you get the point.04:25-04:29How do you discern God's truth in a mishmash of worldly ideas?04:30-04:37How do you extract the truth once it's all blended into futile human thoughts?04:40-04:45Well, this is the problem with the infotainment experts.04:46-04:53Their learning and experience and perspective is just a conglomeration of worldly thinking.04:54-05:09They can make educated guesses as to how to live and what's going to happen, but ultimately every single one of them is going to reach a point where they have to say, "I don't know." And some of them are speaking directly out of the pit of hell.05:10-05:13And those folks will drag you down to hell with them.05:14-05:20So you see, that's why when it comes to the astrologists and the mediums and perhaps the to celebrities and influencers.05:22-05:33Verse 14 of this morning's passage says that, "As for you, the Lord, your God, has not allowed you to do this." So to whom or what can we turn?05:33-05:37Where can we get truth for an accurate world view?05:38-05:41Because we need a perspective that is outside of ourselves.05:42-05:46Outside of this world, really, and that's what God's Word is.05:47-05:53It is the specific and special revelation of God about himself.05:58-06:01It comes from the throne of God.06:02-06:18The problem with the world is, people in the world, they look at the Bible and like, "Well, yeah, that's just one more system of thought like any other." In fact, it's probably even not as good as what AI can tell us now.06:19-06:21They have a low view of scripture.06:22-06:24We need to have a high view of scripture.06:26-06:33And as we learn from the word that was just read, we can get the truth from the prophet.06:34-06:36It is to him we must listen.06:38-06:40But what is a prophet anyway?06:41-06:42What does a prophet do?06:42-06:52We typically think of prophets as forecasting future events, often in a cryptic or mystical way, like that Nostradamus guy.06:52-06:58But biblically, that is only a partial description of what a prophet does.06:59-07:03Basically a biblical prophet speaks God's words to people.07:05-07:09The Old Testament prophets revealed three basic messages.07:11-07:18The first was that God sent many prophets to his people to rebuke them for breaking the covenant and worshiping idols.07:19-07:31This was perhaps the prophet's most important function, to remind the people of Israel that they, and only they, were in a covenantal relationship with the Lord God Most High.07:33-07:36and they were violating His covenant in a high-handed way.07:37-07:47Time and again He warned them to return to Him, or they would face the ultimate covenant punishment of being expelled from the Promised Land.07:48-08:03Not only did the prophets warn Israel and Judah that they would be punished by pagan nations for their idolatry, God also spoke to them about a future restoration, both near and at the end of the age.08:05-08:09And indeed, after the exile, they would return to the promised land.08:10-08:18And the nations that assaulted and tormented Israel in their exile, they would in turn be punished and overthrown by God.08:19-08:29And then finally, the Old Testament prophets spoke of the coming Messiah, a sometimes suffering, but ultimately victorious anointed servant.08:30-08:33The anointed one would bring salvation to his people.08:33-08:37He would inaugurate a new covenant between God and his people.08:38-08:45And the prophets gave many clues that would help the people identify the anointed one when he arrived.08:46-08:51Now, what did God expect his people to do in response to the prophets' messages?08:52-09:29expected, well no, he commanded them to repent and believe the messages to return to him and live in accordance with the covenant he made with them at Mount Sinai. And yet the Old Testament records a nearly continuous account of Israel's idolatry. They worship the idols of the nations around them. They And they sought out and listened to the words of false prophets, mediums, fortune tellers, and diviners.09:30-09:31They did not listen.09:32-09:34They did not believe.09:34-09:37They became futile in their thinking and their worship.09:37-09:47They mixed God's truth with the religions and lifestyles of the surrounding nations, and they ended up with the equivalent of this, gudo.09:49-09:52It's just a mash, a mishmash of ideas.09:53-10:02And when the prophets exposed their sin and their hypocrisy, they took offense and they put them to death.10:04-10:13So God, after bearing with his people for hundreds of years, he brought the covenantal curses down upon their heads and inflicted the ultimate punishment.10:14-10:16He exiled them from the promised land.10:18-10:22Now God of course kept his promises and he returned them to the land.10:23-10:37And roughly 400 years after that, the anointed one who was known before the foundation of the world, he was made manifest in the last times for the sake of all who would believe in and through him.10:39-10:45We of course know from the New Testament that Jesus is the promised Messiah.10:46-10:52He's the Son of God who fulfilled all that was spoken of Him by the Old Testament prophets.10:55-11:03As the writer of Hebrews says, "Long ago and at many times and in many ways, "God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.11:04-11:12"But in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, "whom He appointed the heir of all things, "through whom also He created the world.11:13-11:21"He's the radiance of the glory of God God in the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power.11:21-11:36After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." And this verse summarizes the three offices of Christ that we're going to be studying this week.11:36-11:37First is prophet.11:38-11:48"In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son." And then priest, he has made purification for sins.11:48-11:53And then finally king, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.11:56-12:01So how do we know Jesus is the prophet foretold by Moses?12:02-12:08What evidence is there to conclusively connect Jesus to the promise of a prophet just like Moses?12:11-12:15Well, first the prophet will speak God's words.12:16-12:19Look at verse 15 of chapter 18 in Deuteronomy.12:21-12:27Verse 15 says, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers.12:28-12:35It is to him you shall listen." Thus the prophet would be raised up by God from among the Israelites.12:36-12:46And the gospels of Matthew and Luke establish that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary, and he was adopted by Joseph.12:47-12:50And both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David.12:51-12:53Jesus was born in Bethlehem.12:54-12:57His birth was attended by an angelic announcement.12:59-13:08And then when John baptized Jesus, God the Father announced that Jesus was his beloved son with whom he was well-pleased.13:09-13:17All of these events attest that Jesus was indeed raised up by God the Father from among the Israelites.13:18-13:29And these events disprove the idea that Jesus was merely a self-appointed and possibly deluded religious figure, as some people think he was.13:31-13:35And then verse 18 tells us that God's words would be in his mouth.13:36-13:47"I will put my words in his mouth and He shall speak to them all that I command Him." Now, we've already established that the prophets spoke God's words to the people.13:48-13:59But whereas they prefaced their statements with, "Thus saith the Lord," Jesus spoke as the Lord, out of the oneness that existed between Him and the Father.14:00-14:17For example, in John 12, verses 49 and 50, Jesus said, "For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment, what to say and what to speak.14:17-14:20And I know that his commandment is eternal life.14:21-14:38What I say therefore, I say as the Father has told me." And then in John 14, verses 10 and 24, he said, "The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.14:38-14:59And the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me." As further proof of his prophetic office, Jesus spoke God's words in the way that the Israelites requested.15:00-15:13What I mean is this, In Exodus chapters 19 and 20, God descended in a dark cloud on Mount Sinai with thunders and lightnings and the mountains shook.15:14-15:18And out of that cloud, God spoke the 10 commandments to the people.15:19-15:54And when all the people saw the thunder and the lightning and the sound of the trumpet that they heard and they were seeing the mountain shake and the ground shaking beneath their feet, They were terrified and they stood far off and they told Moses, they said, "You speak to us and we will listen, "but do not let God speak to us lest we die." Certainly Moses continued to speak to the people and gave them God's commands during their journey to the promised land and during their wandering for 40 years in the desert.15:55-15:57And then in his final address to them in the book of Deuteronomy.16:00-16:21But in chapter 18, verses 16 and 17, Moses told the people that God would send a prophet in direct response to their request at Mount Sinai, to let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, or see this great fire anymore, lest I die.16:24-16:31So how did Jesus, in his speaking, demonstrate that he was the prophet sent by the Lord?16:32-16:37Well, there's three events that directly identify Jesus as the prophet.16:38-16:42And all of them occurred, not coincidentally, on a mountainside.16:44-16:48First, he was on the mountain when he was transfigured before Peter, James, and John.16:48-16:59and while talking with Moses and Elijah, and a bright cloud appeared and God said, "This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased.17:00-17:08Listen to him." And the three disciples were like the Israelites of old, terrified by the voice of God.17:09-17:11But when they looked up, they saw only Jesus.17:14-17:26Second, the most direct connection A connection between the prophet and God speaking in the 10 commandments out of a stormy cloud is found in Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount.17:29-17:33Jesus, seeing the crowds, went up on the mountain.17:34-17:36And when he sat down, his disciples came to him.17:37-17:39And he opened his mouth and taught them.17:41-17:42And what did he teach them?17:44-17:50Well, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus exegeted the law, including most of the 10 commandments.17:51-17:59The greatest commandment, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and then to love your neighbor as yourself.18:01-18:12In that sermon, he showed the people that righteousness was not about outwardly keeping rules, but inward devotion to God that flowed from a broken and contrite heart.18:14-18:18a heart that revealed itself in confident dependence on God.18:20-18:31Instead of fire and terror, Jesus spoke to the people face to face on the mountain, just as they requested of Moses so long ago.18:32-18:41He revealed God to be merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.18:42-18:50And when Jesus finished, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority.18:52-18:57And yet, as so often happened in Israel's history, they did not all listen.18:59-19:06Yeah, there were those who did, but it seems for the most part, people were going out to Jesus for signs and wonders.19:07-19:08The crowds were fickle.19:08-19:10They were ambivalent about him.19:11-19:15and the religious leaders were so hostile, they wanted to kill him.19:18-19:26In Jesus, Israel got what she asked for hundreds of years earlier, a prophet speaking God's words to them face to face.19:27-19:35And even though his teaching astonished them, they eventually decided that Jesus really wasn't the prophet or Messiah they wanted after all.19:36-19:38They wanted a vending machine God.19:38-19:42They wanted a Messiah-o-matic and give them what they wanted.19:46-19:57You see, the divide between what the people craved and who Jesus is, is revealed in a third event that demonstrated the prophet would be like Moses.20:00-20:06The third thing Jesus did on a mountainside that proved He was the prophet like Moses is this.20:07-20:12He fed well over 5,000 people with bread and fish.20:14-20:36According to John 6, after everyone had eaten their fill and 12 baskets of leftovers were collected, the people said, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world." And a day or two later, the people went looking for Jesus in Capernaum because they wanted more bread to eat.20:37-20:49Jesus knew what they wanted and he told them, "Do not work for the food that perishes, "but for the food that endures to eternal life, "which the Son of Man will give you.20:52-21:16"For on Him, God the Father has set His seal." And then the people said to him, "What must we do to be doing the works of God?" And Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." So the people said, "Jesus, what sign do you do that we might believe you?21:18-21:26What are you going to do for us, Jesus, that will persuade us to believe in you?" And then they said, "Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness.21:27-21:40Have you got more bread?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly I say to you, "it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, "but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.21:41-22:02"For the bread of God is he who comes down "from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life." The people responded to Jesus' assertion with grumbling.22:03-22:11First, because he said, "He's the bread that comes down from heaven." They're like, "We want food.22:11-22:12We want bread.22:12-22:21We don't want you." But their grumbling increased because of Jesus' next extraordinary statement.22:24-22:28He said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven.22:28-22:31"If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.22:32-22:36"And the bread that I will give "for the life of the world is my flesh.22:36-22:41"Whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.22:42-22:47"This is the bread that came down from heaven, "not like the bread the fathers ate and died.22:48-22:57"Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever." Well, this was just all too much for the Jews.22:57-22:59This was just too bizarre.23:01-23:09Jesus was speaking of himself as eternal nourishment, and all they could think about was their temporary physical hunger.23:10-23:24Like the Jews in the wilderness who grumbled about God providing manna for 40 years, the crowds and even many of Jesus' disciples grumbled about Jesus being the true bread of God.23:25-23:32Like Moses, Jesus led and fed the people in ways that revealed His prophetic office.23:33-23:35But they did not all believe.23:36-23:37They took offense at Him.23:39-23:42Many turned back and no longer walked with Him.23:45-23:50So Jesus asked the 12 if they too wanted to leave Him.23:50-23:52But Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go?23:53-23:55You have the words of eternal life.23:56-24:00And we have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.24:03-24:07You see, Peter recognized Jesus is more than the prophet.24:07-24:14He declares Jesus is the anointed one, the Son of God, because Jesus spoke God's words of eternal life.24:17-24:22And what was the most important thing that Jesus said during his earthly ministry?24:23-24:27What did he explicitly prophesy at least three times?24:29-24:33And what did he emphasize in other ways multiple times to his disciples?24:35-24:41That he would be mocked and flogged and crucified and that he would be raised to life the third day.24:42-24:44It's a pretty extraordinary prophecy.24:47-25:05But you see, this was extremely perplexing to the disciples because they said, "Jesus, you're telling the truth." And along with the words that he spoke and the signs and wonders that he performed, all of this amply demonstrated that Jesus was in fact the Messiah.25:06-25:14There's no way he could be a false prophet because they knew that a false prophet will die if he lies.25:16-25:18Look at Deuteronomy 18.20.25:19-25:38"The prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name, that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die." The religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees and their lawyers, they insisted that Jesus was a liar.25:39-25:43They claimed he was merely witnessing about himself and that his testimony wasn't true.25:45-25:57Well, Jesus countered that by saying that God the Father is also born witness about me and that he who sent me is true and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.25:58-26:02They did not understand that he'd been speaking to them about the Father.26:04-26:25So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak just as the Father taught me." In this passage from John chapter 8, Jesus hints at what the religious leaders are planning to do to him.26:26-26:34They want to kill him, and he knows that their murderous maneuverings will result in his crucifixion.26:36-26:38You see, this is the supreme irony.26:39-26:42A prophet will die if he lies.26:43-26:49But they killed Jesus for telling the truth, just like they did the prophets of old.26:50-26:56And when Jesus was lifted up on the cross, his opponents thought he got what he deserved.26:57-27:06They were certain he was a false prophet, because if he wasn't, he wouldn't be suffering a vicious and humiliating death at the hand of Gentiles.27:09-27:17He was on the cross, the chief priests and other religious leaders mocked Him, saying, "He saved others. He can't save Himself.27:18-27:40Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." And yet in the midst of His agony, Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" His enemies might have said, You're forsaken because you're a liar.27:41-27:44Everyone who gets hung on a tree is accursed.27:45-27:51The fact that we were able to get you crucified is proof that you, Jesus, are accursed by God.27:52-27:53You're no prophet.27:57-28:02But by crying out the first line of Psalm 22, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?28:03-28:13Jesus continues to speak the word of God in a way that reveals that the cross is the culmination of his earthly mission.28:15-28:17Psalm 22 is a messianic psalm.28:18-28:22It summarizes the Messiah's humiliation and exaltation.28:23-28:24Let's look at a few passages.28:26-28:27Verses seven and eight.28:28-28:30All who see me mock me.28:30-28:32They make mouths at me.28:32-28:33"For they wag their heads.28:34-28:35"He trusts in the Lord.28:36-28:37"Let Him deliver him.28:37-28:44"Let Him rescue him, for He delights in him." Then verses 16 and 18, through 18.28:45-28:46"For dogs encompass me.28:47-28:49"A company of evil doers encircles me.28:50-28:53"They have pierced my hands and feet.28:53-28:55"I can count all my bones.28:55-28:57"They stare and gloat over me.28:57-29:00"They divide my garments among them.29:00-29:27"For My clothing they cast lots." And finally, verses 22-25, "Reflect the Father's care in the midst of Jesus' great suffering and His resurrection." He says, "I will tell of Your name to My brothers, and in the midst of the congregation, I will praise You." Stop there for a minute and think about that.29:28-29:34Christ is on the cross, and he's telling the name of God to his brothers.29:34-29:39In the midst of the congregation, he is praising God.29:40-29:42All you who fear the Lord, praise him.29:42-29:48All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him.29:49-30:03All you offspring of Israel, for he is not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, "And He has not hidden His face from him, but He has heard when he cried to Him.30:04-30:19And from you comes my praise in the great congregation, my vows I will perform before those who fear Him." You see, even in the throes of death, Jesus preached to all who would listen and believe.30:20-30:38If those who heard Jesus cry began themselves to recite this Messianic Psalm, perhaps the realization began to take hold that what they were reciting was happening right before their eyes.30:41-31:00The psalmist's words are being fulfilled here and now, just as Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, "then you will know that I am He." And perhaps the horrible realization set in, we've killed the Messiah.31:01-31:12And perhaps that is why, as Luke records, all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, they returned home beating their breasts.31:13-31:15We have killed the Messiah.31:18-31:24But what looked like an accursed death to the crowd instead a triumph over death.31:25-31:34On the cross, Jesus put death to death, and in his resurrection, he offers eternal life to all who would believe in him.31:36-31:38All that Jesus said came to pass.31:39-31:41He said he would die, and he did.31:42-31:44He said he would return to life, and he did.31:45-31:48He is the reliable and trustworthy prophet.31:48-31:51Every word He spoke was true.31:53-31:55And He is still our prophet today.31:56-31:58We have His word.31:58-32:03We have God's word and His Spirit to lead us into all truth.32:05-32:17You know, everyone who preaches is obligated to faithfully and accurately speak in the name of the Lord Jesus and to preach His words, not our own.32:17-32:20In this way, Jesus is still our prophet.32:21-32:25He indwells his people to speak to his people from his word.32:28-32:35Therefore, now that you know that Jesus is the prophet, will you listen to him?32:38-32:45Will you daily cast off worldly thinking and unbiblical ideas and commit to reading and meditating on God's word?32:47-32:58Are you willing to jettison old patterns of negative thinking and replace them with what the Bible says about your worth and your purpose in Jesus Christ?32:58-33:05Will you conform your thinking to God's truth and Jesus' example and teaching?33:08-33:14Or will you continue to seek advice from the influencers and false prophets clamoring for your attention?33:16-33:17Will you look for guidance?33:18-33:26Will you look for guidance in the gudo that shapes and drives the lives of so many people?33:30-33:35The skeptic will say, "Ah, I don't believe anything in the Bible is true.33:36-33:37It offends my reason.33:38-33:39I'm an independent thinker.33:40-33:52I don't need a God or a religion to tell me what to do." But that same person has no problem with the collective hive mind telling them what to think.33:53-33:57And they'll employ artificial intelligence to do their thinking for them.34:00-34:03So much intelligence, so little wisdom.34:05-34:20The short of it is, if you refuse to listen to what Jesus says, If you take offense at him and his words, you're just like the Israelites and the religious leaders in past time.34:21-34:26You're essentially putting him to death in your heart and in your mind.34:28-34:31Now, there are probably very few people in this room that hate Jesus.34:34-34:44And if we took a survey of the people in this room, probably most of you would agree that, Yeah, we shouldn't be committing the kinds of sins which the world heartily approves.34:46-34:49We shouldn't be following all that chatter out there.34:51-35:05And yet how many of us choose to remain on friendly terms with the world and feel free to indulge in all its whims and entertainments and pleasures so long as we avoid open sin.35:08-35:22The most dangerous sin is the idea that we can listen to worldly prophets advocating for the lusts and pleasures of the world and follow along and yet still be devoted to Christ.35:23-35:30Beloved, you cannot listen to and serve multiple masters and still walk uprightly before Jesus Christ.35:31-35:35You must listen to Christ and serve Him only.35:38-36:14Jesus is the prophet. Will you believe in him? In some ways I have laid this sermon out like a closing argument in a court case. You've heard from the witnesses Moses, God the Father, Peter, and of course Jesus himself. And you have evidence to consider more than 5,000 people fed on a mountainside. Jesus transfigured on a mountain. And of course Jesus crucified on a cross just as he said he would be.36:17-36:36And then this singular fact. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures and according to his own prophetic words. He to pay the penalty for their sins and remove the penalty of death.36:37-36:43And rising again, he offers forgiveness of sin and eternal life for all who would believe in him.36:46-36:48So you've heard the evidence.36:49-36:51You must now render a verdict.36:52-36:59Will you believe that Jesus is everything he says he is, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?37:00-37:03He's the one mediator between God the Father and humanity.37:04-37:07He is the only priest, prophet, and king.37:08-37:13And Jesus is the only name given among people under heaven by which we can be saved.37:15-37:22If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.37:23-37:26With the heart one believes and is justified.37:27-37:30and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.37:32-37:33Jesus is the prophet.37:35-37:37Will you speak His words?37:40-37:44As disciples of Christ, we are all prophets of His gospel.37:45-37:49We are to proclaim His life, death, and resurrection until He returns.37:50-37:52This is no mystery religion.37:53-37:56There is no hidden knowledge in the Scriptures.37:56-37:58There are no secret rites to perform.37:59-38:02The words of Christ are all out in the open.38:03-38:10And we have the awesome privilege of possessing the oracles of God, the word of God.38:10-38:13We have God's words in our hands.38:16-38:20It's not always been true, but it's true for us.38:22-38:28Do we have the ability to read it, to reason through it, to engage with it by the help of the Holy Spirit?38:31-38:38We can personally and intimately know God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.38:40-38:50Jesus reveals the truth so that we can repent of our sins, trust in His finished work on the cross and receive the gift of eternal life now and forever.38:55-39:16And we have the responsibility of repeating his words clearly to others so that they may hear and believe in him by faith too. God forgive us for shirking our responsibility to share the gospel and for being insensible to the the spiritual condition of the lost and the dying.39:18-39:19We must speak His words.39:19-39:22We must share the good news of what He has done.39:24-39:33We are like beggars dressed in fine linen telling other beggars where to find bread and new garments.39:34-39:37It is the most loving and kindest thing we can do.39:39-39:42as our worship team returns to the stage.39:45-39:46I will conclude with this.39:49-39:52Not everyone will listen to us.39:53-39:55But then they didn't all listen to Jesus either.39:57-39:58Not everyone will believe.40:00-40:02But then they did not all believe in Jesus either.40:04-40:08We are not responsible for the results of sharing the gospel.40:09-40:11The results are for God to work out.40:13-40:18Our responsibility is to faithfully speak the words of God from Scripture.40:19-40:24For faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.40:25-40:25Let's pray.40:28-40:31The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.40:32-40:36The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.40:37-40:40The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.40:42-40:45The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.40:47-40:49The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.40:51-40:54The rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.40:56-41:04Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight.41:04-41:08O Lord, our rock and our Redeemer.41:09-41:09Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead Deuteronomy 18:14-22What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Can you assess how deeply worldly ideas influence your thinking? What about how deeply they influence your view of Scripture? How about your walk with Christ?What expectations do you have of God? That is, what do you want from Him, and what do you want to hear from Him? How do these questions and your answers relate to Israel's history with the LORD?It was said the sermon was constructed like a closing argument, requiring a verdict. Imagine you are a jury member – was enough evidence and testimony presented to render a judgment that Jesus is the Messiah? If not, what further evidence would you seek? Where would you look for that evidence?What are some reasons we don't take seriously our responsibility share the Gospel of Christ with others? How valid are those reasons?BreakoutPray for one another.

Introduction: Are You Committed to Winning People with the Gospel? (1 Corinthians 9:15-23) SACRIFICE: Do You Give Up Your Rights in Order to WIN People? STEWARD: Do You See Yourself as ENTRUSTED with the Gospel? 2 Corinthians 5:19 - that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. SHARER: Do You Know the Joy of Sharing the Blessings of the Gospel? Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Audio Transcript 00:00-00:04Open up those Bibles to 1 Corinthians 9.00:07-00:10While you're turning there, let's just take a moment.00:10-00:18I'm going to ask that you would please pray for me to proclaim the Word of God as I should.00:19-00:26And I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is the Lord wants to teach us today.00:27-00:28Let's pray.00:31-00:38Father, we understand that what is about to happen is supernatural.00:42-00:46This isn't giving some TED Talk.00:48-00:55This is the proclamation of your eternal word that somehow your Holy Spirit works with your word.00:59-01:01to conform us into the image of your Son.01:03-01:08Father, I pray that you would do a mighty work in all of us this morning.01:11-01:16Thank you, Father, in advance for the work that you're going to do.01:17-01:20We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.01:22-01:241 Corinthians 9, are you there?01:24-01:29Before we start this, Doug, did Taylor get paid this week?01:31-01:31He did not.01:32-01:34We don't usually do this publicly, but would you pay Taylor?01:40-01:41(congregation laughing)01:45-01:49You gotta keep the pastor humble, thank you, Doug.01:50-01:51You gotta keep the pastor humble.01:54-01:56Don't expect anything else for like a month.01:58-01:59You're gonna have to stretch it.02:01-02:03You got him the king-size Kit Kat, right?02:03-02:06Okay, then I don't wanna hear nothing about no second service.02:07-02:09You got plenty.02:10-02:10Don't be a hog.02:14-02:33When Erin and I were first married, we lived in town and we had a neighbor up the street that would often walk his dog right by our house and he would often stop in our front yard and let his dog do what dogs do on walks.02:35-02:37And there was no cleanup, by the way.02:39-03:09But this went on for some time and one day he was walking the dog up the street on the sidewalk in front of our house and Erin was outside and she said, "Hey, I'm buying you a shovel for Christmas." He got a little smile on his face and he goes, "So, you think I'd look pretty good with a shovel?" I think he thought that Erin was flirting with him.03:10-03:15And if so, that is a really weird pickup line to use.03:17-03:19Hey baby, you look good with a shovel.03:22-03:23It's pretty easy to miss the point, isn't it?03:24-03:25At least it was for him.03:25-03:28It was easy to miss the point.03:29-03:40And as we get to this next section in 1 Corinthians, I think that's what's going on here is I think Paul wanted to make sure that none of the Corinthians missed his point.03:42-03:42All right?03:42-03:44This is the Q&A section.03:44-04:03In this section in particular, they had asked him about eating meat that was used in pagan worship and they're like, "Well, it's just meat, but it bothers some of the weaker Christians that are, you know, just kind of fresh coming out of paganism." So what do we do about that, Paul?04:04-04:21Paul says, "You are free." But love says, "I will lay down my rights so that I don't offend a weaker brother." And then Paul, led by example, that's what we saw last week.04:21-04:24Paul goes, "Look, I'm showing you an example from my own life.04:25-04:36I have every right to be paid to preach." And he went through all the reasons it is legitimate for the pastor to get paid.04:36-04:38He gave us five very compelling reasons.04:39-04:43"Yes, the pastor should be paid." He said, "That's a right that I have.04:44-05:48That's a freedom that I have, but I'm laying it down for the sake of the gospel." And I think when you get to this point in chapter 9, Paul knew that some of the Corinthians were going to miss the point, and Paul's talking about paying the pastor, paying the pastor, while you pay the past year's while and they're like, "Ah, um. Yeah, Paul, we asked about meat. That was what we asked about. It's a bigger issue. It's not about the meat." "Oh, not about the meat. Oh, oh, this is about getting paid to preach. No, no, no, it's not about the money. That's like saying the fall of man. That's like saying Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden is a story about fruit trees. You missed the point.05:50-05:59The bigger issue is this, examining how does what I do affect somebody else?05:59-06:00That is the issue.06:03-06:12It's about not letting anything be an obstacle to not only loving a weaker brother, but winning people to Christ.06:19-07:26people to Christ. How high of a priority is that for you? I mean, can we just take an honest assessment today? How often do you think about winning somebody to Christ. How committed are you to personal evangelism? I thought so much about this this past week. And I want you to hear what I'm saying here because this isn't pack your bags we're going on a guilt trip. This is deeply convicting to me. And I'm right here with you, church. Please hear me, corporately and individually, corporately and individually, church, we are distracted and we are insulated.07:29-07:36We are, first of all, distracted. We're distracted. We are so distracted. Winning people to Christ, What are you talking about?07:37-07:38Oh yeah, I guess that is a thing.07:38-07:43I've been so distracted, distracted with good things.07:44-07:48Work and sports and home projects.07:48-07:53There is so much that demands our attention.07:56-08:00I think especially in a church like ours, we're insulated.08:02-08:10How much of our lives revolve around going to church, going to small group, going to event at the church.08:11-08:20And then when we're not at Harvest Bible Chapel, we are sending our kids to Christian school, or we volunteer at a Christian school.08:20-08:25And all of that is great stuff, obviously.08:26-08:31But I have to ask, how often are we even interacting with lost people?08:33-08:35I think we're insulated.08:38-08:40Look, there's so much.08:42-08:48There's so much that this church does so well when it comes to discipleship.08:49-08:51We have an excellent small group ministry.08:55-09:02We just had two excellent conferences, one for the men last month, one for the women yesterday.09:03-09:04Excellent.09:08-09:12Our giving to missions, I've never seen a church like this one.09:13-09:22Whether it's the Vision Appalachia or Thailand or somebody taking a short-term trip, our Forgiving to missions is excellent.09:28-09:34But when we get to this passage, we have to ask ourselves, "When was the last time that you led somebody to Christ?09:37-09:39When was the last time that happened?09:41-09:45When was the last time that you even shared the gospel with someone?09:45-09:51When was the last time that you even invited somebody to come to church to hear the gospel here?09:56-09:58Are you committed to personal evangelism?10:02-10:06Not just talking about the church at large, obviously that is a concern for me.10:06-10:07I'm talking about you as an individual.10:08-10:09Are you committed to that?10:12-10:14Look down at verse 23 here in chapter 9.10:16-10:27Paul says, "I do it all for the sake of the gospel." Paul says, "Everything in my life revolves around the gospel.10:27-10:41Everything in my life revolves around winning people to Christ." And this verse has a very special place in my heart because our missionary in Thailand, This is His verse.10:42-10:46This is the verse that fuels everything that He does.10:46-10:55Several years ago, He was at our house and He was talking to Erin and I about how this verse fuels everything in His ministry.10:55-10:58"I do all things for the sake of the gospel." He kept going back to that.10:58-11:04"I do all things for the sake of the gospel." Twenty-three churches, four children's homes, a Bible institute.11:06-11:12I do all things for the sake of the gospel." That's how that mission started, by the way.11:12-11:13Do you know how that started?11:14-11:20It was Barnabas, this Burmese man going through the northern mountain jungles of Thailand looking for villages.11:22-11:30Looking, looking for lost people in the middle of the jungle and finding a village and walking in and just sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with them.11:31-11:32That's how that started.11:36-11:38All things for the sake of the gospel.11:39-11:43He is like spiritually hilarious to talk to.11:43-11:50He was telling me recently about a telemarketer that was calling to try to sell him on some kind of goofy energy pills or something.11:50-11:52And do you know what he told her?11:54-11:54The gospel!11:55-11:56He told her the gospel.11:56-11:58He also told me, this was just a couple weeks ago.11:59-12:04He had a couple guys show up to pump their septic tank.12:04-12:05And do you know what he told them?12:06-12:08The gospel, yeah.12:10-12:13One of my favorite stories, he had to get some sound equipment.12:13-12:18They do this big outdoor Christmas program as an outreach.12:20-12:25It's kind of like open air preaching and the Lisu tribe, they're dancers and there's this whole thing, right?12:26-12:27But he had to get like this PA system.12:28-12:35So he goes into the store, the electronics store, where they sell these things, and he wants to buy one.12:35-12:37He goes, "I wanna try it out." Remember this, Justin?12:37-12:49He goes, "I wanna try this out." And they're like, "Okay, you can try it out." He's like, "I wanna make sure it works." So they fire up this PA system, and he gets on the microphone, and do you know what he says?12:51-13:06"He proclaimed the gospel to the whole store!" I'm gonna give you the short version of the story, I don't have time to get into all of it, but he told me about a village across the border that was guarded by four armies that needed fish.13:08-13:12And he took them fish, and I said, "How did you keep the fish from spoiling?" He's like, "What are you talking about?13:13-13:29"What do you mean spoil?" I'm like, "Well, he said it took him 10 days "to walk through the jungle with these fish." I'm like, "Fish is gonna get bad after a while." He goes, "No, no, no, no, no, no, live fish." I'm like, "How did you take live fish?" And then it hit me.13:30-13:31I said, "Hang on, hang on.13:33-13:53"Did you carry bags of water full of fish "through the jungle for 10 days "to take fish to a village?" And as a matter of fact, he just says, "Yeah, they needed fish." You carried an aquarium through the jungle for 10 days.13:54-14:00He's like, "They needed fish." Why would somebody do something like that?14:01-14:04What would possess a man to do something like that?14:04-14:06I'll tell you what possesses a man.14:07-14:09He does all things for the sake of the gospel.14:09-14:19He says, "The reason I'm taking these fish to them is it's going to open the door for me to share the gospel with them." Who does something like that?14:20-14:23A person who wants to win people to Christ, that's who.14:28-14:28So what about you?14:30-14:31Do you love lost people?14:38-14:53You're like, "Man, I guess I don't love lost people like that." Now, this section here in 1 Corinthians shows us what the heart of an evangelist looks like.14:55-14:56I think there's something here for all of us.14:56-15:09I just want to go through the text, and then I want to go back and pick up some of the key principles that motivated Paul here, but let's pick up in verse 15.15:13-15:21Paul says, "But I have made no use of any of these rights." He didn't use his right to get paid to preach.15:21-15:22That's what he's talking about.15:22-15:24Like, why didn't you do that?15:25-15:26Well we talked about that.15:27-15:32Paul didn't want anybody to think that he was using some new religion to try to get rich.15:36-15:38He didn't want people to assume that he had bad motives.15:39-15:40Time out here for a second.15:40-15:52They're like, "Well, if Paul had this conviction, why didn't the other apostles have this conviction?" I mean, it makes sense, but why didn't the others have this conviction?15:52-15:53And the answer is very simple.15:53-15:56Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles.15:58-15:59He was reaching pagan people.16:00-16:06That Peter and the rest that were going to the Jews, the Jews already had this system in place about paying the spiritual leaders.16:07-16:08That wasn't a weird concept to them.16:09-16:11Paul going to the Gentiles, it was a different ball game.16:14-16:15All right, look, keep going to verse 15.16:16-16:27He says, "Nor am I writing these things "to secure any such provision." Paul's like, "I'm not writing this to you "to secure provision." Like, what's he mean by that?16:27-16:34Paul's saying, "To be clear, "I'm not trying to use reverse psychology here "to make you pay me." All right?16:34-16:44Paul's like, "I'm not trying to be like, "Well, you know, I'm just out here preaching for free." And then you're like, "Oh, poor Paul, preaching for free.16:45-16:46"We should pay him.16:46-16:47"He shouldn't have to do that.16:47-16:51"We should pay him." Paul's like, "I'm not trying to reverse psychology you, okay?16:52-17:00"This isn't, I'm not throwing this out there "so that you're convicted to pay me." He goes, "That's not it at all." All right, go on.17:01-17:09He says, "For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting." Wow.17:10-17:24Paul says, "I would rather die than somebody accuse me of using the gospel to rip people off." But what's this boasting thing?17:25-17:26You see that?17:26-17:35He says, "Deprive me of my ground for boasting." So that word for boasting literally is rejoicing.17:35-17:38Usually when we hear boasting we have a bad connotation with that.17:38-17:40The word literally is rejoicing.17:41-17:41Okay?17:42-17:45And boasting is really not a bad thing, it just depends on what you're boasting in.17:46-17:48Because we're called to boast in the Lord, right?17:50-17:52But the question is, what is Paul's ground for boasting?17:52-17:53What is it?17:54-17:55What's he boasting about?17:55-17:58What about this is occasion for boasting?17:58-18:01Well, first he tells us what it's not.18:01-18:08Look at verse 16, he says, "For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting.18:09-18:11For necessity is laid upon me.18:11-18:14Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.18:16-18:28If I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship." He says, first of all, the boasting is not about preaching the gospel.18:28-18:29Let's get that off the table.18:29-18:34That's not...because that's not in the actual preaching the gospel itself.18:34-18:47I'm not like boasting in the opportunity to preach, because you realize, church, the gospel leaves no room for boasting, right?18:49-19:00You can't earn your salvation not by what you do, not by who you are, not by who you You know, you cannot do a thing to earn your salvation.19:00-19:08You can't do a thing to make God happy with you because you are a guilty, rebellious sinner before the eyes of your holy creator.19:08-19:09That's reality.19:10-19:12There is not a thing that we can do.19:12-19:14We are guilty of sin.19:15-19:18But God, because of His great love, He's given us grace.19:18-19:30God says, "Because I love you, I am providing salvation, not through what you do, but through what my son did on your behalf." It is a gift, and when you receive a gift, there is no room for boasting.19:34-19:36So okay, so what is the reward?19:36-19:37What is it?19:38-19:40Well, he tells us, look at verse 18.19:41-19:43He says, "What then is my reward?19:44-19:59That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel." See, Paul says, "You know what thrills me?19:59-20:02Do you know what I'm really like fired up about?20:03-20:04It's this.20:05-20:19There's this one thing, this one thing that I can choose to do, and that is to preach the gospel for free." In other words, Paul is saying, "God's not making me do this.20:22-20:27God's not making me lay down my right to be paid." Paul goes, "I chose that.20:27-20:29That is my contribution.20:29-20:31That is Paul's contribution to the kingdom.20:32-20:38I choose to do it for free." He's so excited in this passage.20:39-20:45He's so excited to forfeit his rights so he can preach.20:45-20:52Paul's like, it is such a joy for me that I have the ability to love people in a unique way.20:52-20:56That I can give to them and not get a thing in return from them.20:56-20:58That is such a joy for me!21:01-21:05Right now, somebody's like, look good with a shovel.21:05-21:08I don't get it. I don't get it.21:10-21:19Who gets joy from denying themselves something that they are rightfully entitled to?21:23-21:24Who does that?21:26-21:29The person who wants to win people to Christ, that's who.21:33-21:48Verse 19, he goes on, "For though I am free from all, "I have made myself a servant to all "that I might win more of them." He's like, I'm free, I'm a child of God.21:49-21:55My salvation is not based on my performance, but I made myself a servant for the sake of winning people.21:57-22:00Paul is always about winning people.22:01-22:05And Paul would do anything to win someone to Christ.22:05-22:10He found so much joy that he could give up his rights to win people to Christ.22:12-22:21So what does that look like, to lay down your rights in order to share the gospel?22:21-22:25What does that look like, to lay down your rights for the sake of evangelism?22:26-22:27Well, he tells us what it looks like.22:27-22:28Look at verse 20.22:30-22:36He says, "To the Jews, I became as a Jew in order to win Jews.22:37-22:53To those under the law, I became as one under the law, though not being myself under the law, that I might win those under the law." So Paul says, let me tell you what that's like.22:53-22:57When I'm with the Jews, I'm not going to violate the law in front of them.22:59-23:04Paul saying, "I'm not going to walk into the synagogue eating a ham sandwich in front of them.23:04-23:06That would really offend them.23:06-23:08Like, "Look, I'm free in Christ.23:08-23:17I can eat a ham sandwich." Like, he goes, "I would never do something like that." I mean this is all through the book of Acts.23:20-23:24All throughout, you see in Acts chapter 15 with the Jerusalem council, that's what that whole thing was about.23:25-23:27You see it in Acts chapter 16, that was an interesting story.23:28-23:30Paul had Timothy circumcised.23:31-23:31Like why?23:31-23:32So Timothy can get saved?23:32-23:34No, no, no, that has nothing to do with that.23:36-23:42Paul had Timothy circumcised so that they didn't offend the Jews that they were trying to win.23:47-23:49Boy, that had to have been an awkward exchange, don't you think?23:53-23:53Did you imagine?23:53-24:28Paul's like, "I will do whatever it takes to win people!" And Timothy's like, "Yeah!" And Paul's like, "Make any sacrifice for the gospel!" And Timothy's like, "Yeah!" And Paul's like, "Circumcise Timothy!" And Timothy's like, "What?" Paul's like, "Are you committed or not?" That's the point, though.24:30-24:31Anything.24:31-24:32What's it going to take?24:32-24:33What's it going to take?24:36-25:05He goes on, verse 21, he says, "To those outside the law, I became as one outside the law," being outside the law of God, but under the law of Christ, clarifying. We'll talk about that more in a minute. He says that I might win those outside the law. You see, you also see that in Acts, right? When Paul was with the Gentiles, he acted like the Gentiles.25:05-25:11Not in a sinful way, but he assimilated with them. You see it in, what is it, Acts 17.25:12-25:14Paul quoted one of their poets.25:14-25:15It was a bridge.25:15-25:17He goes, "You know what one of your poets says?25:17-25:24Ah, he was on to something." And he uses that as a bridge, but he assimilated with them.25:24-25:25That's what he's talking about.25:25-25:33Verse 22, he says, "To the weak I became weak that I might win the weak.25:33-25:39I have become all things to all people that by all means I might save some." The weak.25:40-25:41We've been talking about the weak.25:41-25:42These are the baby Christians.25:43-25:45These are the people that are coming out of paganism.25:45-25:50It's just so hard to let go of things that we were so used to.25:50-25:54And that's what really the whole meat issue was about, right?25:54-26:06And Paul goes, "Oh, if eating meat is a problem for them, I will be a vegan." And then we land on verse 23.26:06-26:06Here it is.26:08-26:20I do it all for the sake of the gospel that I may share with them in its blessings." That's the thesis.26:21-26:24That's the thesis of the passage.26:25-26:30That's the thesis of Paul's whole life.26:31-26:33Everything I do is for the gospel.26:35-26:36Is that the thesis of your life?26:41-26:45You see the passion for winning lost people in the past?26:45-26:45Did you see it?26:49-26:50Don't miss it.26:51-26:53You think I'd look good with a shovel, don't miss it.26:58-26:59It's passion for the lost.27:01-27:03So on your outline, I just want you to draw some things down here.27:06-27:17You see, three big ingredients, three things that motivated Paul that I have to ask myself and you have to ask yourself.27:20-27:22Are you committed to winning people with the gospel?27:22-27:22Are you?27:23-27:24Are you?27:25-27:30Are you committed to winning people with the gospel?27:39-27:42The first ingredient, it's the most obvious one, right?27:42-27:43It's sacrifice.27:44-27:47Sacrifice, do you give up your rights in order to win people?27:49-27:51Do you give up your rights in order to win people?27:53-27:58Again, Paul found laying down a freedom for the sake of the gospel to be an absolute joy.27:58-28:00He goes, "I will go along with whoever I'm with.28:02-28:19Gray areas, I'll give up anything that might cause an offense." You're like, "Wait, wait, so you're saying that you win people by accommodating them?" No, that's not what we're saying at all.28:20-28:23You accommodate yourself so that you have the right to speak to people.28:24-28:25That's what he's saying.28:26-28:34If you offend somebody because you insist on your freedom, you lost the audience.28:35-28:36They're not going to hear you.28:37-28:41That's what he's talking about, removing anything that would offend.28:44-28:45What does that look like today?28:48-28:50Here's a few examples today of what that could look like.28:50-29:04Let's say you have some Catholic friends that you've been witnessing to, and you know that they're faithful Catholics, but you're not sure if they truly know Christ.29:04-29:10And it's Lent season, and you invite them over to your house for dinner on a Friday.29:12-29:13You're not serving hamburgers.29:16-29:16You see?29:18-29:20You're gonna offend them right out the gate, and they're not gonna hear you.29:24-29:30Let's say you have some Muslim neighbors, and it's summertime, and you're like, "I wanna reach them with the gospel.29:30-29:34"I wanna have an opportunity to share Jesus with them." You invite them over to your house for a barbecue.29:34-29:36You're not having pork at your barbecue.29:38-29:41You offend them, you've lost your audience.29:46-29:48Let's talk about the big one.29:49-29:56Is there any issue in our day that really quickly brings offense?29:57-29:58Can you think of anything?29:59-30:00Say anything at all.30:00-30:03Anything at all that you could mention that people would immediately get offended.30:05-30:07Politics, right?30:10-30:18Let's say that you have a neighbor that is a true blue Democrat and you are of the MAGA persuasion.30:18-30:20This isn't a political statement, okay?30:21-30:22This is an illustration.30:23-30:29But if you're inviting your hardcore Democrat friend to your house, you're putting away the MAGA stuff, okay?30:30-30:32You're not wearing your little red ball cap to the dinner table.30:40-30:44Why would you want to offend them over something you don't need to offend them over?30:44-30:45It works the other way too, by the way.30:47-30:54If you're a Democrat and you have a Republican friend over, take down your Bernie Sanders banner.30:57-30:59By the way, it's 2026.31:01-31:02You've needed to take that down anyways.31:07-31:13And I think one of the biggest places where we're so quick to offend people is in social media.31:15-31:20Look, if you're one of these social media people, yes, post your Bible verses, sure.31:20-31:23Post your excerpts from the devotional.31:24-31:26But can I tell you this just lovingly?31:27-31:31Stop posting all the political garbage, because you know what you're doing?31:32-31:34You're losing half your audience.31:35-31:38And someday you're going to want to tell them about the gospel.31:38-31:47Someday you're going to have an opportunity, and they're not going to want to hear it because they know that you're on the other side of the political aisle, and we know that automatically makes you a demon.31:50-31:56Either way, all things to all people.31:58-32:00Not compromising the gospel.32:00-32:01We have to be clear about that.32:01-32:03Not compromising the gospel.32:03-32:05Church, this is a call for discernment.32:05-32:08You have to discern what is optional and what is not.32:09-32:12Some things are not optional, right?32:12-32:26Some things are not optional, like the truth, like Jesus, like the gospel, like God's command to repent, God's command to believe, not optional.32:28-32:29Truth is not optional.32:29-32:30You know what else is not optional?32:35-32:48walk." Meaning, in no way is Paul saying, he made this very clear, that you should sin to fit in. Right? You think, "Oh, I'm gonna win them. I'm gonna be just like them.32:49-33:03We're gonna get into the crude anatomy jokes so he'll know I'm one of the boys." No. No. Gossip. Well, they're all gossiping. I jump in the gossip with them. No.33:07-33:33Getting drunk. No. We're not compromising our walk. That's not optional. But there are some things that are optional. Like we've said, food, music played. Maybe you know they have a big issue with tattoos, and you go to tattoo, you wear long sleeves and cover it up, so you don't offend them.33:38-35:08Nothing at the expense of the gospel, nothing at the expense of being an ambassador of Christ, but if it's a gray area that might offend, I'll always seek to take the high road, because committed to winning people means committed to giving up your rights. So that's the first S and these are all alliterated. I get paid more when that happens. The second S is steward. What are the ingredients? What are the ingredients of somebody that's committed to people with the gospel? The second one is steward. Do you see yourself as entrusted with the gospel? Do you see yourself as entrusted with the gospel. Look at verse 17 again. The very last phrase, he says, "I am still entrusted with a stewardship." God is trusting you to give this out. He's trusting you. You got a Bible on your lap? He's trusting you with that, to give it out. You're entrusted. Like, "Well, yeah, that's good for Paul. I mean, he obviously was. What about the rest of us? He ropes us all in." Look at 2 Corinthians 5.19. Look, that is, "In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, thanks to Jesus.35:09-35:21Look at this last phrase, "and entrusting to us, us, the message of reconciliation." Do you realize how awesome that is?35:22-35:32That the God of the universe, your Creator and your Savior said, "Here, here, here is the message that's going to forgive sin.35:32-35:35Here is the message that's going to transform people.35:36-35:39Here is the message that's going to save people from hell.35:40-35:40Here it is.35:40-35:41Here it is.35:41-35:42And I'm giving it to you.35:47-35:48Do you know the gospel?35:50-35:51You know it?35:53-35:56If you do, that means that God's entrusting you to make sure that people hear it.35:57-35:58He's trusting you with it.36:02-36:13You know, last week, Bob Brown and Jesse Boggs went down to deliver some boxes that were packed.36:13-36:22Our small groups donated boxes for the needy that were given out through the ministry Vision Appalachia.36:24-36:28And to nobody's surprise, they packed way more boxes than our target goal, right?36:29-36:31How many boxes were sent, Bob?36:32-36:33250.36:34-36:38How many were asked, like, we were shooting for like 25 or something from this church, right?36:39-36:41And didn't we get like, we got 30.36:41-36:42All right.36:43-36:44Nobody's shocked, Bob.36:44-36:45Nobody's shocked.36:46-36:48Again, you guys are so generous.36:50-36:53But Bob and Jesse took the boxes down.36:54-36:58Let me ask you, they had the U-Haul trailer right out here.36:59-37:08Bob, want you another van we had out here?" With all these boxes with the donations for Vision Appalachia, let me ask you this.37:09-37:11Did Bob and Jesse have a choice in what happened with those boxes?37:13-37:14Did they have a choice what would happen with them?37:16-37:16No.37:17-37:17No.37:20-37:21Not convinced of that?37:21-37:21Okay.37:22-37:27What if Bob would have drove that U-Haul back to his house and him and Jesse threw the mother of all block parties with those supplies.37:31-37:32Would you have been like, "Good for you, Bob.37:33-37:36Live it up." Is that what you would have said?37:38-37:39You would have been like, "What are you doing?37:40-37:43That was given to you to give to them.37:44-37:51What are you doing?" We trusted that stuff to them, and they are faithful stewards.37:51-37:53They got it where it needed to go.37:53-37:54principle here, church.37:55-37:57God is trusting you with His message.37:58-37:59You don't have a choice.38:01-38:03Like, I don't really feel like a steward.38:03-38:04You are a steward.38:09-38:12God did not give you the option to keep it to yourself.38:13-38:14He didn't give you that option.38:17-38:25And somehow we get saved and down the road we forget and we get all self-focused and all we care about is our walk with Christ.38:31-38:39I'm going to tell you, it's so convicting to me, you know, you plant a church because you want to win lost people for Christ.38:39-38:43You want to win lost people, and then you get down the road, you know what we end up doing?38:43-38:47We end up swapping complaining sheep with other churches.38:47-38:48That's what we end up doing.38:50-38:59The guy complaining about his last church is now here, and the person leaving this church complaining about this one is going there, and we call that doing gospel ministry.39:04-39:11You know, we're talking about putting up this new building, an opportunity to win more people to Christ, but are we winning people to Christ here and now?39:14-39:26If we're not passionate for the gospel and reaching lost people here and now, what makes us think that we're going to get this new building and all of a sudden we're going to be magically converted into evangelists.39:32-39:35Committed to winning people means you've got to see yourself as entrusted with the gospel.39:37-39:38You're a steward.39:41-39:45The third S, number three, is shareer.39:46-40:00a word. You know how I know it's a word? Is my computer didn't give me a red squiggly line underneath it when I typed it. And in my world, that's a word. Share.40:02-40:27Do you know the joy of sharing the blessings of the gospel? Look, there is there is nothing more exciting than leading someone to Christ. Have you ever done that? If you have, you know, right? If you have, you know. There is nothing more exciting than that, seeing them baptized and knowing that God used you to reach somebody for eternity. There is nothing in the world greater than that.40:30-40:45Look at verse 23 again. This is the verse, "I do it all for the sake of the gospel," look, "that I may share with them in its pleasures," in its blessings, excuse me, "share with them and its blessings.40:51-40:53Think of everything you've experienced as a follower of Jesus.40:55-40:57Everything you experienced, think of it.40:58-40:59If you're a Christian, you get it.41:00-41:01You know the forgiveness of sin.41:01-41:03God will never hold your sins against you.41:04-41:17You know the joy that comes, the peace that you have no matter how horrible things get, The comfort God gives you in the tragedies of life, the fellowship of the church, oh and the hope of heaven that our best days are ahead of us.41:18-41:25Everything you experience as a Christian, to go to somebody that doesn't have that and say you can have all of that too.41:31-41:36Sharing the blessings, that should be a natural inclination, you know?41:37-41:37You know?41:38-41:40It's like, imagine this scenario.41:40-41:47Imagine Erin and I are at a restaurant and we order different dishes, something neither of us have ever had before, but we got different things.41:47-41:52And I take a bite and I'm like, this is the best thing I've ever tasted.41:54-41:55I gotta be sure.41:55-41:56And I take another bite.41:57-41:58I'm like, yeah, verified.41:58-42:02This is the best thing I've ever tasted in my life.42:06-42:08What's the next part of that story?42:09-42:18Oh, oh, Erin goes, "Can I try it?" I'm like, "No, eat your own." That's not how the story goes, is it?42:18-42:19That's not how it goes.42:19-42:21The story goes like this.42:22-42:23This is the best thing I ever had in my life.42:24-42:25Erin, you have got to try this.42:26-42:27You have got to try this.42:27-42:29And she's like, "I don't want to try it." You're trying it.42:31-42:33That's actually happened, hasn't it?42:34-42:34Both ways.42:35-42:37I'm like, she's like, this is so, I don't wanna try that.42:37-42:41Erin's like, you know, next thing you know, she's like, the fork can go in your mouth or in your forehead, pick one.42:52-42:53You gotta try this.42:54-43:02See, when you have something, when you experience something so glorious, so beautiful, there's something in you that wants to share that.43:04-43:05God put that in us.43:06-43:08That's how it is with the gospel, by the way, to that lost person.43:09-43:11Like, bro, you have got to get in on this.43:12-43:33You have got to get in on all of the blessings that comes in the gospel, knowing Jesus, the fellowship of the church, serving Him locally and in international missions, worshiping Him together, oh, and heaven, we'll get to share that one for all of eternity.43:36-43:42One of your greatest joys in life should be winning people to Jesus and sharing in the blessings of knowing Him.43:44-43:49Because committed to winning people means sharing in the blessings of the gospel.43:50-43:55Our worship team would make their way back up front.43:58-44:02Next week, our Easter series begins.44:04-44:05I don't really like the word Easter.44:06-44:07It doesn't mean anything to me.44:07-44:11I call it Resurrection Day, but you know what I mean.44:15-44:47Our Easter series begins next week, and it's a season where talking about Jesus and inviting someone to church is going to be much more natural. God is entrusting you to share the blessings of the gospel. Will you do whatever it takes to win someone? Let's pray.44:50-45:58Father in heaven, I confess before you in front of my brothers and sisters here that this passage tears me up because we look at the life of Paul and we look at the life of like Barnabas today, we look at people like that and we see Father Such passion to win lost people and we look inwardly and don't see that in ourselves sometimes, a lot of times. Father we come to you because you're the God who changes us, you're the God who transforms us, and I pray Father, I just pray simply this, that you would stir in the hearts of all of your people here to have the same mindset of Paul, an attitude of sacrifice, an attitude of being a steward, and the joy that comes in sharing the blessings of Christ.45:58-46:15Stir that spirit in us, Father, so that evangelism isn't some mechanical, obligatory thing that we think we have to do, but it's just so natural for us to to share the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.46:16-46:18It's in his name that we pray, amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 9:15-23What was your big take-away from this passage / message?How would you respond to someone who says, “I don't really share the Gospel with anyone. I don't know what to say.”?Reread 1 Cor 9:17. What does Paul mean that he was “entrusted with a stewardship.”? Is that true of all Christians? See 2 Corinthians 5:19.What are the “blessings to be shared” when you win someone to Christ (1 Cor 9:23)?BreakoutWhen was the last time you shared the Gospel with someone or invited them to church? What happened? Who has God put on your heart to win with the Gospel? What are you doing about it?Pray for one another.

Introduction: 5 Reasons Pastors Should Be Paid: (1 Corinthians 9:1-14) It's COMMON Sense. (1 Cor 9:7) It's a CONCERN in the Law. (1 Cor 9:8-11) 1 Timothy 5:17-18 - Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” It's CLAIMED By Others. (1 Cor 9:12) It's a CUSTOM from the Old Testament. (1 Cor 9:13) It's COMMANDED By Jesus. (1 Cor 9:14) Luke 10:7 – for the laborer deserves his wages. Matthew 10:10 - the laborer deserves his food. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Audio Transcript 00:36-00:40Open up those Bibles to 1 Corinthians 9.00:44-00:52The title of today's message is, "Should Pastors Be Paid?" Yeah.00:54-00:57I'd like to invite the worship team to come back up as we close.00:58-01:00If you want to worship through giving, the offering.01:04-01:09You're like, "You better earn that pay." Fair, fair.01:09-01:12You know, I was associate pastor for 11 years.01:12-01:16And one of the things that I did was run the Wednesday night program.01:16-01:18It was pioneer clubs like Awana's.01:18-01:26But I'll never forget one girl who was lifelong member of the church from forever.01:26-01:27She the one little girl came up.01:28-01:39She goes, "Pastor Jeff, where do you work?" And I'm not gonna say her name 'cause she's an adult now and might be watching this, but I said, "Well, you know where I work.01:40-01:42"I'm one of the pastors here at the church." She just rolled her eyes.01:42-01:46She goes, "I know that, but I mean, where do you work?01:46-01:49"Like, what's your job?01:49-02:02"Like, what do you do to get paid?" I'm like, "You know, just when you start "to feel pretty good about yourself." Along comes some kid to bring you right back down to earth, right?02:03-02:03Where do you work?02:07-02:09Many people hold that opinion, right?02:10-02:12I mean, being a pastor isn't really work.02:15-02:19You know, my favorite, you only work for one hour a week.02:23-02:24And you know what?02:24-02:25I've heard that so many times.02:25-02:27I'm quick to correct people on that.02:28-02:28I'm like, "No.02:31-02:32I don't work the whole hour.02:34-02:36My part's only like 35 minutes.02:37-02:43I work 35 minutes a week." So should pastors be paid?02:44-02:47When you bring it up, people get weird.02:48-02:49People get weird.02:49-02:51Everybody's evaluating the pastor's car.02:53-02:55Everybody's evaluating the pastor's house.02:55-02:58Everybody's evaluating the pastor's clothes.02:59-03:00How much is he making?03:03-03:05You know nobody does that for other professions, right?03:08-03:18Like for example, if somebody here is a nurse and you pull up to church driving a Boxter, what are people gonna say?03:18-03:20"Good for her, good for her.03:21-03:23Wow, I am so happy for her.03:26-03:31If I drove up driving a Porsche, what are people gonna say?03:35-03:36How much is he making?03:40-03:49I've heard a lot of things over the years, statements people have made, their little evaluations on how pastors should be paid.03:49-03:51I just want to share a couple with you.03:51-03:53Just this is, these amuse me.03:54-03:57But one person told me this regarding how a pastor should be paid.03:58-04:10He said, "A pastor shouldn't make more "than the lowest paid congregant." So we should find out who in the church makes the least and that should determine the pastor's salary.04:13-04:17Because after all, the pastor shouldn't make more than anybody else in the church.04:19-04:20I had one guy tell me this.04:21-04:31He goes, "I have a real problem "with preachers getting paid by the church." And I said, "What's the issue with that?" He goes, "Think about it this way.04:33-04:35"You teach tithing, right?04:35-04:55"10%." I'm like, "I'm following you." He goes, "Okay, so if 10 people give 10%, "now automatically the pastor's making "more than everybody in the church." And I'm like, you're gonna have to back up here 'cause you lost me somewhere on that math.04:57-04:58I mean, does that math work out?05:01-05:02Should pastors be paid?05:04-05:05Awkward.05:05-05:07Right, it's an awkward subject.05:07-05:10Can we just get that under, it's an awkward subject to stand up and preach about.05:10-05:11You're like, well then why are you?05:12-05:17Because we're going through the book of 1 Corinthians and guess what the subject is of this next section that we are going in?05:18-05:24"Should pastors be paid?" Yeah, it's going to be awkward to talk about, but you don't be more awkward than that, skipping it.05:26-05:26Right?05:26-05:29Because didn't God put it in His Word for a reason?05:30-05:31And we don't skip anything here.05:32-05:33So we're going after it.05:34-05:35We're just going to go after it.05:35-05:36Should pastors be paid?05:37-05:39The Bible is clear, yes.05:41-05:50But some ministers, you know, they live lavishly, and they demand that the church pay for the their extravagant lifestyle, and that is wrong.05:52-05:59But we can't just disregard what the Bible says just because some people have abused the privilege.06:02-06:06This section here, we're in 1 Corinthians, it's about liberty.06:08-06:21You're like, "Well, what is liberty?" It's this, you know, to be saved means that you have to turn from your sin and receive Jesus Christ.06:21-06:34And when you receive Him, you believe that Jesus died for your sin, when you believe that Jesus resurrected from the dead, when you believe that, the Bible says you are adopted as a child of God.06:34-06:36And nothing can change that.06:37-06:40Nothing can separate you from the love of God in Jesus Christ.06:41-06:41Nothing.06:42-06:46When you are saved, you are saved as a gift of God's grace.06:47-06:48Nothing can change that.06:51-06:54So understand your salvation is not performance-based.06:56-06:58So that means there's nothing you can do.06:58-07:01If you're saved, there's nothing you can do that would disqualify you from being a child of God.07:01-07:02It's not performance-based.07:04-07:12So the extreme view of that is, well, if it's not performance-based, I'm free to do whatever I want.07:15-07:16And that's what we're looking at in this section.07:17-07:19Am I free to do whatever I want?07:19-07:38Their particular issue, we talked about this last week, was they were, some of the more mature Christians were eating meat that was sacrificed to idols, and they were like, "A burger's a burger." But it bothered some of the weaker Christians who came out of the pagan background and said, You don't want to touch meat that was used in pagan worship.07:39-07:46And Paul says, "Love says, 'I will give up my rights if it keeps a brother from stumbling.'" I'll give up my rights.07:49-08:02So understand here in this section that we're looking at today, Paul is saying, "Corinthians, I'm not asking you to do anything that I'm not willing to do.08:05-08:10Paul is saying here in this section we're looking at, I am laying down a freedom that I have.08:10-08:13I have the freedom to get paid by the church.08:13-08:15And Paul says, I laid that freedom down.08:17-08:23We're going to talk more about that part of it next week, but why would Paul lay that freedom down?08:23-08:25He knew it would bring offense.08:27-08:31You see, he knew that there were going to be some people that thought, "Oh, look at this guy.08:31-08:35There's this new religion and he's using it to cash in.08:35-08:36He's using it just to make money.08:37-08:40He's trying to rip you off." So Paul got a job making tents.08:40-09:03So he's like, "I'm not going to be a financial burden to anybody because I don't want anybody to think that I have an ulterior motive in preaching the gospel." So chapter 9, the section we're looking at today illustrates this whole giving up my liberty issue. I have the freedom to not use my freedom.09:05-09:18All right, let's bow. I'm going to ask you to pray for me to be faithful to communicate God's Word, and I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive it, and then we'll go right after it. Let's just take a moment and pray.09:22-09:23by your name and your word, Father.09:26-09:30We ask you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior forever.09:31-09:35And all of God's people said, amen.09:36-09:42All right, so the Corinthians are like, hey, we are free in Christ to do what we want.09:42-09:44Look at chapter nine, verse one.09:45-09:46Paul says, am I not free?09:48-09:49Am I not an apostle?09:51-09:52Paul's like, "I'm free.09:53-09:55"I'm free to, you know about your freedom?09:55-10:08"I'm free too." And Paul says, "By the way, I'm not just a pew sitter." Okay, he's like, "I'm an apostle." And as always, when the issue comes up, you're going to have a group of people that were like, "Are you, Paul?10:08-10:09"Are you really an apostle?10:09-10:13"Are you really?" Oh, look at what he says.10:15-10:18"Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?10:18-10:25"Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?" Paul was always defending himself.10:25-10:27And right here he goes, "Yeah, I am an apostle.10:27-10:28"I'll give you two proofs.10:28-10:30"One is the big one.10:30-10:37"To be an apostle, you had to have seen "the resurrected Jesus Christ." And Paul's like, "I've seen him." Like, did Paul see Jesus?10:37-10:39Yeah, at least three times.10:39-10:42Oh, by the way, one of those times was actually in Corinth.10:42-10:43What's that, Acts chapter 18?10:46-10:56Paul says, "I have another proof." He goes, "You want another proof of my apostleship?" He goes, "You, you are my proof." What do you mean by that?10:56-10:57Look at verses two and three.10:58-11:07He says, "If to others I am not an apostle, "at least I am to you, "for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.11:08-11:30"This is my defense to those who would examine me." Paul says, "Some might not believe that I'm apostle, but you cannot deny the way that the Lord has worked through me to you." He says, "You're my seal." See, in those days, if somebody wanted to authenticate a letter, they would put a wax seal with the signet ring.11:31-11:32That was to say, "This is genuine.11:32-11:35This is real." Paul goes, "You want to know that I'm real?11:35-11:48Do you want to know that I'm authentic?" He goes, "You're my proof, because God has ministered the gospel through me to you." These are the evidences that I'm an apostle.11:48-11:53So, verse 4, do we not have the right to eat and drink?11:55-11:57That's obviously sarcasm.11:58-12:03I was like, "Yeah, I'm an apostle and God has used me, so I'm not allowed to eat?" Is that what you're saying?12:06-12:10I've been faithful to your souls, I've been faithful to the Lord, but I don't get to eat?12:11-12:20He's saying, "I don't get to… are you saying that I don't get to earn a living from the work that I do in the Lord?" Look at verse 5.12:24-12:32He says, "Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?12:34-12:39Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?12:41-12:49Paul's like, "Other ministers are supported." So much so that other ministers actually take their wives along with them.12:50-12:52So you support them.12:56-12:57What about me?12:57-13:00Do I have the right to be supported by the church?13:01-13:03See what Paul's doing here.13:03-13:06in this little introduction, he's setting this all up.13:07-13:19He goes, "This freedom that I am laying down, is it actually a freedom that I have?" As we look at verses 7-14, Paul here is establishing that this is a right.13:19-13:21This is legitimate.13:21-13:25Ministers have the right to be supported by the church.13:25-13:26He's proving that in this section.13:29-13:35And in Paul's day, as in ours, there are people that are going to doubt the premise.13:36-13:38Like, really, should ministers be paid?13:38-13:38Really?13:39-13:40Not sure about that.13:40-13:41Should they, is it really work?13:42-13:4635 minutes, rather, 35 minutes a week, is that really work?13:47-13:48Should we be paying you for that?13:52-13:56Well, Paul gives five reasons why you should pay the pastor.13:57-13:57All right?13:59-14:00"Jot these down.14:00-14:08By the way, you're paying me overtime this week 'cause I spent some extra time making sure these were alliterated.14:09-14:12I don't always do that, but when I do, I charge extra.14:13-14:23And I charge by the word, that's why the sermons are so long." So five reasons a pastor should be paid.14:23-14:24Number one, I love this.14:24-14:26He just knocks this one right out.14:26-14:26It's common sense.14:27-14:28It's common sense.14:28-14:30Look at verse 7.14:32-14:36Paul says, "Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?14:38-14:40Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit?14:41-14:48Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?" Obvious point, right?14:49-14:52A man earns his living by his work.14:53-14:55And he gives three examples.14:56-15:00A soldier, a farmer, and a shepherd.15:03-15:09Imagine as Paul calls us to here, imagine doing those jobs at your own expense.15:10-15:11Imagine that.15:11-15:13That's ludicrous, right?15:14-15:14Like what do you do?15:14-15:15I work at Target.15:17-15:17Why do you work at Target?15:18-15:25"Well, just trying to pay the bills so in my free time I can be in the army." Like what?15:26-15:27Paul's like, "Who does that?15:28-15:36That's called a hobby if you're doing it without being compensated.15:36-15:41Their families are fed from the work that they do." So it should be true for pastors.15:41-15:42It's common sense.15:43-15:47should earn from the work that they do.15:50-15:55And I have to add, church, that this is also extremely practical when you think about it.15:55-15:57The church benefits from a focused pastor.16:00-16:05You're going to get your best work from the pastor if he's not distracted.16:06-16:07I mean, think about it.16:07-16:43If the pastor has to provide for his family by working another job, how much gas is left tank to be a pastor. And you're like, "Eh, doesn't look that hard." Well, I want you to think about your job, whatever you do. You're nine to five, whether you work in a bank, work in HVAC, community, you know, some kind of like social service function, think Think of what you do.16:44-16:52When your shift ends, do you feel like you would be able to effectively pastor a church on top of that?16:55-16:59Again, I don't care if you're with the police, a computer programmer.17:00-17:05Imagine working all day doing that, and then you get home and now you've got to write a sermon.17:06-17:07Oh, and you have two counseling appointments.17:07-17:09And make sure you squeeze time in.17:09-17:17you've got to follow up with these new people at church, oh, and then you have a ministry team meeting on top of that.17:17-17:21Are you really going to do all of that on top of your nine to five?17:24-17:25It's common sense.17:26-17:33You see, if a pastor has to work another job, it's easy for him to phone it in when it comes to the church work, right?17:33-17:37Well, I've got to work at Target so that I can pay my bills.17:38-17:39the church stuff is just going to have to wait.17:39-17:42I sure hope they're not expecting a decent sermon this week.17:44-17:45It's just common sense.17:45-17:47People should get wages.17:49-17:52People should benefit from their workplace.17:52-17:53That's where he starts.17:54-17:55It's common sense.17:55-17:58Number two, five reasons pastors should be paid.17:58-18:02Five reasons Paul says this is a right for pastors to be paid.18:02-18:05Number two is it's a concern in the law.18:05-18:06It's a concern in the law.18:09-18:10Like, what do you mean?18:10-18:11Well, look at verse eight.18:12-18:17Paul says, "Do I say these things on human authority?" Like, you think I'm making this up?18:19-18:22He says, "Does not the law say the same?18:23-18:37"For it is written in the law of Moses, "you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain." That's Deuteronomy 25 verse 4.18:38-18:43Like, what do you mean an ox treading out the grain?18:43-18:47It was actually an Egyptian trick that Israel adopted.18:49-19:01They would tie a big round flat stone to an ox, and they would have the ox drag the stone over the wheat to crush it to remove the husk.19:03-19:13Okay, so you have this ox helping you prepare food, doing this hard work of dragging a stone.19:13-19:19Now how cruel would it be to put a muzzle on the ox while he's doing that?19:19-19:22Like you have to drag the stone, but you're not allowed to eat.19:23-19:27Oh, you're going to stand on top of food all day, but you're not allowed to take a bite.19:28-19:28That's inhumane.19:36-19:37That's the point.19:39-19:41Look at verse 9, second part.19:44-19:56He says, "Is it for oxen that God is concerned?" Does He not speak entirely for our sake?19:57-20:15It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope, and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop." See Paul's point, you know, the whole don't muzzle an ox while it's treading out the grain.20:15-20:27Paul's like, "You think God's concerned about the ox?" Look, I don't think God has anything against ox, oxen, oxes, oxen, oxen.20:27-20:28Thank you, Randy.20:28-20:28Oxen.20:28-20:31I don't think God's against oxen.20:31-20:32He created them.20:32-20:33I think God loves oxen.20:34-20:42Paul's like, "Do you think he wrote that in the law for the oxen who are going to be reading the law?" Like, "Hey, wait a second.20:43-20:48You're not supposed to muzzle me while I'm working." I think he didn't write that for the oxen.20:50-20:51But don't do it now.20:51-20:52You can do it later.20:53-20:56You get some time, turn back to that reference in Deuteronomy.20:56-21:01And you're going to see that section of Deuteronomy has nothing to do with animals.21:02-21:05Nothing to do with how to treat the livestock.21:05-21:06It has nothing to do with that.21:07-21:12It has everything to do with people.21:12-21:13And how you treat people.21:15-21:17You see, it's a figure of speech.21:17-21:21We use animals in figures of speech all the time, don't we?21:22-21:25Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, two birds with one stone, all of that.21:25-21:26It was a figure of speech.21:28-21:36And Paul reminds us here, look, when God wrote that through Moses, He wasn't really concerned about the oxen, He was concerned about man.21:38-21:44And the point of that expression is the worker deserves to benefit from his work, obviously, right?21:45-22:02Luke 11, he says, "If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?" Sown spiritual things.22:05-22:09That's all I'm trying to do for this church.22:10-22:13There are many people in this church that I have led to Christ.22:16-22:23There's many people in this church that I've not only taught the Bible, but I've taught how to teach the Bible.22:25-22:35There are people in this church that I have counseled out of disaster, comforted you and your family at funerals.22:36-22:37I married a lot of people here.22:39-22:45I've come along leaders to try to encourage them in their particular ministries.22:46-22:57None of this is meant to be boastful or "Hey, look at me." I'm just saying objectively, this is what I'm striving to do among you.22:59-23:01So is it out of line to support me in doing those things?23:03-23:05Am I asking too much?23:07-23:10Or do you see no value in anything that I do?23:12-23:16Now look, I am so thankful.23:16-23:18This church has always supported me and my family.23:20-23:24And I am so thankful to God for you and your support.23:27-23:34It would absolutely grieve me though if you thought that I wasn't worth it.23:35-23:43Like, yeah, we'll support him, but I mean, does he really bring something to the table?23:48-23:57Some churches, well, they do justify no pay or meager pay for the pastors.23:58-23:59Some churches justify that.23:59-24:01You can't pay the pastor very much.24:01-24:01Why?24:02-24:04Gotta keep 'em humble, right Pastor Taylor?24:06-24:07Gotta keep 'em humble.24:07-24:11Pastor Taylor gets paid two Kit Kats a week, that's all he gets from the church.24:12-24:14Because we're gonna keep 'em humble.24:16-24:18We don't want 'em to get swollen head.24:19-24:21So we gotta keep 'em humble.24:21-24:30Listen, that is an unbiblical mindset, completely backwards to what the Bible says about the way you treat your pastor.24:31-24:32Right?24:34-24:371 Timothy 5, look what Paul told Timothy.24:38-24:50He says, "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching." You know what he means by double honor?24:51-24:55He doesn't mean like, thank you, thank you.24:58-24:58Great job, great job.24:58-24:59That's not what he means at all.25:00-25:02You look at the context, he's talking about pay.25:04-25:07He's saying you should double my pay.25:09-25:11You get the point there, right?25:12-25:14Not keep them humble.25:14-25:17He's like, those who preach the word of God deserve double honor.25:18-25:24He says, for the scripture says, you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.25:25-25:29and the laborer deserves his wages.25:33-25:37And right now some Bible scholar is like, oh, okay, don't muzzle the ox.25:38-25:40Okay, Pastor Jeff, that's Old Testament.25:40-25:42We don't live under the Old Testament.25:45-25:52Well, we abide under the principles of the law, especially when they're repeated in the New Testament.25:53-25:53All right?25:54-25:55The five reasons pastors should be paid.25:56-25:58Paul says it's common sense.25:58-25:59It's a concern in the law.25:59-26:01Number three, write this down, it's claimed by others.26:02-26:04It's claimed by others.26:07-26:21Verse 12, he says, "If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more?" Paul's like, "Oh, by the way, it's not weird or unusual.26:23-26:25In fact, there's precedent for it.26:27-26:27Right?26:28-26:30Many of you do support others.26:31-26:39And you should, but there's many people here that you're like, I support certain missionaries or I support world vision, or I support Samaritan's Purse.26:39-26:41I support all these people.26:41-26:46And Paul here is just simply saying, hey, what about the shepherd who has devoted his life to caring for you?26:47-26:47What about that guy?26:48-26:49Should he be paid?26:49-26:50Should he be supported?26:53-27:03And my whole life revolves around caring for you, praying for you, discipling you.27:06-27:15And some people are like, "Well, you know, I listen to such and such preacher on the Facebooks or the YouTubes or whatever.27:15-27:22I listen to Jack Hibbs, so my tithe goes to Jack Hibbs." Okay.27:28-27:32But when you need counseling, do you think Jack Hibbs is going to come and counsel you?27:34-27:39You know, if you have a tragedy, do you think Jack Hibbs is going to be at your house to pray for you, pray with you?27:42-27:43Does Jack Hibbs even know who you are?27:46-27:46That's Paul's point here.27:47-27:49Paul's like, "Others share the rightful claim.27:49-28:12"You support others." Paul's like, "How can you not support the one who loves you?" He goes on in verse 12, he goes, "Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, "but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle "in the way of the gospel of Christ." That's the whole point of broaching the subject.28:13-28:25We have the freedom to get paid, but Paul says, "I laid that freedom down." Just as I'm telling you to do about eating the meat sacrifice to the idols, it's okay.28:25-28:28It's okay to lay your freedom down sometimes.28:30-28:32We're going to get into that more next week.28:33-28:36This week though, he's giving us five reasons a preacher should be paid.28:36-28:39And here's number four, it's a custom from the Old Testament.28:40-28:46It's common sense, it's a concern in the law, it's claimed by others, and it's a custom from the Old Testament.28:47-28:48Look at verse 13.28:49-29:03He says, "Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings.29:06-29:09Do a little study sometime, Old Testament law.29:09-29:16In the Old Testament, priests were supported for their work by their work.29:18-29:26All of the sacrifices that were given under Old Testament law realized the priest received a portion of what was offered in some way, shape, or form.29:26-29:27That's what Paul's talking about here.29:31-29:41And I was studying this this week, and I'm like, why did he sort of, he kind of said that in verse seven, right?29:42-29:43The same thing.29:43-29:46So why did he bring this up again?29:46-29:47And then it hit me.29:50-29:54Verse seven, he gave secular examples.29:56-29:57You know, the soldier, the farmer, the shepherd.29:57-29:59He gave secular examples.29:59-30:23And there are some in the church that would say, "Okay, Paul, you're using secular reasoning and you're trying to apply it to the spiritual realm." And I think what Paul's doing here is saying, "Look, yes, this principle, you should be supported for the work that you do, by your work." It's true in the secular world and it's true in the sacred world too.30:23-30:25So Paul's like, "Don't act like this is a new thing.30:26-30:31supporting the spiritual leaders, because it's a custom that goes way back to the Old Testament.30:35-30:40Number five, five reasons pastors should be paid.30:41-30:45It's common sense, it's a concern in the law, it's claimed by others, it's a custom from the Old Testament.30:46-30:57Last and probably most important, I would say, I think that's why it's last, it's commanded by Jesus.31:00-31:01It's commanded by Jesus.31:02-31:17Look at verse 14, "In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel." Wait a minute, when did Jesus say that?31:18-31:20Well, He said that a couple of times.31:21-31:34In Luke chapter 10, Jesus was sending out the 72 and He was talking about, you can look this up later, the people that believe you should be the ones that feed you.31:34-31:41So Jesus in sending them out said, "For the laborer deserves his wages." What's the context of that?31:42-32:06And again in Matthew 10, verse 10, Jesus was sending out the twelve, and He says, "The people that believe you should be the people who support you." And that's why He said, "The laborer deserves his food." In both cases, Jesus was saying those who preach the gospel must be supported by those who believe the gospel.32:07-32:14In other words, believers, we could say church members, should financially support their leaders.32:17-32:23If you're a guest here today, I want you to understand you're under no obligation to give.32:24-32:29Don't feel guilty or like, "Well, I probably should." If you're a guest, be our guest.32:31-32:32There's zero obligation.32:35-32:37is something that we are to share as a church family.32:39-32:39All right?32:43-32:45But nevertheless, the Lord commanded it.32:46-32:48Those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.32:50-33:01So Paul, in this whole section, is saying as a minister of the gospel, I have every right to expect you to support me, but I laid that right down.33:03-33:19I thought it might be an obstacle to the work, so because I love you, I didn't take financial support from you." Paul's like, "I'm trying to show you something, that when you love, you're willing to lay down your rights.33:21-33:56When you love, you're willing to lay down your freedoms." Paul is just simply saying, as we'll see next week, "Follow my example." Right now you're like, "Okay, pay the pastor, fine." Well my hope is not that you reluctantly get on board with giving, but I want you to see the bigger picture of why you give.33:57-34:00Yes, giving primarily is an act of worship.34:00-34:01We've had a whole sermon series about that.34:02-34:03Giving is an act of worship.34:04-34:08But also I want you to think about the tangible effects of giving.34:11-34:14When you give, my family is supported.34:16-34:22And that frees me from trying to do ministry on top of a nine to five job.34:22-34:25It lets me stay focused on caring for you.34:25-34:35Understand that when you give, look at the big picture, you're freeing me up so that I can care for everybody in this church to the best of my ability.34:39-34:39Everyone benefits.34:41-34:44When you give, other staff are paid.34:44-34:47That allows us to worship in excellent music.34:48-35:07It helps us disciple your children and young adults to minister on a personal level through the oversight of our entire small group ministry and so many more things that are able to happen that couldn't happen if you weren't financially supporting the leadership of the church.35:09-35:15Oh, oh, oh, and when you give, understand that you're supporting a whole network of ministers in Thailand.35:17-35:30Do you know in northern Thailand and beyond, we have 23 churches, we have four children's homes, we have a Bible institute, and do you know how many people stateside support them?35:33-35:34Just this church.35:35-35:49You, when you give, you are allowing the work of evangelism happen all over that area of the world through our network of churches.35:52-35:55Disciples are made all over Northern Thailand and beyond.35:57-36:08When you give, that is your way of actively partnering with me in advancing the kingdom of Jesus Christ.36:10-36:12I'd like you to bow your heads as the worship team makes their way up.36:16-36:29Father in heaven, it felt awkward to have to give a message like this, but God, it's your word.36:29-36:30We don't skip anything.36:32-36:34We just want to go after what you said.36:35-36:46Father, I thank you for the way that this church has always sought to support me and my family.36:48-36:53Financially sure, but so many other ways this church has sought to bless and protect my family.36:54-36:55God, I thank you so much for these people.36:56-36:58This is from you, God, and I thank you for that.36:59-37:11I just pray, Father, that looking at a passage like this, you would give us sort of a bigger picture of the way your economy works and why you have called us to certain things that you've called us to.37:15-37:24God, we believe that all things are yours, and we believe, God, that you have called us to be faithful stewards with everything that you give us.37:27-37:32We thank you for the privilege and all the ways that you've called us to partner with you in the work of the ministry.37:33-37:38Thank You, Father, for the spirit of generosity that You have stirred among Your people here.37:39-37:47And as King David prayed in preparation for the temple, might that spirit always be found in Your people.37:48-37:50We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 9:1-14What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Explain why Paul broaches the subject of paying the pastor in the first place. What does that have to do with their question about Christian liberty?What are some practical benefits that come when a pastor doesn't have to work outside the church?How would you respond to someone who says, “Pastors should have a job like everyone else! It's not fair that the pastor has money when some people in the congregation are struggling financially.”BreakoutPray for one another.

Introduction: Three Valid Reasons for Liberty (that Don't Work When You Have a Weaker Brother). (1 Corinthians 8:1-13) I Have KNOWLEDGE. (1 Cor 8:1-3) Philippians 1:9 – And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment I Have WISDOM. (1 Cor 8:4-7) I Have GOOD THEOLOGY. (1 Cor 8:8-13) Matthew 18:6 - whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 25:40 - Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! AUDIO TRANSCRIPT 00:36-00:39Open up those Bibles to 1 Corinthians 8.00:41-00:49Oh, that sweet, sweet, quiet lull of early service on Daylight Saving Sunday.00:51-00:52So tranquil.00:54-00:55Let's kick that up, shall we?00:55-00:56Let's have a fight.00:58-01:01Amen, somebody came ready to rumble.01:04-01:06Not like a fist fight.01:07-01:09Let's just have a good old fashioned argument.01:10-01:12All right, that'll get the blood boiling.01:13-01:15All in favor of having an argument?01:16-01:16Some of you.01:17-01:18(congregation laughing)01:19-01:20Little too eager.01:21-01:22All right, here we go.01:23-01:24Is a hot dog a sandwich?01:27-01:29Oh, did you hear that Pastor Taylor?01:30-01:31Apparently we struck a nerve.01:32-01:34Show of hands, how many people say that a hot dog is a sandwich?01:35-01:36Okay.01:37-01:39Some of you, okay, how many people insist that it's not?01:41-01:41Whoa.01:43-01:46Whoa, you might wanna pump the brakes on that.01:46-01:49I mean, what, it's like meat and condiments in bread, right?01:51-01:53Isn't that the very definition of a sandwich?01:54-01:57And you're like, well, but it's shaped different.01:58-01:59Well, I'm shaped different.01:59-02:00Does that mean I'm not a human?02:00-02:01Like, come on, what's that?02:05-02:07Some of you are a little too emotional about that.02:09-02:10It's silly though, right?02:10-02:14We're not really going to fight about that.02:16-02:24But when we get to this next section in 1 Corinthians, believe it or not, and you will, it was a food controversy.02:25-02:26That's what's going on.02:26-02:31They had a food controversy, but it wasn't about hot dogs.02:33-02:40It was about something that was much bigger problem for the church.02:41-02:44All right, let's just stop for a minute.02:44-02:51This is a challenging text, but we are going to get through it together.02:52-02:55I'm gonna ask you to pray for me, and I will pray for you.02:56-02:58Let's see what the Lord has to teach us today in His Word.02:58-03:01All right, let's just take a moment and pray.03:09-03:11Father, fire us up to receive your Word.03:13-03:17We don't wanna go into a lull because we lost an hour of sleep or whatever.03:17-03:23God, this is your Word, and we should be excited to see what it is that you have told us in your Word.03:26-03:30and we should be looking to see how we can reflect the truth of your word in our lives.03:30-03:46So God, give us the faith to really believe what you said to the point that it takes root, to the point that it's manifest in our hearts, in our minds, in our attitudes, and ultimately in our conduct.03:47-03:57We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and all of God's people said, Amen, amen.03:57-04:03In this section in 1 Corinthians, it's kind of like a big Q&A session, right?04:03-04:05And look at chapter eight, verse one.04:06-04:07Do you see the first two words in your Bible?04:08-04:13He says, in this chapter, he says, "Now concerning." We talked about that, right?04:13-04:17It seems to be like, okay, next subject, right?04:17-04:20That's his clue that we're moving on to a new subject.04:21-04:46And the next topic that again is going to span next three chapters is Christian liberty. Just in case we didn't offend anybody with the last part of it, let's talk about liberty, shall we? Am I free to do whatever I want? I'm free in Christ! I can do whatever I want to do, right? Right?04:46-04:46Right?04:46-04:46Right?04:50-04:53Oh, legalism versus liberty.04:54-04:58It's the issue literally as old as the church herself.05:01-05:02Legalism.05:04-05:05That's one side.05:05-05:06Legalism.05:06-05:11The people that are legalists say to be accepted by God, here's some things you can't do.05:11-05:13Here's your list of things that you cannot do.05:14-05:16And if you keep the list, you're accepted by God.05:17-05:19That's the legalist likes the rules.05:19-05:24But on the other hand, you have the liberty people.05:26-05:28The liberty people say, "Hey, I'm saved by grace.05:28-05:30My performance doesn't matter.05:30-05:35Nothing can change the fact that I'm saved by grace and I can do whatever I want to do.05:36-05:38Nothing will separate me from the love of Christ.05:38-05:55I am free to do whatever I want to do." Well their particular liberty issue that became a problem for the church is what Paul is addressing in chapter 8, 9, and through 10.05:57-05:57Here's their issue.05:59-06:01Look again, chapter 8, verse 1.06:01-06:15He said, "Now concerning food offered to idols." That's meat that was sacrificed to a pagan God.06:17-06:19Like what in the world is going on here?06:21-06:24Understand in the Greek culture, they had gods for everything.06:25-06:29It was part of every aspect of life.06:30-06:33There was a God for literally everything.06:37-06:48And when a pagan worshiper would offer a sacrifice to a God, that sacrifice was divided into three parts.06:49-06:59Part was burned for the pagan God, part went home with the worshiper, but then the third part went with the priest.07:00-07:02The pagan priest, right?07:04-07:05How much pot roast can you eat?07:06-07:11Okay, so you can imagine, these priests, they had an abundance.07:11-07:14So they would take the extra down and sell it at the market.07:17-07:29There was other pagan meat at the market as well, because in the Greek culture, they believed that an evil spirit could enter you through what you ate.07:29-07:31So they believed that an evil spirit could get in the meat.07:31-07:34And when you ate the meat, now you had the evil spirit inside you.07:35-07:41So they would sacrifice to a God who would make sure that there were no evil spirits in the meat.07:41-07:53And on top of that, because it was such a pagan culture, the temple was sort of the community center, meaning weddings and parties were commonly held at the temple.07:53-07:55You're gonna see that come up here in this text.07:55-08:04And here's the point, my friends, Almost all the meat in this culture was used for pagan worship somehow.08:05-08:06Almost all of it.08:10-08:11So maybe you begin to see the problem.08:13-08:19For the church, for the Christians, for the Jesus followers, there was division.08:20-08:27For some, they were like, "Should we eat the pagan meat?" Absolutely not.08:27-08:28I'm not touching that.08:29-08:32They use that meat in pagan worship.08:32-08:34I'm not touching that with a 10 foot pole.08:35-08:37No way am I touching that.08:39-08:46And then there were more mature believers that were like, a hamburger is a hamburger, bro.08:48-08:50The boogeyman doesn't live in the hamburger.08:51-08:52Just eat it.08:52-08:52Come on.08:55-08:57Can you see why that would be a problem in the church?09:00-09:16People saying, "Eat the meat." People saying, "Absolutely, you shouldn't go near it." So in chapter eight here, and we're gonna be looking at the whole chapter, Paul is addressing the mature Christians who insisted on their liberty.09:19-09:26These mature Christians who said, "Hey, it bothers some of the weaker Christians that we eat the meat, but look, I'm free in Christ.09:27-09:28It's not haunted meat.09:28-09:31Am I not free to eat the meat if I want to eat the meat?09:38-09:44I'm gonna go way out on a limb here and guess that this probably isn't an issue for this church.09:45-09:46Right?09:48-09:58I don't imagine you've had to sit down at the table debate whether or not the boogeyman was in the steak, if you should eat it or not.10:02-10:06But you know there's always been issues of legalism and liberty in the church.10:07-10:25Always. Always. Okay so we're not arguing about the pagan meat, but I mean look at look at church history. We have this, even very recently, we are constantly At odds trying to figure out some things.10:26-10:28Issues of legalism versus liberty.10:30-10:32Like things like playing cards.10:34-10:39I know young people that might be hard to believe, but there was a time that that was a big issue in the church.10:39-10:41Should you be allowed to play cards?10:43-10:50Things like dancing, movies, hairstyle, dress.10:50-10:50Yes.10:53-10:55Things you can do on Sunday.10:57-10:59You can't go to a restaurant 'cause you're making people work.10:59-11:00You can't wash your car on Sunday.11:00-11:01That's considered work.11:02-11:05And you're breaking the Sabbath and there's so much wrong with that thinking.11:05-11:06But it's an issue.11:07-11:08It's an issue.11:09-11:11Things like yoga.11:16-11:20Last and certainly my favorite, Trick or treat.11:26-11:27I hate Halloween.11:29-11:32Not because you dress up like Spider-Man and get a Kit Kat.11:32-11:33I think that's kind of cool.11:34-11:42But just what it does in the church, because you have people that are like, it's fun, let's let them dress up and get candy and see the neighbors.11:42-11:45And then you have people that are like, it's demonic.11:46-11:49And like, I don't know what to do.11:51-11:53That's kind of the flavor of what we're getting here.11:55-11:56See, all these things are gray areas.11:56-12:04There's nothing explicit in the Bible that we can point to where the Bible says, do not do this, do not go trick or treating, do not dance.12:05-12:09Yet we can't find verses in the Bible that explicitly say.12:09-12:12So what do we do with these gray areas?12:12-12:18And the liberty person would say, I'm free to do whatever I want to do.12:19-12:20'Cause I'm free in Christ.12:20-12:22I'm free in Christ, man.12:22-12:24I can do whatever I want, right?12:27-12:28No.12:29-12:37No, not if doing one of these gray area things could cause a brother to sin.12:40-13:34So Paul addressing their issue with the meat gives us principles that apply for all times even until today. I want you to think about this scenario as we go through this passage because here's a real-life scenario that could happen to you where you need to apply these principles, this could happen to you this week. Just imagine the issue of alcohol. First of all, are you free to drink alcohol? Well, the Bible warns about drunkenness, but yes, the Bible does not say, "Thou shalt not ever touch alcohol." Okay? So yes, technically you are free, you are free to drink alcohol.13:37-13:42If you're of age and avoid drunkenness and all that, sure, sure, sure.13:43-13:50Okay, but imagine this scenario, a man who recently comes to harvest decides he wants to go to your small group.13:52-13:55But this man is coming out of an addicted background.13:57-14:00He had a really bad problem with alcohol, he went to rehab.14:02-14:05And this man ends up coming to know Christ.14:05-14:06He's born again.14:06-14:08He received Jesus as his Lord and Savior.14:08-14:10He's been transformed.14:10-14:14And now this man hates how alcohol has wrecked his life.14:16-14:21And this man sees alcohol a whole lot different than you or I might look at alcohol.14:23-14:34All right, so that guy says, "Pastor Taylor, I want to get involved in one of your small groups." And Pastor Taylor gets the guy coming to your small group.14:35-14:43And this week, you're having a barbecue at your small group because the weather is oh so great as it has been.14:45-14:53And as a small group leader, you're wondering, "Well, can I have beer at our small group barbecue?14:58-14:58Can I?15:01-15:46We have alcohol at a church event?" And you're like, "Okay, well this guy's coming and Pastor Taylor sort of told me this man's background and I know that if we have alcohol at our barbecue, it's going to bother that guy. I know that, but I'm free. I'm free to drink it. Why is his problem my problem? Should I still have it even though this guy's coming? I mean, I can have it, so let's just go ahead and have it and he can figure that out, right? Well, that was the Corinthian dilemma. Some mature believers were eating the meat regardless of how it affected the weaker believers.15:47-15:53And I'm glad you're sitting down because you're going to be shocked that this resulted in more disunity problems for Corinth.15:55-15:57Those people fought about everything.15:59-16:00And here's another issue.16:03-16:12So on your outline, listen very closely to this next sentence because you have to understand the angle at which Paul's going after them.16:13-16:26Paul, in 1 Corinthians 8, is going after the three reasons that the mature believers were using to justify eating the pagan meat.16:29-16:33It's okay for us to eat it, and here's why it's okay for us to eat it.16:33-16:39Paul goes after those reasons, and they're the same reasons we use today.16:41-16:55And interestingly enough, Paul agrees with them, but he shows them why their reasons for eating the meat, their reasons for liberty, do not apply in light of how it's going to affect a weaker believer.16:57-16:58All right?16:59-17:03That's why the heading on your outline, it's a big one.17:04-17:10Three valid reasons for liberty that don't work when you have a weaker brother.17:12-17:17All of these are legit reasons for liberty, but they do not work when you have a weaker brother.17:18-17:18Y'all with me?17:19-17:20I can start over.17:21-17:22It's a hot dog and sandwich.17:25-17:28Three valid reasons for liberty that do not work when you have a weaker brother.17:29-17:31Here's the first one, number one, write this down.17:31-17:32I have knowledge.17:33-17:34I have knowledge.17:34-17:36I know some stuff.17:37-17:38I know, okay.17:40-17:40Back to verse one.17:40-17:50"Now concerning food offered to idols, we know that all of us possess knowledge." Stop there.17:52-17:57You see, they were saying, Look, I know I can eat the meat sacrificed to the...17:57-17:58I can do that because I know, I know.17:59-18:01I know what the Bible says about food, okay?18:01-18:05And Peter had that vision, Acts 10, the sheath, everything's clean.18:06-18:09I know about that, I know, I know, I know.18:09-18:11And look, meat is meat, I know.18:14-18:16We do the same thing, by the way, with alcohol, right?18:17-18:18We know, we know some stuff.18:19-18:22Okay, small group leader thinking about having beer at your barbecue.18:22-18:26I know, I know, I know what the Bible says, okay?18:26-18:31And in fact, you know, back in biblical times, they didn't have refrigerators.18:32-18:37So their grape juice fermented, and it was really only like a 3% alcohol on some things.18:37-18:40And it was, but some of the drinks was only 1% alcohol.18:41-18:48And (mimics barking) Look, knowledge is great.18:49-18:56Actually, God's word exalts knowledge, knowing God's truth.18:57-19:01But here's the thing, knowledge isn't everything.19:02-19:02Okay?19:04-19:06Knowledge isn't everything because look at the rest of verse one.19:07-19:18He says, "This knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Just having knowledge puffs up.19:18-19:20Knowledge makes people proud.19:21-19:22That's what he's saying.19:22-19:23Knowledge makes people proud.19:24-19:25Have you ever been around that guy?19:26-19:27You know that guy?19:28-19:30The actually guy?19:31-19:32You know that guy?19:32-19:33That's like actually.19:33-19:34You know, you've been around that guy?19:36-19:37If you are that guy, I hope you repent.19:38-19:39But you know that guy.19:39-19:43You're like, man, it was like 80 degrees today.19:43-19:47Actually, it was 77 degrees.19:48-19:49(sniffling)19:50-19:51You got me.19:52-19:53I'm a big fat liar.19:54-20:00Or you're like, strawberries are my favorite fruit.20:01-20:04Actually, a strawberry is not a fruit.20:04-20:05It is a member of the rose family.20:06-20:08Actually, a banana actually is a berry.20:09-20:09Actually.20:14-20:15Knowledge puffs up.20:15-20:19The guy that's just knowledge, obnoxious.20:23-20:29He says, "But love, love builds up." You see, knowledge is about me, but love is about you.20:30-20:32Love is about building you up.20:32-20:37And that's why you gotta have love with your knowledge.20:37-20:38That's Paul's point here.20:39-20:41Actually, he said the same thing, Philippians 1:9.20:42-20:51"And it is my prayer that your love may abound and more with knowledge. You see that? Love with knowledge and all discernment.20:53-20:59All your Bible knowledge does you no good if you aren't operating from a position of love.21:01-21:16So look at verse 2. He says, "If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know." Knowledge is a funny thing, isn't it?21:16-21:20You think you know something, and you don't.21:21-21:30The guy that's walking around thinking he's the expert and he knows everything, usually doesn't really know near as much as he thinks he knows.21:34-21:38You mature people, Paul says, you mature people insisting on your liberty.21:38-21:43You think you're so smart, but you don't know as much as you think you do.21:44-22:04because you're missing what the Christian life is all about and it is love. Biblical knowledge should move you to love. You're like, "Wait, wait, hang on.22:04-22:12How does that work? How does knowledge and love, how does that How does that work together exactly?22:12-22:17And Paul's like, "Like your relationship with God Himself." Look at verse 3.22:18-22:26He says, "But if anyone loves God, he is known by God." There it is.22:26-22:31Knowledge and love working together in your relationship with God.22:31-22:33Both of them have to be present.22:34-22:36So you can know about God without loving Him.22:38-22:45But you don't really know God without loving Him.22:48-22:49So what's he saying?22:49-22:50Here's the bottom line, alright?22:51-22:53Here's the CliffsNotes version of this chunk.22:53-22:58He says, "Your knowledge means nothing without love." That's what he's saying.22:58-22:59Your knowledge means nothing without love.22:59-23:06God doesn't care that you know stuff if you don't love your weaker brother.23:06-23:07That's the point.23:09-23:13So again, you're thinking about having beer at your small group barbecue.23:15-23:20Listen, and that guy's coming that's had the struggle in the past.23:20-23:26Look, that guy that's coming, he doesn't need your list of alcohol facts.23:26-23:27Okay?23:27-23:35What he needs is you to love him enough that you care more about him growing in Christ then you do you having your beer.23:39-23:48So if you're insisting on your liberty on the basis of, I know some Bible verses, you missed the big picture.23:50-23:52All right, I have knowledge.23:54-23:55Great, great.23:57-24:01Doesn't matter in the face of a weaker brother, you gotta love him.24:02-24:03I love 'em.24:03-24:06Number two, jot this one down.24:06-24:06I have wisdom.24:08-24:09I have wisdom.24:10-24:11There's a difference, right?24:12-24:13Knowledge, you know the facts.24:14-24:19Wisdom is like knowing how to apply the facts, knowing how knowledge works together.24:21-24:23Look at verses four through six with me.24:24-24:39He says, "Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that an idol has no real existence, and that there is no God but One.24:41-25:14For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords. Yet for us, there is one God the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist." Wow. I could do like a whole series just on like the end of verse 6 there.25:15-25:16That is such an awesome verse.25:16-25:17You should highlight that in your Bible.25:21-25:23That's the gospel right there in verse 6.25:23-25:24This is the gospel.25:24-25:39God came to us in Christ, and we go to God in Christ.25:43-25:44That's awesome.25:47-25:50Regarding the issue at hand, Paul's here saying, "Look, right on, right on.25:51-25:52Hey, I'm with you.25:52-25:54The idol is just a trinket.25:54-25:55There's no boogeyman in the meat.25:56-25:57You have wisdom.25:57-26:03You understand the world in light of the truth of God's Word." Awesome.26:04-26:12Verse 7, "However, not all possess this knowledge." See that?26:13-26:14Paul's agreeing with him.26:14-26:15Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it.26:16-26:16I get it.26:17-26:18The idol's a trinket.26:19-26:19Right.26:21-26:22The meat's not haunted, I get it.26:23-26:23You're right.26:24-26:34However, however, look, God in his word has told us everything he wants us to know about him.26:38-26:42But we are all at different levels of understanding.26:43-26:50Some of us are just a little further down the road on our journey than others in maturing with Christ.26:50-26:51That's just the way things work.26:52-26:54We learn, we grow, we mature.26:54-26:56Some of us are more mature than others.26:56-26:57That's just reality.26:59-27:00And that's what Paul's saying here.27:00-27:01He's, "Look, good for you.27:01-27:02You know some things.27:02-27:04You know some things about the idols.27:04-27:05Guess what?27:05-27:07Not everyone understands.27:08-27:09Not everyone's where you are.27:12-27:13Not everyone gets it.27:15-27:42Look at the rest of verse 7, he goes, "But some," talking about the weaker brothers here, "but some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience being weak is defiled." Your conscience, he says, "These weaker brothers having a problem with their..." What is the conscience?27:42-27:44We talked about this way and through the book of Hebrews.27:45-27:46Your conscience, what is your conscience?27:46-27:57The conscience is the part of your mind that approves or condemns what you do, based on how you understand right and wrong.27:59-28:00That's your conscience.28:00-28:04And some, Paul says, have a weak conscience, meaning it's immature.28:06-28:28not fully understanding yet. And if a weaker brother eats the pagan meat, they go against their conscience and Paul says, "They are defiled." That word "defiled" actually means "guilty." They feel guilty for doing it. They went against their conscience.28:35-28:49Have you ever believed something for so long that even when you learn the truth, it's hard to let go of that old belief that you held onto for so long?28:51-28:52I think we've all been guilty of that.28:53-28:54You know, here's one for me.28:56-29:01When I was a kid, I've always been an excellent singer.29:04-29:06(congregation laughing)29:14-29:14What is going on here?29:21-29:23Learning to have grace with the weaker brothers.29:24-29:25(congregation laughing)29:28-29:30Pastor Taylor, you are absolutely right.29:30-29:32That statement was sarcastic, you are right.29:33-29:34He is absolutely right.29:34-29:36He's not the weaker brother, he's right.29:36-29:38But I have always been a great singer.29:38-29:49But anyways, when I was little, I would sing at the dinner table, 'cause I'm always singing, I'm singing, doing everything, but I'd come to the dinner table and I'd sing.29:50-29:51And do you know what my mom told me?29:52-29:57She says, "You can't sing at the table because it," anybody know?29:59-30:00She made this up.30:01-30:05My mom said, she says, "You can't sing at the table "because it makes the angels cry."30:07-30:08(congregation laughing)30:12-30:13I am dead serious.30:14-30:18Now I found, I just this minute realized she just made that up.30:20-30:21'Cause I was expecting somebody to shout that out.30:22-30:23Nope.30:25-30:29So I grew up like, don't sing, when I get to the table, I'm like, don't sing, why?30:29-30:38because all the angels in heaven are like, "Oh, please." At first I thought it was just like anybody singing, but I think mom meant my singing.30:39-30:41My singing offended the holy angels.30:41-30:56But so I was like, "Don't sing at the table "because the angels, it just made the angels cry." And you're like, "That's silly." It is, admittedly.30:57-31:05But I gotta tell you, to this day, if I'm eating somewhere and I hear somebody singing, do you know what the first thing is that I think of?31:08-31:09You're making the angels cry.31:10-31:11Way to go.31:13-31:14Do you know what I mean?31:14-31:22I know that's not true, but I do cringe when I hear somebody sing at the table because it was just so ingrained in me my whole life growing up.31:22-31:23Don't sing at the table, don't sing at the table.31:24-31:24Angels are weeping.31:27-31:27Like...31:30-31:34And it was true in this culture that Paul's dealing with here.31:35-31:40Imagine the person that got saved out of idolatry.31:41-31:42That's a huge change.31:44-31:57You know, all this time, for all these years, the evil spirits live in the meat, got to sacrifice to the gods, you get the spirits out of the meat, the evil spirits live in the meat, and then they come to Christ, They get the truth of the gospel, and they're like, "That's not true.31:58-31:59There's no evil spirits in the meat.32:00-32:07It's not true at all." It's totally safe to eat, right?32:08-32:12I mean, it is safe, right?32:17-32:23But, I mean, it is pagan meat.32:23-32:41eat. I mean, I guess it's okay to eat it. I mean, gosh, I just don't feel right about eating it. You see the dilemma? I know, but I...32:46-32:55See, mature believers, mature believers, maybe you understand the real truth about the idols and the mate.32:55-33:05Paul's like, "But your weaker brother, he's not there yet." And love says, "I will forego something that might bother the weaker brother." That's what love says.33:06-33:13Look, spiritual maturity is deeper than right and wrong.33:16-33:30The mature believer says, "How does what I do affect the baby Christians?" And you see with the whole alcohol, with the small group barbecue thing, it's the same principle in play.33:31-33:38If the weaker brother is coming to the barbecue, the loving choice is to not have any alcohol there at all.33:40-33:42Not being legalistic, being loving.33:44-33:48I don't want this to be a problem for you, so we're just going to take it off the table.33:49-33:51We'll have a Dr. Pepper.33:55-34:05Look, if you're insisting on your liberty on the basis of, "I have wisdom, I know the ways of the world and how it works," you've just missed the whole picture.34:08-34:08One more.34:11-34:15Three valid reasons for liberty that don't work when you have a weaker brother.34:17-34:19"I have knowledge." That doesn't work when there's a weaker brother.34:19-34:22"I have wisdom." That doesn't work.34:22-34:26When you have a weaker brother, number three, here's one that we often use, I have good theology.34:28-34:30And see, these all do kind of bleed together, obviously.34:32-34:33But I have good theology.34:36-34:37Look at verse eight.34:38-34:41He says, "Food will not commend us to God.34:42-34:55"We are no worse off if we do not eat "and no better off if we do." Interestingly, that word commend is literally draw us near to.34:58-35:01What you eat is not going to draw you closer to God.35:04-35:04And that's what he's saying.35:05-35:11Eating doesn't make you holy, nor does eating make you a sinner.35:13-35:15That's good theology, right?35:16-35:16It's good theology.35:18-35:20What you eat will not draw you near to God.35:21-35:24There's only one way to draw near to God, and that's Jesus Christ.35:25-35:29He provided access to God through his death, through his resurrection.35:29-35:32That's the only basis you have of coming to God.35:33-35:35The only way you can draw near is through Jesus Christ.35:36-35:38But it certainly isn't in what you eat.35:41-35:43That's great theology, right?35:45-35:53So God doesn't care what we eat, But, but God does care about his weaker children and the way we love them.35:54-35:55He cares about that.35:55-35:57Look at verses nine and 10.35:58-36:05He says, "But take care that this right of yours "does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.36:07-36:23"For if anyone sees you who have knowledge "eating in an idol's temple, Will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?36:27-36:30Stumbling block, stumbling block.36:30-36:33That's something that makes you sin, right?36:33-36:34That's a stumbling block.36:35-36:41And Paul here says, you're insisting on your freedom can make the weaker brother sin.36:45-36:45What do you mean?36:46-37:03Just simply this, if their conscience says, don't eat the pagan meat, and they see you eating, they're going to feel pressured to go against their conscience and eat, and that will make them miserable.37:06-37:11They're gonna feel the pressure, they're gonna eat, and then they're gonna immediately, I shouldn't have eaten that.37:13-37:20But you know, he makes me feel guilty if I don't join in and eat, but then I do eat, and now I feel guilty that I did.37:23-37:24You see an obvious application, right?37:26-37:33You decide you're gonna go ahead and have alcohol with your little small group barbecue, volleyball extravaganza thing.37:33-37:35And you're like, I'm still gonna have alcohol there.37:36-37:39And that recovering addict shows up.37:40-37:43And he's like, yeah, I don't drink anymore.37:44-37:45It ruined my life.37:48-37:50But everybody else is drinking.37:51-37:54Man, I kind of feel like the odd man out here.37:55-38:01Maybe I should, I mean, these are new friends and I should try to fit in, right?38:01-38:06So, I don't want to look like a weirdo.38:08-38:08And then he drinks.38:10-38:11How does he feel about himself afterwards?38:14-38:15I can't believe I did that.38:22-38:26Listen, never ever violate your conscience.38:28-38:36I have people come to me for counseling all the time and it can be a gray area matter and they'll say, "I just have this conviction about this.38:36-38:39"Is that right?" I tell them the same thing, ask anybody that's come.38:40-38:42I'm like, I will never tell you to violate your conscience.38:43-38:50If you have a conviction and it's different than mine, and it's a non-biblical issue, I am not going to tell you to violate your conscience on that.38:51-38:56And at the same time, do not ever ask someone else to violate theirs.39:01-39:06With your conscience, yes, understand, seek to understand why you feel how you do.39:07-39:11Evaluate if it is from God, but never violate your conscience.39:11-39:13Look, you're going to mature in Christ.39:13-39:19Your understanding of God's word is going to mature, but don't force it.39:23-39:27Let the growth happen naturally for you and for the weaker brother.39:31-39:48And I know at this point in the message, there's still somebody, somebody's inwardly protesting all this, saying, "Why should I care what my choices "have to do with somebody else's conscience?39:48-39:55"Like, why is that any of their business?" Well, look at verse 11.39:57-40:07Paul says, "And so by your knowledge, this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.40:13-40:13Why should you care?40:16-40:18Because Jesus does.40:20-40:23How much does Jesus care about this weaker brother, really?40:23-40:25How much does Jesus care?40:26-40:27Jesus died for him.40:28-40:30That is how Jesus regards this man.40:30-40:35That is how Jesus so loves this man that Jesus was willing to die for him.40:36-40:38And that's why you should love him too.40:41-40:57Verse 12, he says, "Thus, sitting against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ." Wow.40:59-41:00Paul ratchets it up.41:01-41:03This is the top of the mountain here.41:04-41:10He goes, "Do you need a reason to not offend the weaker brother?41:10-41:13Do you need a reason for that?" He goes, "Here's your reason.41:13-41:15Here's number one.41:17-41:21Jesus takes any mistreatment of his people very seriously.41:22-41:29You sit against that weaker brother, you're sitting against Jesus himself." And Jesus takes this very seriously.41:32-41:41Look, if you pressure my son into doing something he doesn't wanna do, we are having words.41:45-41:51Jesus has a much stronger stance on this than I do, actually.41:54-42:14Matthew 18.6, "Whoever causes," these are the words of Jesus, "Whoever causes one of these little ones "who believe in me to sin, "it would be better for him to have a great millstone "fastened around his neck "and be drowned in the depths of the sea." You sin against a weaker brother, you're sinning against Jesus.42:15-42:16He takes that pretty seriously.42:17-42:32And again, Matthew 25, verse 40, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, "As you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers, "you did it to me." Serious business.42:34-42:36And finally, verse 13.42:39-42:58Paul says, "Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, "I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble." Paul's like, "Look, run the risk of sinning against Jesus?42:58-42:59Nuh-uh, uh-uh.43:00-43:18I'm not going to insist on my liberty, my rights." Paul says, "I will become a vegan before I cause a brother to stumble, because loving Loving my weaker brother is more important than having a burger.43:20-43:24And loving my weaker brother is more important than having a beer.43:28-43:35So if you're insisting on your liberty on the basis of, "Well, I have good theology," you missed the big picture.43:37-43:37All right.43:38-43:39That was the introduction.43:41-43:42Here's the sermon.43:44-43:47Your liberty goes only as far as love.43:50-43:56Like the Corinthians, you can say, "Well, I know the Bible and I understand spiritual truths.43:57-43:59My theology is on point.43:59-44:06I am free in Christ to do whatever I want!" No, you aren't.44:09-44:14You must be willing to lay down your rights if it means protecting your weaker brother.44:17-44:19For communion servers would come up, our worship team.44:23-44:32I'll give you one more reason why we should lay down our rights out of love.44:35-44:37And it's because we have a great example.44:37-44:45You know, the Bible says Jesus did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped.44:45-44:46Wrap your head around that.44:47-44:55Jesus had the right to insist on all of the privileges that come with being God.44:58-45:02And he humbled himself to give them up.45:05-45:11The question I have for you this morning is, will you follow Jesus in that?45:13-45:19Are you willing to lay down your rights, your freedoms, out of love?45:21-45:22I want you to stand.45:25-45:31And when you're ready to receive the Lord's Supper, by the way, if you're a born again believer in Christ, this is for you.45:32-45:37You don't have to be a member of Harvest Bible Chapel, but you do have to be a born again believer in Christ.45:38-45:39And if you are, he invites you.45:40-45:49Come down the center aisle, receive the elements, and I'm gonna ask that you take them back to your seat by going to the outside aisle.45:49-45:56And when everyone has the elements, we will receive the Lord's Supper together as an act of church unity.45:56-45:57All right, please come.46:01-46:03Why should I choose to lay down my rights?46:07-46:11because I have a great example in my Lord.46:13-46:20The Bible tells us the night Jesus was betrayed, He took bread and He broke it.46:20-46:43He gave thanks and He said, "This is my body which is given for you. Eat this in remembrance of me." After the meal, Jesus took the cup He said, "This cup is the blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sin.46:45-46:47Drink this in remembrance of Me." Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 8:1-13What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Do you tend to lean more on the side of “legalism” or “libertine”? Why?What exactly is meant by “stumbling block” (1 Cor 8:9)? How could you be responsible for someone else sinning (1 Cor 8:12)?Besides alcohol, what are some examples of gray areas today that we need to be careful to “not make a weaker brother stumble”?BreakoutPray for one another.

Introduction: Introduction: Three Advantages of Being Single: (1 Corinthians 7:25-40) You're Saved from CERTAIN TROUBLES. (1 Cor 7:26-28) You're Saved from DISTRACTION. (1 Cor 7:29-38) Matthew 22:30 – For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Colossians 3:2 – Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. You're Saved from OBLIGATION. (1 Cor 7:39-40) Matthew 19:10 – The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! AUDIO TRANSCRIPT 00:37-00:41Open up those Bibles to 1 Corinthians and chapter 7.00:44-00:49And while we do, I'm just going to ask that you would just pause with me here.00:49-00:58You pray for me, that I will communicate God's word as I should, clearly and accurately and straightforwardly.00:58-01:03I will pray for you, that your heart would be open to receive what God wants to teach us today.01:03-01:06All right, so let's just take a moment and pray.01:10-01:19Father, be glorified through the proclamation of Your Word, through receiving Your Word and being doers of Your Word.01:20-01:23Be glorified in all things, we pray in Jesus' name.01:24-01:41And all of God's people said, "Amen." Several years ago, a friend of mine told me about this single friend that he has who was sitting home one day and got a phone call.01:42-02:10The phone rang, he picked it up, and he's like, "Hello?" And the voice on the other end said, "Hi, would you be interested in meeting a lot of exciting available singles in your area?" And the man said, "I got enough problems." It's funny, but that's really the heart of this passage that we're looking at today.02:14-02:23See, in 1 Corinthians 7, we've seen that marriage is a gift, and God has given married people a wedding present that they are to use appropriately.02:25-02:29And we've seen that for some people, being single is a gift.02:32-02:37But each one brings their own set of issues.02:38-02:47And the Corinthians were writing to Paul, asking for counsel, and Paul was writing this letter back to them, giving them counsel.02:48-02:50Look at verse 25.02:52-03:15Paul says, "Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy." You see, he says, "Now concerning." We saw that again back in chapter 7 verse 1.03:15-03:20It seems that Paul was going through a list of things that they brought up.03:20-03:21He goes, "Okay, let me tell you about this.03:22-03:32Okay, now let me tell you about this issue you brought up." It's kind of a Q&A format, and he says the next subject here is the betrothed.03:32-03:35Some translations say virgins.03:35-03:38He's talking to the singles.03:41-03:42All the single ladies.03:44-04:08that song? Get your hand up. I studied that dance this week and I was going to do it for you, but I looked at myself in the mirror and I do not dance like Beyonce. So maybe Maybe some other time.04:12-04:17But last week we saw Pastor Taylor talked about commitment.04:17-04:19That was in the previous passage, commitment.04:20-04:22Trust God where He has you, right?04:22-04:24Bloom where you are planted.04:27-04:30And I was thinking about that through the context of the whole passage.04:31-05:08Paul's talking about marriage and sexuality and singles issues, and then he talks about contentment, and then in this passage he's addressing the singles. Like why that flow? Why did he insert contentment right in the middle of that? And I think it's because there are certain aspects of being single that make it hard to be content. And here's what I mean by that. I think especially in the church there difficulties in being single.05:09-05:13Because I mean, think about it, in church, marriage is exalted.05:15-05:19In church, you see many godly marriages.05:20-05:28You sit and you watch infant dedications, and I think for singles there's a real sense of FOMO, right?05:30-05:35So this passage we're looking at today, mostly, is for the single people.05:37-05:53And if you're tempted to be like, "Oh, this ain't for me, I'm tuning out." I would say, "You are forbidden to tune out of this message." We expect our single people to sit through series on marriage, series on parenting.05:54-06:00We're like, "You need to listen to this, you need to listen to this, you know married people, so you should listen to this." You know single people, all right?06:01-06:05And maybe the Lord will open a door for you to be able to encourage them with some things in here.06:05-06:06All right?06:07-06:09So if I see you tuning out, I'm gonna throw a Bible at you.06:12-06:12All right?06:12-06:18So Paul says here, don't worry, it'll be a soft cover, not like a MacArthur study Bible or anything.06:19-06:28But Paul says here, I have no command for the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.06:28-06:29We talked about this before.06:30-06:38All Paul is saying here is the Lord, Jesus Christ, did not specifically address these singles issues during His earthly ministry.06:38-06:41It wasn't...being single is not a moral issue.06:42-06:45Jesus didn't really go into depth in addressing this.06:46-06:46Right?06:48-07:03He says, "I don't have a quote for you from Jesus." When it comes to divorce, Paul said, "I got quotes for you from Jesus about divorce." Jesus was crystal on that, but I don't have a quote from Jesus really about these aspects of being single.07:03-07:08But Paul's like, "Hey, you can trust me." Right?07:09-07:24And he goes on in this passage to say, "It's good to be single." Actually, he says it's in many ways better to be single.07:24-07:27It's wiser to be single.07:29-07:37Right now the singles among us might have heard that last statement and thought, "What's so great about being single?07:39-07:40What's so great about it?07:42-07:44What is it, the loneliness?07:46-07:47Is that what's so great about it?07:49-07:54Is it the stigma that people put on you, like, "Oh, you're single.07:54-07:58What's wrong with you?" Is that the great part of being single, Pastor Jeff?08:00-08:05Is it going to the soda shop, Pastor Jeff, and eating the wet walnut sundae by yourself?08:12-08:14Is it all the people that try to play Cupid?08:15-08:16Is that the great part?08:17-08:21You know, I got this co-worker, it'd be great for you.08:22-08:24Both of his teeth are really clean," and whatever.08:28-08:30I can't wait to meet him.08:32-08:33Is that the great part, Pastor Jeff?08:34-08:35Is it the FOMO, Pastor Jeff?08:36-08:36Is it?08:36-08:38What's the great part, Pastor Jeff?08:39-08:40What's the great part?08:41-08:46Well, this is what the Lord said, okay?08:46-08:49This isn't Jeff's opinion, this is God's opinion.08:49-08:52So on your outline, I want you to jot some things down.08:53-08:55Here's three advantages of being single.08:55-08:57All right, three advantages of being single.09:01-09:03Oh, right, sorry.09:10-09:11I beg your pardon.09:12-09:13I have a disclaimer.09:17-09:20I have been happily married since 2002.09:27-09:32Despite what Paul says about singleness, I am very thankful for my beautiful, talented, and intelligent wife.09:33-09:35I acknowledge that I married up.09:36-09:40Her presence daily enhances my life in every way.09:41-09:46And then it says at the bottom, you better read this and sound convincing, love Aaron.09:47-09:48(congregation laughing)09:57-09:58I am thankful to be married.10:01-10:05That was what God had for me, but God might not have that for you.10:06-10:07All right, he gives different gifts to different people.10:08-10:11So if you're single, here's three advantages of being single.10:11-10:15Number one, write this down, you're saved from certain troubles.10:16-10:19You're saved from certain troubles.10:22-10:25And here's the point, I'm gonna give you the heads up and we're gonna see it in the text.10:25-10:34What Paul's saying here is there are troubles married people have that single people do not have, okay?10:34-10:36That's why the word certain is in there.10:37-10:40Not, save from all troubles, everybody's got troubles, okay?10:40-10:41Everybody's got troubles.10:41-10:47But there are certain troubles that married people have that single people have the luxury of not having, all right?10:48-10:53And he gives them in two categories, and the first one is present distress.10:53-10:57You can write that down on your outline underneath number one, distress.10:57-10:58Look at verse 26.11:00-11:13Paul says, "I think that in view of the present distress, It is good for a person to remain as he is, obviously, or as she is.11:14-11:15Okay, what's the distress?11:15-11:16What's the distress?11:16-11:21Well, some translations translate that violence.11:22-11:23Violence.11:24-11:28It's just simply hardships of living in a violent world.11:29-11:37And Paul's like, "Hey, hey, the world's a violent place, so it's probably better, single that you're not married for that reason.11:38-11:49See for the Corinthians, about 15 years after they would have received this letter, they endured horrible persecution that lasted for 200 years.11:51-11:52And I think Paul knew that.11:53-11:55Like, the world's a violent place.11:58-12:00But see, this principle isn't just for them.12:01-12:05I mean, isn't the world a violent and evil place today?12:06-12:08I mean, do I really have to sell you on that?12:09-12:14I mean, look at all the school shootings and sex trafficking, all the wars.12:15-12:20I wrote this before the events of yesterday, the events of yesterday happened.12:21-12:21The wars.12:23-12:33The war for your kids, all the gay and transgender stuff pushed in schools, the persecution for simply believing the Bible, Charlie Kirk, remember him?12:36-12:44So I would ask you, church, when Paul talks about violence to the Corinthians in our day, are we getting better or are we getting worse?12:45-12:46Which is it?12:48-12:54Can you really turn on the news and be like, oh yeah, there was violence back in that day, but I think things are pretty safe now, right?12:54-12:55Could you say that?12:56-12:57Of course not.12:59-13:01And I was thinking about this a lot this past week.13:02-13:05What era of human history was perfectly safe?13:06-13:07To have a wife and kids.13:08-13:09Is there any?13:09-13:27Can you point to an era and be like, "Yeah, this was the sweet spot right here in human history that it was…everything was safe." You see, such violence has extra implications if you have a spouse.13:28-13:32If you have a spouse, many times you also eventually have children.13:35-13:38Such violence has implications for spouse and kids, right?13:39-13:43What I mean is, look, I'm not afraid of being attacked personally.13:43-13:43I'm not.13:44-13:44Like, whatever.13:46-13:52I mean, somebody doesn't like the sermon and they slip past security and come up and shoot me or whatever.13:52-13:53Okay, whatever.13:53-13:54See you in heaven.13:56-14:03But I've got a wife and kids, and the thought of them being in danger is terrifying to me.14:04-14:08To think that they're in danger and I can't protect them and I can't be there.14:11-14:12That's what Paul's talking about here.14:13-14:20You see, if I suffer, whatever, but if they suffer, that is way more painful than any suffering that I can endure.14:22-14:30That's why Paul says there in verse 26, he says, "Remain as he is." That's better.14:30-14:32"Remain as he is." He clarifies that though.14:32-14:33Look, he clarifies.14:33-14:34Look at verse 27.14:36-14:39He says, "Are you bound to a wife?14:40-14:41Do not seek to be free.14:41-14:42Are you free from a wife?14:44-14:50Do not seek a wife." He says, "Married, stay married.14:50-14:51Single stay single.14:52-14:53Did you get a divorce?14:53-14:55Stay as you are.14:58-15:06He's saying singles might be wise to pump the brakes on getting married in view of just how violent the world is.15:08-15:08You see that?15:09-15:11There's a second category of trouble.15:11-15:12We saw the presence of stress.15:13-15:14The next one is that worldly troubles.15:15-15:16Look at verse 28.15:16-15:17This is a little different though.15:18-15:26Verse 28, he says, "But if you do marry, you have not sinned.15:27-15:31And if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned.15:32-15:39Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that." Stop there.15:40-15:41There's worldly troubles.15:42-15:53I mean, he says, "A marriage isn't sin, obviously." He goes, "But it brings trouble." There's conflict within marriage, right?15:54-16:00He already addressed there's conflict that comes from outside, but there's also conflict that comes from the inside.16:01-16:07What I mean is, you know, I have to deal with my own sin issues.16:08-16:09I am incredibly selfish.16:15-16:21I can be incredibly prideful, and I can be horribly irritable.16:25-16:27I got those issues going on.16:28-16:36Now, I get married and I got to deal with my wife's sin issues.16:36-16:38I mean, not my wife.16:38-16:43I mean, but you see the point.16:45-16:47You got your sin issues, whoever you marry is going to have sin issues.16:48-16:52The potential for misery in marriage is worse than for singles.16:53-16:58Like yeah, singles are going to deal with their own sin, married people, the amount of sin just doubled in the home.17:03-17:07people get married thinking it's going to fix everything, right?17:08-17:22People get married thinking, you know, "I have these physical urges, and if I just get married, all those urges are going to be fixed." It's not always true, right?17:23-17:25Or people are like, "I'm incredibly lonely.17:26-17:32I'm just so lonely, and if I get married, I won't be lonely." That's not always true either.17:37-17:40Sometimes these things just get worse, right?17:41-17:48Desire for intimacy gets worse when you have a spouse you want to be with but is unresponsive.17:50-17:53Loneliness gets worse when you live with someone who resents you.17:57-18:02So if you're single and you're on the fence, "Should I get married?18:03-18:05Maybe I'll wait till the end of the sermon to decide.18:05-18:11What should I do?" If you're single, "Oh, I wish I had a string.18:11-18:43My previous church, I had a string of marriage counseling sessions I was going through, and I so wish, single people, that I could take you into these marriage counseling sessions and have you sit in the corner and just watch." That would make up your mind for you because you would walk out of there going, "I am so thankful that I don't got to deal with that." Potential for misery in marriage is worse than the potential for misery in singles.18:43-18:44That's what Paul's saying.18:46-18:53I mean even if conflict isn't the big issue, I mean there's plenty of other worldly troubles, right?18:56-18:58like sickness, for example.19:00-19:04I mean, I remember back when I was single, and that was a difficult season in my life.19:06-19:08But do you know what's harder than being single?19:10-19:12You know what's harder is watching a sick wife suffer.19:13-19:13That's harder.19:14-19:20You know what's harder than being single is watching a sick child that you've prayed for for decades not get better.19:21-19:22That's harder than being single.19:24-19:26Now this is Paul's whole point here.19:26-19:27Look, life is hard.19:27-19:28Life is hard for everyone.19:29-19:31I mean, the Bible is crystal on that.19:31-19:38Life is hard for everyone, but getting married invites other elements of trouble.19:40-19:42The world is violent, my wife is violent.19:42-19:45Single people are saved from that.19:47-19:49I guess that's number one.19:49-19:53Number two, three advantages of being single, you're safe from certain troubles.19:53-19:55Number two, you're safe from distraction.19:57-19:58You're safe from distraction.20:01-20:07Marriage brings distraction, and he gives two ways that it does.20:07-20:15First of all, you lose your perspective on priorities, and second of all, you get distracted by the duty of taking care of a family, right?20:15-20:16So let's talk about these.20:17-20:17Let's break them down.20:19-20:21One distraction, losing perspective on priorities.20:21-20:25Look at verse 29, he says, "This is what I mean, brothers.20:27-20:29The appointed time has grown very short.20:30-20:41From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none." You've got to read it in its context.20:42-20:47If you pull that verse out of its context, you're thinking it says something way different than it does, okay?20:48-20:50So you've got to listen to the rest of us.20:50-21:00He is not saying…He is not saying…everybody say, "Not saying." He is not saying, "Detach from your wife." He's not saying that at all.21:00-21:02The context makes it clear what He is saying.21:02-21:20Look, verse 30, He goes, "And those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it.21:21-21:28For the present form of this world is passing away." See, what's he saying?21:28-21:29Look at the context.21:30-21:37Mourning, rejoicing, stuff, doing business, that's all earth stuff.21:39-21:39Right?21:39-21:43That is all stuff for here and now.21:45-21:57Paul's saying, "Don't live as if this is all there is." You realize so many people live as if they are going to be here forever, and you're not.21:58-21:59None of us are.22:03-22:05That's what Paul's talking about here.22:05-22:09You're mourning, you're going through a hard time, it's temporary.22:10-22:12You're not going to be mourning in heaven over that.22:12-22:14Oh, and you're rejoicing, you had the greatest day of your life?22:14-22:17Okay, that's not going to mean anything in heaven.22:18-22:18Right?22:19-22:20Oh, you're worried about your stuff?22:20-22:21He ain't taking it with you.22:22-22:24Earthly dealings, you're not going to be doing that in heaven.22:26-22:27It's all earth stuff.22:30-22:43And then he says, "Life as we know it on earth, it's all passing away, including marriage." I mean, all of these things in his list, he's saying these things all look different in light of eternity.22:44-22:48And don't let these things distract you from the big picture.22:49-22:50Do you know what the big picture is?22:52-22:59The big picture is you were created by God to spend a certain amount of time on this earth.23:04-23:09But you were born with a sinful nature we inherited from the first man.23:12-23:15You were born with a nature to rebel against your Creator.23:17-23:20Not to do what He wants you to do, but to do whatever you want to do.23:20-23:23You're selfish too, just like me.23:25-23:28And someday you're going to stand before that God who created you.23:29-23:32That God that you've rebelled against, someday you're going to stand before Him.23:33-23:37He just sang about what kind of God He is.23:37-23:38Holy forever.23:39-23:46You rebellious sinner are going to stand before the holy God that you rebelled against.23:49-23:58You deserve the worst that He could give you, which is hell, eternal separation from Him.23:59-24:07But because He loves you so much, He sent His Son to die on the cross on your behalf, to take your sin penalty on Himself.24:08-24:16When Jesus was on the cross, God was pouring out His wrath on Jesus, the wrath that I deserve and the wrath that you deserve.24:17-24:21Then Jesus rose from the dead so that we too can have the promise of eternal life.24:22-24:23That is the big picture.24:25-24:28So whether you buy or sell, you had a great day, a horrible day.24:28-24:34you get married or not, you're going to stand before a God who is going to judge you.24:35-24:38But if you are in Christ, there is no condemnation.24:39-24:40You are not guilty.24:40-24:41You are forgiven.24:43-24:44No sin will ever be held against you.24:44-24:45That is the big picture.24:45-24:55And Paul is saying, "Do not let the stuff of the earth, including marriage, distract you from that." He's just simply putting things into perspective.24:58-24:58Right?24:59-25:02Even marriage is not eternal.25:02-25:05Jesus said this in Matthew 22.25:06-25:18He says, "For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven." Marriage is a "for now on earth" thing.25:20-25:20Right?25:20-25:21not for heaven.25:23-25:24We have it for now on earth.25:25-25:25Why?25:25-25:27For partnership, right?25:28-25:31For pleasure, for procreation.25:34-25:39All the purposes that marriage fulfill, those purposes aren't going to exist in heaven.25:40-25:44We're not going to need them fulfilled the way that they're fulfilled on earth.25:46-25:52I was thinking about this this week and I thought back to my days in elementary school.25:55-26:05I remember there were kids that would go skiing over the weekend and then they'd come to school on Monday.26:06-26:07Some of you remember this?26:07-26:09They'd come to school on Monday with their winter jacket on.26:09-26:11Remember what they still had hanging on their winter jacket?26:13-26:15Your lift pass, remember that?26:15-26:16They'd walk in.26:21-26:22(groans)26:27-26:29What'd you do over the weekend, Joey?26:33-26:35It was such a badge of honor.26:37-26:38You're like, why are you making fun of him?26:38-26:39Because I was so jealous.26:40-26:41That's why.26:43-26:46It was such a badge of honor, wasn't it, to walk into school.26:48-26:50You're not laughing because you were those kids, weren't you?26:52-26:54You were those ski lift tag kids.26:59-27:01I kind of laugh because you know what?27:02-27:05That lift tag was very useful for a time, wasn't it?27:06-27:09I mean, when you're skiing, that thing is super useful.27:09-27:11It has great purpose.27:11-27:16"Oh, you're skiing, it has great purpose." But then when you show up at school, what is it?27:16-27:18It's just a piece of garbage hanging from your coat.27:20-27:21It doesn't mean anything.27:22-27:24Like, dude, you don't need that.27:24-27:26You don't need to ride the lift to the cafeteria.27:29-27:31You don't need the ski tag.27:32-27:34And that's really, same thing with marriage.27:35-27:38Like, hey, married, I got a beautiful wife, she's awesome.27:38-27:45It's like, yes, but you're not going to need a wife in heaven, because every relationship is going to be perfect.27:50-27:53Paul's saying what he says in Colossians 3 too, right?27:53-27:57Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.27:59-28:02Don't let marriage distract you from your spiritual life.28:03-28:42Don't let marriage make you lose perspective on your priorities? Because it does. There are people, there are some people here that work more on their marriage than they do on their personal walk with Jesus Christ. That's a problem. That's backwards. If you worked more on your personal walk with Jesus Christ, things in your marriage would get a whole lot better. But marriage distracts us from focusing on eternity because marriage, as God's Word tells us, divides our interests.28:44-28:45Look at verse 32.28:49-28:52Paul says, "I want you to be free from anxieties.28:55-29:00The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord." How to please the Lord.29:01-29:06But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife.29:08-29:09And his interests are divided.29:11-29:20And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit.29:20-29:27But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.29:29-29:36Any single people can serve Jesus undistracted because the single person only has one set of cares.29:37-29:39The married person is divided.29:40-29:41That's what he's saying.29:41-29:47The married person says, "I really do want to serve Christ.29:47-29:58I really do want to give everything to Jesus, but I also have this God-given responsibility to take care of my family.30:00-30:07My interests are divided." So, singles better.30:09-30:11You're like, "Man, that sounds legalistic." Look at verse 35.30:13-30:38Paul says, "I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord." See that's exactly what Paul is saying here, he says, "I'm not being legalistic." He says, "This is for your benefit." But don't think that married people are second-class citizens.30:41-30:41Right?30:42-30:55Verse 36, he says, "If anyone thinks he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes.30:55-30:57Let them marry, it is no sin.30:58-32:31But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity, but having his desires under control and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better." You're like, "What is he talking about here?" This would have made way more sense to the original audience of this letter. Understand here, Paul is talking specifically here to fathers of unmarried daughters. The fathers had decision-making power in the matter of marriage for their daughters. Like, well that sounds very weird. Not really. Even today, I mean, isn't there the custom of when you want to get married to a woman, don't you go to her father and ask for her hand in marriage? Where do you think that comes from. Right? Same principle. But understand, Paul's just, once again, even in that, he's laying out the same thing he's been saying through this whole chapter, specifically through this whole passage. He goes, "If they get married, great. And if they remain single," He's like, "That's even better.32:32-32:39It's even better." Paul says here in this section that when it comes to serving Jesus, single people have an advantage.32:42-32:54Now, understand, single people, single people understand before you go out and get your ski tag, understand he's not saying single people are more spiritual than married people.32:54-32:55He is not saying that.32:56-33:02Single people are not automatically more devoted to Jesus than married people.33:02-33:04He is not saying that.33:04-33:11You're like, "Well, what is he saying?" He's saying single people have the greater potential in their service to Jesus Christ.33:16-33:17All right?33:17-33:46people, consider how much of your resources goes to just taking care of your family, right? How much time does your family require? How much money do you spend on your family? How much energy does your family get? And the answer is Because they get all of all the above, right?33:49-34:04And Paul here is simply saying, "Single people, you have tremendous opportunity, capacity, and potential to serve Christ because you're saved from the distractions that come from having to take care of a family." Right?34:04-34:05Single people?34:07-34:07Single people?34:08-34:12You want to spend extra time in prayer and the Word today?34:13-34:30You can do that without a bunch of little people running up to you going...and you're like, "I fed you yesterday." Well, you've got to feed them today too.34:31-34:33Single people don't got to worry about that.34:34-34:36Single people, you want to go on a mission trip?34:37-34:42You know what, this Vision Appalachia thing, I'm about that, I'm gone.34:42-34:44I'm going to talk to Bob Brown, I'm gone.34:44-34:46Single people can do that, like at the drop of a hat.34:47-34:51Or hey, next trip to Thailand, I am there.34:52-34:53No problem.34:53-35:00Single people can do that because you don't have to factor in the schedules of several other people.35:02-35:02Right?35:04-35:17Single people, you're like, "Oh, it's a prayer service tonight at church." You don't have to worry if you're going to miss it because your spouse is working late or Joey has yet another lacrosse tournament.35:20-35:21That's like the fifth one today.35:24-35:26Single people don't got to worry about that.35:26-35:27That's all Paul's saying here.35:29-35:35Oh, and P.S., history is full of single people that God has used mightily.35:37-35:39I read about a whole bunch of them this past week.35:40-35:44I don't have time to get into all of them, but I will mention one.35:44-35:47How about Paul, right?35:48-36:12Paul himself being single allowed Paul the opportunity to evangelize the Roman world and write holy Spirit-inspired letters that guide, encourage, and bless the churches even until today." So I guess Paul being single adds quite a bit of credibility to this Spirit-inspired truth that he wrote.36:12-36:14He says, "Hey, are you single?36:15-36:21You're saved from a lot of distractions." All right, three advantages of being single.36:21-36:22You're saved from certain troubles.36:23-36:24You're safe from distraction.36:24-36:26Number three, you're safe from obligation.36:28-36:31One more, you're safe from obligation.36:33-36:36Paul says a wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives.36:38-36:46But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.36:48-36:52Yet in my judgment, she is happier if she remains as she is.36:55-36:57And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.36:59-37:00I love that last statement.37:01-37:16Paul's like, 'cause you know that people are gonna be reading this and hearing this like, "Oh, come on, Paul, that's just your opinion." And he's like, "Yeah, I think I have the Holy Spirit too." So you're saved from obligation.37:16-37:22Paul says, "If your spouse dies, You can marry another believer.37:24-37:38Paul says, "Yet you'll be happier to stay single." But, Paul says, "Once you marry, you are bound as long as your spouse lives." He's talking about the obligation to the marriage.37:41-37:57The most important choice you will ever make for however long you have on the earth, the The most important choice is whether or not you are going to turn from your sin and turn to Jesus Christ and receive Him as your Lord and Savior.37:57-37:59That is the most important choice you will ever make.38:00-38:03Do you know what the second most important choice is that you will ever make?38:04-38:06Is the person that you decide to marry.38:11-38:12Because there's no going back.38:14-38:15At least not in God's eyes.38:16-38:17There's no going back.38:18-38:20It's more important than choosing a college major.38:20-38:23It's more important than choosing a career.38:24-38:26It's more important than choosing a tattoo.38:29-38:33More important than all these, who you marry, because it's a covenant before God.38:33-38:36It's a sacred thing in the eyes of God.38:36-38:47In the eyes of God, you're bound for life, and Paul's reminding, hey, when you're bound to a spouse, there is no more liberty that comes with being single.38:51-38:58You know, in Matthew chapter 19, Jesus was talking about marriage and divorce and adultery.38:58-39:03He was being challenged, and we've talked about that passage even very recently.39:04-39:12And Jesus gave his teaching on what it means to be married and defining divorce and adultery and all of that.39:12-39:18Well, the disciples heard all this, and this was their response to Jesus.39:18-39:24After hearing the Lord teach about marriage, this is what the disciples said in response to Jesus.39:25-39:41The disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it's better not to marry." Go back and read that whole passage, and you'll see they got it.39:42-39:44They were not rebuked for this statement.39:45-40:03Jesus is like, "Yeah, but not everybody can receive that, but yeah, they got it." Marriage is not for everyone, but there is a special wisdom and dedication that single people are gifted, right?40:04-40:06Our worship team would make their way back up front.40:13-40:22Single people, do you have the gift of being single?40:23-40:24Do you have that gift?40:28-40:32You're like, "You know, I really think this might be God's gift for me, being single." Is that you?40:32-40:34Well, I want to say something to you.40:34-40:38On the authority of the Word of God, it is not inferior to being married.40:39-40:46In fact, God says very clearly, in a lot of ways, it is better.40:49-40:55But for those of you who are single and you're struggling to know, "Do I have the gift?40:55-40:57I'm not sure if I have the gift.40:57-41:12What does God have for me?" Today I just want you to consider the benefits that the Word of God laid out, that there are troubles, distractions, and obligations that you're going to be saved from.41:13-41:14Let's pray.41:15-41:48in heaven, we thank you for your Word. And I know this can be a touchy and emotional subject, but I thank you. I thank you for the tone in which you inspired Paul to communicate this, that it wasn't some hard-nosed, snarky, legalistic thing at all, but just an objective look at reality.41:51-41:52God, You give gifts.41:52-41:53Your Word is so clear.41:53-42:10You give gifts to each one of us, and for some, Father, You've given the gift of singleness, and I pray a special blessing on those that You have so set aside for specific types of ministry that married people are unable to do.42:11-42:28Father, for the single people here maybe who are struggling, not sure if it's their gift, I just ask, Father, that you would maybe use this message to give them direction on what it is exactly you do have for them.42:30-42:47For the rest of us, Father, show us how we can love and encourage our single brothers and sisters without making them feel like they're on a second tier path because according to your word, it's kind of the opposite.42:49-42:53Give us wisdom, Father, in all these things we ask in Jesus' name, amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 7:25-40What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Give some examples of “troubles” that come in marriage (internal and external) that single people are spared.How exactly are single people able to serve Jesus without “divided interests” (1 Cor 7:33)?What are some ways the church can reach single people for discipleship (without allowing it to become just a “match-making ministry”)?BreakoutPray for one another.

“Going with Christ: Part II”Matthew 28:18-20I. COMMON OBJECTIONS OR EXCUSES FOR NOT SHARING JESUSII. HOW TO START SHARING JESUSA. Pray. B. Rely on the Holy Spirit. C. Be prepared. D. Be intentional. E. Be kind and sincere. F. Be patient. G. Share Jesus.

https://archive.org/download/saturday-morning-samoflange-451-top-5-things-i-discovered-on-napster/Saturday%20Morning%20Samoflange%20451%20Top%205%20things%20I%20discovered%20on%20Napster.mp3 

The new manager of a small-town cemetery becomes convinced that he triggered the untimely deaths of several plot owners by tampering with a certain map. When nobody believes him, he risks his sanity to play God once again and prove his point.To download, right-click here and then click SaveJoin the Journey Into Patreon to get early Outfield Excursions episodes.Episode Art courtesy of Gino Moretto.To comment on this or any episode:Send comments and/or recordings to journeyintopodcat@gmail.comPost a comment on Facebook or on X

“Going with Christ: Part I”Matthew 28:18-20I. THE GREAT COMMISSIONII. UNDERSTANDING EVANGELISMIII. HOW TO START

Igor Tudor previews Tottenham's clash against Arsenal in his first press conference as manager of the club. -TIMESTAMPS- 0:00 intro 0:10 I am not here to enjoy I am here to work, privilege to join such a fantastic club. 0:25 Very hard situation you find yourself in with this Many injuries. We have 13 players training. I understand the importance of the north London derby. My goal in the first sessions is that we become a team. We need to suffer. 2:57 I do my job. Nothing special I do the things that I believe. Every coach has their own style. 4:07 We speak from day one, there is no time to lose. 5:30 It is more difficult when you don't have players, but it is easy to choose. You play the best style for the players you have, it's not about system. We need to become a team. 6:20 No one coming back from injury, Solanke trained today, the others could come back next week 8:00 The best player in the history of Croatia played for Spurs. 8:57 I recognised immediately that Dragusin has the skills to be a top defender. 9:20I sent Romero to Atalanta, he's made a Fantastic career. 9:45 We need to have concrete values, that was a goal of mine. 10:10 you will see who our captain is on Sunday. 10:40 Spurs being in a relegation fight is not important. You get nothing if you are thinking about relegation, that is far away. 11:59 It can be 5 points or 10, we need to focus on what we need to become. 12:40 The supporters need to give us support. I have heard a lot of good things about them. 13:10 It does not matter that I have not managed in England. 13:37 Not nice here because we lost to Spurs. They were good games. 14:16 100% confident spurs will be in the premier league. @HaytersTV – Football Up Close. Visit our website: https://hayters.com/ We go behind the scenes with the biggest names in football to bring you interviews, training, news, live coverage, fans' voices and funniest moments. If you love football, you'll love Hayters TV. Subscribe now! Follow HaytersTV on social media - https://linktr.ee/HaytersTV #tottenham #thfc #igortudor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Dropped Among This Crowd, Sara J. dives deep into the life and career of Phil Collins—from his formative years, to Genesis, to his groundbreaking solo work, and beyond. We explore the stories behind In the Air Tonight, his collaborations with legends like Eric Clapton, his commercial dominance alongside artists like Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson, and the unforgettable Live Aid performance that cemented his place in music history.Sara also shares personal memories of seeing Phil live as a kid, highlights his autobiography Not Dead Yet, and invites listeners to weigh in: which era of Phil Collins do you remember most—Genesis, solo hits, or even the Tarzan soundtrack?Join us for a deep dive into a career that has truly soundtracked our lives.Listen to the BBC Sounds Eras five-part podcast series with Phil Collins: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eras/id1703570820Not Dead Yet: The Autobiography — Phil Collinshttps://www.amazon.com/s?k=Not+Dead+Yet+Phil+Collins+autobiography&tag=saraj08-20I always encourage checking your local library first — borrow, explore, and support your community! For those who want to own a copy, I've included Amazon links to grab your favourites.Northern Wish - A Canadian's Perspective on Music: https://www.northernwish.com/category/genesis/Follow DATC Media:https://datcmediacompany.comhttps://www.facebook.com/datcmediahttps://www.instagram.com/datcmediacompany/Follow Dropped Among This Crowd Podcast:https://www.instagram.com/droppedamongthiscrowdpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/droppedamongthiscrowd/Email: droppedamongthiscrowdpod@gmail.comBook a conversation on "Dropped among this Crowd": https://datcmediacompany.com/contact/ola/services/be-on-dropped-among-this-crowd-podcastFollow Sara J:https://www.facebook.com/sara.till41/https://www.instagram.com/sarajachimiak/Donate to DATC Media Company: https://datcmediacompany.com/supportJoin the community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Datcmediacompany/giftWant to be a guest on the show? https://datcmediacompany.com/contact-%26-collab-with-us/ola/services/something-on-guest-spotInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cancon_eh/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/14UyoATZkcz/?mibextid=wwXIfrYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Cancon_ehThe CanCon Playlist: https://bit.ly/4r92PPO

Introduction: Matters of Marriage: A Word for Each of You. (1 Corinthians 7:8-16) Singles: Enjoy the GIFT of SINGLENESS or GET MARRIED. (1 Cor 7:8-9) Single & Want to Get Married? 3 Don'ts: Don't SETTLE. Don't Look for the RIGHT PERSON. Don't Seek MARRIAGE – Seek LOVE. Married Christians: STAY MARRIED. (1 Cor 7:10-11) Married to a NonChristian (Who Wants to Stay Married): STAY MARRIED. (1 Cor 7:12-14) Married to a NonChristian (Who Wants to Leave): LET THEM GO. (1 Cor 7:15-16) Romans 7:2 – For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Matthew 19:8 – He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce...” Matthew 19:9 - “And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! AUDIO TRANSCRIPT 00:36-00:39Open up those Bibles, 1 Corinthians chapter 7.00:41-00:42Chapter 7.00:44-00:47We're in the third section of 1 Corinthians.00:48-00:51Chapters 1 through 4 is about unity.00:52-00:54Like church, get it together.00:56-00:58Chapters 5 and 6 are about purity.01:01-01:08And then when we get to chapter 7 verse 1, you see that Paul is addressing some questions that they had.01:10-01:17And the first subject of this Q&A session is marriage.01:20-01:22So that's where we are.01:22-01:24We go where the text takes us.01:24-01:33I'm going to ask that you would please just quiet your heart before the Lord for a moment and pray for me to be faithful to communicate God's Word.01:33-01:44This is a passage that is going to get a reaction, and it's not about really my opinion or your opinion, it's what did God actually say?01:45-01:46That's what we're going after, right?01:48-01:52So pray for me to be faithful to clearly communicate what God said.01:52-01:57I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is that God said.01:57-01:59All right, let's just take a moment and pray.02:02-02:16Our Father in heaven, I know that many times in my life I've had strong opinions about things that have had to change because of what your Word says.02:22-02:26Because at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what any of us think, Father, It only matters what you think.02:27-02:42So I just pray that you would give us wisdom, that you would eliminate any distractions in our hearts and minds so we can just lock into what your Word has to say here.02:44-02:45It's for the glory of your name.02:46-03:00We pray in Jesus' name, and all of God's people said, "Amen." If you've been with us at all through our series in 1 Corinthians, we've seen that everything was a mess, right?03:00-03:06So now Paul's talking about marriage and no surprise, marriage was a mess.03:07-03:09We talked about this last week.03:09-03:16There were people strong on the single side and there were people strong on the marriage side.03:16-03:17Which one is good?03:17-03:21And the answer is both of them are good.03:23-03:28Marriage was a mess in Corinth, and if we're going to be honest, we're not doing so hot here today either.03:31-03:38As I was preparing this, I get an email that has just short news articles in it and updates and things like that.03:39-03:42And I just read this on Friday, I wanted to share part of this article with you.03:43-03:50This is the newest craze, I haven't heard of this one, maybe you have, but the newest craze is divorce rings.03:51-03:52Have you heard of divorce rings?03:53-03:54Raise your hand if you've heard of divorce rings.03:55-03:57Okay, a couple of you have, all right.03:58-04:04This is new as far as this article told us, but I just want to read part of it.04:04-04:18It says, "The diamond ring Alex Weinstein," that's a female, "wears every day is a reminder that once upon a time she said, "I do," these days she happily says she does not.04:20-04:45Weinstein got divorced last March and tossed her engagement ring in a drawer for a few months. Then the Tampa, Florida-based content creator decided to make herself a divorce ring. She reset a radiant three-carat stone from her ex- husband into gold, turning it east to west in a bezel." I should have looked up what that meant.04:45-04:46Anybody know what a bezel is?04:47-04:48Okay, nobody?04:49-04:50All right, I shouldn't have said anything, huh?04:51-04:53I was safe until I just said that.04:53-04:55All right, noted.04:55-04:56That helps me for the second service.04:58-05:07The shame and stigma, the article goes on, "The shame and stigma of divorce has been replaced for some women with empowerment and celebration.05:10-05:17While diamond rings have long been a cultural signifier of marriage, some women are also choosing to mark the end of their matrimonies with a little bling.05:21-05:26Weinstein says, "I'm not proud of getting divorced, but I am proud of putting myself first.05:28-05:34Why shouldn't I celebrate this chapter of my life?" Why am I sharing this article with you?05:36-05:49Because I think if anything sort of personifies how far we have drifted as a culture from God's ideal, I think this kind of nails it.05:50-05:53We are celebrating divorce.05:55-05:56We are celebrating it!06:00-06:04You know, we look at Corinth and we're like, "Man, those people were messed up." Us people are messed up.06:08-06:20Back to Corinth, though, some would say...some in Corinth had said, "Excuse me." Some said, "You know, being single is actually being more devoted to God." And they actually had married people get a divorce.06:21-06:36Like, "Hey, you'll be more devoted to God if you get the divorce." And then there were some that said, "Look, if you want to be devoted to God, you can't have intimate relations with a woman.06:36-06:48So if you want to stay married, just don't have any intimacy." Those were some of the thoughts they had in Corinth, and both of those are wrong.06:50-06:54In the previous passage, again, Paul said, "Staying single is good.06:54-06:56Marriage is good.06:56-06:59And intimacy in marriage should be a regular thing.07:03-07:05But what if I'm not in a biblical marriage?07:09-07:12What I mean is, what if I'm not married to a Christian?07:13-07:29I mean, you could go through the last couple of messages and say, "Oh, that's well and good for two people who love Jesus Christ, have the Word of God as their authority, and Oh yeah, like easy for them.07:31-07:33But what about me, Paul?07:34-07:38My spouse isn't a believer, so what am I supposed to do?07:40-07:41Should I just get a divorce?07:44-07:44What should I do?07:46-09:17Well, in this section we're looking at today, Paul clarifies matters of marriage addressing everyone in the church. Literally everyone in the church and everyone in this church. So this is kind of a good news/bad news thing. We're not having one sermon today. You're like, "All right, we are having four sermons today. All right, four sermons." Because each of these are very specifically addressed to a different group. So first up, matters of marriage, a word for each of you. You can take notes on the other ones if you like, but pay attention into the category you fall. Number one, singles. Singles, a word for you, here it is. Enjoy the gift of singleness or get married. Enjoy the gift of singleness or get married. All right, so if you're here and you're single, if you're streaming and you're single, if for you. All right? If you're single, enjoy that if it's a gift or get married. Look at verse 8. Paul says, "To the unmarried and the widows, I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am." Unmarried for any reason, right? Paul, once again, this is a We're going to go through this quickly.09:18-09:19We talked all about this last week.09:19-09:21Paul said being single is good.09:23-09:23Right?09:23-09:24Being single is good.09:24-09:26Why is he circling back to that?09:26-09:34Because there were Jews in Corinth that said, "You couldn't be holy unless you were married." That was a common Jewish mindset in that day.09:35-09:36You couldn't be holy unless you were married.09:36-09:41Paul's like, "That's not true." All right?09:41-09:43It's a gift for some people.09:45-09:47And Paul listed himself as one of those people.09:48-09:50Paul here very clearly says that he was single.09:51-09:52Like what happened to Paul?09:52-09:52Did he get a divorce?09:53-09:54Did his wife leave him?09:54-09:55Is he a widower?09:56-09:57We have no idea.09:59-10:03We don't know the details, but we know from this verse that he was single.10:06-10:07Okay, so single people, listen.10:10-10:27not denying that there are pressures to being single that married couples do not have. Things like loneliness, things like trying to manage a household yourself.10:28-10:34There are pressures that single people experience that married people don't.10:35-10:39But Paul is reminding the single people again, it is not wrong.10:40-10:44You don't have to feel like you're a second-rate Christian because you're not married.10:44-10:46It is not wrong.10:46-10:51And we're going to see later in this chapter, there are actually some advantages to being single.10:52-10:54All right, but look at verse 9.10:56-11:05He says, "But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry.11:06-11:16For it is better to marry than to burn with passion." So Paul's like, "Okay, you're single, but you have those urges.11:19-11:20You can't control yourself.11:20-11:23You like want to be with a person so badly.11:24-11:27Like you found that being single really isn't for you.11:27-11:28What should I do?11:28-11:29Paul's like, get married.11:30-11:31Get married.11:32-11:35He says it's better to marry than to burn.11:36-11:37Again, we talked about this last week.11:37-11:40If you have the gift of singleness, you aren't burning.11:42-11:47But if you have those desires, God gave the right context to use them.11:48-11:49That's why he says get married.11:50-11:50Get married.11:50-11:54You have the passion, you have the desire, get married.11:57-12:07I've got to say a couple of things about that, unless somebody runs out of here today, runs right across the street to Pantera Bread, and is like, "Look, Pastor Jeff said to get married.12:07-12:10Are you single?" No, okay, "Are you single?" "No, I'm going to find somebody.12:10-12:11Pastor Jeff said to get married.12:12-12:12It's right in the Bible.12:13-12:15I've got to find somebody today." Let's pump the brakes for a second.12:17-12:17All right?12:17-12:21If you're single and you want to get married, I'm going to give you three don'ts here, all right?12:23-12:27He says to get married, yes, but I want to caution you on a couple of things here.12:27-12:28Three don'ts.12:29-12:30Letter A, don't settle.12:32-12:33Don't settle.12:36-12:38I know being single can be hard.12:39-12:40Do you know what's harder than being single?12:42-12:44Being married to the wrong person.12:46-12:54Rushing into a marriage, not really knowing somebody, not understanding they don't really love you, they don't really love the Lord as they should.12:58-13:02It is absolutely heartbreaking how many times I've seen that.13:02-13:14Somebody wanting marriage so badly that the first single person that comes along that looks eligible and there's some kind of interest, we're rushing right into it, and oh, the regret that comes from that.13:15-13:16I've made a huge mistake.13:17-13:18What do I do now?13:20-13:30settle. Letter B, don't look for the right person. Don't look for the right person.13:34-14:46Like, wait a minute, you just said it was bad to be married to the wrong person, now you're telling me not to look for the right person? Yeah, don't look for the right person. You need to focus on trying to be the right person, all right? Try to to be the right person. In the early days of this church when we were really teeny tiny we had a single guy that came to me. He came up to me, he goes, "Pastor Jeff, I think I'm going to go to another church." I'm like, "Oh, why? What's the matter?" He goes, "I love this church so much, but I really want to meet somebody and I just really want to get married." Not a lot of single people in that tiny church. And I said, "That's a terrible way to pick a church. You know, who's got the best single scene? I said, "That's a terrible way to pick a church." I said, "You need to find a church where God is feeding you and where God is using you. You find a church where that's happening, you trust God to do the rest." He's like, "You're right." He goes, "You're right." And it wasn't long after that he did find a single lady, even in her teeny tiny church, and they're married. They since moved away and they have like, I I don't know, 20 or 25 kids, I don't know.14:47-15:03But the point was he was willing to trust God and seeking God first and seeking to be the person worth marrying, not just trying to find the right person for him.15:04-15:06So try to be the right person for somebody else.15:08-15:12Letter C, I read this great advice from a pastor this past week.15:12-15:19He said, "Don't seek marriage, seek love." Don't seek marriage, seek love.15:20-15:24Because ultimately, you're going to marry the person that you fall in love with.15:26-15:27All right?15:27-15:33So when Paul here says, "Look, if you have the desire," he goes, "Don't burn with passion." He goes, "Go get married.15:33-15:41Go get married." But again, let's temper that with, let's not rush into anything.15:43-15:44It's going to bring regret.15:45-15:52God has called you, God has called all of us to be content and thankful in every chapter of life we find ourselves.15:54-15:56So singles, this sermon's for you.15:56-15:58Enjoy the gift of singleness or get married.15:59-15:59All right?16:02-16:04All right, next sermon.16:04-16:06This is for married Christians.16:07-16:09Are you and your spouse both Christians?16:10-16:38a word for you. Stay married. Very simple. Very simple. Look at verse 10. Paul says, "To the married I give this charge, not I, but the Lord. The wife should not separate from her husband." Not separate, obviously, he's talking about divorce. So he's talking here specifically to Christian couples.16:40-16:46We know this because he talks about mixed couples in verse 12.16:46-16:49And by the way, let's get this out of the way.16:50-16:56When we talk about mixed couples, or we talk about intermarrying, that has nothing to do with race.16:58-17:00There's only one race, there's the human race.17:01-17:10So as long as you're marrying another human of the opposite sex, oh, the things I didn't think I'd have to say.17:14-17:15Race doesn't matter.17:15-17:16Okay?17:16-17:21So when we talk about mixed marriages, biblically there is no such thing except for mixed faith.17:22-17:26That's what the Bible forbids, mixed faith marriages.17:26-17:28He talks about them in a second, all right?17:28-17:29I felt like I had to say that.17:35-17:50So Christian couples, Paul says, "I get a word for you," he goes, "not I, but the Lord." Meaning Paul's like, "Look, what I'm about to tell you came straight from the mouth of Jesus Christ Himself." This is the Lord's charge, all right?17:52-17:57The Lord's charge is, Christian couples, no divorce.17:59-18:00Divorce isn't an option.18:00-18:02Divorce isn't a word that's said in your home.18:04-18:10Jesus talked about this so many times, Matthew 5, Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 16.18:11-18:15Jesus taught over and over that marriage is meant to be lifelong.18:16-18:16All right?18:18-18:45So we're going to try you out for a year or two, if it's not going to work, we have our exit strategy. That's not how marriage is designed according to our Lord. Marriage is meant to be lifelong. And remember, there were some Corinthians that thought, "Yeah, but if you really want to be devoted to God, you've got to get a divorce." And Paul here is just saying, "You know, God's not on board with that." I mean, just imagine for a second.18:48-19:08for a second if that sentiment was legitimate. Let's just pretend for a second that you could be more devoted to God, you could be more devoted to Jesus if you got a divorce. Do you see what would happen? Everyone that's looking for an out would just use that excuse.19:11-19:13They'd be like, "You know what, sweetheart?19:14-19:27I think we should get a divorce because I just want to love Jesus more." Right?19:27-19:28It'd start a new phrase.19:28-19:36It would be, "It's not you, it's Him." Right?19:36-19:37But that was the mindset they had.19:37-19:38And Paul's like, "No, no, no, no.19:40-19:42The words of our Lord are quite clear.19:43-19:52Don't get a divorce." But then you have the person that's like, "Oh, Paul, I wish you would have wrote this letter two weeks ago, because I did buy it.19:52-19:53You know what?19:53-20:00Yeah, we are both believers, but I bought into the idea that getting a divorce would benefit my walk.20:00-20:05So what do you do if you are both Christians and you did get a divorce?20:05-20:09What do you do about that?" Well, look at verse 11.20:09-20:18He says, "But if she does get a divorce, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.20:21-20:28And the husband should not divorce his wife." Okay, so if you're like, "You know what?20:28-20:33I did get the divorce, and now looking back, we are both believers.20:33-20:37I shouldn't have done that." Paul goes, "Okay, well now you have two choices.20:37-20:58You're either unmarried the rest of your life, or go back to your husband and get back on track." Like, "I'm not sure that's possible." Well, if you're both Christians, forgiveness and healing and reconciliation should not be foreign concepts to you.21:01-21:04So if you and your spouse are both Christians, stay married.21:06-21:07All right?21:07-21:11And as we saw last week, verse 3, married Christian couples, pay your debt.21:13-21:13All right?21:14-21:16I know that's the sermon that always gets applied.21:16-21:20I know the nursery is going to be restocked in about nine months.21:21-21:21I know.21:24-21:25So married Christians.21:26-21:26All right.21:27-21:33This is where things get even more difficult.21:35-21:39This is addressed to those of you who are married to a non-Christian.21:39-21:44And I know there are some people in this church that are married to a non-Christian.21:46-21:49But this non-Christian wants to stay married.21:49-22:02Okay, you're like, "Yeah, my husband's not a believer, or my wife's not a believer, and Like, she's okay with me being a believer, and she's okay with me going to church, and she wants to stay married, so what do I do?22:02-22:03What do I do here?22:06-22:11God says, "Stay married." Stay married.22:14-22:21You know, back in, look at the, back in chapter 6 verse 15, we talked about this a couple of weeks ago.22:21-22:32Paul says, talking about those who were being sexually immoral with the cult prostitutes, he says, "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?22:33-22:37Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?22:38-23:01Never." You see, there would have been some that heard this principle like, "Okay, so me physically being with a prostitute is like defiling for me, so what about me physically being with a non-Christian spouse?23:02-23:13Well, me being intimate, I mean, isn't it the same principle that I am defiling my body because I'm in this mixed marriage?23:14-23:16We have different faiths?23:18-23:20That's the question on the table.23:23-23:32Regarding mixed marriages, meaning one's a believer and one's not, you're like, "What do you do?" Well, first of all, it's forbidden, single people.23:34-23:42Second Corinthians 6.14, if you're single, listen, if you're single, you are not to get married to a non-Christian.23:45-23:46Corinthians 6.14.23:48-23:50You are not to get married to a non-Christian if you're single.23:52-23:54If you can prevent this, you should prevent this.23:55-24:03That people think, "Well, I'm going to get married to the person and I'll save them, and I'm going to be such a good influence on them," and it usually works the other way.24:07-24:12So if you're single, you are not to marry a non-Christian.24:13-24:23So all right, now with that out of the way, the question is, "Well, what if we were married as non-Christians and I got saved and he didn't get saved?" Or vice versa, man.24:23-24:26You're like, "Well, I got saved and my wife didn't get saved.24:26-24:29What do we do?" Well, look at verse 12.24:29-24:54He says, "To the rest I say, 'I, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her." By the way, when he says here, "I, not the Lord," you know what some people do with that, right?24:55-25:11They're like, "Oh, well, this is just Paul's opinion." So we can sort of disregard this section because Paul here, I mean, he's saying that this is just his opinion, and that's not what he's saying at all.25:13-25:29Back in verse 10, he was saying, "I'm quoting Jesus here." Now in verse 12, he's saying, "This is also from the Lord, but this isn't a direct quote from Jesus, do you see?" He's not saying this is uninspired.25:30-26:06He's just saying, "Before I was directly quoting from the ministry of Jesus, and now this is new revelation from God. That's all he's saying. So what if I'm married to a non-Christian and he wants to stay married? Paul says, "You don't get a divorce, you stay married. That's what you do." Like, really? Verse 13, "If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him." Oh yeah, that question, being with this non-Christian make me unholy?26:06-26:10Like isn't it the same principle as being with the prostitutes?26:11-26:13No, not at all.26:14-26:15Because look at verse 14.26:17-26:26For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband.26:29-26:47You see, when one of you is saved and your spouse is not, it's not that the Christian is made unholy in the eyes of God, it's the unsaved person is made holy.26:52-26:53I want to be clear here.26:54-27:01That does not mean that the unbelieving spouse is saved because they're spouses.27:01-27:03That is not what that means.27:03-27:06The Bible is crystal clear on salvation.27:06-27:09Salvation is an individual transaction.27:10-27:14You can't get saved because of somebody else.27:14-27:18Biblically, you have to make the choice to turn from your sin.27:19-27:20You have to make the choice to repent.27:21-27:27You have to make the choice that you are going to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.27:28-27:35It doesn't matter how good of a Christian your grandmama was, or your mama, or your spouse.27:35-27:36It doesn't matter.27:37-27:38You're not saved.27:38-27:40It's not like group raid here, all right?27:42-27:46You're saved by you making the choice.27:47-27:49You're like, all right, so what's he talking about here?27:50-27:57Well, it's a big fancy theological term that's known as matrimonial sanctification.27:58-28:01Impress your friends, drop that in conversation this week.28:02-28:03Do you have a water cooler at your workplace?28:03-28:04Drop that.28:05-28:08Yes, we were talking about matrimonial sanctification at church.28:10-28:12And they're like, "Oh, what is that?" And you'll tell them.28:13-28:18Well, in God's eyes, if one spouse is saved, there's blessing for everyone in the house.28:20-28:22I mean, think about it this way.28:25-28:26Think about it this way.28:26-28:36Imagine this married couple, you have this married couple, and the wife's parents die, and they leave her an inheritance.28:39-28:40They leave her a speedboat.28:42-28:44Now husbands, are you going to benefit from this inheritance?28:48-28:48No?28:49-28:50All right, let me try something else.28:52-28:55Her parents left her a Harley Davidson.28:56-28:58Husbands, are you going to benefit from this inheritance?29:00-29:02Yeah, some of you.29:02-29:03All right, let me try this again.29:06-29:08Her parents left her a monster truck.29:08-29:11Husbands, are you going to benefit from this inheritance?29:12-29:15Okay, this is really going to help for the second service.29:15-29:17Do you see the point?29:17-29:18You got the inheritance.29:19-29:26You know, you're driving grave digger down the road, but you had nothing to do with that, right?29:27-29:31You were blessed just because your wife received an inheritance.29:31-29:33It's the same principle at play here.29:34-29:35You're blessed by association.29:37-29:43In the same way, in marriage, two become one, and when God blesses one, the other gets blessed.29:43-29:48I mean, it's not salvation, but it's better than two pagans being married to each other.29:49-29:49Right?29:49-30:05Think of the blessing that comes to the non-Christian spouse when the Christian spouse is exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit, when the Christian spouse is showing humility and love and service and selflessness.30:05-30:09And how could you not be blessed being in a house like that?30:13-30:14That's what he's talking about.30:16-30:23Oh, and regarding the salvation piece, look, nobody can deny the influence the believing spouse has.30:23-30:32I've heard the story so many times of people getting saved because of the witness that their Christian spouse has had.30:34-30:39So if you're in this situation, if your spouse is unsaved, God wants to reach them through you.30:41-30:43So let him see Christ in you.30:45-30:48And you're like, "Well, that's well and good, but what if we have kids, right?30:48-30:53I mean, I'm saved, he's not.30:53-30:59Does that make our kids like half pagan?" No, no, it really doesn't.30:59-31:01Look at the rest of verse 14.31:02-31:16Paul says, "Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy." See, even if you have kids with a non-Christian, your kids are also made holy through that.31:16-31:16Same principle.31:17-31:23Your kids are also blessed through that because God sees your marriage as holy, so He's going to see your kids as holy.31:24-31:30So if you're married to a non-Christian who wants to stay married, God's going to bless the family.31:31-31:34Stay married if they want to stay.31:36-31:38All right, one more.31:39-31:42One more group we didn't cover, and that's the last one here.31:43-31:48Let's say someone is married to a non-Christian, and that non-Christian is like, "I want out.31:49-31:55Like look, I didn't sign up for all this Jesus stuff, all this Bible study stuff.31:55-31:57I didn't sign up for all this church stuff.31:58-31:58I'm not interested.31:59-32:00I'm not a religious person.32:01-32:05I want out." So what do you do when you're married to a non-Christian who wants to leave?32:05-32:07The answer is, let them go.32:09-32:10Let them go.32:14-32:15Look at verse 15.32:15-32:33He says, "But if the unbelieving partner separates," that's divorce, look what he says, "let it be so." If the non-Christian spouse initiates a divorce, Paul says they can go.32:37-32:38And I know the reaction.32:38-32:39You're like, "Wait, wait.32:39-32:40Well, that means I'm stuck.32:41-32:49You know, I wanted to save this marriage, and they divorced me, and now I can never get remarried again because they left me.32:49-32:53So I'm stuck, right?" Paul doesn't say that.32:56-32:57Paul doesn't say that.32:57-33:04Paul was clear on situations where you had to be remaining unmarried.33:04-33:05We saw that in verse 11.33:06-33:11He was clear in those situations, and he could have said that here, but he didn't.33:13-33:14You can remarry.33:14-33:22If you are married to a non-Christian that abandons you, initiates a divorce, and leaves you, you can remarry.33:23-33:24Look at the rest of verse 15.33:25-33:30He says, "In such cases, the brother or sister is not enslaved." God has called you to peace.33:31-33:32Not enslaved.33:33-33:34Like, not enslaved to what?33:35-33:37He's talking about free from being bound to the marriage.33:38-33:39That's what he's talking about.33:41-33:53See Romans 7, 2 says, "For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives." That's what he's talking about here in 1 Corinthians 7.33:53-33:55That's the bound to the marriage.33:55-33:57He goes, "You're not enslaved.33:57-33:58You're not bound anymore.34:01-34:19You're no longer bound to the marriage." Now look, I know some sermons are easier to preach than others, and divorce is a very touchy subjects.34:26-34:27It's always painful.34:28-34:29It always brings regret and hurt.34:30-34:30I know that.34:33-34:40So I want to take a moment and I want to be clear on my best understanding on the subject biblically.34:42-34:43All right?34:44-34:46I don't want there to be any ambiguity.34:47-34:48I want to be clear.34:48-35:00I believe that there is only one cause for divorce biblically, and that is hardness of heart.35:04-35:05Like, why do I think that?35:05-35:08Well, Jesus was asked about divorce in Matthew 19, eight.35:09-35:09This is what he said.35:10-35:24He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart, Moses allowed you to divorce." Jesus said divorce was allowed through Moses, through the law, because of hardness of heart.35:25-35:27Again divorce is allowed, not commanded.35:30-35:30Right?35:31-35:32Allowed not commanded.35:34-35:38But the question is, how do you know when someone is hard hearted?35:40-35:43Towards their spouse or towards their marriage, right?35:45-35:46Kind of a hard thing to gauge, isn't it?35:47-35:52Well Jesus said, "I can divorce you if you're hard-hearted." Well you seem hard-hearted to me, I'm getting divorced.35:52-35:53How do you know?35:54-36:07Well biblically there are two ways that hard-heartedness manifests, and both begin with the letter A. It's affair and abandonment.36:11-36:12Jesus spoke on a fair.36:13-36:30Matthew 19, 9, Jesus says, "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife except for sexual immorality and marries another commits adultery." Now again, divorce is allowed, but not commanded.36:30-36:39Understand this, when this happens in a marriage, that doesn't mean you are required to get a divorce.36:39-36:43I can tell you so many stories of marriages where this did happen.36:43-36:51And there was much repentance and seeking the Lord, and marriages are on track better than they were on their honeymoon.36:55-37:05But when someone is committed to having relations with people outside the marriage, Jesus says that's evidence of hard-heartedness.37:06-37:08Moses allowed for divorce for that.37:08-37:17Here, Paul is addressing the other manifestation of hard-heartedness, and that's abandonment.37:18-37:22That if your non-Christian spouse divorces you, abandons you, you are free.37:24-37:27That's how you know your spouse is hard-hearted.37:29-37:35When they are willing to engage in relations with someone else, they're hard-hearted towards you.37:35-37:41Or when they're like, "I'm fine to just walk away from this marriage.37:41-37:43I'm fine to walk away from our vows.37:43-37:50I'm fine to walk away from that." Those are evidences of hard-heartedness.37:54-37:57And Jesus says abandonment is like adultery.37:57-37:59I'm sorry, Paul says abandonment here is like adultery.38:00-38:01You are called to peace.38:05-38:10You are not called to fighting a non-Christian to stay in a marriage that they are committed to getting out of.38:12-38:13One more verse.38:15-38:20Paul says, "For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband?38:21-38:31Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?" You know, people are really divided on what this verse means.38:35-38:41Some people think this verse means, "Well, you don't know if you're going to save your spouse, so let them go.38:41-38:43I mean, you have no guarantees, just let them go.38:44-38:56There's no promises are going to come to Christ, if they say let them go." That's what some people think, but other people think this means, "No, no, no, you might be the one that God uses to save them, so you should try to save your marriage at any cost.38:59-39:00I lean towards the latter.39:04-39:05There's no guarantees either way.39:05-39:06You don't know.39:08-39:10You don't know what God's doing.39:13-39:18So you better be sure that you did all you could to save the marriage.39:20-39:23I personally believe that this verse pumps the brakes.39:26-39:38This verse, as one person I read this past week said, this verse tempers any tendency that just easily give up on the marriage.39:41-39:45Because some people are just so quick to run to divorce as like option one.39:47-39:56Again, if things are hard now, how do you know that God isn't using you to reach your spouse?39:58-40:00Our worship team would make their way back up front.40:07-40:16Paul continues, and I think he's doubling down on some of these things because some of it's hard to accept and some of it's hard to hear.40:17-40:20But again, Paul reminds us that singleness is God's gift for some.40:23-40:25Marriage is God's gift for the rest.40:28-40:30One of these four sermons applies to you.40:32-40:37So whichever it is, go after it with the reverence and with the sacredness that God has called you to.40:38-40:39Let's pray.40:41-40:52Father in heaven, we're asking today, Father, that your Holy Spirit be at work in our hearts.40:54-41:03When we talk about singleness and divorce and all these things, it's such an emotional subject because there are people here that have been deeply wounded by these things.41:06-41:12And we by no means, Father, wanna kick someone when they're down or rub salt on the wound.41:12-41:15We just, we wanna take an honest look at what your word has to say.41:17-41:19Father, we thank you for your grace.41:19-41:21We thank you that you are the God of miracles.41:21-41:35We thank you, God, that no matter how badly things might have gotten in marriage, whether it was able to be saved or not, God, there's always hope with you.41:35-41:37There's always healing with you.41:39-41:40That's why we come to you.41:40-41:51Father, I pray for all of us that we would take a hard look at the place you have us right now, because there's something in here for each one of us.41:55-41:59And that we would go after it, trusting you to always do what you promised.42:00-42:02We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 7:8-16What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Explain 1 Cor 7:14. How is the nonChristian spouse made holy because of a Christian spouse? What does that mean?If you are married to a nonChristian who wants out of the marriage (1 Cor 7:15), how do you know when to grant their divorce (when to stop trying to save the marriage, asking for counseling, etc)?Why should you allow a nonChristian to divorce and leave a Christian (v15)? Is the believing spouse free to remarry? Why or why not? BreakoutPray for one another.

Binging is often misunderstood as a discipline problem—but in reality, it's frequently a biological response to chronic undereating. In this episode, we explore the spiritual and biological roots of binge–restrict cycles through the lens of stewardship and Scripture, anchored in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20.What You'll Learn:Why binging is often driven by undernourishmentHow chronic restriction affects hormones and metabolismWhy “food with no brakes” is a survival responseHow undereating sabotages fat lossWhat biblical stewardship of the body really meansA preview of reverse dieting and metabolic healing (Part 2)Scripture Referenced:1 Corinthians 6:19–20I am always love to connect with you!Don't hesitate to reach out!Personal Instagram: @racheljmitchellPodcast Instagram: @livingonmissionpodEmail: rachel@racheljmitchell.comJoin my 21 Day Metabolic Reset

Dr. Deb Muth 0:03There’s a quiet shift happening in healthcare right now, and most doctors aren’t talking about it yet. People aren’t chasing diagnoses anymore. They’re exhausted by them. I see it every single day in my clinic. People who come in with stacks of paperwork, portals full of results, and a list of diagnoses longer than their grocery receipt, yet they’re still not living their lives. And they’ll say to me, Dr. Deb, I don’t want another label. Dr. Deb Muth 0:32 I just want my life back. If you’ve ever been told this is just how your body is, if you’ve been diagnosed, rediagnosed, and then dismissed, if you’ve been handed labels but never handed a roadmap, today’s episode is for you. Because we are officially entering what I call the post diagnosis era and it’s changing everything about how healing actually happens. So grab your cup of coffee or tea and let’s settle in to let’s talk wellness. Now, before we dive in, we need to take a quick pause to thank today’s sponsor. And when we come back, we’re going to talk about why diagnoses are no longer the most important thing about you. Dr. Deb Muth 1:17Did you know sweating can literally heal your cells? And infrared saunas don’t just relax you, they detox your body, balance hormones, and boost mitochondrial energy. I’m obsessed with my health tech sauna, and right now you can save $500 with my code at healthtechhealth.com Dr. Muth req 25 so here’s some truth for me. Dr. Deb Muth 0:47It was three years ago Christmas that I received my Ms. Diagnosis. And I remember it very clearly. It was the day before, two days before Christmas Eve, that I got the call and I heard the words, you have white matter brain disease. That’s consistent with Ms. And I immediately stopped in my tracks and thought, okay, well, this is just the way it is. We’re gonna fight this. We’re gonna figure this out. And it led me down a deeper path of healing and spirituality and emotional growth. And there were some really difficult days ahead for me because I remember thinking, what am I gonna do? How am I gonna practice what’s going to happen in my life? And every year at this time, I reflect back to that day that I got the call that really changed my life. And not for the worse, but for the better. It changed the way I was thinking about life. Dr. Deb Muth 3:01It changed the way I was complaining about things being ungrateful for all the amazing things that I have in my life. Not intentionally, but just living the American life. Right. Dr. Deb Muth 3:14And striving for more and wanting more and chasing more and doing more, and never really having the opportunity to just be present and just really think about life and enjoy what the Lord has given us and enjoy what’s around me, the people in my life, the family that I have, the amazing practice that I have, and the amazing people I get to work with and change lives with. And it really changed me for the better. And I’ve watched diagnoses like this change people for the worse and for them to sink deep into a depression and give up and. And live to their label instead of living to their potential. And that’s why I think this episode is so important for us, because we all have a choice in life. When we get dealt something kind of difficult, we can let it consume us and let it take every ounce of life from us, or we can allow it to become the fuel that makes us better, makes us contribute to life maybe differently, but in a better way. So, you know, I know that this idea of letting diagnoses lose their power can be really uncomfortable for some people, because there’s people that are waiting for that diagnosis. I’m in some. Some social media groups, and I’m listening and reading to people who are saying, I’m so angry I didn’t get the Ms. Diagnosis today. I’m so angry I didn’t get the Lyme diagnosis today. I’m so upset that they can’t find anything wrong with me. And I understand. Dr. Deb Muth 5:20I know the feeling of wanting to put a name to what you’re feeling so that you have validation and you have power around this diagnosis, and you can prove to people that what you’re feeling is not in your head. I get all of that. But for many people, the original diagnosis is meant to help guide treatment in the conventional sense. It’s a created, shared language that we have, and it brings clarity. But for many people, you give that label and that name so much power and so much control over your life and who you are and what you’re being. And that’s not what the label is meant for. Somewhere along the line, medicine started confusing naming with healing. And today, we have more diagnoses than ever. We have more testing than ever. We have so many thousands of specialists, and yet people are sicker. They’re more inflamed, they’re more exhausted, they’re more confused than ever. And that’s not just a coincidence. That is how the system is meant to work. It’s meant to confuse you. Dr. Deb Muth 6:44It’s meant to keep you dependent on it. It’s meant to. Meant to keep you on medical management for the rest of your life. And by doing that, we enrich the pharmaceutical companies to the point where their whole role is to continue to create drugs that you need to be on for the rest of your life. And the hard truth about all of this that I’ve seen in my practice is for many patients, the diagnosis really becomes their identity. They own it, they gravitate to it. It’s who they are. It also becomes their prison because they only live confined inside the diagnosis. I can’t do this because I can’t do that, because if I do this, this will happen, because I have. They’ve capped their ceiling of life based on a couple of words that somebody gave them at a point in their life when they were so low and potentially so desperate that they needed that name to identify themselves and what was going on. And instead of asking, why is this happening? Dr. Deb Muth 8:05Why are these symptoms happening? What’s causing these symptoms? They’re told, this is what you have, and this is what you’re going to have to live with. And instead of restoring function, these people become managed. Like I said, they’re managed with drugs. They’re managed inside the system. And instead of healing, they’re monitored with this blood test and that blood test and this MRI and that mri. Instead of providing hope, they’re handed a lifelong prescription with expectations that do nothing but decline. So you walk out of that room with this expectation that your life is never going to be the same, that your function is going to decline, your neurological disease is going to take over eventually, you’re going to be put in a home, you’re going to lose everything you have because you’re not going to be able to afford the care that you need. And that’s the expectations of our healthcare system today. When you’re labeled with a chronic illness diagnosis, and for a woman, especially women, this is magnified because their symptoms are told to them as. It’s stress, it’s hormones, it’s anxiety, it’s aging, it’s motherhood, and then, of course, it’s perimenopause. Like that is some major traumatic thing that should disrupt your entire life. Yet it shouldn’t, and it does, and it doesn’t have to. And of course, my favorite is always, but your labs are normal. We don’t know what’s wrong with you. It must just be in your head. Dr. Deb Muth 9:53And this is why women are done being dismissed, why this shift is happening now that we are empowering women to take back Their lives, take back who they are and take back how they’re being treated in the healthcare system. And it is one of the most important things that we can do right now is to give women their power back so that they can stand strong in who they are and in their intuition and fight and say, no, this is not happening to me right now. I am not accepting this label. I’m not accepting this diagnosis. I will fight, I will find answers, and I will do what I need to do to be the woman that I want to be. So why is this conversation exploding right now? Well, there’s actually three big reasons, and first and foremost, it’s over. Diagnosis, burnout. People are collecting diagnoses without solutions. Autoimmune labels, syndromes, vague neurological names, but no one’s connecting the dots. Dr. Deb Muth 11:02You see, when you start to stack these labels on top of each other, one after the next after the next, you know, it’s celiac disease, it’s Hashimoto’s, it’s fibromyalgia, it’s autoimmune. You know, rheumatoid arthritis. It’s. Whatever it is, it’s long haul Covid. These days, no one is putting these connections together to say, why are you developing so many diseases that are so similar in nature, ones that just kind of domino after each other? Nobody’s looking at your immune system. Nobody’s measuring it, Nobody’s telling you how well it’s working. No one’s supporting it. They’re just throwing these biological drugs at you. And if there’s an autoimmune disease and sending you on your way and saying, this is what you have to look forward to for the rest of your life. But don’t worry, these side effects are rare, including cancer. It does not make sense to me that we are not looking at the root cause for all of these crazy diagnoses that we are labeling people with today. And I am guilty of it myself, because within the system that we work, we have to label something in order for you to receive the care that you need, for your insurance, to pay for the treatment, for the tests, for the visits. There has to be a label. And that’s what we call an ICD10 code. And if we don’t have the appropriate label, none of what we’re recommending gets covered for you. And that’s the label game began. The second thing is long haul Covid. And post viral illnesses. Dr. Deb Muth 12:47Millions of people were told, we don’t know why, and then we sent them home to figure it out by themselves. We don’t know why your immune system is failing, we don’t know why you’re having these clotting issues that are happening. But don’t worry, these clotting issues really are not that severe. They’re mild in nature. You’ll never have to worry about it. And we’re not going to treat it even though it’s four times the level that’s normal, because we’re going to wait until it’s 10 times the level of normal to even worry about it at this point. Dr. Deb Muth 13:19And it will take us 25 to 30 years before we understand any of the risks and barriers that have happened from these post viral illnesses that have occurred in our environment and the ones that are in the future to come. Because it takes time for us to study things, it takes time for us to figure it out, takes time for us to train the practitioners, and it takes time for us to accept something different than we thought was reality. And that is the problem that we have today with these post viral illnesses that are long acting, that are retriggering new viruses, retriggering old illnesses like Lyme, reactivating things like Epstein Barr virus. It will take decades before this becomes mainstream. And right now it’s fringe medicine and it’s not realistic. And those of us that are speaking about it are chastised and gone after, but by our medical communities and we are told that we are the crazy ones. And that is how medicine has always been. Way in the beginning, and I forget the doctor’s name, who started just observing that when medical students worked on cadavers and then came into the labor and delivery ward and delivered babies, these women were getting sick with infections and they were dying. And he said, what if we just washed our hands between the cadaver and the delivery? Would we save lives? And he did a small study and he was right. And over time he was made fun of and he was put into insane asylums and he was locked away. And now today we would never think of entering a room and working on a patient without washing our hands beforehand. But that took 30 years for that one concept of washing hands to be adopted. And it destroyed one man’s life because he simply asked the question, what if it’s a crazy society that we live in, It’s a crazy outlook that we have on medicine and asking questions. And sometimes I wonder, is it truly science or is it politically driven? And I think the answer is it’s both. And the third thing that we have is technology. And technology is outpacing wisdom by far. Hands down, AI, advanced labs and imaging can identify everything. Now using AI, but without context, it creates a fear. Dr. Deb Muth 16:08And instead of clarity, without context, using AI to interpret labs makes absolutely no sense. Without context and understanding and us actually training this LLM model, the AI doesn’t really know what it, what it means. And someday it will, I’m sure, but right now it doesn’t. So as everyone is taking to AI to treat themselves and create a protocol and diagnose themselves and understand their labs and know that it is without context that you are doing this, and research is wonderful, but without having somebody truly understand you and the art of healing and the art of medicine, this is going to get lost and you will not have the information that you truly need simply by using chat GPT. Now I’ve created my own version called Venari and I hope that this will be much better because it will have context. It will have 15,000 protocols that I have used for the last 25 years. It will have lots of research. It has all of the research databases that we can connect to. It has training that I have given it using my brain and how I see a client every single day in practice. So when you’re using our Venari app, you will be able to have that context. You will be able to have that pushback and that voice. And not only that, you will have the option then to work alongside someone to help you identify that context that you’re looking for. Does this make sense? Dr. Deb Muth 17:53I’ve seen this a lot in the peptide world, where in these Facebook groups, people are talking about the peptide stacks that they’re using and they’re telling people that it’s okay to use any peptide you want because they’re just small chain branch amino acids. And that can’t be farther from the truth because there are some peptides you would not want to use because they can stimulate the growth of cells. And if you have cancer or if you have a history of this, there are some peptides that we need to avoid. And unfortunately, AI doesn’t understand that yet and doesn’t know that yet. And it’s just creating stacks. And people are creating stacks without understanding what they’re doing. And I watched my best friend do this as she was learning peptides and she had cancer and it created an aggressive sarcoma. And I believe the peptides had a lot to do with that because it stimulated the growth of the cells. And it wasn’t until after she had passed away that we found this journal of hers that she was studying peptides and recognized that this could have contributed to her advanced cancer. And if you don’t have that context and you’re using AI to create these stacks for you, you can put yourself in harm’s way. And so AI technology, I think, is going to be fantastic in a lot of ways. It’s going to have its downfalls. And you’re going to need an expert when you’re using AI. You’re not going to just be able to treat yourself with this. You know, understanding that more data doesn’t always equal healing, and more data can be helpful. But again, you have to understand how to put those pieces together, how to ask the right question questions. And for that, you need somebody who has seen thousands and thousands of cases to find the missing pieces for you. Because AI is not going to do that unless it’s been trained to do that. Vanari has been trained to do that. Dr. Deb Muth 20:01It’s been trained to push back and look at lime and mold and toxins and chemicals and metals and all of those things. But there is no other AI bot out there, LLM that has been trained to do that using clinical data that I use every single day in my practice. And people are finally realizing that, you know, they’re understanding that although this world of AI and technology is amazing, it has its limitations, just like practitioners have their limitations. We don’t know everything. We are not perfect. We are human. And humans make errors and we miss things. With or without technology, we miss things. And part of it is because we just don’t know what we don’t know yet. And sometimes it’s because we have our blinders on, and sometimes it’s just simply because we don’t have the information today that we’re going to have five years from now. And here’s what I teach instead. I teach the seenet last. And that’s what we built it on. Restore and root. Rise and restore. Sorry, that is my methodology. And it’s in the scene at last book. And it starts with healing. It starts with asking better questions. So instead of asking, what do you have? We want to ask, what has your body been exposed to? What symptoms are underperforming? What’s driving the inflammation for you? When you have joint pain and you have muscle pain and you have achiness, that is not normal. Dr. Deb Muth 21:38I don’t care if you’re 20 or you’re 80, it is not normal. And yes, I did say 80, because we are not supposed to have that kind of inflammation at 80. And why are we underperforming? Why is our Brain not working correctly? Why is our mood not working? Why can’t my body push up a hill? Why can’t I lift 10 pounds? What’s going on? Why can’t I recover from that activity? What’s interfering with my ability to repair and heal after I’ve done some things that I need to do? What’s keeping your nervous system stuck in this survival mode, in this fight or flight mode? Why can’t I get past that? Sometimes that answer is really simple and sometimes that answer, it is so hard and so complicated and it is so many things that are causing this body to be stuck. And sometimes it’s a six month fix, and sometimes it’s a six year fix and sometimes it’s decades long. And it is one of the most challenging things as a practitioner to get clients to understand and to be on the other side of the table and not get you that quick fix. It is extremely difficult for us as well when we are not seeing the results that we think we should see. We need to focus on function over diagnosis, root cause over labels. Dr. Deb Muth 23:09What is driving all this inflammation and certainly restoration over resignation. Do not resign to the fact that you have this life altering disease that is never going to change. Because if we find the root and we restore the body, you don’t have to live in that death sentence that you’ve been given of a diagnosis, whether it’s fibromyalgia, MS, Alzheimer’s disease, celiac disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, it does not matter what that diagnosis is. We can change it, we can make it better, we can reduce the symptoms, we can improve your life. Maybe not in ways that you are absolutely looking for, maybe not in a perfect world, but we can change the trajectory of where your life is going. And it’s because you’re not an ICD9 code or an ICD10 code. You’re not a code, you’re not an MRI result, you’re not a lab result, you’re a human body asking support, not a name. And I say that with a little hesitation because so many people are looking for the name. So many people are angry that someone didn’t find the name. I have clients that come to me that are so angry that the conventional medicine system did not identify their Lyme disease, that they’re looking for someone to sue and there is no one to sue because they didn’t find it, because sometimes they just don’t know. You’re asking for conventional medicine, practitioner and system to provide for you a label that is not within their wheelhouse to do. Because the way they treat Lyme disease and the way an eyelads practitioner looks at Lyme disease and has. Has the ability to test differently are two very different things. Dr. Deb Muth 25:27You’re asking for a system to perform in a way that they are not trained and guided to do. Then you’re looking and asking for somebody to place blame for an illness that you have, that you have yet taken ownership for. And I know that sounds harsh, and I know there’s going to be a lot of people that are angry at me for saying that. But I sit in front of you as someone who had Lyme disease, who had mold mycotoxin illness, who had high viral titers, who had post Covid peripheral neuropathy, who had the diagnosis of ms, who has white matter brain disease, who treated all of it not in the conventional world, who has halted the white matter disease and regrew her brain by 1.5 standard deviations, which is unheard of in 18 months. So I can say this to you. There is no one to blame for your lack of diagnosis or your diagnosis. It is life. It is what happens to us. And you have a choice at the crossroad to either take the path of hatred and anger and bitterness and blame and never getting better a result of that, or you have the ability to take the path of curiosity and openness and willingness to change and willingness to walk down a path that is different than what the conventional medicine is telling you to do. And those are your choices and you get to make those choices. But what you don’t get to do is blame some someone else and try to destroy them for something that they are not able to do. That is not what we get to do in this life. Dr. Deb Muth 27:29It is not right and it is not fair. If someone has truly injured you, that’s different. That’s different. But this looking to blame somebody because they didn’t give you a label, Ridiculous in my opinion. And if you’re listening and thinking right now, I’ve been diagnosed, but I’m not better, I want you to hear this clearly. You are not broken. You are not crazy, and you are not done. Sometimes the most healing moment isn’t getting that diagnosis. It’s realizing that the diagnosis was never the whole story. And that’s where the real healing begins. When we look at the entire story, we look at your entire life from the beginning to where you are now and what has happened to get you there. And once we get that, then we can put you back together. Not in the old way, in a new way in an amazing way, in a way that you would cherish your life for every moment that you have of it. Good, bad and ugly. A diagnosis should not be the doorway. It’s not a dead end. It is just the beginning. Remember, you don’t need another diagnosis. You need your life back. And that’s what’s important. Dr. Deb Muth 29:19We are living in a moment where medicine is being forced to evolve not because systems want to, but because patients are demanding better. This post diagnosis era isn’t about rejecting science, it’s about using it wisely. It’s about restoring function, dignity and hope. And I hope that if this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who’s been labeled but not yet helped. Because sometimes the most powerful healing starts when someone finally feels seen. Thank you for being with me here today. If you haven’t already, make sure you subscribe and follow. Let’s talk Wellness now on YouTube, Spotify or wherever you’re listening and I’ll see you next time. Until then, keep asking better questions, trusting your body and remembering you are more than a diagnosis.The post Episode 254 – Beyond the Diagnosis: Healing in a Post-Diagnosis Era first appeared on Let's Talk Wellness Now.

Hebrews 6:13–20I. God Double Guarantees His Purpose – 13-18II. We Have a Sure and Steadfast Hope – 19-20

“No se emborrachen con vino, que lleva al desenfreno. Al contrario, sean llenos del Espíritu. 19 Anímense unos a otros con salmos, himnos y canciones espirituales. Canten y alaben al Señor con el corazón, 20 dando siempre gracias a Dios el Padre por todo, en el nombre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.” Efesios 5:18-20I. REPASO E INTRODUCCIÓN La vez pasada reflexionamos acerca de la manera en la que debemos hablarles a aquellos que están muertos espiritualmente y del llamado de la Escritura a tener cuidado de nuestra manera de vivir; debemos aprovechar cada oportunidad al máximo para hacer lo bueno no simplemente dejarnos llevar por la corriente o la presión de los días malos que pueden entorpecernos sino mas bien ser entendidos de cuál es la voluntad de Dios.Algo que necesitamos puntualizar es que cuando Pablo dice “entiendan cuál es la voluntad del Señor” hay dos sentidos en los que la voluntad de Dios se usa en la Biblia; Una es el decreto de Dios, todo es Su voluntad porque Él es soberano y supremo.Efe. 1:11 “En Cristo también fuimos hechos herederos, pues fuimos predestinados según el plan de aquel que hace todas las cosas conforme al designio de su voluntad.”El otro uso de la palabra “la voluntad de Dios” es lo que Dios quiere que hagamos y nos lo dice en Su Palabra de tal manera que si no lo hacemos no estamos cumpliendo Su voluntad.1 Tes. 4:3 “La voluntad de Dios es que sean santificados; que se aparten de la inmoralidad sexual.”Entender cual es la voluntad de Dios se refiere a ésta voluntad revelada, el sermón del monte, los diez mandamientos, las cartas de Pablo, etc. sin embargo estas instrucciones no cubren en detalle el 90% de las decisiones que tomamos. La mayor parte de nuestra vida es una aplicación de los principios de la Biblia, es decir, la voluntad de Dios que se descubre y aplica por la misma sabiduría de Dios. Tú enfrentas una situación y le preguntas ¿cómo se aplica Tu Palabra a esto que estoy viviendo? y ahí es donde necesitas ser entendido para aplicar la verdad en cada circunstancia.

January 15, 2026Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeThe Revelation 14:19-20I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church 

Seek God In The Praises, The Patience, The Problem; He Is Our Hope Lamentations 3:19-27 19I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. 20I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” 25The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. 27It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.

“Prince of Peace”Isaiah 96-7; Luke 2:8-20I. THE LONGING FOR PEACEII. THE ADVENT OF PEACE

"In this week's episode we sit down with Chaim Ekstein, who brings over 25 years of experience in the financial world.We discuss the human challenges people face, why so many stay stuck in the same habits, how the comfort zone holds them back, and what it takes to start moving toward the kind of life they actually want to live.From there, we talk about whether an employee can be successful in our community, what that looks like in real life, and how it compares to building a business or choosing a more independent path.We also cover Chaim's new financial course, the ideas behind it, and the common reasons people struggle to take control of their finances.Another part of the conversation focuses on investing — including Bitcoin vs. the S&P 500 — and how to think about long-term planning, risk, and practical financial growth.Overall, it's a grounded discussion about money, direction, and the everyday obstacles that shape how people grow and make progress.""And as always feel free to share your feedback, we'd love to hear your thoughts and comments. You can always email us at shmuelicast@gmail.com״Show your support for ShmueliCast by giving a 'SUPER THANKS'.The episodes are available to listen to on our ShmueliCast hotline at 718-970-8884.-----------------------------------------------------Join Stun Deals on WhatsApp and enter to win a vacation for two at the Bamahar Resort:(And don't forget to mention you came through ShmueliCast)https://wa.me/12127180889?text=Hi!%20From%20ShmueliCast%20—%20I%20want%20to%20join%20the%20giveaway-----------------------------------------------------Special Offer for ShmueliCast Listeners:Chaim is offering a special discounted link to join his fascinating financial course — a program designed to help you understand money better, make clearer decisions, avoid staying stuck in the same patterns, and build a more confident financial direction.https://www.chaimekstein.com/podUse the ShmueliCast coupon code POD at checkout:• 10% off if you join within the first week• 5% off if you join during the second week----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow Shmueli:

November 10, 2025Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeThe Revelation 9:20I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church 

We highly suggest that you READ the TEXT at the link below, as you listen to the audio above. https://www.gracegems.org/2019/11/Soon%20I%20must%20go%20down%20that%20road%20from%20which%20I%20will%20never%20return.html Feel free to FORWARD this gem to others!

10-12-25 AM "The Disciples of Jesus"Scripture Reading: Mark 1:16-20I. The Call to Discipleship A. The Source of the Call B. The Nature of the CallII. The Concept of Discipleship A. Considered Generally B. Considered SpecificallyIII. The Cost of Discipleship A. The Illustration of the Cost B. The Application of the CostRev. Greg Lubbers

BioPhil Allen, Jr., PhD is a theologian and ethicist whose research and writings include the intersections of social structure, race, culture, and theology and ethics of justice. He has authored two books: Open Wounds: A Story of Racial Tragedy, Trauma, and Redemption and The Prophetic Lens: The Camera and Black Moral Agency From MLK to Darnella Frazier. He is an affiliate assistant professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, a poet, and documentary filmmaker. Dr. Allen is also founder of the nonprofit Racial Solidarity Project based in Pasadena, CA. As a former Division 1 college basketball player, he has enjoyed opportunities as a guest chaplain for college and professional sports teams.Phil Allen Jr., PhDAffiliate Assistant Professor | Fuller Theological SeminaryPresident: Racial Solidarity Project (RSP)Philallenjr.com | openwoundsdoc.comInstagram: @philallenjrig | @the_rspThreads: @philallenjrigFacebook: Phil Allen, Jr.Substack: @philallenjrLinkedIn: @philallenjrWelcome to the Arise podcast, conversations in Reality centered on our same themes, faith, race, justice, gender in the church. So happy to welcome my buddy and a colleague, just a phenomenal human being. Dr. Phil Allen, Jr. He has a PhD. He's a theologian and an ethicist whose research and writings include intersections of social structure, race, culture, and theology, and the ethics of justice. He has also authored two books, open Wounds, A Story of Racial Tragedy, trauma and Redemption, and the Prophetic Lens, the Camera and the Black Moral Agency from MLK to Dan Darnell Frazier. He's an affiliate assistant professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, a poet and a documentary filmmaker. Dr. Allen is also founder of the nonprofit Racial Solidarity Project based in Pasadena, California as a former division one college basketball player. Yes, he has enjoyed opportunities as a guest chaplain for college and professional sports. Hey, you're not going to be disappointed. You're going to find questions, curiosity ways to interact with the material here. Please just open up your mindset and your heart to what is shared today, and I encourage you to share and spread the word. Hey, Phil. Here we find ourselves back again talking about similar subjects.Danielle (00:18):Welcome to the Arise podcast, conversations in Reality centered on our same themes, faith, race, justice, gender in the church. So happy to welcome my buddy and a colleague, just a phenomenal human being. Dr. Phil Allen, Jr. He has a PhD. He's a theologian and an ethicist whose research and writings include intersections of social structure, race, culture, and theology, and the ethics of justice. He has also authored two books, open Wounds, A Story of Racial Tragedy, trauma and Redemption, and the Prophetic Lens, the Camera and the Black Moral Agency from MLK to Dan Darnell Frazier. He's an affiliate assistant professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, a poet and a documentary filmmaker. Dr. Allen is also founder of the nonprofit Racial Solidarity Project based in Pasadena, California as a former division one college basketball player. Yes, he has enjoyed opportunities as a guest chaplain for college and professional sports. Hey, you're not going to be disappointed. You're going to find questions, curiosity ways to interact with the material here. Please just open up your mindset and your heart to what is shared today, and I encourage you to share and spread the word. Hey, Phil. Here we find ourselves back again talking about similar subjects.Unfortunately. Well, how are you coming in today? How is your body? How's your mind? How are you coming in? Just first of all,Phil Allen Jr. (01:51):I am coming in probably in one of the best places, spaces in a long time. The last two days have been very, very encouraging and uplifting, having nothing to do with what's happening in the world. I turned 52, I told you I turned 52 yesterday. So whenever I see the happy birthdays and the messages, text messages, social media messages, literally it just lifts me up. But in that, I also had two people share something that I preached. Oh, 10 years ago, what? And one other person, it was 17 years ago, something I taught that came full circle. One person used it in a message for a group of people, and the other person was just saying, 10 years ago, about 10 years ago, you preached a message that was, it impacted me seriously. He didn't know who I was, and he the dots, and he realized, oh, that's the guy that preached when we went to that. And so that, to me, it was so encouraging to hear thoseBecause you never know where your messages land, how impactful they are, and for people to bring that up. That just had me light. Then I did 20 miles, so physically 20I feel great after that. I'm not sore. I'm not tired. I could go run right now, another 10, but I'm not. Okay. Okay, good. Today is rest day good? Yes, I did a crim community resiliency model present workshop.I dunno if you're familiar with, are you familiar with crim?Crim was developed by Trauma Resource Institute here in Claremont, California by Elaine Miller Carra, and they go around the world. They have trainees and people around the world that go into places that just experienced traumatic eventsThe tsunami in Indonesia to school shootings around the country. So here, obviously we had the fires from January, and so we did a workshop to help. What it is is helping people develop the skills, practical skills. There are six skills to regulate the nervous systems, even in the moments. I was certified in 2020 to do that, and so I did a co-led presentation. It was great, very well received. I had fun doing it. So empowering to give people these skills. I use them every day, resourcing, just like when you asked me, how are you in your body? So for a moment, I have to track, I have to notice what's going on with my body. That's the firstSo we teach people those skills and it is just the last few days, Monday, Tuesday, and today already. I just feel light and it's no coincidence I didn't watch the news at all yesterday.Okay. Even on social media, there's no coincidence. I feel light not having engaged those things. So I feel good coming in this morning.Danielle (05:32):Okay, I like that. Well, I know I texted you, I texted you a couple months ago. I was like, let's record a podcast. And then as you alluded to, the world's kept moving at a rapid pace and we connected. And I've been doing a lot of thinking for a long time, and I know you and I have had conversations about what does it look like to stay in our bodies, be in our bodies in this time, and I've been thinking about it, how does that form our reality? And as you and I have talked about faith, I guess I'm coming back to that for you, for how you think about faith and how it informs your reality, how you're in reality, how you're grounding yourself, especially as you alluded to. We do know we can't be involved every second with what's happening, but we do know that things are happening. So yeah, just curious, just open up the conversation like that.Phil Allen Jr. (06:28):Yeah, I think I'm going to go back to your first question. I think your first question you asked me sets the tone for everything. And I actually answered this similarly to someone yesterday when you said, how are you in your body? And for me, that's the first I've learned, and a lot of it has to do with community resiliency model that I just talked about, to pay attention to what's going on in my body. That tells me a lot. That tells me if I'm good, I can't fake it. You can fake how you feel. You can fake and perform what you think, but you can't with the sensations and the response of your body to different circumstances, that's going to be as real, as tangible. So I pay attention first to that. That tells me how much I'm going to engage a subject matter. It tells me how much I want to stay in that space, whether it's the news, whether it's conversation with someone. My body tells me a lot now, and I don't separate that from my faith. We can go through biblical narrative and we can see where things that are going on physically with someone is addressed or is at least acknowledged. It is just not in the forefront emphasized. So we don't think that paying attention to what's going on in your body matters,When you have that dualistic approach to faith where the soul is all that matters. Your body is just this flesh thing. No, God created all of it. Therefore, all of it's valuable and we need to pay attention to all of it. So that's the first place I start. And then in terms of faith, I'm a realist. I'm a Christian realist, so I put things in perspective. The love ethic of Jesus is an ideal. Scripture is an ideal. It's telling us when you look at Christ, Jesus is the son of God. Jesus is also called the son of man. And from my understanding and my learnings, son of man refers to the human one, the ideal human one, right? He is divinity, but he's deity, but he's also a human, and he's the human that we look to for the ideal way to live. And so this perfect ideal of love, the love ethic of Jesus, I believe it's unattainable on this side of heaven. I think we should always strive to love our enemies. But how many people actually love their enemies? Bless them. I saw what Eric, I think his name, first name is Erica Kirk forgave theOkay? I'm not here to judge whether that's real or if she felt obligated because I know some Christians, they wrestle because they feel obligated to forgive almost immediately. I don't feel that obligation if my body is not in a place where I can just say, I forgive you. I need to get to a place where I can forgive. But let's just say it's very real. She is. I forgive this young man. How many people can do that? We admire it. How many Christians will just say, I forgive, genuinely say, I forgive the person who killed my children's father. So it's not that it can't be done, but sustained. There are few people who could do what in terms of relative to how many people in the world, what Mother Teresa did. There are few people who can do that. There are few people who could do what Martin Luther King did who could practice non-violence, risk, jail and life and limb for an extended period of time. So I'm not saying it can't be done, but sustained by many or the most of us. I just don't believe that's realistic. I believe it's always something we aspire to. And we're always challenged throughout life to live up to that ideal. But we're going to fall short probably more often than we want to admit.(11:12):So I don't try to put the pressure on myself to be this perfect Christian. I try to understand where I am in my maturity in this particular area. There's some things I can do better than others, and then I go from there. So I look at what's happening in the world through that lens. How would I really respond? There are people I don't want to deal with. They are toxic and harmful to me because here's the other part, there's also wisdom. That's faith too.Holy Spirit, when the Holy Spirit comes, the Holy Spirit shall come upon you, shall lead you in. I'm paraphrasing a bit, but the Holy Spirit shall lead you. No, the spirit of wisdom is what I'm trying to get to in John. This Holy Spirit is called the spirit of wisdom. Holy Spirit is going to lead you into all truth, but it's also called the spirit of wisdom.Is faith too. And it is there no one way of doing things.It's where I feel the most settled, even if I don't want to do something.I went through a divorce separated 10 years ago, divorce finalized a couple of years later. And I wanted so badly to share my story through people at my former church, family, friends. I wanted to tell, let me tell what happened. I never had peace about that in my body. My body never felt settled.Settled, okay.Because I knew I was doing it from a place of wanting to get vindication, maybe revenge. It wasn't just as innocent as, let me tell my side of the story, if I'm honest.It was, I'm going to throw you under the bus.But in that moment, I didn't because I didn't feel settled in my spirit. People say settled in my spirit. Really, it is also my body that I should do that wisdom says, let God handle it. Let God bring it to the surface. In due time, people will know who need to know. You don't have to take revenge. When they go low, you go high. In that moment, that's what I felt at peace to do. And I don't regret it to this day. I don't regret it. I'm glad I didn't because it would just been even more messy.I have conversations with my grandmother who's no longer with us, or I recall conversations we had. So when I was young, and I tell people unapologetically, I'm a mama's boy and a grandmama's boy. Women played a significant role raising me. So I'm close to mom, grandma, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, my sisters, and I'm the oldest of all my siblings, but women. So my grandmother, rather than going out to parties a lot, I would prefer to go to her house. I lived in high school with one grandmother, but sometimes I would go to my other grandmother's house and just sit and she would have a glass of wine, and we would just talk for hours. And she would tell me stories When she was young,Would ask her questions. I miss, and I loved those times. An external resource, if this can be an external no longer here, but she's a person. She was a real person. I think about what if I'm having a conversation with her, and she would never really be impulsive with me. She would just pause and just think, well, and I know she's going to drop some wisdom, right?So that's one of my sources. My grandmother, both of them to a degree, but my mom's mom for sure is I would say her feet. So I'd have these conversations. I still don't want to embarrass them. I don't want to make them look bad. I want them to be proud of me toDay. So that helps me make decisions. It helps me a lot of times on how I respond in the same way we believe that God is ever present and omniscient and knowing what we're doing and what we're thinking and feeling and watching, not watching in a surveillance type of way, but watching over us like a parent. If we believe that in those moments, I pretend because I don't know, but I pretend that my grandmother is, she's in heaven and she's watching over all right now, and I'm not offering a theological position that when they die and go to heaven, they're still present with us omnipresent. Now, I'm not saying any of that, just in my mind. I tell myself, grandma could be watching me. What will grandma do? Type of thing. So that becomes an external resource for me as well as mentors that I've had in my life. Even if I can't get in touch with them, I would recall conversations we've had, and they're still alive. I recall conversations we've had and how would they guide me in this? And so I remember their words. I remember more than I even realized.Danielle (17:59):And that feels so lovely and so profound that those roots, those, I want to say ancestors, but family, family connections, that they're resourcing us before they even know they're resourcing us.So they're not unfamiliar with suffering and pain and love and joy. So they may not know exactly what we're going through in this moment, 2025, but they do know what it is to suffer. They do know what it is to walk through life. It's heavy sometimes.Phil Allen Jr. (18:43):Yes, yes, yes. They prepared me and my siblings well, and my mom is the encourager. My mom is the person that just says it's going to be okay. It's going to work out. And sometimes I don't want to hear that, but my grandparents would say a little bit more, they were more sagacious in their words, and they would share that wisdom from their life, 80 plus years. And even with my mom, sometimes I'll look back and be like, she was right. I knew she was right. I knew she was right because she'd been through so much and it is going to be okay. It's going to be okay. It always is. And so I don't take that lightly either.Danielle (19:40):When you come to this current moment with your ancestors, your faith, those kinds of things with you, how then do you form a picture of where we are at, maybe as a faith, and I'm speaking specifically to the United States, and you might speak more specifically to your own cultural context. I know for Latino, for Latinx folks, there was some belief that was fairly strong, especially among immigrant men. I would say that to vote for particular party could mean hope and access to power. And so now there's a backtrack of grappling with this has actually meant pain and hate and dissolve of my family. And so what did that mean for my faith? So I think we're having a different experience, but I'm wondering from your experience, how then are you forming a picture of today?Phil Allen Jr. (20:47):I knew where we were headed. Nothing surprises me because my faith teaches me to look at core underlying causes, root causes in an individual. When we talk about character, what are the patterns of this person that's going to tell us a lot about who this person is, they're in leadership, where they're going to lead us, what are the patterns of a particular group, the patterns that a lot of people don't pay attention to or are unaware of? What are those patterns? And even then, you may have to take a genealogical approach, historical approach, and track those patterns going back generations and coming to the current time to tell us where we'reAnd then do the same thing broadly with the United States. And if you pay attention to patterns, I'm a patterns person. If you pay attention to patterns, it'll tell you where you're going. It'll tell you where you're headed. So my faith has taught me to pay attention to even the scripture that says from the heart, the mouth speaks. So if I want to know a person, I just pay attention to what they're saying. I'm just going to listen. And if I listen intently, carefully, what they've said over time tells me how they will lead us, tells me how they will respond. It tells me everything about their ethics, their morality. It tells me what I need to know. If I pay attention, nothing surprises me where we are, the term MAGA is not just a campaign slogan, it's a vision statement. Make America great again. Each of these words, carry weight again, tells me, and it's not even a vision statement, it's nostalgic. It's not creative. It's not taking us into a new future with a new, something new and fresh. It is looking backwards. Again, let's take what we did. It might look a little differently. Let's take what we did and we're going to bring that to 2025. Great. What is great? That's a relative statement. That's a relative word.(23:36):I always ask people, give me one decade. In the last 400 plus years since Europeans encountered, 500 years since Europeans encountered indigenous people, give me one decade of greatness, moral greatness. Not just economic or militarily, but moral greatness where the society was just equitable, fair and loving. I can't find one.Because the first 127 years with interaction with indigenous people was massacre violence, conquest of land, beginning with a narrative that said that they were savages. Then you got 246 years of slavery,Years of reconstruction. And from 1877 to 19 68, 91 years of Jim Crow. So you can't start until you get to 1970.And then you got mass incarceration, the prison industrial complex and racial profiling. So for black folks, especially seventies, and you had the crack of it, the war on drugs was really a war on the communities because it wasn't the same response of the opioid addiction just a few years ago in the suburbs, in the white suburbs, it was a war, whereas this was called a health crisis. So people were in prison, it was violence industry. So now we're in 1990s, and we still can start talking about police brutality, excessive force. And since 1989, you, it's been revealed 50 plus percent of exonerations are African-Americans. So that means throughout the seventies, eighties, and nineties, people who have been put in prison, who unjustly. And that affects an entire community that affects families. And you got school shootings starting with Columbine and mass shootings. So tell me one decade of America greatness.So if I pay attention to the patterns, I should not be surprised with where we are. Make America great. Again, that's a vision statement, but it's nostalgic. It's not innovative. It's taking us back to a time when it was great for people, certain people, and also it was telegraphed. These ice raids were telegraphed.2015, the campaign started with they're sending their rapists and their murder. So the narrative began to create a threat out of brown bodies. From the beginning, he told us,Yeah, right. So project 2025, if you actually paid attention to it, said exactly what they were wanting to do. Nothing surprises me. Go back to the response to Obama as president first, black president, white supremacist group, hate groups rose and still cause more violence than any other group in the country. But they have an ally in the office. So nothing surprises me. My faith tells me, pay attention to the underlying, pay attention to the root causes. Pay attention to the patterns of what people ignore and what they don't pay attention to. And it'll tell you where you're headed. So nothing surprises me,Danielle (27:39):Phil, you'll know this better than me, but Matthew five, that's the beatitudes, right? And I think that's where Jesus hits on this, right? He's like, you said this and I'm saying this. He's saying, pay attention to what's underneath the surface. Don't just say you love someone. What will you do for them? What will you do for your enemy? What will you do for your neighbor? And the reward is opposite. So a lot of times I've been talking with friends and I'm like, it's almost, I love Marvel movies. And you know how they time travel to try to get all the reality stones back and endgame? IA lot of movies. Okay, well, they time travel.Following you. Yeah. They time travel. And I feel like we're in an alternate time, like an alternate, alternate time zone where Jesus is back, he's facing temptations with Satan. And instead of saying no, he's like, bring it on. Give me the world. And we're living in an alternate space where faith, where we're seeing a faith played out with the name of Jesus, but the Jesus being worshiped is this person that would've said yes to the devil that would've said, yes, give me all the kingdoms of the world. Let rule everything. Yes, I'm going to jump. I know you're going to catch me. I can be reckless with my power and my resources. That's what I feel like all the bread I want. Of course I'm hungry. I'm going to take it all for myself. I feel like we're living in that era. It just feels like there's this timeline where this is the Jesus that's being worshiped. Jesus.That's how I feel. And so it's hard for me, and it's good for me to hear you talk about body. It's hard for me to then mix that reality. Because when I talk to someone, I'm like, man, I love Jesus. I love the faith you're talking about. And when I'm out there, I feel such bristle, such bristle and such angst in my body, anxiety like fear when I hear the name of Jesus, that Jesus, does that make sense?Phil Allen Jr. (30:05):Yes. Yeah. And that's so good. And I would you make me think about white Jesus?Like the aesthetics of Jesus. And that was intentional. And so my question for you real quick, how do you feel? What do you sense happening in your body when you see a brown Jesus, when you see an unattractive Palestinian, maybe even Moroccan Ethiopian looking, Jesus, brown skin, darker skin, any shade of brown to depict what Jesus, let's say, someone trying to depict what Jesus might've looked like. I've seen some images that said Jesus would've looked like this. And I don't know if that's true or not, but he was brown. Very different than the European. Jesus with blue eyes, brought blonde hair. What do you sense in, have you ever seen a picture, an image like that? And what do you remember about your response, your bodily response to that?Danielle (31:14):Well, it makes me feel like crying, just to hear you talk about it. I feel relief. I think I feel like I could settle. I would be calm. Some sort of deep resonance. It's interesting you say, I lived in Morocco for two years with my husband, and he's Mexican. Mexican, born there Mexican. And everybody thought he was Moroccan or Egyptian or they were like, who are you? And then they would find out he was Mexican. And they're like, oh man, we're brothers. That's literally an Arabic. They was like, we're brothers. We're brothers. Like, oh yeah, that's the feeling I have. We would be welcomed in.Phil Allen Jr. (32:00):Wow. I asked that question because whenever I've taught, I used teach in my discipleship group a class before they were put into small mentoring groups. I'd have a six, seven week class that I taught on just foundational doctrine and stuff like that. And when I talked about the doctrine of get into Christology, I would present a black Jesus or a brown Jesus, Palestinian Jesus. And you could feel the tension in the room. And usually somebody would push back speaking on behalf of most of the people in the room would push back. And I would just engage in conversation.(32:52):And usually after I would speak to them about and get them to understand some things, then they would start to settle. When I would get them to think about when was the white Jesus, when was Jesus presented as white and by whom and why? And why would Jesus look this way? Everybody else in that era, that time and that spade, that region would've looked very differently. Why do you think this is okay? And then someone would inevitably say, well, his race doesn't matter. And I heard a professor of mine say it mattered enough to change it. Absolutely. Why not be historically accurate? And that was when the light switch came on for many of them. But initially they were disoriented. They were not settled in their bodies. And that to me tells a lot about that's that alternative. Jesus, the one who would've jumped, the one who would've saved himself, the one who would've fallen into the temptation. I would say that that's the white Jesus, that what we call Christian, lowercase c Christian nationalism or even American conservative evangelicalism, which has also been rooted in white supremacy historically. That's the Jesus that's being worshiped. I've said all along, we worship different gods.(34:30):We perceive Jesus very differently. That's why the debates with people who are far left, right or conservative, the debates are pointless because we worship different gods. We're not talking about the same Jesus. So I think your illustration is dead on. I'm seeing a movie already in my head.Danielle (34:58):I have tried to think, how can I have a picture of our world having been raised by one part of my family that's extremely conservative. And then the other part not how do I find a picture of what's happening, maybe even inside of me, like the invitation to the alternate reality, which we're talking about to what's comfortable, to what's the common narrative and also the reality of like, oh, wait, that's not how it worked for all of my family. It was struggle. It was like, what? So I think, but I do think that our faith, like you said, invites us to wrestle with that. Jesus asks questions all the time.Phil Allen Jr. (35:46):Yes, I am learning more and more to be comfortable setting a table rather than trying to figure out whose table I go to, whether it's in the family, friends, whomever. I'm comfortable setting a table that I believe is invitational, a table of grace as well as standards. I mean, I don't believe in just anything goes either. I'm not swinging a pendulum all the way to the other side, but I do believe it's a table of grace and truly, truly, rather than trying to make people believe and live out that faith the way I think they should, inviting them to a space where hopefully they can meet with God and let God do that work, whatever it is that they need to do. But I'm comfortable creating a table and saying, Hey, I'm going to be at this table that's toxic. That table over there is toxic. That table over there is unhealthy. I'm going to be at this table.Danielle (37:05):How practically do you see that working out? What does that look like in your everyday life or maybe in the discipleship settings you're in? How does that look?Phil Allen Jr. (37:16):I'm very careful in the company I keep. I'm very careful in who I give my time to. You might get me one time, you're not going to get me twice if there's toxicity and ignorance. And so for example, I'm in the coffee shop all the time. I rotate, but I have my favorites and I meet people all the time who want to have coffee. And I'm able to just yesterday three hours with someone and I'm able to put my pastoral hat on and just sit and be present with people. That's me creating a table. Had that conversation gone differently, I would say it certainly would not have lasted three hours. And I'm not making space and giving energy to them anymore because I know what they're bringing to do is toxic for me. It's unhealthy for me. Now, if we turned around and we had some conversations and can get on the same page, again, I'm not saying you have to agree with me on everything, but I'm also talking about tone. I'm talking about the energy, the spirit that person carries. I'm talking about their end goal. That's me giving an example. That's an example of me setting a table. The sacred spaces that I create, I'm willing to invite you in. And if we can maintain that peace and that joy, and it can be life-giving, and again, we don't even have to agree and we don't have to be in the same faith.(39:03):I have conversations all the time, people of other faiths or non-faith, and it's been life-giving for me, incredibly life-giving for me, for both of us I think. But I won't do that for, I've also had a couple of times when the person was far right, or in my dms on social media, someone appears to want to have a civil conversation, but really it was a bait. It was debate me into debate. And then next thing you know, insults and I block. And so I block because I'm not giving you space my space anymore. I'm not giving you access to do that to me anymore. So for me, it's creating a table is all the spaces I occupy that are mine, social media spaces, platform, a coffee shop. Where am I attend church,Right now I don't. And my church is in that coffee shop When I have those, when Jesus says with two or more gathered, there I am in the midst. I take that very seriously.When we gather, when me and someone or three of us are sitting and talking, and I'm trusting that God is present, God is in the space between us and it is been life-giving for us. So all that to say, wherever my body is, wherever I'm present, the table is present, the metaphorical table is there, and I'm careful about who I invite into that space because it's sacred for me. My health is at stake,Time and energy is at stake. And so that's how I've been living my life in the last five years or so is again, I don't even accept every invitation to preach anymore because I have to ask myself, I have have to check in my body.Right? No, I don't think this is what I'm supposed to do. And then there's sometimes I'm like, yeah, I want to preach there. I like that space. I trust them. And so that's me sharing a table. I'm going to their location, but I also bring in my table and I'm asking them to join me at the table.Danielle (41:46):I love that you check in with your body. I was even just about to ask you that. What do you notice in your body when you're setting up that table? Phil? What would you recommend? Someone's listening, they're like, these guys are crazy. I've never checked in my body once in my life. Can you share how you started doing that or what it was just at the beginning?Phil Allen Jr. (42:13):So community resiliency model, the first thing we teach is tracking,Noticing and paying attention to the sensations that's going on in your body,They're pleasant or unpleasant or neutral. And for me, one of the things I noticed long before I ever got connected to this was when something didn't feel right for me, I could sometimes feel a knot in my stomach. My heart rate would start increasing, and that's not always bad. So I had to wait. I had to learn to wait and see what that meant. Sometimes it just means nervousness, excitement, but I know God is calling me to it. So I had to wait to make sure it was that. Or was it like, I'm not supposed to do this thing.So we use this term called body literacy, learning to read, paying attention to what's happening in the body. And that could mean sometimes palms get sweaty, your body temperature rises and muscles get tight. Maybe there's some twitching, right? All these little things that we just ignore, our bodies are telling us something. And I don't disconnect that from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit knowing how to reach us, how to speak, not just a word of revelation, but in our bodies. And once I learned that, I trusted that God was in that. So I learned years ago when I was supposed to say something publicly, if I'm in a public space, I knew when I was supposed to say something. It took me a couple of years and I figured it out. And this is before ever learning, tracking and all this stuff.My heart would start racing and it would not stop. And it'd be the sense of urgency, that thing that thought you have, you have to say it now.I'm an introvert. I speak for a living. I present, but I don't like to say anything unless I have to. And I learned I could sit through something and be calm and comfortable and not have to say a word. But then I also learned that there were times when I'm supposed to say something here and I started listening to that. So paying attention to those sensations, those things that we ignore, that's happening in our bodies because our nervous system is activated for some reason.Danielle (44:57):I love to hear you say it. And also it's one of the things I think we naturally want to turn off when we're in a high trauma environment or come from a high trauma background. Or maybe you don't know what to do with the sensations, right?Can you just say a couple things about what moved you over that hump? How did you step into that despite maybe even any kind of, I don't know, reservations or just difficultiesTracking your body?Phil Allen Jr. (45:33):Getting language for what I was already doing, because with crim, one of the things that was revelatory for me was I was like, wait a minute. I already do a lot of these things. So for instance, touch and feel can settle out. Nervous systems, surfaces, you can put your hand, I have my hand on my armrest. It's smooth. If I'm nervous about something, I can literally just rub this smooth surface. It feels really good, and it can settle my nervous system, right? A sip of water, a drink of water can settle your nervous system. These are not just imaginations. This is literally how the body responds. You know this. So when they gave me language for things I had already been doing, so for instance, resourcing. And you had asked me earlier, and I mentioned my grandmother, if you paid attention to my face, I probably had a smile on my face talking about her.Because that resource, it brings up sensations in my body that are pleasant.My heart rate slows down. I could feel the warmth in my cheeks from smiling. So that's something that I tap into. And that's one of the ways that you can understand tracking when you think about a person, place, or thing that is pleasant, and then pay attention to what's going on in your body. And it might be neutral because it takes a while to be able to learn how to identify these things. And when I started doing that and I realized, wait a minute, my body, I feel settled. I feel at peace when I do this or do that. And that's when I said, okay, there's science behind this. And so that's when five years ago is when I started really like, I'm going to continue to do this and share this and practice this. I use it in my nonprofit racial solidarity project because this is how we stay engaged in the conversation about race. We get triggered, we get activated. A nervous system says threat. This person is threat, or this idea is a threat, especially when it disorients what we've been taught all our lives. And we get defensive, we get impulsive, and we argue and then we out.(48:18):So I use this as part of mentoring people to stay engaged by giving them the skills to regulate their nervous system when they're in those conversations, or if they're watching the news and they don't like what they see, they want to turn the news or they want to just shut it off. Some people hear the word critical race theory and it's already triggering for them,Absolutely. And what do you do? You check out, you disengage. You get defensive. Well, that's not necessarily how they feel. It's what they're sensing in their body. Their nervous system is triggered. So if they had the skills to settle that regulate their nervous system, they could probably stay engaged enough to listen to what's actually being said. It might actually come to, oh, I didn't realize that.Danielle (49:18):It's so good to hear you talk about it though. It's so encouraging. It's like, oh man. Being in our bodies, I think is one way. We know our faith more, and I actually think it's one way we can start to step in and cross and understand one another. But I think if we're not in our bodies, I think if we maintain some sort of rigidity or separation that it's going to be even harder for us to come together.Phil Allen Jr. (49:51):I'm crazy a little bit, but I ran running, taught me how to breathe. No other practice in my faith taught me how to breathe. And I don't mean in a meditative kind of way, religious kind of way. I mean just literally breathing properly.That's healthy.Danielle (50:13):It is healthy. Breathing is great. Yeah.Phil Allen Jr. (50:16):I want to be actually alive. But running forces you to have to pay attention to your body breathing. What type of pain is this in my knee? Is this the type of pain that says stop running? Or is this the type of pain that says this is minor and it's probably going to go away within the next half a mile?Right. Which then teaches us lessons in life. This pain, this emotional pain that I'm feeling, does it say, stop doing the thing that I'm doing, or is this something I have to go through because God is trying to reveal something to me?Running has taught me that. That's why running is a spiritual discipline for me. The spiritual discipline I didn't know I needed.Danielle (51:07):Yep. You're going to have to, yeah, keep going. Keep going.Phil Allen Jr. (51:10):Sorry. I was going to say, it taught me how to pay attention to my body, from my feet to my breathing. It taught me to pay attention to my body. When I dealt with AFib last year is because I pay attention to my body. When my heart wasn't beating the right way, it was like something ain't right. So I didn't try to push through it like I would have 10, 15, 20 years ago, paying attention to my body, said, stop. Go to urgent care. Next thing you know, I'm in an emergency room. I didn't know that with all this stuff attached to me. Next thing you know, I got these diagnoses. Next thing you know, I'm on medication. And fortunately the medication has everything stabilized. I still have some episodes of arrhythmia. I don't know if it's ever going to go away. Hopefully I can get off of these medications. I feel great. Matter of fact, I didn't take my medication this morning. I got to take 'em when we get done, brother. So all that to say, man, paying attention to what's happening in my body has helped me to deal with this current reality. It's helped me to stay grounded, helped me to make wise decisions. I trust that God, that though what I'm reading in my body, that the spirit of God is in that,(52:46):Is knowing how to speak to me, knowing what I'm going to pay attention to, what I'm going to respond to. Oh, that's how you read that. You're going to respond to that. Okay. That I'm going to urge you and prompt you through these bodily sensations, if you will.Danielle (53:10):Yeah. I don't really have a lot to say to answer that. It's just really beautiful and gorgeous. And also, please take your medicine. How can people reach you? How can they find out more about your work? How can they read what you're writing and what you're thinking? Where can they find you?Phil Allen Jr. (53:33):So on social media, everything is Phil Allen Jr. So whether that's Instagram. Instagram is actually Phil Allen Jr. PhD.It. LinkedIn and Facebook. Phil Allen Jr. On Facebook, there's a regular page and there's an author page. I don't really use the author page. I'm trying to figure out how to delete that. But the regular page, Phil Allen, Jr. Threads, Phil Allen Jr. I don't do X, but LinkedIn, Phil Allen Jr. My book Open Wounds. You can either go to your local bookstore, I want to support local bookstores. You can ask them if they have it, open Wounds, the Story of Racial Trauma, racial Tragedy, trauma and Redemption. And my other book, the Prophetic Lens, the Camera and Black Moral Agency from MLK to Darnella Frazier. You can find those books on Amazon, or you can go to your local bookstore and ask them to order it for you because it supports your local bookstore. Or you can go directly to fortress press.com and order it. It goes directly. You're supporting the publisher that publish my books, which helps, which actually helps me most. But those are three ways you can get those books. And then hopefully in the next year or so, I have three book projects. I'm kind of in different stages of right now that I'm working on, and hopefully one comes out in the next year.Yeah. Year and a half. We'll see.Danielle (55:21):That's exciting. Well, Phil, thank you so much. I'm going to stop recording. As always, thank you for joining us and at the end of the podcast, our notes and resources, and I encourage you to stay connected to those who are loving in your path and in your community. Stay tuned.Kitsap County & Washington State Crisis and Mental Health ResourcesIf you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call 911.This resource list provides crisis and mental health contacts for Kitsap County and across Washington State.Kitsap County / Local ResourcesResourceContact InfoWhat They OfferSalish Regional Crisis Line / Kitsap Mental Health 24/7 Crisis Call LinePhone: 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org/crisis-24-7-services/24/7 emotional support for suicide or mental health crises; mobile crisis outreach; connection to services.KMHS Youth Mobile Crisis Outreach TeamEmergencies via Salish Crisis Line: 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://sync.salishbehavioralhealth.org/youth-mobile-crisis-outreach-team/Crisis outreach for minors and youth experiencing behavioral health emergencies.Kitsap Mental Health Services (KMHS)Main: 360‑373‑5031; Toll‑free: 888‑816‑0488; TDD: 360‑478‑2715Website: https://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org/crisis-24-7-services/Outpatient, inpatient, crisis triage, substance use treatment, stabilization, behavioral health services.Kitsap County Suicide Prevention / “Need Help Now”Call the Salish Regional Crisis Line at 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://www.kitsap.gov/hs/Pages/Suicide-Prevention-Website.aspx24/7/365 emotional support; connects people to resources; suicide prevention assistance.Crisis Clinic of the PeninsulasPhone: 360‑479‑3033 or 1‑800‑843‑4793Website: https://www.bainbridgewa.gov/607/Mental-Health-ResourcesLocal crisis intervention services, referrals, and emotional support.NAMI Kitsap CountyWebsite: https://namikitsap.org/Peer support groups, education, and resources for individuals and families affected by mental illness.Statewide & National Crisis ResourcesResourceContact InfoWhat They Offer988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (WA‑988)Call or text 988; Website: https://wa988.org/Free, 24/7 support for suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, relationship problems, and substance concerns.Washington Recovery Help Line1‑866‑789‑1511Website: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/suicide-prevention/hotline-text-and-chat-resourcesHelp for mental health, substance use, and problem gambling; 24/7 statewide support.WA Warm Line877‑500‑9276Website: https://www.crisisconnections.org/wa-warm-line/Peer-support line for emotional or mental health distress; support outside of crisis moments.Native & Strong Crisis LifelineDial 988 then press 4Website: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/suicide-prevention/hotline-text-and-chat-resourcesCulturally relevant crisis counseling by Indigenous counselors.Additional Helpful Tools & Tips• Behavioral Health Services Access: Request assessments and access to outpatient, residential, or inpatient care through the Salish Behavioral Health Organization. Website: https://www.kitsap.gov/hs/Pages/SBHO-Get-Behaviroal-Health-Services.aspx• Deaf / Hard of Hearing: Use your preferred relay service (for example dial 711 then the appropriate number) to access crisis services.• Warning Signs & Risk Factors: If someone is talking about harming themselves, giving away possessions, expressing hopelessness, or showing extreme behavior changes, contact crisis resources immediately.Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that. Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.

OPEN HEAVENSMATALA LE LAGI MO LE ASO LUA  26AOKUSO 2025(tusia e Pastor EA Adeboye)Manatu Autu: Ofoofogia 2 (Wonderful 2)Tauloto -Tusi Paia–Esoto 15:11 “Le ALI‘I e, o ai ‘ea sē ‘ua tusa ma oe i le vao atua? O ai sē ‘ua tusa ma oe, o lē silisili ‘ona pa‘ia, o lē mata‘utia i vi‘iga, o lē fai vāvega?”‭‭Faitauga – Tusi Paia –Psalms 77:13-20I le Tanielu 6:27, na faapea mai le tupu, ‘e leai seisi Atua e pei o le Atua o Tanielu, o lē na faasaoina o ia mai le lua o leona, e na te faia vavega ofoofogia'. Na pepese Mose ma le fanauga a Isaraelu i Upu o le tauloto mai le Tusi Paia o le asō, e tautino ai vavega ofoofogia a le Atua ina ua ia laveai i latou mai le au Aikupito. Sa ave e malolo i luma o le sami ulaula, ae na tuliloa i latou e le autau matautia a Aikupito e toe ave e fai ma pologa. Ua leiloa poo fea latou te sulu iai, peitai na faatonu  e le Atua Mose e faaloaloa lona tootoo i luga o le sami, ona faafuaseia lea ona vaeluaina ma ua mafai ona savavali i le eleeele matutū i leisi itu. Ua taunuu i leisi itu ma tilotilo mai i latou i tua ma iloa le autau a Aikupito sa tuliloa atu i latou, ua malelemo i le sami e tasi lea na vaeluaina mo i latou. Ana e iai i lea aso, e le tau faiatu seisi ia te oe o le Atua o le Atua faivavega ofoofogia. E faia e le Atua mea e ofo ai tagata. Sa ou malaga i se atunuu i fafo, ma ina ua ou taunuu atu i le malae vaalele, ou te lei vaai atu i se tasi o ou atalii na ou manatu e iai ma i latou na faatalia a'u. Na ou fesili mo ia ae fai mai o loo i le falemai o loo faatalitali le taimi e oti ai. Ua ou faapea atu, ‘tatou afe atu i le falemai'. Ina ua matou taunuu atu, na ave i matou i se potu o loo tuu ai tagata o loo faatalitali oti. O tagata mamai e ave i totonu o le potu lea, e le toe foi mai i fafo o soifua. O lo'u atalii e iai se mai, o le fua o le siama PSA e 4000. O le tulaga masani o le PSA i le tino o le tagata e 10, a oo atu i le 100,  e tele le avanoa e maua ai i le kanesa, ae a oo atu i le 300, ua lē toe aoga iai se togafiti. I le atunuu lea, e faasā ona e tatalo mo se tagata seiloga e faataga mai. E ui e toatele tagata na iai i lea potu, na ou tatalo tau lava o lo'u atalii ona ou alu ese lea. O le aso Toonai na tupu ai, e oo atu i le aso Lulu na sosoo ai, ua tea I tua ma le falemai. Peitai o le tulaga ofoofogia, o tagata uma na iai i lea potu ina ua ou alu atu, na tetea uma I tua ma le falemai i lea aso.Le au pele e, afai o loo e faitau i lenei faamalosiau ae ua fai atu le lalolagi ua lē toe iai se faamoemoe i lou olaga, o le Atua o vavega ofoofogia e faateia ai i latou, i le suafa o Iesu. Valaau i le Atua o vavega ofoofogia e na te liliuina soo se vaega i lou olaga poo olaga foi o i latou i lou siomaga i le asō, i le suafa o Iesu, Amene. 

STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR BAD PEOPLE!!!PLANNED PARENTHOOD:  https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/05/16/nx-s1-5397314/planned-parenthood-clinics-abortion-close-telehealth-rights#:~:text=%22It's%20gotten%20more%20expensive%20to,already%20facing%20health%20care%20shortages.&text=%22I%20wish%20I%20had%20been,be%20saved%2C%22%20Koskenoja%20said.OKLAHOMA: https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2025/07/28/oklahoma-ed-secretary-harding-grad-under-investigation-for-porn-on-office-tvSYDNEY SWEENEY: Put a pin in this! LISA recommends this: https://www.tiktok.com/@ohmellyeah/video/7532247807231642911?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7421213591800776223LORI RECOMMENDS THIS: https://www.tiktok.com/@storyteller502/video/7526636675934522654REIMAGINE DEAD MALLS: https://www.tiktok.com/@hereisoregon/video/7532169121623035149?lang=enhttps://www.tiktok.com/@hereisoregon/video/7532539288748166414?lang=enCLIMATE CRISIS: TSUNAMI, HURRICANESLori recommends: https://www.hulu.com/series/hurricane-katrina-race-against-time-a99bbb11-91f6-4c1b-a8d9-140f0f397a2eWE HOLD GRUDGES: Who's on your #REDLIST because we're keeping ours! and we will not be forgetting who voted us into whatever mess is coming. WHERE ARE YOU JULIAN BROWN? https://www.tiktok.com/@indigo4346/photo/7532019118984170766MMIW: Murdered Missing Indigenous Women.  We'll be  doing a series coming soon. Support the showThe Parlour with Lori and Lisa comes to you with our takes on current events, politics, human interest stories, all things close to our hearts, and so much MORE! Thank you for following our media journey and be sure to look for us as we roll out in all the social platforms. #SlowMedia

July 21, 2025Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily Life1 Corinthians 6:7-20I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church 

1:20I - nsights on Youth Development in SportsMark shares his fondest childhood sporting memories, emphasizing the importance of friendships formed in local clubs. He discusses his childhood sporting idols and reflects on impactful moments in his coaching career, particularly when helping young individuals turn their lives around through rugby. Michael adds that the support from coaches can significantly influence a young person's life.9:54 -Coaching Philosophy and Development in RugbyMark Hopley shared insights on coaching youth rugby, highlighting the need for a high-paced and skillful approach that embraces mistakes as part of the learning process. He criticized traditional methods that focus on rigid strategies, advocating instead for fostering better decision-making among young players. Hopley also recounted his journey from being a player to a coach, detailing his experiences and the transition to focusing on player development.14:33 Coaching Philosophy and Player DevelopmentMark Hopley explained that coaches must foster an environment that encourages young athletes to enjoy their training sessions, which are limited to an hour and a half each week. He stressed the importance of players having a growth mindset and being willing to work hard, while also noting that the program aims to help players take ownership of their development, particularly as they reach the under-16 age group.17:41 Recruitment and Training Pathways in Rugby and FootballMichael Wright and Mark Hopley explored the differences in recruitment and training pathways between rugby and football. Mark highlighted that rugby academies have defined geographical regions for player eligibility, which can be both a strength and a weakness due to travel time. He emphasized the importance of education for young athletes, stating that rugby programs are designed to support their academic commitments.23:39 -Coaching Philosophy and Skill Development in RugbyMichael Wright and Mark Hopley explore the challenges of coaching a more chaotic style of play to older players who may be accustomed to structured approaches. Mark advocates for focusing on fundamental skills and decision-making, allowing players to express themselves while minimizing overcomplication in coaching. He believes that a simpler, principle-based approach can enhance player enjoyment and performance.31:45 -Coaching Development and Player Skill EnhancementMark highlights the necessity of ensuring players have ample opportunities to touch the ball during training to improve their skills. He stresses the importance of having enough coaches present to provide feedback and support, fostering a culture of development rather than solely focusing on winning. Additionally, he mentions the value of allowing coaches to experiment and learn from their experiences.41:19 Support and Development of Young Athletes in Senior EnvironmentsMark highlights the unique approach of integrating young athletes, like Henry Pollock, into the first team environment to foster growth through peer feedback and appropriate challenges. He reflects on past shortcomings in supporting these athletes during their transition from school to professional rugby, stressing the importance of addressing their physical and emotional needs.48:08 - Importance of First Team Integration for Young PlayersMichael Wright highlighted the importance of first team dynamics for young players transitioning into professional rugby. He noted that having senior players who understand the challenges faced by academy graduates can foster a supportive environment. Mark Hopley agreed, stating that senior players often respect younger players based on their training performance and prior exposure to the team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OPEN HEAVENSMATALA LE LAGI MO LE ASO TOONAI 5 IULAI 2025(tusia e Pastor EA Adeboye) Manatu Autu: Faaeteete ma fai faatatau I Mea Uma (Be Moderate In All Things) Tauloto –  1 Korinito 6:12 “Ua tataga mea uma ‘iā te a‘u,” a ‘ua lē aogā mea uma. “‘Ua tataga mea uma ‘iā te a‘u,” a o a‘u, e lē fa‘ato‘ilaloina a‘u i se tasi mea.”‭‭Faitauga o le Tusi Paia: 1 Korinito 6:12-20I le fuaiupu tauloto o le asō, fai mai Paulo e ui lava ua tataga mea uma ia te ia, e lē fa'ato'ilaloina ia e se mea fa'ale lalolagi. Na toe faapea mai fo'i Paulo I le 1 Korinito 9:25 o e ua faaolaina e tatau ona faaeteete ma fai faatatau i mea uma. O ne'i fuaiupu o le Tusi Paia ua fa'aali mai ai o le Atua e i ai lana fua faatatau mo mea uma a lana fanau e fai, e aofia ai ma upu e tautatala ai, o latou lavalava ma le va feagai ma isi. Paga lea o le toatele o kerisiano ua o latou faatagaina ala o fesootaiga, manatu o tagata ma aga masani e fai ai le fua fa'atatau o latou lavalava, taumafa, moe, ma ua faapea fo'i ia latou tapuaiga i le Atua.O le a taumafai pea le tiapolo e fa'aaogā mana'oga o le tagata e fa'aleagaina ai i latou. E le o se agasala le mana'o i nisi o mea i le tino, peita'i e tatau ona e pulea lou naunau i nei mea. Fa'ata'ita'iga; o le lē mafai e Samasoni ona faatoilalo lona mana'o i le faitaaga na i'u ai ina fano o ia (Faamasino 16:1-31). Le au pele e, tusa poo mea i le tino o loo e mana'o ai e tatau ma lelei, e tatau lava pea ona mafai ona e pulea ma taofi lou naunau i ai. O mea e te manatu e lelei ma agava'a mo oe e mafai ona ta'ita'ia oe i le agasala pe a ova atu ma tapula'a faa tulafonoina. Fa'ata'ita'iga; e ui e lē leaga le taumafa i meaai lelei, o le tele nauā o le taumafa, o se agasala aua e lē tusa ma fa'atonuga a le Atua ia faaeteete ma fai faatatau i mea uma (1 Korinito 9:25). Mo le toatele o tagata, o le inu tele ma ai tele ua faamativaina ai i latou (Fa'ataoto 23:21).O se atali'i/afafine o le Atua, e tatau ona e faaeteete ma fuafua lelei i tulaga uma o le soifuaga. E tatau ona e faaeteete ma fuafua lelei i lau tautala aua o le tele o upu e i'u ina agasala ai (Fa'ataoto 10:19). Fa'ata'ita'iga, a fua tele mai le faatoaga a le tagata mauoa ae valea, e tupu tele lona fiafia ma i'u ina soona tautala tele ai o ia ma iloa ai le faamaualuga o lona loto, ma i'u ina fano ai o ia (Luka 12:16-20). E tatau fo'i ona e faaeteete i ou foliga vaaia. E lelei le fai lelei o ou laei; peita'i o le tele nauā o le faamuamua ma le fa'ataua o teuga ma le taitaina ma mulimulitu'i i so'o se mea fou e a'e mai o se faailoga o le laititi o le olaga fa'aleagaga. E fautuaina kerisiano ia taula'i lo latou fiafia i mea o i lugā ae lē o mea I le lalolagi (Kolose 3:1-2).Le au pele e, o le ola faaeteete, o le tatau lea ona pulea o lou loto. Fai mai Solomona o se tagata ua lē pulea lona loto ua tusa ma se aai ua osofaia, ua leai se pa (Fa'ataoto 25:28). E le tatau ona e tuua se avanoa I le tino e fai ai le tuinanau (Roma 13:14). A e savali i la le Agaga ma tu'u lou loto I mea o i lugā ona lē faia lea e outou o tuinanauga o le tino (Kalatia 5:16, Kolose 3:2), ae ua outou ola i se olaga pulea lelei e fiafia i ai le Atua, I le suafa o Iesu, Amene.

Let's talk about the awesome shows of the season and the shows that make you want to punch it's directors!This episode's members: Requiem, Marquan and DocKev with Reikaze handling the editing duties.The AniTAY Podcast is a bi-weekly podcast brought to you every other Wednesday. It is available on all your favorite podcast services! If you like us, be sure to subscribe to your favorite service and give us 5 stars! Your support is much appreciated and will help us grow and continue to provide this style of content.ItineraryIntro 0:00:00–0:01:49Housekeeping : 0:01:35–0:08:31ShowsFood for the Soul : 0:08:31–0:12:08To Be Hero X : 0:12:08–0:15:16WIND BREAKER Season 2 : 0:15:16–0:20:39A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof : 0:20:39–0:25:20WITCH WATCH : 0:25:20–0:28:20I'm the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! : 0:28:20–0:34:23Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2 : 0:34:23–0:39:05Once Upon a Witch's Death 0:39:05–0:42:42The Shiunji Family Children : 0:42:42–0:49:21Go! Go! Loser Ranger! Season 2 : 0:49:21–0:55:19News 0:55:19–1:04:43Question of the week: Favorite JRPG? 1:04:43–1:20:20End 1:20:20–1:30:38Missed the previous episode of the AniTAY Podcast? Check it out here:https://medium.com/anitay-official/anitay-podcast-s10-e8-marquan-wants-a-non-blood-related-older-sister-d267c18a2708

Big Idea: Only the Gospel can free you from your flesh.1 Corinthians 6:12-20I. Your body no longer belongs to you1 Corinthians 6:12-14“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. “Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will do away with both of them. However, the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.II. …because you are Christ's body.1 Corinthians 6:15-17Don't you know that your bodies are a part of Christ's body? So should I take a part of Christ's body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not! Don't you know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For Scripture says, The two will become one flesh. But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.III. But your body still matters. 1 Corinthians 6:18Flee sexual immorality! Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body.IV. So, fill your body with what matters most.1 Corinthians 6:19-20Don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.Next Steps: Believe: I surrender my body and my soul to Christ today.Become: I surrender my body to Christ all over again today.Be Sent: I will be his body to someone far from Christ this week.Discussion Questions: If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?  Why?Are there some religious rules you no longer feel like you need to follow?  If so, what and why?Did someone see your good deed and praise your Father in Heaven last week (Matthew 5:16)?How exactly does Christ change a person when they become a Christian? (I.E. looks, personality, desires, habits, etc.)Is there a habit that we can pray for Jesus to give you the power over?  How will you surrender your flesh to the Holy Spirit this week?Pray for the Holy Spirit to have greater control over your flesh this week. 

05-18-2025 AM "More Foolishness with the Foolish"Sermon Text: Ecclesiastes 10:11-20I. The Speech of the Foolish A. Much Speech B. Ignorant SpeechII. The Actions of the Foolish A. Indulgent Actions B. Idle ActionsIII. The Response to the Foolish A. Restrained Response B. Reverent ResponseRev. Greg Lubbers

05-11-2025 AM "God Reaches Out to the Philistines"Scripture Reading: Judges 13:24-14:20I. Samson makes a marriage alliance.II. God provides symbolic illustration of his power and love.III. Samson tests the Philistines by revealing the mystery of God's power and love.IV. The Philistines reject the message.Rev. Ralph Pontier

Over eight weeks, we will consider the substance of the Lord's Prayer - prayerfully seeking to infuse that substance into our own prayers. We will seek to mold our prayers by our Lord's model prayer, communing with our Father God as Jesus himself did. This week, we conclude our series looking at 'Kingdom, power, and glory...' from 1 Chronicles 29:10-13.The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. Psalm 93:1-2 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us…  Ephesians 3:20I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Isaiah 42:8For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another. Isaiah 48:11For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2:14For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great. Psalm 25:11 For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me… Psalm 31:3Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake! Psalm 79:9…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name;your kingdom come;your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread.And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.For yours is the kingdom, and the power,and the glory forever.Amen.For sermon media, and Life Group Discussion guide, visit: lifechurchnc.com/prayLife Church exists to glorify God by making disciples who treasure Christ, grow together, and live on mission. Salisbury, NCFollow us online:lifechurchnc.comFacebookInstagramYouTubeTwitter

0:14Good morning, good morning, good afternoon.0:15How are you doing out there in the world?0:18And well, this is a revamp of prepare responder covers program we put on last two, oh, guess two years ago, right, We started with it.0:29I'm looking into all different aspects of what it is to respond to large scale emergencies and not just Emergency Management. Still, we're looking at law, fire, EMS, private industry, public side of things.0:47It's a broad brush.0:49And so I'm excited.0:51And so Todd and I, Todd Manzat is the 2 Todd's here.0:55Start talking about it, what it is and, and, and you know, he's got some really great insight.1:01I've known Todd for a while now.1:04And as you can tell here, the Blue Cell is the premier sponsor of this program.1:08And so I want to thank Todd for that.1:10And Todd, welcome.1:11Welcome to our show, I guess, for lack of better term.1:14Hey, well, thanks, thanks for the welcome.1:16And, you know, it was, it was kind of funny as we were kind of batting this around at the end of last year and, you know, here we are now getting ready to kind of jump right into it.1:29But certainly the world's events have helped us to have at least some stuff to talk about in the last 30 days.1:38It feels like it's April already.1:40And I know we'll get into a little bit of that.1:42But thanks for having me.1:43I'm glad to be part of it.1:46I think this is the longest January I've ever lived, Right?1:53Well, it's, you know, in some ways we're thinking back a little bit to, you know, what's going on.1:58I was in New Orleans this week and the events of New Year's Eve are in the distant past when they're worried about the Super Bowl.2:06They had a snowstorm and they had a a Sugar Bowl.2:09And it's, it's really interesting that the tempo right now is as real as it gets with regards to, you know, what we are going to be talking about here, you know, interested about that.2:22It's like, you know, obviously the, the events of January 1st with both New Orleans and Vegas, how quickly it came out of, out of the news cycle because you know, fires happened in, in, in California, you know, and that kept us hopping over here.2:40You know, obviously you guys all know that I live in, well, maybe not everybody, but I, I live in Southern California.2:46And so those fires directly impacted my area, not necessarily where I live, but close enough to where I have friends that lost homes and stuff in the fire.2:57So, I mean, and then then we got rain right after that, which is causing problems.3:03And then there's snow storms in in Louisiana in the South that's causing problems there.3:07And we're still not recovering from Hurricane Helene, You know, And then in the midst of all this, we get a new presidential administration, which is definitely moving fast, you know, And yeah, so are, are we going to be able to take your breath?3:28Well, you know, I don't know that we have a choice, right?3:30It's that kind of race.3:32And, you know, being as ready as we can be in different places, that's kind of part of it.3:38So that the folks who are sprinting as fast as they can can be relieved.3:41And one of the things that was interesting when I was in, in Louisiana this past week, they were talking about barring snow plows from another state.3:49Who, who does know how to do that, you know, pretty interestingly.3:52And then obviously, unfortunately, the events in DC with the, with the plane crash as the, you know, the most recent thing, another really, you know, significant type of event and response.4:09Just hearing, you know, some of the press conference stuff where they're talking about, you know, the things that, you know, I teach all the time, Unified command 300 responders out there.4:21Got to replace those responders.4:23Got a lot going on, got a lot of media, right.4:26All those aspects of something that makes any kind of response a little more complex.4:34Definitely it's going to be a a fun filled year of topics if we stay at this at this pace for sure.4:44Yeah, I want to talk about that plane crash here for forbid, not not about the plane crunch itself, but about how as a those of us in the field, you know, I know a whole bunch of people that are traveling at any given time.5:01I mean, you're one of them, a couple of friends down in Texas.5:05You have a friend of mine who carries Fronza, who's the president of IEM, who she was travelling during this time.5:13And I went to my, my, my click box of, oh, who do I need?5:17Who do I need to call to see if they're impacted by this?5:20And even if it's something as far away as DC, you know, and now you're going, oh, crap.5:25I mean, I called you or at least reached out to you to see if you know if you're travelling yet.5:30So you don't.5:30It's just this is amazing, like how small of a world we truly are when it comes to that.5:36And then I have friends that work and you do too, Todd, you know, that work in the capital that a part of Metro and and and DC fire and Fairfax fire.5:46And you know, you, you see this happening.5:48You're going, these are people who you know closely that are already impacted by this event, let alone the tragedy of the those lives that were lost, you know, in this tragic accident.6:01And I think that's part of the thing with what we do here between you and myself and, and the, and the organizations that, you know, we do touch every aspect of, of the United States and at some point global when it comes to Emergency Management, We're going to be able to bring those, that perspective to, to the this conversation.6:24Yeah.6:24I think the, the other thing that kind of jumped out at me was, you know, trying to think back through the history and, and certainly some of the legacy media folks were talking about the last time we had a crash and how long ago it was.6:38And in fact, I don't know if you picked up on it.6:41That last one was Buffalo and obviously Buffalo, NY.6:46You've got connections to that place, right?6:48Yeah, yeah, right.6:52And I'm headed to Binghamton, NY next Friday, which is not that far down the road.6:57So it's, you know, to bring it somewhat full circle, preparedness, response and recovery are interconnected.7:05All these disciplines are interconnected.7:09How we do things, we're trying to make them as interconnected, you know, as possible.7:17And I think it's going to be the right conversation, especially when we bring some doctrinal things in and and talking about some specific topics and then trying to overlay it to things that are really happening.7:31I think that's going to be one of the unique things about the conversation, hopefully, as we move the show forward.7:38Yeah, absolutely.7:39And I think the other thing too, Todd, that you know, you and I have some really deep conversations, you know, when it comes to the state of Emergency Management, the state of disaster response, you know, where where we need to go and how to get there.7:57And you know, the fact that we have a kind of book in this thing here, but we have progressive states that look at Emergency Management and disaster response and disaster preparedness and planning as holistic, right?8:13So that means like fire, police, EMS, public works, right, that we always forget, you know, public health, they're all involved in the conversation.8:23And then you have some States and somewhere areas that are myopic, right?8:27And they're very much silos on everything they they do.8:30I think some of the conversation that we're going to have here is hopefully to break down those silos and and be able to have those full conversations that we are all hazards approach to everything that we look at.8:42And I think that's critical, right?8:45And I think also in the, you know, our show concept, and I think it's important to share, you know, in this first episode, it won't just be me and you hanging out with each other.8:55I think our concept of bringing in guests as a, a third element to the show, a third voice, I think will be important.9:04I know you're working on lining up a few.9:06I'm working on lining up a few.9:08It'll be exciting.9:09And, you know, as we move into the coming weeks to get that guest line up out to folks and they can kind of hear a perspective and we'll definitely, you know, be leveraging our relationships.9:21I think to to bring in some strong, strong individuals to give a dynamic focus on, you know, what we're talking about.9:31And Speaking of relationships, I mean, you know, the other good part about this too is Todd, you and I both have some good relationships with some people that can bring really great insight.9:43And so we'll be leveraging those relationships as well to be able to bring you the audience some more insight to what what's happening in, in close to real time as possible.9:53And then of course, you know, my position with IEM allow some conversations to to happen as well.10:01And the Today as an example, well, we, we have to talk a little bit about the, the elephant in the room is what's going on with FEMA.10:10The, the president has set forth his vision on, on making changes.10:16And I don't think there's an emergency manager in the United States right now that doesn't think the Stafford Act needs to be, you know, looked at and, and fixed, right?10:30You know, it's an old act, right?10:33And that FEMA does need to have, you know, to be maybe remodeled a little bit.10:38Sure.10:39I, I definitely don't think it should be destroyed and taken away, But you know, where does it belong and, and, and how does it work?10:47And you know, I've been calling for a few years now.10:49Well, let's say probably over 10 years now that FEMA should be a stand alone agency.10:53And there's, there's cons and pros for both for, for all of this, right?10:59And then today I got to sit down with the acting administrator, Hamilton to hear a little bit about his background and what his, his, you know, his goals are.11:11And the good thing is, is what he's doing right now is listening to the emergency managers out there, meeting with the big groups such as IEM and Nima, big cities, meeting with them to discuss what their needs and goals and, and desires are when it comes to what FEMA is and can be.11:34And I think it's a really important first step.11:37And I, and I commend them for that.11:40Yeah.11:40You know, the, the, the basic rules and kind of organizational leadership are you, you got to, got to figure out what your objectives are, to figure out what your mission is, that type of thing.11:51And, and many times it's a driving factor in where you end up or who you're working for working under and, and how it's supposed to work.12:00I think, you know, that revisit it's, it's not something necessarily that, you know, every time you get a new leader in that you need to do that, But you also can't go 20 or 30 or 40 years and have problems and not do it.12:16And you know, there obviously is a, has been for some time a heartbeat out there saying, Hey, let's let's have it as a, a cabinet member.12:27And my position is whether it's a cabinet member or not, it's still going to come down to the mission, the organization, understanding what the mission is and the talent that's inside the organization.12:40I was in this little teeny organization for a short time called the United States Marine Corps.12:45It's a it's a branch under a department, but everybody knows who we are.12:51Everybody knows what we do because we've got a clear mission.12:53I've had it for 250 years and we're the best at what we do.12:57So in some ways, when you do it well, it doesn't matter that you're not equal to the Department of the Navy and under the Department of the Navy, just as an example.13:09And so I think that's going to be a hard, long conversation and a lot of work that'll have to be done to establish that capability that is not only understood but is respected and is effective in the field.13:27Because that's what's been coming into question is it's effectiveness in the field.13:31Where it sits organizationally probably doesn't have much to do with that.13:35So I think it'll be interesting moving forward.13:39I'm not watching from afar.13:40Certainly have a lot of folks that I'm talking to that are, they're nervous and they're trying to, you know, decipher what's happening and figure it out and where do I fit in?13:51In the end, you got to do the best job that you can and not have that question because you did the best job that could be done.13:58And so I I think that'll be something worth talking about moving forward and, and watching how it kind of transpires.14:08Yeah, absolutely.14:09And, and you're right, I think nervousness, I think is a good word to say.14:13Uncertainty, right?14:14It breeds nervousness a little bit.14:15And I think that's kind of where we're at.14:17And, you know, the current administration's communication style is, is interesting at the at the best or at the worst, I suppose, or whichever we look at it is sometimes I believe, you know, President Trump just floats things out there just to see how people react.14:34And, you know, he's a, he's interesting guy that way.14:40And I think it takes a little bit of time to get used to that style of communication.14:45Whether you agree with it or not.14:46It just says it is what it is, right?14:48You know, not just talking about the yeah, go ahead.14:55I was going to say that.14:56I was just going to judge.15:01We all have to get used to how Manhattan downtown developers do business.15:08That's, that's what we have to get used to.15:10And, and most of us haven't had to deal with that.15:13So it's a, it's a different way that things get done.15:17There's no question.15:19Yeah, absolutely.15:20And like I said, I'm not, I'm not judging it.15:23I'm not putting a value to it.15:24I'm just saying it is what it is.15:25And this is what we have to deal with.15:26You know, I, I think as emergency managers and, and, and guys that are in the field, you know, when we're looking at situations, we have to understand that we don't have time to placate on whether we agree with something or not.15:43We just have to deal with the consequences of what's happening.15:45And, and, and this is where we're at.15:47We have to deal with the consequences that, that, that are happening.15:51And so, you know, that being said, you know, what is the future of Emergency Management when it comes to to what the federal government believes in?16:03That's going to be a long conversation.16:05You know, you know, and we, we have a long history of things changing.16:13And I think we forget this because, you know, we we live in the generation that we're in, right?16:20And we may look back at the previous generations, but we live in where we're at and what we're used to and in that comfort zone.16:28And, you know, I think if we reflect back to when, you know, Franklin Donald Roosevelt created an office that would look at Emergency Management, if you will, without using the terminology.16:39It's where we grew up from, you know, to Truman turned it into really the civil defense of what we think of today, you know, with the Burt the Turtle and all that nuclear stuff that they were dealing with.16:50And and then it kind of got to Jimmy Carter at this point where he turned it into FEMA in 79.16:56And then, of course, the Stafford Act.16:58These are chunks that we didn't live in, right?17:01You know, some I, I, you know, realistically, Todd, you and I, we're from, you know, 70s into the, to the 80s when we were, you know, kids and then we're working.17:12The experience has been this short box.17:14So we look at these boxes that we've lived in and not understanding what the, what the history was and what the changes are.17:20So, so this too, you know, will be a little uncomfortable, but maybe it's uncomfortable that we need to be better.17:28And if we look at it that way and, and as long as we're part of the conversation, that's my only concern is if we start having conversation without us, then what does that mean?17:38Right, right.17:40And I think the, the other thing, just analyzing it a little bit as an outsider looking in, I think what are the alternatives going to be?17:51You know, they're, they're talking about a few alternatives and, and putting pressure or responsibility in other places, like for example, the states.18:00Well, they better do a true analysis of whether that capability is actually there.18:07It sounds great and it probably looks good on paper, but there's going to be a harsh reality that that may not be the answer.18:17And I'm, I'm not going to call out any one state or any 10 states or any 25 states.18:22I'm just going to say there will be serious questions as to whether certain states can take on those previous FEMA responsibilities.18:33And I think it could be a bigger mess and a bigger tragedy if that's not really looked at very, very hard and and very critically in terms of what the capabilities actually are in some of those locations.18:51You know, I think about the fires that we just had here in Los Angeles County and one of the last fires that kicked off as this thing was burning, you know, they were able to put 4000 firefighters onto a fire in in a very short period of time to stop it from burning up the town of Castaic or the village, I guess, right.19:13We got lucky in one aspect that there were already firefighters down here from all over the place that we can, we, we can move those assets over.19:20You know, that's one state.19:23State of California is unique in that aspect of it.19:26I mean, I don't think and, and I'm going to pick on a state and I mean, I can, you know, if, if you fear for that state, please let me, I'm telling you, I don't know the assets.19:35So I'm not not saying that you can't do it.19:37But if you took like Montana, for instance, who has lot of wild land fires, I don't know if they could put in in in 30 minutes of a fire kicking off, Could they put 4000 firefighters on that fire in 30 minutes of a kicking off?19:52Or Colorado for that matter, where you're from, you know, do they have those assets?19:57And, and maybe they do, maybe they don't, but that's the difference between having mutual aid and the federal government coming in to be able to pay for things on the back end than it is to to not right.20:09And and again, maybe Montana and Colorado could put those assets on their.20:13I'm not, I'm not trying to say that you're not on issues as an example, I want to be clear on that.20:19But you know, without federal assistance immediately, can the smaller states handle those large scale disasters as quickly as they can right now?20:34Sure.20:34I yeah, I definitely think that's, you know, that resource management piece is a is a big aspect of it.20:40But let's say you're a week into it, do some of the states have the ability to even manage that?20:50You know, when we start to think about some of the large scale operations and you know, maybe maybe you have an Emergency Management office, full time staff of 20 people that may not have, you know, the ability or the experience of handling, you know, that type of complexity.21:11That is the word that always bothers me.21:16The, the actual complexity.21:18You know, incident command speaks to it quite a bit.21:21We've got a pretty good system for incident command.21:23We've got a pretty good system at the top tier of who manages complex incidents and who's qualified to manage complex incidents.21:32Well, you know, some of that would somewhat come into question if you don't have that guidance from, from FEMA or even some of their support from an IMAP perspective.21:42And then we're that we're going to rely on a state agency of, of 16 people to, to be able to do it.21:51I don't know.21:52I I think it's definitely something that it's going to be a, a bridge we have to cross if that's the direction that we end up going.22:00Yeah, absolutely.22:01And, and, and going back to some of the smaller states.22:03And I'll pick on Maine here for a minute because I was talking, I was talking to one of the guys from Maine and they have volunteer emergency managers, you know, you know, and I'm like, well, and it blew my mind when we had this conversation with him.22:22I'm like, you know, I I never thought about that, that you have a town, you know, a state that's so, you know, sparsely populated in some areas that they just have some dude who's like, all right, I'll, I'll do it for a volunteer.22:34You know, like that means you get your regular day job that you're doing and in the evening, maybe you're, you know, you're doing Emergency Management stuff.22:42Yeah, that kind of that kind of blows my mind a little bit.22:45So, you know, what do we do with states like that that don't even have the ask the the ability to pay for emergency managers, you know, to live in what?22:53I mean, you know, how do we ask?22:56How do we?22:56And the support doesn't necessarily, you know, I want to rewind the minute, the support doesn't necessarily have to be be people on the ground, right?23:05You know, those volunteer emergency managers in Maine may have the the capabilities of doing it as on a volunteer basis because they don't have a lot of disasters that occurred.23:13That's fine.23:13I'm not, I'm not making fun of that position.23:17What I'm saying is they need support and the support that they might get might just be from training, you know, grants to help pay for things because obviously their tax base is going to be lower.23:29So they may need those, those grants from from the federal government to to pay for programs, you know, the send people to EMI or whatever they change their name to, you know, you know, for, for training, you know, the university.23:50Is that the university?23:52FEMA you or, or, you know, used to be FEMA you.23:56yeah.com.23:58Good Lord.23:59Something we're going to, we're going to send us hate mail.24:02Jeff Stearns, Doctor Stearns, We're not making fun of you, man.24:05We're just right.24:12Excuse me, but yeah.24:14I mean, we go into this like, how do we support those smaller states that don't have big budgets?24:20I'm lucky to be from living in California and from New York, which are, you know, have big budgets, but I mean, heck, even New York State, you know, I mean, if you want to take a look at the responders in New York State, there's the majority of the responders in New York State are volunteer.24:41You know, it's one of the states that there are more Volunteer Fire departments in New York State than paid, you know, So what does that look like?24:50And, and what support are they getting from, from the federal government, whether it's through FEMA, the National Forest Service, I help it out with, with different grants and stuff.25:00The you, you know, out here in, in the West Coast, we have BLM, which has firefighting assets and things that could be used.25:09There's a lot of stuff that National Forest Service.25:12There's a lot of stuff that we're relying upon and maybe even too much, right?25:17Maybe that's the back of our mind and and we're relying on those, those assets.25:22You don't compare it to saying let's pretend they don't exist, right?25:26I don't know.25:28That's the stuff I think is making a lot of people nervous about some of the changes that are going on right now of the unknown answers to unknown questions.25:39Yeah.25:41Well, it's going to be interesting.25:42It's going to be good.25:43And we'll kind of start to figure out right the next, next episode and who knows who's going to be in what jobs.25:54So we, we may, we may get a, a really good guess right as we, as we move forward or some of the folks who've previously been in those positions that give us some insight.26:06I think that's really our goal.26:10Absolutely.26:11Well, Todd, you know, we're trying to keep these within that 30 minute window and we're coming up to the last few minutes here on our conversation.26:22Is there anything that you'd like to say to the listeners out there that are coming back and, and how do we, you know, to the new listeners that might be just finding us?26:32I say, you know, TuneIn and we definitely will keep it interested and keep it moving from that perspective and, and give some feel reporting too.26:41That's one of the things I know that we've talked about that we want to incorporate here because I think it'll give a little bit different feel to to the conversation.26:52But I think this was a good one to get us started and look forward to talking to you next week.27:00Absolutely, my friend.27:01Looking forward to seeing you next week.27:03It's always, it's always nice to see that big smile right there very often.27:09Right.27:09Yeah.27:11All right, all right, everybody, until next time, you know, stay safe and well, stay hydrated. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emnetwork.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Meaningful People, Emmi Polansky opens up about the challenges she faces as a single mother after her husband suddenly left.    With the support of her family, Emmi has navigated the difficulties of raising her son on her own, while also confronting the stigma surrounding single mothers.    She shares her personal journey of healing and reentering the dating world, offering an inspiring conversation about resilience, growth, and embracing new beginnings.   Follow her along her journey: https://www.instagram.com/livingemunah/?hl=en     This episode has been sponsored by:    The Glaubach Family in memory of their father, Dr. Felix Glaubach. His Neshoma should have an Aliya   Efraim Fishel Aryeh Ben Baruch     ►Colel Chabad Pushka App   The easiest way to give Tzedaka download the Pushka app today    https://pushka.cc/meaningful   Get Tickets to Nafshi Here!   https://colelchabad.events/?src=meaningful ____________________________________   ► PZ Deals     Download the PZ Deals app and never pay full price again!   https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp ____________________________________   ►Rothenberg Law Firm   Personal Injury Law Firm For 50+ years!   Reach out Today for Free Case Evaluation   https://shorturl.at/JFKHH   ____________________________________   ►Town Appliance   Visit https://www.townappliance.com    Message Town Appliance on WhatsApp:    https://bit.ly/Townappliance_whatsapp ______________________________   ► Koren Publishers   From Gemaras, Chumashim, Siddurim to Tenach and best selling titles, Koren is the go to place!   10% off everything at https://bit.ly/3Dql9j8 with code MEANINGFUL at checkout.     ______________________________ ► NRS Pay    NRS Pay is honest, clean credit card processing.   Check out    https://nrspay.com  for more information   ______________________________       ►Chesed 24/7     You dont want to miss the afterparty this year! Including access to the nickelodeon park! Sign up at run4chesed.org Sign up by January 22 to get an extra spectator!   https://runsignup.com/Race/NJ/EastRutherford/Run2475K   ______________________________________   ►Pesach With Bordeaux    Join Nachi Gordon, R' Daniel Kalish, R' Jonathan Rietti + More at Pesach With Bordeaux this year!!   Message them for rates and booking   https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=13476996120&text=Hey!%20I'm%20interested%20in%20some%20more%20information%20about%20Pesach%20With%20Bourdeaux.%20       —————————————————— ► Growtha   We get you more than traffic. We get you more leads.   https://growtha.com/meaningful         Subscribe to our Podcast      Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2WALuE2      Spotify: https://spoti.fi/39bNGnO

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Stop talking to cats and statues because the book club gang is here to talk about our favorite mummy! Check out our listener feedback and a discussion of my latest Hellboy swag. Unwrap your comics and enjoy an ancient Egyptian history lesson with our discussion of "Panya: The Mummy's Curse!" Now where did Marbles run off to? 07:02 - Listener Feedback 26:51 - Whaddya See, Whaddya Say?   34:39 - Panya discussion Check out Hayden Orr's Podcast "Last Book On The Shelf"  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1917765  https://open.spotify.com/show/2LWwFOS47xNUmQA8S2NNmK  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/last-book-on-the-shelf/id1604416407  Check out Birthday boy, Matt Strackbein https://linktr.ee/TheLetterhack  FajniFajky Unique Handmade Ceramic Goods https://www.etsy.com/shop/FajniFajky Twisted Yew Woodworking Shop https://www.instagram.com/twisted_yew_workshop/?hl=en Turbo Teen Clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM34jklk18o "Did Children Build The Ancient Egyptian City of Armana?"  https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jun/06/did-children-build-the-ancient-egyptian-city-of-armana-#:~:text=Between%202006%20and%202013%20I,injury%20and%20relatively%20early%20death. "Witchfinder Theme," by Andrew Adair https://andrewadair.bandcamp.com/ opening and closing theme by https://onlybeast.com/ 

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Enjoy this podcast? Your support on Patreon helps us in so many ways... Patreon: patreon.com/commonprayerdaily_________________________________________________________________OpeningBlessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.Come, let us worship God our King.Come, let us worship Christ, our King and our God.Come, let us worship Christ among us, our King and our God.Holy God,holy and mighty,holy immortal one,have mercy upon us. (3x)Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. From Psalm 51Open my lips, O Lord, *and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.Create in me a clean heart, O God, *and renew a right spirit within me.Cast me not away from your presence *and take not your holy Spirit from me.Give me the joy of your saving help again *and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. A PsalmPsalm 103Benedic, anima meaBless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy Name.Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.He forgives all your sins and heals all your infirmities;He redeems your life from the grave and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness;He satisfies you with good things, and your youth is renewed like an eagle's.The Lord executes righteousness and judgment for all who are oppressed.He made his ways known to Moses and his works to the children of Israel.The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great kindness.He will not always accuse us, nor will he keep his anger for ever.He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.For as the heavens are high above the earth, so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us.As a father cares for his children, so does the Lord care for those who fear him.For he himself knows whereof we are made; he remembers that we are but dust.Our days are like the grass; we flourish like a flower of the field;When the wind goes over it, it is gone, and its place shall know it no more.But the merciful goodness of the Lord endures for ever on those who fear him, and his righteousness on children's children;On those who keep his covenant and remember his commandments and do them.The Lord has set his throne in heaven, and his kingship has dominion over all.Bless the Lord, you angels of his, you mighty ones who do his bidding, and hearken to the voice of his word.Bless the Lord, all you his hosts, you ministers of his who do his will.Bless the Lord, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion; bless the Lord, O my soul.Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen. The ReadingsPhilippians 1:12–20I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.The Word of the LordThanks Be to God Luke 5:33–39And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.'”The Word of the LordThanks Be to GodThe Apostles' CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth;I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. LitanyTake a moment to gather up all your thoughts, to think through your day, and bring your petitions before God for you and for those you are praying for.(In peace let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”)For peace from on high and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the holy Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.For our bishops, and for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.For the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.For our city, for every city and community, and for those who live in them in faith, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.For good weather, and for abundant harvests for all to share, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.For those who travel by land, water, or air, for the sick and the suffering, for prisoners and captives, and for their safety, health, and salvation, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.For our deliverance from all affliction, strife, and need, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.For the absolution and remission of our sins and offences, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.For all who have died, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.Remembering all the saints, we commit ourselves, one another, and our whole life to Christ our God.To you, O Lord.And now as our Savior taught us, we are bold to pray: The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. The Collects of the DayGrant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Closing PrayersA Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. Glory be to the + Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,now and always and forever and ever. Amen.Lord, have mercy! (3x)God, be gracious to us and bless us and shine Your countenance upon us and have mercy on us.This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!The Father+ is my hope; the Son, my refuge; the Holy Spirit, my protection: All-Holy Trinity, glory to You!Amen!

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A picture perfect couple's future is forever shattered after an innocent person's life is ended with a bullet fired at close range. It doesn't take long for the authorities to hone in on a suspect - but did they act alone? Sources 1. Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17313470/denita_monique-smith 2. The Herald-Sun: https://www.newspapers.com/image/795813748/?match=1&terms=denita%20smith 3. The News and Observer: https://www.newspapers.com/image/652314439/?match=1&terms=denita%20smith 4. Denita's Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/charlotte/name/denita-smith-obituary?id=14030132 5. Fatal Attraction: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3377370/ 6. Dateline: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5283084/ 7. Shout Out Atlanta: https://shoutoutatlanta.com/meet-jermeir-stroud-financial-professional-media-operations-director/ 8. ABC: https://abc11.com/archive/7290609/#:~:text=%22If%20the%20last%20thing%20I,the%20time%20of%20the%20crime. 9. WRAL News: https://www.wral.com/story/7092468/ 10. The News and Observer: https://www.newspapers.com/image/660268075/?match=1&terms=shannon%20crawley 11. State v. Crawley: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/nc-court-of-appeals/1589180.html#footnote_1 12. Hickory Daily Record: https://www.newspapers.com/image/979177079/?match=1&terms=shannon%20crawley%20arrested 13. Oxygen: https://www.oxygen.com/dateline-unforgettable/crime-news/shannon-crawley-denita-smith-murder-what-happened 14. Tapatalk: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/nccueagles/saying-goodbye-to-nccu-s-denita-smith-t1827-s30.html 15. The News and Observer: https://www.newspapers.com/image/660130474/?match=1&terms=shannon%20crawley This Week's Episode Brought To You By: Honeylove - Treat yourself to the best shapewear on the market and save 20% Off at honeylove.com/lovemurder Shopify - The Platform Commerce is Built On - $1 per month trial https://shopify.com/lovemurder EarnIn - Download EarnIn today in the Google play or Apple app store! When you download the EarnIn app type in Love Murder under PODCAST when you sign up – it'll really help the show. https://app.earnin.com/ Find LOVE MURDER online: Website: lovemurder.love Instagram: @lovemurderpod Twitter: @lovemurderpod Facebook: LoveMrdrPod TikTok: @LoveMurderPod Patreon: /LoveMurderPod Credits: Love Murder is hosted by Jessie Pray and Andie Cassette, researched and written by Jessie Pray, produced by Nathaniel Whittemore and edited by Kyle Barbour-Hoffman

Uri Levine is the co-founder of Waze, the world's largest community-based traffic and navigation app, acquired by Google for over $1 billion. He's also founded nine other companies, been on the board of 20 companies, and advised more than 50 companies. He's most recently the author of Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution: A Handbook for Entrepreneurs, hailed by Steve Wozniak as the “Bible for entrepreneurs.” Uri is dedicated to creating impactful startups that solve real-world problems and has seen everything from failure to moderate success to big success. In our conversation, we dig into:• Why falling in love with the problem is key to startup success• The phases of the startup journey and how to navigate them• Why firing is more important than hiring• How Waze iterated to achieve product-market fit• Tactics for telling a compelling story when fundraising• Much more—Brought to you by:• Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security• Mercury—The powerful and intuitive way for ambitious companies to bank• LinkedIn Ads—Reach professionals and drive results for your business—Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lessons-from-uri-levine—Where to find Uri Levine:• X: https://twitter.com/urilevine1• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uri-levine• Website: https://urilevine.com/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Uri's background(02:50) Falling in love with the problem(09:03) Signs this is a big enough problem(10:54) The importance of passion(12:06) A pivot example(14:01) Where to find startup ideas(21:57) Finding product-market fit at Waze(29:45) The different phases of a startup journey(36:47) What investors don't want to hear(39:53) Fundraising tips(48:02) How to make your presentations stronger(50:32) A wild fundraising story(53:46) Firing and hiring(59:50) The 30-day test(01:04:12) Understanding users(01:12:10) Talking to the right users(01:15:36) Lightning round—Referenced:• Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution: A Handbook for Entrepreneurs: https://www.amazon.com/Fall-Love-Problem-Solution-Entrepreneurs/dp/1637741987• Waze: https://www.waze.com/• Ben Horowitz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/behorowitz/• Ben Horowitz quote: https://quotefancy.com/quote/1635284/Ben-Horowitz-As-a-startup-CEO-I-slept-like-a-baby-I-woke-up-every-2-hours-and-cried• Michael Jordan quote: https://www.forbes.com/quotes/11194/#:~:text=I've%20lost%20almost%20300,that%20is%20why%20I%20succeed.• Steph Curry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Curry• How Airbnb Used Word of Mouth to Change the Travel Industry Forever: https://truested.com/story/airbnb• Space Mountain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Mountain_(Disneyland)• How Netflix builds a culture of excellence | Elizabeth Stone (CTO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-netflix-builds-a-culture-of-excellence• Steve Wozniak on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wozniaksteve/• Uri's post about the conference in Guatemala with Steve Wozniak: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/uri-levine_jewishnewyear-speakers-book-activity-6980089544079486976-0ADa/• Leonardo da Vinci quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/9010638-simplicity-is-the-ultimate-sophistication-when-once-you-have-tasted• Geoffrey Moore on finding your beachhead, crossing the chasm, and dominating a market: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/geoffrey-moore-on-finding-your-beachhead• Nana Korobi Ya Oki: https://ikigaitribe.com/vlog/nana-korobi-ya-oki/• That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea: https://www.amazon.com/That-Will-Never-Work-Netflix/dp/0316530204• Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299• 8 Great Chess Apps for Beginners and Grand Masters: https://www.wired.com/story/best-chess-apps/• Pontera: https://pontera.com/—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe