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Health Nugget – It’s a Big Job to Run a Body

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Do you ever say, “I’m dog tired—don’t feel like I could do another thing. I’m just too bushed to eat.”

Well, no wonder. In addition to your regular job, if you are an adult of about average weight, it has been estimated that every 24 hours

  • Your heart beats 103,689 times
  • Your blood travels 168 million miles
  • You breathe 23,040 times
  • You inhale 438 cubic feet of air
  • You eat 3¼ pounds of food
  • You drink 2.9 quarts of liquids
  • You eliminate 7/8 of a pound of waste
  • You move 750 muscles, some of them subconsciously but constantly
  • You exercise 7,000,000 brain cells
  • You speak 7,800 words, not all of them necessary, of course

Did you ever consider how perfectly your body is timed and controlled? How does it maintain a normal temperature of 98.6 degrees, how is the blood pressure regulated just right, why do you breathe an average of 16 times and your heart beat 72 times a minute? How is food chemically digested and the nutritive part transformed into body tissue—bone and muscle, blood and skin, hair and nails—and properly distributed, while wastes and poisons are eliminated with no ill effects?

Adapted from Abundant Living.

“Life is a gift of God. Our bodies have been given us to use in God’s service, and He desires that we shall care for and appreciate them. Our bodies must be kept in the best possible condition physically, and under the most spiritual influences. …

“A pure, healthy life is most favorable for the perfection of Christian character and for the development of the powers of mind and body. …

“The harmonious, healthy action of all the powers of body and mind results in happiness; the more elevated and refined the powers, the more pure and unalloyed the happiness.” My Life Today, 125

“But now, Oh Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8

The human body contains trillions of cells, 78 organs, and over 60,000 miles of blood vessels, if stretched from end-to-end. Amazingly, they all work together to keep you alive.

Each of the 78 organs belongs to one of ten body systems. A body system is a group of parts that work together to serve a common purpose. These systems interconnect and depend upon each other to function. This is known as homeostasis and the process causes all these systems to maintain internal stability and balance. A disease or problem in one body system can disrupt homeostasis and consequently cause trouble in other body systems. For example, the heart does not beat unless the brain and nervous system tell it to, and the skeletal system is dependent on the nutrients gained from the digestive system to enable it to build strong, healthy bones.

The ten body systems are:

  1. Circulatory
  2. Respiratory
  3. Nervous
  4. Muscular
  5. Skeletal
  6. Digestive
  7. Endocrine (hormones)
  8. Lymphatic, or immune system
  9. Reproductive
  10. Integumentary (skin, hair)

So let’s see how this all works. The circulatory system consists of the heart and a complex network of blood vessels that run throughout the body. The heart pumps blood through the blood vessels and this performs a function that works with other systems. As the blood passes through the digestive system, it picks up nutrients absorbed from your last meal and these are delivered to the skeletal, muscular, and integumentary systems to help make body tissue. Oxygen taken in by the lungs, part of the respiratory system, is absorbed into the blood vessels and is carried back to the heart (because the muscles of the heart cannot function without oxygen), and ultimately to the brain—we all know what happens if there is a lack of oxygen in the brain. The brain regulates heart rate and blood pressure and the position of your bones by controlling the muscles. The circulatory system also carries hormones from the endocrine system and white blood cells from the immune system to help fight off infection. It also picks up waste products, including carbon dioxide, and carries them off to the kidneys and lungs for disposal.

Adapted from How the Body Systems are Connected by The Live Better Team at reverehealth.com

“Our bodies are a wonderful exhibition of God’s incomprehensible skill and unceasing goodness. They are not to be trifled with. With all the power of a sanctified mind and a purified soul, they are to be consecrated to God.” The Signs of the Times, April 4, 1900

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.” Psalm 139:14

“We are in a world that is opposed to righteousness and purity of character and to a growth in grace. Wherever we look, we see corruption and defilement, deformity and sin. And what is the work that we are to undertake here just previous to receiving immortality? It is to preserve our bodies holy, our spirits pure, that we may stand forth unstained amid the corruptions teeming around us in these last days. And if this work is accomplished, we need to engage in it at once, heartily and understandingly.” Counsels on Health, 44, 45

“God is the great caretaker of the human machinery. In the care of our bodies we must cooperate with Him. Love for God is essential for life and health. In order to have perfect health our hearts must be filled with hope, and love, and joy.” God’s Amazing Grace, 147

Question – How can I be a “man after God’s own heart?”

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Question:

How can I be a “man after God’s own heart?”

Answer:

“I was shown that it was when David was pure, and walking in the counsel of God, that God called him a man after His own heart. When David departed from God, and stained his virtuous character by his crimes, he was no longer a man after God’s own heart. … God would not justify anyone in transgressing His commandments, but that He will surely punish the guilty, however righteous, and favored of God they might once have been while they followed the Lord in purity of heart. …” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4a, 87

“[T]he history of David furnishes no countenance to sin. It was when he was walking in the counsel of God that he was called a man after God’s own heart. When he sinned, this ceased to be true of him until by repentance he had returned to the Lord. …

“Though David repented of his sin, and was forgiven and accepted by the Lord, he reaped the baleful harvest of the seed he himself had sown. … His authority in his own household, his claim to respect and obedience from his sons, was weakened. A sense of his guilt kept him silent when he should have condemned sin; it made his arm feeble to execute justice in his house. …

“Those who, by pointing to the example of David, try to lessen the guilt of their own sins, should learn from the Bible record that the way of transgression is hard. Though like David they should turn from their evil course, the results of sin, even in this life, will be found bitter and hard to bear.” Conflict and Courage, 180

“When the righteous turn from their righteousness to do evil, their past righteousness will not save them from the wrath of a just and holy God.” Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce, 95

[Emphasis supplied]

Nature – Land-Building Mangroves

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Some shores are built by trees. The unique mangroves grow in places where other trees and shrubs cannot survive—in the wet, salty world of tide-washed tropical and subtropical seas. Along such coasts, mangroves have created virtual jungles on stilts.

Most trees produce seeds that do not sprout immediately, even if they are planted. But one of several mangrove species, the red mangrove, produces exceptional seeds—they sprout while they are still attached to the branch. A root bursts through the fruit and forms a long, dagger-like point that may reach nine inches in length. When the seed finally detaches from the branch, it falls, often planting itself upright in the soft, muddy bottom.

A mangrove seedling floats horizontally in the water, like a well-designed canoe. (You may see one drifting along a tropical beach.) The seedling can float for months, unaffected by salt water, scorching sun, and battering waves—and even continue to grow. Its sharp root tip turns downward; if the seedling strikes land, it quickly sends roots into the soil. New roots emerge in tiers that extend out and downward from the trunk, forming arches, called prop roots, that resemble umbrella stays. The prop roots may send up new trunks where they touch the ground. Red mangroves are so well braced that they can usually weather hurricanes that flatten other trees.

In 20 or 30 years, the red mangrove reaches its maximum height of about 30 feet. The profusion of prop roots and new tree trunks form a dense, interlacing mesh that traps sediment, plants, and debris. Soon a swamp is formed at the edge of the sea. Gradually, as more mangroves sprout up, new land is created. Every year, the land advances a few inches into the sea.

There is a definite sequence to the seaward march of a mangrove swamp. In the Florida Keys, where mangroves have built vast areas of new land and new islands, you will see the youngest and smallest red mangroves growing next to the water. Their roots are usually submerged, except during the lowest tides. Behind them, washed only by high tide, are the taller mangroves, which grow to 70 feet. Their thick branches and dark, dense foliage form a nearly solid canopy.

Trees and other plants more typical of the land grow behind the mangroves, but in the swamps, mangroves usually crowd out other vegetation. Numerous animals depend on mangroves for protection and support. Oysters attach themselves to the prop roots, where they are covered by high tides. At night these oyster beds are raided by raccoons. Fiddler crabs burrow in the mud between the roots; starfish move slowly over the muddy surface. High up in the dense canopy, large colonies of pelicans and herons may roost and nest. But even while one mangrove swamp, with its dependent animal life, pushes slowly out to sea, another one may be just beginning where a single seedling washes against a distant shore.

Joy of Nature, Reader’s Digest Association, ©1977, 132, 133.

“The plant grows by receiving that which God has provided to sustain its life. It sends down its roots into the earth. It drinks in the sunshine, the dew, and the rain. It receives the life-giving properties from the air. So the Christian is to grow by cooperating with the divine agencies. … As the plant takes root in the soil, so we are to take deep root in Christ. As the plant receives the sunshine, the dew, and the rain, we are to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 66, 67.

Testimony – The Lifeline

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Here in Maine, as the winter draws near, almost everyone who knits or crochets takes out their needles to begin projects of hats, mittens, shawls, or sweaters.

Sometimes what appears to be a simple pattern can end up a tangled mess if a lifeline isn’t used. I have been overconfident many times telling myself, “I don’t need that, I’ll find my way.” What a mistake! A lifeline while knitting provides a foolproof way of knowing where I am in the pattern if I become distracted as to what row I am on, losing my way. However, this can all be avoided. Taking the time to run a colored piece of yarn through all the stitches on the knitting needle every few rows can save the frustration of getting lost. I learned, through much trial and error, that using the lifeline is not an option but a necessity. If I get lost, all I have to do is tear back to the stitches held on the lifeline, pick up those stitches, and I will know what row to begin anew. The stitches held on the lifeline cannot move, nor is one stitch lost until those stitches are picked up on the needle, then, and only then, can the lifeline be pulled through, no longer needed until it is again inserted several rows below to once again secure where I am in the pattern.

Our relationship to Jesus can be illustrated in much the same way. If we are overconfident, carelessly going about our day without taking time to read our Bibles and pray, Satan will make certain we lose our way, as we become lost in our own destructive patterns and old habits we thought we had conquered. We can so easily sin and lose our way by compromising and not paying attention. As the hours and days pass, Jesus, our lifeline, can seem faint and almost invisible, as we travel on our own way in self-confidence without Him. As we become more entangled, life becomes more difficult as we try in our own strength to get back to our lifeline. What seems a few short steps away, can take many steps to return. Jesus is our pattern, our light and strength in every time of need. He is our lifeline, and only He knows the path we must travel to get to the kingdom. He will keep us, through prayer and Bible study, from becoming lost. We should not let distractions interfere in our Christian experience, losing time and distance to our heavenly home. Hold on, my fellow Christian, to Jesus. Hold on to the Lifeline, Jesus Christ, making your salvation sure.

Keys to the Storehouse – The Bummer Lamb

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It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes a ewe will give birth to a lamb and reject it. And once a ewe rejects one of her lambs, any attempt to return the lamb to her will fail because she never changes her mind.

As a consequence, the little lamb’s spirit is completely broken, and it will hang its head so low that it looks like something is wrong with its neck. This poor, heartbroken creature is called a “bummer lamb.”

The shepherd must intervene or the bummer lamb, rejected and alone, will die. So, the shepherd himself takes the lamb into his home, hand feeds it, and keeps it warm by the fire. He will wrap it in blankets and hold it to his chest so that the lamb can hear his heartbeat.

Once the lamb is strong enough, the shepherd will place it back in the field with the rest of the flock where it finds its place, but that lamb, even after it is grown, never forgets how the shepherd cared for it when it was rejected.

From that point forward, when the shepherd calls for the flock to come, can you guess who is the first to respond? The bummer lamb immediately recognizes the voice of the shepherd because it intimately knows that voice. The bummer lamb is not loved more by the shepherd, rather, it is that the lamb has simply learned who loves it.

All of us can claim to know what it is like to be a bummer lamb. Rejected, friendless, disrespected by those who are supposed to care for us, there are many reasons a person might feel this way from time to time. But we have a Shepherd who provides for our every need and holds us close to His heart.

“ ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. … I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.’ ” John 10:11, 14. Jesus says that He is the Good Shepherd, that He loves His sheep, and that they hear and know His voice.

We may be broken, but we are deeply loved by the Shepherd.

“The relation of Christ to His people is compared to a shepherd. He saw, after the fall, His sheep in a pitiable condition, exposed to sure destruction. He left the honors and glory of His Father’s house to become a shepherd, to save the miserable, wandering sheep, who were ready to perish. His winning voice was heard calling them to His fold, a safe and sure retreat from the hand of robbers; also a shelter from the scorching heat, and a protection from the chilling blasts. His care was continually exercised for the good of His sheep. He strengthened the weak, nourished the suffering, and gathered the lambs of the flock in His arms, and carried them in His bosom. His sheep love Him. He goeth before His sheep, and they hear His voice, and follow Him.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 1, 113, 114

Lord, thank You for Your loving kindness and care. Help us to always hear and heed Your voice.

Adapted from Robbie Boyd at gospelfocused.com/embracingbrokenness.org

Inspiration – Time of Sealing Soon Over

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“I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

John 9:4

The sealing time is very short, and will soon be over. Now is the time, while the four angels are holding the four winds, to make our calling and election sure.

I was pointed down to the time when the third angel’s message was closing. The power of God had rested upon His people; they had accomplished their work and were prepared for the trying hour before them.

They had received the latter rain, or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and the living testimony had been revived. The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it had stirred up and enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would not receive the message.

I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a writer’s inkhorn by his side returned from the earth and reported to Jesus that his work was done, and the saints were numbered and sealed. Then I saw Jesus … throw down the censer. He raised His hands, and with a loud voice said, “It is done.”

I also saw that many do not realize what they must be in order to live in the sight of the Lord without a high priest in the sanctuary through the time of trouble. Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully.

I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of “refreshing” and the “latter rain” to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter!

When Jesus leaves the sanctuary, then they who are holy and righteous will be holy and righteous still; for all their sins will then be blotted out, and they will be sealed with the seal of the living God. But those that are unjust and filthy will be unjust and filthy still; for then there will be no Priest in the sanctuary to offer their sacrifices, their confessions, and their prayers before the Father’s throne. Therefore what is done to rescue souls from the coming storm of wrath must be done before Jesus leaves the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. Maranatha, 242

Story – The Sunshine Basket

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Jennie Grant lay on a cot near the window. She had been lying in that same place for many weeks. One of her legs was shorter than the other, and the doctor had fastened a heavy weight to it in order to make it grow. But she must be still all the time.

Every morning before her father went to work, he moved her cot close to the window so she could look out. There was not much to see, for the buildings were high. But she loved to watch the swallows against the sky, and there was a flock of doves that often alighted on the roof across the way. Still she became very tired with nothing to do and no one to play with.

One day Mrs. Brightly came to see if she could help her. On the way home, she was busy thinking about Jennie. Suddenly she said to herself, “I know what I’ll do. There are my two little sisters who have plenty of money and hardly ever think of anyone but themselves, and there are some other little neighbors. We will have a little ‘Sunshine Band,’ and make her happy, and the children will enjoy doing something for someone who needs help. They will find that ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

She wrote notes to the girls, asking them to come to her house Monday afternoon. Then she told them the plan. They decided to fill a pretty basket to stand by Jennie’s bed, and take it to her on her birthday. Everything was to be put in packages, so her pleasure would last a long time, and everything was to be something for Jennie to do. Week after week they met and worked on the articles for the basket. They enjoyed it so much that they could hardly wait for Jennie’s birthday to come.

In the basket was a little jointed doll, and in the box with her were bits of bright silk and muslin, a little needlebook, thread, needles, and scissors, so that Jennie could make doll’s clothes. In another package were a box of paints and a book of pictures to color. They knew that Jennie would like to do something for someone else, so they made some little books of cotton fabric, and all the girls brought pictures for Jennie to cut out and paste in the books. When the books were made, they were to be sent to the hospital for sick children. One girl brought some sheets of paper dolls for her to cut out. Another brought a puzzle to be put together. They wrote a note to go with each package.

One bright morning when Jennie opened her eyes, she remembered it was her birthday. The first thing she saw was a big basket beside her bed, and on top a label that said, “Reach in and take out a package when you don’t know what else to do. From ‘The Sunshiners.’ ”

Just then Jennie’s mother came in with her breakfast.

“Oh, Mother!” exclaimed Jennie, “how can I wait till after breakfast before I reach in my hand? What do you suppose is in the basket?”

I am afraid Jennie did not eat much breakfast, but she waited until Mother had washed her face and brushed her hair, and father had moved her cot to the window.

At last the time came when she had “nothing to do.” Then she put her hand under the cover of the basket and felt the bundles. She took out the first one she felt; and which do you suppose it was? It was the little box that held the doll. On the top it said, “I am little orphan Arabella, and I am looking for a mamma to dress me.”

Jennie had a delightful time cutting out patterns and making clothes for little orphan Arabella. She did not open any more of her bundles for a day or two, for she wanted to make them last. And they did last for several weeks.

The girls enjoyed their giving so much that they decided to be “Sunshiners” all the year round, and they asked Jennie to be a member of the society. She could quickly think of nice things to do. Months later, when the weight was taken off her foot and she was able to walk, she was always finding someone to help and make happy, as every true “Sunshiner” should.

True Education Reader, Fourth Grade, ©1931, 272–275.

Be An Enoch

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Years ago, I heard a sweet story. I thought it so beautifully represented how the way we walk with Jesus while here on earth shows the depth of our relationship with Him, and the potential outcome for those who will live their lives following His leading. It went something like this:

A teacher was telling the children in her Sabbath School class about Enoch. She asked if any of them remembered what the Bible said about Enoch and how he had “walked with God.” One little girl raised her hand and the teacher motioned for her to stand.

The little girl said that every day Enoch would take a walk in nature. He would study and pray and meet with God there. They would spend time together walking and talking and at the end of the day, Enoch would return to his home and God would return to His. Each day they journeyed together, they would walk farther and farther from Enoch’s home.

Finally, at the end of a particular day, they realized that they had walked together all the way to God’s house, so God said to Enoch, “Stay with Me.” And Enoch said “Yes.” And that is how, at least according to a little girl, God took Enoch to be with Him.

We find the brief story of Enoch in Genesis 5 beginning in verse 18: “Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and begot Enoch.” Picking up in verses 21–24, “Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.”

Enoch lived at a time when, because of the longevity of man, there were nine generations living on the earth at the same time. Enoch had the privilege of hearing the history of creation and sin directly from Adam. A line of holy men, ‘preservers of the true faith’ developed over the centuries from the creation and Fall to the Flood. These men loved and feared God and kept His commandments. Theirs was a great and holy mission on this earth—to develop a righteous character and to teach godliness. They preached righteousness, reproved sin, and warned of a coming judgment. Enoch was one of these men.

For three hundred years, Enoch’s life was one of prayer and faithful, daily communion with God. While he was a preacher to the wicked of the world, he would also, at times, remove himself from their presence because he feared their influence. He was the humblest of men, ever recognizing his own weaknesses and imperfection as he communed with the divine greatness and perfection of God, and his faith grew. He carried the message of God’s love and judgment to the land where Cain had sought refuge from God, as well as to the sons of God.

“For three hundred years Enoch had been seeking purity of soul, that he might be in harmony with heaven. For three centuries he had walked with God. Day by day he had longed for a closer union; nearer and nearer had grown the communion, until God took him to Himself. He had stood at the threshold of the eternal world, only a step between him and the land of the blest; and now the portals opened, the walk with God, so long pursued on earth, continued, and he passed through the gates of the Holy City—the first from among men to enter there.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 87

“Enoch’s walk with God was not in a trance or a vision, but in all the duties of his daily life. He did not become a hermit, shutting himself entirely from the world; for he had a work to do for God in the world. In the family and in his intercourse with men, as a husband and father, a friend, a citizen, he was the steadfast, unwavering servant of the Lord. … And this holy walk was continued for three hundred years.

“[Enoch] was of one mind with God. … If we are of one mind with God, our will will be swallowed up in God’s will, and we shall follow wherever God leads the way. As a loving child places his hand in that of his father, and walks with him in perfect trust whether it is dark or bright, so the sons and daughters of God are to walk with Jesus through joy or sorrow.” Ibid., 85

During his life, Enoch sought for purity of heart and conformity to the will of God. He focused on eternal treasures rather than those of this world. As he loved his own child, he grew to understand the unfathomable love of God for His children. Prayer, for him, was the very breath of his soul and he sought for a clearer, deeper knowledge of God. Enoch walked with God, but not just on a physical, daily walk in nature. He walked with a heart devoted to God’s service, with a knowledge of his own need for purity, with a mind, heart, and soul turned heavenward. By communing with God, Enoch became more and more like Him and reflected that divine image to the world.

“A character formed according to the divine likeness is the only treasure that we can take from this world to the next. Those who are under the instruction of Christ in this world will take every divine attainment with them to the heavenly mansions. And in heaven we are continually to improve. How important, then, is the development of character in this life.

“As the will of man cooperates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in His strength. All His biddings are enablings.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 332, 333

“We are to keep the Lord ever before us. Those who do this, walk with God as did Enoch, and imperceptibly to themselves, they become one with the Father and with the Son. Day by day a change is wrought upon mind and hearts, and the natural inclination, the natural ways, are molded after God’s ways and Spirit. … They reflect to the world the character of Christ, and abiding in Him, and He in them, they fulfill the mission for which they were called to be the children of God. …” Living the Life of Enoch, 50

“The heavenly intelligences will work with the human agent who seeks with determined faith that perfection of character which will reach out to perfection in action. To everyone engaged in this work Christ says, I am at your right hand to help you.

Satan had said that there was no reward for the righteous and no punishment for the wicked. In translating Enoch, God showed to the universe what He will do for those who keep His commandments. Satan said that man could not keep God’s law, and yet, in the midst of this degenerate time in the world’s history, surrounded by evil that would lead to the destruction of all of mankind with the exclusion of only eight, Enoch lived a perfect life. Enoch is proof that there is a joyful and glorious life awaiting those who love and obey God.

“The Lord draws people close to His side, to walk with them, to work with them, to teach them how He overcame every temptation in humanity, and how, therefore, they may overcome through the provision the Lord has made. With every temptation there is a way of escape, by walking humbly with God. Without faith, ever increasing faith, it is impossible to please God. …

“In their fallen nature people can do the very things God expects them to do through the help provided for them. They can walk and work and live by faith in the Son of God. … He designs that they shall possess the character of God by obeying His law, the expression of His divine character. …” Christ Triumphant, 53

“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him’, for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Hebrews 11:5

“The follower of Christ must have faith abiding in the heart; for without this it is impossible to please God. Faith is the hand that takes hold of infinite help; it is the medium by which the renewed heart is made to beat in unison with the heart of Christ.” Messages to Young People, 103

“In every phase of your character building you are to please God. This you may do; for Enoch pleased Him though living in a degenerate age. And there are Enochs in this our day. …” Reflecting Christ, 299

Be an Enoch.

Judy Rebarchek is a member of the LandMarks team. She may be contacted by email at: judyrebarchek@stepstolife.org

Perfection

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How many times have we heard or said “Only God is perfect,” and yet, God calls us to reach perfection of character. I have seen people absolutely horrified at the idea that man could actually be perfect this side of heaven, but Mrs. White says that we are to be as perfect in our sphere as God is in His. We are told repeatedly that we must be overcomers; we must be justified and sanctified.

I want to suggest that we do not have to be afraid of the word perfect or any of its derivatives—perfection, perfectionism, perfectionist. And here’s why.

When used as a noun, the word perfection means the quality or condition of being perfect. But when it is used as a verb, it means the act or process of perfecting. As an adjective it means the highest degree of a quality. As a philosophy, perfection is a doctrine holding that religious, moral, social, or political perfection is attainable, especially the theory that human moral or spiritual perfection should be or has been attained. A perfectionist is a person who is displeased by anything that does not meet very high standards. And perfectionism is the disposition that regards anything short of perfection as unacceptable.

Now it is true that in this world, perfection has been distorted and misused, even abused. But from the perspective of the Bible and what God requires, we should not be afraid of achieving perfection. God means for us to have a perfected character in order to be with Him for eternity and it is a character that must be developed here, before He comes.

“A heavenly character must be acquired upon earth … or you will never possess it; therefore you should engage at once in the work which you have to do. You should labor earnestly to obtain a fitness for heaven. …” Testimonies, Vol. 2, 430

“A character formed according to the divine likeness is the only treasure that we can take from this world to the next. Those who are under the instruction of Christ in this world will take every divine attainment with them to the heavenly mansions. And in heaven we are continually to improve. How important, then, is the development of character in this life.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 332

Perfection seen as the action or process of improving something until it is faultless is sanctification. Think of what Jesus said to the woman caught in sin, brought to Him by her accusers. Accused of sin by the world, but forgiven by God, He said, “ ‘… Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’ ” John 8:10, last part, 11. Were it not possible to no longer sin, why would Jesus instruct her not to? The more we obey, resist temptation, surrender and submit to do the will of God, then by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit and because of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf (Hebrews 10:10), one day that is all we will do.

“All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us.” The Desire of Ages, 668

Sanctification is a journey with a very specific destination—a Christlike, perfected character. What is a Christlike character? Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 6:38. “I can of Myself do nothing. … I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 5:30. “I always do those things that please Him.” John 8:29, last part

The Bible says in Psalm 14:3, “They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” And John 15:5, last part, says “without Me, you can do nothing.” It is obvious by these verses and many, many others that alone we are not able to achieve this perfected character. So how is it accomplished?

First Thessalonians 5:23, 24 say, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful who also will do it.”

John 17 says, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. … And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. … I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one” (verses 17, 19 and 23, first part). Are we seeing a theme here? Who sanctifies us?

“How can we reach the perfection specified by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ—our Great Teacher? Can we meet His requirement and attain to so lofty a standard? We can, else Christ would not have enjoined us to do so. He is our righteousness. In His humanity He has gone before us and wrought out for us perfection of character. We are to have the faith in Him that works by love and purifies the soul. Perfection of character is based upon that which Christ is to us. If we have constant dependence on the merits of our Saviour and walk in His footsteps, we shall be like Him, pure and undefiled.

“Our Saviour does not require impossibilities of any soul. He expects nothing of His disciples that He is not willing to give them grace and strength to perform. He would not call upon them to be perfect if He had not at His command every perfection of grace to bestow on the ones upon whom He would confer so high and holy a privilege. He has assured us that He is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than parents are to give good gifts to their children.

“Our work is to strive to attain in our sphere of action the perfection that Christ in His life on the earth attained in every phase of character. He is our example. In all things we are to strive to honor God in character. In falling day by day so far short of the divine requirements, we are endangering our soul’s salvation. We need to understand and appreciate the privilege with which Christ invests us, and to show our determination to reach the highest standard. We are to be wholly dependent on the power that He has promised to give us.” That I May Know Him, 130

This is a commitment, a covenant, God has made with us and we need only to look at the rainbow to know that God keeps His covenants. “[B]eing confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

There is no need to be afraid of being perfect in this world. God has a standard that we are meant to reach in order to spend eternity with Him. We do not know when we reach that standard, but He who has required it is faithful to see that we reach it. We should not be anxious as to whether we can reach it or spend a great deal of time wondering “Am I perfect yet?” The Spirit of Prophecy says, “As the will of man cooperates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent [that is, all powerful]. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in His strength. All His biddings are enablings.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 333. If He bids it, He promises He will make us able and that is really all we need to know. We need only to claim the promise.

Friends, we should not be uncertain of or concerned regarding our ability to reach perfection of character in this life, for Jesus Himself said in Matthew 5:48, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” It should be unacceptable to us not to be doing our part—exercising the faculties of the mind, obeying the requirements of God’s law and cooperating with His will—to reach perfection of character.

“Every living Christian will advance daily in the divine life. As he advances toward perfection, he experiences a conversion to God every day; and this conversion is not completed until he attains to perfection of Christian character, a full preparation for the finishing touch of immortality.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 505

“At this time in the history of the world, we should have but one object in view—to gain eternal life. Every other desire should be subordinate to this. The work of regeneration must go on in every soul until perfection of character is reached; for nothing short of this will meet the mind of God.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 5, 338

I am reminded of a story I once read. I don’t know where the story originated or even if it is a true story or just a spiritual allegory. While shopping in a store, an elderly man accidentally hit a shelf and many things fell to the floor and were broken. Embarrassed, the man knelt and began trying to pick up the broken pieces, but soon the store manager came, and kneeling beside him he said, “Leave it, we will clean it up.” But the elderly man was so embarrassed and he said, “But I need to pay for all of this.” The manager smiled, helped him to his feet and said, “No sir, we have insurance for this, you do not have to pay anything.”

Imagine God doing the same thing for you! Imagine the broken pieces of your mistakes and failures, your broken heart from the many blows life has thrown at you, all over the floor and you’re trying to collect all the pieces and fix them yourself. Imagine that God comes and kneels down right there beside you and says, “Leave it. I will clean this up for you.”

He loves us that much. He will put all the pieces back together, restore us to that state of perfection we were always meant to have, if we will let Him. With Him we have this assurance. All we have to do is ask Him to save us, forgive us, help and heal us. He is faithful. He has promised. [Emphasis supplied.]

Judy Rebarchek is a member of the LandMarks team. She may be contacted by email at: judyrebarchek@stepstolife.org

Completeness of Life in Jesus

by

We live in a world where many people do not have much of a life. Many others feel that their cup is not even half full. Many people of all ages have been, and still are, desperately searching for completeness, for a satisfaction, a wholeness they cannot seem to find. They search for completeness in the temporary pleasures of sin and think if they could have this or enjoy that, they would then be complete. The devil spreads out so many sinful distractions and temporary pleasures, and the human race is chasing after them, trying to fill some void inside, but they only find misery.

We are aware of so little that goes on in the world, but Jesus said that when He comes, all things will be revealed. Paul says in Romans 2 that the secrets of men will be judged in that day. If you want to be ready for that day, you need to be in Christ so that your sins can be forgiven and blotted out.

This is a simple, introductory study from Colossians 2 on the subject of forgiveness and the blotting out of sin. It shows us that in Christ, life can be complete. Adam’s problem in the Garden of Eden was that he believed his life would not be complete without Eve, so much so that he was willing to sin so that she would remain a part of his life. But the completeness he thought he would have turned into trouble. He and Eve argued and blamed each other and there was no satisfaction in the life that followed. They did not find the completeness they sought because completeness is only found in Jesus Christ.

So how can we be complete, not half full or half empty? It requires faith in Him who has provided for every deficiency. Colossians 2:6 says, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” Paul returns again and again to the theme of walking in Christ. Walking in Christ is to receive Christ. How do we receive Christ? As we understand God’s character and His love more and more, we will learn to accept Christ in our hearts.

The devil has tricked the people of the world into believing that God wants to restrict their freedom and happiness. They say that God’s law is just a list of dos and don’ts that keep them from having a good life. In reality, God’s law was given to keep man from doing the immoral, illegal, and unhealthy things that will bring harm to them physically and keep them separated from God. It is important to understand that God has something better to replace anything we lose in this world, including our lives. If we are following Jesus, we will eventually receive something infinitely better than any worldly thing we may give up. God changes our mind about everything in the world, and we will see that keeping God’s law and allowing Him to change us will bring us happiness.

So the first step to receiving Christ is realizing how much God loves us and wants us to be happy, and that He is willing to give us all the best things. He has prepared a place of happiness where there is no disappointment, pain, suffering, or loneliness. In fact, Ellen White has written that God created man and woman for happiness, so if we follow God and His way, we will find happiness in Him, even if we have problems in this world. We find this assurance in Psalm 16:11, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”

The people of this world love sinning because they continually want, and they believe if only they can have what they want, it will bring them happiness and completeness. But instead, they find only emptiness and sorrow, trouble and misery, incompleteness. They may find a thrill for a time in drugs, alcohol, pornography, gambling, or other forms of immorality, but none of these things will bring them true satisfaction or completeness.

In 1 Corinthians 15:3, last part, the Bible tells us that Christ “died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” Studying the cross changes how the mind perceives sin. Sin is no longer desirable, nor can we believe that it could bring true happiness, because the truth is, sin—our sins—killed Jesus. The more we know, the more we will hate sin because we see what it has done and is doing. When we hate sin, the Bible says we will want to repent, because we understand that continuing in sin makes us as responsible for crucifying Christ as were those who drove the nails into His hands and called for His death. The deeper our repentance becomes, Christ is then able to work miracles in our behalf and we will walk in the way of righteousness, loving and trusting Him more.

Repentance is a change of mind and heart, a recognition that we have been ruined by sin and that there is no hope to be found in this world without Jesus. We must have a new heart, a new spirit, and a new life, but we can only find these in Christ. We must first receive Him so that we can live a Christlike life every day.

Continuing in Colossians 2, we are warned that we must be careful not to let anyone rob us of the prize that God has for us. We cannot allow ourselves to be separated from Christ through worldly philosophy. Paul says in verse 9, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Jesus is not a junior God. He is the completeness of divinity, and, because of His divinity, He can do for us what no other being can do. Paul, continuing in verse 10 says, “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” This scripture is written in the present tense, but it will not be completely fulfilled until we are in heaven. God has many things in mind for us and until we have received those things, we are not yet fully complete.

In Colossians 2:11, Paul writes that God wants to take away the body of our humiliation, “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ …” Circumcision represents the cutting away of sin from the life.

Before we can have a new body we must first have a new spirit and a new mind. This is the work of God. “… [B]uried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” Colossians 2:12, 13.

Jesus does this work, and when we are baptized and raised again in Him, verse 14 says, “… having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Something is referred to in this scripture that used to exist, but does not exist anymore. What is this thing that no longer exists? It was something against us, written by the hand of man, an entity called decrees or ordinances. Paul says this entity was: 1) hostile toward us, 2) taken out of the way by Him [Jesus], and 3) nailed to the cross. Three times he states that this entity no longer exists.

He says that these decrees and ordinances were handwritten, and this is an exceedingly important point, because if they were handwritten, we immediately must see that he is not, in any way, talking about the ten commandments. Man writes using his whole hand. God writes with His finger.

God does not use His hand to write. We find three times in the Bible where God wrote something. John 8 in the last part of verse 6 says: “But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.” This verse tells us explicitly that He wrote with His finger.

In Daniel 5:5, we find the account of Belshazzar’s feast. “In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote … .”

And finally, Deuteronomy 9:10 tells us how God wrote the ten commandments: “Then the Lord delivered to me two tablets of stone written with the finger of God … .” Imagine the power it took for God to put His finger on the tables of stone and etch the words of the law into that stone. This clearly tells us just how permanent He intended His law to be.

As Christians, we believe that we are to let the Bible interpret itself, so let’s go to the Bible to see just what was this entity, these decrees or ordinances, written by the hand of man, not by the finger of God, that were nailed to the cross and taken out of the way.

The Bible tells us in Acts 15:10 that these decrees and ordinances were a “yoke on the neck” or a yoke of bondage. Peter says that neither we nor “our fathers” could keep these ordinances. In Galatians 5:1–6, Paul again writes about this yoke of bondage, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Ephesians 2:14–18 and Hebrews 7:16 refer to these decrees and ordinances, this yoke of bondage, as a law of fleshly commandments, handwritten by man, once against us, but now nailed to the cross.

While on Mt. Sinai, Moses received the ten commandments written by the finger of God, but he also received instruction from God, which he himself wrote by hand, that became what we know today as the ceremonial law. In Galatians 3:19, Paul describes this ceremonial law as having been added because of transgression and this law would exist until the Seed [Christ] should come. The ceremonial law required that if a person sinned, he or she had to bring a sacrifice to the sanctuary to be offered up in their behalf, and Paul said that only a sinner was required to keep the ceremonial law. But if a person was tired of sin and instead committed his or her life to obeying God’s commandments and began to live without sinning, they would not have to bring these many sin offerings to the sanctuary.

When Jesus was on earth, He never brought a sin offering to the temple. Why? Because Jesus was sinless. He kept the law and always did the will of His Father.

The book of Leviticus outlines the various aspects of the ceremonial law:

  1. Sacrifices
  2. Offerings
  3. Feasts (set times)
  4. Levitical priesthood
  5. Earthly sanctuary and its rituals

Paul says in Hebrews 13:14, “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.” We have an altar in the heavenly sanctuary at which Paul says the worshipers in the earthly sanctuary did not have a right to worship. Some people still believe that Jerusalem in Israel is where we must go to worship, but that was part of the old covenant. There is no enduring city on earth where we are told to go to worship under the new covenant.

There are large parts of the Torah written by Moses that were not a part of any ceremonial or ritual law; they were simply explanations concerning the ten commandments that were meant to provide us with a better understanding of the ten commandments and to keep us from being easily deceived by the devil’s smooth talk.

An example of this is Leviticus 11 which contains the listing of unclean foods with the admonition that they should not be eaten. Does that have anything to do with the sanctuary? Absolutely not! But it does have to do with the sixth commandment. Two thousand years ago people had to accept this by faith, but today we have science that proves that there are certain foods that will kill you. They don’t all kill you right away or people wouldn’t eat them. It was sinful to eat these foods before the ritual law was given, so these food laws were not part of the ritual law.

If we study Leviticus 18 and 20, we find that they explain the meaning of the seventh commandment. The Bible tells us many times in the New Testament that no fornicator or adulterer or anyone of this nature will be in the kingdom of heaven (see 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Galatians 5:16–21; Revelation 9:20, 21; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15). Leviticus 19 gives additional explanation regarding the second, fifth, and seventh commandments.

After Paul discusses the ceremonial or ritual law, which was added because of transgression, he tells about Jesus’ experience on the cross of Calvary, “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:14, 15. The “principalities and powers” Paul refers to here is the devil. Because of the cross, Jesus triumphed over the devil and all his host and it was guaranteed that he and his kingdom would be destroyed.

As long as a person continued in sin, the ceremonial law had to be kept and followed, and sacrifices continued to be made. Hebrews 10:1–4 explains this: “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.”

Colossians 2:16 says, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths … .” People like to argue about this text. Let’s look at the whole context surrounding it. Paul has, in verses 7 and 8, raised the issue of false teachers attempting to control the religious experience of those in the Christian church by teaching the philosophy of the world. When we study church and secular history, we find that there were two apostate groups at work. One was the gnostics and the other judaizers. Gnosticism is a terrible thing. It is so bad that almost all of the New Testament writers wrote against it. Some scholars believe that the gospel of John was written mainly to combat gnosticism in the Christian church. Paul consistently teaches against gnosticism in his epistles, but especially in Colossians 2. Gnosticism taught in part that it did not matter what a person did with their body as long as their mind was pure, however that is not what the New Testament teaches. Imagine, sinning and committing all forms of vile wickedness with the body and expecting to keep the mind pure and holy. The gnostics attempted to convince the early Christians that they could lead them to a higher Christian experience, but Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “[C]asting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” The Bible says that we all will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be judged according to the deeds done in the body.

The judaizers taught that you could not be perfect unless you followed all the law of Moses and kept all the Jewish traditions. Based on the types of food and drink outlined in Numbers 6 and 28 and Leviticus 6 and 23 associated with the various feasts and ceremonies of the ceremonial law, these judaizers were judging the members of each new church that Paul established on what they ate and drank. So Paul is saying in Colossians 2:16 that they were not to let the judaizers pass judgment on them because of the food they ate or what they drank. Nor were they to be judged over the feasts, the monthly ceremonies or the weekly sabbaths associated with certain holy days, which were a shadow of things to come.

What were the festival sabbaths? There were different festival sabbaths (weeks) in the ceremonial law in addition to the seventh-day Sabbath. They were:

  • The first day of the Passover week (Exodus 12:15; Leviticus 23:5–7; Numbers 28:17, 18)
  • The seventh day of the Passover week (Exodus 12:16; Numbers 28:24, 25)
  • The first day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:24, 25; Numbers 29:1)
  • The tenth day of the seventh month (Leviticus 16:29–31; 23:27–32; Numbers 29:7)
  • The fifteenth day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:34, 35; Numbers 29:12)
  • The twenty-second day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:39)
  • The fiftieth day (Pentecost), known also as the “feast of weeks” (Leviticus 23:15, 16, 21; Deuteronomy 16:9, 10)

As with their food and drink, Paul is telling the Christian churches that they were not to allow the judaizers to judge them on the keeping of these festival sabbaths nor the other feasts and ceremonies. Paul is specific that in proper context, all these things are merely shadows [types] of things to come. All of this had to do with the ceremonial law and Hebrews 8:5 and Hebrews 10:1 distinctly state that all of the ceremonial law—food, drink, new moons, sabbaths, feasts, sacrifices—were all connected to the earthly sanctuary and all foreshadowed heavenly things to come.

“[B]ut the substance is of Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.” Colossians 2:17, last part, 18. Paul is telling the early Christians that they were to let no one judge them or dictate to them what their religious experience should be, but rather they should go to the body of Christ. He had already told them in Colossians 1:18, 24 what was the body of Christ, “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. … I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.” He is telling them, and us, not to listen to the world, but to go to the church. These worldly teachers would have you believe and follow their doctrines and worldly teachings regardless of whether it contradicts God’s word or not. But if you go to the church, to seek out a godly elder or deacon and ask for spiritual advice, they will tell you to believe what they say only as it is in harmony with the Bible.

The church in Paul’s day, just like the church today, was being attacked. Have you noticed recently that Christianity as a whole is being opposed more and more by the world, and this opposition will increase as we approach the coming of Jesus; so much so that if it were possible, even the elect will be deceived. Do not seek out the world for advice. Do not be consumed by worldly philosophy. Do not be cheated of your reward. Do not go to the world, for neither it nor its teachings will make you complete. Only by walking in Christ are we made complete. He has already fulfilled the promise of a new heart, a new mind, and new spirit. If you know Christ, then you will know the completeness of His life in you. [Emphasis supplied.]

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.