Revelation Predicts a 1,000 Year World Blackout - SFC2229

SPEAKER A Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. SPEAKER B Would you like to better understand the Bible? How can you grow as a Christian and find personal peace? What happens at the second coming of Jesus? What is the relevance of Bible prophecy today? How do you identify a cult? What happens when you die? Here is your opportunity to find answers to these and many other questions by exploring 30 not only relevant, but life changing topics that await your discovery. Welcome to search for certainty. SPEAKER C I'm glad you could join us. I'm your host, Gayl Fong, and with me in the studio today is Hana Nakagawa. Welcome Hana. SPEAKER D Thank you, Gayl. SPEAKER C Our Bible study today is Revelation predicts 1000 year world blackout. One of the most fascinating of all Bible subjects is the 1000 year world blackout predicted or the millennium. The word millennium is simply Latin for 1000 years. There are many different ideas taught concerning the future of our world. Some Christians believe that the second coming of Christ will initiate a golden age for humankind on earth. A time during which everyone will be converted and peace will prevail. Others believe that the 1000 year period will be a time of distress and hardship, of conflict and chaos. A third view is that the millennium immediately follows the return of Christ, a time when all the righteous are in heaven, satan and his angels are left on earth, and the wicked are dead. At the end of this 1000 years, God creates a new heaven and a new earth. With this subject, as with all others, we will discover what the Bible really teaches. And in this lesson, we'll discover the answers to the following questions what events occur at the return of Jesus? What events occur during the thousand years? And what events occur at the end of the thousand years? But before we begin, Hana, would you open with prayer for us inviting the Holy Spirit to guide us today? SPEAKER D Yes, sure. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you so much Lord, for being with us today. Thank you that there is an answer in the Bible that we can search. Always come back to your words. Father, as we begin studying your words, I pray that your Holy Spirit will be poured upon us. Guide us, lead us, and teach us, Lord. Pray these things in Jesus name. Amen. SPEAKER C Amen. Well, Hana, to begin our Bible study, we're going to go to the book of first thessalonians First, Thessalonians, chapter four, verses 16 and 17. And we're going to be answering this question when Jesus returns, what happens to all the righteous, both the righteous dead and the righteous living? SPEAKER D Sure. It says, for the Lord himself descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with a trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the class to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. SPEAKER C Amen. So the dead in Christ will rise first. SPEAKER D Yes. And people who remain on earth will also be caught up in the air. SPEAKER C So we'll meet our loved ones in the air, those that have gone to rest before us. Wonderful. Promise. Well, what happens to the wicked or the unsaved if we go to second? Thessalonians chapter one, verses seven through to ten. SPEAKER D To begin, it says, and to give you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels inflaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse nine. Jesus be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he comes in that day to be glorified in his saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. SPEAKER C So from that passage, it appears that the wicked are going to be punished when Jesus comes back with a destruction. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C They're not going to survive. Well, let's also look in two, thessalonians chapter two and verse eight. SPEAKER D Yes. And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord would concern with the breath of his mouth and destroyed with the brightness of his coming. So they will be destroyed completely. SPEAKER C It's very serious. Where will the wicked remain during this period if they're destroyed when the Lord returns? Jeremiah 25 and verse 33. SPEAKER D And at that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth, even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented or gathered or buried. They shall become refused on the ground. SPEAKER C Wow. So it's quite a picture of great destruction of human life here, that the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. The Old Testament prophets often described conditions that would occur as a result of Israel's rebellion against God. As a result of disobedience, God would allow heathen armies to destroy thousands of Israelites. Jeremiah's prophecy goes far beyond ancient Israel. It reaches into the future. It describes a universal destruction from one end of the earth to the other of those who rebel against God. Well, how does the Bible describe the devastation of the earth at the second coming of Christ? Revelation 16, verses 17 through to 20 to begin. SPEAKER D Yes. It says, Then the 7th angel poured out his ball into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were noise of thunderings and lightnings, and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. Now, the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and great Babylon was remembered before God to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. Then every island fled away, and the mountain will not be found, and great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of the talent. Men blasphemes God because of the plagues of the hell. Since the plagues was exceedingly great. SPEAKER C Hana, that sounds like basically a total destruction of the surface of the earth. SPEAKER D All things would be destroyed. SPEAKER C Well, let's go to the book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament. Jeremiah, chapter four and verse 23 to 27. SPEAKER D Sure I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form and void, and the heavens, they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth I beheld, and indeed there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens had fled. I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the Lord by his fierce anger. Verse 27 for thus says the Lord, the whole land shall be dislit, yet I would not make a full end. SPEAKER C Jeremiah's prediction fitly describes Israel's destruction at the hand of the Babylonians. But as the language of the passage clearly portrays, it also describes the complete devastation of earth at the second coming of Christ because it uses that language without form and void, void of life. It's interesting, too, as you read there. The whole land will be desolate, but also that the cities will be broken down. They were broken down at the presence of the Lord by his fierce anger. But I like, Hana, how it finishes has God says, yet in verse 27, I will not make a full end. SPEAKER D It's not the end of the end. SPEAKER C I like that. It's not the end of the end. Correct. So will there be any human being alive on earth during this time? Let's go to Revelation, chapter 19, verses 17 and 18 to begin. SPEAKER D Sure. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds, the fly in the midst of heaven come and gather together for the suffer of the great God. Verse 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains and flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great. SPEAKER C So, Hana, that's not a nice picture. No, that there's no flesh left, but there's only the birds of prey that are left to actually have that final supper. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C What does Jeremiah write in Jeremiah four, verse 25? SPEAKER D It says, I beheld and indeed there was no men, and all the birds of the heavens had fled. SPEAKER C So here it would appear that the birds themselves have died. Yes, because there's nothing left for them to be nourished by. So where will Satan be during the 1000 years? Revelation 20, verses one to three. SPEAKER D Sure. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold on the dragon, that serpent of all who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal on him so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things, he must be released for a little while. SPEAKER C So, Hana, the term bottomless pit has an identical meaning to the description without form and void of Jeremiah four and verse 23. So they also parallel the description of the world at creation, a place of desolation and darkness. And you could read that, you could look up two Peter two and verse four. So these parallels clearly show that Satan is bound to the earth, unable to tempt anyone. The Bible uses the term chains. Not as literal chains, but chains of darkness. SPEAKER D Two Peter, chapter two, verse four. It says, for if God did not spare an angel who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chained of darkness to be reserved. SPEAKER C For judgment, you often find if someone say, well, I can't come because I'm all tied up, I'm too busy. It's that expression. And thus because no one can really chain up the devil. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C But God can limit his movements and that's what this verse is telling us. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C Well, where did Jesus promise to take his followers at his return? John, chapter 14, verses one to three. This is a wonderful verse to memorize as well. Wonderful scripture to memorize. SPEAKER D It says, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you I go to prepare place for you. And if I go and prepare place for you, I would come again and receive you to myself. That where I am, there you may be also. SPEAKER C That's a wonderful promise. So he promises his coming back. Coming back to take us to where he has gone, where he is, where he's preparing a place for us. A place for us. That's a wonderful comfort because God stands behind that. And why would he come and die and rise again if he would not come back to take home that's his children? Well, how does Revelation 20 and verse four describe the righteous? What are they doing in Revelation 20 and verse four to begin and I. SPEAKER D Saw thrones, and they sat on them and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus, and for the word of God, who had not worshipped a beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. SPEAKER C So the righteous are living and reigning with Christ, and we discovered, too, what they're doing there. Let's go to First Corinthians, chapter six, verses one through to three. SPEAKER D Yes. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteousness and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world would be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life? SPEAKER C So, Hana, the righteous are taking part in the judgment in heaven? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C During the millennium, the righteous have an opportunity to observe firsthand the justice and love of God in dealing with the sin problem in a new way, more forcefully than ever before, they grasp his powerful attempts to save all people. They realize anew that all who are lost are lost because of their own personal rejection of the appeals of Christ. Well, how many general resurrections does the Bible describe? John, chapter five, verses 28 and 29. SPEAKER D Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation. SPEAKER C That's very powerful, isn't it? There's a resurrection of life and resurrection of condemnation. So there are two. Are the wicked resurrected at the same time as the righteous? When do they receive their final reward? Revelation 20 and verse five. SPEAKER D But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. SPEAKER C So some people are confused by the last part of this text. This is the first resurrection. But according to the Bible, the dead in Christ rise first, as we looked at in first thessalonians chapter four, verses 16 and 17. Revelation 20 is discussing the fate of the saved who have been resurrected in the first resurrection. They live and reign with Christ for a thousand years. This would lead logically to the question, what about the rest of the dead, the unsaved? In one brief sentence, John answers that question just as you read there, Hana. But the rest of the dead live not again until the thousand years are finished. The apostle then continues with the main theme of his discussion the first resurrection, the resurrection of the righteous, by declaring blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Well, Hana, what happens to Satan as the thousand years come to an end? Revelation 20 and verse seven. SPEAKER D Now, when the thousand years have expired, satan will be released from his prison. SPEAKER C Some may wonder, how is he released? How are those chains? How has he taken off his chains? Now that the wicked dead are resurrected, satan deceives them into believing that they can overthrow the Holy City. So now he's no longer chained up, because now he has people to deceive again. SPEAKER D He went back to his job again. SPEAKER C Isn't it amazing? He's had a thousand years to contemplate all the evil that he's caused and. SPEAKER D He still didn't repent. SPEAKER C No repentance. It is rather amazing. That's a long time to think about it. That's right. I know parents today, or teachers, they may have a chair that they might ask the student or the child, just go and just sit down and think about that for a few minutes before you're allowed to go out and play. And that must seem like an eternity to some small child, just to have to sit there still for a few minutes. But what must be a thousand years to think about all the destruction, all the lives that you have damaged by your evil intent. It's quite a lot to think about. And to be actually living on planet Earth where it's just fully in upheaval. That's right. SPEAKER D No one is there, no one to talk with. So he must feel for ages. It would be a long time. SPEAKER C He doesn't have anyone to tempt, but he has had his evil angels. SPEAKER E Oh, that's right. SPEAKER C They're there as well. But I can't imagine that they're very happy. No at all. What is Satan's strategy at the end of the thousand years? Hana, let's read verses eight and nine of Revelation 20. SPEAKER D And will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth. GOG and Magog to gather them together to battle, whose number is at the sun of the sea. Verse nine. They went up on the breath of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and a beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. SPEAKER C So Satan's strategy, Hana, as we were discussing before, he deceives the nations again. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So that means he's obviously going to tell them lies, but he gathers them to battle. And it says there that the number of the lost is like the sand of the sea. That's a tragic picture. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C Countless people, and they go up on the breadth of the earth and they're surrounding the camp of the saints, the beloved city, the new Jerusalem. But God will destroy them. They will not take over God's city. Well, that leads us to a question. Where did the Holy City come from? Because this is Planet Earth. So we're going to look at that for our next question. Where does the Holy City New Jerusalem come from? Hana? Revelation 21 and verse two. SPEAKER D Yes. Then I, John, saw the Holy City New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. SPEAKER C Wow. So it's like this mighty spaceship, but it's really the new Jerusalem. SPEAKER F Yes. SPEAKER C It uproots from heaven itself and travels down and Earth going to rest on planet Earth. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Well, how does God prevent Satan's overthrow of the holy city? Revelation 20 and verse nine. SPEAKER D They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven that devoured them. So the fire came down from God. SPEAKER C Wow. I'd like us to backtrack just a little bit here to Revelation chapter 20 and verse eleven. And if Hana, if you would read verses eleven through 215. SPEAKER D Sure. Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it from foo's face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. And books were open. And another book was open, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written on the books. The sea gave up the dead foo were in it, and death and haze delivered up the dead foo were in them and they were judged, each one according to his works. Then death and haze were cast into the lake of the fire. This is the second death and anyone not found written in the book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. SPEAKER C So here we see the great white throne judgment that takes place at the end of the millennium. So before God brings down the fire and brimstone on them, which would be total destruction forever, there is a scene here where God makes everyone aware of why he has judged them, thus why they are unworthy. And that's very important because that also is who God is. God is a God of love. And so throughout this whole process, throughout these events, god is being vindicated because Satan has made accusations against the character of God. And here even those that are unsaved will be able to recognize that God is just and fair and how he has judged. And I'd like us to also look at Philippians chapter two and notice verse ten and eleven. SPEAKER D Yes. The other name of Jesus. Every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. SPEAKER C So there's a universal adoration of Jesus at the very end of time by the Redeemed, by the holy angels, and even by the unsaved. But unfortunately the character has not changed. They recognize that God is right, but there's no change in their character. Just like the devil himself, even he will bow and acknowledge that God is right. But his character has not changed because immediately after that, he then goes forth to take the city. And that's when the fire comes down from heaven and devours them. Wow. Well, what happens after the destruction of the wicked, Hana? In two Peter three and verse 13. SPEAKER D Sure, two Peter three, verse 13. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heaven and new earth in which righteous dwells. There's a promise of new heaven and new earth. SPEAKER C That's wonderful. The great challenge of the millennium is that men and women must choose today where they will spend eternity. There is no second chance after Jesus comes. The Bible clearly states would you read for us, Hana, two Corinthians, chapter six and verse two? SPEAKER D Sure. It says for he says, in an acceptable time, I have heard you, and in the day of salvation, I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. SPEAKER C Amen. Today, when we hear his voice, we can respond. Thousands will be lost because they are looking forward to a future time to make a decision for Jesus Christ. Jesus invites you to give Him your whole life today. If you have not done so, why not do it now? Well, just reviewing what we have studied about the 1000 years and the events that are to take place. So when Christ returns, the blessed hope of all ages, our Lord, is coming back to take his children home. The Bible tells us that the righteous will ascend to heaven. The dead in Christ rise first. Then they which are alive and remain will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. It's a wonderful comfort. Paul says the righteous receive immortality at the second coming of Jesus Christ. The righteous are resurrected. God will keep his promise when Jesus returns. But the wicked living are destroyed. And those that have chosen not to respond to the voice of the Holy Spirit and to live their life their own choosing without ever making repentance of sin, they remain asleep in the grave. And then God takes his loved ones home to heaven where they will be with Him for a thousand years. Yes, living and reigning with Christ. Understanding why God has made the judgment he has on all those who are not there, they will be able to understand that God is fair and just and righteous in all his ways. So the righteous are in heaven now. The earth will be desolate. No life left. Only Satan and his angels. And his angels are here to walk this earth and to see all the destruction that they have caused. And the wicked remain dead in their graves. But just like Jeremiah said, it's not the end. At the end of the thousand years, John saw the new Jerusalem, the holy city descending out of heaven from God as a bride adorned for her husband. This is a beautiful city and actually, that's going to be our next Bible study. We're going to look at this beautiful city. So the Righteous Redeemed are inside the city and Jesus and all the angels, and they descend in this beautiful city of God, the new Jerusalem city of peace and rests upon the earth. Now, at the end of the thousand years, the wicked are raised back to life. Satan, the Bible tells us we looked at that he goes out to deceive them. But before they face their final destruction, god will also explain to them there will be that final judgment scene so every person will understand why they have been judged thus. And interesting, Hana, that as you read there in Philippians, that every knee would bow and every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Even Satan himself and his evil angels will acknowledge that. But immediately after that, they turn their mind back to that final hope of taking the holy City. Because as the Bible said, the lost are like the sand of the sea. And that's just a terrible picture to think that there are so many that have chosen that in this life, all his lies and deceptions. Sadly, we don't want to listen to the Father of lies because it leads us to destruction. And God will destroy all those that have chosen that path. But this is why God delays, because he does not want any to be lost. He truly is a God of love. And that lake of fire, Hana, was only ever meant for Satan and his angels. Maybe we could just look at that verse. So Hana, if you would read for us Matthew chapter 25 and verse 41. SPEAKER D Yes. Then he will also say to those on the left hand, depart from me, you cursed into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angel. SPEAKER C That fire, that final fire, was never meant for any human being because God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Eternal life. Well, I pray that this would be your choice. Dear Lord, I choose to allow you to rule on the throne of my heart today. And I'm longing to worship you in the Holy City for all eternity. Let us close in prayer our loving Father, we thank you that you are faithful and true. You are truly a God of love. And this strange act of destruction, Lord, is one that does not come easily, Lord, but because you are just, because you are fair, because you are loving, that you will allow each one to choose their destiny. We thank you for making it clear to us today that there will one day be no more pain, no more suffering, no more sorrow, no more devil, but that you will make all things new. We thank you for revealing to us the truth through Your word and that we can put our hand of faith in yours and we can trust you. May we each be ready for that wonderful day. May we all be able to say, this is our God. We have waited for him, and he will save us. May this be our experience. May the joy of salvation in Jesus give us hope. Lord, as we are soon to see you coming in the clouds of heaven, I pray this for every listener. In Jesus name, amen. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Well, Hana, I really enjoyed our Bible study today. I love the fact that God is going to make all things new. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And we thank you for joining us listening. May God bless you. Until next time. Go in peace. SPEAKER F Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. SPEAKER A And a light unto my path. SPEAKER F I work is a lamp unto my feet and I lie unto my bed and I lie unto my bed you're the light unto my bedroom. SPEAKER G If you have questions or comments about any of the programs you've heard, you can call three 3ABN Australia Radio within Australia on 024-97-3456, or from outside of Australia on Country Code 612-497-3456. Our email address is [email protected] that is radio at the number 3abnaustralia.org.au Our postal address is 3ABN, Australia, Inc. PO. Box seven five two. Morisset, New South Wales 2264, Australia thank you for your prayers and financial support. SPEAKER F It. Who made the river flow to the sea? SPEAKER A And who sent the rain when the earth is dry? SPEAKER F Somebody bigger than you and I he. SPEAKER A Lights away when the road is long. SPEAKER F He gives you comfort. SPEAKER A And with his love to guide you. He walks beside you, just like he walks with me when I am weary. SPEAKER H Fill. SPEAKER A Gives me courage to go on from there. SPEAKER F And who gives me faith that will never die? Somebody bigger than you. And I. SPEAKER A He likes the way when the road. SPEAKER F Is warm he gives you comfort. SPEAKER A And with his love to guide you he walks beside you just like he walks. SPEAKER F With me. SPEAKER A When I am weary, filled with the dead who gives me courage. SPEAKER F To go on from there and give me faith that will never die. SPEAKER A It's somebody bigger. SPEAKER H Marley de Fong sang somebody bigger. And up next, the Neblet family will sing the pen is Yours. The sun is rising, the day is new. A child is stirring in heaven's view. SPEAKER F This day is different, the world is new. SPEAKER A Your father watches. What will you do? SPEAKER H The page is turning the chapter start. It has no title, no written mark. SPEAKER A The road behind you is just a start and God your Father says from his heart. SPEAKER F I promise every need. Tomorrow I provide it for today. The way you choose to walk with me will do more than I can say to bring you in possession of the gifts I want to lay the pages open the. SPEAKER H Pen is yours. Recall I've spoken I've opened doors. I've opened doors. Sometimes it's easy to see his hand, to sense his pleasure, do his command. SPEAKER A Sometimes the darkness makes things unclear. Yet heaven listen the father hear. SPEAKER H The road holds promise, the future's bright. Go from your knees to walk in the light. SPEAKER F There is no limit, there is no end. SPEAKER A There are no barriers. For God has said. SPEAKER F I promise every need tomorrow. I provided for today. SPEAKER A The way you choose to walk with. SPEAKER F Me will do more than I can say to bring you in possession of the gifts. I want to lay the pages open. SPEAKER H The pen is your recall. SPEAKER F I spoke. SPEAKER H I've opened doors. SPEAKER F I've opened doors. SPEAKER H The sun is rising. SPEAKER F The day is new. A child is turning in heaven's you. This day is different. The world is new. Your father watches. What will you do? Close. SPEAKER C The John Marshall family will now sing. SPEAKER F All your anxiety is there a heart over my sorrow? Is there a life way down my care come to the cross Mary all your anxiety leave it there all your. SPEAKER A Anxiety all your care bring to the Lord. SPEAKER F Never abort any cannot bear never a friend like Jesus no other friend so willing to help you. No other friend so quick to hear no other place to leave your burden, no other one to hear your prayer. SPEAKER A All your anxiety, all your care bring. SPEAKER F To the mercy leave it. There never any never a friend like Jesus never afraid like Jesus. SPEAKER E Hello, I'm Kaysie Butler, and I want to welcome you to healthy living around the world. I'm recording on site in Porto at a youth conference, and with me is Marika Pettersen. Welcome, Marika, to the program. SPEAKER I Thank you so much. It's lovely to be here. SPEAKER E That's good. It's lovely to meet you here. Look, this program is about health and healthy living. Can you tell us a little bit, first of all, where you're from and what you're doing now? SPEAKER I Yes. I'm from Norway. So northern part of Europe. And at the moment I'm working in a lifestyle center called Fredheim, and that's in the middle of the forest in a city called Kungsburg, which is one and a half hour away from Oslo, the capital. And it's a beautiful place and yeah, enjoy working there. SPEAKER E Very good. So how long have you been working there now? SPEAKER I It's actually two and a half years that I've been working there and yeah, I've learned so much since I started working there about health and about how to meet people where they're at and help them with motivating them to make changes in their lives, especially with lifestyle. SPEAKER E So what is your role there? SPEAKER I My background is nursing. One of the typical nursing things that I do is to take blood samples. We take that the first and the last day, and we check glucose or like, blood sugars and cholesterol, amongst other things. And it's amazing how that drops when the guests are there in just ten days because we have vegan food there. So one of my roles when it comes to the food is to have cooking demos. SPEAKER F Okay. SPEAKER I And then we go for walks every day, and we have lectures and devotionals or encouragement for the day so they can think of something deeper than just normal small talk. And we have exercises both inside and outside and conversations and coaching, many different things. Yeah. SPEAKER E That's a great variety of things in your role. There quite a big scope. SPEAKER I So that's why I really like it as well. SPEAKER E Okay. You like having that diversity of experience in your everyday working life. That's very nice. So tell me, how have you come to appreciate healthy living and living a healthy lifestyle for yourself personally? SPEAKER I Yes. Well, I grew up with my family. My mom always made vegetarian food, so she was very aware of us kids being healthy. So I've kind of grown up with that. But when I became a student and in my early twenty s, I learned more about how the health really impacts the life and yeah, I heard about the China study. I don't know if you heard about that one yeah. SPEAKER E By Dr. Colin Campbell. SPEAKER I Yes. So it made me really curious. And so I chose, like, five to six years ago to eat, like, plant based food. And, yeah, it's very interesting how good food you can make and how taste it is and how now, when I see at the lifestyle center how it helps people with depression and energy and sleep and it affects everything in your life, then just encourage them more and more. So it's been like, many steps along the way. SPEAKER F Wow. SPEAKER E So it's been like a journey that you've just grown and learned more and incorporated more in your life. So what would you say is one of your favorite lifestyle principles that you apply personally in your life? SPEAKER I Wow. One of my favorites. That's really hard, actually, because at this lifestyle center, we have these eight health keys. Yeah. I can mention them. It's like air fresh air and sunshine and nutrition and exercise and rest and trust in relationships and with God. And let me see how to remember all of them. Water and temperance. Like, you shouldn't do too much of something even though it's good itself or too little. Yeah. So if I'm going to choose, like, one of them, or is there any. SPEAKER E One of those that really you've found has impacted your life and experience? SPEAKER I I think it must be nutrition, actually. Yeah, I think that's the one I'm most passionate about. But they're all important. Yeah. Especially nutrition. SPEAKER E Especially nutrition, yeah. Well, from what you're explaining before about how when people come to the center and they go on the diet there and they have all their cholesterol levels drop, that shows some of the power of changing your diet and the effect that has in people's lives. So you're working with that all the time by the sounds of things. SPEAKER I And I've had this guest coming and telling me that he changed his lifestyle to a plant based diet and he had angina and he recovered from that, it went away. So to actually hear the guest telling that he worked yeah, that's really encouraging. SPEAKER E That is very encouraging. So how has living a healthy lifestyle impacted your spiritual life and your walk with God? SPEAKER I So one of the areas where I've been struggling is with the sleep, to get to bed early enough in order to get up early as well. When I've really taken that seriously, to go to bed early around ten or before would be ideal. It's so much easier for me to get up in the morning and I love to start the day with God and to be truly awake and concentrated. Just like when I talk to my friends and family, I want to be there and not be distracted or tired. It's the same with God. So when I really take sleep seriously, my conversation with God and my time with Him, the quality time is so much better. So yeah, that has really impacted my spiritual life the most, I think. SPEAKER E Right, okay. So it's had a real practical effect in enhancing the quality of your time with God. SPEAKER I And when I read the Bible, I remember what I read, I'm just more concentrated. SPEAKER E That's very good. I mean, qualities makes a huge difference. When you wake up tired and bleary eyed and you're trying to read the Bible and connect with God, it's a lot harder. I know from experience. Yeah. So that's very powerful effect that it has. So obviously you've had experience working with people and also personally applying healthy living principles. What would you say is one of. SPEAKER I The things that you would recommend to. SPEAKER E People who are wanting to make changes in their life and maybe adopt some healthier lifestyle habits? What things would you recommend for them to think about or do in making those changes? SPEAKER I Well, first of all, because I often talk with a guest about this because they ask me and often it can be overwhelming for them with all the information that they receive and they don't know where to start. So I often tell them start with something small. If you want to replace something like if that's your goal, then you need to add something else. If they want to quit smoking, they need to maybe replace that with something like a smoothie or go for a walk instead of just taking something away and yeah, replace it with something that they like. Or if they want to actually start doing something, for example, exercise, they should do something that they already like. If they don't like running, then don't start with that. Start swimming or strength or lifting weights or something. Do something that they already like. And if it comes to the diet because it can be overwhelming for people. If they like Norwegians, they eat a lot of meat, and they have a little bit of vegetable on their plate. So the food they receive at Fredheim is very different, like a lot of salad, and then they get the kind of warm meal after the salad, so they're already kind of full. So if they don't know where to start, I'm just saying, just give yourself time and take one thing at a time. Because if you're going to change the whole diet in one week, some people can manage, but very few, because, yeah, just give it time. And I share that in my personal experience going from vegetarian to vegan, I spent a whole year just taking it step by step, and I often like, oh, this is too hard. And I went back to cheese and milk and all of this. So I'm just honest with them saying, give yourself time and be kind to yourself and just do one thing at a time. So this was probably several tips. SPEAKER E No, I think that's very practical advice for people who are wanting to make changes, because it can be a very daunting thing. People want to get to this place, this end goal of better health, but the steps to get there can be huge. And I think the tips that you've shared today are very practical and realistic for people to be applying in their lives. Thank you so much. SPEAKER I It's good to have an ideal and to try and reach that. But yeah, like a ladder. SPEAKER E Okay. Take one step at a time, and you'll get there eventually. That's a good way to put it. I like that we'll remember the ladder to help. That's very nice. Well, look, thank you so much for sharing with us today, Maria. On the program we've been recording here in Porto in Portugal, at a youth conference, I've met with Marika Pettersen, and she's from Norway, and she works at a lifestyle center there. Thank you for tuning in to healthy living around the world. I'm your host, Kaysie Butler. And until next time, may God richly bless you. Bye for now. SPEAKER C You have been listening to a production of three ABN Australia radio.