New Year, New You!

New year, new you stage for the light a fire with your host activist all the international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience have president of fire school of Ministry to the wider fire valves like always 866-34-TRUTH that's 866-34-TRUTH. Your job is Dr. Michael Brown this is Michael Brown. Welcome to 2017 my great joy to start the year together with you by God's grace. May this be the best year of your life the most blessed the most fruitful. The most gratifying.

The most impacting may it be hey why not with God. His mercies are new every morning and no matter what happened in the last year, even if it was the worst of your life that could just be the preparation for great blessing in 2017 a today on God TV. We launched a brand-new broadcast ask me anything. If you have God TV you can watch it on your car cable network in America around the world. Or you can watch it on demand on the website, or various other ways go to God.tv to check that out, but were thrilled to be on five days a week five minutes a day answering questions from the God TV audience, and in couple months we got another show launching as well that I think will edify and bless many many others. But we rejoice in that and tomorrow a day. Nancy and I have been looking forward to for many a month. The release of our new book, breaking the stronghold of food and all this week I want to encourage you that change is possible even in areas where you have struggled for decades. I am living proof.

Hey let me be as candid as I can with you as honest as I can be with you in my own human weakness. If you had a thousand friends if you knew a thousand authors. If you looked at a thousand Christian leaders if you said which one is the least likely to write a book on transformation through dietary change. Changing your relationship with food I'd be the last one on the list is not because I was a glutton now was way overweight but but many people just thought I was a big guy or big boned are worked out or whatever so I wasn't morbidly obese but I I have been an unhealthy either. All of my life I have never ever ever overcome bad eating habits for any length of time or substitute the bad ones with good once it has been lifelong until the day came August 23 of 2014 I said to Nancy, my plan is not working out today. The significance of those words in a moment. My plan is not working when I said those words to her. She said all right you gotta eat whatever I give you, and nothing else.

And starting that next day, August 24, 2014.

That was the first day of radical change and by God's grace. This is how I live today. Now what 2 1/2+ years later I'm talking about in lesson eight months I went from 275 pounds 280 pounds. I talked about several headaches a week and now not a headache for two and half years I've taken a consular getting run down with colds and other things and now hardly ever getting sick. I'm talking about for years having severe sleep apnea and having to travel everywhere around the world with a breathing machine and of course use it at home. I don't need that anymore steady lower back pain for years that has disappeared energy level off the charts. Blood pressure 149/103 at the highest last time I took it. It was around 100/65 cholesterol a size 230 with the good being a low and the bad being high now. It's been between 123 and 134 or so and and everything is right where it's supposed to be good. This is someone listen to me who used to eat Oreos for breakfast. This is someone who found it harder to give up chocolate than to give up heroin. God is my witness this is someone that could go a year without hardly having any fruit at all. I can change I could break the stronghold of food so you can file the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the minor fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown will come back to the line of fire and began a happy last year to you Michael Brown thrilled to start the year together with you and all this week I want to encourage that you can make radical changes in some of the most difficult stubborn areas of life. I know people make New Year's resolutions, how how many have you made, how many have I made only to break them or even forget about them. Sometimes a matter of days, sometimes a matter of hours, but lasting change can come and not just when we get saved in a week maybe were alcoholics or drug addicts or we were promiscuous that we were gamblers we were violent and that we get born again is second with his 517 old things passed away.

Everything becomes new work when you creations is not wonderful. Yes it's that's wonderful passed from death to life in the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God. Yes, amazing awesome wonderful but that's not all that's not all there can be lasting change that comes to us as believers, their areas of our lives that need to change and sometimes we just get used to them and that's the way we are. II mentioned this on the air last week I mentioned it again gentlemen posted on Facebook that is no morbidly obese that he was just in the hospital for high blood pressure that the doctors are trying to come up with a combination of drugs for him that will will address the problem for the moment, but he knows he has to change his lifestyle.

He said this he came out of homosexuality. Six years ago and he said that was so much easier than losing weight, changing his diet.

Say it again. I found it easier to give up heroin that you give up chocolate. In fact, when I gave up shooting drugs and doing drugs in December 17 of 71. I said to the Lord. I'll never put a needle in my arm again and by his grace. That's what happened. I didn't go through withdrawal and go through physical withdrawal.

I was addicted to the needle. I was addicted to drugs. In general, but I got so wonderfully set free. I was so deeply change I did. I didn't even go through withdrawal is a lifestyle withdrawal of change my thinking and patterns of who I hung out with and things like that but I did. I did not go through a an intense physical withdrawal.

I did I did when it when it came to breaking the stronghold of food I'd I did when he came to giving up sweets and other things that my body was so used to because for the better part of decades.

I did notice every single day of my life and and often two or three times a day, all I had seasons where what without suites for like 3040 days. But, of course, is a sugar and a lot of the foods that we would only realize I had a season many many years ago where I would only have something sweet your candy bar chocolate once a month and I did that for the better part of her year and then that ended but even then I was having pizza and pasta every day and burgers and fries and those kinds of things which are unhealthy and you feel like you're getting away with a lot more when you're younger you really do you feel like you're getting away with it doesn't affect you as much, but the old you get, you eat the same way start putting more weight on you start to get run down more you start having health related issues here. This is if you take sickness, disease, fatality health issues related to drinking relating to smoking, they pale pale before health related disease causes of death connected to obesity and yet were often so concerned about alcoholism and cigarette smoking and and yet, in the words of Dr. Joel Fuhrman were digging their own graves with our forks and knives so many people I talked to Seth struggle here and in fact almost always when I get picked up by the airport or sit down for a meal wherever I'm speaking especially anyone who knew me and the pastor. So my pictures in the past and see that come complete transformation. This the first and the want to talk to me about and they want to know how and and almost always the last to the question do you cheat Jeff cheat days let Sam drive with the pastor from the airport usage of cheetahs is a is and how often you cheat us in on how often you cheat on your wife is not coercive is wrong you don't do it now. Not saying it's a sin to have a nice staker sent out a bowl of ice. Oh please don't get me wrong, it's always a sin to commit adultery, commencing at the center to have some enjoyable meal meal even if it's unhealthy but unhealthy eating itself is sinful.

Alex explained why in a minute that the beneficiary all through our book breaking stronghold food is not a word of condemnation.

Nancy and I understand that that many people who are overweight feel terrible about their embarrassed thereafter by certain close. They that will leave the house. There always conscious about it stronghold or stomach send their their their their feeling like something's wrong it.

They may not talk about our society. It's unassailable accepted but our goal is not to to beat you up. Our goal is to lift you up. Our goal is to encourage not to discourage to say hey there's hope and that's why through the book, where is honest as we are and and in fact limitless to the we wrote. I wrote the book the goals for us to ride together breaking stronghold food comes out tomorrow and in a moment I'll tell you get a free e-book along with the paperback all right basically two books for the price of barely over half of one of us. I had to do that in a moment, but were try to figure out we've never cowritten a book, Nancy will often go through my books very carefully and and and critique them that she's got an incredible why not just for grammatical editing and and sentence flow. But for content and not this is missing some is lacking here. You got a sharp in this hearer or this this doesn't flow well and and is much as I don't like the criticism in the flesh. I love it and welcome it and so she sharpened so much of what I've written over the years but this book we are right together but with how you do it how you write it together. Go back and forth. Do you speak is once okay this is Mike speak okay this is Nancy speaking so I wrote it and then the publisher said hey we need more more stuff from you that flushes a few things outside wrote a couple more chapters is at first I was telling my story and in a funny way, and inspirational way than weaving Scripture in and take on a journey and encouraging along the way so I added some content to it, that's okay. Now we got here from your from your your wife and Nancy and I worked on it in a sit right here all the chapters just go through Menander and stuff are you want it just wasn't working.

So we did. We sat down together at me. We spent hours and hours and hours doing this and we are so thrilled for the folks you got advance copies of the way they're talking about how this is impacting and we are absolutely thrilled so I may speak for for several paragraphs are for a page that is what we did it.

I sat at the computer. Nancy read through the chapters and and then as she's reading. She said okay and she needs to contribute something she wouldn't write it. She would speak it. I would write it that I would send it to her to edit and then sent it to the publisher all weaved in together and she's got a special font.

Your words from Nancy and so I'll be saying something. Maybe I'll be telling some story below some crazy gimmicks of veto if anti-fat creamer magic energy pill or something like that that I tried. Trust me, I try to always want to get more energy is another thing is a push so hard the runts are all for decades looking for more energy. Now I try to figure how to fall asleep at night because I got so much energy through healthy eating. Yeah it's amazing so she's reading some of it into my just say I gotta say something. I can't believe what I really this is crazy and ensure way in the something else so it's it's honest, it's encouraging. It's down-to-earth, it's for the Scripture. It's got practical steps to take. But but friends Nancy would characterize himself before as a glutton.

She ate food because she loved food and she would stuff herself and and and she tells her whole story in the book and and for me I was addicted to certain foods you sell.

Not addicted to any later in the week really give a little test when you do today will see if we get to it will give you little test for Dr. Joel Fuhrman to see if you are a food addict who yeah will even start there. When we come back, but if I could change if Nancy could change you can change. I was talking to a friend of the family the other day and I asked this person if you could change at any one thing in your life, what would be this immediately.

My weight my weight. We had a friend years back when diabetes he was pastor had diabetes and Nancy said was type II diabetes, which is completely reversible through healthy eating and and she said to him, do you know that if you ate it completely vegan diet that it would reverse the diabetes because I know but I hate vegetables all what if your whole life could be radically changed. If you change your diet said love to, but it's a stronghold.

That's why we wrote the book, breaking the stronghold food how we overcame food addictions and discovered a whole new way of living a radio friend of mine said to me yeah I don't know how big a topic. Food addictions are said only relevant to about 99% of the American public are itself to what the book comes out tomorrow but there's still time.

Only a few more days to do this, go right now.

Stronghold food.com take a second if you can stronghold of food.com click there is a link we can order on Amazon's you get the reduced preorder price when you put the orders through that'll take you back to the website and you'll get the e-book free when it comes out. That means out tomorrow Tuesday will immediately get the e-books you can read on your computer on your your Kindle e-reader cell phone with the Kindle app and the paperback will be sent out immediately. You have that a couple days give the book we keep the e-book if you like so order today stronghold of food.com talk about setting your sights on the goal and asked us to argue food out of come back here. The line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown.

Your voice is more cultural and spiritual revolution there again is Dr. Michael Brown. Here is how Nancy and I start our brand-new book breaking the stronghold of food would encourage you to take your eyes off food for a moment dream together with me, asking the simple question. What if what if you be the healthiest you been in years. Maybe your whole life reversing some life-threatening diseases and find yourself more vibrant and 60. They were 40 or drugs.

What if you could be fit and trim times more energy for your family or friends, your job, your ministry or hobbies in your life that you mention for your what if you would never feel bloated or stuffed and never feel bad about what you wait. What if you are ashamed of the way you look, what if your stomach can sit on your lap. You could tell your shoes you can see your toes if it were normal close, rather than close it look like tents you have to stealthily unbutton your pants at the restaurant remember rhe button when you get to leave you have to were stretchy pants enough to avoid mirrors or plateglass windows, and after about buttons bursting off his shirt enough to buy all kinds of loosefitting clothing to cover your fat enough to buy even bigger close the next year after the holidays. In your latest weight gain. What if you fill in the blank. Only you know friends what bothers you most about your weight. I don't write this to shame you, but to encourage you because I too was once fact that so we start our book and Nancy jumps right in assists.

Some people might be offended by Mike's use the word fat for both of us like to tell it like it is. Many prefer to call it overweight that's out certain sounds more pleasant.

There is nothing pleasant to present pretty but the fat of my body. Nancy says so. We would be using the words overweight and fat interchangeably throughout the book with this is not meant to insult or criticize others nexus is my fat was a hindrance to me in a burden that was choking and destroy my life and the bottom line is there's nothing nicer redeemable about the fact that encumbered my body as many maybe see want to change. II know I know this is a real issue.

I I know it's hurting my whole life I I I know this is negative in every way II just don't know. I can change. Hey, in the natural. It's really tough in the natural, these things really are life controlling seat went when I got free from drugs.

I was free. I never looked at myself as a recovering drug addict. To this day I don't funnel that will please your man about to say something else that were due look at myself as a recovering addict shall not sing him better than someone else. I'm just saying.

The change was so profound.

I was out of that lifestyle. I can relate to. I'm not a recovering drug addict, a recovering alcoholic. I was an alcoholic, used to drink heavily. At times, but it certainly was addicted to the needle in and to drugs in general, but I never looked at myself as a recovering drug addict. I didn't criticize others who did. I just couldn't relate to it myself and it look I came out of that lifestyle I'm not around heroin. I'm not around cocaine not around LST M mescaline I'm not around pot or hash and around any of those things right bozos to food your own food every day and you need food to live in and and there's no more basic appetite and hunger.

So, in point of fact we are surrounded by this and are standard American diet is is deadly so much junk in the portions are restaurants in the fast food lifestyle and and on and on the way everything is processed, so it look this is around all the time so I live my life as if I was a recovering food addict.

That's how I live as if I was a recovering food addict.

Meaning if if I mess up once. I could easily fall off the wagon. Therefore, I don't deviate exhibit.

Mike you travel a lot them in your overseas, sometimes 30, 40 hours travel and then hotels and restaurants and people taking out all the time you you can make choices. We plan ahead. Make certain small sacrifices. It is absolutely worth it for the massive rewards that you get Dr. Joel Fuhrman whose work we quote a lot in our book he he is a checklist of 15 questions to determine whether he food addicts ready I'm I'm going to a little read this to you have time yeah I can get this sent Dr. Fuhrman gives this list. If I don't eat regularly. I feel fatigued or irritable national I think about eating certain foods.

Almost all the time national. I feel sluggish or uncomfortable after eating eating poorly is interfering with my health.

I'm overweight but I continue to overeat when I start eating sweets. I don't want to stop. I've tried to diet to lose weight but failed given up.

I prefer restaurants with all-you-can-eat buffets.

I have physical withdrawal symptoms.

I sneak food with others around are looking for, or arch around are looking I store food or hide food for my family. I eat more. Even though I'm no longer hungry. My eating habits, cause me distress. My eating habits are causing social and family difficulties i.e. almost continuously all day long. 15 different items, each one he says yes or no. You might say hack him up pretty good. I only had like five or six according to Dr. Fuhrman one. Yes answer makes you a suspected food addict two or more yes answers confirms your addiction to food is 802 or more who has less than two as less than one me.

Trust me, I was way up on that list before the let's meet your that's very old, that's me.

Ouch.

That's me. Yeah, that's me. Now none of it because I'm I am a recovering food addict in terms of my attitude, but I'm free at and listen for tests.

If it is so utterly remarkable look, if you subscribe to charisma magazine. You know I'm on the front cover of Chris and by the way, it's a great issue. It's a really practical change your life issue with a lot of suggestions about food and diet and lifestyle.

So it's a really practical issue. If you don't normally get it get it and I think you be really blessed by it. So it is and I'm on the front cover because of our book, breaking the stronghold of food and with a picture of me. Here's a current picture, here's a before picture and you have to understand it is utterly immaterial to me in the natural to be on the front of a magazine and most of the time were among the front of something on the website or site like that. That's because something attacked okay so this is this is not a thing outlook on the front cover. To me it's a matter of saying hey if Mike Brown could change his diet. Anybody can and I'm telling you the benefits are absolutely worth. I could not imagine how it would feel to live in my old skin would never stop me for ministry. I push through the tiredness and and and Going to push the headaches and kept going.

You know what I was gonna persevere and I was never embarrassed to minister think it all you know your suit is Tyler cell was an embarrassment. I got to minister but behind the scenes. I was embarrassed because I said I live a disciplined, godly lifestyle. I'm not a glutton but I'm overweight now my high blood pressure. I'm obese, according to the charts and that ought not to be for me as a servant of the Lord. So for me it was a personal matter were change needed to come in by his grace became remember.

Go to stronghold food.com will have a few more days to do this stronghold of food.com order from Amazon. There are right if that's regret your e-books are just principal place your order order. They are the paperback.

It's at reduced price. When you do, you'll automatically get the e-book free in the book is out tomorrow new year, new you. You too can have a story to tell you, be restored to health, fitness, joyful free life change your relationship. If we can do and you can it's the line of fire with your host activist author internationals leader and theologian Dr. Michael Brown voice of more cultural and spiritual revolution get into the line of fire now by calling 8664 through here again is Dr. Michael Brown welcome welcome to the line of fire, a blessed happy 2017 to you.

The theme this week new year, new you and let's talk about where we all live with Nancy are so excited tomorrow. Her book breaking the stronghold of food comes out.

It's already over the weekend become the number one new release in Christian personal growth on on Amazon which is is a great category because there's so much written in that in that area. There seems be real interest in this rehearing from advanced readers of the book there loving the practicality their loving our candor there loving the inspiration and it then and we were really praying that this would be the difference between life and death for many, many thousands and perhaps millions of of readers of Dr. Joel Fuhrman whose work we quote a lot in the book has a list help you out to help you identify whether or not you are a food addict I want to go through it and comment where where I I would've been identified as as a food. I got according to Dr. Fuhrman.

Brace yourself and your 50 items here okay. I've run through real real quick before what you want to go through now little bit slower but remember he said if if any one of the 50 and applies to your probable food addict or suspected food addict two or more and you definitely are a number one if I don't eat regularly feel fatigued or irritable and get irritable, but fatigue to it by probably needed the energy boost of the chocolates and sweets and stuff like that.

I felt fatigued a lot just because of my lifestyle to think about eating certain foods. Almost all the time. All I would really look forward to certain things and think about them a lot that that's true about you. I feel sluggish and uncomfortable after eating yeah see now have a massive solid technique.

It's so big I'm trauma 3 1/2 pounds of salad and greens and other stuff in there and that that without addressing 3 1/2 pounds worth it. Yeah, I mean a massive salad take me to maybe half hour 45 minutes to eat it on. I'm not sluggish or uncomfortable at all. If treated, eating poorly is interfering with my health. Yeah that that apply to me as well about you. I'm overweight but I continue to overeat, count me in on that one. In the past when I started eating sweets on want to stop you that I've tried to diet to lose weight to fail. Given up almost everyone so far in the past. I prefer restaurants with all-you-can-eat buffets like those, but the server further to others. There is little plus there I physical withdrawal symptoms, you bet if I would fast you the headaches of everything were miserable because of withdrawal from the bad foods I sleep food when others are around or looking yeah I store food or hide food for my family. Yeah I eat more. Even though I'm no longer hungry why I say I was hungry but obviously I wasn't genuinely hungry.

Let's see my eating habits because we distressed somewhat, my eating habits are causing the social and family difficulties.

No items continually continuously all day long. No, but I did eat a lot, especially at night snack. I was like 10, 12, 13/15 today I was zero at a 15 by God's grace I have been changed and you can be changed to. Don't be discouraged if you like I have five on that list I got 10 on that list.

Don't be discouraged when you go to the doctor and he says right. This is hurt you move like this with the dentist when they hit him, saw that's the one. Okay, that's a help. Now, we identify the problem. Now we can help. We've got a take food addictions as seriously as any other addictions. In fact, food addictions are far more deadly than most other addictions, not just because were addicted to food, but because of the nature of the food word dictate to where shortening our lives cutting short the fruitfulness of our lives. We are cutting down on the quality of our lives and all change number by the Expo line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown voice and more cultural and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown. Thanks so much for joining us on the line of fire.

The first broadcast of year. Michael Brown delighted to be with you as we talk about lifestyle transformation. As we talk about new year, new you on the one hand, yeah. It's easy to make new resolutions on this difficulty that everything will change in the new year. It never changes. On the other hand, if you want to make a change, you gotta make it sometime. It's not just gonna happen on its own. Change will not just happen because time goes on. That happens as time goes on. As we get older and and habits become more entrenched, so I want to encourage you now is the time for change and I'll say it now shouted from the rooftops. I'll say it again and again if I could change when it comes to my relationship with food. If I who was the poster boy for unhealthy eating habits my entire life. If Nancy, who would say she was a glutton. If we could change anyone could change God is no respecter of persons, and the same principles we live by will work for anyone. We tell the story in our new book coming out tomorrow breaking the stronghold of food now let let me present something to scripturally talk about right. I recognize that there is a difference between, say, practicing adultery and and having a bowl of ice cream every day.

I recognize that there is a difference. I recognize that the person practicing adultery and refusing to repent will not inherit the kingdom of God where she might have some unhealthy eating habits and still be saved. You're just hurting your effectiveness and perhaps cutting your life short and maybe in certain ways, hurting your witness to another subject, we can come to, so I I am recognize the difference, a Prof. Robert guy got on the radio show of some months back made made the statement. He's the foremost authority on the Bible, a homosexual practice and he said you know your man come home from from work one day you have a business dinner and your wife said hey honey had everything go today and you say well you know it is great but I kinda pigged out of that business dinner. I I ordered this massive steak in the wind. I had this chocolate sundae afterwards and assist us. Kind of a glutton. She's all hot. It's all right you will do better tomorrow signals all okay that that wasn't so bad. So he comes on the next day and she says so honey how your day goes pretty good. I'm a night I slept with three different ladies I work with sugar say that's not so bad you'll do better tomorrow obviously not.

So we recognize that there are differences in sins that we commit or in terms of the ugliness of sins that we commit or the consequences of sins that we commit.

But let me ask you this. Would you agree that drunkenness is sent that getting drunk is a sin certain damning the Bible is very clear about drunkenness and drinking to excess. Why is it a sin. Well, on the one hand and impairs her judgment.

I can be dangerous and you get behind a car and drive you could kill other people yourself and and can impair your judgment. Many many other ways, and open the door for all kinds of the foolish and fleshly behavior and its physically destructive right and get cirrhosis of the liver have other problems because it all right.

Let's take cigarette smoke, do we believe that cigarette smoking is sinful and I think the vast majority of followers of Jesus do believe that why well two reasons. It's a binding habit right would become a slave to it and it's a destructive habit of not only does it cost extra money that can be used for other things. But more importantly if done enough over longer period of time it will destroy your health.

That is the real potential destroy health lung cancer. Things like that so even a dozen para-judgment like drinking does.

Right. The fact of the matter is we would agree that it sinful because it is a destructive habit. Okay. Compare the health risks associated with obesity to the health risks associated with drinking the health risks associated with smoking. Even the health risks that that are associate with poverty because people can take care of themselves properly. Different ways overwhelmingly the health risks associated with obesity are much much much much much higher than the other three much much much higher.

Why then is cigarette smoking is sinful because it's a destructive unhealthy habit. Why then isn't over eating and unhealthy eating sinful if it's a much more destructive habit. And again I lay out the Scripture. Nancy and I lay out the Scripture in breaking the stronghold of food we do it with truths spoken in love, not to condemn but to encourage and to help so I want you to consider some Scripture with right up all said this running to the Corinthians in first Corinthians 6. Don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God or not your own, for you were bought with a price.

So glorify God in your body you say yeah but the context there is sexual immorality course.

That's the major context there.

I just want to ask a larger question. Can you glorify God with your body. If were abusing our bodies if our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and our bodies are not our own account.

We glorify God with their bodies. If were gradually destroying our bodies if we disclaim a serious lack of discipline and will be put into our bodies. How about this from Paul first Corinthians 9 do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize so Ron that you may obtain it.

He says every athlete exercises self-control in all things they do it to receive a perishable wreath, we an imperishable. Can I repeat that every athlete exercises self-control in all things they do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable. We are also discipline in all things we exercise self-control and all things isn't one of the fruits of the spirit self control. Can I say I exercise self-control. If I eat foods that are destructive to my health.

Can I say that I exercise self-control. If I eat in excess of ways that are destructive to my health. You might say hey I'm doing great.

I keep a busy schedule I this is the irregular throw combination on the hey I'm trying to help you where you could run your race far more successfully with greater joy at a minimum, telling you when when my weight came off when I lost 95 pounds a little under eight months not to dieting through change my relationship to food and and no gimmicks, no shortcuts, just eating totally healthily all the time and and there plenty of delicious things you can eat. And by the way your palate will change that. The more you get rid of the bad foods and the more you eat healthy foods, the more your palate changes your palate begins to crave in a healthy way. The good foods. Alex restores it move these apples look good. Yeah, I used to be going to get the chocolate donut glazed chocolate doughnut stroke. It may all right have a chai M&Ms truck that I was.

It's always a staple with him and splurging at Ben & Jerry's New York super fudge chunk.

Now I look over that Apple looks really good yeah wall those tomatoes look delicious and like it if you could enjoy eating healthily the way you enjoyed eating at healthily but get rid of the excess fat and get rid of all the health-related problems that that being overweight and obese will cause over the years will it be worth it if we just snap our fingers and comb suddenly you you wanted broccoli the way you used to want to eat steak you you you want a fruit salad a healthy fruit salad. The way you used to want fettuccine Alfredo that was on her mind. That was when finances that she like if if if you would you would want or super healthy super mega healthy soup. The way you still want a burger and fries.

Why not, why not everything changes so dramatically imminent when my weight got low railroad I'm 61 years old and on 62 in March. I want to run everywhere I try to tell you a funny story about coming back from overseas in a minute we get back on the other side of the break, but remember a few more days to do this because the book comes out tomorrow, and this offer expires in a few days.

Go to stronghold or food.com and if you got a friend that you love family miniature love that struggling get this for them. Stronghold of food.com there's a link to order you click on it will take go the Amazon link if that's for you or your books are right when you order you get the reduced preorder price and then you get the e-book free so you get two books for the price of a little over half the price of one, and this we got one book to keep you keep that the e-book give away the paper back to a friend or loved one, and it is going to be the difference between life and death for many many people.

So we we come back. I want to talk about coming back from overseas. My experience at the LAX airport after coming back from Australia to run long trip. Talk about what a 1314 hour time differential 30 hours travel time would happen when I got back. Thanks to this brand-new lifestyle.

The line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH your exam is Dr. Michael Brown, you know, one of the things that we cover in our new book, breaking the stronghold of food.

Nancy and I address the issue of excuses because we all have excuses and and I want to address that a little today but will get into it later in the week but all this week.

I will encourage change is possible new year, new you.

Why not God's not a respecter of persons. If he does it for me do it for you.

All right, all right. So I come back from overseas. I believe it was an Australia trip that I was coming back from. So here's what that means.

It means that Sarah flew from Charlotte if I had a straight flight to LA that would be amazing okay but let's say did see a five hour flight. There are right, then a layover of a few hours and then maybe a 15 hour flight to Sydney. So, direct flights and you know that's it's pretty quick travel for all that, then you get there if if it feels like 12 noon to your body. It's actually like the midnight or two in the morning there and everything is is radically changed in different all right you in and you lose day going over there so I come back from the trip to pretty intense trip long trip over an Australia couple different cities and in this particular they had to get up real early morning and then travel to the airport in Melbourne and fly from Melbourne to Sydney, then layover layover few hours there. Then from from Sydney to to LA and then I think had one or two other flights to get back to Charlotte North Carolina from from whence I had initially departed and I remember I I got off the flight summit again. The time zone change and not sleepy enough on the plane and the whole bit and NI I land at the airport and I'm in LA and I'm waiting to get my luggage so I got a luggage cart I get my luggage.

I put it on there. Now I have to go through. Got to go through all know hang on before that. Go through passport control and and now we get down to where the luggage is you go down on escalators. I was just so full of energy and just did not work out so I just grabbed onto the to the railings lifted my feet off the ground and just held myself up yoga tricep exercise of the entire way till I got down there. Then jog over got my luggage put it on the, the, the luggage cart and then went went through customs and then you gotta go to drop your luggage off now that tube to be sent on the to to the rest your destination.

And I remember jogging here. I just got off these long flights and I'm holding myself up the escalator and running through the airport. I want to run too fast. The regular strength but just there was a big opening a long hallway is running down there think this is amazing this is amazing but brand-new lifestyle by God's grace, no tricks, no gimmicks, no magic pills no special supplements. I basically take a daily multivitamin and and one other one other units of a vitamin kind of thing it's it's that's it. Everything comes through healthy and I exercise to and exercising is rigorous and intense, but I was exercising in an intense way when I weight 50 or 75 pounds more. Okay, so the exercising to do the exercise helps but it's the diet change that comes first. All right, so excuses I remember when we were working out with with our trainer. This was years back.

He went away for a few years, came back, so this was in the earlier days. Maybe, maybe five years ago were working out and he was talking to me about my diet stuff like that and I said yeah you know it's hard and I went through all the reasons why it's so hard and I got trust me. I got him on the road all the time I got a crazy busy schedule. I got heated airports. I got either on planes I take in restaurants all the time I was in hotels, so it's II gave all the reasons and he just listened not. It didn't say much. The next day we were working out with another young man who graduated years earlier from our school and in the subject of diet lifestyle came up and he began to explain why it's hard for him to eat more healthily, his wife, both doing full-time work in ministry and I get home and barely enough time to make a meal and got a run back out and and he went through it and I listen. I thought those are the most pathetic excuses I've ever heard every one of those excuses is just shouting out I'm not willing to make the change. I know I should make changes, but I'm not willing to and I got some wimpy excuses and immediately I said to myself, buddy. That's all your own excuses out all this out so big and great and all, yet we give our excuses really cannot go for this reason, I read your kids and on budget and on travel on it. All that they sound so good.

Does somebody else comes up of the same excuses you think. What kind of excuses those ultimately excuses are for wimps and I got a whole chapter. Nancy and I have a whole chapter and breaking the stronghold of food were we interact with the excuses that we give here better to be honest better to say okay I need to change him having health problems because of my weight or I'm just embarrassed by being overweight or I just don't think that that being overweight is conducive to to to my witness, or I'm on start to slow down and stir in the worn out beat because of being overweight or God convicted me that that I'm a glutton or God convicted me that that my stomach is my God that I'm a slave to certain foods it okay whatever it is and you say I know I should do differently. I know I should live differently. But I'm not willing could start. Be honest.

Confess that to God or I know I should make changes, but I don't know how could start their or I really want to make changes, but I'm too weak. I've done this a thousand times before and never succeeded. I was out with one pastor having lunch with him in in one state and he talked about a stomach bypass surgery that he had in the reasons for and I said you know there so many other ways. He said look I probably lost 40 or 50 pounds 50 different times and gained it all back.

It was this Rosie guy and he said even with this, he still had her watches died.

Is it because even with this stomach bypass the probably most of the people that have it end up blowing it going back to their old ways, which makes things even worse. I understand, of course, no condemnation for that Manley did is trying to guard his health and and and be there for his wife and kids in church in the future but but better to be honest, right, he was honest with me. Better to be honest I just tell the Lord the truth we want to help you this week. We want to help you this week. This can be a week of real transformation. This is Michael Brown or new book, breaking the stronghold of food comes out tomorrow, so we give the announcement once more. I know many of you only get to listen for a few minutes and you gotta go out and around with your business.

So remember the stronghold of food.com right stronghold of food.com only couple more days you can use a few more days. Order order Amazon review normally order and then when you or you get there at the reduced preorder price and the e-book you'll get free so you get the paperbacks mailed to in just a few days of Amazon and you'll get the e-book free but to take advantage of this offer, the stronghold of food.calm, make sure you visit our website the line of fire.org check out my latest articles and videos all there to bless you in the life-giving life-changing resources for you. My bottom line today. God is no respecter of persons did for Nancy and me. He will do for you new year, new you stage for the line of fire with your host activist and author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience and president of fire school of Ministry get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH.

That's 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown this is Michael Brown. Welcome to 2017 my great joy to start the year together with you by God's grace. May this be the best year of your life the most blessed the most fruitful. The most gratifying. The most impacting may it be hey why not with God.

His mercies are new every morning and no matter what happened in the last year, even if it was the worst of your life that could just be the preparation for great blessing in 2017 a today on God TV. We launched a brand-new broadcast ask me anything. If you have God TV you can watch it on your car cable network in America around the world. Or you can watch it on demand on the website, or various other ways go to God.tv to check that out, but were thrilled to be on five days a week five minutes a day answering questions from the God TV audience, and in couple months we got another show launching as well that I think will edify and bless many many others. But we rejoice in that and tomorrow a day. Nancy and I have been looking forward to for many a month. The release of our new book, breaking the stronghold of food and all this week I want to encourage you that change is possible even in areas where you have struggled for decades. I am living proof. Hey let me be as candid as I can with you as honest as I can be with you in my own human weakness.

If you had a thousand friends if you knew a thousand authors.

If you looked at a thousand Christian leaders if you said which one is the least likely to write a book on transformation through dietary change. Changing your relationship with food I'd be the last one on the list is not because I was a glutton yell was way overweight but but many people just thought I was a big guy or big boned are worked out or whatever so I was not morbidly obese but I I have been an unhealthy either. All of my life I have never ever ever overcome bad eating habits for any length of time or substitute the bad ones with good once it has been lifelong until the day came August 23 of 2014 I said to Nancy, my plan is not working out today. The significance of those words in a moment. My plan is not working when I said those words to her. She said all right you gotta eat whatever I give you, and nothing else. And starting that next day, August 24, 2014.

That was the first day of radical change and by God's grace. This is how I live today. Now what 2 1/2+ years later I'm talking about in lesson eight months I went from 275 pounds 280 pounds. I talked about several headaches a week and now not a headache for two and half years I've taken a consulate getting run down with colds and other things and now hardly ever getting sick. I'm talking about for years having severe sleep apnea and having to travel everywhere around the world with a breathing machine and of course use it at home. I don't need that anymore steady lower back pain for years that has disappeared energy level off the charts. Blood pressure 149/103 at the highest last time I took it. It was around 100/65 cholesterol a size 230 with the good being a low and the bad being high now.

It's been between 123 and 134 or so and and everything is right where it's supposed to be good. This is someone listen to me who used to eat Oreos for breakfast. This is someone who found it harder to give up chocolate than to give up heroin.

God is my witness this is someone that can go a year without hardly having any fruit at all. I can change I could break the stronghold of food so you can file the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the minor fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown will come back to the line of fire and began a happy last year to you Michael Brown thrilled to start the year together with you and all this week I want to encourage you that you can make radical changes in some of the most difficult stubborn areas of life. I know people make New Year's resolutions, how how many have you made, how many have I made only to break them or even forget about them. Sometimes a matter of days, sometimes in a matter of hours, but lasting change can come and not just when we get saved in a week maybe were alcoholics or drug addicts or we were promiscuous that we were gamblers we were violent and that we get born again is second with his 517 old things passed away. Everything becomes new work were new creations is not wonderful. Yes it's that's wonderful passed from death to life in the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God.

Yes, amazing awesome wonderful but that's not all that's not all there can be lasting change that comes to us as believers, their areas of our lives that need to change and sometimes we just get used to them and that's the way we are. II mentioned this on the air last week only mentioned it again gentlemen posted on Facebook that is now morbidly obese that he was just in the hospital for high blood pressure that the doctors are trying to come up with a combination of drugs for him that will will address the problem for the moment, but he knows he has to change his lifestyle and he said this he came out of homosexuality.

Six years ago and he said that was so much easier than losing weight, changing his diet. Say it again.

I found it easier to give up heroin that you give up chocolate. In fact, when I gave up shooting drugs and doing drugs in December 17 of 71. I said to the Lord will never put a needle in my arm again and by his grace.

That's what happened. I didn't go through withdrawal and go through physical withdrawal. I was addicted to the needle.

I was addicted to drugs. In general, but I got so wonderfully set free. I was so deeply changed I did. I didn't even go through withdrawal is a lifestyle withdrawal of change in my thinking and patterns of who I hung out with and things like that, but I'd I did not go through an intense physical withdrawal.

I did I did when it when it came to breaking the stronghold of food I'd I did when he came to giving up sweets and other things that my body was so used to because for the better part of decades. I did notice every single day of my life and and often two or three times a day, all I had seasons where what without suites for like 3040 days. But, of course, is a sugar and a lot of the foods that we would only realize I had a season many many years ago where I would only have something sweet your candy bar chocolate once a month and I did that for the better part of her year and then that ended but even then I was having pizza and pasta every day and burgers and fries and those kinds of things which are unhealthy and you feel like you're getting away with a lot more when you're younger you really do you feel like you getting away with it doesn't affect you as much, but the old you get, you eat the same way start putting more weight on you start to get run down more you start having health related issues here.

This is if you take sickness, disease, fatality health issues related to drinking and relating to smoking, they pale pale before health related disease causes of death connected to obesity and yet were often so concerned about alcoholism and cigarette smoking and and yet, in the words of Dr. Joel Fuhrman were digging their own graves with our forks and knives so many people I talked to Seth struggle here and in fact almost always when I get picked up by the airport or sit down for a meal wherever I'm speaking especially anyone who knew me and the pastor saw my pictures in the past and see the complete transformation. This the first and I want to talk to me about and they want to know how and and almost always the last me the question do you cheat Jeff cheat days let Sam drive with the pastor from the airport usage of cheetahs is a is a how often you cheat us in on how often you cheat on your wife is not coercive is wrong you don't do it now. Not saying it's a sin to have a nice staker sent out a bowl of ice cream. No, please don't get me wrong, it's always a sin to commit adultery, commencing at the center to have some enjoyable meal meal even if it's unhealthy but unhealthy eating itself is sinful. Alex explained why in a minute, that of the please hearing all through our book, breaking the stronghold food there is not a word of condemnation. Nancy and I understand that that many people who are overweight feel terrible about their embarrassed thereafter by certain close. They that will leave the house. There always conscious about it stronghold or stomach send their their their their feeling that something's wrong it. They may not talk about our society. It's a certain level accepted but our goal is not to to beat you up. Our goal is to lift you up. Our goal is to encourage not to discourage and to say hey there's hope and that's why through the book, where is honest as we are and and in fact it limitless to the we rode I wrote the book the goals for us to write it together, breaking the stronghold food comes out tomorrow and in a moment I'll tell you to get a free e-book along with the paperback all right basically two books for the price and barely over half of one of take. Do that in a moment, but were try to figure out we've never cowritten a book, Nancy will often go through my books very carefully and and and critique them that she's got an incredible why not just for grammatical editing and and sentence phobic for content and not this is missing some is lacking here. You got a sharp in this year or this this doesn't flow well and and is much as I don't like the criticism in the flesh.

I love it and welcome it and so she sharpened so much of what I've written over the years but this book we are right together but with how you do it how you write it together. Go back and forth. Do you speak is once okay this is Mike speaking. Okay, this is Nancy speaking so I wrote it and then the publisher said hey we need more more stuff from you that flushes a few things outside wrote a couple more chapters is at first I was telling my story and in a funny way, and inspirational way than weaving Scripture in and take on a journey and encouraging along the way so I added some content to it, that's okay. Now we got here from your from your your wife and Nancy and I worked on it and I said right here all the chapters just go through banana and stuff are you want it just wasn't working.

So we did. We sat down together at me. We spent hours and hours and hours doing this and we are so thrilled for the folks who got advance copies of the way they're talking about how this is impacting and we are absolutely thrilled so I may speak for for several paragraphs are for a page that is what we did it. I sat at the computer.

Nancy read through the chapters and then as she's reading. She said okay and she needs to contribute something she would write it. She would speak it.

I would write that I would send it to her to edit and then sent it to the publisher all weaved in together and she's got a special font. Your words from Nancy and so I'll be saying something. Maybe I'll be telling some story below some crazy gimmicks of veto if anti-fat creamer magic energy pill or something like that that I tried. Trust me, I try to always want to get more energy is another thing is a push so hard the runts are all for decades looking for more energy.

Now I try to figure how to fall asleep at night because I got so much energy through healthy eating and it's amazing. So she was reading some of it into my just say I got to say something. I can't believe what I really this is crazy and then shut away in the something else so it's it's honest, it's encouraging. It's down-to-earth, it's for the Scripture. It's got practical steps to take.

But but friends Nancy would characterize himself before as a glutton. She ate food because she loved food and she would stuff herself and and and she tells her whole story in the book and in for me. I was addicted to certain foods you sell. Not addicted to any later in the week really give a little test when you do today will see if we get to it.

We give you little test for Dr. Joel Fuhrman to see if you are a food addict who yeah will even start there will we come back, but if I could change if Nancy could change you can change.

I was talking to a friend of the family the other day and I asked this person if you could change at any one thing in your life, what would be this immediately. My weight my weight.

We had a friend years back when diabetes seems pastor had diabetes and Nancy said was type II diabetes, which is completely reversible through healthy eating and and she said to him, do you know that if you ate a completely vegan diet that it would reverse the diabetes because I know but I hate vegetables all what if your whole life could be radically changed. If you change your diet said love to, but it's a stronghold. That's why we wrote the book breaking stronghold food how we overcame food addictions and discovered a whole new way of living a radio friend of mine said to me yeah I don't know how big a topic. Food addictions are said only relevant to about 99% of the American public.

All right, so take what the book comes out tomorrow but there's still time. Only a few more days to do this, go right now. Stronghold food.com take a second if you can stronghold of food.com click there is a link we can order on Amazon's you get the reduced preorder price when you put the orders through that'll take you back to the website and you'll get the e-book free when it comes out. That means out tomorrow Tuesday will immediately get the e-books you can read on your computer on your your Kindle e-reader cell phone with the Kindle app and the paperback will be sent out immediately. You have that a couple days give the book we keep the e-book if you like so order today stronghold of food.com talk about setting your sights on the goal and asked us to argue food at a comeback. The line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown. Your voice is more cultural and spiritual revolution there again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Here is how Nancy and I start our brand-new book breaking stronghold of food and encourage you to take your eyes off food for moment dream together with me, asking the simple question. What if what if you be the healthiest you been in years. Maybe your whole life reversing some life-threatening diseases and find yourself more vibrant and 60. They were 40 or drugs. What if you could be fit and trim times more energy for your family or friends, your job, your ministry or hobbies in your life that you mention for your what if you would never feel bloated or stuffed and never feel bad about what you wait. What if you are ashamed of the way you look, what if your stomach can sit on your lap. You could tie your shoes.

You can see your toes if it were normal close, rather than close it look like tense. You have to stealthily on but your pants at the restaurant. Remember rebut them when you get to leave you have to were stretchy pants enough to avoid mirrors or plateglass windows, and after about what is bursting off his shirt enough to buy all kinds of loosefitting clothing to cover your fat enough to buy even bigger close the next year after the holidays in your latest weight gain.

What if you fill in the blank. Only you know friends. What bothers you most about your weight. I don't write this to shame you, but to encourage you because I too was once fact that so we start our book and Nancy jumps right in insists some people might be offended by Mike's use the word fat for both of us like to tell it like it is.

Many prefer to call it overweight that's out certain sounds more pleasant. There is nothing pleasant to present pretty but the fat on my body.

Nancy says so. We will be using the words overweight and fat interchangeably throughout the book with this is not meant to insult or criticize others nexus is my fat was a hindrance to me in a burden that was choking and destroy my life and the bottom line is there's nothing nicer redeemable about the fact that encumbered my body as many maybe see want change. II know I know this is a real issue.

I I know it's hurting my whole life I I I know this is negative it in every way II just don't know.

I can change. Hey, in the natural. It's really tough in the natural, these things really are life controlling seat went when I get free from drugs. I was free. I never looked at myself as a recovering drug addict. To this day I don't funnel that will please your man about to say something else that were due look at myself as a recovering addict shall not sing him better than someone else under saying the change was so profound. I was out of that lifestyle. I can relate to. I'm not a recovering drug addict, a recovering alcoholic. I was an alcoholic, used to drink heavily. At times, but it certainly was addicted to the needle in and to drugs in general, but I never looked at myself as a recovering drug addict. I didn't criticize others who did. I just couldn't relate to it myself and it look I came out of that lifestyle I'm not around heroin. I'm not around cocaine not around LST M mescaline I'm not around pot or hash and around any of those things all right both of us to food your own food every day and you need food to live in and and there's no more basic appetite and hunger. So, in point of fact we are surrounded by this and are standard American diet is is deadly so much junk in the portions are restaurants in the fast food lifestyle and and on and on the way everything is processed, so it look this is around all the time so I live my life as if I was a recovering food addict. That's how I live as if I was a recovering food addict. Meaning if if I mess up once. I could easily fall off the wagon. Therefore, I don't deviate exhibit.

Mike you travel a lot in your overseas, sometimes 30, 40 hours of travel, and then hotels and restaurants and people taking out all the time you you can make choices. We plan ahead. Make certain small sacrifices.

It is absolutely worth it for the massive rewards that you get Dr. Joel Fuhrman whose work we quote a lot in our book he he is a checklist of 15 questions to determine whether he food addicts ready I'm I'm going to you read this to you have time. The I can get this sent Dr. Fuhrman gives this list.

If I don't eat regularly. I feel fatigued or irritable yes or no. I think about eating certain foods. Almost all the time yesterday.

I feel sluggish or uncomfortable after eating eating poorly is interfering with my health. I'm overweight but I continue to overeat when I start eating sweets. I don't want to stop. I've tried to diet to lose weight but failed given up. I prefer restaurants with all-you-can-eat to face.

I have physical withdrawal symptoms. I sneak food with others around are looking for, or arch around are looking I store food or hide food for my family.

I eat more. Even though I'm no longer hungry. My eating habits, cause me distress. My eating habits are causing social and family difficulties.

I eat almost continuously all day long. 15 different items, each one he says yes or no. You might say hack him up pretty good. I only had like five or six according to Dr. Fuhrman one. Yes answer makes you a suspected food addict two or more yes answers confirms your addiction to food you say to him or who has less than two as less than one me, but trust me I was way up on that list before the let's meet your that's very old, that's me.

Ouch.

That's me. Yeah, that's me. Now none of it is on I am a recovering food addict in terms of my attitude but am free at and listen for tests. If it is so utterly remarkable look, if you subscribe to charisma magazine.

You know I'm on the front cover of Chris and by the way, it's a great issue.

It's a really practical change your life issue with a lot of suggestions about food and diet and lifestyle.

So it's a really practical issue.

If you don't normally get it get it and I think you be really blessed by it. So it is and I'm on the front cover because of our book, breaking the stronghold of food and with a picture of me.

Here's a current picture, here's a before picture and you have to understand it is utterly immaterial to me in the natural to be on the front of a magazine and most of the time were among the front of something on the website or site like that. That's because something attacked okay so this is this is not a thing outlook on the front cover.

To me it's a matter of saying hey if Mike Brown could change his diet.

Anybody can and I'm telling you the benefits are absolutely worth. I could not imagine how it would feel to live in my old skin would never stop me from ministry. I push through the tiredness and and and Going to push the headaches and kept going. You know it was gonna persevere and I was never embarrassed to minister think about you know your suit is Tyler cell was an embarrassment.

I got to minister but behind the scenes.

I was embarrassed because I said I live a disciplined, godly lifestyle. I'm not a glutton but I'm overweight now my high blood pressure. I'm obese, according to the charts and that ought not to be for me as a servant of the Lord's will for me it was a personal matter were change needed to come in by his grace became remember the stronghold of food.com will have a few more days to do this stronghold of food.com order from Amazon.

There all right if that's regret your e-books are just principal place your order order.

They are the paperback. It's at reduced price. When you do, you'll automatically get the e-book free in the book is out tomorrow new year, new you.

You too can have a story to tell me restored to health, fitness, and joyful free life change your relationship. If we can do and you can it's the line of fire with your host activist author internationals leader and theologian Dr. Michael Brown voice of more cultural and spiritual revolution get into the line of fire now by calling 86643 here again is Dr. Michael Brown welcome welcome to the line of fire, a blessed happy 2017 to you.

The theme this week new year, new you and let's talk about where we all live with Nancy and are so excited tomorrow. Her book breaking the stronghold of food comes out. It's already over the weekend become the number one new release in Christian personal growth on on Amazon which is is a great category because there's so much written in that in that area. There seems be real interest in this rehearing from advanced readers of the book are loving the practicality of their loving our candor there loving the inspiration and it ended and we were really praying that this would be the difference between life and death for many, many thousands and perhaps millions of of readers of Dr. Joel Fuhrman whose work we quote a lot in the book has a list help you out to help you identify whether or not you are a food addict I want to go through it and comment where where I I with the been identified as as a food that according to Dr. Fuhrman. Brace yourself and give you 50 items here okay. I've run through real real quick before what you want to go through now little bit slower but remember he said if if any one of the 50 and applies to your probable food addict or suspected food addict two or more and you definitely are 1.

If I don't eat regularly.

I feel fatigued or irritable. I didn't get irritable, but fatigue got it by probably needed the energy boost of the chocolates and sweets and stuff like that. I felt fatigued a lot just because of my lifestyle to think about eating certain foods.

Almost all the time will I would really look forward to certain things and think about them a lot that that's true about you. I feel sluggish or uncomfortable after eating yeah see now have a massive solid technique. It's so big I'm trauma 3 1/2 pounds of salad and greens and other stuff in there that that without addressing 3 1/2 pounds worth of yeah I mean a massive solid technique maybe half hour 45 minutes to eat it.

I'm not sluggish or uncomfortable at all. If treated, eating poorly is interfering with my health. Yeah that that apply to me as well about you. I'm overweight but I continue to overeat, count me in on that one. In the past when I started eating sweets I want to stop you that I've tried to diet to lose weight. The failure given up almost everyone so far in the past. I prefer restaurants with all-you-can-eat buffets like those, but the silver further to others. There is little plus there I physical withdrawal symptoms, you bet if I would fast you the headaches of everything were miserable because of withdrawal from the bad foods I sleep food when others are around or looking yeah I store food or hide food for my family.

Yeah I eat more.

Even though I'm no longer hungry why I say I was hungry but obviously I wasn't genuinely hungry. Let's see my eating habits because we distress, somewhat, my eating habits are causing the social and family difficulties. No items continually continuously all day long.

No, but I did eat a lot, especially at night snack. I was like 10, 12, 13/15 today I was zero at a 15 by God's grace I have been changed and you can be changed to. Don't be discouraged if you like I have five on that list I got 10 on that list. Don't be discouraged when you go to the doctor and he says right. This is hurt you move like this with the dentist when they hit on the job. That's the one. Okay, that's the help. Now, we identify the problem. Now we can help. But we've got a take food addictions as seriously as any other addictions. In fact, food addictions are far more deadly than most other addictions, not just because were addicted to food, but because of the nature of the food word addicted to shortening our lives cutting short the fruitfulness of our lives.

We are cutting down on the quality of our lives and all change number by the Expo line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown voice and more cultural and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown. Thanks so much for joining us on the line of fire. The first broadcast of year.

Michael Brown delighted to be with you as we talk about lifestyle transformation. As we talk about new year, new you on the one hand, yet easy to make new resolutions on this difficulty that everything will change in the new year and it never changes. On the other hand, if you want to make a change, you gotta make it sometime. It's not just going to happen on its own. Change will not just happen because time goes on. That happens as time goes on. As we get older and and habits become more entrenched, so I want to encourage you now is the time for change and I'll say it now shouted from the rooftops of say it again and again if I could change when it comes to my relationship with food.

If I who was the poster boy for unhealthy eating habits my entire life.

If Nancy, who would say she was a glutton. If we could change anyone could change God is no respecter of persons, and the same principles we live by will work for anyone. We tell the story in our new book coming out tomorrow breaking the stronghold of food now let let me present something to scripturally talk about right. I recognize that there is a difference between, say, practicing adultery and and having a bowl of ice cream every day. I recognize that there is a difference.

I recognize that the person practicing adultery and refusing to repent will not inherit the kingdom of God where she might have some unhealthy eating habits and still be saved. You're just hurting your effectiveness and perhaps cutting your life short and maybe in certain ways, hurting or witness to another subject, we can come to, so I I am recognize the difference of Prof. Robert guy got on the radio show of some months back made made the statement.

He's the foremost authority on the Bible, a homosexual practice and he said you know your man come home from from work one day you have a business dinner and your wife said hey honey had everything go today and you say well you know it is great but I kinda pigged out of that business dinner. I I ordered this massive steak and the other while I had this chocolate sundae afterwards and assist us, for glutton she's all hot. It's all right you will do better tomorrow.

Singles all okay that that wasn't so bad.

So he comes on the next day and she says so honey how your day goes pretty good. I'm a night I slept with three different ladies I work with sugar say that's not so bad you'll do better tomorrow obviously not. So we recognize that there are differences in sins that we commit or in terms of the ugliness of sins that we commit or the consequences of sins that we commit.

But Larry ask you this.

Would you agree that drunkenness is sin that getting drunk is a sin certain damning the Bible is very clear about drunkenness and drinking to excess. Why is it a sin. Well, on the one hand and impairs her judgment.

I can be dangerous and you get behind a car and drive you could kill other people yourself and and it's can impair your judgment. Many many other ways, and open the door for all kinds of the foolish and fleshly behavior and its physically destructive right and get cirrhosis of the liver have other problems because of art.

Let's take cigarette smoke, do we believe that cigarette smoking is sinful and I think the vast majority of followers of Jesus do believe that why well two reasons. It's a binding habit right would become a slave to it and it's a destructive habit of not only does it cost extra money that can be used for other things. But more importantly if done enough over longer period of time it will destroy your health.

That is the real potential destroy health lung cancer. Things like that so even a dozen para-judgment like drinking does. Right. The fact of the matter is we would agree that it sinful because it is a destructive habit. Okay. Compare the health risks associated with obesity to the health risks associated with drinking the health risks associated with smoking. Even the health risks that that are associate with poverty because people can take care of themselves properly. Different ways overwhelmingly the health risks associated with obesity are much much much much much higher than the other three much much much higher. Why then is cigarette smoking is sinful because it's a destructive unhealthy habit. Why then isn't over eating and unhealthy eating sinful if it's a much more destructive habit. And again I lay out the Scripture. Nancy and I lay out the Scripture in breaking the stronghold of food we do it with truth spoken in love, not to condemn but to encourage and to help so I want you to consider some Scripture with a write up all said this writing to the Corinthians in first Corinthians 6.

Don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God or not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body you say yeah but the context there is sexual immorality course. That's the major context there. I just want to ask a larger question. Can you glorify God with your body. If were abusing our bodies if our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and our bodies are not our own account.

We glorify God with their bodies. If were gradually destroying our bodies if we displaying a serious lack of discipline and will be put into our bodies.

How about this from Paul first Corinthians 9 do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize so Ron that you may obtain it.

He says every athlete exercises self-control in all things they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Can I repeat that every athlete exercises self-control in all things they do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable. We are also discipline in all things we exercise self-control in all things isn't one of the fruits of the spirit self control. Can I say I exercise self-control. If I eat foods that are destructive to my health. Can I say that I exercise self-control. If I eat in excess of ways that are destructive to my health. You might say hey I'm doing great. I keep a busy schedule I this is the irregular throw combination on the hey I'm trying to help you where you could run your race far more successfully with greater joy at a minimum, telling when when my weight came off when I was 95 pounds a little under eight months not to dieting to change my relationship to food and and no gimmicks, no shortcuts, just eating totally healthfully all the time and and there plenty of delicious things you can eat. And by the way your palate will change that.

The more you get rid of the bad foods and the more you eat healthy foods, the more your palate changes your palate begins to crave in a healthy way. The good foods. I look through stores in these apples look good. Yeah, I used to be going to get the chocolate donut glazed chocolate doughnut stroke. It may all right have a chai M&Ms truck that I was. It's always a staple with him and splurging at Ben & Jerry's New York super fudge chunk. Now I look over that Apple looks really good yeah wall those tomatoes look delicious like it if you could enjoy eating healthily the way you enjoyed eating and healthfully, but get rid of the excess fat and get rid of all the health-related problems that that being overweight and obese will cause over the years will it be worth it if we just snap our fingers and comb suddenly you you wanted broccoli the way you used to want to eat steak you you you want a fruit salad healthy fruit salad. The way you used to want fettuccine Alfredo that was on her mind. That was when finances that she like if if if you would you would want or super healthy super mega healthy soup. The way you still want a burger and fries. Why not, why not everything changes so dramatically among when my weight got low O I'm 61 years old and on 62 in March.

I want to run everywhere I try to tell you a funny story about coming back from overseas in a minute we get back on the other side of the break, but remember a few more days to do this because the book comes out tomorrow, and this offer expires in a few days. Go to stronghold or food.com and if you got a friend that you love family miniature love that struggling get this for them. Stronghold of food.com there's a link to order you click on it will take to go the Amazon link if that's for you or your books are right when you order you get the reduced preorder price and then you get the e-book free so you get two books for the price of a little over half the price of one, and this we got one book to keep you keep that the e-book give away the paper back to a friend or loved one, and it is gonna be the difference between life and death for many many people.

So we we come back. I want to talk about coming back from overseas. My experience at the LAX airport after coming back from Australia to run long trip you talk about what a 1314 hour time differential 30 hours travel thing would happen when I got back.

Thanks to this brand-new lifestyle. The line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the line of fire by calling 866-34-TRUTH paradigm is Dr. Michael Brown note 1 of the things that we cover in our new book, breaking the stronghold of food. Nancy and I address the issue of excuses because we all have excuses and and I want to address that a little today but will get into it later in the week but all this week.

I will encourage change is possible new year, new you. Why not God's not a respecter of persons. If he does it for me do it for you. All right, all right. So I come back from overseas. I believe it was an Australia trip that I was coming back from. So here's what that means. It means that Sarah flew from Charlotte if I had a straight flight to LA that would be amazing okay but let's say did see a five hour flight. There are right, then a layover of a few hours and then maybe a 15 hour flight to Sydney. So, direct flights and you know that's it's pretty quick travel for all that, then you get there if if it feels like 12 noon to your body.

It's actually like the midnight or two in the morning there and everything is is radically changed in different all right you in and you lose day going over there so I come back from the trip pretty intense trip long trip over an Australia couple different cities and in this particular they had to get up real early morning and then travel to the airport in Melbourne and fly from Melbourne to Sydney, then layover layover few hours there.

Then from from Sydney to to LA and then I think had one or two other flights to get back to Charlotte North Carolina from from whence I had initially departed and I remember I I got off the flight summit again. The time zone change and not sleepy enough on the plane and the whole bit. And NII landed at the airport and I'm in LA and I'm waiting to get my luggage so I got a luggage cart I get my luggage.

I put it on there. Now I have to go through.

Got to go through all know hang on before that.

Go through passport control and and now we get down to where the luggage is you go down on escalators.

I was just so full of energy and just did not work out so I just grabbed onto the to the railings lifted my feet off the ground and just held myself up yoga tricep exercise of the entire way till I got down there. Then jog over got my luggage put it on the, the, the luggage cart and then went went through customs and then you got a go to drop your luggage off now that tube to be sent on the to to the rest your destination. And I remember jogging here.

I just got off these long flights and I'm holding myself up escalator and running through the airport. I want to run too fast. The regular strength. But this there was a big opening a long hallway is running down there think this is amazing this is amazing but brand-new lifestyle by God's grace, no tricks, no gimmicks, no magic pills no special supplements. I basically take a daily multivitamin and and one other one other units of a vitamin kind of thing it's it's that's it. Everything comes through healthy and I exercise to and exercising is rigorous and intense, but I was exercising in an intense way when I weight 50 or 75 pounds more. Okay, so the exercising to do the exercise helps but it's the diet change that comes first. All right, so excuses I remember when we were working out with with our trainer. This was years back. He went away for a few years, came back, so this was in the earlier days. Maybe, maybe five years ago were working out and he was talking to me about my diet stuff like that. I said yeah you know it's hard and I went through all the reasons why it's so hard and I got trust me.

I got him on the road all the time I got a crazy busy schedule. I got heated airports. I got either on planes I take in restaurants all the time I was in hotels, so it's II gave all the reasons and he just listened not.

It didn't say much. The next day we were working out with another young man who graduated years earlier from our school and in the subject of diet lifestyle came up and he began to explain why it's hard for him to eat more healthily, his wife, both doing full-time work in ministry and I get home and barely enough time to make a meal and got a run back out then and he went through it and I listen. I thought those of the most pathetic excuses I've ever heard every one of those excuses is just shouting out on that willing to make the change.

I know I should make changes, but I'm not willing to and I got some wimpy excuses and immediately I said to myself, buddy.

That's all your own excuses out all this out so big and great and all, yet we give our excuses really cannot do. For this reason, I read your kids and on budget and on travel on it. All that they sound so good. Does somebody else comes up of the same excuses you think. What kind of excuses those ultimately excuses are for wimps and I got a whole chapter.

That's it. I have a whole chapter and breaking the stronghold of food were we interact with the excuses that we give here better to be honest better to say okay I need to change him having health problems because of my weight or I'm just embarrassed by being overweight or I just don't think that that being overweight is conducive to to to my witness, or I'm on start to slow down and stir in the worn out beat because of being overweight or God's convicted me that that I'm a glutton or God's convicted me that that my stomach is my God that I'm a slave to certain foods that all okay whatever it is and you say I know I should do differently.

I know I should live differently. But I'm not willing could start. Be honest. Confess that to God or I know I should make changes, but I don't know how could start their or I really want to make changes, but I'm too weak.

I've done this a thousand times before and never succeeded. I was out with one pastor having lunch with him in in one state and he talked about a stomach bypass surgery that he had in the reasons for it. I said you know there so many other ways. He said look I probably lost 40 or 50 pounds 50 different times and gained it all back. It was this Rosanna guy and he said even with this, he still had her watches died. Is it because even with this stomach bypass the probably most of the people that have it end up blowing it going back to their old ways, which makes things even worse. I understand, of course, no condemnation for that Manley did is trying to guard his health and and and be there for his wife and kids in church in the future but but better to be honest, right, he was honest with me.

Better to be honest I just tell the Lord the truth we want to help you this week. We want to help you this week. This can be a week of real transformation. This is Michael Brown or new book, breaking the stronghold of food comes out tomorrow, so we give the announcement once more know many of you only get to listen for a few minutes and you get to go out and around with your business.

So remember the stronghold of food.com right stronghold of food.com only couple more days you can use a few more days. Order order Amazon review normally order and then when you or you get there. The reduced preorder price and the e-book you'll get free so you get the paperbacks mailto in just a few days from Amazon and you'll get the e-book free but to take advantage of this offer, the stronghold of food.calm, make sure you visit our website the line of fire.org check out my latest articles and videos all there to bless you in the life-giving life-changing resources for you.

My bottom line today. God is no respecter of persons did for Nancy and me. He will do for you