A Broken System in a Broken World
You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. John 8:23
Before we begin, we need to get one thing straight: God not only wants you to be healthy but He also NEEDS you to be healthy.
So, how do you think you and your family are doing when it comes to being abundantly healthy? Do you feel that you could be doing better? Do you believe that you are doing the best you could be doing? Maybe your health is not that much of a priority, at least not right now. Is your health something that you know you need to work on but just haven't put it on the front burner yet? Or maybe you and your family are doing pretty well, and your health is somewhat of a priority.
Let's take a big picture view of the state of our healthcare. How do you see our healthcare system doing in terms of not only getting people healthy but keeping them healthy and living an abundant, God-centered life? Too often, it seems as if we are very optimistic in terms of our health, yet when we look at the state of our healthcare as a whole, we become quite pessimistic. We like to think that what we are doing as individuals is good, maybe even excellent; we are doing just fine. But then, in the same breath, we say that our healthcare system is terrible, it's so expensive, and all they do is medicate you! So, something seems to be off. More than likely, you are making your circumstances more improved compared to what is actually happening with your health. Why do I say this? Let's look at the statistics of our current healthcare system, and you can see for yourself how we are doing when it comes to being healthy and, more importantly, living a full, abundant life that God wants for us and desperately needs for us.
U.S. ranks 37 in overall health.
U.S. spends the most money annually on healthcare ($11,000+ per person) or $3.6 trillion.
Near the bottom for infant mortality = 5.9 deaths per 1,000 births, compared to Japan, which has the lowest infant mortality of 1.8 per 1,000 births.
Maternal mortality is among the highest in the developed world = 24 deaths per 100,000.
Cancer affects 1 in 3.
Heart disease affects 1 in 2.
Diabetes is increasing in children.
Obesity affects 1 in 3 (BMI over 30).
Highest amount of prescription meds in the world.
Lowest longevity, life expectancy is declining.
Leading cause of bankruptcy is medical costs.
Chronic disease at an all-time high.
U.S. makes up roughly 5% of the world's population but take 75% of the medication of the world.
Chronic disease is what the U.S. spends the most amount of money on, and according to the CDC, these are mostly preventable!
And the list goes on. Feel better?
Before we go any further, you need to understand that this list is happening to you and your family now! If you do not recognize that we are in a crisis, and you and your family are in an emergency, you are living like everyone else. We put ourselves into a happy bubble and hope nothing terrible ever happens. And worse, we try to ignore the fact that we are not pursuing health and just hoping that nothing happens. If we were all living with abundant health, then we wouldn't have the above statistics. If you're a Christian reading this, this should give you chills and should be polarizing how devastating a state we are in with our health. Look around you. Look at your family. The above list is happening to you whether you see it or not. It's happening for one fundamental reason. We have entirely removed God's perspective for our lives and our health out of this world and have relied on a failing, broken world to save us. Not him.
To better clarify this point, let's look at a common health issue. If you or your child had a fever, what would you do? You'd probably answer with something like, "Take a Motrin or Tylenol," maybe, "Take them to the doctor." Perhaps some of you would say, "Nothing, wait it out." I think most of you would freak out if you just "waited it out." We'll get there later, I promise. But all those answers are not right or wrong; they're just what we would do using our earthly perspective of our health. Right? If you were brought up with a particular belief system, that taking medication is the right thing to do, then you would take a drug. If, when you were younger, your mom had you rest and let it run its course, then that is what you would do. The point of this is to begin to understand that HOW we take care of our health is an enormous problem that has brought us to where we are today. It is the culmination of living in a society that does not take action toward health but will make every effort to avoid doing anything that would improve our health but, instead, take a simple way out for instant gratification. It makes sense. It's the easy way! It's the "feel good now" way! But as a Christian, focusing on what God wants for me and honoring how He created me, we must know that the simple way is most likely NOT the Godly way.
Another example of a typical healthcare crisis is cancer. I know we have all experienced this in some way, whether personally or with someone close to us. What typically happens is they are living their lives the way they usually do, putting off things they know they should be doing and maybe have an odd symptom or find something on their bodies that wasn't there before. Perhaps a routine check-up finds something abnormal, and they go and have a test or a scan, and as the fear continues to build and the questions begin to mount, a diagnosis comes back. I will ask every patient who has had cancer, a heart attack, diabetes, or whatever may be the case, "Before this diagnosis, a week before, a month before, or a year before, how did you feel?" The overwhelming majority will say, "I felt fine." A lot of them, even after a diagnosis, will still say they feel fine! So now what happens? The medical model says to cut the tumor off, burn it off with radiation for weeks, and then a specific amount of chemotherapy in the hopes that the cancer will disappear. In the meantime, we are continually praying for a miracle. I think we've all had this exact scenario hit too close to home.
We have all experienced this as a typical protocol for cancer patients. I am not saying that this type of care is wrong, or that it cannot help. But, I know you would all agree that in absolutely no way is that person getting healthier! Are you with me? In no way can removing an organ or poisoning an individual as much as possible without causing too much harm, actually be beneficial and life-giving. It may help shrink a tumor or even remove it. Praise God! However, more needs to be done if that life is truly going to be changed and given an "all clear" diagnosis. They cannot think for a second, once treatment is over, that they are free and healed. The work has just begun.
If a person has a diagnosis of diabetes or high blood pressure, a similar cycle happens. They go to the doctor for their annual check-up, some blood work is drawn, and they are told what "normal" or "abnormal" is. If everything seems OK, they move on, assuming all is well and that they are as healthy as God made them, and nothing terrible will happen to them. If something is abnormal, they will do follow-up testing to confirm. If there is an abnormality, the next step is typically a medication or two or three. Taking medication allows them to think that they are healthy and that their abnormality is no longer an issue.
Does this all seem familiar? The point to take home is to understand that taking medication, in any dosage, is harmful to your body. There is no way that after taking a pill, you are healthier. Think about that. Are you healthier or are you just symptom-free? By living in this conventional healthcare model, we are allowed to believe that we are getting healthier because our symptoms have gone away or are under control. Do not take this the wrong way; in many cases, people need these medications to save their lives or give them a chance at living. The question then becomes, what are you doing to get to the cause of your health problems and not need medications? Most health-related issues are lifestyle-induced, and medications allow us to keep living the same way while our health slowly diminishes. Is this what God had in store for us?
Just to be clear, I would never tell someone just to stop taking prescribed medication. That's irresponsible. I say all the time, "What's the plan to get you off this medication?" In all the above scenarios—there are numerous other examples to use that follow a very similar path to a very similar outcome—not one of them leads to you, your spouse, your child, or your neighbor getting healthier. Are you with me on that? Your lack of symptoms does not equate to health. If that were the case, we would be the healthiest country in the world! We have been completely deceived into thinking and believing that because we have no symptoms or no diagnosis that we are completely healthy and free of sickness. This has allowed us all to live a lifestyle far from what God's wants and needs for us as we slowly move away from His purpose for us and move closer and anchor deeper to the deceptive nature of this world. It has to end. We need to gain control of our healthcare and not rely on what we've done in the past. It's not working. The only answer? Bring back God into your health.
Does that scare you, that to truly acquire health, we must let go of what we have always done? Be free of the shackles of continuous diagnoses, tests, and medication? Are you already questioning me? You should! I know that we all know that there has to be a better, more effective way toward health. The thought of having to take control of yourself and your actions is scary, especially when it involves your family and their health. I've never met an individual who wants more drugs and surgeries in their life. Not one person says, "Give me more chemo and radiation!" Why not? Fear. Pain. The unknown. More questions than answers. Fear is a strong captor. Practically everyone will pray for more health! "God, make me healthy! God bring a miracle to my life that removes this diagnosis!" That's a start. When God is more in the picture, and not further away, fear becomes more difficult to find. But just praying for a miracle and hoping God answers your prayer isn't enough in a fallen, destroyed world. There needs to be more. There needs to be faith in action.
It's All B.S.
No, I won't start cursing in the book this early on. It is all about your Belief System. So, what's your belief system on health, and does God play any part in it? If He does, is it a minor role or a starring role? Do you believe that He should play a role, or should we leave that up to the doctors? Maybe it is a combination of both. Again, there isn't a right or wrong answer, but if you genuinely believe in God and are a Christian, I think your response should be clear. If you know deep down that God needs to be more present in your health journey and not more absent, then the remainder of this book is for you. If you know there has been something missing from your health, and you crave for more in your life, then keep reading. God will show up big in your life and your health as long as we live by the principles He has given us to be healthy.
I will bet if you're reading this, you know one or more people who have been struggling with their health for a long time. Perhaps they're Christians. I know it can be easy if they know God and know where they're going after they die to deal with failing health, but is that what God wants for them? To live a decent life, get sick, live with a chronic disease, and then die? I don't believe that a God who would send His son to die for them would be OK with them just being OK! Get them on this journey with you. It may change their life.
If you want more for your life, especially to truly experience God's abundance for you and your family, you need to have your health! If health hasn't been a priority in your life, now is the time to start making it a focus because God needs you to be well. There is good news if you've been struggling with your health, fighting an uphill battle, or just feeling lost and being pulled in every direction by the latest fitness craze or diet book or infomercial. The good news isn't always easy, but it is simple. Let's start moving away from this broken world and start getting back to God.
We will soon define what real health is so that you can take the proper actions in achieving health. The lack of actual knowledge of health has become a significant issue with our broken world, leading to a fractured, dysfunctional healthcare system. We have completely abandoned the principles of how God created us and have adopted a new identity in health that has brought us further from real health. We have entered into a healthcare crisis that leads us further away from who God has called us to be.
As I write this, I don't want you to think for a second that my family and I are perfect. We're not. Far from it. We've struggled with our health. We've lost family members to diseases and we will again. We don't live in a perfect world. We reside in a world that wants us to perish. We live in a world that finds delight when things go wrong. We are under constant attack from an enemy that wants us to fail. This world is not a Godly world. He does not reside here. You need to invest the time and effort to be a healthy, whole, servant of God. Be who He needs you to be so that you can bring God back into this world.
How many times have you been to church, or small group, or even just among friends when a prayer request has been about someone or a group of people needing a miracle to get their health back? I know that, more often than not, prayers are for the sick, suffering, and dying. Let's be clear, we're all going someday, but HOW we go and WHEN we go are largely, in a way, up to us. I hope you understand that. I'm not saying that freak accidents don't happen; they do. I've been there, and it is awful. I'm not talking about that. I'm focusing on not living out our full God-given journey to bring His love back into a sick and dying world that no medicine or procedure can cure. Only more of Him will bring Heaven to Earth.
Have you prayed this prayer? "Please, God! Take this pain away! Remove this cancer! We need a miracle!" God is the God of miracles. I would suggest continuing to pray those prayers; people need them. Prayers work. God can cure someone in an instant! I pray those prayers over my family, friends, and myself practically every day. My sincere prayer is not to need to pray for a miracle in your life or your family's life. My prayer has always been that my patients, family, and the world start taking back control of their life, their health. Get on fire for God's love. Be addicted to move closer to His love and to move in His direction based on His principles that govern our health. If we did that, we would all be healthier, happier, and full of life to exude to the world that our God is for us.
Imagine your church, pastor, town, and family ridiculously healthy, and living the life that God has indeed called them to live. No sickness. No diagnosis. No obesity or need for medications or doctor visits three times per week. Just massive health and energy. Life would look a lot different. We are far from that vision. But it doesn't mean that it can't happen. It just starts with you knowing that God has a purpose for you. He wouldn't have wasted a second putting you on this Earth if you didn't.
Too often, we get so caught up in the pattern of this world that we forget who we are and whose we are. How easy is it to just fall back to the path of least resistance? This rings especially true to how we act toward our health. Remember that God called you. He called you to be great. Regardless of your current circumstance, regardless of your diagnosis, He is using you to show this black and blue beat-up world that we are His.
Let's put this into a health perspective. How many people in your sphere of influence are truly living healthy? Think about it. Maybe you thought of one or two people; perhaps it's just you. But if I asked how many people you know who are not living a healthy, abundance-filled, God-centered, healthy lifestyle, how many would you say? More than half? The majority? The last question is, how many people think they’re living a healthy, God-centered lifestyle? There is a difference.
Like most doctors, one of the reasons I became a doctor was because I wanted to help people. My life was changed, my eyes were opened to what real healthcare is, and I thought the world deserved to know what health was. My goal was to start with myself and my family, then move to the next person and their family, and so on. It's a challenge, to say the least. People don't need a book or doctor to tell them that eating good food by God is right for them. They don't need someone to say stop eating Twinkies and drinking diet soda every day; or do they? What we all need is to stop looking for the next best thing in this world that will save us from disease, pain, sickness, and early death and look at what has already been done for us through Christ. We need to put His healthcare plan into action.
We must first quit blaming God for the lack of health that our lifestyle has created. Once we can understand that, we can begin to put Him back into our healthcare and use His system to live a healthy, abundant life.
How would things be different for you if you had an abundance of energy? What if you didn't need medications for a symptom or a sickness? Imagine feeling great so you can focus on your life and purpose. How would that change things? What if you feel pretty good now? I do. There's still another level of God's glory for you. There is always more. As we continue, we will understand the things that hold us back and what we need to do to gain access to being truly healthy and a closer version of who God needs us to be.
In John 8:23, Jesus says, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world."
When Jesus speaks, we should listen. We've all heard this verse before, but it strikes a major chord with me when it comes to health. It may not be directly related to our physical health, but then again, it kind of does. The more we look around, especially in today's world, we can see that things are not right. But let's focus on our health here. We are continually looking for a CURE!!! Are we not? More money is being spent on something we haven't found. Does this make anyone else's blood boil? We have been bombarded with more drugs and treatments. We have learned to be incapable when it comes to taking responsibility for our health. Think about that. Because of all the information on "health," we have become paralyzed to what's real and what's not. What will bring us toward health and what's pulling us away? The world has done a great job breaking us down and making sure we know that our bodies are less than perfect and unable to be well. God knows how broken this world has become, but He wants so badly to be a part of our lives, and as a loving father, He wants us to be healthy.
Proverbs 4:20-22 says, "My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight; keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one's whole body."
In John 16:33, Jesus says, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Proverbs 3:7-8, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun the evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."
Exodus 15:26, "He said If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you."
Summary-Take 5
· Our healthcare system is not working, and you are in it.
· We live in a broken world that wants you to fail.
· We must bring God's healthcare plan into our lives.
· Quit blaming others (even God) for your lifestyle choices that have put your health where it is now.
· Build a genuine desire to seek God in your health.
But first, it is time to separate yourself from your current state of health.
