To prepare people for eternal life.
1 ½ cup quinoa
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
Corn kernels
Cilantro
Cooked black beans
green onion
avocado
sun dried tomatoes
lime juice
olive oil
Salt to taste
Thoroughly rinse quinoa before cooking. Cook quinoa in water and salt for approximately 10 minutes or until water is absorbed. Let cool then add fresh ingredients in desired amounts. Make dressing with lime juice, olive oil and salt blended together.
Key Text
“And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Daniel 8:14.
Study Help: Selected Messages, Book 1, 164–168; The Great Controversy, 409–432.
Introduction
“The correct understanding of the ministration in the heavenly sanctuary is the foundation of our faith.” Evangelism, 221.
Note: “In the vision of the prophet He [God] is seen casting down one mighty ruler, and setting up another. He is revealed as the monarch of the universe, about to set up His everlasting kingdom—the Ancient of days, the living God, the Source of all wisdom, the Ruler of the present, the Revealer of the future.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1166.
“From the rise and fall of nations as made plain in the books of Daniel and the Revelation, we need to learn how worthless is mere outward and worldly glory. Babylon, with all its power and magnificence, the like of which our world has never since beheld—power and magnificence which to the people of that day seemed so stable and enduring—how completely has it passed away! As ‘the flower of the grass,’ it has perished. James 1:10. So perished the Medo-Persian kingdom, and the kingdoms of Grecia and Rome. And so perishes all that has not God for its foundation. Only that which is bound up with His purpose, and expresses His character, can endure. His principles are the only steadfast things our world knows.” Prophets and Kings, 548.
Note: “ ‘He that is slow to anger,’ says the wise man, ‘is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city’ [Proverbs 16:32]. The man or woman who preserves the balance of the mind when tempted to indulge passion stands higher in the sight of God and heavenly angels than the most renowned general that ever led an army to battle and to victory. Said a celebrated emperor when on his dying bed, ‘Among all my conquests there is but one which affords me any consolation now, and that is the conquest I have gained over my own turbulent temper.’ Alexander and Caesar found it easier to subdue a world than to subdue themselves. After conquering nation after nation, they fell—one of them ‘the victim of intemperance, the other of mad ambition.’ ” Child Guidance, 95, 96.
Note: “Says Daniel, of the little horn, the papacy: ‘He shall think to change times and the law.’ Daniel 7:25, R.V. And Paul styled the same power the ‘man of sin,’ who was to exalt himself above God. One prophecy is a complement of the other. Only by changing God’s law could the papacy exalt itself above God; whoever should understandingly keep the law as thus changed would be giving supreme honor to that power by which the change was made. Such an act of obedience to papal laws would be a mark of allegiance to the pope in the place of God.” The Great Controversy, 446.
Note: “Among the leading causes that had led to the separation of the true church from Rome was the hatred of the latter toward the Bible Sabbath. As foretold by prophecy, the papal power cast down the truth to the ground. The law of God was trampled in the dust, while the traditions and customs of men were exalted. The churches that were under the rule of the papacy were early compelled to honor the Sunday as a holy day. Amid the prevailing error and superstition, many, even of the true people of God, became so bewildered that while they observed the Sabbath, they refrained from labor also on the Sunday. But this did not satisfy the papal leaders. They demanded not only that Sunday be hallowed, but that the Sabbath be profaned; and they denounced in the strongest language those who dared to show it honor. It was only by fleeing from the power of Rome that any could obey God’s law in peace.” The Great Controversy, 65.
Note: “The coming of Christ as our high priest to the most holy place, for the cleansing of the sanctuary, brought to view in Daniel 8:14; the coming of the Son of man to the Ancient of Days, as presented in Daniel 7:13; and the coming of the Lord to His temple, foretold by Malachi, are descriptions of the same event; and this is also represented by the coming of the bridegroom to the marriage, described by Christ in the parable of the ten virgins, of Matthew 25.” The Great Controversy, 426.
“What is the cleansing of the sanctuary? That there was such a service in connection with the earthly sanctuary is stated in the Old Testament Scriptures. But can there be anything in heaven to be cleansed? In Hebrews 9 the cleansing of both the earthly and the heavenly sanctuary is plainly taught. …
“The cleansing, both in the typical and in the real service, must be accomplished with blood: in the former, with the blood of animals; in the latter, with the blood of Christ. Paul states, as the reason why this cleansing must be performed with blood, that without shedding of blood is no remission. Remission, or putting away of sin, is the work to be accomplished.” Ibid., 417, 418. [Emphasis in original.]
“As the priest entered the most holy once a year to cleanse the earthly sanctuary, so Jesus entered the most holy of the heavenly, at the end of the 2300 days of Daniel 8, in 1844, to make a final atonement for all who could be benefited by His mediation, and thus to cleanse the sanctuary.” Early Writings, 253.
Note: “At the time appointed for the judgment—the close of the 2300 days, in 1844—began the work of investigation and blotting out of sins.” The Great Controversy, 486.
“Christ is cleansing the heavenly sanctuary from the sins of the people, and it is the work of all who are laborers together with God to be cleansing the sanctuary of the soul from everything that is offensive to Him. Everything like evil surmising, envy, jealousy, enmity, and hatred, will be put away, for such things grieve the Holy Spirit of God and put Christ to an open shame. Love of self will not exist, nor will any engaged in this work be puffed up.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 11, 55.
Note: “Wonderful thought—that the angel who stands next in honor to the Son of God is the one chosen to open the purposes of God to sinful men.” The Desire of Ages, 99.
“The angel had been sent to Daniel for the express purpose of explaining to him the point which he had failed to understand in the vision of the eighth chapter, the statement relative to time—‘unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed’ [Daniel 8:14].” The Great Controversy, 326.
Note: “Such subjects as the sanctuary, in connection with the 2300 days, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, are perfectly calculated to explain the past Advent movement and show what our present position is, establish the faith of the doubting, and give certainty to the glorious future. These, I have frequently seen, were the principal subjects on which the messengers should dwell.” Early Writings, 63.
“We are living in the time of the end, when the judgments of God are in the land. Signs on every hand show that the agencies of evil are strengthening. Lucifer and his servants are working with unceasing activity. In this time of peril the people who keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment are to be awake to the situation, prepared to resist the attacks of the enemy.” Australasian Union Conference Record, April 15, 1912.
Note: “The angel Gabriel, though commanded to make Daniel understand the vision, gave him only a partial explanation. As the terrible persecution to befall the church was unfolded to the prophet’s vision, physical strength gave way. He could endure no more, and the angel left him for a time. Daniel ‘fainted, and was sick certain days.’ ‘And I was astonished at the vision,’ he says, ‘but none understood it.’ [Daniel 8:27.]” The Great Controversy, 325.
“Jesus stands in the holy of holies, now to appear in the presence of God for us. There He ceases not to present His people moment by moment, complete in Himself. But because we are thus represented before the Father, we are not to imagine that we are to presume upon His mercy, and become careless, indifferent, and self-indulgent. Christ is not the minister of sin. We are complete in Him, accepted in the Beloved, only as we abide in Him by faith.” The Signs of the Times, July 4, 1892.
“As the ministration of Jesus closed in the holy place, and He passed into the holiest, and stood before the ark containing the law of God, He sent another mighty angel with a third message to the world. A parchment was placed in the angel’s hand, and as he descended to the earth in power and majesty, he proclaimed a fearful warning, with the most terrible threatening ever borne to man. This message was designed to put the children of God upon their guard, by showing them the hour of temptation and anguish that was before them. Said the angel, ‘They will be brought into close combat with the beast and his image. Their only hope of eternal life is to remain steadfast. Although their lives are at stake, they must hold fast the truth.’ The third angel closes his message thus: ‘Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus’ [Revelation 14:12]. As he repeated these words, he pointed to the heavenly sanctuary. The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, making His final intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers and for those who have ignorantly broken the law of God. This atonement is made for the righteous dead as well as for the righteous living. It includes all who died trusting in Christ, but who, not having received the light upon God’s commandments, had sinned ignorantly in transgressing its precepts.
“After Jesus opened the door of the most holy, the light of the Sabbath was seen, and the people of God were tested, as the children of Israel were tested anciently, to see if they would keep God’s law. I saw the third angel pointing upward, showing the disappointed ones the way to the holiest of the heavenly sanctuary. As they by faith enter the most holy, they find Jesus, and hope and joy spring up anew. I saw them looking back, reviewing the past, from the proclamation of the second advent of Jesus, down through their experience to the passing of the time in 1844. They see their disappointment explained, and joy and certainty again animate them. The third angel has lighted up the past, the present, and the future, and they know that God has indeed led them by His mysterious providence.” Early Writings, 254, 255.
©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted with permission.
Key Text
“He shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws. … But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.” Daniel 7:25, 26.
Study Help: The Great Controversy, 49–60; “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1171, 1172.
Introduction
“The man of sin, who thought to change times and laws … will cause laws to be made enforcing the observance of the first day of the week. But God’s people are to stand firm for Him.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 230.
Note: “It is one of the leading doctrines of Romanism that the pope is the visible head of the universal church of Christ, invested with supreme authority over bishops and pastors in all parts of the world. More than this, the pope has been given the very titles of Deity. He has been styled ‘Lord God the Pope,’ and has been declared infallible. He demands the homage of all men. The same claim urged by Satan in the wilderness of temptation is still urged by him through the Church of Rome, and vast numbers are ready to yield him homage.” The Great Controversy, 50.
Note: “As foreshadowed in the type, and foretold in the Scriptures, Christ, at the time appointed, entered the most holy place of the temple of God in heaven. He is represented by the prophet Daniel as coming at this time to the Ancient of days. …
“This coming is foretold also by the prophet Malachi: ‘The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts’ [Malachi 3:1].” The Southern Watchman, January 24, 1905.
Note: “The kingdom forfeited by sin, Christ has regained, and the redeemed are to possess it with Him. ‘The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.’ Psalm 37:29. A fear of making the saints’ inheritance seem too material has led many to spiritualize away the very truths which lead us to look upon the new earth as our home. Christ assured His disciples that He went to prepare mansions for them. Those who accept the teachings of God’s Word will not be wholly ignorant concerning the heavenly abode. And yet the apostle Paul declares, ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.’ I Corinthians 2:9. Human language is inadequate to describe the reward of the righteous. It will be known only to those who behold it. No finite mind can comprehend the glory of the Paradise of God.” The Story of Redemption, 430, 431.
Note: “Daniel declares that when the Ancient of Days came, ‘judgment was given to the saints of the Most High.’ Daniel 7:22. At this time the righteous reign as kings and priests unto God. John in the Revelation says: ‘I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.’ ‘They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.’ Revelation 20:4, 6. It is at this time that, as foretold by Paul, ‘the saints shall judge the world.’
“I Corinthians 6:2. In union with Christ they judge the wicked, comparing their acts with the statute book, the Bible, and deciding every case according to the deeds done in the body. Then the portion which the wicked must suffer is meted out, according to their works; and it is recorded against their names in the book of death.” The Great Controversy, 661.
Note: “The Roman Church now presents a fair front to the world, covering with apologies her record of horrible cruelties. She has clothed herself in Christlike garments; but she is unchanged. Every principle of the papacy that existed in past ages exists today. The doctrines devised in the darkest ages are still held. Let none deceive themselves. The papacy that Protestants are now so ready to honor is the same that ruled the world in the days of the Reformation, when men of God stood up, at the peril of their lives, to expose her iniquity. She possesses the same pride and arrogant assumption that lorded it over kings and princes, and claimed the prerogatives of God. Her spirit is no less cruel and despotic now than when she crushed out human liberty and slew the saints of the Most High.” The Great Controversy, 571.
Note: “The papacy has attempted to change the law of God. The second commandment, forbidding image worship, has been dropped from the law, and the fourth commandment has been so changed as to authorize the observance of the first instead of the seventh day as the Sabbath. But papists urge, as a reason for omitting the second commandment, that it is unnecessary, being included in the first, and that they are giving the law exactly as God designed it to be understood. This cannot be the change foretold by the prophet. An intentional, deliberate change is presented: ‘He shall think to change the times and the law’ [Daniel 7:25]. The change in the fourth commandment exactly fulfills the prophecy. For this the only authority claimed is that of the church. Here the papal power openly sets itself above God.” The Great Controversy, 446. [Emphasis in original.]
“The changed signpost is pointing the wrong way, but God has not changed. He is still the mighty God of Israel.” Prophets and Kings, 185.
Note: “A day in symbolic prophecy represents a year.” The Great Controversy, 324.
“The forty and two months are the same as the ‘time and times and the dividing of time,’ three years and a half, or 1260 days, of Daniel 7—the time during which the papal power was to oppress God’s people.” Ibid., 439.
“The 1260 years of papal supremacy began in A.D. 538, and would therefore terminate in 1798. At that time a French army entered Rome and made the pope a prisoner, and he died in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected, the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the power which it before possessed.” Ibid., 266.
Note: “Christians were forced to choose either to yield their integrity and accept the papal ceremonies and worship, or to wear away their lives in dungeons or suffer death by the rack, the fagot, or the headsman’s ax. Now were fulfilled the words of Jesus: ‘Ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake.’ Luke 21:16, 17. Persecution opened upon the faithful with greater fury than ever before, and the world became a vast battlefield. For hundreds of years the church of Christ found refuge in seclusion and obscurity. Thus says the prophet: ‘The woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three-score days.’ Revelation 12:6.” The Great Controversy, 54, 55.
Note: “The kingdom of God’s grace is now being established, as day by day hearts that have been full of sin and rebellion yield to the sovereignty of His love. But the full establishment of the kingdom of His glory will not take place until the second coming of Christ to this world. ‘The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,’ is to be given to ‘the people of the saints of the Most High.’ Daniel 7:27. They shall inherit the kingdom prepared for them ‘from the foundation of the world.’ Matthew 25:34. And Christ will take to Himself His great power and will reign.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 108.
Note: “With the first vision, as recorded in the seventh chapter of the book of Daniel, an interpretation was given; yet not all was made clear to the prophet. ‘My cogitations much troubled me,’ he wrote of his experience at the time, ‘and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.’ Daniel 7:28.” Prophets and Kings, 553, 554.
“The cross of Calvary, while it declares the law immutable, proclaims to the universe that the wages of sin is death. In the Saviour’s expiring cry, ‘It is finished,’ the death knell of Satan was rung. The great controversy which had been so long in progress was then decided, and the final eradication of evil was made certain. The Son of God passed through the portals of the tomb, that ‘through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.’ Hebrews 2:14. Lucifer’s desire for self-exaltation had led him to say: ‘I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: … I will be like the Most High.’ God declares: ‘I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth, … and never shalt thou be any more.’ Isaiah 14:13, 14; Ezekiel 28:18, 19.
“The whole universe will have become witnesses to the nature and results of sin. And its utter extermination, which in the beginning would have brought fear to angels and dishonor to God, will now vindicate His love and establish His honor before the universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law. Never will evil again be manifest. Says the word of God: ‘Affliction shall not rise up the second time.’ Nahum 1:9. The law of God, which Satan has reproached as the yoke of bondage, will be honored as the law of liberty. A tested and proved creation will never again be turned from allegiance to Him whose character has been fully manifested before them as fathomless love and infinite wisdom.” The Great Controversy, 503, 504.
“ ‘Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations; and repayeth them that hate Him to their face, to destroy them: He will not be slack to him that hateth Him, He will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them’ [Deuteronomy 7:9–11]. If God’s commandments are to be binding for a thousand generations, it will take them into the kingdom of God, into the presence of God and His holy angels. This is an argument that cannot be controverted. The commandments of God will endure through all time and eternity. Are they, then, given us as a burden?—No. ‘And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.’ [Deuteronomy 6:24.] The Lord gave His people commandments, in order that by obeying them they might preserve their physical, mental, and moral health. They were to live by obedience; but death is the sure result of the disobedience of the law of God.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 413.
©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted with permission.
Key Text
“I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.” Daniel 7:9.
Study Help: The Great Controversy, 479–491; Testimonies, vol. 4, 384–387.
“Above the distractions of the earth He [God] sits enthroned; all things are open to His divine survey; and from His great and calm eternity He orders that which His providence sees best.” The Ministry of Healing, 417.
Note: “The multitude of dreams arise from the common things of life, with which the Spirit of God has nothing to do. There are also false dreams, as well as false visions, which are inspired by the spirit of Satan. But dreams from the Lord are classed in the word of God with visions and are as truly the fruits of the spirit of prophecy as visions.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 569.
Note: “Except the one perfect Pattern, there is not described in the Sacred Pages a single character more worthy of emulation than that of the prophet Daniel. Exposed in youth to all the allurements of a royal court, he became a man of unbending integrity and fervent devotion to God. He was subjected to the fierce temptations of Satan, yet his character was not vacillating, nor his course changeable. He was firm where many would be yielding; he was true where they would be false; he was strong where they would be weak. Daniel was a lofty cedar of Lebanon.” Our High Calling, 249.
Note: “Shortly before the fall of Babylon, when Daniel was meditating on these prophecies and seeking God for an understanding of the times, a series of visions was given him concerning the rise and fall of kingdoms. With the first vision, as recorded in the seventh chapter of the book of Daniel, an interpretation was given; yet not all was made clear to the prophet.” Prophets and Kings, 553.
“As we near the close of this world’s history, the prophecies recorded by Daniel demand our special attention, as they relate to the very time in which we are living. With them should be linked the teachings of the last book of the New Testament Scriptures.” Ibid., 547.
Note: “[Daniel 7:2 quoted.] In Revelation 17 an angel explained that waters represent ‘peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.’ Revelation 17:15. Winds are a symbol of strife. The four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea represent the terrible scenes of conquest and revolution by which kingdoms have attained to power.” The Great Controversy, 440.
“The great kingdoms that have ruled the world were presented to the prophet Daniel as beasts of prey.” Ibid., 439, 440.
Note: “Under King Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon was the richest and most powerful kingdom on the earth. Its riches and splendor have been faintly portrayed by Inspiration.” The Youth Instructor, September 29, 1903.
Note: “In God’s appointed time, that kingdom of pride and power [Babylon], ruled by men of the highest intellect, was broken, shattered, helpless. Christ has declared, ‘Without Me, ye can do nothing’ [John 15:5]. Illustrious statesmen did not regard themselves as being dependent upon God. They thought that they themselves had created all their grandeur and exaltation. But when God speaks, they are as the grass that groweth up, and as the flower of the grass that fadeth away. The word and will of God alone liveth and endureth forever.” Bible Training School, December 1, 1912.
“The kingdom of Babylon passed away because, in their prosperity, her rulers forgot God, and ascribed her honor and glory to human achievement. So today, when men forget God and refuse to obey His law, they are humiliated. God tests them, and if they do not humble their hearts and confess their sins, they receive the penalty of transgression.” The Review and Herald, February 6, 1900.
Note: “The crown removed from Israel passed successively to the kingdoms of Babylon [the lion], Medo-Persia [the bear], Greece [the leopard], and Rome [the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible].” Education, 179.
“They [the kingdoms] deteriorated because they cast off God. Forgetting Him, they sank lower and lower in the scale. The vast empire of Rome crumbled into pieces.” The Review and Herald, February 6, 1900.
Note: “The vast empire of Rome crumbled to pieces, and from its ruins rose that mighty power, the Roman Catholic Church. This church boasts of her infallibility and her hereditary religion. But this religion is a horror to all who are acquainted with the secrets of the mystery of iniquity. The priests of this church maintain their ascendency by keeping the people in ignorance of God’s will, as revealed in the Scriptures.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 22, 1903.
“We may have less to say in some lines, in regard to the Roman power and the Papacy, but we should call attention to what the prophets and apostles have written under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit has so shaped matters, both in the giving of the prophecy, and in the events portrayed, as to teach that the human agent is to be kept out of sight, hid in Christ, and the Lord God of heaven and His law are to be exalted.” Evangelism, 577.
Note: “The Ancient of Days is God the Father. Says the psalmist: ‘Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.’ Psalm 90:2. It is He, the source of all being, and the fountain of all law, that is to preside in the judgment.” The Great Controversy, 479.
“The announcement that the temple of God was opened in heaven and the ark of His testament was seen points to the opening of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844 as Christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement.” Ibid., 433.
“As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living. Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted, names rejected. When any have sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life, and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of God’s remembrance.” Ibid., 483.
Note: “In the parable of Matthew 22 the same figure of the marriage is introduced, and the investigative judgment is clearly represented as taking place before the marriage. Previous to the wedding the king comes in to see the guests, to see if all are attired in the wedding garment, the spotless robe of character washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. Matthew 22:11; Revelation 7:14. He who is found wanting is cast out, but all who upon examination are seen to have the wedding garment on are accepted of God and accounted worthy of a share in His kingdom and a seat upon His throne. This work of examination of character, of determining who are prepared for the kingdom of God, is that of the investigative judgment, the closing work in the sanctuary above.
“When the work of investigation shall be ended, when the cases of those who in all ages have professed to be followers of Christ have been examined and decided, then, and not till then, probation will close, and the door of mercy will be shut.” The Great Controversy, 428.
“In the power of the Spirit the delegated servants of Christ are to bear witness for their Leader. The yearning desire of the Saviour for the salvation of sinners is to mark all their efforts. The gracious invitation, first given by Christ, is to be taken up by human voices and sounded throughout the world: ‘Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.’ Revelation 22:17. The church is to say: ‘Come.’ Every power in the church is to be actively engaged on the side of Christ. The followers of Christ are to combine in a strong effort to call the attention of the world to the fast-fulfilling prophecies of the word of God. Infidelity and spiritualism are gaining a strong hold in the world. Shall those to whom great light has been given be cold and faithless now?
“We are on the very verge of the time of trouble, and perplexities that are scarcely dreamed of are before us. A power from beneath is leading men to war against Heaven. Human beings have confederated with satanic agencies to make void the law of God. The inhabitants of the world are fast becoming as the inhabitants of the world in Noah’s day, who were swept away by the Flood, and as the inhabitants of Sodom, who were consumed by fire from heaven. The powers of Satan are at work to keep minds diverted from eternal realities. The enemy has arranged matters to suit his own purposes. Worldly business, sports, the fashions of the day—these things occupy the minds of men and women. Amusements and unprofitable reading spoil the judgment. In the broad road that leads to eternal ruin there walks a long procession. The world, filled with violence, reveling, and drunkenness, is converting the church. The law of God, the divine standard of righteousness, is declared to be of no effect.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 43, 44.
“The solemn, sacred truth—the testing message given us of God to communicate to the world—lays every one of us under the strongest obligation to so transform our daily life and character that the power of the truth may be well represented. We should have a continual sense of the shortness of time and of the fearful events which prophecy has declared must speedily take place. It is because these truths are not made a reality that the life is so inconsistent with the truth which we profess. Many hide in the earth talents which should be invested where they will be accumulating to be returned to God when He shall say: ‘Give an account of thy stewardship’[Luke 16:2]. Moses became great because he used his talents to do the work of God, and an increase of talents was then given him. He became eloquent, patient, self-reliant, and competent to do the greatest work ever entrusted to mortal man. This is the effect upon character whenever men give themselves to God with the whole soul, and listen for His commands that they may obey them.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 612, 613.
©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted with permission.
Key Text
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” Daniel 6:10.
Study Help: Prophets and Kings, 539–548; The Sanctified Life, 42–45.
“In all cases where the king had a right to command, Daniel would obey; but neither the king nor his decree could make him swerve from allegiance to the King of kings.” Prophets and Kings, 542.
Note: “In the midst of a nation of idolaters, Daniel was to represent the character of God. How did he become fitted for a position of so great trust and honor? It was his faithfulness in the little things that gave complexion to his whole life. He honored God in the smallest duties, and the Lord cooperated with him.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 356.
Note: “The accusing host of evil angels stirred up the presidents and princes to envy and jealousy, and they watched Daniel closely to find some occasion against him that they might report him to the king; but they failed. Then these agents of Satan sought to make his faithfulness to God the cause of his destruction. Evil angels laid out the plan for them, and these agents readily carried it into effect.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 295.
“What a lesson is here presented for all Christians. The keen eyes of jealousy were fixed upon Daniel day after day; their watchings were sharpened by hatred; yet not a word or act of his life could they make appear wrong. And still he made no claim to sanctification, but he did that which was infinitely better—he lived a life of faithfulness and consecration.” The Sanctified Life, 42.
Note: “The secret of Daniel’s strength was found in his conscientious attention to what the world would call things of minor importance. He was found before God three times a day in prayer and thanksgiving, and he was equally steadfast in his attention to his duties to the king. It is this conscientious attention to what the world despises that makes a strong, symmetrical character.” The Signs of the Times, May 25, 1891.
“Daniel was sorely tried; but he overcame because he was of a humble and prayerful spirit. Although he was surrounded with distrust and suspicion, and his enemies laid a snare for his life, yet he maintained a serene and cheerful trust in God, never once deviating from principle. Although Daniel was a man of like passions with ourselves, the pen of inspiration presents him as a faultless character. His life is given us as a bright example of what man may become, even in this life, if he will make God his strength, and wisely improve the privileges and opportunities within his reach.” Ibid., November 4, 1886.
Note: “A large number of the princes and nobles were in the secret, but the king was kept in ignorance of their purpose. …
“The king’s vanity was flattered. Not for a moment did he think that Daniel, his beloved and honored servant, would in any way be affected by the law. He signed the decree, and with it in their possession, the presidents and princes went forth from his presence, evil triumph depicted on their countenances.” The Youth’s Instructor, November 1, 1900.
Note: “Some may ask, Why did not Daniel lift his soul to God in secret prayer? Would not the Lord, knowing the situation, have excused His servant from kneeling openly before him? Or why did he not kneel before God in some secret place, where his enemies could not see him?
“Daniel knew that the God of Israel must be honored before the Babylonian nation. He knew that neither kings nor nobles had any right to come between him and his duty to his God. He must bravely maintain his religious principles before all men; for he was God’s witness. Therefore he prayed as was his wont, as if no decree had been made.” The Youth’s Instructor, November 1, 1900.
Note: “The prayer of faith is the great strength of the Christian and will assuredly prevail against Satan. This is why he insinuates that we have no need of prayer. The name of Jesus, our Advocate, he detests; and when we earnestly come to Him for help, Satan’s host is alarmed. It serves his purpose well if we neglect the exercise of prayer, for then his lying wonders are more readily received.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 296.
Note: “Eagerly they [the presidents and princes] hastened to Darius, concealing their cruel joy under a cloak of regret that they were obliged to inform against Daniel.” The Youth’s Instructor, November 1, 1900.
“When the monarch heard these words, he saw at once the snare that had been set for his faithful servant. He saw that it was not zeal for kingly glory and honor, but jealousy against Daniel, that had led to the proposal for a royal decree.” Prophets and Kings, 543.
Note: “Daniel was brought before the king and his princes to answer the accusation brought against him. He had opportunity to speak for himself, and he boldly acknowledged his belief in the living God, the maker of heaven and earth. He made a noble confession of faith, relating his experience from his first connection with the kingdom. …
“Full of satanic exultation, Daniel’s enemies returned to their homes. They drank freely of wine, and congratulated themselves on their success in putting out of the way one whom they could not bribe to forsake the path of integrity.
“Not so did Darius pass the night. Daniel’s testimony had made a deep impression on his mind. He had some knowledge of the dealing of God with the people of Israel, and Daniel’s conduct sent home to his heart the conviction, that the God of the Hebrews was the true God. He was filled with remorse for having signed the decree brought to him. His conscience was awakened, and he passed a sleepless and troubled night. The chamber of royalty was one of sorrow and prayer. All music was hushed. All amusements were laid aside. No comforters were admitted.” The Youth’s Instructor, November 1, 1900.
Note: “Nothing is gained by cowardice or by fearing to let it be known that we are God’s commandment-keeping people. Hiding our light, as if ashamed of our faith, will result only in disaster. God will leave us to our own weakness. May the Lord forbid that we should refuse to let our light shine forth in any place to which He may call us. If we venture to go forth of ourselves, following our own ideas, our own plans, and leave Jesus behind, we need not expect to gain fortitude, courage, or spiritual strength. God has had moral heroes, and He has them now—those who are not ashamed of being His peculiar people. Their wills and plans are all subordinate to the law of God. The love of Jesus has led them not to count their lives dear unto themselves. Their work has been to catch the light from the word of God and to let it shine forth in clear, steady rays to the world. ‘Fidelity to God’ is their motto.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 527, 528.
Note: “When Daniel was cast into the den of lions because of his fidelity to God, the Lord sent His angel to deliver him; and He will deliver us if we put our trust in Him and obey Him. Heaven is very much nearer to us than we think. When we place ourselves in the right relation to God, angels of heaven are beside us. We are to hide in Jesus, and he that touches you, he that harms or distresses you, touches Christ; for Christ identifies His interest with that of His people. Christ suffers in the person of His saints. We must remember that the God of Daniel is our God, and that we can be faithful under all circumstances. We can go to Him in confidence, and through His grace preserve our integrity.” The Bible Echo, January 15, 1893.
“All who really desire it can find a place for communion with God, where no ear can hear but the one open to the cries of the helpless, distressed, and needy—the One who notices even the fall of the little sparrow. He says, ‘Ye are of more value than many sparrows.’ Matthew 10:31.” Counsels on Health, 423, 424.
“True success in any line of work is not the result of chance or accident or destiny. It is the outworking of God’s providences, the reward of faith and discretion, of virtue and perseverance. Fine mental qualities and a high moral tone are not the result of accident. God gives opportunities; success depends upon the use made of them.
“While God was working in Daniel and his companions ‘to will and to do of His good pleasure,’ they were working out their own salvation. Philippians 2:13. Herein is revealed the outworking of the divine principle of co-operation, without which no true success can be attained. Human effort avails nothing without divine power; and without human endeavor, divine effort is with many of no avail. To make God’s grace our own, we must act our part. His grace is given to work in us to will and to do, but never as a substitute for our effort.
“As the Lord co-operated with Daniel and his fellows, so He will co-operate with all who strive to do His will. And by the impartation of His Spirit He will strengthen every true purpose, every noble resolution. Those who walk in the path of obedience will encounter many hindrances. Strong, subtle influences may bind them to the world; but the Lord is able to render futile every agency that works for the defeat of His chosen ones; in His strength they may overcome every temptation, conquer every difficulty.
“God brought Daniel and his associates into connection with the great men of Babylon, that in the midst of a nation of idolaters they might represent His character. How did they become fitted for a position of so great trust and honor? It was faithfulness in little things that gave complexion to their whole life. They honored God in the smallest duties, as well as in the larger responsibilities.
“As God called Daniel to witness for Him in Babylon, so He calls us to be His witnesses in the world today. In the smallest as well as the largest affairs of life, He desires us to reveal to men the principles of His kingdom. Many are waiting for some great work to be brought to them, while daily they lose opportunities for revealing faithfulness to God. Daily they fail of discharging with wholeheartedness the little duties of life. While they wait for some large work in which they may exercise supposedly great talents, and thus satisfy their ambitious longings, their days pass away.
“In the life of the true Christian there are no nonessentials; in the sight of Omnipotence every duty is important. The Lord measures with exactness every possibility for service. The unused capabilities are just as much brought into account as those that are used. We shall be judged by what we ought to have done, but did not accomplish because we did not use our powers to glorify God.
“A noble character is not the result of accident; it is not due to special favors or endowments of Providence. It is the result of self-discipline, of subjection of the lower to the higher nature, of the surrender of self to the service of God and man.” Prophets and Kings, 486–488.
©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted with permission.
Exercise is vital to a healthy mind and body. “If physical exercise were combined with mental exertion, the blood would be quickened in its circulation, the action of the heart would be more perfect, impure matter would be thrown off, and new life and vigor would be experienced in every part of the body.” Testimony Studies on Diet and Foods, 163.
If exercise is so vital to a healthy mind and body we need to learn to exercise. True exercise uses all the major muscles of the body, quickens the heart beat, increases the volume of air brought in by the lungs, and increases and improves the circulation of blood through the body. Exercise should be sustained for at least 15 to 20 minutes per session, and a little longer if the goal is weight loss. Use breathing as a guide to regulate exercise intensity. If it is possible to sing while exercising there is not enough exertion on the body; however, if breathing becomes strained it could be that the body is overexerting. With a healthy level of intensity it should be possible to talk more or less easily while exercising.
“Many who are very feeble can walk if they only think so. … Try to exercise moderately at first. Have rules to govern you. Walk! Yes, walk! If you possibly can, walk! Try it a short distance at first, you who think walking is impossible. You will no doubt become weary. … Your limbs may feel weak. And no wonder when you have not used them much more than as if you had no limbs.” Daughters of God, 171.
“A conservative approach to exercise would recommend that a person over 30 years of age, with a history of heart problems, high blood pressure, and weight issues, should have a physical checkup before beginning a strenuous exercise program. However, Ellen White advocates a liberal approach to exercise, meaning that if a person shows no obvious negative symptoms of the condition, it is healthy to start exercising.
There are many good ways to exercise, but we are counseled, “Walking, in all cases where it is possible, is the best exercise, because in walking, all the muscles are brought into action.” The Health Reformer, July 1, 1872. We are further instructed, “When the weather will permit, those who are engaged in sedentary occupations, should, if possible, walk out in the open air every day, summer and winter. The clothing should be suitable, and the feet well protected. Walking is often more beneficial to health than all the medicine that can be prescribed.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 100, 101.
Finally note this: “Morning exercise, in walking in the free, invigorating air of heaven, or cultivating flowers, small fruits, and vegetables, is necessary to a healthful circulation of the blood. It is the surest safeguard against colds, coughs, congestions of the brain and lungs, inflammation of the liver, the kidneys, and the lungs, and a hundred other diseases.” Healthful Living, 130, 131.
With this in mind we should all begin a healthy exercise program that can be incorporated into daily life. Make a firm decision to achieve the countless benefits which a healthy exercise routine will make possible. Then, determine by God’s grace, to begin and continue with an exercise program that will improve your mental, physical, and spiritual health.
Jewel was a sweet little innocent, redheaded girl who grew up in a family with her sisters Shirley and Barbara. Shirley was very jealous and liked to take all the attention from her parents. She always wanted the best and was unhappy to see Jewel have anything nice. Shirley was a very bossy big sister who continually told Jewel how hopeless she was. Whenever she got angry, she rolled her tongue over, put her teeth on it, and ran after Jewel making terrible sounds. If she managed to catch Jewel, she would hit and thump her. Barbara also used to pick on Jewel as well, and tell her she was ugly. Jewel loved to sing, but Barbara always told her to keep quiet because she said, “You can’t sing like I can.” Little Jewel wanted very much to be friends with Shirley and Barbara, but they were so mean and nasty to their little sister.
Eventually after being told so many negative things about herself, Jewel began to believe their lies, and when she was old enough, she moved a long way away from her horrid sisters. However, all the way down in the archives of her mind the folders marked, “hopeless”, “useless”, “ugly”, and “bad singer” stayed with her and made her feel sad and believe what they used to tell her. She secretly hoped that her two sisters were wrong, but she felt so alone in the big city and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about what they had said. All the hurtful memories made her get sadder and sadder until one day she felt so bad that she could not get out of bed. She did not even want to live anymore!
Then suddenly, everything changed for the better. Jewel met Jesus and He made her see the truth about everything, setting her free from her despair and making her smile again. She had not been so happy for a long time. Jesus filled Jewel with Himself and brought her so much joy she thought she was going to burst! Jesus told Jewel He had a wonderful plan for her life and that she had many talents, gifts, and abilities. He made her realize how beautiful she was from the inside out, and He sent along a handsome man named John for her to marry. After that, Jewel spent the whole day singing songs, eventually joining a choir, and she was even asked to sing special music in her church.
The most difficult thing for Jewel had been to realize that the lies of her sisters were not true. The only way she was able to get better was to believe what God had to say about her in the Bible. The truth set Jewel free.
I am a body part that is made up of many groups of muscles.
In order to get all my jobs done my muscles run in different directions.
The front part of me is very flexible but the back of me is not.
The top of me is rough and bumpy; underneath me I am smooth.
I have some friends to help me and they are called teeth, lips, saliva, mouth, and nose.
I help you chew, swallow, sing, talk, and taste.
I am a “tongue!”
The Bible has lots to say about this little member of the body, the tongue. The tongue can bring death or life. On Judgment Day you must give an account for every idle (useless, silly, wasteful, profitless) word you speak.
If you want to enjoy eternal life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Control your tongue.
Don’t use bad or abusive language. Get rid of harsh words (severe, unfeeling, rough) and slander (a false/unkind statement about a person), obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. Let everything you say be good, helpful, and encouraging. Speak the truth in love, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Let the Holy Spirit renew your thoughts. Be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs among yourselves and making music in your hearts.
Before we cross the road, we Stop, Look, and Listen. Before we speak we should:
Stop—Slow to speak.
Look—Remember what God says. We should ask ourselves, is it true? is it helpful? is it kind? is it needed?
Listen—Follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Do what your heart tells you to do, and obey your conscience.
Fritillaries are a group of large and ornate butterflies found in temperate regions throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. They are members of the brush-footed butterfly family, which are so named because their front legs resemble a pair of brushes. These brush-like front legs are used for chemical sensing rather than walking. Most fritillaries are orangish with silver markings on the undersides of their wings. Fritillaries get their name from the Latin word fritillus (dice box) because of their spotted markings. The larvae of many fritillaries are nocturnal and feed on violet leaves.
One of the larger and more strikingly beautiful butterflies in North America is the Diana Fritillary. With wingspans up to 4 inches, the Diana Fritillary is a uniquely dimorphic species, meaning that the sexes are differently colored. Above, the males are brownish-black on the inner part of the wings and orange on the outer margins. The underside of the wings is a beautiful burnt orange. Females, in contrast to the males, are dark blue-black with lighter blue spots and patches near the edge of the wings. This female color pattern is thought to mimic the Pipevine Swallowtail, a toxic butterfly that occurs throughout the range of the Diana Fritillary. Diana Fritillaries are found mainly in the uplands of the middle and southern Appalachian region, and in the Ozark and Ouachita mountain regions.
Diana Fritillaries prefer moist forested areas where they are frequently seen feeding on flowers in openings and along roadsides. They are relatively long-lived for a butterfly, with adults living four to five months. Adults require high-quality nectar plants such as common mint, buttonbush, milkweed, coneflower, and compass plant. Diana Fritillaries reproduce once a year, laying their eggs in the fall on the ground in woodlands near violet plants. The young larvae or caterpillars spend the winter in a resting stage, called diapause, and resume growth and development in the spring. The mature caterpillar is black or dark brown with black or orange spines. The caterpillars complete development by late spring, pupate in leaf litter, undergo metamorphosis, and emerge as adults in June. Males are typically the first to emerge, with females following one-and-a-half to two weeks later.
The Diana Fritillary was named after the Roman god Diana, who was also known as “Diana of the Ephesians.” The first commandment (Exodus 20:3) says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” This includes not only graven images but can also be material possessions, television, internet, or anything that interferes with your relationship with God. “The day of God will reveal that they are, in reality, only wood, hay, and stubble. The great temple of Diana was ruined; her magnificence utterly perished; those who shouted, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians!’ perished with their goddess and the temple which enshrined her. Their religion is forgotten, or seems like an idle tale. That temple was built upon a false foundation, and when tried, it was found to be worthless. But the stones that Paul quarried out from Ephesus were found to be precious and enduring.” Sketches from the Life of Paul, 155, 156. “The present age is one of idolatry as verily as was that in which Elijah lived. No outward shrines may be visible, there may be no image for the eye to rest upon, yet thousands are following after the gods of this world,—after riches, fame, pleasure, and the pleasing fables that permit man to follow the inclinations of the unregenerate heart.” The Review and Herald, November 6, 1913.
“The time has come when we as a people should search ourselves to see what idols we are cherishing.” Ibid., March 7, 1899.
David Arbour writes from his home in De Queen, Arkansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.
God is so good and He always answers our prayers. When we pray to the Lord and ask him to “hold up my goings in thy paths, [that] my footsteps slip not” (Psalm 17:5), He answers. I know that God wants us to be in good health and to know what we are eating and drinking. Everything we do should be to the glory of God. He leads us on a path in order to teach us and we need to be willing to learn.
In 2007 the corn harvest in the United States was 13 billion bushels, making it America’s most highly planted and subsidized crop. The fructose syrup produced from one bushel of corn sweetens around 400 sodas. The average weight of high fructose corn syrup consumed by Americans in 1970 was 0.6 pounds compared to 73.5 pounds in the year 2000. What a huge change we have seen in diet over the past 30 years! The effects of these changes can also be seen in today’s society. For example, in 1971 the percentage of overweight Americans was 47.7% compared to 66% in 2004. The odds that a current first grader in America may develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime are one in three.
For the first time in American history the present generation is at risk of having a shorter lifespan than their parents all because of what they are eating. The issue to be addressed here is not the consumption of corn in its natural state but the high fructose corn syrup which is used as a material to sweeten common items such as canned products and fruit juices. As you walk down the cookie isle in your local supermarket you can find many products listing ingredients made from corn, such as cornstarch, corn gluten, corn meal, hydrolyzed corn protein, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, and hydrolyzed corn protein.
Corn is a giant grass plant, very closely related to the grass that grows around your house. Native corn originated in southern Mexico, and after arriving in the United States was gradually changed and replaced by one variety, the corn we know and eat today. Over the last 40 or 50 years there have been many changes and developments to production, all with the goal of maximizing yield. It takes only about 18 minutes using the corn planter to plant 31,000 kernels per acre of corn for industrial production. Planting methods have been developed to make the plants tolerate closer planting and anhydrous ammonia is used to make the plants produce up to four times as much as what our great grandparents would have grown on the same piece of land. With yields of around 200 bushels of corn, or 10,000 pounds per acre, 5 tons of food can be produced on one acre of land. That is an amazing amount of food.
The corn we commonly eat is grown from genetically modified seeds which were developed to resist the herbicides necessary to kill weeds. This means that you can be standing in a corn field in Iowa in the midst of an immense amount of food but none of it is edible because it is a commodity corn and must be processed before we can eat it. This raw material is used as a basis for all these other processes and it is ironic that an Iowa farmer can no longer feed himself.
Of the 10,000 pounds of corn that can be produced on one acre, 32% will be exported or turned into ethanol, in neither case ending up as food. About 490 pounds will be made into corn sweeteners, like high fructose corn syrup, and the other 5,500 pounds, more than half of a one-acre crop, will be fed to animals which end up on American tables as meat.
The meat that is commonly consumed in this day and age is produced from animals which are fed corn silage in feedlots. Grain-feeding produces a characteristically obese animal whose muscle tissue looks more like fat tissue than the lean muscle of a wild animal. This means that a T-bone steak from a grain-fed cow may have as much as 9 grams of saturated fat compared to 1.3 grams of saturated fat in the same steak from a grass-fed animal. America´s favorite meat, hamburger meat or ground beef, is produced from the same grain-fed animal and about 65% of the calories in hamburger meat is saturated fat. Beef from corn-fed cows is cheap and easy to produce, and as a result it is more than likely that a person born in the last 30 years in America has tasted only corn- or grain-fed beef.
With so much surplus corn around it made sense to look for ways in which to derive maximum benefit from this versatile product. At the same time, food and beverage manufacturers were looking for a lower cost sugar substitute, and the corn sweetener industry was the perfect answer. Prior to about 1970, nobody ate high fructose corn syrup because of the high production expenses. Today, the most common form of sweetener in the western diet comes from corn. Corn is very cheap and therefore it was logical that food producers began to use high fructose corn syrup as a more available and economical option. By the late 80s high fructose corn syrup had taken over half of the sweetening market in the United States. High fructose is known to enhance the flavor of spices and fruits, lessen the acidic quality of spaghetti sauces and also provide good browning properties for the bread industry. Low cost and innovative corn production provided the market with a highly versatile product that offered a variety of choices at a low cost.
Almost every single item you see in the supermarket isle contains corn syrup. In the last 30 years America’s consumption of table sugar has fallen, but overall consumption of sweeteners has gone up 30%, largely because of a dramatic increase in the consumption of high fructose corn syrup.
The corn which is grown in Iowa has been selected for high productivity, meaning high volume starch production at the cost of nutritional value. From a nutritional standpoint, most of the developments and so called improvements in processing have a degrading effect on our food. The original corn from Mexico was a grain with a higher protein content, but with the focus on mass productivity, the nature of the corn kernel was transformed. Increased yield has mainly been possible due to an expansion in the endosperm or the starch fraction of the kernel of corn. The extra starch that is produced can be converted to high fructose corn sweetener which has basically no nutritional value.
One of the great changes in the American diet during the last 20 years is that we are now not only eating, but also drinking many more calories than before. In Brooklyn, New York, about 139 million gallons of soda are consumed each year, soda which is sweetened by approximately 20,000 acres of corn. There seems to be something about drinking calories in the form of soda, for example, that just does not generate the stop signals like it might with food and as a result we have an explosion of obesity. I can use one example of a person who used to be over 300 pounds, a size 60 in pants, to demonstrate the effect of drinking soda. He stopped drinking it completely and with that being the only change in his diet, lost about a third of his weight.
Obesity is probably the most conspicuous symptom of the nutritional crisis occurring in America, but in reality is only a part. Excessive consumption of sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup has adverse metabolic effects, and long term studies show that it also produces higher risk of type 2 diabetes. In a recent analysis it was found that drinking one soda per day on average almost doubled the risk of type 2 diabetes compared to only occasionally drinking a soda beverage, or none at all. One in eight New Yorkers have been diagnosed as having diabetes, and this statistic does not include those who do not know they have diabetes and remain undiagnosed. Diabetes essentially means the blood sugar level is too high for the pancreas to control and maintain within the normal range. Diabetes is not a condition treatable with only medicine; it is not something that goes away. Diabetes and obesity are conditions which are strongly linked to the environment factors of both diet and exercise.
The most important message that can be taken from this information is the eventual cost of the damage that we are doing to our systems. Highly processed foods, sodas, and fast foods all contain some variant of the corn products that have been discussed in this article and are perfect examples of the easy and sometimes cheaper mainstream options that make up the diet of many Americans. Eating healthfully often seems to be a more expensive option, but the long-term effects of such dietary habits are worth consideration. Are we really saving money if the outcome can be a serious medical condition or a level of obesity that limits our everyday activities and puts our health at risk?
“Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19.
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Inspired writings tell us that, “as the will of man co-operates 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, 333.
Everybody is commissioned to direct those who are on a wrong course. Every effort should be made to save their souls. We must “cry aloud and spare not,” speak up about wrongs lest by our silence it is interpreted that we consent to their sin. In Loma Linda Messages, 48, we are told that “the time has come when each one must stand in his lot and place, prepared to call sin, sin, and righteousness, righteousness.”
This is a very solemn command and while it must be done we must be extremely careful not to make thrusts and condemn those who do not have the light that we have on certain things.
There is an old adage that says your actions speak so loud I cannot hear what you are saying. In other words, what you are saying does not coincide with what I see you doing.
“Paul carried with him the atmosphere of heaven. All who associated with him felt the influence of his union with Christ. The fact that his own life exemplified the truth he proclaimed, gave convincing power to his preaching. Here lies the power of truth. The unstudied, unconscious influence of a holy life is the most convincing sermon that can be given in favor of Christianity. Argument, even when unanswerable, may provoke only opposition; but a godly example has a power that it is impossible wholly to resist.” The Acts of the Apostles, 510, 511.
“Character is power. The silent witness of a true, unselfish, godly life carries an almost irresistible influence. By revealing in our own life the character of Christ we co-operate with Him in the work of saving souls. It is only by revealing in our life His character that we can co-operate with Him. And the wider the sphere of our influence, the more good we may do.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 340.
Crying aloud may not always be vocal; it may be to simply live a godly life showing love and concern for those who cross our path and enter into our sphere of influence. It is Christ only who can change hearts, but we can cooperate with Jesus by allowing Him to mold and fashion us into His likeness so that others will be drawn to Him.