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Recipe – Cashewgurt

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Yogurt

A new study, published in the May, 2023, issue of the scientific journal Frontiers in Nutrition, compares the nutritional benefits of plant-based yogurts to dairy-based yogurts. The study analyzed different types of dairy and non-dairy yogurts to determine which option is the most nutrient dense.

The study’s researchers collected nutritional information for different yogurts from the Mintel Global New Products Database. They then placed the yogurts into different categories based on their main ingredients. The categories were full-fat dairy, low and nonfat dairy, coconut, cashew, almond, and oat. Then, they analyzed the nutritional contents of the different yogurts using the Nutrient Rich Foods Index. This index is “a comprehensive food guidance system that assigns a score based on the nutrient density of individual foods,” according to the authors of the study.

After analyzing the results, researchers found that two types of plant-based yogurts, almond and oat, are more nutritionally dense than dairy options. They outscore low-fat, fat-free, and full-fat dairy yogurts. Cashew and coconut yogurts were found to be less nutritionally dense than dairy products, but higher in iron. Soy-based yogurts were excluded from the findings due to a small sample size. However, soy-based dairy alternatives are often found to be the most similar to their dairy counterparts, having protein counts comparable to dairy yogurts and delivering healthful, unsaturated fats. Compared to dairy yogurts, plant-based yogurts contained significantly less total sugar, less sodium, and more fiber, the study indicated.

The probiotic benefits that yogurt provides—live and active cultures that help in digestion—are extremely important for the balance of our gut.

Source: peacefuldumpling.com/plant-based-yogurts-are-healthier-than-dairy-says-new-study

Recipe – Cashewgurt

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashews, plus water for soaking

2/3 cup filtered or distilled water

1 Tbs. maple syrup

1 Tbs. vegan live, active yogurt to use as a starter OR 2 vegan probiotic capsules

Process

Pour cashews into a good-sized bowl, cover with water, and soak for 4-8 hours. Rinse and drain well. In a blender, combine cashews and water, and blend to a smooth paste. Add the maple syrup and starter culture. If using a probiotic capsule, open capsule and empty powder into the blender and blend until mixed. Transfer to a sterile glass jar. Cover jar loosely with a towel and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Mixture should be thick and tangy. Serve with berries, nuts, or granola.

Likeness to the Satanic Nature Without, Holiness Within

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What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk after the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3, 4

“The humanity of the Son of God is everything to us. It is the golden chain that binds our souls to Christ, and through Christ to God. This is to be our study. Christ was a real man; He gave proof of His humility in becoming a man. Yet He was God in the flesh. When we approach this subject, we would do well to heed the words spoken by Christ to Moses at the burning bush, ‘Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.’ We should come to this study with the humility of a learner, with a contrite heart. And the study of the incarnation of Christ is a fruitful field, which will repay the searcher who digs deep for hidden truth.” The Youth’s Instructor, October 13, 1898

Christ was born as a real man, but He was also God in the flesh. Inspiration tells us that this is so important that as we study it, we should do so as though we, like Moses, were standing on holy ground.

“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” Romans 8:7

Paul is simply saying that the law cannot justify man because, in his sinful nature, he is unable to keep the law perfectly, no matter how much he might want to. (See also Patriarchs and Prophets, 373.)

Remember, sinful nature, sinful flesh, and human nature are used interchangeably with reference to the carnal mind. The context determines the exact meaning.

We have seen that the word likeness means “a resemblance in form” which refers to the physical nature. Because of Adam’s fall, man has inherited sinful flesh and a carnal mind. These are manifestations of sin and sin is the cause of physical degeneration. When God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, He did not take the same carnal mind, but He took the likeness—the physical form—of sinful flesh. In other words, He inherited the same kind of physical body, ruined by the degenerating effects of 4,000 years of sin, but He did not inherit man’s carnal mind.

“Christ, who knew not the least moral taint or defilement of sin, took our nature in its deteriorated condition. This was humiliation greater than finite man can comprehend. He was the Majesty of heaven, but in the divine plan He descended from His high and holy estate to take humanity, that humanity might touch humanity, and divinity, combined with humanity, could take hold upon divinity.

“God was manifest in the flesh. He humbled Himself. What a subject for thought, for deep, earnest contemplation; so infinitely great that He was the Majesty of heaven, and yet He stooped so low without losing an atom of His dignity or glory! Christ stooped to poverty and to the deepest abasement and humiliation among men.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 16, 115

Unfortunately, many Adventists have interpreted Romans 8:3 to say that the word likeness means the same sinful flesh. Then they say that He had all the propensities for selfishness, lying, stealing, adultery, and murder that you and I have in our fallen human nature. In essence, they are teaching that Christ had our carnal mind, because the Bible says that the things that defile a man come from the heart and mind, and not the body.

“Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man … .” Matthew 15:19, 20

“From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Mark 7:21–23

Jesus made it very clear that none of these things were found in Him. “For the ruler of this world [Satan] is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” John 14:30

The issue is that most Christians, including Seventh-day Adventists, do not understand the relationship between Jesus’ humanity and the law of God. So, let’s start by discussing justification and sanctification.

“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. … Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.” Jude 3, 4, and 8

The word dignitaries could also be translated as glories. The men in verse 8 are speaking evil against the glorious Ones. They are speaking evil against the Godhead.

Inspiration is clear that justification is one of the truths that Paul addresses in Romans 8. She also reveals the danger regarding false ideas of justification by faith, which lead to a spurious sanctification, and in turn prevents true Sabbath worship. We will see, as we continue, how Jesus’ relationship with the law makes it possible to properly worship on the Sabbath.

“The danger has been presented to me again and again [through the Holy Spirit] of entertaining, as a people, false ideas of justification by faith. I have been shown for years that Satan would work in a special manner to confuse the mind on this point. The law of God has been largely dwelt upon, and has been presented to congregations, almost as destitute of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His relation to the law as was the offering of Cain.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 810

Notice, Mrs. White says that where false ideas of justification by faith are entertained, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the relationship between the humanity of Christ and the law of God. Mrs. White gives us several warnings regarding this lack of knowledge.

Warnings

“The Lord has presented before me the dangers that are threatening His people who have the sacred work of proclaiming the third angel’s message with clearness and distinctness.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 18, 27

“Several have written to me inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel’s message, and I have answered, ‘It is the third angel’s message in verity [reality].’ ” The Review and Herald, April 1, 1890

“The third angel’s message is to be sounded by God’s people. It is to swell to the loud cry.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 9, 212

The third angel’s message is the message of justification by faith, the message that God’s people are to give at this time. We must understand that if we lack knowledge concerning the relationship between the humanity of Christ and the law of God, we are in danger of being ensnared by unsanctified propositions.

“We are in danger of giving the third angel’s message in so indefinite a manner that it does not impress the people. … The Sabbath question has been touched upon but has not been presented as the great test for this time. While the churches profess to believe in Christ, they are violating the law which Christ Himself proclaimed from Sinai. The Lord bids us: ‘Show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.’ Isaiah 58:1. The trumpet is to give a certain sound.” Testimonies, Vol. 6, 60, 61. This warning links the third angel’s message with the Sabbath.

“Of all professing Christians, Seventh-day Adventists should be foremost in uplifting Christ before the world. The proclamation of the third angel’s message calls for the presentation of the Sabbath truth. This truth, with others included in the message, is to be proclaimed; but the great center of attraction, Christ Jesus, must not be left out. … The sinner must be led to look to Calvary; with the simple faith of a little child he must trust in the merits of the Saviour, accepting His righteousness, believing in His mercy.” Gospel Workers, 156, 157

“In all ages, the Sabbath has been the test of loyalty to God.” Ibid., 148

So while justification by faith is the third angel’s message in verity, the Sabbath—the great test of loyalty for this time—is also a key part of the message, inseparably linked with justification which cannot be separated from loyalty to God. The Sabbath then involves far more than just which day one goes to church. It is the test of loyalty for God’s people. Sadly, many Adventists have forgotten the spiritual nature and far-reaching principles of the law of God and how the humanity of Christ is related to it.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6

“Even the moral law fails of its purpose, unless it is understood in its relation to the Saviour.” The Desire of Ages, 608

The purpose of the moral law is to convict mankind of sin. If the law fails in this purpose, then instead of accomplishing the work that God has called His people to do, they will be working with Satan and ascribing his evil attributes to the humanity of Christ. Satan has done this so effectively that people now have a false idea of who Jesus really is.

What is justification by faith? A full, complete pardon of sin. “The moment a sinner accepts Christ by faith, that moment he is pardoned. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to him, and he is no more to doubt God’s forgiving grace. …

“It is only through faith in His blood that Jesus can justify the believer.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 6, 1071

Too many people believe that justification is accomplished right before you are baptized and then you just move on to the process of sanctification. However, justification is not a once-and-done action.

There are two parts to justification by faith. First, an instantaneous, full, and complete pardon for sin through faith in the blood of Christ. Second, the righteousness of Christ is then imputed or put to your account. However, there is a prerequisite to being justified. To be justified you must first make a thorough confession. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

While many believe that we are born into sin, they do not believe we are sinners until we commit an act of sin. Inspiration says that Adam entailed a sinful nature upon his posterity, and thereby, we are alienated from God, and unable to be in harmony with the precepts of His law (Steps to Christ, 43; Romans 8:7).

How does our sinful condition—our carnal mind—measure up to the requirement of the great moral standard? Paul says, “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one.’ ” Romans 3:10

“The law requires righteousness—a righteous life, a perfect character; and this man has not to give. He cannot meet the claims of God’s holy law.” The Desire of Ages, 762

“The law requires us to present to God a holy character. It demands of men today just what it demanded of Adam in Eden—perfect obedience, perfect harmony with all its precepts in all relations of life, under all circumstances and conditions. … The standard of the law cannot be lowered to meet man in his fallen condition. No compromise can be made with the sinner to take less than the full requirement of the law.” The Signs of the Times, May 30, 1895

Human nature is alienated from God because the mind is naturally carnal and not in harmony with the precepts of God’s law. “When man sinned, all heaven was filled with sorrow; for through yielding to temptation, man became the enemy of God, a partaker of the satanic nature … [and] out of harmony with the character of God; for through sin man became carnal, and the carnal heart is enmity against God, is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Ibid., February 13, 1893

“By nature we are alienated from God. The Holy Spirit describes our condition in such words as these: ‘Dead in trespasses and sins;’ ‘the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;’ ‘no soundness in it.’ We are held fast in the snare of Satan, ‘taken captive by him at his will.’ Ephesians 2:1; Isaiah 1:5, 6; 2 Timothy 2:26. God desires to heal us, to set us free. But since this requires an entire transformation, a renewing of our whole nature, we must yield ourselves wholly to Him.” Steps to Christ, 43

Every human mind is controlled either by the Holy Spirit or by an evil spirit. The carnal mind is controlled by the power of Satan and is the very essence of the satanic nature. Those who do not believe that we are born sinners, partakers of the satanic nature, have changed Paul’s words and attributed to the humanity of Christ the same sinful flesh that man inherited from Adam. This clearly shows that they are lacking knowledge regarding the relationship between Jesus Christ and the spiritual nature of the law.

We must recognize our sinful, fallen condition. It is this condition that constitutes our unrighteousness. Our condition is our state of being. Let’s say I was born blind. This is my condition, my state of being, and I cannot make myself to see. I didn’t do anything to make myself blind. I am simply blind because I was born this way. This describes our sinful condition. Our state of being is sinful because we were born with the sinfulness that Adam entailed upon us, and we cannot make ourselves sinless. We are simply sinful.

But the Bible gives us good news. If we confess our sins, God is not only faithful to forgive and justify us, but He will also cleanse us from all unrighteousness—not only our sinful condition, but also the deeds that are the fruit of it. Justification by faith begins by confessing the sinfulness of our nature and believing in the spotless, unblemished righteousness of the Lamb.

“By virtue of His blood the enmity is abolished.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 5, 1109. Faith in the blood of Christ will abolish the enmity of man’s sinful condition.

Relationship of Jesus’ Humanity to the Law

  1. “All Your commandments are righteousness.” Psalm 119:172, last part
  2. “Your law is truth.” Verse 142, last part
  3. “All Your commandments are truth.” Verse 151, last part
  4. “The law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” Romans 7:12

The word just in Romans 7:12 means “equitable in character or act” and it implies innocence or holiness. The combination of thoughts and feelings develop character, “the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.” Therefore, character relates to the mind.

“Such a law [the ten commandments], being an expression of the mind and will of God, must be as enduring as its Author.” The Great Controversy, 467

Luke 1:35 (KJV) calls Jesus “that Holy Thing.” Mrs. White tells us that those words refer only to Jesus Christ. “The humanity of Christ is called ‘that Holy Thing.’ The inspired record says of Christ, ‘He did no sin,’ He ‘knew no sin,’ and ‘in Him was no sin.’ He was ‘holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.’ He tabernacled among men. This testimony concerning Christ plainly shows that He condemned sin in the flesh.” The Signs of the Times, January 16, 1896

“As speech is to thought, so is Christ to the invisible God. He is the manifestation of the Father and is called the Word of God. God sent His Son into the world, His divinity clothed with humanity, to make known in His life and character the attributes of the Father, that men might bear the image of the invisible God. He [Christ] was the embodiment of the law of God, which is the transcript of His character.” The Signs of the Times, November 15, 1899

“To human eyes, Christ was only a man, yet he was a perfect man. In his humanity He was the impersonation of the divine character. God embodied His own attributes in His Son—His power, His wisdom, His goodness, His purity, His truthfulness, His spirituality, and His benevolence. In Him, though human, all perfection of character, all divine excellence, dwelt.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 16, 1897

To summarize:

  • God’s law is holy and righteous.
  • Jesus was that Holy Thing, who did no sin, knew no sin, was no sin.
  • Jesus was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.
  • Jesus was and is the embodiment of God’s law.
  • All perfection of character, all divine excellence dwelt in Him even though He was human.
  • Jesus inherited the attributes of His Father. He was the personification of the law of God, the very righteousness and holiness of God.

For His life on this earth, Jesus put on, if you will, a cloak of sinfulness—our physical human form ruined by 4,000 years of sin—that He might know and understand what sin had done to man. It enabled Him to sympathize with man’s struggles against his sinful nature and the outside enticements brought to him by the devil, but inside, His nature was holy.

Satan is still trying to clothe the Father with his own attributes. Through those who say that God sent His own Son into this world in the same sinful flesh that we have, he is attempting to make people believe that Jesus had the same selfish nature controlled by Satan that we inherited from Adam. This is so wrong, and those who believe and teach it are unwittingly fostering the work of Satan, attributing to the Godhead the attributes of Satan.

“Satan has worked against God and His government, leading men to attribute to God the traits which belong to the power of evil. Christ came to this world to reveal the Father.” The Review and Herald, March 12, 1901

“Satan had clothed the Father in his own attributes, but Christ represented Him in His true character of benevolence and love.” The Signs of the Times, June 27, 1892

“God is love, and His law is love. Its two great principles are love to God and love to man. ‘Love is the fulfilling of the law.’ The character of God is righteousness and truth; such is the nature of His law.” The Great Controversy, 467

“Jesus volunteered to meet the highest claims of the law, that He might be the Justifier of all who believe on Him. We look to the cross, and see in Jesus a fully satisfied and reconciled God. Jesus is righteousness. What fullness is expressed in these words!” The Review and Herald, September 2, 1890

To meet the highest claims of the law, Jesus had to begin with righteousness, a perfect character in harmony with all the precepts of the law because the law requires these things.

“Christ is called the second Adam. In purity and holiness, connected with God and beloved by God, He began where the first Adam began.” The Youth’s Instructor, June 2, 1898

“He began life, passed through its experiences, and ended its record, with a sanctified human will.” The Signs of the Times, October 29, 1894

“Christ exalted the law, holding it forth in its original purity as a perfect system of morality. His life was a living illustration of the law of God.” The Signs of the Times, June 5, 1901

“He [Christ] made this law honorable by His perfect conformity to its requirements.” Ibid.

The law is just and righteous and it demands a righteous and holy life, a perfect character, and in meeting the highest claims of the law, Jesus became our Substitute. His righteousness substituted for our unrighteousness, and if we confess our sins and accept by faith the fullness of His righteousness, our sins will be forgiven, and we will be cleansed from all unrighteousness. Jesus is our substitute in justification and our example in sanctification. His human nature is the example of what sanctified human nature is to be, and and His divine nature is the example of what we can become by His power and grace.

“He [Jesus] came to our world on a mission from the Father. He came to bridge the gulf that sin had made between God and man. There was to be made a provision for a reconciliation, for a union of the human with the divine nature. Christ would sanctify all who believe in Him. In the gift of Christ to our world, God has provided for everyone a power to overcome evil.” The Upward Look, 149

“He [God] could save the human race only through His Son, who combined humanity with divinity. In His divine plan of salvation, God gave His only begotten Son that every voice may be silent upon the point that it is not possible for humanity to keep the law of God. In Christ, divinity and humanity bore every test of temptation … . In Christ, man is privileged to become a partaker of the divine nature.” The Review and Herald, November 29, 1898

If God’s people believe that sin is limited simply to a choice that a person makes, then they are rejecting the knowledge regarding the far-reaching principles of the spirituality of God’s law.

How does the Sabbath fit with justification by faith, the third angel’s message, the law of God, and the humanity of Christ?

What is the purpose of the law of God? “The law was our school master to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24. The law brings us to Christ that we might be justified, but unless we understand how the law is related to the humanity of Christ, it cannot bring us to the point of justification by faith.

The law also has a role in the judgment. “He who becomes a partaker of the divine nature will be in harmony with God’s great standard of righteousness, His holy law. This is the rule by which God measures the actions of men. This will be the test of character in the judgment.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 314

The gospel does not nullify the law nor does it detract one jot or tittle from its claims. It still demands holiness, and it is by this just and holy law that all will be judged in the last day.

“The law is the great standard of righteousness. It represents the character of God.” The Youth’s Instructor, February 19, 1903

Jesus had the character of God in both His divine and human natures. Studying Christ’s life shows us God’s character—what He is like. The law is a reflection of God’s character, an expression of His perfect holiness. It is the test of our loyalty to His government. The law brings us to Christ, showing us that it was exemplified in His humanity, written in His human heart.

Under the new covenant, God has promised that He will write the law in our hearts. Thus, as we surrender our lives to Him, repent of our sins, and allow the Holy Spirit to effect a complete transformation in our lives, we can be a living example of His character, just as Christ was.

It is by understanding this intimate relationship that Jesus had, in His humanity, with the law of God, that we will have an accurate understanding of justification by faith.

Justification by faith leads to sanctification. Jesus is the embodiment of God’s law, and it is He who is both the Justifier, according to the law of righteousness, and Sanctifier of His people, enabling them to live as He lived, and the Sabbath was given as a sign, a promise, that He will sanctify them.

The Sabbath, God says, is “a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” Exodus 31:13

“Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.” Ezekiel 20:12

“The Sabbath given to the world as the sign of God as the Creator is also the sign of Him as the Sanctifier. The power that created all things is the power that recreates the soul in His own likeness.” Testimonies, Vol. 6, 350

“True sanctification is harmony with God, oneness with Him in character.” Ibid.

“ ‘I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them,’—make them holy. Then the Sabbath is a sign of Christ’s power to make us holy.” The Desire of Ages, 288

Do you see the connection between the Sabbath, justification, and sanctification in the third angel’s message? “The Sabbath is a sign of Christ’s power to make us holy. … It is given to all whom Christ makes holy. As a sign of His sanctifying power, the Sabbath is given to all who through Christ become a part of the Israel of God.” Ibid.

“No other institution which was committed to the Jews tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as did the Sabbath. God designed that its observance should designate them as His worshipers. It was to be a token of their separation from idolatry, and their connection with the true God.” Ibid., 283

“The human heart is naturally inclined to idolatry and self-exaltation.” The Signs of the Times, April 21, 1881.

Where love to God is, natural self-idolatry will not exist. Practicing self-idolatry makes us unable to keep the Sabbath. “It is the love of self that brings unrest.” The Desire of Ages, 330

True sanctification is a daily dying to sin and our natural selfishness, crucifying our natural self-idolatry, and becoming one with Him in character. Christ is our perfect example of sanctification, and keeping the Sabbath is a sign of true sanctification.

“To all who receive the Sabbath as a sign of Christ’s creative and redeeming power, it will be a delight. Seeing Christ in it, they delight themselves in Him. The Sabbath points them to the works of Creation as an evidence of His mighty power in redemption. While it calls to mind the lost peace of Eden, it tells of peace restored through the Saviour. And every object in nature repeats His invitation, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ ” The Faith I Live By, 33

“Great peace have those who love Your law.” Psalm 119:165. This peace was completely His own; no one could give it, no one could take it away.

Concerning Jesus, the Bible says, “I delight to do Your will, O My God, and Your law is within My heart.” Psalm 40:8

“The practical lessons of Christ are to be often repeated. Christ and His righteousness are to be so blended with the third angel’s message that the whole world may be lightened with His glory.” The Review and Herald, July 14, 1891

Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

The Vitamin Spark

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We need macronutrients, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for good health, but we also need micronutrients. These are needed in small, even microscopic amounts, but are necessary for disease prevention, health, and even life. Vitamins are one group of micronutrients. They are organic compounds that are soluble in fat (A, D, E, K) or soluble in water (C, B complex). Vitamins work similar to a catalyst to help us use and metabolize the macronutrients. They work together, but have different roles in maintaining all body functions.

Water soluble vitamins are dissolved in water and the excess of these are excreted in the urine. The body stores fat soluble vitamins in fatty tissue and the liver, and reserves of these vitamins can stay in the body for days and sometimes months. Because of this, supplementation should be done with caution, since you can more easily experience toxicity of these vitamins. Let’s look briefly at the 13 essential vitamins:

Vitamin A

Essential for vision, tissues, and skin health and repair; plays an important role in bone growth, and in the immune system. It also may reduce the risk of some cancers, it supports hair and skin health, and it helps the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs function correctly. Food sources: sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, squash, greens.

Vitamin D

Critical in the absorption and use of calcium and phosphorus. It is necessary for strong bones and teeth, important in the electrical stability of the heart, and stabilizing blood pressure. When our bodies are exposed to the sun, vitamin D is formed in the skin. It can also be taken as a supplement, but the best source is adequate exposure to sunlight. Source: A 15-minute face-to-the-sun exposure at midday may give you a jolt of 20,000 IU of vitamin D!

Vitamin E

Prolongs the life of the body’s red blood cells, dilates (widens) the blood vessels, and keeps the blood thin. It strengthens the immune system and increases the fertility of both men and women. It seems to help in the prevention of cancer, as well as improving heart and brain health. Food sources: greens, whole grains, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, avocado, kiwi, mango, cantaloupe, blackberries, and blueberries.

Vitamin K

Activates proteins and calcium essential to blood clotting. It also helps with energy production by our mitochondria and with bone health. Food sources: cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, sprouts, and greens.

Vitamin C

Necessary for making collagen which is the framework to hold tissues together. It contributes to the health of teeth and gums, aids in the absorption of iron and the formation of hemoglobin, antibodies, and tissue repair. It helps destroy free radicals and may lower the risks of some cancers. Helps make two critical neurotransmitters, serotonin and norepinephrine, and helps with stress from any source. It is most easily destroyed by cooking and oxidation. Food sources: fruits, especially citrus, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, cabbage, spinach, strawberries, and Brussels sprouts.

Vitamin B Complex

B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, Folic acid, and Biotin assist in the health and maintenance of the nerves, eyes, digestion, skin, sex glands, sebaceous glands, bone marrow, regulation of appetite, growth, production of hormones and digestive juices, prevention of anemia, metabolism of macronutrients, and in many other complex body functions. All B vitamins are found in Brewer’s yeast. B12 is actually made by the bacteria in our mouth and nasopharynx. The B vitamins are easily destroyed by long cooking and high temperatures. Food sources: whole grains, seeds, nuts, wheat germ, bran, lentils, beans, and greens.

In conclusion, vitamins are best employed by the body when derived from natural food sources available to most people from a well-rounded, wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts. Some may need supplements to boost their supply, but this depends on their diet, lifestyle, and overall health.  Here’s to adding spark to your life!

Sources: The Healthy Lifestyle by Sunlight Education Ministry Publications; The Divine Prescription by Gunther B. Paulien; Vitamins: What are they, and what do they do? (medicalnewstoday.com/articles/195878; Vitamin K: Health benefits, daily intake, and sources (medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219867#sources); health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/listing_of_vitamins

Question – Should I try to make the world a better place?

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Question:

Should I try to make the world a better place?

Answer:

As close as we are to Christ’s soon return, should I be concerned with trying to make the world a better place to live?

The Bible tells us that the closer we are to the second coming the more wicked the world will become. Goodness comes only from God, and He will one day withdraw His sustaining hand, and evil will come rushing in to the exclusion of everything else.

But what about today? Are we meant to do all we can to make this world better? Or is our mission to tell others of a better land to which all are invited?

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14

How do we prepare to carry out such a great responsibility? We know that change, on our own, is impossible. It is only by the power and grace of God that we are able to be transformed once again into His image, but we must be willing to obey God’s law and receive this transformation. It is only then that we are able to complete the commission we have been given to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to a dying world.

“The law of God is the mirror to show man the defects in his character.” The Review and Herald, March 8, 1870

“What have you been beholding? … Make a decided change, and look to Jesus, that by beholding His perfection, you may become changed into His image. Then His spirit will take possession of your mind and character. By your piety and godliness, by your words and actions, by your spiritual activity for truth and righteousness, you will represent Christ.

“When a man turns away from human imperfections, and beholds Jesus, a divine transformation takes place in his character. He fixes his eye upon Christ as on a mirror which reflects the glory of God, and by beholding, he becomes ‘changed into the same image, from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). …

“With a contrite heart, study His life and character. … By tasting the good word of life, by feeding on the bread of life, you may see the power of a world to come, and be created anew in Christ Jesus. …

“The Spirit of Christ, working upon the heart conforms it to His image; for Christ is the model upon which the Spirit works. By the ministry of His word, by His providences, by His inward working, God stamps the likeness of Christ upon the soul.

“To possess Christ is your first work, and to reveal Him as One who is able to save to the uttermost all who come to Him, is your next work.” This Day With God, 46

The Black and Yellow Garden Spider

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The Argiope aurantia (black and yellow garden spider) has distinctive yellow and black markings on the abdomen with a mostly white head and chest. Males range in size from 0.20–0.35 inches and females range from 0.75–1.10 inches and can be up to 2 inches across. They are found throughout the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America.

The spider eats flies, bees, and other flying insects that are caught in the web the female spins. The web can be as much as two feet across. When threatened, she will shake the web like a trampoline as a warning to not come near. If the warning is not heeded, she may bite. Her bite is harmless, much like a bee sting, however, if you are allergic, you should seek medical attention.

These spiders have amazingly efficient, even miraculous, chemical factories within their little bodies. They are capable of making up to seven different types of webbing and they have an inboard chemical plant that produces chemicals necessary for their survival.

The web is circular shaped made of sticky strands that are suspended on non-sticky spokes, which she uses to run along the web without getting stuck. The sticky webbing serves to catch an unsuspecting meal. It has a distinctive and conspicuous dense white zigzag structure in the middle called the stabilimentum. Because of this, they are often called zipper spiders. However, the exact function of the stabilimentum is unknown. Some speculate that since the web is very big, it might alert birds so they don’t fly through it.

When a bug is caught, the spider emits sheets of webbing to encircle the bug. Somehow it knows when to use sheets versus the fine strands of webbing that make up the web structure. All spiders are carnivores and prey primarily on insects, and will eat anything that doesn’t tear itself loose from the web. These garden spiders know that they have a potential meal when they feel vibrations in their web.

This garden spider mates in late summer or early fall. The male builds a small web near or inside the female’s web. He courts her by plucking strands on her web. Spider mating doesn’t always turn out so well for the male of the species, so when he approaches her, he comes prepared with a safety drop line at the ready, just in case she does not see him as the spider mate of her dreams and attacks him. However, once he is assured of her acceptance, he uses the two palpal bulbs on his pedipalps (located in front of his front legs) to transfer sperm to her. Once he has delivered both bulbs, he dies; and sometimes, she eats him.

The female lays her eggs at night on a sheet of silky material of her making, then covers them with another layer of silk, and finally a protective brownish silk which she then forms into a round, brown cocoon, like a ball with an upturned neck. This ball is about an inch in diameter. When depositing the eggs in the sac, she dusts each egg with a fine powder to keep them from sticking together. This is one of the chemicals made in the chemical factory within her body. That may not seem like much work, but considering that each female produces one to four sacs with as many as 1,000 eggs inside each, that would be quite a job.

The egg sac, or shell, normally stays intact all through the winter with the baby spiders emerging in the spring. As these spiderlings begin to grow inside this shell, they soon must exit it or die. At just the right time a fluid, called moulting fluid, is deposited at just the right place and a trap door is made in the shell that allows the spiderlings to crawl out. This is yet another chemical that is made in its chemical factory. This moulting occurs two or three times as the spiderlings are growing to adulthood.

As the spiderlings exit the egg sac in spring, some of them take up residence close to home, while others shoot out a strand of silk that is caught by the breeze, carrying the spiderlings to a distant new home.

What amazing little creatures these spiders are!!

They make seven different strands of webbing with the knowledge to know when and how to use each one of them. They make the powder that prevents the eggs from sticking together and make moulting fluid, with the knowledge of exactly when to deposit it inside the sac to make the trap door so the spiderlings can escape.

One has to ask if this could have evolved by chance over thousands of years. No, this is another creature that shows that it had an all-wise Creator who planned with infinite knowledge and care for all of its needs. What a wonderful Creator God we serve!

Sources: Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution, Volume 1 by Dr. Jobe Martin; NC State Extension Publications; wikipedia.org/wiki/Argiope_aurantia; nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Yellow-Garden-Spider; entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/MISC/SPIDERS/yellow-garden-spider

Dishonesty is Sin

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Mr. Barnes was a very wealthy man who lived in the early days in the United States. It was one of his chief pleasures to walk through the countryside near his home, and as he walked he often noticed a particularly fine herd of cattle. One day he stopped to visit the rancher who owned the cattle and purchased a cow from him with the agreement that the cow would be delivered to his estate the following day.

The next day as Mr. Barnes was out for his morning walk he saw a young boy trying his hardest to lead the cow over to Mr. Barnes’ field. The boy, who did not know Mr. Barnes, called to him. “Please sir, would you come and help me with this cow? She is so stubborn!”

Mr. Barnes went over to help. As they walked along together, he asked the boy, “How much do you expect to get for delivering the cow?”

“I … I don’t know,” the boy stammered, “but I think I’ll get something because the people who are buying the cow live in that house, and those people are very kind to everyone.”

By now the stubborn cow was walking along nicely, so Mr. Barnes excused himself and took a path through a wooded area that led to his back door. As soon as he got into the house he gave one of his trusted workers a fifty-dollar bill and told him to give it to the boy who was delivering the cow. After the cow had been left at the estate and the boy was returning to the ranch, Mr. Barnes went out again and met the boy on the road.

“Well, how much did you get?” asked Mr. Barnes.

“Five dollars,” answered the boy.

“Only five dollars? You must have gotten more than that,” said Mr. Barnes.

“No,” answered the boy, “that’s what I was given, and that was plenty, don’t you think?”

“No,” said Mr. Barnes. “I’m surprised it wasn’t more. I know Mr. Barnes well, and I believe that if you come back with me, you’ll get more than five dollars.”

The boy agreed, and they walked back to the house together. When they went in Mr. Barnes called his hired workers and asked the boy to tell him who it was who had given him the five dollars.

“It was him,” he said, pointing to one of the workers.

When the man realized his dishonesty had been discovered, he admitted it and tried to excuse himself. But Mr. Barnes interrupted the man’s excuses and demanded that he give the fifty dollars to the boy immediately. And he said to the man, “Your dishonesty has cost you your job and your good name. I hope you soon learn that dishonesty is not only very foolish but a terrible sin as well.” And he fired him on the spot.

Just as the sin of that dishonest man was revealed, God will also one day reveal every sin, hidden or exposed, and judge every sinner for his or her sins. “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.” Luke 12:2

But God has made a way of escape from the judgment for your sins. He will forgive you if you will come to Him now and confess that you are a sinner and accept the cleansing He freely offers you through the death of His beloved Son on Calvary’s cross. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

Are your sins forgiven? or do you still face the punishment for them?

Source: WholesomeWords.org from Messages of God’s Love published by Bible Truth Publishers.

Master, the Tempest Is Raging

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“Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”

Matthew 8:23–26

You won’t find it in the new Seventh-day Adventist Church Hymnal, but in the old hymnal it is hymn 677. Master, the Tempest is Raging (also titled Peace, be Still) is a song about looking beyond ourselves and our own feeble efforts and putting our faith in the One who made the sea and the wind and who is our Refuge in a time of storm, a Comfort in a time of distress, an Empathizer in a time of loss.

Mary Ann Baker was an American composer and singer born on September 16, 1832. She was very active in her Baptist congregation and well-known for her temperance songs.

She was asked by Dr. H. R. Palmer to compose several songs to go with a series of presentations, in particular, the Bible verses telling how Jesus calmed the tempest.

It hadn’t been long since she had lost both her parents and brother to tuberculosis, and frustrated by the circumstances surrounding her brother’s death, it seems that Master, the Tempest is Raging, was born out of that frustration. I’ll let her tell the story, as she related it to Ira D. Sankey.

“A very dear and only brother, a young man of rare loveliness and promise of character, had been laid in the grave, a victim of the same disease that had already taken father and mother. His death occurred under peculiarly distressing circumstances.

“He was more than a thousand miles away from home, seeking in the balmy air of the sunny South the healing that our colder climate could not give. Suddenly he grew worse. The writer [Mary Ann] was ill and could not go to him.

“For two weeks the long lines of telegraph wires carried back and forth messages between the dying brother and his waiting sisters, ere the word came which told us that our beloved brother was no longer a dweller on the earth.

“Although we mourned not as those without hope, and although I had believed on Christ in early childhood and had always desired to give the Master a consecrated and obedient life, I became wickedly rebellious at this dispensation of divine providence. I said in my heart that God did not care for me or mine. But the Master’s own voice stilled the tempest in my unsanctified heart, and brought it to the calm of a deeper faith and a more perfect trust.”

Dr. Palmer set the words to music, and it has enjoyed appeal among religious schools and churches.

“During the weeks when we kept watch by the bedside of our greatly beloved President Garfield, it was republished as especially appropriate to the time, and was sung at some of the many funeral services held throughout the United States.”

During the 20th century, the hymn gained lasting popularity.

“Suddenly a flash of lightning pierces the darkness, and they see Jesus lying asleep, undisturbed by the tumult. In amazement and despair they exclaim, ‘Master, carest Thou not that we perish?’ … As the lightning’s glare reveals Him, they see the peace of heaven in His face; they read in His glance self-forgetful, tender love, and, their hearts turning to Him, cry, ‘Lord, save us: we perish.’

“Never did a soul utter that cry unheeded. As the disciples grasp their oars to make a last effort, Jesus rises. He stands in the midst of His disciples, while the tempest rages. … He lifts His hand, so often employed in deeds of mercy, and says to the angry sea, ‘Peace, be still.’ … As Jesus rested by faith in the Father’s care, so we are to rest in the care of our Saviour.” Lift Him Up, 57

Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness,
No shelter or help is nigh;
Carest Thou not that we perish?
How canst Thou lie asleep,
When each moment so madly is threatening
A grave in the angry deep?

Master, with anguish of spirit
I bow in my grief today;
The depths of my sad heart are troubled
Oh, waken and save, I pray!
Torrents of sin and of anguish
Sweep o’er my sinking soul;
And I perish! I perish! dear Master
Oh, hasten, and take control.

Master, the terror is over,
The elements sweetly rest;
Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored,
And heaven’s within my breast;
Linger, O blessed Redeemer!
Leave me alone no more;
And with joy I shall make the blest harbor,
And rest on the blissful shore.

Refrain

The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will,
Peace, be still!

Whether the wrath of the storm tossed sea,
Or demons or men, or whatever it be
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
Peace, peace, be still!

We Are Not Alone

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It was October, 1938. The big question burned even then, almost 100 years ago, “Are we alone in the universe?” In those days, families would gather around the radio in the evening after supper to listen to The Mercury Theatre on the Air program—and others like it—that included an evening of music and news reports.

Orson Welles, a Hollywood actor and director, had adapted H. G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds to be broadcast on October 30, where he and other actors would perform the adaptation in a live radio broadcast.

The episode began with a clear introduction that what they were about to hear was based on a work of science fiction. The episode then proceeded to its regular programing of live music. The music was occasionally interrupted by news bulletins. These bulletins were fairly forgettable until a report came through that an unknown object had fallen from the sky on a farm in Grovers Mill, New Jersey. From there the live production escalated as it was reported that creatures were emerging from what was then being called an alien spacecraft. Then reports came in of more invaders in Manhattan, New York, saying that citizens were fleeing from the alien war machines as they released poisonous clouds of smoke. The production was so realistic that many in the listening audience, all across America, believed it to be a real “Martian invasion” in spite of the repeated notices throughout the production that it was fiction.

Source: Wikipedia.org/wiki/The-War-of-the-Worlds-(1938-radio-drama)

As Christians, we can with confidence answer the question “Are we alone in the universe?” The Bible tells us that we are not alone, that there are other inhabited worlds out there, but they are not Martians as described or made up in man’s fiction.

These other worlds and those who inhabit them are of God’s creation and though they do not visit our world, they are spectators in the great controversy between God and Satan.

But more than knowing that there are other inhabited worlds, we also know that we are never alone because our gracious, heavenly Father is ever with us.

“We are never alone. Whether we choose Him or not, we have a Companion. Remember that wherever you are, whatever you do, God is there.” The Ministry of Healing, 490

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:7–10

“We can never find a solitude where God is not.” The Signs of the Times, July 14, 1881

“Never feel that Christ is far away. He is always near. His loving presence surrounds you.” The Faith I Live By, 62

“Even if we are compelled to stand apparently alone, we are not alone, for Christ is with us to encourage and strengthen and bless us. He is acquainted with every desire of your heart, with every purpose of your soul. He says, ‘I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you’ (John 14:18). Let us believe that God will do just as He has promised.” That I May Know Him, 203

Thank you, Father, that we can rest in the knowledge that You are but a breath or prayer away. With humbled and grateful hearts, we praise You as we are bound to Your side once again, with “ties that can never be broken.”

Meeting Trials

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Our trials are often such that they seem almost unbearable, and indeed without help from God we could not bear them. Unless we rely upon Him, we shall sink under the burden of responsibility that brings only sadness and grief. But if we make Christ our dependence, we shall not sink under trial. When all seems dark and unexplainable, we are to trust in His love; we must repeat the words of Christ, “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” …

There is no release in this warfare; the battle is life-long, and must be carried forward with determination and energy proportionate to the value of the object to be attained, which is eternal life. Immense interests are here involved. We are made partakers of Christ’s sacrifice here in this life, and if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end, we are assured that we shall be partakers of all the benefits of the future, immortal life. …

Trials will certainly come, but we have a living Saviour, an Intercessor, One who will help us in every time of need. … Eternal interests are here involved. Maintain to the last your Christian integrity. You cannot afford to become discouraged, and cast away your confidence; the Lord Jesus is your only hope. Make sure work for eternity. You must not murmur or complain; neglect no means of grace; encourage your soul to believe and trust in God. “Take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Satan is ever seeking to destroy; he is casting his hellish shadow between our souls and the light of the Sun of righteousness. When you talk doubts, and distrust your Heavenly Father’s love, Satan comes in, and deepens the impression, and that which was only a shadow is made the blackness of despair. Your only hope is to cease talking darkness. In dwelling on the dark side, you cast away your confidence in God, and this is just what Satan wants you to do. He wants to sift you as wheat; but Jesus is making intercession for you. His love is broad and deep. Perhaps you will say, “How do you know He loves me?” I look where you may look, to the cross of Calvary. The blood shed upon the cross cleanseth from all sin. When tempted to go in the dark cave of doubt and despair, sing:

“Arise, my soul, arise,

Shake off thy guilt fears;

The bleeding Sacrifice

In my behalf appears;

Before the throne my Surety stands;

My name is written on His hands.” …

Do not stay away from Jesus, for He loves you. You may say, “He will not hear my prayers; I am a sinner.” But Christ says, “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Then you are not to wait, but come now, and believe that He will receive you. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

But you cannot enjoy His blessing without any action on your part. Salvation is a gift offered to you free; on no other condition can you obtain it, than as a free gift. But cooperation on your part is essential for your salvation. … The Holy Spirit works in us by bringing to mind, vividly and often, the precious truths concerning God’s saving operations in the plan of redemption. We would forget the truths of God, which we neglect to obey, and for us His rich promises would lose their efficiency, were it not for the Holy Spirit working upon our hearts; He takes of the things of God, and presents them anew to our minds.

To make God’s grace our own, we must do our allotted part; we must believe Christ, we must show the grace of Christ in our lives, bearing fruit to the glory of God. Do not please Satan by carrying a sad, mournful countenance. When the furnace fire kindles about your soul, is the time to fight the good fight of faith, to reveal your confidence, your trust in Jesus. The Review and Herald, August 25, 1891

The Biggest Lie

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Smoking is not bad for you. Cigarettes are good for your health (cigarette manufacturers said cigarettes were no more addictive than Twinkies or tea even after studies proved the link between smoking and cancer).1

We only want to provide defensive weapons to Cuba (said the Soviet Union, but they really intended to plant nuclear missiles on the island).3

The Piltdown Man is the evolutionary missing link (Decades later it was proven to be an orangutan jaw grafted onto a human skull).2

Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction (a lie that launched the Iraq War costing $2.4 trillion, and thousands of American and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives).1

There is no famine or actual starvation, nor is there likely to be (Known as the 1932 Holodomor, Stalin’s effort to wipe out private farms in Ukraine resulting in the starvation deaths of three to four million people).1

You can keep your insurance and your doctor (Misleading statement regarding the Affordable Care Act).6

The Fox Sisters and mysterious knockings (In 1848, three teenage sisters perpetrated a hoax which resulted in the creation of modern-day spiritualism.)7

I cannot tell a lie (a story made up by George Washington’s biographer).3

Nobody intends to build a wall (said Walter Ulbricht, former leader of East Germany, two months before they built the Berlin Wall).3

The Jews are the enemy of all classes of German society (propaganda that led to the deaths of more than 6,000,000 Jews).2

Anna Anderson was Anastasia Romanov (DNA testing has proven that Anastasia was killed with her family in 1918.)3

If you swallow a watermelon seed, a plant will grow inside you (There’s not enough oxygen in the gastrointestinal tract for it to germinate, and science says it’s impossible).4

If you swallow chewing gum, it will stay in your stomach for months, even years, and cause stomach problems (gum moves through the digestive system just like any other food).4

The Earth is flat (a belief put forth by the Catholic monk Cosmas and propagated by the Catholic Church. First Copernicus and then Galileo challenged the belief stating that the earth is round—it is actually an oblate spheroid, not exactly round. Galileo was branded a heretic and sent to the Inquisition, but was later cleared.)5

The theory of the “big lie” states that no matter how big the lie is—or more precisely, because it is so big—people will believe it if you repeat it enough. This is extremely prevalent today in the media, politics, education, religion, pretty much every facet of life.

Throughout the history of man there has been one lie after another that too often has resulted in division, suffering, oppression, and death.

But there is one lie—the biggest lie of all—that alone has brought so much devastation to individual lives, to nations, and to nature.

“Thou shall not surely die.”

Satan’s lie to Eve was one of misrepresentation. “You won’t die.” And because once she’d eaten from the fruit and didn’t drop dead on the spot, she chose to believe that Satan must be telling the truth and that God had lied. And that is the biggest tragedy of this lie—unbelief in God and, ultimately, disobedience—a tragedy that has affected the entire world and everything that is in it.

But when God told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of the tree or they would die, He meant something else entirely. Physical death would come as a consequence of sin and their disobedience, but the greater issue was how man would be changed. He would no longer be perfect, pure, and innocent, and his nature became selfish, corrupt, and desperately wicked. This new nature would be the driving force that would cause almost all of mankind, throughout all this world’s history, to not only die here, but to die for all eternity.

Satan intended that man would sin and then eat of the tree of life, thereby becoming immortal sinners. But God prevented this by casting Adam and Eve out of Eden and setting angels to guard the entrance to the garden and the way to the tree of life.

“I am bidden to warn all who make untruthful statements that they are serving him who has been a liar from the beginning. Let us be on our guard against untruthfulness, which grows upon him who practices it. I say to all, Make truth your girdle. Be true to your faith. Put away all prevarication and exaggeration. Never make a false statement. For the sake of your own soul and the souls of others, be true in your utterances. Never speak or act a lie. Truth alone will bear to be repeated. A firm adherence to truth is essential to the formation of Christian character. ‘Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.’

“He who utters untruths sells his soul in a cheap market. His falsehoods may seem to serve in emergencies. He may make business advancement because he gains by falsehood what he could not gain by fair dealing. But he finally reaches the place where he can trust no one. Himself a falsifier, he has no confidence in the word of others.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 20, 31

Man thinks of lies in degrees and argues that there can be acceptable justification to lie.

We may chuckle at the scenario when the wife asks her husband if her dress flatters her figure and his response is that she looks beautiful, when in fact, the dress does not compliment her at all. He might feel that if he tells her the truth, her feelings would be hurt, and it is admirable that a husband does not wish to hurt his wife. But how do you think she will feel if she goes out in the dress, and a friend tells her it’s not her best look? She will realize that her husband lied to her, causing her to question if there is real trust in their relationship, and then she is hurt just the same and perhaps even more.

Someone might argue that in this world where sin causes so many bad things to happen, that maybe it’s okay in some situations to lie—to save a life, or to steal to help their own or another’s circumstances, to spare a hurt, to provide hope to a dying patient, to obtain a better position, to get a better job, to hide a past indiscretion, to rule the world.

The thing about lying—or violating any of God’s law—is that it becomes easier, once we’ve done it, to find a justifiable reason to do it again and again and … you see where it leads; because that’s our nature. True love, for both God and our fellow man, will, with tenderness and compassion, always tell the truth, because to do otherwise carries eternal consequences for others as well as for ourselves. God does not intend for us to break His law to do something that seems right.

“Never speak a lie.” Medical Ministry, 38

“Let us never, by a word or act, or by silence, testify to a lie. If all, under every circumstance, would speak the truth when the truth ought to be spoken, what a different world this would be.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 20, 30

“He [Jesus] teaches that the exact truth should be the law of speech.” Sons and Daughters of God, 64

“Never was there a time when truth and righteousness should be so highly exalted by those who are in God’s service as the present.” The Paulson Collection of Ellen G. White Letters, 256

“When a falsehood is uttered, the heavenly angels turn away in sorrow, grieved that Christ’s heritage should so dishonor Him. One falsehood spoken prepares the way for another. The Lord desires all to adhere strictly to the truth, to be straightforward in every transaction. Never tell a lie, because thus you hurt your own soul, and disgrace yourself in your own eyes.” The Review and Herald, January 12, 1911

“Truthfulness and integrity are attributes of God, and he who possesses these qualities possesses a power that is invincible.

“Never prevaricate; never tell an untruth in precept or in example. … Be straight and undeviating. Even a slight prevarication should not be allowed.

“The Saviour has a deep contempt for all deception. …

“Lying lips are an abomination to Him. He declares that into the holy city ‘there shall in no wise enter … anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie.’ ” My Life Today, 331

I do not find, in either Scripture or the Spirit of Prophecy, that we are given the instruction “Do not lie, except … .” We are safe only as we hold fast to the belief that it is better to keep, in all respects, the law of God, no matter the circumstances.

“God requires us to be faithful in the smallest details of life—to guard our words, our spirit, and our actions. To do this, we need to acquire perfect self-control, and this will demand of us constant, ceaseless watchfulness. …

“… Study the Guide Book, and with a serious mind seek to know its requirements, and to do them—should they make practical its injunctions—what a transformation would there be in the conduct and conversation! . . . Every relation in life, every position of responsibility, every affection and habit, every emotion of the mind, is to be brought to the great standard of righteousness, the commandments of God, which are exceeding broad. We must have simplicity of heart that we may understand, and willingness of mind to practice, all the teachings of God’s word.” Sons and Daughters of God, 285

Sources:

1 saturdayeveningpost.com/2018/05/8-historys-destructive-lies

2 history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/10-biggest-lies-in-history

3 factinate.com/things/45-true-facts-biggest-lies-history

4 theimpactnews.com/tilt/2021/03/10-biggest-lies-in-history

5 solarmythology.com/galileo/flatearth

6 politifact.com/obama-like-health-care-keep

7 history.com/news/ghost-hoax-spiritualism-fox-sisters

Judy Rebarchek is the managing editor of the LandMarks magazine. She may be contacted by email at: judyrebarchek@stepstolife.org