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Biblical Lifestyles

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Typically the standard American diet is made up of foods high in fat and lacking in color. It was not that way in the beginning. In Genesis 1:29, God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” In Genesis 2:16 we see the original diet prescribed by God: “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.” This did not include any animal products. It was a vegan diet. There was no milk or cheese, or any of the things that western societies tend to eat quite a lot of. When sin entered in, God added the herbs of the field. I call it “The Amended Diet.” This is God’s intended diet for His people in the very last days.

John said, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 1:2). This is God’s will for us, though many tend to reject God’s will. There are people who are not Adventists who are very interested in what God has shown to His people. In fact, many people, including doctors, are designing their research after light that has been given to us through the writings of Ellen G. White.

A man by the name of Clive McKay, PhD., of the Department of Nutrition of Cornell University once said that in spite of the fact that writings of Mrs. White were written long before the advent of modern scientific nutrition, no better overall guide is available today. Time and time again what God has shown us through the writings of Sister White have come to pass as absolute truth.

Nathan Pritikin of the Pritikin Diet said that Ellen White laid the guidelines for health that unfortunately are not being adhered to as strictly as they should be.

“Flesh meats will depreciate the blood. Cook meat with spices, and eat it with rich cakes and pies, and you have a bad quality of blood. The system is too heavily taxed in disposing of this kind of food. The mince pies and the pickles, which should never find a place in any human stomach, will give a miserable quality of blood. And a poor quality of food, cooked in an improper manner, and insufficient in quantity, cannot make good blood. Flesh meats and rich food, and an impoverished diet, will produce the same results.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 387.

God is showing us that the blood really supplies the nutrition to the body. You are what you eat, and what you put in your body goes into your blood and feeds all the tissues in your body. If you are not eating a proper, healthy diet, you are impoverishing your body and making it unhealthy.

“The controlling power of appetite will prove the ruin of thousands, when, if they had conquered on this point, they would have had moral power to gain the victory over every other temptation of Satan. But those who are slaves to appetite will fail in perfecting Christian character. The continual transgression of man for six thousand years has brought sickness, pain, and death as its fruits. And as we near the close of time, Satan’s temptation to indulge appetite will be more powerful and more difficult to overcome.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 491, 492.

Since the 1970s, our food supply in this country has become more and more processed and refined and, although often tastier to the human palate, it has become less and less nutritious. We are seeing more and more lifestyle diseases because of this development.

A doctor at Loma Linda, Dr. Lamont Murdoch, taught us that it was faulty genetics that loads the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger. The point he was trying to make was that we are all genetically predisposed to different lifestyle diseases, but being afflicted by one or more of them is not a certainty. By following God’s plan there are things we can do that could help prevent us from getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure even though they may run in our family. We can change a lot by how we live. The world recognizes this possibility. Not only is research being conducted toward that end, but researchers are looking at Seventh-day Adventists, wondering why we live as long as we do. We are one of the people-groups in the world that produce the most centurions, people that live to be a hundred years or older.

In The National Geographic, November 2005, “The Secrets of Long Life,” there was an article that explored three people groups: Okinowans, Sicilians, and Seventh-day Adventists. Most people would conclude that Sicilians and Okinowans probably have something genetic that makes them live so long. But what do you do with Seventh-day Adventists who are in almost every country of the world, including every ethnicity, every socio-economic class; we have genetics that go far and wide.

The National Geographic article explored some things that were common with these three people-groups. There were four things that stood out.

  1. All three groups believed strongly in some kind of faith.
  2. All three practiced meditation and religious principles.
  3. Most of them lived active lifestyles, which was very important.
  4. They all eat very simple and nearly vegetarian diets.

When we put these together, we start to see four of the eight natural doctors practiced. Putting these things together synergistically, builds a power of health. The more of these natural doctors we obey, the healthier and better off we are.

I have discovered the quickest way to get to the heart of what’s wrong with your health is to ask the Lord for wisdom and insight, and honesty in your heart, and then go through the eight natural doctors one at a time. How’s your diet, your exercise, are you drinking plenty of water, are you getting sunshine and practicing temperance in your life? Are you getting fresh air? Are you resting, especially resting in Christ? And what about your faith in God? These are all important and as we put these eight natural doctors together into our lives, we see miraculous healing.

The Standard American Diet is a sad diet, high in refined foods, high in fat content (40-50%), high in simple carbohydrates, and low in fiber.

Since the 1970s, our diets have really changed in the United States. The Standard American Diet (SAD) leads to:

  • obesity
  • diabetes
  • hypertension
  • coronary artery disease
  • osteoporosis
  • arthritis
  • some forms of cancer such as colon cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, etc.
  • new diseases, which include fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and other assorted ailments that are besetting mankind today that were basically never heard of 20 years ago.

Obesity in the United States has jumped from 23.9% in 2005 to currently 36.4% according to cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). That means that more than one in three Americans in the United States is obese. It’s incredible. Diabetes follows the same pattern, along with hypertension and coronary artery disease. These are all lifestyle diseases. There is an epidemic of obesity and lifestyle diseases and it is on the rise. In a recent study that was done by pathologists, we are now seeing in our children the obesity rate going up and they are beginning to have the same kind of arteriosclerosis as adults.

We did a surveillance study, a study where we look at people over a period of time and watch what they are doing, and then go back and review the results at the end of that study. We surveyed people who had diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, obesity and constipation. These are all similar in nature because they are caused by the food we eat which harden our arteries, slow the digestive track down, and change the chemistry in the body in such a way that affects our bones, and it leaves us constipated. We watched this group of people with these kinds of ailments for a couple of years. They were given standard treatments, i.e., going to their doctor, receiving laxatives, getting diabetic medications, heart pills, cholesterol pills, etc. After a two-year period none of these people got better.

In the alternative, we could do something about these diseases if we followed God’s plan and made changes. I see people getting off their medications all the time when they follow God’s plans completely. The tendency in western medicine is to prescribe more medicine which is not working and then we begin to see side effects and interactions from the medications. We then treat other symptoms with a new medication and so we are treating effects of medication with medication. It’s not working very well.

Many who are very health-minded just want to take a supplement. One of the problems we are finding is that 10, 15, 20 years down the road, these things cause damage to our body. For example, vitamin A can actually damage your bones. Vitamin E increases the risk of dying from all causes. Folic acid can cause heart disease. Beta-carotene increases the risk of cancer.

Almost all people over 30 years old are overweight and a large portion of Americans—over 30%—are obese. Being overweight leads to the increased risk of lifestyle diseases. In our country it begins at birth. We have found as we give babies baby formula that we see:

  • sixty-times increased risk of pneumonia,
  • 2 to 4 times the risk of sudden infant death syndrome,
  • 10-fold increase in hospitalization in the first year of life,
  • lower IQ scores by an average of 10 points,
  • increase in behavior and speech difficulties are increased, and
  • increased risk of infections, eczema, asthma, and type 1 diabetes.

We also know that leukemia is strongly related to the feeding of dairy products to our young people. A notice from Pediatric Allergy and Immunology stated in May 2015: “Compared with infants born to lean mothers, the researchers found that specific immune cells—monocytes and dendritic cells—among the infants born to obese mothers showed much lower responses to bacterial antigens.” That means they have less capacity to fight infection. It goes on in this same article and tells us, “Maternal obesity raises the risk of a number of health conditions for offspring that can persist well into adulthood, including heart disease and asthma. Now, a new study reveals why this may be; maternal obesity weakens an infant’s immune system, at the same time of birth, increasing their susceptibility to illness.”

Time magazine recognized this development in 1998 in an issue entitled, “Our Supersized Kids.” They are examining the lifestyle reasons why our kids may be obese. The obesity rate in the United States last year, among children under 18, was 17%. They examined these lifestyle issues and concluded, it’s not just genetics, but diet.

  • 32% of all American children are overweight.
  • 90% of these children have avoidable risk factors for heart disease.
  • Food consumption in the U.S. averages over 3,800 calories per person per day.

That’s an incredible amount of calories. An adult, estimated by our government, only needs 2,350 calories a day. I would suggest to you that even that amount is too much. You probably can get by just fine on about 1,800 calories a day. When we see this kind of caloric consumption in our society, we see a lot of obesity. The skinniest state in the United States is Colorado, at 20.2% of the population considered obese. The most obese is Louisiana at 36%.

We need to understand the importance of understanding obesity and why it exists, how to avoid it and overcome it.

Society sees obesity as people who live to eat. There are some people that do, but for the most part, obese people are obese for a different reason. There are over 2 million species on earth and only 3 species have a problem with being overweight: dogs, cats, and people. The elephants and giraffes do not think about their weight. The animals in God’s creation eat exactly what they are supposed to, and they have no weight problem. That should be a clue for us. Animals eating to their full satisfaction will, over time, eat neither too much or too little for optimal health.

Physiology studies show that a person 50 years of age will eat about 50,000 pounds of food, about 1,000 pounds a year. If he ate 1% short over his lifetime of 50 years, he would be seriously malnourished. If he ate 1% too much, he would be about 50 pounds overweight. That means we’re working in a physiologic window of plus or minus 1%. These are the natural mechanisms God has built into our hard-wiring. The Bible says in Psalms 139:14, “I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” God has made this machine to work within this physiologic window of plus or minus 1%.

God gave us a diet in the beginning that consisted of what we are supposed to eat and we need to follow the recommendations to expect good health.

Physiologically, the body weighs the amount of the food in the gut with things called “stretch receptors” and “nutrient receptors.” They line the inside of the gut and weigh the amount of food in there and the nutrients that are contained in it. If we get enough food, enough volume, those stretch receptors send signals back to the brain that say, “You’ve eaten enough food. You don’t need to eat anymore.” If you’re getting enough nutrition, the same thing happens. The nutrition receptors send messages to the brain to tell us, “You’ve eaten good food. You don’t need to eat anymore.” These receptors send messages to our brain and tell us, if we’re full or not, if we need more food. They perform a gut content, weighing, and calorie analysis. For example, an apple is 5/6 fiber and water, 1/6 carbohydrates, at 300 calories per pound of apples, based on the fact that carbohydrates are 1,800 calories per pound. If you eat a half an apple which weighs about half a pound, you would put about a 150 calories in your body. Your stomach is going to weigh that out and if that is all you have eaten, your body will tell you that you are not done. You need about 350 more calories, healthy nutrients, to be satiated.

Among the 36.4% of Americans that are obese, and almost all Americans that are overweight, only 1% of those people actually have thyroid problems; so you can’t blame your thyroid for your condition.

Dr. Murdock said, “Genetics loads the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.” One person may have a normal amount of stretch receptors and nutrient receptors, while another person may be lacking nutrient receptors and stretch receptors. When people put 500 calories in their bodies, their brains tell them they have enough and do not need to eat any more. But those 500 calories in another person may measure the 500 calories as being only 400 calories, and it says, “I need more nutrition. I need more food.”

Remember in the 1970s our government told us that the average four ounces of red meat was bad for us and that fish and chicken was so much better. So, instead of eating four ounces of red meat, which, by the way has the same caloric density and content as does fish and chicken, we started eating about ten ounces on average of fish and chicken every day.

Our caloric intake went up two and a half times just from the amount of meat that we started using. You can trace our obesity epidemic all the way back to the 1970s when the government told us that.

There are other factors involved, like exercise, and some people do have a thyroid problem, but we need to understand that processed foods under-stretch the gut and fool the gut receptors. Processed food lacks proper nutrition and fiber while supplying the same amount of calories, squeezed down into a smaller amount of food. We think we need more food, even though we are consuming the same amount of calories. We are still hungry. So we eat two or three times more than what we were eating before, fooling our bodies with a lousy food system.

Salad, vegetables, and fruits average one to three hundred calories per pound, which means that if you eat a pound of salad, you will get about a hundred calories. However, your stomach is not going to accept a whole pound of salad. You can trick your own stomach into eating fewer calories and be full. You could eat about a quarter to half a pound of salad if you are really famished and that is only 25-50 calories at most and your stomach will be full. We can have the reverse effect when we eat the right way.

Oil contains 4,000 calories per pound. It is the densest food on the planet. As foods have more oil in it, they approach the oil content of 4,000 calories per pound. Puddings and custards for example have 3,200 calories per pound. Chips, cookies, and nuts, are in the 2,500 to 3,200 range; sugars and cheese, 1,800 calories per pound. Meats, bread, and flour, 1,200 to 1,600. Analog meats are in the 700 to 1,200 calories per pound range. Think of your stomach as a ball. We can put all lettuce in there and maybe jam in 25 calories, or we could fill it with oil and put 4,000 calories in there. It matters what you eat at each meal as to whether or not you will gain weight, lose weight, or stay the same.

Often, people who are trying to lose weight decide to go on the salad diet. They go down the salad bar line, build a plate full of wonderful vegetables, even lettuce and good things like that. Then they get to the dressings. They decide not to eat the dressing, but just take some olive oil and drizzle that on and maybe squeeze a little lemon on it and think they have a wonderfully healthy salad. Now a 25 or 50 calorie salad has jumped to 400 or 500 calories because of the olive oil.

To maintain a low body weight with average genes, you would have to eat a low calorically dense diet, that is, a diet that is high in volume but low in calories. Those persons who have the obese genes and want a low body weight are going to have to eat a diet that is low calorie dense. There are things we can do. We can modify our lifestyle, even with obese genes in the family, to live a skinny life. To do that you have to understand these principles.

The solution to this problem is dilution:

  • dilution with salad,
  • dilution with vegetables,
  • dilution with fruit.

These are the kinds of foods you want to eat first when you sit down.

First of all, make sure you have a colorful meal. Eat your salad veggies and those low calorically dense foods first. Fill the stomach up with those, and then look at your more calorically dense foods in very small amounts. So, the solution to caloric pollution is dilution.

There is a difference between the western diet and the vegan diet: the western diet is more than 40% fat coming from mostly animal products. The vegan diet on the other hand is 10 to 20% fat with no animal products whatsoever. Our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made and actually designed to be vegetarian. The average cholesterol level in those eating the Standard American Diet is about 200 compared to 130 or even less in those eating a vegan diet. The people on the standard American diet are predisposed to diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and auto-immune disease, whereas vegans live 12% longer than the average American and live healthier lives.

While at Weimar, we took people with high cholesterol and put them on vegan diets except for one difference; we added animal protein instead of soy protein in the form of skim milk to the animal protein group, and we gave vegetable protein, mostly soy, to the other group. We were trying to find out what effect animal protein, not cholesterol, had on cholesterol levels.

After three weeks, the cholesterol lowered in the animal protein group 30 to 40 points. That is good, but it was not as good as the vegan group who lost about 70 points in the same three weeks, which is an incredible loss of cholesterol.

Thinking that one group had a genetic advantage over the group, they switched the diet. After three more weeks we found out that the cholesterol that was down 60–70 points before was now at that same 30–40 point level. What we saw was the group on the animal protein, then vegetable protein, after six weeks on a great diet, and then the last three weeks on the best diet, had a 110 point average drop. No medication was taken, just a straight vegan diet. I have seen the same result in my own practice. We put patients on God’s plan, get all animal protein out of their diet, and we see on average a 110 point drop in total cholesterol.

We are having a big political fight in our country about healthcare. We don’t need to have that fight. We can go vegan. It is estimated that we would have 3% to 7% the rate of lifestyle disease that we now have if every American went vegan. That’s incredible. We wouldn’t need the health care system we have now. We wouldn’t need the health insurance. There would be no fight.

The most common question I get asked is, “Where do you get your protein?” Elephants eat grass and leaves and do not worry about getting enough protein or eating too much or too little. There is protein in grass. The grass is green—it has chlorophyll. Proteins produce the chlorophyll through a process of photosynthesis. Grass is filled with protein and we get all of our essential amino acids from plant foods. By eating a wide variety of food you will get all the essential amino acids and proteins that you need.

The Biblical diet, which is very colorful is based on fruits, nuts, and vegetables. It is wonderfully healthy. These are just some examples of anti-oxidant-rich fruits with rich colors: strawberries, blueberries, plums. The same characteristic is shared with the rich anti-oxidant veggies with wonderful colors.

God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat” (Genesis 1:29). He said, eat of them freely.

Michael Snyder is a Family Practice physician practicing in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, where he lives with his wife and four of their six children. He graduated from Loma Linda University School of Medicine and is board certified in Family Medicine. He was a speaker at Steps to Life Camp Meeting 2015. This article is one of his presentations at that camp meeting.

Themes of First Peter

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In view of the present condition of this country, it would be beneficial to reflect on the themes brought out in the first letter of the apostle Peter.

Sacrifice and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

The major theme of Peter’s first letter is Christ’s sacrifice on the cross of Calvary and His resurrection. This is the foundation of the Christian religion.

The foundation of any structure is most important. In fact, if a fault is found with the foundation, the whole building is in jeopardy. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross is the foundation of our hope and faith. It is so important that both the redeemed as well as the angels will study this subject throughout eternity. Peter wrote, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:2). You are only a part of the elect if you have been sprinkled by the blood of Jesus Christ.

In verse 3 Peter wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Verse 11: “searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them [the Old Testament prophets] was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.”

The theme is repeated again in verses 18–20: “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”

Before creation, the Father and the Son knew not only what Satan (Lucifer) was going to do, but also that Adam and Eve would fall. One might wonder what would have happened if God, looking down through the passage of time and seeing the poor choice Lucifer would make, decided not to create him? What if in seeing the mistake that Adam and Eve would make, they were not created?

Nobody would ever have known about it except God. If that were the case there would not have been freedom of choice, because anybody foreseen to make the wrong choice, would not be in existence.

In the first few pages of The Desire of Ages, Ellen White said that from eternity, the Father and Son saw the rebellion of Satan and the fall of man; and not only that, they saw what would be necessary in order for fallen man to be saved. If you are saved, someday you will get to study until you fully understand that a God who was infinite in wisdom, and infinite in power, could not find any way to redeem a fallen race except by the sacrifice of His Son (The Desire of Ages, 22).

The Father knew ahead of time the outcome. God’s dear Son knew every detail of His life before He ever came to this world as a man. He knew He would be rejected by most of the people, spit on and flogged, and finally be crucified. He knew that the majority of those He came to save would not accept Him as their Saviour. Even with this intimate knowledge, the plan did not change and went ahead.

In verse 20, Peter said that before the foundation of the world, before the world was ever created, Christ was ordained to save fallen man (see 1 Peter 1:20). It is awesome to think about. This subject is repeated throughout his book. In Chapter 2 verse 21 it says, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” and, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed” (verse 24).

I don’t understand it; I cannot explain it; but the Bible says it is by His stripes, His wounds, that I am healed. That is something to meditate on and try to understand. In 1 Peter 3:18 he says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but being made alive by the Spirit.”

You would think Peter had said enough about this theme, but he is still not done. In chapter 4, verse 1 he says again, “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.” I have studied this verse for decades and I still cannot explain it. In chapter 4 verse 13 he says, “But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

In the last chapter of the book, chapter 5, verse 1, Peter says, “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness (I saw) of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: …” Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection is the foundation of the Christian religion. Peter talked about it. He wrote about it, taught about it, and preached it for the rest of his life.

The Holy Spirit

Peter writes about the Holy Spirit in his first letter. In 1 Peter 1:2 he says, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of [or by] the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.”

In this verse sanctification and obedience are connected with the Holy Spirit. Verse 12 says, “To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they [the old testament prophets] were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”

Peter says the preaching of the gospel is by the Spirit. The writing out of the prophecies of Christ was by the Holy Spirit as he indicates in verse 11, and the preaching of the gospel to you is by the Holy Spirit. But he has a lot more to say about the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1:22 says, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.” We can obey the truth only through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul agrees with this truth.

“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory (the Holy Spirit) and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified” (1 Peter 4:14).

Love

The third major theme in 1st Peter is love. We usually think of the apostle John as being the apostle that dwells most fully upon love, but Peter also makes it a major theme of his letter. In 1 Peter 1:22, he talks about it twice. It says, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.” That is a command. We are commanded to love one another fervently with a pure heart.

Another command says, “… love the brotherhood …” (1 Peter 2:17). In 1 Peter 3:8, Peter uses some really strong language. He says, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.”

In chapter 4 verse 8 Peter gets stronger than previously: “… above all things (this is more important than anything else) have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’ ” Is there anybody who does not have a multitude of sins that need to be covered?

Remember the divine rule. Jesus says, As you do to others, it will be done to you (see Luke 6:38, last part).

If I want my sins to be covered, I should be willing to do the same when I find out about other people’s sins and not broadcast them to the world or to the church. Love covers. That is something to think through. This does not apply to those things that need to be made right.

The Bible says that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:24). Our God does not want to publicize our sins. He would like to cover them up and later blot them out. If that is God’s intention with our sins, then it would be good to consider what we should do with other people’s sins when they come to our notice.

There are people who claim Peter as their spiritual father and talk about him as though he is the head of the church while being out of harmony with his writings.

Submission and Obedience

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:2). Obedience means that you are subject to somebody or something like a law.

Verse 14: “… as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance.” Obedience means submission, to somebody or something.

In chapter 2 Peter refers to the people that have not learned this and how they are going to stumble and be lost. He says, “Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed” (1 Peter 2:7, 8).

They stumble because they are disobedient. Then in verse 13 he gets very direct in his counsel on this subject: “Therefore submit …” I want to tell you, friends, submission is one of the ugliest words in the English language for the population in the United States today. We have millions of people that refuse to submit. They don’t submit to their parents. They don’t submit to the government. They don’t submit to anything. They are rebels, but, no rebel will be in the kingdom of heaven. Peter says, “… submit yourselves to every ordinance …” In other words, every law. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of men.

However, some say that the government is wicked, but read the history of the Roman Empire. It was one of the most wicked governments up to that time with some believing that it was the most wicked government that has ever existed in all time. In the command to submit, Peter was not making reference to a righteous government but to an evil government and he said, “… submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good” (verses 13, 14).

Nobody who is stirring up trouble for the government is in harmony with 1 Peter 2:13–17. Such are in direct violation of the word of God. That is not a condition in which to be found in the day of judgment.

This admonition also applies in the workplace where people have supervisors. Supervisors are often the most unpopular people in the business because nobody wants to submit to their leading. We live in an age where people only want to do what they want to do, when they want to do it, the way they want to without anybody telling them what to do. This is not just in the world, but in the church, and also the home. Peter says, “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully” (verses 18, 19).

Is it possible that you could suffer wrongfully in the workplace because of a supervisor that is not understanding but he is still your supervisor?

Peter touches on some very unpopular subjects, particularly in chapter 3, verse 1: “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands …” This is so unpopular today that I am scared to say anything about it other than read it from the Bible, and then you can argue with Him.

Verses 5 and 6 continue, “For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.”

Some people are ready to throw the preacher out just for reading a text like that, but it is in the Bible. Peter wrote it. We all must learn the lesson of submission. No one is excluded. If we fail to learn this lesson, we will never be in the kingdom of heaven.

Now we come to another one that is just as sensitive as the one we just read, because Peter is not done yet. 1 Peter 5:5: “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders …” Oh, no, somebody says, You don’t know how bad my parents are. I may not, but it is in the Bible. But now, notice what it says in the last part of the verse. “Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility … .” All, even if you are ninety years old should be submissive to each other.

Friend, the Christian world has not learned submission. That is why we have the troubles we have today. We have not learned it in our homes or even in the church. Everyone wants to do what is right in their own eyes and not be subject to anyone else. Everything is upside down.

This has to do with the government of God and in His government there is order. Do you know that certain angels are appointed to be over other angels? When Jesus was crucified on the cross, Ellen White says that the weakest angel could have delivered Him instantly, and they would have liked to. And there were no doubt millions of them around watching, but they didn’t move. They didn’t do anything to deliver Christ from the cross. Ellen White tells us that a commanding angel told them, No. You are not to interfere in anything that you see, and when the angels are told by the commanding angel not to interfere, they obey.

Angels understand the lesson of submission, and unless we learn that lesson we will never be fit for the kingdom of heaven.

Order

There can never be order unless people have learned submission. That is why Peter deals so much with submission, because unless people have learned that, you cannot have order. Without order there is only chaos.

In 1 Peter 2:5, he says, “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Peter here is talking about Christians scattered over a large territory. He says, you are built up a spiritual house. A house is an establishment where members of family live together and they have family government.

Although ideally a family home has government, unfortunately today, there are many that do not have much order in their family. The result is often chaos.

Peter talks about this need for order again in verse 9: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation …” A nation is a group of people who are organized under a single government. He says, You are a holy nation. That has to do with order, order in the church.

Concerning Christ, Peter wrote, “who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him” (chapter 3:22). Notice there is order in the universe and every created thing is subject to Jesus Christ.

In chapter 5, verse 2 Peter talks to pastors or elders in the church and he tells them, “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers [managers], not by constraint, but willingly” (literal translation).

There are people who do not believe in the necessity of church organization. In Ellen White’s day some fought organization for almost twenty years. James White fought for organization almost single-handedly while others thought that to be organized would make them become like Babylon.

If there is no one to oversee a church, ministry, school, or family, there will be no order. Without organization nothing will get done. However, you can’t have an overseer if people are not willing to be overseen.

The New Testament church had elders who were overseers of the work. These overseers were not dictators. Peter said in verse 3, “Nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” They may be managers but never to have a dictatorial spirit. Fathers and mothers want their children to obey them because of love and respect and trust and not because they are afraid of punishment. When fear is the reason for obedience the home is very unhappy.

Everlasting Inheritance

Another major theme in 1 Peter is the everlasting inheritance of the people who are going to be saved and Peter has some wonderful descriptions of it in this little letter where he gives short lists of instruction and counsel to Christians on different subjects. Remember, these instructions are from an inspired apostle to individual Christians about how to live a holy life:

  • Holiness (1 Peter 1:13–18).
  • Results of being born again (1 Peter 1:22, 23).
  • What to discard from your life (1 Peter 2:1, 2).
  • What to do in relation to others (1 Peter 2:17).
  • Call for unity 1 Peter 3:8–11).
  • Appeal for loving Christian service (1 Peter 4:7–11).
  • Description of the Christian struggle (1 Peter 5:6–9).

Peter packed a lot into this little letter. Those desiring to go to the kingdom of heaven would be wise to heed the instruction given and order their lives in harmony with what Peter wrote.

In mercy, God has given us plain, clear instruction about how we should live, and how we should relate to one another, both in the church and in the world. God will deliver us from the rebellious spirit that we see in the atmosphere all around today. He will help us to develop a submissive spirit so that we can obey His law and His leading and guiding in our lives. God will also help us to learn the lesson of living in harmony and unity and experience a fervent love for each other if we ask Him. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work a miracle in you.

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

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.

Editorial – The Royal Family – Ephesians 3:15

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Can you imagine anybody wanting to be part of the royal family in heaven (God’s family) but not wanting to be part of the royal family on earth? Remember,

“The family of heaven and the family of earth are one.” The Adventist Home, 544.

If you and your family and your church family become part of the family in heaven, you will have been part of heaven’s royal family first on earth. To be part of this family you must acknowledge the head of the family as the head of your home and church family. “Christ in counsel with His Father laid out the plan for His life on earth. It was not a chance, but a design that the world’s Redeemer should lay off His crown, lay aside His kingly robe, and come to our world as a man. He clothed His divinity with the garb of humanity, that He might stand at the head of the human family, His humanity mingled with the humanity of the race fallen because of Adam’s disobedience. The poverty and humiliation of the Son of the infinite God teach lessons that few care to learn. There is a link that connects Christ with the poor in a special sense. He, the life, the light of the world, makes poverty His own teacher, in order that He may be educated by the same stern, practical teacher {as are the poor}. Since the Lord Jesus accepted a life of poverty, no one can justly look with contempt upon the poor. The Saviour of the world was the King of glory, and He stripped Himself of His glorious outward adorning, accepting poverty, that He might understand how the poor are treated in this world.” The Southern Work, 85.

Now, in a physical sense, we are quarantined from the whole universe—since Adam and Eve were driven from the garden of Eden all their descendants are banished from Paradise, but soon the jubilee is coming when “you shall return every man to his family” (Leviticus 25:10, literal translation).

Bible Study Guides – The Risen Saviour

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September 24 – 30, 2017

 Key Text

“And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth” (Isaiah 53:9).

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 769–787; Steps to Christ, 17–22.

Introduction

“Jesus did not yield up His life till He had accomplished the work which He came to do; and He exclaimed with His parting breath, ‘It is finished!’ ” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 167.

Sunday

 1 REST ON THE SABBATH

  •  What divine institution was hallowed at both the creation and redemption of the world, and will be hallowed throughout eternity? Genesis 2:1–3; Luke 23:54–56.

Note: “When there shall be a ‘restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began’ (Acts 3:21), the creation Sabbath, the day on which Jesus lay at rest in Joseph’s tomb, will still be a day of rest and rejoicing. Heaven and earth will unite in praise, as ‘from one Sabbath to another’ (Isaiah 66:23) the nations of the saved shall bow in joyful worship to God and the Lamb.” The Desire of Ages, 769, 770.

  • What two influential persons took on the responsibility for the Saviour’s burial? John 19:38–42.

Note: “Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus came to the help of the disciples. Both these men were members of the Sanhedrin, and were acquainted with Pilate. Both were men of wealth and influence. They were determined that the body of Jesus should have an honorable burial.” The Desire of Ages, 773.

Monday

 2 OUR ONLY HOPE

  •  The day after the Sabbath, when Mary came to the grave of Christ, what did she find? John 20:1.

Note: “The women who had stood by the cross of Christ waited and watched for the hours of the Sabbath to pass. On the first day of the week, very early, they made their way to the tomb, taking with them precious spices to anoint the Saviour’s body. They did not think about His rising from the dead. The sun of their hope had set, and night had settled down on their hearts. As they walked, they recounted Christ’s works of mercy and His words of comfort. But they remembered not His words, ‘I will see you again’ (John 16:22).” The Desire of Ages, 788.

  • What did she do upon seeing the site at the grave? John 20:2.
  • How do Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave help humanity? Romans 5:6–8; Ephesians 2:4–7.
  • What is the only way that sinful humanity can be saved? John 14:6; Acts 4:8–12; 10:43.

Note: “Through Christ, restoration as well as reconciliation is provided for man. The gulf that was made by sin has been spanned by the cross of Calvary. A full, complete ransom has been paid by Jesus, by virtue of which the sinner is pardoned, and the justice of the law is maintained. All who believe that Christ is the atoning sacrifice may come and receive pardon for their sins; for through the merit of Christ, communication has been opened between God and man. God can accept me as His child, and I can claim Him and rejoice in Him as my loving Father. We must center our hopes of heaven upon Christ alone, because He is our Substitute and Surety.” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

Tuesday

 3 CHRIST AS ALL IN ALL

  •  After the disciples left the grave, what additional experience did Mary Magdalene, from whom Christ cast seven devils, have? John 20:10–18.
  • As is seen in the need of Mary Magdalene, for what should we pray? Luke 17:5.
  • How much can a sinner accomplish without Christ? John 15:5; 2Corinthians 4:7.

Note: “Of himself, what can man accomplish in the great work set forth by the infinite God? Christ says: ‘Without Me ye can do nothing’ (John 15:5). He came to our world to show men how to do the work given them by God, and He says to us: ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light’ (Matthew 11:28–30). Why is Christ’s yoke easy and His burden light? Because He bore the weight of it upon the cross of Calvary.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 247.

“Man can accomplish nothing without Jesus, and yet it is so arranged in the plan of salvation, that its great object cannot be consummated without human cooperation. Our work may appear small and unimportant, and yet we are laborers together with God. Jesus has given us every temporal and spiritual blessing; He died to make propitiation for our sins and to reconcile us to God. He has sent forth light and truth, that we should walk in the beams of the Sun of righteousness, and not in the sparks of our own kindling.” The Review and Herald, November 1, 1892.

“O, that all might realize that without Christ they can do nothing! Those who do not gather with Him scatter abroad. Their thoughts and actions will not bear the right character, and their influence will be destructive of good. Our actions have a twofold influence; for they affect others as well as ourselves. This influence will either be a blessing or a curse to those with whom we associate.” Christian Education, 92.

Wednesday

 4 YIELDING OUR WILL TO HIM

  •  How did the experience of the disciples after the cross as shown in John 20 and 21 prepare them for the great work ahead?

Note: “In order for us to reach this high ideal, that which causes the soul to stumble must be sacrificed. It is through the will that sin retains its hold upon us. The surrender of the will is represented as plucking out the eye or cutting off the hand. Often it seems to us that to surrender the will to God is to consent to go through life maimed or crippled. But it is better, says Christ, for self to be maimed, wounded, crippled, if thus you may enter into life. That which you look upon as disaster is the door to highest benefit.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 61.

  • If we will be the disciples of Christ today, what position must He take in our life? Colossians 1:27.

Note: “When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 312.

  • In order to have the risen Saviour living in us, what must we do? 1John 2:15; James 4:4.

Note: “The true followers of Christ will have sacrifices to make. They will shun places of worldly amusement because they find no Jesus there—no influence which will make them heavenly-minded and increase their growth in grace. Obedience to the word of God will lead them to come out from all these things and be separate. …

“The great Head of the church, who has chosen His people out of the world, requires them to be separate from the world. He designs that the spirit of His commandments, by drawing His followers to Himself, shall separate them from worldly elements.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 328, 329.

Thursday

 5 VICTORY THROUGH CHRIST

  • Why did John write his gospel? John 20:30, 31; 21:24, 25.
  • What are some of the ways in which God speaks to man? John 16:13; 2Timothy 3:15–17.
  • In what terms did Christ state that our ability to know the truth is dependent upon our willingness to obey the will of God? John 7:17.
  • What will we be called if we will believe in the saving grace of the risen Saviour? 1John 3:1, 2.

Note: “In the gracious blessings which our heavenly Father has bestowed upon us we may discern innumerable evidences of a love that is infinite, and a tender pity surpassing a mother’s yearning sympathy for her wayward child. When we study the divine character in the light of the cross we see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended with equity and justice. In the language of John we exclaim: ‘Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God’ (1 John 3:1). We see in the midst of the throne One bearing in hands and feet and side the marks of the suffering endured to reconcile man to God and God to man. … The reflected light from the cross reveals the writing of God: Live, sinner, live! ye penitent and believing souls, live! I have paid a ransom.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 461, 462.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1      What institution did Christ hallow even during the experience of Calvary?
2      What is the only way that I can be saved?
3      What work has Christ done for me through the experience of the cross?
4      Have I yielded completely to Christ?
5      What joy awaits the sons and daughters of God?

Copyright © 2004 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Calvary

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September 17 – 23, 2017

 Key Text

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 741–757; Testimonies, vol. 2, 200–215.

Introduction

“For transgression of the law of God, Adam and Eve were banished from Eden. Christ, our substitute, was to suffer without the boundaries of Jerusalem. He died outside the gate, where felons and murderers were executed.” The Desire of Ages, 741.

Sunday

 1 MOCKED BY THE SOLDIERS

  •  After Pilate had delivered Jesus to the Roman soldiers, what did they do? Matthew 27:27–30.
  • Where did the soldiers take Jesus after humiliating Him? John 19:17; Matthew 27:31.
  • Who else followed them? Luke 23:27.

Note: “Christ, the precious Son of God, was led forth, and the cross was laid upon His shoulders. At every step was left blood which flowed from His wounds. Thronged by an immense crowd of bitter enemies and unfeeling spectators, He is led away to the crucifixion. ‘He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth’ (Isaiah 53:7).” Testimonies, vol. 2, 208.

“A vast multitude followed Jesus from the judgment hall to Calvary. The news of His condemnation had spread throughout Jerusalem, and people of all classes and all ranks flocked toward the place of crucifixion.” The Desire of Ages, 741.

Monday

 2 ON THE WAY TO CALVARY

  •  What was Christ’s physical condition after He was flogged the second time? Isaiah 53:4.

Note: “Since the Passover supper with His disciples, He [the Saviour] had taken neither food nor drink. He had agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane in conflict with satanic agencies. He had endured the anguish of the betrayal, and had seen His disciples forsake Him and flee. He had been taken to Annas, then to Caiaphas, and then to Pilate. From Pilate He had been sent to Herod, then sent again to Pilate. From insult to renewed insult, from mockery to mockery, twice tortured by the scourge—all that night there had been scene after scene of a character to try the soul of man to the uttermost. Christ had not failed. He had spoken no word but that tended to glorify God. All through the disgraceful farce of a trial He had borne Himself with firmness and dignity. But when after the second scourging the cross was laid upon Him, human nature could bear no more. He fell fainting beneath the burden.” The Desire of Ages, 742.

  • What accommodation did the soldiers make in order to proceed with their aims and what was the outcome? Matthew 27:32.

Note: “At this time a stranger, Simon a Cyrenian, coming in from the country, meets the throng. He hears the taunts and ribaldry of the crowd; he hears the words contemptuously repeated, Make way for the King of the Jews! He stops in astonishment at the scene; and as he expresses his compassion, they seize him and place the cross upon his shoulders.

“Simon had heard of Jesus. His sons were believers in the Saviour, but he himself was not a disciple. The bearing of the cross to Calvary was a blessing to Simon, and he was ever after grateful for this providence. It led him to take upon himself the cross of Christ from choice, and ever cheerfully stand beneath its burden.” The Desire of Ages, 742.

  • Upon receiving manifestations of human sympathy, what did Jesus prophesy? Luke 23:28–31.

Tuesday

 3 THE CRUCIFIXION

  •  Describe the scene of Calvary and its particularly heart-rending effects upon Jesus’ mother. John 19:25; Mark 15:27, 28.

Note: “Arriving at the place of execution, the prisoners were bound to the instruments of torture. The two thieves wrestled in the hands of those who placed them on the cross; but Jesus made no resistance. The mother of Jesus, supported by John the beloved disciple, had followed the steps of her Son to Calvary. She had seen Him fainting under the burden of the cross, and had longed to place a supporting hand beneath His wounded head, and to bathe that brow which had once been pillowed upon her bosom. But she was not permitted this mournful privilege. With the disciples she still cherished the hope that Jesus would manifest His power, and deliver Himself from His enemies. Again her heart would sink as she recalled the words in which He had foretold the very scenes that were then taking place. As the thieves were bound to the cross, she looked on with agonizing suspense. Would He who had given life to the dead suffer Himself to be crucified? Would the Son of God suffer Himself to be thus cruelly slain? Must she give up her faith that Jesus was the Messiah? Must she witness His shame and sorrow, without even the privilege of ministering to Him in His distress? She saw His hands stretched upon the cross; the hammer and the nails were brought, and as the spikes were driven through the tender flesh, the heart-stricken disciples bore away from the cruel scene the fainting form of the mother of Jesus.” The Desire of Ages, 744.

  • How was the prophecy found in Psalm 22:16–18 fulfilled? John 19:23, 24.

Note: “In the sufferings of Christ upon the cross prophecy was fulfilled. Centuries before the crucifixion, the Saviour had foretold the treatment He was to receive. He said, [Psalm 22:16–18 quoted]. The prophecy concerning His garments was carried out without counsel or interference from the friends or the enemies of the Crucified One. To the soldiers who had placed Him upon the cross, His clothing was given. Christ heard the men’s contention as they parted the garments among them. His tunic was woven throughout without seam, and they said, ‘Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be’ (John 19:24).” The Desire of Ages, 746.

Wednesday

 4 THE KING OF THE JEWS

  •  What three-language inscription was placed on the cross by order of Pilate? John 19:19, 20.
  • How did the Jews react to this action of Pilate? John 19: 21, 22.

Note: “This inscription irritated the Jews. In Pilate’s court they had cried, ‘Crucify Him.’ ‘We have no king but Caesar’ (John 19:15). They had declared that whoever should acknowledge any other king was a traitor. Pilate wrote out the sentiment they had expressed. No offense was mentioned, except that Jesus was the King of the Jews. The inscription was a virtual acknowledgment of the allegiance of the Jews to the Roman power. It declared that whoever might claim to be the King of Israel would be judged by them worthy of death. The priests had overreached themselves. When they were plotting the death of Christ, Caiaphas had declared it expedient that one man should die to save the nation. Now their hypocrisy was revealed. In order to destroy Christ, they had been ready to sacrifice even their national existence.

“The priests saw what they had done, and asked Pilate to change the inscription. They said, ‘Write not, The King of the Jews; but that He said, I am King of the Jews.’ But Pilate was angry with himself because of his former weakness, and he thoroughly despised the jealous and artful priests and rulers. He replied coldly, ‘What I have written I have written’ (verses 21, 22).

“A higher power than Pilate or the Jews had directed the placing of that inscription above the head of Jesus. In the providence of God it was to awaken thought, and investigation of the Scriptures. … It was a living truth, transcribed by a hand that God had guided.” The Desire of Ages, 745, 746.

  • For what did Jesus pray while upon the cross? Luke 23:34.

Note: “That prayer of Christ for His enemies embraced the world. It took in every sinner that had lived or should live, from the beginning of the world to the end of time. Upon all rests the guilt of crucifying the Son of God. To all, forgiveness is freely offered. ‘Whosoever will’ may have peace with God, and inherit eternal life.” The Desire of Ages, 745.

Thursday

 5 IT IS FINISHED

  •  Name one aspect of the noble example Jesus left for His followers. John 19:26, 27.

Note: “O pitiful, loving Saviour; amid all His physical pain and mental anguish, He had a thoughtful care for His mother! He had no money with which to provide for her comfort; but He was enshrined in the heart of John, and He gave His mother to him as a precious legacy. Thus He provided for her that which she most needed—the tender sympathy of one who loved her because she loved Jesus. And in receiving her as a sacred trust, John was receiving a great blessing. She was a constant reminder of his beloved Master.” The Desire of Ages, 752.

  • What cry did Jesus utter and what was its significance? John 19:30.

Note: “When the loud cry, ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30), came from the lips of Christ, the priests were officiating in the temple. It was the hour of the evening sacrifice. The lamb representing Christ had been brought to be slain. Clothed in his significant and beautiful dress, the priest stood with lifted knife, as did Abraham when he was about to slay his son. With intense interest the people were looking on. But the earth trembles and quakes; for the Lord Himself draws near. With a rending noise the inner veil of the temple is torn from top to bottom by an unseen hand, throwing open to the gaze of the multitude a place once filled with the presence of God. …

“All is terror and confusion. The priest is about to slay the victim; but the knife drops from his nerveless hand, and the lamb escapes. Type has met antitype in the death of God’s Son. The great sacrifice has been made. The way into the holiest is laid open. A new and living way is prepared for all.” The Desire of Ages, 756, 757.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How do I respond when I see others in pain and anguish?
2 How can I cultivate forgiveness toward my enemies?
3 What has been my relationship with my parents?
4 How can I carry the cross of Christ?
5 What does the experience of the cross mean to me?

Copyright © 2004 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Scourged and Condemned

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September 10–16, 2017

 Key Text

“He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 698–715; Ibid., 723–740.

Introduction

“Christ did not fail, neither was He discouraged, and His followers are to manifest a faith of the same enduring nature. They are to live as He lived, and work as He worked, because they depend on Him as the great Master Worker.” The Desire of Ages, 679.

Sunday

 1 JESUS BEFORE ANNAS AND CAIAPHAS

  •  After His arrest in Gethsemane, before whom was Jesus violently taken? John 18:12–14; Matthew 26:57.
  • Which disciples watched Christ’s trial from a distance? John 18:15, 16.
  • What question did Annas direct to Jesus, and what answer did He give? John 18:18–21.
  • What did one of Annas’ servants do upon seeing his master reduced to complete silence? John 18:22.

Note: “Annas was silenced by the decision of the answer. Fearing that Christ would say something regarding his course of action that he would prefer to keep covered up, he said nothing more to Him at this time. One of his officers, filled with wrath as he saw Annas silenced, struck Jesus on the face, saying, ‘Answerest Thou the high priest so?’ (John 18:22).” The Desire of Ages, 700.

Monday

 2 JESUS BEFORE PILATE

  •  After the trial by the Sanhedrin, where was Jesus taken? John 18:28, first part; Mark 15:1.
  • What hypocritical and contradictory attitude did the Jewish leaders now assume? John 18:28, last part.
  • What embarrassing question did Pilate put to the Jewish leaders, and what arrogantly evasive answer did he receive? John 18:29, 30.
  • What declaration of Pilate made the situation of the priests even more difficult? John 18:31.
  • Returning to the judgment hall, what question did Pilate ask Jesus, and how did he react to the response? John 18:33–35.
  • How did Jesus clearly identify Himself to Pilate? John 18:36–38.

Note: “Pilate’s golden opportunity had passed. Yet Jesus did not leave him without further light. While He did not directly answer Pilate’s question, He plainly stated His own mission. He gave Pilate to understand that He was not seeking an earthly throne. …

“Pilate had a desire to know the truth. His mind was confused. He eagerly grasped the words of the Saviour, and his heart was stirred with a great longing to know what it really was, and how he could obtain it. ‘What is truth?’ he inquired. But he did not wait for an answer. The tumult outside recalled him to the interests of the hour; for the priests were clamorous for immediate action. Going out to the Jews, he declared emphatically, ‘I find in Him no fault at all’ (John 18:38).” The Desire of Ages, 727.

Tuesday

 3 JESUS BEFORE HEROD

  •  Trying to evade responsibility for Christ’s condemnation, what did Pilate do? Luke 23:5–7.
  • How did Herod feel and what were his thoughts when he saw Jesus? Luke 23:8.
  • What was Jesus attitude in Herod’s presence? Luke 23:9, 10.
  • How did Herod react when he realized that he could not condemn Jesus? Luke 23:11.

Note: “ ‘Herod with his men of war set Him at nought, and mocked Him, and arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe’ (Luke 23:11). The Roman soldiers joined in this abuse. All that these wicked, corrupt soldiers, helped on by Herod and the Jewish dignitaries, could instigate was heaped upon the Saviour. Yet His divine patience failed not.

“Christ’s persecutors had tried to measure His character by their own; they had represented Him as vile as themselves. But back of all the present appearance another scene intruded itself—a scene which they will one day see in all its glory. There were some who trembled in Christ’s presence. While the rude throng were bowing in mockery before Him, some who came forward for that purpose turned back, afraid and silenced. Herod was convicted. The last rays of merciful light were shining upon his sin-hardened heart. He felt that this was no common man; for divinity had flashed through humanity. At the very time when Christ was encompassed by mockers, adulterers, and murderers, Herod felt that he was beholding a God upon His throne.

“Hardened as he was, Herod dared not ratify the condemnation of Christ. He wished to relieve himself of the terrible responsibility, and he sent Jesus back to the Roman judgment hall.” The Desire of Ages, 731.

Wednesday

 4 PILATE’S WEAKNESS

  •  When Jesus was brought back to the court of Pilate, what argument did Pilate present in favor of Jesus? Luke 23:13–15.
  • How did Pilate manifest his weakness and inconsistency in dealing with an innocent man? Luke 23:16.

Note: “[Luke 23:16 quoted.]

“Here Pilate showed his weakness. He had declared that Jesus was innocent, yet he was willing for Him to be scourged to pacify His accusers. He would sacrifice justice and principle in order to compromise with the mob. This placed him at a disadvantage. The crowd presumed upon his indecision, and clamored the more for the life of the prisoner. If at the first Pilate had stood firm, refusing to condemn a man whom he found guiltless, he would have broken the fatal chain that was to bind him in remorse and guilt as long as he lived. Had he carried out his convictions of right, the Jews would not have presumed to dictate to him. Christ would have been put to death, but the guilt would not have rested upon Pilate. But Pilate had taken step after step in the violation of his conscience. He had excused himself from judging with justice and equity, and he now found himself almost helpless in the hands of the priests and rulers. His wavering and indecision proved his ruin.” The Desire of Ages, 731, 732.

  • What other opportunity for enlightenment did God give Pilate? Matthew 27:19.
  • Still thinking to free Jesus, what proposal did Pilate present to the mob? Mark 15:6–10.
  • What did the priests do to ensure Christ’s condemnation? Matthew 27:20.
  • What final choice did the multitude make, and what did Pilate proceed to do? John 18:39, 40; 19:1; Matthew 27:21–23.

Thursday

 5 JUDGMENT

 How did the Roman soldiers contribute to the Saviour’s torture, and how did He respond? John 19:2, 3; Mark 15:16–19.

  • Having wounded Christ before the people, what announcement did Pilate make? John 19:4, 5.
  • What inconsistent proposal did Pilate make to the Jews? John 19:6.
  • What declaration of the Jews filled Pilate with fear? John 19:7, 8.
  • How did Pilate finally yield to the demands of the Jewish leaders? John 19:9–16.

Note: “The greatest guilt and heaviest responsibility belonged to those who stood in the highest places in the nation, the depositaries of sacred trusts that they were basely betraying. Pilate, Herod, and the Roman soldiers were comparatively ignorant of Jesus. They thought to please the priests and rulers by abusing Him. They had not the light which the Jewish nation had so abundantly received. Had the light been given to the soldiers, they would not have treated Christ as cruelly as they did.” The Desire of Ages, 737.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1      How can I apply in my life the lesson learned from the blindness of the Jews concerning defilement?
2      What did the Jews expect of Pilate?
3      What can I learn from the decision of Jesus to remain silent as He did before Herod?
4      What characteristic of Pilate am I in danger of imitating?
5      Who is to blame for the death of the Son of God?

Bible Study Guides – Gethsemane

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September 3 – 9, 2017

 Key Text

“Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it” (John 18:11)?

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 690–697.

Introduction

“The awful moment had come—that moment which was to decide the destiny of the world. The fate of humanity trembled in the balance.” The Desire of Ages, 690.

Sunday

 1 IN GETHSEMANE

  • When He finished His intercessory prayer, where did Jesus go with His disciples, and with what purpose? John 18:1; Matthew 26:36.

Note: “In company with His disciples, the Saviour slowly made His way to the garden of Gethsemane. The Passover moon, broad and full, shone from a cloudless sky. The city of pilgrims’ tents was hushed into silence.

“Jesus had been earnestly conversing with His disciples and instructing them; but as He neared Gethsemane, He became strangely silent. He had often visited this spot for meditation and prayer; but never with a heart so full of sorrow as upon this night of His last agony.” The Desire of Ages, 685.

  • In appealing to three of His disciples to accompany Him, what request did Jesus make, and why? Mark 14:33, 34.

Note: “The working of the vigilant foe in presenting to Christ the vast proportions of transgression, caused such poignant pain that He felt that He could not remain in the immediate presence of any human being. He could not bear that even His disciples should witness His agony as He contemplated the woe of the world. Even His most dearly loved friends must not be in His companionship. The sword of justice was unsheathed, and the wrath of God against iniquity rested upon man’s substitute, Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the Father.” Bible Training School, September 1, 1915.

Monday

 2 DEEP ANGUISH

  •  What is the essence of Christ’s first prayer in Gethsemane? Mark 14:35, 36.

Note: “Christ was now standing in a different attitude from that in which He had ever stood before. His suffering can best be described in the words of the prophet, ‘Awake, O sword, against My shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of hosts’ (Zechariah 13:7). As the substitute and surety for sinful man, Christ was suffering under divine justice. He saw what justice meant. Hitherto He had been as an intercessor for others; now He longed to have an intercessor for Himself.

“As Christ felt His unity with the Father broken up, He feared that in His human nature He would be unable to endure the coming conflict with the powers of darkness. In the wilderness of temptation the destiny of the human race had been at stake. Christ was then conqueror. Now the tempter had come for the last fearful struggle. For this he had been preparing during the three years of Christ’s ministry. Everything was at stake with him. If he failed here, his hope of mastery was lost; the kingdoms of the world would finally become Christ’s; he himself would be overthrown and cast out.” The Desire of Ages, 686, 687.

  • Returning from His prayer, how did Jesus find His disciples? What reproof did He give them? Mark 14:37, 38.

Note: “Rising with painful effort, He staggered to the place where He had left His companions. But He ‘findeth them asleep’ (Matthew 26:40). Had He found them praying, He would have been relieved. Had they been seeking refuge in God, that satanic agencies might not prevail over them, He would have been comforted by their steadfast faith. But they had not heeded the repeated warning, ‘Watch and pray’ (verse 41). At first they had been much troubled to see their Master, usually so calm and dignified, wrestling with a sorrow that was beyond comprehension. They had prayed as they heard the strong cries of the sufferer. They did not intend to forsake their Lord, but they seemed paralyzed by a stupor which they might have shaken off if they had continued pleading with God. They did not realize the necessity of watchfulness and earnest prayer in order to withstand temptation.” The Desire of Ages, 688.

Tuesday

 3 DEEP ANGUISH (continued)

  •  What was Christ’s second prayer, and what were the disciples doing? Matthew 26:42, 43. What prophecy was then fulfilled? Isaiah 52:14.

Note: “A short time before, Jesus had stood like a mighty cedar, withstanding the storm of opposition that spent its fury upon Him. Stubborn wills, and hearts filled with malice and subtlety, had striven in vain to confuse and overpower Him. He stood forth in divine majesty as the Son of God. Now He was like a reed beaten and bent by the angry storm. He had approached the consummation of His work a conqueror, having at each step gained the victory over the powers of darkness. As one already glorified, He had claimed oneness with God. In unfaltering accents He had poured out His songs of praise. He had spoken to His disciples in words of courage and tenderness. Now had come the hour of the power of darkness. Now His voice was heard on the still evening air, not in tones of triumph, but full of human anguish. The words of the Saviour were borne to the ears of the drowsy disciples, ‘O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done’ (Matthew 26:42).” The Desire of Ages, 689, 690.

  • How was the Son of God comforted during that critical hour? Luke 22:43. With what words had Isaiah prophesied of Christ’s anguish and consolation? Isaiah 53:11.

Note: “In this awful crisis, when everything was at stake, when the mysterious cup trembled in the hand of the sufferer, the heavens opened, a light shone forth amid the stormy darkness of the crisis hour, and the mighty angel who stands in God’s presence, occupying the position from which Satan fell, came to the side of Christ. The angel came not to take the cup from Christ’s hand, but to strengthen Him to drink it, with the assurance of the Father’s love. He came to give power to the divine-human suppliant. He pointed Him to the open heavens, telling Him of the souls that would be saved as the result of His sufferings. He assured Him that His Father is greater and more powerful than Satan, that His death would result in the utter discomfiture of Satan, and that the kingdom of this world would be given to the saints of the Most High. He told Him that He would see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied, for He would see a multitude of the human race saved, eternally saved.” The Desire of Ages, 693, 694.

Wednesday

 4 JESUS ARRESTED

  •  Who led the group that arrested Jesus? John 18:2–5.

Note: “Judas the betrayer did not forget the part he was to act. When the mob entered the garden, he had led the way, closely followed by the high priest. To the pursuers of Jesus he had given a sign, saying, ‘Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast’ (Matthew 26:48).” The Desire of Ages, 695.

“The history of Judas presents the sad ending of a life that might have been honored of God. Had Judas died before his last journey to Jerusalem he would have been regarded as a man worthy of a place among the twelve, and one who would be greatly missed. The abhorrence which has followed him through the centuries would not have existed but for the attributes revealed at the close of his history. But it was for a purpose that his character was laid open to the world. It was to be a warning to all who, like him, should betray sacred trusts.” Ibid., 716.

  • What happened to the angry mob when Jesus identified Himself to them? John 18:6.

Note: “No traces of His recent agony were visible as Jesus stepped forth to meet His betrayer. Standing in advance of His disciples He said, ‘Whom seek ye?’ They answered, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus replied, ‘I am He’ (John 18:4, 5). As these words were spoken, the angel who had lately ministered to Jesus moved between Him and the mob. A divine light illuminated the Saviour’s face, and a dovelike form overshadowed Him. In the presence of this divine glory, the murderous throng could not stand for a moment. They staggered back. Priests, elders, soldiers, and even Judas, fell as dead men to the ground.

“The angel withdrew, and the light faded away. Jesus had opportunity to escape, but He remained, calm and self-possessed. As one glorified He stood in the midst of that hardened band, now prostrate and helpless at His feet. The disciples looked on, silent with wonder and awe.” The Desire of Ages, 694.

Thursday

 5 CHRIST’S ARREST

  •  What did Peter do when he saw that Jesus was ready to give Himself up without resistance, and how did Jesus admonish him? John 18:7–11; Luke 22:49, 50.

Note: “The disciples had thought that their Master would not suffer Himself to be taken. For the same power that had caused the mob to fall as dead men could keep them helpless, until Jesus and His companions should escape. They were disappointed and indignant as they saw the cords brought forward to bind the hands of Him whom they loved. Peter in his anger rashly drew his sword and tried to defend his Master, but he only cut off an ear of the high priest’s servant.” The Desire of Ages, 696.

  • What miracle did Jesus perform at that very moment? Luke 22:51.

Note: “When Jesus saw what was done, He released His hands, though held firmly by the Roman soldiers, and saying, ‘Suffer ye thus far’ (Luke 22:51). He touched the wounded ear, and it was instantly made whole.” The Desire of Ages, 696.

  • Describe what happened with the chief priests, captains, and elders. Luke 22:52, 53; John 18:12.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1      What appeal of Christ is especially valid to me today?
2      What kind of response should Christ’s experience in Gethsemane bring to my heart?
3      How can I avoid natural reactions such as was manifested by Peter at the arrest of Jesus?
4      What was the principal cause of Christ’s anguish?
5      How did the multitude react before the angel’s glory?

Copyright © 2004 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Christ Prays for His Disciples

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August 27 – September 2, 2017

 Key Text

“I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me” (John 17:23).

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 685–690.

Introduction

“The knowledge of God as revealed in Christ is the knowledge that all who are saved must have.” The Acts of the Apostles, 475.

Sunday

 1 RESULTS OF KNOWING CHRIST

  •  Having concluded His instructions to the disciples, for what did Jesus pray? John 17:1–3.

Note: “The knowledge of God as revealed in Christ is the knowledge that all who are saved must have. This is the knowledge that works transformation of character. Received into the life, it will re-create the soul in the image of Christ. This is the knowledge that God invites His children to receive, beside which all else is vanity and nothingness.” The Acts of the Apostles, 475.

  • Compare Hosea 6:3 with John 17:3 to understand the result of knowing Christ.

Note: “ ‘This is life eternal,’ Christ declared, ‘that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent’ (John 17:3). These words mean much. It is only by knowing Christ that we can know God. The Sent of God calls upon all to listen to these words. They are the words of God, and all should give heed to them; for by them they will be judged. To know Christ savingly is to be vitalized by spiritual knowledge, to practise [sic] His words. Without this, all else is valueless.” The Signs of the Times, January 27, 1898.

Monday

 2 PREPARATION OF SUCCESSORS

  •  Concerning the words of Christ, what conviction did the disciples reach as a result of their association with Him? John 7:17; 17:7.
  • What did Jesus then declare about the belief of the apostles? John 17:8. How do these words apply to us today?

Note: “[John 17:3, 8 quoted.] Here is the work laid before us, to be representatives of Christ, as He in our world was the representative of the Father. We are to teach the words given us in the lessons of Christ. … We are in the antitypical day of atonement, and not only are we to humble our hearts before God and confess our sins but we are, by all our educating talent, to seek to instruct those with whom we are brought in contact, and to bring them by precept and example to know God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent.” Christian Education, 157.

  • In whose behalf, specifically, did Jesus offer His prayer in John 17? John 17:9.

Note: “He [our great High Priest] is making intercession for the most lowly, the most oppressed and suffering, for the most tried and tempted ones.” The Review and Herald, August 15, 1893.

  • How is Jesus glorified through His disciples? John 17:10, 11. What is necessary in order for this work to occur?

Note: “Only as they were united with Christ could the disciples hope to have the accompanying power of the Holy Spirit and the cooperation of angels of heaven. With the help of these divine agencies they would present before the world a united front and would be victorious in the conflict they were compelled to wage unceasingly against the powers of darkness. As they should continue to labor unitedly, heavenly messengers would go before them, opening the way; hearts would be prepared for the reception of truth, and many would be won to Christ.” The Acts of the Apostles, 90, 91.

Tuesday

 3 UNITED IN CHRIST

  •  In the prayer of Christ, what point is repeatedly mentioned as essential for the church? John 17:21–23.

Note: “He [Christ] prays that His disciples may be one, even as He and the Father are one; and this unity of believers is to be as testimony to the world that He has sent us, and that we bear the evidence of His grace.

“We are to be brought into a sacred nearness with the world’s Redeemer. We are to be one with Christ, as He is one with the Father. What a wonderful change the people of God experience in coming into unity with the Son of God! We are to have our tastes, inclinations, ambitions, and passions all subdued, and brought into harmony with the mind and spirit of Christ. This is the very work that the Lord is willing to do for those who believe in Him. Our life and deportment are to have a molding power in the world. The spirit of Christ is to have a controlling influence over the life of His followers, so that they will speak and act like Jesus.” The Review and Herald, July 2, 1889.

  • How can church unity be achieved and maintained? 1John 1:7.

Note: “A union of believers with Christ will as a natural result lead to a union with one another, which bond of union is the most enduring upon earth. We are one in Christ, as Christ is one with the Father. Christians are branches, and only branches, in the living Vine. One branch is not to borrow its sustenance from another. Our life must come from the parent vine. It is only by personal union with Christ, by communion with Him daily, hourly, that we can bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 47, 48.

“The success of our work depends upon our love to God and our love to our fellowmen. When there is harmonious action among the individual members of the church, when there is love and confidence manifested by brother to brother, there will be proportionate force and power in our work for the salvation of men. Oh, how greatly we need a moral renovation! Without the faith that works by love, you can do nothing. May the Lord give you hearts to receive this testimony.”

Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 188.

Wednesday

 4 NOT OF THE WORLD

  •  What does Christ say concerning His disciples and the world? John 17:13, 14; 1John 2:15; James 4:4.

Note: “The early Christians were indeed a peculiar people. Their blameless deportment and unswerving faith were a continual reproof that disturbed the sinner’s peace. Though few in numbers, without wealth, position, or honorary titles, they were a terror to evildoers wherever their character and doctrines were known. Therefore they were hated by the wicked, even as Abel was hated by the ungodly Cain. For the same reason that Cain slew Abel, did those who sought to throw off the restraint of the Holy Spirit, put to death God’s people. It was for the same reason that the Jews rejected and crucified the Saviour—because the purity and holiness of His character was a constant rebuke to their selfishness and corruption. From the days of Christ until now His faithful disciples have excited the hatred and opposition of those who love and follow the ways of sin.” The Great Controversy, 46.

  • What is God’s plan for His children as far as the influences of the world are concerned? John 17:15, 16.

Note: “By His own example the Saviour has shown that His followers can be in the world and yet not of the world. He came not to partake of its delusive pleasures, to be swayed by its customs, and to follow its practices, but to do His Father’s will, to seek and save the lost. With this object before him the Christian may stand uncontaminated in any surroundings. Whatever his station or circumstances, exalted or humble, he will manifest the power of true religion in the faithful performance of duty.” The Acts of the Apostles, 467.

“It is impossible for any to discern the truth while the world has their affections. The world comes between them and God, beclouding the vision and benumbing the sensibilities to such a degree that it is impossible for them to discern sacred things.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 530, 531.

Thursday

 5 THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM

  •  Whom else did Christ include in His mediatory prayer? John 17:20.

Note: “All that Christ was to the disciples, He desires to be to His children today; for in that last prayer, with the little band of disciples gathered about Him, He said, ‘Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word’ (John 17:20).” Steps to Christ, 75.

  • What assurance do we have that Christ’s watchcare, through the Holy Spirit, is over us today? John 14:16.

Note: “The words spoken to the disciples are spoken also to us. The Comforter is ours as well as theirs. The Spirit furnishes the strength that sustains striving, wrestling souls in every emergency, amidst the hatred of the world, and the realization of their own failures and mistakes. In sorrow and affliction, when the outlook seems dark and the future perplexing, and we feel helpless and alone—these are the times when, in answer to the prayer of faith, the Holy Spirit brings comfort to the heart.” The Acts of the Apostles, 51.

  • What desire did Jesus manifest in behalf of His people at the end of His prayer? John 17:24.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1      What can I do to promote unity among the believers?
2      How can I benefit from Christ’s prayer in behalf of His disciples?
3      In what ways can I develop a deeper knowledge of the name of God?
4      Explain Christ’s saying: “They are not of this world.”
5      What can I do to glorify Christ more fully?

Copyright © 2004 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Recipe – Date Paste

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1 cup pitted dates, packed ½ cup hot water
Combine dates and hot water in bowl. Let soak about 5 minutes. Place dates and liquid in blender and process until completely smooth. Store in closed container in refrigerator. Use in place of sugar in favorite recipes, as a spread or dip on fruit pieces.

Food – The Delectable Date

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Wonderfully delicious, bursting with natural sugars and intense flavors, dates provide a storehouse of energy and life-sustaining nutrition.

Crowning the tops of towering, slender palm trees, dates grow in heavy clusters of oblong amber to deep brown fruits, 200 or more in a cluster weighing up to 25 pounds. The tree, growing to an impressive height of 100 feet, produces 100 to 300 pounds of fruit annually, often living more than 100 years.

Date palms are some of the oldest cultivated plants in recorded history. Since biblical times, the date was believed to possess profound healing properties. Science today is finally catching up in confirming its powerful medicinal benefits:

Rich in potassium: Found to be a very rich source of potassium, dates help reduce cholesterol, lowering the risk of stroke. Potassium is an important element of cell and body fluids that help regulate heart rate and support healthy blood pressure.

Rich in magnesium: Dates contain high levels of magnesium, a mineral known for its anti-inflammatory benefits, effectively reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and other inflammation-related health ailments, as well as lowering blood pressure.

Excellent source of iron: Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside red blood cells, determines the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. About 10 dates supplies 11 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of iron.

Rich in other minerals; moderate in vitamins: Dates, rich in calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium and copper, provide minerals for supporting strong bone health and fighting osteoporosis. They contain moderate levels of B-complex vitamins with B-6 topping the list, aiding in the metabolism of food and the formation of new blood cells, as well as improving brain performance. Dates are infused with Vitamin A, known to have antioxidant properties essential for vision, to be effective against macular degeneration and night blindness, and is also required in maintaining healthy mucous membranes and skin.

High in fiber: Because of the whopping fiber content, dates are an effective natural remedy for constipation. They can also alleviate diarrhea as their high levels of soluble fiber and potassium provide bulk. Consistent intake helps to inhibit the growth of pathogens in the digestive tract, while enhancing the growth of beneficial bacteria. Just four dates provide nearly 7 grams of fiber.

Pregnant and Nursing Mothers: “In a 2011 study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, women who ate 6 dates a day for 4 weeks prior to their delivery date had improved cervical dilation, less damage to membranes, more spontaneous and shorter labor times and required less drugs.” www.naturalhealth365.com/benefits-of-dates-1974.html

Dieticians consider dates the best food for breast-feeding mothers, as they contain components that enrich breast milk with nutrients needed for healthy child development and resistance to disease.

These little nutrition bombs, consumed in moderation, can be used to sweeten recipes in place of sugar. Use as an adhesive agent in raw baking and in energy bars; add to cereals and fruit salads or use to mask greens in smoothies; stuff with nuts and roll in coconut. Its buttery, caramely sweet flavor and beneficial health qualities will bring natural sweetness to food and wellness to the body.

 

Recipe

Date Paste
1 cup pitted dates, packed ½ cup hot water
Combine dates and hot water in bowl. Let soak about 5 minutes. Place dates and liquid in blender and process until completely smooth. Store in closed container in refrigerator. Use in place of sugar in favorite recipes, as a spread or dip on fruit pieces.