More Than Medicine
More Than Medicine
DWDP: Living in Denial
Is your denial putting your health or soul at risk? Join us on More Than Medicine as we unravel the gripping stories of individuals who faced dire consequences by ignoring their severe health issues. From a smoker dismissing the signs of lung cancer to an obese person neglecting severe diabetes symptoms, we highlight the perilous outcomes of ignoring reality. We draw compelling parallels with biblical figures like King Herod and Pontius Pilate who, despite witnessing Jesus' innocence and miracles, failed to confront their moral failings. This episode urges listeners to reflect on their own lives and the importance of facing the truth, whether it pertains to physical health or spiritual well-being.
In the subsequent chapter, we delve into the recognition of Jesus Christ as the sovereign ruler of the universe. We explore why historical figures failed to acknowledge His divinity and draw connections to modern-day spiritual denials. Emphasizing the transformative power of the gospel and the Holy Spirit, we encourage our audience to seek enlightenment and fully commit to worshipping and serving Jesus. We also celebrate the success of our latest book, "On Laughter, Silvered Wings," and invite listeners to engage with our ministry for more enriching content. Join us for this soul-searching episode that promises to inspire and challenge your perspectives on denial and truth.
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Welcome to More Than Medicine, where Jesus is more than enough for the ills that plague our culture and our country. Hosted by author and physician, Dr Robert Jackson.
Speaker 2:Papa, can you tell me a story? Do you really want me to tell you a story? Well, you go, get your brother and your sisters and I will tell you a story. Well, you go, get your brother and your sisters and I will tell you a story. Welcome to Devotions with Dr Papa. Gather around, grab your Bibles and let's look into the written Word, which reveals to us the living Word which is our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm continuing in a series of lessons about biblical insights gained from encounters with my patients. My lesson for today is entitled Living in Denial.
Speaker 2:I had a patient with a chronic cough and unexplained weight loss of about 40 pounds. He was a 45-year two-pack-per-day smoker. When he came to see me, I suggested immediately that we obtain a chest x-ray and later a chest CT scan. My concern, of course, was that he might have a pulmonary malignancy. When I suggested the chest x-ray and the chest CT scan, he looked at me and he said, doc, I've lived a good long life. Well, the problem was he was only 60 years old. I didn't know how good he was and his life certainly wasn't long enough. What if his cancer was only in one lung only? What if he did not have any lymph node involvement, a surgical cure was entirely possible. This patient was living in denial. He just didn't want to know the truth. Now, why was that? Well, he had a fear of knowing the truth the truth of 45 years of smoking had brought on a deadly disease. The truth that every doctor and every family member that had said to him you need to quit smoking. And the truth that all of them were right and he was wrong. And that was too hard for him to bear. He would rather die not knowing. You see, he was living in denial.
Speaker 2:Well, let me introduce you to another patient. This patient was nearly 400 pounds and when he came to see me he said to me Doc, I've been thirsty for about three or four months. I can't get enough to drink and I'm urinating constantly. I've been very, very tired and fatigued and I've lost 40 pounds without trying More than that. I've got blurred vision. Well, most of you folks who are not doctors can diagnose him. We needed some labs, but he declined. Well, I told him. I said look, dude, you've probably got diabetes and you could end up very dehydrated, with the blood sugar running up into the 600 or 800 range, and you could end up very dehydrated, with the blood sugar running up into the 600 or 800 range, and you could end up in the hospital. He just shrugged, he wasn't interested, he just wanted me to give him some medication without doing any diagnostic testing. He was living in denial. Well, sure enough, about two to three weeks later, his blood sugar did go up to 800, and he was hospitalized in a coma. He was in hyperosmolar dehydration syndrome. He had a very serious consequence to living in denial.
Speaker 2:Well, let me introduce you to a biblical character denial. Well, let me introduce you to a biblical character. This man's name was King Herod. He was a Jewish king. Now, he was not a practicing Jew, but he was described as a sinner In the New Testament. When the Bible talks about sinners, they're talking about Jews who are not Orthodox sinners. They're talking about Jews who are not Orthodox. They were not practicing Jews.
Speaker 2:And yet Jesus associated with tax collectors and quote sinners, those that did not follow the law strictly or the traditions of men. Not only did he not follow the law, talking about Herod, not only did he not follow the law, talking about herod, he flaunted his sin by possessing his brother philip's wife, which john the baptist called him out on, and of course, that got john the baptist in a lot of trouble. Nevertheless, like every good, he was looking for a Messiah to rid the Jewish people of Roman oppression. He had heard about Jesus the miracle worker and the rumblings about him being the Messiah. As a king, he was accustomed to different traveling entertainers being brought before him every night. So he wanted to see Jesus and he wanted Jesus to perform a miracle for his entertainment. But there was a problem. You see, he was not a sincere seeker of truth. A sincere seeker of truth, jesus said. The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Herod was looking at scornful, ridiculing and demanding tricks and entertainment, and when Jesus was in front of Herod, he remained silent.
Speaker 2:Well, let me introduce you to another character. This is Pontius Pilate. What he was? A government man. He was a Roman governor. He was pagan, not Jewish. He was familiar with Jewish customs and their expectations of a Messiah. He too had heard about the Jewish miracle worker. His only task was to keep the peace in Jerusalem and to appease Caesar. The crowds that followed Jesus was troubling to him. His only concern was to keep his position, keep the peace and keep his pension. When Jesus told Pilate everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. Pilate responded what is truth?
Speaker 2:As a government man, he operated in a world of lies and liars, deceit and deceivers, connivers and conspiracy. He knew that even the religious leaders, the Pharisees, had handed Jesus over to him not because of criminal activity but because of envy. He told the Pharisees. I find no guilt in him. He was stating truth. I'm sorry. He was staring truth in the face. When he asked what is truth, he was looking at he who is the way, the truth and the life, and no man goes to the Father except through Him.
Speaker 2:Then Jesus proved the veracity of that claim by the resurrection. He was declared with great power to be the Son of God. By the resurrection from the dead, jesus was the living Word whose Word is truth and the sum of whose Word is truth. Yet neither Herod nor Pilate heard Jesus' voice nor obeyed his voice, even though they stood in the presence of ultimate truth. Why they were not of the truth? Those who come to God, those who worship God, jesus told the Samaritan woman in John, chapter 4, meaning they must be drawn by Holy Spirit and in the integrity of their hearts, the sincerity of their hearts, with pure hearts, with undivided hearts. Neither this Jewish king nor this pagan governor were spirit-led or honest worshipers of God. Therefore, the God-man stood before them and they missed him altogether. They were living in the denial of the truth. In like manner, many in our day live in denial not of an obvious medical diagnosis, but of ultimate spiritual realities. Let me name a few, for example.
Speaker 2:Jesus is the true king. He's the king of the universe, the king of glory, the king of all the nations, the king of all the ages, the king of all kings and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Let me read to you from Revelations 19, verses 11 through 16. And I saw, heaven opened and behold a white horse, and he who sat on it is called faithful and true and in righteousness he judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written on him which no one knows except himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. And fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword so that with it he may strike down the nations and he will rule them with a rod of iron, and he treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. And on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Speaker 2:This is an ultimate reality. It is an inescapable reality, and many today live as if this is not true, living in denial of this truth, never acknowledging Jesus as the true king over their life or worshiping Jesus privately in their heart or corporately in a public place of worship. They live as if Jesus, the true king, does not even exist and as if he is not coming back to judge the nations. These folks are more foolish than my 400-pound patient with diabetes who only ended up in the hospital. These deniers will end up eternally condemned in flaming fire, away from the presence of God, in eternal darkness where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Now, dear listeners, all of us have friends, relatives, business associates and neighbors who live as if Jesus is not the true king, as if he is not the word of God and as if he is not true and authoritative, and as if there is no day of judgment when every man must stand before God and give account. Many, many of these folks you love them dearly and many of these God has laid upon your heart.
Speaker 2:What can we do? Well, let me make a few suggestions. Pray daily that God himself would open their eyes to see spiritual truth, you see, for the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. These things are foolishness to the natural man. The natural man the Bible describes as being spiritually dead, spiritually lost and spiritually blind. And you and I must begin to pray for them that God himself would open their eyes so that they no longer live in denial. I cannot open the eyes of a blind man. I cannot open the eyes of a blind man. I cannot open the eyes of a spiritual denier. Only God can do that. Pray for your neighbor, your friend, your relative, your business associate that God himself would open their eyes so that they would no longer be a denier, and then share with them your personal story of how Jesus has changed your life.
Speaker 2:Remember, the power is not in you or in your slick presentation. The power is in the gospel. Remember what Paul said in Romans 1 16, I'm not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. You see, the power is not in you, brother and sister. The power is not in your presentation. The power is not in the messenger. The power is in the message. And it's your and my responsibility just to give the gospel message, give your testimony and then share the gospel.
Speaker 2:And it's up to God to persuade people. You see, then you just leave it with the Holy Spirit. It's not up to you and me to persuade people to become believers. That's the Holy Spirit's responsibility. And that really takes the pressure off of you and me. The pressure on you and me is to pray, to pray and to share the gospel. That's the pressure. That's on you and me. But to persuade someone to become a believer, that's not my responsibility. Look, I can't even change my wife's mind. What makes me think I can persuade someone else to become a believer? I can't even change my wife's mind. What makes me think I can persuade someone else to become a believer? I can't. That's Holy Spirit's responsibility.
Speaker 2:Now listen, are you living in denial? Do you have friends who are living in denial. Are you worshiping, serving and obeying the true King as you should? Well, listen. If you're not, today is the day for you to make things right between you and the true King. Humble your heart, bend your knee, confess and repent and, from this day forward, worship Jesus, the true King, king as you should, serve him as you should and obey him as you should. No longer should you live in denial. You're listening to devotions with Dr Papa. If you like what you hear, I pray that you would follow, like or share.
Speaker 2:I'd also encourage you to remember that I have several books that you can purchase from our bookstore. The first one is the Truth About Life the Family Doctor Speaks the Truth About Life. The second book that's available is the Family Doctor Speaks Effective Seed Planting, equ equipping believers for sharing the gospel. The third book is the Family Doctor Speaks Turkey Tales and Bible Truths. And then our most recent book, which continues to sell very well, is my father's biography, and I encourage you to get a copy of that one. It's entitled On Laughter, silvered Wings. And if you have a military man in your family or someone that just likes hearing good stories about country doctors and stories about the war in Vietnam I think you would thoroughly enjoy. On Laughter Silvered Wings. Those can be obtained from Amazon or by contacting my wife by email at Jackson Family Ministry or from Courier Publishing. Well, thank you for listening. We'll be back again next week. May the Lord bless you. Real good.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to this edition of More Than Medicine. For more information about the Jackson Family Ministry, dr Jackson's books, or to schedule a speaking engagement, go to their Facebook page, instagram or their webpage at jacksonfamilyministrycom. This podcast is produced by Bob Sloan Audio Production at bobsloancom.
