Changes

“And the evening and the morning were the second day.” Genesis 1:8. When God created this earth, He created time. We know that the earth, in one revolution around the sun, creates time known as a year. The moon going around the earth in one orbit creates time known as a month.

Time Equals Change

There is an absolute consequence to time—change. We see changes take place in this world. From year to year we experience the change of the seasons. Right now when you walk outside, you definitely know the season, do you not? It is winter. So an absolute consequence of time is change.

My wife and I like to plant a garden in the spring. We plant little seeds, which will develop eventually into a full-grown plant. There is a change that takes place over time.

We are not the same people we were five years ago. If you look at a picture of yourself, you would see the changes. What has happened in this time period? Change has taken place because all change is an absolute consequence of time, and we live in a world of time.

By the study of God’s Word I am leaning that time is running out for this world, and we are entering a shorter period of time for change—change that is necessary if we are going to heaven some day.

Consistency In All Things

There is a consistency that runs through the time that God created, and the changes that take place as a consequence of time. The earth continues to rotate around the sun year after year. The moon rotates around the earth month after month. There is consistency in this.

“God says through His prophet, For I am the Lord, I change not.” Malachi 3:6. That is the ultimate reason why there is consistency in all the changes that take place from year to year.

What has God implemented in the creation of this world that brings forth consistency in time and change? “The works of His hands are verity [which means truth] and judgment, all His commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.” Psalm 111:7, 8. So we see when God created this world—and time—it all fell into the context of His laws. That is why there is consistency.

“Let it be made plain that the way of God’s commandments is the way of life. [God has created everything with a law in it.] God has established the laws of nature, but His laws are not arbitrary exactions.” Ministry of Healing, 114.

You see, God has not created law for Himself. He created law for you and for me, and we will see the goodness of God in giving us His laws.

Every “Thou shalt not,” whether in physical or moral law, implies a promise. If we obey it, blessings will attend our steps. God never forces us to do right. It is amazing that the God whom we worship, the God who created us, does not force us to do what He knows to be right. You and I must choose.

Built In Consequences

With change, there is choice, but He seeks to save us from evil and lead us to good. That is the whole plan of redemption. Within every law that God created He placed a principle. God says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7. I have found that to be true, not only in the garden, but also in my own life.

What I sow, I reap, and I have been ashamed of much of what I have sown. But God is merciful. God is gracious, “…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. What is repentance? Repentance is change; a change that comes from choice. Every law God created has a built in consequence. There is a blessing if we are in harmony with God’s laws; but there is a curse upon us if we are not.

Non-Compliance is Sin

What does God call non-compliance to His laws, whether the physical or moral laws? He calls it “sin.” Sin is being out of harmony with God’s laws. However we want to term it, we are not obeying God’s laws, for “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4.

It is interesting to read what Jesus spoke to those He healed, physically or spiritually. When He forgave their sins there was a physical healing and a spiritual healing of forgiveness and cleansing of sin.

Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?

Notice John 5:1–14. This story is about the paralytic man by the Pool of Bethesda, who for 38 years could not walk. He believes that when the water gets troubled, the first one in is going to be healed of his disease.

It is Sabbath, and Jesus is walking through Jerusalem. He comes by the Pool of Bethesda. He looks, and He wants to heal everyone, but He cannot. So He chooses the worst case. He comes up to this man, bends over him and says, “Wilt thou be made whole?” Verse 6. That is all.

The man looked at Him and said, “I would like to be made whole but every time the water ripples, I do not have anybody to carry me into the pool.” (See verse 7.) Did Jesus get into a discourse with this man? No. The next thing He said is, “Arise and walk.” (See verse 8.) Is that a command, a law? Yes. It may not be a law that we totally understand, but if we respond to God’s commands, we will reap the benefits.

Did the paralytic reap the benefits? Yes. He arose and walked for the first time in 38 years. Is this not a wonderful God we serve? Are His laws grievous? No! His laws are beneficial. The man was healed. “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more.…” John 5:14.

All sickness, whether physical or spiritual, is the result of sin. Whether you have a spiritual deformity or a physical sickness or disease, God wants to heal you. He will heal you as you come into harmony with His laws.

Principles of Life

“In His written Word and in the great book of nature He has revealed the principles of life. It is our work to obtain a knowledge of these principles, and by obedience to cooperate with Him in restoring health to the body as well as to the soul.” Ministry of Healing, 115.

What is our work? Our work is to obtain a knowledge of these principles, an understanding of what constitutes God’s laws in the physical world in which we live and, in regard to our moral nature, the spiritual laws that God has given us. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.…” Psalm 19:7. “Converting” means restoring. Physical and spiritual restoration will come by way of allowing God, through His grace, to bring us into harmony with His laws.

We see this clearly brought to view in Exodus 15:26. Jesus Himself is speaking, through Moses, to the ancient Israelites in the wilderness. “…If thou wilt diligently harken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”

In Romans we see a strong inference that God’s laws, as Himself, are no respecter of persons. We may be totally ignorant of the laws that God has ordained for our physical health, but this does not mean that we cannot receive the blessing if we are choosing to do these things that constitute those laws.

Some people in the world may not even believe in God, or they may believe in a concept of a god that is not scripturally founded, but whether you have an intellectual knowledge of the law or not, if you are brought into harmony and work in harmony with the law, you will receive the benefit. (See Romans 2:14.)

God’s Plan for Health

Some of the physical laws that God has given to keep us well are found in Ministry of Healing, 127:

  1. Pure Air:

Is that something consistent that we need? Is that a law? It is. When someone smokes a cigarette, are they getting pure air? No. Are they breaking a law? Yes. Will they reap a consequence? What you sow, you reap. People who smoke cigarettes have a high incident rate of lung cancer, and most of them die earlier than God planned.

  1. Sunlight:

Maybe you never thought of sunlight as a law. We cannot be perfectly healthy unless we get a certain amount of sunlight. Close somebody up in a dark room; and after a month or two, you will find they are not physically healthy.

  1. Abstemiousness:

This is a long, old fashioned word that means temperance. Temperance is self-control. The only way we can have self-control is to allow God to have control of our lives. He wants to help us be temperate in all things, and that is a law.

  1. Rest:

Most of us are so busy we do not rest until our eyes start drooping in the evening. That is the signal that we had better go to bed. We live in a society that does not rest. We are constantly moving, and stress is the result. That is a law.

  1. Exercise:

God is balanced. He says, “Rest, but I want you to exercise, too.” We need to exercise if we are going to have physical health. That is a law.

  1. Proper Diet:

What we eat is what we are physically. How we eat, when we eat, how much we eat will determine, to a great degree, how physically healthy we are. It is a law.

  1. Pure Water.

God created water to cleanse us inside. The best water we can drink is pure water. When we talk about pure water, we are not talking about mineralized water. Our bodies cannot break down inorganic material. So it is not true when people say you must drink water containing minerals. We are told, by Ellen White, through the testimony of Jesus, that pure, soft water is the best water to put into our bodies, and we need to get plenty of it every day. If you are not drinking pure water, you are not in perfect harmony with God’s laws.

  1. Trust in Divine Power.

Faith is a law. God has laws, and if we choose to be brought into harmony with these laws, we are going to have physical health.

How Do You Hear?

How is it with us spiritually? We should know, or we are totally deceived. We have a choice whether we want to be wayside hearers, stony ground hearers, the ones who allow the thorns to crowd out the Word, or we can be good ground hearers. Did you know that is a choice? It is a choice that we are all making right now.

Diagnosis of Death

Some of us may be burdened with besetting sins, wondering if God has a message for us. In Revelation 3:17 we find a diagnosis from the Great Physician, the Son of God. Under the seventh church, the last dispensation just before Jesus returns to this world, He diagnoses the spirituality of His people: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.…” Jesus placed Himself in a position with humanity as a Physician because we are definitely in need.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. The whole plan of redemption is to bring us back into harmony with that law that we have sinned against, that we might be a glory to God.

God knows us. If you have never understood that, read Psalm 139:1–3. “Oh Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.” He knows what we are thinking and doing.

“…and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17. Is that a diagnosis? If you went in for a physical exam and received a diagnosis like that from a medical physician today, he would probably be telling you that you are about to die.

We do not have to be in this position, and I hope none of us are. But this is a warning that it is possible to return to this Laodicean condition, if we choose. Jesus says the people (Laodiceans) are preoccupied with a form of religion, and they are forgetting the power that God has to change their lives and to bring them into harmony with His laws. (See 2 Timothy 3:5.)

Our Greatest Need

What is our greatest need? “A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 121. We should seek for true godliness, not a form of godliness that God says the majority of His professed people have in the last days just before He comes.

The question we should ask ourselves is, Are we weary of a form of godliness that denies the power? It is only those who sense their need, who realize their true situation, who are going to lay hold of the solution. Jesus has the solution: “…seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness.…” Matthew 6:33. Do you know you cannot separate those? The kingdom of God will only be found in His righteousness. No one is walking into God’s kingdom without His righteousness. His righteousness is harmony with His laws. “…all Thy commandments are righteousness.” Psalm 119:172.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” Is it a real kingdom, a real place? It is fully as real as where you and I are at this moment. It is reality and God wants to give us a sense of that reality. He tells us to exercise the law of faith in His Word. Believe and He will give us evidence by the presence of His Holy Spirit.

God wants to heal us of our physical diseases, if we allow Him to bring us into harmony with His laws. He wants to heal us spiritually. He wants us to be whole.

Love Obeys

Romans tells us something about God’s laws. “…love is the fulfilling of the [My] law.” Romans 13:10. He has put His love into every law that He has made. When we choose to be brought into harmony with that law, and allow that law to have its right place in our lives, His love will come out of us. His love is His righteousness. To do right is to show love.

Scripture tells us that we will never be able to implement the moral law of the Ten Commandments fully and completely into our lives without His grace. Some people today are preaching a message that God’s grace does away with the law. That is just the opposite of what God says.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created [or restored] in Christ Jesus unto good works.…” Ephesians 2:8-10. And what are the good works that God wants us to perform? His law!

“Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life.…” Revelation 22:14. God wants to bring us into harmony with His laws, which are filled with His love for us. If we allow Him, we will be the healthiest, happiest people on the face of this earth. Jesus says, “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.

The only way we can have more abundant life is to be brought into perfect harmony with all of God’s laws. We will never accomplish this without God’s grace. “Men need to learn that the blessings of obedience, in their fullness, can be theirs only as they receive the grace of Christ. It is His grace that gives man power to obey the laws of God. It is this that enables him to break the bondage of evil habit. This is the only power that can make him and keep him steadfast in the right path.” Ministry of Healing, 115. The right path is the narrow path.

All lasting changes involve consistent choices. There is only One being in the whole universe who is consistently changeless, and He can help us be consistent in our choices.

Our first choice in obeying God is to love Him. He says it is of faith that works by love. God wants us to have a faith that works by love. (See Galatians 5:6.) In fact, a professed faith that does not have the love of God motivating it constantly and consistently does not work consistently.

He Loves You!

You must fully understand and believe, with all your heart, that Jesus loves you personally, fully and completely, no matter who you are. No matter what you have been doing or where you are. “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love.…” Jeremiah 31:3.

An everlasting love is a love that lasts forever. Forever, as long as life exists. God loves you personally. He wants you to know that. It is so important because that needs to be the full motivation of our experience with Him. That is what will cause us to love Him fully.

When we believe that He loves us fully, we can love Him fully, and when we love Him fully, it is only natural to obey Him fully. Jesus said, “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15. There will be a promise of love in every law, it will not be a “Thou shalt not” to you any more.

One of the most drastic changes that God reveals in His Word concerns Laodicea. We read about Laodicea earlier. How were they? They were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

But now look at where they are. Some, not all, will accept the message to the Laodiceans, and those who accept the message undergo a drastic change. God says, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. That is a drastic change! These people, over time, have allowed God, through His grace, to change them. Now they are a perfect people, before a perfect God, having a perfect law written upon their hearts.

Is that the kind of people you want to be? That is the kind of people we must be. His grace, we are told in 2 Corinthians 12:9, is sufficient. I do not care where you are today, I do not care how down and out you feel in regard to sin in your life, God is talking to you today. He is trying to wake you up to the reality that He loves you fully and wants you to love Him so He can bring you into harmony with His laws. He wants to bring about a change in your life. Time for change, however, is running out.

“Our Saviour’s words, ‘Come unto Me,… and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28), are a prescription for the healing of physical, mental, and spiritual ills. Though men have brought suffering upon themselves by their own wrongdoing, He regards them with pity. In Him they may find help. He will do great things for those who trust in Him.” Ministry of Healing, 115.

Jesus, right now, this very moment, lives and moves in the heavenly court for you and for me. He knows us, loves us, and wants us to respond fully and completely so He can perform a full and complete work in us.

Restoring the Temple – Health For the Total Person

“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.” — Galileo Galilei

Every year 1.7 million Americans die from chronic diseases.i The ten leading causes of death include heart disease, cancer, strokes, lung disease, diabetes, and kidney and liver diseases,ii all of which are affected by diet. The remaining two leading causes of death-accident and suicide-are often effected by lifestyle choices like alcohol and drug abuse. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) admits that these major killers “are an extension of what people do, or do not do, as they go about the business of daily living. Those who practice health-damaging behaviors risk decreased quality of life and early death.”iii Heart disease and cancer, the first and second killers on the list, can often be prevented by modifying high risk behaviors like tobacco use, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity. You have the power in your own hands to change the future of your health.

There are many ways of practicing the healing art; but there is only one way that Heaven approves. God’s remedies are simple agencies of nature that will not tax or debilitate the system through their powerful properties. Pure air and water, cleanliness a proper diet, purity of life, and a firm trust in God, are remedies for the want of which thousands are dying; yet these remedies are going out of date because their skillful use requires work that people do not appreciate. Fresh air, exercise, pure water, and clean, sweet premises, are within the reach of all… iv

  • (The King James Version is used in all biblical quotations.)
  • i Chronic Diseases and Their Risk Factors: The Nation’s Leading Causes of Death, CDC Report, 1999
  • ii Ten Leading Causes of Death, United States, National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Vital Statistics System, 1997
  • iii Chronic Diseases, ibid.
  • iv Counsels on Diet and Foods, E.G. White, Review and Herald Publishing Association, Washington, DC, 1938, 301.2

Health Nugget – Destination: Eternity

Our support systems are failing. Through greed and needless ignorance we ourselves have done much of the damage. Those who persist in harming God’s creation have an account to settle with the Designer/Creator. “I will destroy them that destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:18).

As marvelous as this earth is, with its numerous life-supporting systems, the human being with his ability to love, to reason, to invent and to reproduce after his kind, is the Creator’s masterpiece—the ultimate evidence for a higher intelligent Being. Anyone who persists in abusing, misusing or harming the ultimate evidence of His creative power will not only suffer the present consequences of increased disease and perhaps premature death, but also must give an accounting to his Creator.

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17).

Inherent in our life-by-design are the eight principles of proper care for this marvelous creation. To intelligently care for our bodies, we must understand how they are constructed and how they function. We must have an understanding of anatomy and physiology. We must also have an understanding of the support systems of our being and how best we can utilize them in their present, less than ideal, condition.

If we are to get out of this earth alive, each one of us, to a greater or lesser extent, must make a new start. We recognize that we have not always taken the best possible care of this amazing life that we have been intrusted with. Someone has placed the life-support systems for mankind in the form of the acronym NEW START—Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunlight, Temperance, Air, Rest, and Trust in Divine Power. Undoubtedly, we all need a new start.

There is definite evidence that if we will relate properly to these eight support systems, we will have a marked improvement in health and function of our bodies. It is well documented that two thirds of all deaths in America are due to causes which we know how to prevent. (“Closing the Gap,” JAMA, September 13, 1985.) The types of illnesses from which people suffer and die are determined largely by how they live hour by hour and day by day. Improper use of life-support systems are presently the major cause of disease and premature death.

Unhealthful living habits are rampant among earth’s inhabitants. When attempts to change are made, we discover that chronic thought patterns and physical habits are much more difficult to change than we believed. Many times we are confronted with the fact that we would rather continue in our misuse of nature’s resources and suffer the consequences than to make the struggle to change. This rebellion and arrogancy against that which is for our own good is known as sin. Because of sin, with its senseless disregard for the operating instructions for human life, mankind has been placed on the endangered species list of the universe.

When malfunction first occurred on this world, it was only because of emergency back-up systems that all was not instantaneously lost. These emergency measures have continued to keep this planet and the human race alive to this day, but they can be continued only until all have had the opportunity to choose knowledgeably as to whether they desire to remain in sinful rebellion or not. Those who choose to live in harmony with the Creator’s design standards are forgiven of the past. They are also given the power thereafter to cease their senseless rebellion.

Yes, the good news is that the Divine-Rescue plan for Planet Earth provides power to change the physical and spiritual health-destroying habits from which we suffer. No life on board need be lost. All that is required is a recognition of our hopeless state, a repentance for our past, a request for that transforming power, and a total surrender to God’s enabling power on a moment-by-moment basis.

Let’s face it. This planet is out of control. In spite of our own ingenuity and inventiveness, modern science cannot remove the selfishness from our own stubborn hearts. Man’s own selfish motives result in famine and pestilence stalking the earth. Social and political strife continue unabated. As a result of monetary greed, mankind continues to strip the earth of its vegetation, and to pollute his own water, air, and food supplies. The answer is not more technical ability. The problems demand a change of heart—a new birth—and that is available only through Heaven’s rescue plan of salvation.

Those who escape from this earth with their lives will be destined for eternity. Once mankind’s life is brought into harmony with his life-support systems, he can be safely reinstated into the original plan for the human race.

Those who are rescued and restored will be placed in an earth made new with its original support systems. Humanity will once again have access to the river and the tree of life. With stubborn rebellion thoroughly removed from mankind’s heart, malfunction will never rise again.

“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” “And he [the angel] shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 21:3–5, 1; 22:1, 2).

Ellen White, in The Great Controversy, 677, 678, has penned it thus:

“All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God’s redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar—worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. They share the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through ages upon ages in contemplation of God’s handiwork. With undimmed vision they gaze upon the glory of creation—suns and stars and systems, all in their appointed order circling the throne of Deity. Upon all things, from the least to the greatest, the Creator’s name is written, and in all are the riches of His power displayed.

“And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will be their admiration of His character. As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise.

“ ‘And every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever’ (Revelation 5:13).

“The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.”

Friend, let me assure you, this is not science fiction. This account is fact and not fancy. The destiny of those rescued from this crippled earth is perfect life throughout eternity. You and I, with our friends and loved ones, can be there. Yes, we must be there!

Health for Today, Vernon Sparks, M.D., No. 3, ©1991, 28, 29.

Vernon Sparks served as a guest lecturer at Life Abundant Missionary Institute, Eatonville, Washington.

“Over the years, my primary interests have shifted from physical health to spiritual health. Both areas are extremely important; however, of the two, the latter is primary. In the spiritual area, my interest is focused on the natural-to-fallen-man tendency to not measure up in experience to the spiritual knowledge available. My desire is to make available publications and truths that tend to be neglected, forgotten, or misunderstood.”

Dr. Sparks received his M.D. degree from Loma Linda University in 1962 and served in various capacities within the Seventh-day Adventist health system for many years. Since retiring in 1997, his work has focused on making available historic Adventist publications that have long been out of print.

Food for Life – Lemon Pie

“And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days;
Then Heaven tries earth if it be in tune,
And over it softly her warm ear lays.”
Lowell

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1, 2. We have no right to wantonly violate a single principle of the laws of health.” Counsels on Health, 50. Then, citing Daniel’s experience, Mrs. White continues: “He did not conform to the habits of the courtiers in eating and drinking, but purposed in his heart that he would not eat of the king’s meat nor drink of his wines. This was not a hastily formed, wavering purpose, but one that was intelligently formed and resolutely carried out. Daniel honored God; and the promise was fulfilled to him. ‘Them that honor Me I will honor.’ I Samuel 2:30. The Lord gave him ‘knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom,’ and he had ‘understanding in all visions and dreams’ (Daniel 1:17); so that he was wiser than all in the king’s courts, wiser than all the astrologers and magicians in the kingdom.

“Those who serve God in sincerity and truth will be a peculiar people, unlike the world, separate from the world. Their food will be prepared, not to encourage gluttony or gratify a perverted taste, but to secure to themselves the greatest physical strength, and consequently the best mental [and physical] conditions. . . .

“Excessive indulgence in eating and drinking is sin. Our heavenly Father has bestowed upon us the great blessing of health reform, that we may glorify Him by obeying the claims He has upon us. . . . Those who are looking for the soon appearing of their Saviour should be the last to manifest a lack of interest in this great work of reform. . . . An aimless life is a living death. The mind should dwell upon themes relating to our eternal interests. This will be conducive to health of body and mind. . . .

“The world should be no criterion for us. It is fashionable to indulge the appetite in luxurious food and unnatural stimulus, thus strengthening the animal propensities, and crippling the growth and development of the moral faculties. There is no encouragement given to any of the sons or daughters of Adam that they may become victorious overcomers in the Christian warfare unless they decide to practice temperance in all things. If they do this, they will not fight as one that beateth the air.” Ibid.

In this wonderful book, we are further counseled that, “It is a terrible sin to abuse the health that God has given us; for every abuse of health enfeebles us for life and makes us losers, even if we gain any amount of education.” Ibid., 186.

“In the preparation of a people for the Lord’s Second Coming, a great work is to be accomplished through the promulgation of health principles. The people are to be instructed in regard to the needs of the physical organism and the value of healthful living as taught in the Scriptures, that the bodies which God has created may be presented to Him a living sacrifice, fitted to render Him acceptable service. There is a great work to be done for suffering humanity in relieving their sufferings by the use of the natural agencies that God has provided, and in teaching them how to prevent sickness by the regulation of the appetites and passions. The people should be taught that transgression of the laws of nature is transgression of the laws of God.” Ibid., 206. [All Emphasis supplied.]

Recipe – Lemon Pie

1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh grated lemon rind
10 dates or ½ cup of packed, chopped dates
¼ cup water
1/3 cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth. Cook in saucepan on low heat, stirring constantly, till thick. Then pour into a backed cashew pie crust. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Restoring the Temple – Why Reform?

Our first duty toward God and our fellow beings is that of self-development. Every faculty with which the Creator has endowed us should be cultivated to the highest degree of perfection, that we may be able to do the greatest amount of good of which we are capable. Hence that time is spent to good account which is used in the establishment and preservation of physical and mental health. We cannot afford to dwarf or cripple any function of body or mind. As surely as we do this, we must suffer the consequences.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 15.

Question of Obedience

“It is our work to obtain a knowledge of these principles [that will restore in us the divine image], and by obedience to cooperate with Him in restoring health to the body as well as to the soul.” Ibid., 16.

“It is as truly a sin to violate the laws of our being as it is to break the ten commandments. To do either is to break God’s laws. Those who transgress the law of God in their physical organism, will be inclined to violate the law of God spoken from Sinai.” Ibid., 17.

“When men and women are truly converted, they will conscientiously regard the laws of life that God has established in their being, thus seeking to avoid physical, mental, and moral feebleness. Obedience to these laws must be made a matter of personal duty.” Ibid., 18.

“[God’s] requirements should be sacredly obeyed. Those who accept and obey one of His precepts because it is convenient to do so, while they reject another because its observance would require a sacrifice, lower the standard of right, and by their example lead others to lightly regard the holy law of God.” Ibid., 30.

“If we weaken these powers of mind or body by wrong habits or indulgence of perverted appetite, it will be impossible for us to honor God as we should.” Ibid., 21.

Why Health Reform?

“Knowledge must be gained in regard to how to eat, and drink, and dress so as to preserve health.” Ibid., 21.

“It is impossible for those who indulge the appetite to attain to Christian perfection. . . .

“Satan is working with great power to lead men to indulge appetite, gratify inclination, and spend their days in heedless folly. He presents attractions in a life of selfish enjoyment and of sensual indulgence. Intemperance saps the energies of both mind and body. He who is thus overcome, has placed himself upon Satan’s ground, where he will be tempted and annoyed, and finally controlled at pleasure by the enemy of all righteousness.” Ibid., 22, 23.

“Our heavenly Father sent the light of health reform to guard against the evils resulting from a debased appetite, that those who love purity and holiness may know how to use with discretion the good things He has provided for them, and that by exercising temperance in daily life, they may be sanctified through the truth.

“Let it ever be kept before the mind that the great object of hygienic reform is to secure the highest possible development of mind and soul and body. All the laws of nature—which are the laws of God—are designed for our good. Obedience to them will promote our happiness in this life, and will aid us in a preparation for the life to come.” Ibid., 23.

“The health reform is a branch of the special work of God for the benefit of His people. . . .” Ibid., 25.

Unready for the Loud Cry

“The health reform, I was shown, is a part of the third angel’s message, and is just as closely connected with it as are the arm and hand with the human body. . . . God’s people are not prepared for the loud cry of the third angel. They have a work to do for themselves which they should not leave for God to do for them. He has left this work for them to do. It is an individual work; one cannot do it for another. ‘Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.’ Gluttony is the prevailing sin of this age. Lustful appetite makes slaves of men and women, and beclouds their intellects and stupefies their moral sensibilities to such a degree that the sacred, elevated truths of God’s word are not appreciated. The lower propensities have ruled men and women.” Ibid., 32.

All Being Proved

“It is of great importance that individually we act well our part, and have an intelligent understanding of what we should eat and drink, and how we should live to preserve health. All are being proved to see whether they will accept the principles of health reform or follow a course of self-indulgence.” Ibid., 34.

Of Primary Importance

“The question of how to preserve the health is one of primary importance. When we study this question in the fear of God, we shall learn that it is best, for both our physical and our spiritual advancement, to observe simplicity in diet. Let us patiently study this question. We need knowledge and judgment in order to move wisely in this matter. Nature’s laws are not to be resisted, but obeyed. . . .

“God demands that the appetites be cleansed, and that self-denial be practiced in regard to those things which are not good. This is a work that will have to be done before His people can stand before Him a perfected people.” Ibid., 36.

True Worship

“Those who claim to believe in health reform, and yet work counter to its principles in the daily life practice, are hurting their own souls and are leaving wrong impressions upon the minds of believers and unbelievers.

“A solemn responsibility rests upon those who know the truth that all their works shall correspond with their faith, and that their lives shall be refined and sanctified, and they be prepared for the work that must rapidly be done in these closing days of the message. They have no time or strength to spend in the indulgence of appetite. . . .

“The power of Christ alone can work the transformation in heart and mind that all must experience who would partake with Him of the new life in the kingdom of heaven. [John 3:3 quoted.] The religion that comes from God is the only religion that can lead to God. In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the Divine Spirit. This will lead to watchfulness. It will purify the heart and renew the mind, and give us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It will give us willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship.” Ibid., 37.

United Front

“We have been given the work of advancing health reform. The Lord desires His people to be in harmony with one another. . . . Beware how you place yourself in opposition to the work of health reform. It will go forward; for it is the Lord’s means of lessening the suffering in our world, and of purifying His people. . . .

“The Lord has given His people a message in regard to health reform. This light has been shining upon their pathway . . . and the Lord cannot sustain His servants in a course which will counteract it. He is displeased when His servants act in opposition to the message upon this point, which He has given them to give to others. Can He be pleased when half the workers laboring in a place, teach that the principles of health reform are as closely allied with the third angel’s message as the arm is to the body, while their co-workers, by their practice, teach principles that are entirely opposite? This is regarded as a sin in the sight of God.” Ibid., 38.

Ellen G. White (1827–1915) wrote more than 5,000 periodical articles and 40 books during her lifetime. Today, including compilations from her 50,000 pages of manuscript, more than 100 titles are available in English. She is the most translated woman writer in the entire history of literature, and the most translated American author of either gender. Seventh-day Adventists believe that Mrs. White was appointed by God as a special messenger to draw the world’s attention to the Holy Scriptures and help prepare people for Christ’s second advent.

Bible Study Guides – The Blessing of Physical Health

January 29, 2006 – February 4, 2006

Key Text

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Study Help: The Ministry of Healing, 277–286, 295–310, 237–240.

Introduction

“Health is a blessing of which few appreciate the value; yet upon it the efficiency of our mental and physical powers largely depends. Our impulses and passions have their seat in the body, and it must be kept in the best condition physically and under the most spiritual influences in order that our talents may be put to the highest use.

“Anything that lessens physical strength enfeebles the mind and makes it less capable of discriminating between right and wrong. We become less capable of choosing the good and have less strength of will to do that which we know to be right.

“The misuse of our physical powers shortens the period of time in which our lives can be used for the glory of God. And it unfits us to accomplish the work God has given us to do. By allowing ourselves to form wrong habits, by keeping late hours, by gratifying appetite at the expense of health, we lay the foundation for feebleness. By neglecting physical exercise, by overworking mind or body, we unbalance the nervous system. Those who thus shorten their lives and unfit themselves for service by disregarding nature’s laws, are guilty of robbery toward God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 346.

1 What wish concerning our health did the Saviour express through His servant John? 111 John 2.

note: “The Saviour in His miracles revealed the power that is continually at work in man’s behalf, to sustain and to heal him. Through the agencies of nature, God is working, day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment, to keep us alive, to build up and restore us. When any part of the body sustains injury, a healing process is at once begun; nature’s agencies are set at work to restore soundness. But the power working through these agencies is the power of God. All life-giving power is from Him. When one recovers from disease, it is God who restores him.” The Ministry of Healing, 112, 113.

2 What did God promise to do for Israel if they served Him faithfully? Exodus 23:25; 15:26. Compare Matthew 8:17.

note: “Had they [the children of Israel] been willing to deny appetite in obedience to His [God’s] restrictions, feebleness and disease would have been unknown among them. Their descendants would have possessed physical and mental strength. They would have had clear perceptions of truth and duty, keen discrimination, and sound judgment. But they were unwilling to submit to God’s requirements, and they failed to reach the standard He had set for them, and to receive the blessings that might have been theirs. They murmured at God’s restrictions, and lusted after the fleshpots of Egypt. God let them have flesh, but it proved a curse to them.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 378.

3 To make it possible for Israel to enjoy the best of health, and to insure them against the physical evils of surrounding nations, what provision did God make for them? Leviticus 20:22, 23; Deuteronomy 23:14. (See Leviticus 11–15, 17.)

note: “Their [the children of Israel] obedience to the laws of God would make them marvels of prosperity before the nations of the world. He who could give them wisdom and skill in all cunning work would continue to be their teacher and would ennoble and elevate them through obedience to His laws. If obedient, they would be preserved from the diseases that afflicted other nations and would be blessed with vigor of intellect. The glory of God, His majesty and power, were to be revealed in all their prosperity. They were to be a kingdom of priests and princes. God furnished them with every facility for becoming the greatest nation on the earth.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 222.

4 What resulted when Israel did obey God? Psalm 105:37, last half.

note: “Christ had been the guide and teacher of ancient Israel, and He taught them that health is the reward of obedience to the laws of God. The Great Physician who healed the sick in Palestine had spoken to His people from the pillar of cloud, telling them what they must do, and what God would do for them. ‘If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God,’ He said, ‘and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.’ Exodus 15:26. Christ gave to Israel definite instruction in regard to their habits of life, and He assured them, ‘The Lord will take away from thee all sickness.’ Deuteronomy 7:15. When they fulfilled the conditions, the promise was verified to them.” The Desire of Ages, 824.

5 What does the psalmist say the Lord does for His people? Psalm 103:2, 3. While upon earth, what similar work did our Lord do for the people? Matthew 4:23.

note: “Jesus came to ‘destroy the works of the devil.’ ‘In Him was life,’ and He says, ‘I am come that they

might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ He is ‘a quickening spirit.’ 1 John 3:8; John 1:4; 10:10; 1 Corinthians 15:45. And He still has the same life-giving power as when on earth He healed the sick, and spoke forgiveness to the sinner. He ‘forgiveth all thine iniquities,’ He ‘healeth all thy diseases.’ Psalm 103:3.” The Desire of Ages, 270.

6 What are our bodies said to be? What are we urged to do? 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.

note: “God requires all men to render their bodies to Him a living sacrifice, not a dead or a dying sacrifice, a sacrifice which their own course of action is debilitating, filling with impurities and disease. God calls for a living sacrifice. The body, He tells us, is the temple of the Holy Ghost, the habitation of His Spirit, and He requires all who bear His image to take care of their bodies for the purpose of His service and His glory.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 70.

7 What will be the result of defiling God’s temple? 1 Corinthians 3:17.

note: “Israel’s sin at Beth-peor brought the judgments of God upon the nation, and though the same sins may not now be punished as speedily, they will as surely meet retribution. [1 Corinthians 3:17, first half, quoted.] Nature has affixed terrible penalties to these crimes—penalties which, sooner or later, will be inflicted upon every transgressor. It is these sins more than any other that have caused the fearful degeneracy of our race, and the weight of disease and misery with which the world is cursed. Men may succeed in concealing their transgression from their fellow men, but they will no less surely reap the result, in suffering, disease, imbecility, or death. And beyond this life stands the tribunal of the judgment, with its award of eternal penalties.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 461.

8 Whose life and example illustrate the stand every loyal Christian should take relative to physical health? Daniel 1:8–16.

note: “When Daniel was required to partake of the luxuries of the king’s table, he did not fly into a passion, neither did he express a determination to eat and drink as he pleased. Without speaking one word of defiance, he took the matter to God. He and his companions sought wisdom from the Lord, and when they came forth from earnest prayer their decision was made. With true courage and Christian courtesy, Daniel presented the case to the officer who had them in charge, asking that they might be granted a simple diet. These youth felt that their religious principles were at stake, and they relied upon God, whom they loved and served. Their request was granted, for they had obtained favor with God and with men.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 263.

9 For what purpose do men enter into training for athletic contests? How definitely will the one who gives himself to God’s service consecrate his physical powers? What objective did the apostle have in mind in subjecting his body to rigid discipline? 1 Corinthians 9:24–27.

note: “Those who ran the earthly race only ran at a venture. They might do the very best they could, and yet after all not receive the token of honor; for another might be a little in advance of them, and take the prize. Only one received the prize. But in the heavenly race we can all run and all receive the prize. There is no uncertainty, no risk, in the matter. We must put on the heavenly graces, and, with the eye directed upward to the crown of immortality, keep the Pattern ever before us.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 358.

10 How much does true temperance include?

Diet: Ecclesiastes 10:17.

note: “Those foods should be chosen that best supply the elements needed for building up the body. In this choice, appetite is not a safe guide. Through wrong habits of eating, the appetite has become perverted. Often it demands food that impairs health and causes weakness instead of strength. We cannot safely be guided by the customs of society. The disease and suffering that everywhere prevail are largely due to popular errors in regard to diet.” The Ministry of Healing, 295.

Pure Water: Daniel 1:12.

note: “In health and in sickness, pure water is one of heaven’s choicest blessings. Its proper use promotes health. It is the beverage which God provided to quench the thirst of animals and man. Drunk freely, it helps to supply the necessities of the system and assists nature to resist disease.” Ibid., 237.

Fresh Air: Genesis 2:15. Adam and Eve were placed in a fresh air environment.

note: “Impure air does not afford the necessary supply of oxygen, and the blood passes to the brain and other organs without being vitalized. Hence the necessity of thorough ventilation.” Ibid., 274.

“Air is the free blessing of Heaven; it invigorates the whole system. Deprived of pure air, the body becomes diseased, torpid, and enfeebled.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 160.

Rest: Mark 6:31; Ecclesiastes 5:12, first half; Matthew 11:28.

note: “When the laborer has been under a pressure of work and care, and is overworked in mind and body, he should turn aside and rest awhile, not for selfish gratification, but that he may be better prepared for future duties.” Christian Service, 247.

Exercise: Ecclesiastes 9:10.

note: “Each faculty of the mind and each muscle has its distinctive office, and all must be equally exercised in order to become properly developed and to retain healthful vigor.” Gospel Workers, 238.

“Proper periods of sleep and rest and an abundance of physical exercise are essential to health of body and mind. To rob nature of her hours for rest and recuperation, by allowing one man to do the work of four, or of three, or even of two, will result in irreparable loss.” Ibid., 423.

Dress: 1 Peter 3:3, 4.

note: “Our clothing, while modest and simple, should be of good quality, of becoming colors, and suited for service. It should be chosen for durability rather than display. It should provide warmth and proper protection. . . .

“In all respects the dress should be healthful.” The Ministry of Healing, 288.

Mental Peace: Proverbs 17:22; John 14:27.

note: “Courage, hope, faith, sympathy, love, promote health and prolong life. A contented mind, a cheerful spirit, is health to the body and strength to the soul.” Ibid., 241.

“When the sunlight of God’s love illuminates the darkened chambers of the soul, restless weariness and dissatisfaction will cease, and satisfying joys will give vigor to the mind and health and energy to the body.” Ibid., 247.

11 What would have been the result had God’s people carefully followed His instructions? Deuteronomy 28:2–6.

note: “The Lord gave His word to ancient Israel, that if they would cleave strictly to Him and do all His requirements, He would keep them from all the diseases such as He had brought upon the Egyptians; but this promise was given on the condition of obedience. Had the Israelites obeyed the instruction they received, and profited by their advantages, they would have been the world’s object lesson of health and prosperity. . . . Like faithfulness today will produce like results.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 165.

12 What are we all admonished to do? 1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1.

note: “Only one lease of life is granted us; and the inquiry with everyone should be, How can I invest my life so that it will yield the greatest profit? How can I do most for the glory of God and the benefit of my fellow men? For life is valuable only as it is used for the attainment of these objects. . . .

“Hence that time is spent to good account which is directed to the establishment and preservation of sound physical and mental health. We cannot afford to dwarf or cripple a single function of mind or body by overwork or by abuse of any part of the living machinery. As surely as we do this, we must suffer the consequences.” Temperance, 137

Restoring the Temple – Proper Education, Part I

Health is a great treasure. It is the richest possession we can have. Wealth, honor, or learning, is dearly purchased, if it be at the loss of the vigor of health. None of these attainments can secure happiness if health is wanting. It is a terrible sin to abuse the health God has given us. Every abuse of health enfeebles for life, and makes us losers, even if we gain any amount of education.

Parents who are wealthy, in many cases do not feel the importance of giving their children an education in the practical duties of life, as well as in the sciences. They do not see the necessity, for the good of their children’s minds and morals, and for their future usefulness, of giving them a thorough understanding in useful labor. This is due their children, that, if misfortune should come, they could maintain noble independence, having a knowledge how to use their hands. If they have a capital of strength, they can not be poor, even if they have not a dollar. Many, who in youth are in affluent circumstances, may be robbed of all their riches, with parents and brothers and sisters dependent upon them for sustenance. Then how important that the youth be educated to labor, that they may be prepared for any emergency. Riches are indeed a curse when the possessors let them stand in the way of their sons’ and daughters’ obtaining a knowledge of useful labor, that they may be qualified for practical life.

Useless Lives

Those who are not compelled to labor, frequently do not have active exercise sufficient for physical health. Young men, for want of having their minds and hands employed in active labor, will acquire habits of indolence, and will frequently be obtaining, what is to be most dreaded, a street education, lounging about stores, smoking, drinking, and playing cards.

The young ladies will read and excuse themselves from active labor, because they are in delicate health. Their feebleness is generally the result of their lack of exercising the muscles. They may think they are too feeble to do housework, but will work at crochet and tatting, and preserve the delicate paleness of their hands and faces, while their care-burdened mothers toil hard in washing and ironing their garments. These ladies transgress the fifth commandment. They do not honor their parents. But the mother is most to blame. She has indulged and excused her daughters from bearing their share of household duties, until work becomes distasteful to them, and they love, and enjoy, delicate idleness. They will eat, and sleep, and read novels, and talk of the fashions. Their lives are useless.

Teach Children to Work

Poverty, in many cases, is a blessing; for it prevents youth and children from being ruined by inaction. The physical should be cultivated and properly developed, as well as the mental. The first and constant care of parents should be that their children may have firm constitutions, that they may be sound men and women. It is impossible to attain this object without physical exercise. Children, for their own physical health and moral good, should be taught to work, even if there is no necessity as far as want is concerned. If they would have virtuous and pure characters, they must have the discipline of well-regulated labor, which will bring into exercise all the muscles. The satisfaction children will have in being useful, of denying themselves to help others, will be the most healthful pleasure they ever enjoyed. Why should the wealthy rob themselves and their dear children of this great blessing?

Parents, inaction is the greatest curse that ever came upon you. Your daughters should not be allowed to lie late in bed in the morning, sleeping away the precious hours lent them of God to be used for the best purpose, and for which they will have to give an account to God. The mother is doing her daughters great injury in bearing the burdens the daughters should share with her for their own present good and future benefit. The course many parents have pursued in allowing their children to be indolent, and to gratify a desire for reading romance, is unfitting them for real life. Novel and story-book reading are the greatest evils that youth can indulge in. Novel and love-story readers always fail to make good, practical mothers. They live in an unreal world. They are air-castle builders, living in an imaginary world. They become sentimental, and have sick fancies. Their artificial life spoils them for anything useful. They are dwarfed in intellect, although they may flatter themselves that they are superior in mind and manners. Exercise in household labor will be of the greatest advantage to young girls.

Advantages of Physical Labor

Physical labor will not prevent the cultivation of the intellect. Far from this. The advantages gained by physical labor will balance them, that the mind shall not be overworked. The toil will then come upon the muscles, and relieve the wearied brain. There are many listless, useless girls who consider it unlady-like to engage in active labor. But their characters are too transparent to deceive sensible persons in regard to their real worthlessness. They will simper and giggle, and are all affectation. They appear as though they could not speak their words fairly and squarely, but torture all they say with lisping and simpering. Are these ladies? They were not born fools, but were educated such. It does not require a frail, helpless, overdressed, simpering thing to make a lady. A sound body is required for a sound intellect. Physical soundness and a practical knowledge in all the necessary household duties, are never a hindrance to a well-developed intellect, but highly important for a lady.

Well-Balanced Minds

All the powers of the mind should be called into use, and developed, in order for men and women to have well-balanced minds. The world is full of one-sided men and women, because one set of the faculties are cultivated, while others are dwarfed from inaction. The education of most youth is a failure. They over-study, while they neglect that which pertains to practical business life. Men and women become parents without considering their responsibilities, and their offspring sink lower in the scale of human deficiency than they themselves. Thus we are fast degenerating. The constant application to study, as the schools are now conducted, is unfitting youth for practical life. The human mind will have action. If it is not active in the right direction, it will be active in the wrong. And in order to preserve the balance of the mind, labor and study should be united in the schools.

Education

There should have been in past generations provisions made for education upon a larger scale. In connection with the schools should have been agricultural and manufacturing establishments. There should have been teachers also of household labor. There should have been a portion of the time each day devoted to labor, that the physical and mental might be equally exercised. If schools had been established upon the plan we have mentioned, there would not now be so many unbalanced minds.

The Health Reformer, April 1, 1873.

—To be continued . . .

Watchmen Unto the House of Israel, Part II

Like Cain, God’s church today is saying, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:9. Abel, Adam’s son, was dead, but it was of no concern to Cain, his brother, for he had killed him. As Abel was dead, the world is dead in trespasses and sins, but even though their voices are crying out to us, just as God said, regarding Abel, “The voice of thy brother’s blood cries unto me from the ground” (verse 10), are we concerned?

The church, God’s watchman in this world, is helping to kill those who need guidance. The unconverted, the Gentiles, are saying, “Watchman, what of the night?” Isaiah 21:11. By their poor example of righteousness and holiness, the church is killing the world. The apostle Paul, speaking to the Corinthians, in 1 Corinthians 14:8, said: “For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for the battle?” Peter states, in 1 Peter 2:9–12, “But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past [were] not a people, but [are] now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims . . . .” We do not belong here; we are strangers and pilgrims, yet we are operating as though this world is our home. Too many of us are behaving as though we live here and are not going anywhere. This world is not our home! Peter says, “Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation” or your lifestyle “honest among the Gentiles.”

It is said that businessmen are not happy anymore to do business with Seventh-day Adventists, because we are not filled with fear. We bargain down their prices to the minimum or below the minimum. We should be a people of righteous statute. When people hear about Adventists, they should be honored to be in our presence; they should be honored to deal with us, because we are of a royal stock. We are children of the heavenly King. But, alas, this is not so. Satan has made his inroad on us, and we have lost our identity. We have become comfortable. We are like other Gentiles. We curse like them; we eat like them, and we sin like them. When people look at us, they see no difference. When they speak to us and need guidance, we cannot give guidance, because we ourselves need guidance.

“Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by [your] goods works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” Verse 12. I am saying that people do not necessarily come to church because of what we say to them, but because of what they see in us.

Observers

I can never forget about what Ellen White wrote regarding Nicodemus and Jesus. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. (See John 19:39.) “For a time Nicodemus did not publicly acknowledge Christ, but he watched His life, and pondered His teachings. In the Sanhedrin council he repeatedly thwarted the schemes of the priests to destroy Him.” The Desire of Ages, 176. Although Nicodemus was convinced that night that Jesus was the Saviour of the world, he did not show it right away. Mrs. White says, “Nicodemus hid the truth in his heart, and for three years there was little apparent fruit.” Ibid. Why was that? It was because he was a Pharisee, a learned man. He was watching Jesus.

After his interview with Him, Nicodemus was observing Jesus to see if what He said corresponded with how He lived. And after three years of observation, Nicodemus was satisfied that what Jesus said corresponded with His life. She states that, “After the Lord’s ascension, when the disciples were scattered by persecution, Nicodemus came boldly to the front. He employed his wealth in sustaining the infant church that the Jews had expected to be blotted out at the death of Christ. In the time of peril he who had been so cautious and questioning was firm as a rock, encouraging the faith of the disciples, and fur-nishing means to carry forward the work of the gospel. He was scorned and persecuted by those who had paid him reverence in other days. He became poor in this world’s goods; yet he faltered not in the faith which had its beginning
in that night conference with Jesus.” Ibid., 177. Praise God that Nicode-mus’ name is written in the Lamb’s book of life.

There are many intelligent people whom we have come across, there are many people to whom we have witnessed, and they are convinced in their hearts. Sometimes they may not tell us, but they are convinced about what we say—that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, that the sanctuary is true, that health reform is right. But they are privately watching us. They will not tell us, but they watch when we start the Sabbath. In our homes, they watch what we eat.

God has called us to be a peculiar people, holy in lifestyle, showing His glory and praise to the Gentile world. We are not to be giving the world an uncertain sound. To give an uncertain sound means to give confusion, when people not knowing which way to go are depending on us for guidance in the dark hour of earth’s history. The people are depending on the watchmen, God’s true church that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus.

Uncertainty and Confusion

Today, however, among God’s people there is great uncertainty and confusion over many things. As a result, the world is perishing in darkness for want of guidance. Consider some areas of uncertainty and confusion in the Adventist church today.

There is confusion on the fact that Jesus is coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle. Many who are struggling with sin question that if Jesus is our example, then why did He not sin? Jesus led a sinless life, and He is our example, that we should follow in His steps.

Another significant problem in the church is the issue of worldly music in the church. People are confused as to what type of music we are to play in the house of God. Why are we confused? God does not want reggae music in His house. God does not want rap in His house either. God is not asking for rock and roll or the blues. There will be no such music in heaven.

What about health reform?

What about the Holy Spirit? There are those who are teaching that the Holy Spirit is not a person. Confusion! What does the Bible have to say about the Holy Spirit? That He is the third person of the Godhead. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Mat-thew 28:19. (See also Romans 8:16; 1 Corinthians 2:11–14; Acts 5:3, 4.)

What about the Spirit of Prophecy? Many Adventist ministers do not believe in the Spirit of Prophecy at all. They say that it is your personal opinion, that it is devotional; use it if you want. And because they do not believe, the church does not believe.

What about the sanctuary? Many Adventist ministers do not believe in the doctrine of the sanctuary. These are the people who are preaching in the pulpits Sabbath after Sabbath! “Watchman, what of the night?”

What about dress reform? I am so disturbed when I attend church and see my sisters dressed a certain way—as if to say we have no guidance. I do not believe our sisters should dress in a way that exposes them. A godly woman dresses godly. We have guidance on that.

What about Seventh-day Adventists worshipping on Sunday? Oh, yes. I have been in churches where you can worship on Saturday, if that is your choice, or you can worship on Sunday, if that is your choice. Confusion! “Watchman, what of the night?” Which day is the Sabbath? Whichever—it is up to you! Is that what we teach as a people? Is that what we believe as a people?

Purpose Driven

Everybody seems tired of worship, so the celebration style of worship is coming into the churches. Many do not know why, but allow me to give you an idea about why this celebration style of worship is in our churches. In my office, I have a copy of the book, The Purpose Driven Life. (Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002.) Have you heard about it? Rick Warren is senior pastor of the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, a wealthy suburb of greater Los Angeles. The church has an enormous membership. In the past seven years alone its congregation has taken in 9,100 new members! Today, I hear Adventists saying that we need mega churches. We need churches that seat 5,000 or 10,000 people. This is not, however, what the Spirit of Prophecy counsels.

We are not here to entertain people. The church must move away from being an entertainment center.

Warren or White?

Warren is remarkably gifted in the use of words and phrases, and his latest book, The Purpose Driven Life, has sold over 23 million copies.

The leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination have decided that this book is the book that all of its members should study with extreme care. So, if we are to read Rick Warren’s book, what about the Spirit of Prophecy books that we are throwing away?

I was visiting at my brother’s home in Florida some time ago, and as he was showing me around his new home, we went into his library where he showed me a couple of the older Spirit of Prophecy editions. He told me that while he was attending a seminar at an Adventist school, these books were being thrown away in the garbage, so he said, “Give them to me.”

While the Spirit of Prophecy books that were given to guide us are being thrown away, a Sunday worshipper’s books are being advocated. Do not take me wrong. I am not saying that some Sunday worshippers cannot write good things. What I mean is that we must understand what this book says.

40 Day Guide

In it, Mr. Warren states that the current objective is to get each local church—talking about our denominational leaders—to carefully go through the book in study groups, very slowly, over a period of 40 days during lent. This is what the denominational leaders are saying to the local church leaders, so all of the churches can buy Rick Warren’s book and go through it in 40 days during lent, culminating in a grand Easter celebration. Does that sound like anything Catholic to you? We keep getting closer to the world, to its forms, ceremonies, celebration, and teachings.

“Those who will be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ to the immortal inheritance, will be peculiar. Yes, so peculiar that God places a mark upon them as His, wholly His. Think ye that God will receive, honor, and acknowledge a people so mixed up with the world that they differ from them only in name?” Testimonies, vol. 1, 287.

Let me define what lent is, if you do not know. Lent is a period of six and one-half weeks from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. During lent, for 40 days, excluding Sunday, fasting is recommended for all Catholics. Lent readies the faithful for celebrating the Pascal mystery after a period of closer attention to the Word of God and more ardent prayer. (Catholic Encyclopedia, www.catholicity.com.)

The Purpose Driven Life is more than a book. On page 9 of his book, Rick Warren states that it is a guide to a 40-day spiritual journey that will enable you to discover the answer to life’s most important question, What on earth am I here for? He asserts that, by the end of this journey, you will know that purpose for your life.

Your Purpose

Why are you here on earth? What is God’s plan for your life? According to Warren’s book, it does not include obedience to the Ten Commandments. In Chapter 35, “God’s Power in Your Weakness,” he says that the reader need not concern himself about his weaknesses and imperfections, that it is true that we can learn to live with many of our weaknesses and drawbacks, but we do not have to stay with them all. There are flaws and mannerisms we all probably should rise above and overcome. Warren uses Romans 7 in a way that will lead to false conclusions. Paul modeled vulnerability in all his lectures. He openly shared his failures: “When I want to do good, I do not, and when I try not to do good, I do it anyway.” (Romans 7:19.)

In Chapter 36, “Made for a Mission,” Warren carefully instructs the reader that he should totally ignore all preparations for Christ’s Second Coming and, of course, the final judgment. When the disciples wanted to talk about prophecy, he writes, Jesus quickly switched the conversation to evangelism. That is what Warren says. Jesus wanted them to concentrate on their mission in the world. Sounds good, does it not? But deceptive. Warren is intimating that Jesus was saying, in a sense, that the details of His return are none of your business. What is your business is the mission He has given you; focus on that.

From another Saddleback brochure, we learn that 40 days of The Purpose Driven Life was publicly endorsed and used in a large number of denominations, including: Assembly of God, Baptist, Church of God, Evangelical Free, International Pentecostal Holiness, Seventh-day Adventist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Nazarene, and I could go on.

Church Growth

Now, this is the crux of the issue: In church growth seminars, pastors, including Seventh-day Adventist pastors, are being taught how to bring in more people off the streets and get them to join the church in droves. How is this done? Church growth seminars teach that doctrine should not be emphasized. That is why in the churches today you do not hear such things. Several years ago, for a couple of weeks, there was a Sabbath School quarterly that talked about the mark of the beast. I was in a church the Sabbath that lesson was studied, and the assistant pastor was teaching the class. He was saying that the mark of the beast could be anything! He said the mark of the beast could be your name; you could be the mark of the beast!

I said to him, “My brother, let me say this to you. We have no reason to apologize for what we believe. We know what the mark of the beast is; the Bible makes it abundantly clear, and we have no reason to apologize.” But we are confused, and it is because of where our ministers are being taught, where they are going and coming back with one voice to re-educate God’s people: Do not focus on standards! And as I see today in the church, wear anything you want to wear; eat anything you want to eat; listen to any kind of music; it does not make a difference as long as you are in the church. As long as you are called Seventh-day Adventist, that is fine.

Religious Marketing

Warren says that music, sociability, and excitement are key factors in bringing in and holding multitudes, not religious beliefs. Do not teach the doctrines, because when you teach the doctrines, it will run away the people. People want a convenient religion. Give the people what they want.

The Willow Creek (Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington, Illinois) philosophy is that baptism and revival are really religious marketing, and when I studied into this, I discovered that this church and this minister employ a consulting firm called CMS. This firm markets the church for them.

Place for Holy Spirit

So what about the Holy Spirit? Jesus did not tell us to employ consulting firms. Jesus said, “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.” John 16:7, 13. Are the consulting firms the Holy Spirit? CMS, the consulting firm that the Willow Creek Community Church employs, has an impressive list of clientele, including: the Quakers, Isuzu Motors, the City of West Covina, Saddleback Valley Community Church, Presbyterians, etc. A full-service custom marketing and communications agency headquartered in Covina, California, CMS’ consulting services are varied, but their focus is to give the people what they want. That is the strategy they use.

Music

To better understand, consider music. You should be made aware of the fact that Rick Warren calls his church the flock that likes to rock. He is referring to the music at Saddleback. According to Warren, every possible type of music is good. Now, remember that this is a man who is teaching Seventh-day Adventist ministers. Do you understand why different types of music are coming into this church? Do you understand the praise and worship? In one church I attended, I saw a lady on the stage starting to do some bodily things. Do you know what I mean?

According to Warren, every possible type of music is good, as long as it has Christian words. There is no such thing as Christian music; there are only Christian lyrics. It is the words that make a song sacred, not the tune. That is what he says. You must match your music to the kind of people that your church wishes to reach. The music you use positions your church in your community; it defines who you are. It will determine the kind of people you attract, the kind of people you keep, and the kind of people you lose. That is what Warren says. Now you can better understand why your local church is changing on Sabbath morning.

Warren says that God loves all kinds of music because He invented it all. But that is not true. Rick Warren says that we should use drums, clashing cymbals, loud trumpets, tambourines, and stringed instruments. Is that what we have in the Adventist churches today? How sad!

I want you to understand that the hour is late. The time in which we live is a momentous and stupendous one. Earl Nightingale, founder of the achievement-learning company Nightingale-Conant, once stated that we are living in a changing world. Great, solemn, and eternal events are taking place that point to one magnificent occasion.

Because the world knows us as a people of prophecy, the question comes to us again, “Watchman, what of the night?” The night of this current world is not very encouraging.

An Awakening

From the Sunday Observer (Jamaica), April 24, 2005, it was reported that Pope Benedict XVI said that he is determined to unite Christians of whatever stripe, and that his final attack will be to reconstitute the full and visible unity of all Christ’s followers.

Not many people understand why Benedict XVI chose the name Benedict. He took the name Benedict XVI because the Order of St. Benedict had sworn with a solemn oath to destroy the Sabbath-keeping, Bible-teaching churches and schools in Europe.

One Sabbath I visited with a pastor who had met, several years ago in Columbia, a former priest who used to work at the Vatican. This former priest had just become a Seventh-day Adventist, and he told that the Seventh-day Adventists had a bitter enemy in the Vatican—Joseph Ratzinger.

Today, Joseph Ratzinger is the pope, and he is resolved that Adventist Sabbath keepers will either cooperate or be annihilated. I believe Adventists are up for an awakening. We need to determine what we are about. Are we watchmen on the walls of Zion? Will we stand for Jesus no matter what? We have a decision to make today. If you have been fooling around with your Christianity, today is your opportunity. You can recommit yourself and get right with God.

Yes, as watchmen, we must be able to say, “The morning cometh”—the morning of hope, the morning of peace, the morning of deliverance. “Watchman, what of the night?”

Pastor Ivan Plummer ministers through the Emmanuel Seventh Day Church Ministries in Bronx, New York. He may be contacted by telephone at: 718-882-3900.

The Pool of Bethesda, Part I

In this article, I would like to study about the pool of Bethesda with you. Let us refresh our memories of this story recorded in John 5: “After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep [market] a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.” Verses 1–4.

A Myth

Do you believe that the troubling of the water at this pool of Bethesda, about which the people gathered for healing, was of God? No! It was not God’s ordained method of healing. Something is so essential in one of these verses that lets us know this. A myth had been built around this situation. Notice, in verse 4, that the Bible says, “For an angel.” It does not say, an angel of God.

Let us look a bit closer at verse 4. “For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.” It says that whosoever was first in entering the troubled water was healed. What do you think about that? Is that God’s method of dealing with His precious souls? No, God is no respecter of persons. God is not about the business of the survival of the fittest.

If a pool such as the one at Bethesda was located near you and everyone in the area knew that at a certain time an angel moved the water, and whatsoever disease an individual had, if he or she just got into the pool first, they could be healed of that infirmity, do you believe the grounds around that pool would be overflowing with people? Oh, yes, most definitely!

Quick Fix

You might not think this is so, but there are hundreds of people who gather at large auditoriums where ministers simply wave their hands over the individual or blow their breath upon the individual and a supposed healing takes place. You have perhaps seen such a service on the television. Many people seek out a quick solution that requires no sacrifice on their part. That is what they want. They want the benefits without the effort.

What do you think would be the response if I could take the eight principles of health—godly trust, open air, daily exercise, sunshine, proper rest, lots of water, always temperate, and nutrition—and capsulate them, put them in a bottle with a brand name on it, and tell people, “Take three godly trust capsules a day, and it will bring you close to Jesus”? This might seem to be humorous to you, but it is not an over-simplification of the truth, because people love quick fixes; they love pills. They are looking for methods that require no sacrifice.

In the Book of Jeremiah 30:12, 13, we read: “For thus saith the Lord, Thy bruise [is] incurable, [and] thy wound [is] grievous. [There is] none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.”

Testimony

The apostle Paul always gave his testimony every place he went. He would tell of how, while walking on the road to Damascus, there was a light. (See Acts 9:3.) God has given us each a testimony. It does not have to be a dramatic testimony. It does not have to be, “I almost fell over the cliff, but the angel pulled me back, and I gave my heart to the Lord.” It does not have to be that at all. Many of us, in the quietness of our hearts, have been touched by God. Some of our experiences are dramatic, but whether dramatic or not, we each have a testimony.

Forty-one years ago, when I was clinically dying with arthritis, which lasted for ten years, my career as a professional basketball player was ended. As I look back in retrospect, I thank God for arthritis. Not that I glory in the pain, but I would not be where I am today if it was not for arthritis. That is the only way God got my attention to slow me down, so He could put me in the position where He could fill me with His Spirit. He had to take a basketball out of my hands and put a Bible there. He had to keep me from going up and down a hardwood court. He had to say, “Jackson, I have a job for you going up and down on the court of earth.” I did not premeditate these things. It was the farthest thing in my mind to be doing what I am doing today, but God put a call in to me, as He puts a call in to you.

I remember my junior year in school when one professional basketball team was putting out its feelers. During that time, very few college players were going from college to the pros. It was virtually unheard of for a high school student to go into professional ranks, such as LeBron James, who was the first round draft pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland, Ohio, in 2003. He instantly became a very wealthy 19-year-old, signing several endorsement deals totaling nearly 100 million dollars. When I was coming up, the highest paid player was Wilt Chamberlain; he made $100,000, which was like a million dollars during that time.

Search for Relief

As I searched for relief from the arthritis, I remember my doctor looking me in the eye and telling me, “Young man, yes, you play pretty good basketball, but unfortunately there is no known cause or cure for your arthritis.”

I stayed on anti-inflammatory drugs for almost ten years, when those drugs lost their effect. This created a condition that led me to take other kinds of drugs that the doctors did not have to prescribe. It was only by God’s grace that I am here today.

“Thou hast no healing medicines.” I am not saying that there is not a place and time for medicine, but I do know that in my situation, medicine was not improving my condition. It was not until God put me flat on my back that I looked up and cried out to the most powerful Person in the universe. I did not cry out to be healed physically; I cried out to be healed spiritually, because I did not know that there was healing physically in His Word. But God is the Chief Physician. He knows how to heal, but if He chooses to not heal, as He chose not to heal Paul, He promises that, “My grace is sufficient.” 11 Corinthians 12:9.

You see, in Jeremiah 46:11, it says, “Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; [for] thou shalt not be cured.”

That is what I did for ten years. I tried many medicines, but I was not cured. I was in the pool of human philosophy, seeking man’s method for human dilemma. There is only one solution to the human dilemma—the gospel of Jesus Christ.

House of Mercy

The word Bethesda means, “house of mercy.” Look at the last three letters of that word. God’s people, His true people, should be the balm in Gilead. Is there a balm in your area?

People should be coming to us for the healing of their souls and for the healing of their bodies. We should be the head and not the tail. (Deuteronomy 28:13.) “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.” Jeremiah 8:20, 21. Am I black? When God says that He is black, He is not talking about being black in color. It denotes that He feels the pain, the sorrow. The Bible says that He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. (See Hebrews 4:15.) When nobody else understands our pain, there is One who enters into our suffering, and that is God.

Jeremiah 8:22 continues, “[Is there] no balm in Gilead . . .?” A balm is an herb; it is medicinal. God is saying, “My people should be medicinal.” We should have healing in our attitudes, in our dispositions; our very lives should testify of the mercies of God. His mercies should be seen in the way we treat one another and in the way we speak. Even when we are under provocation, we should not retaliate. “A soft answer turneth away wrath.” Proverbs 15:1.

Jeremiah 8:22 goes on to say, “. . . [is there] no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?” Why is there suffering among God’s people?

People Types

I want to share with you that at the pool of Bethesda there were four types of people. We read in John 5 that there was a multitude of impotent, blind, halt, and withered at the pool. As we have already declared, the troubled water of that pool was not God’s method of healing. It was a myth built up by the leaders of that time. No angel of God stirred up the water, but it was impressed upon the minds of the people that there was something supernatural about that water, and all one had to do was get in to be healed of his or her condition. Such is the propaganda that we find in society today, which is not based on biblical and true scientific facts. We allow our emotions, our destinies, and our circumstances to move us. We grab hold of anything that sounds good, but we do not inquire, “Is this the way of the Lord?”

We may find our marriages are on the rocks, and we go to people who do not know the Word of God to give us counsel as to how to establish our marriages. That is the pool of Bethesda. When we find ourselves in financial crisis, we listen to those who encourage us to take out another loan, and we find ourselves deeper in debt, because we are still at the pool of Bethesda. We find ourselves losing our children, and in churches today we are told that the only way we can hold onto our children is to entertain them, to change the style of worship, to have music that has the beat. We are at the pool of Bethesda. We need to train our children to be servants and to minister, not to be entertained.

There is no healing in that pool, so let us investigate the people by the pool, and let us see where our hope lies. First, consider the following one word definitions: the word impotent means, “powerless”; the word blind means, “sightless”; the word halt means, “motionless”; and the word withered means, “useless.”

Four types of people were found around the pool and are found in God’s church, but do not drop your head in despair. The story has a good end, because there is hope. We need to know, however, where we are. Are we powerless? Are we sightless? Are we motionless? Are we useless? Let us investigate.

Powerless

Read 11 Timothy 3:5: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

Recently, several of us were sitting in the cafeteria at M.E.E.T. Ministry, and we were discussing a particular issue. Someone stated that the way to tell whether or not a man is living up to the truth or has the truth is to observe his life and visit in his home. Now, I know the fact is that a life should be in harmony with the truth, but I cannot determine the truth based on a person’s life. A person may be preaching truth but not living the truth. That does not negate the truth.

It is very important to understand this, because many of us judge the truth based on the life of a person, when it is unfortunate that the person is not living up to the truth. Nevertheless, that is truth, if it agrees with the Word of God.

Inspiration warns of many preachers who look to the souls they have baptized, but they were not living according to the truth. In spite of these unconverted ministers, God is moving upon the honest hearts. (See Early Writings, 98–102.)

What is the lesson from this? I can have truth in the intellect, and I can be theologically correct, but if this knowledge does not impact and change my life, I live a lie to that truth. When Jesus spoke the truth, His life testified of the power of the truth. As a body of people, God does not want form; He wants substance.

Impotent

From a medical viewpoint, the word impotent means, for a man, that he does not have the ability to produce. There is no power.

In Genesis 17, we read about Abraham. God came to Abraham, after the birth of Ishmael, and declared that he would give to him a son. “And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah [shall] her name [be]. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be [a mother] of nations; kings of people shall be of her.” Verses 15, 16.

What was Abraham’s response? “Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall [a child] be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!” Verses 17, 18.

But God responded: “Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, [and] with his seed after him.” Verse 19.

Continuing in Geneses 18:11–14, we read: “Now Abraham and Sarah [were] old [and] well stricken in age; [and] it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” Abraham was past the time of producing.

Notice Romans 4:17: “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Do you understand this principle? That which we do not see, God sees as it is.

Verses 19, 21 say: “And being not weak in faith, he [Abraham] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb . . . And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

God of the Living

Let us continue to see the mighty goodness and wonderful works of God. In Hebrews 11:11, we read: “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.” God can take a dead womb and bring life out if it. God can take a spiritually dead person and bring forth power, if we believe.

I am so glad that God is not God of the dead. He is God of the living. If we have not the power to overcome our inherited or cultivated habits, then we need to realize that God has power to give us victory. The only reason that we are not enjoying the victory is because we do not believe.

Abraham asked, “Lord, how can I produce a child? I am past age. My sperm count is gone.” But God reminded him that He made the womb. God is not bound by biology; He created it.

We do not know the God we serve. There is nothing too hard for Him. From where do the banks get their money? It comes from the resources that God made. The water we drink comes from the very fountains of God. This is why we, as Christians, though we find ourselves challenged and faced with discouragement, must never, never doubt that God is able to keep us. Everything and everyone belongs to God, and He needs people into whom He can put His power.

Castration

You, I am sure, are familiar with the background of Daniel. As teenagers, he and his companions were taken hostage. Daniel, whose name means, “God is my judge,” was from the tribe of Judah. He was in the line to be progenitor of Christ Himself—the seed of Abraham, of Isaac, and Jacob, and right on down the line.

Nebuchadnezzar the king, “Spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring [certain] of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; Children in whom [was] no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as [had] ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.” Daniel 1:3, 4.

Something very important is stated in verse 3. What is a eunuch? It is a castrated male. God has said that there will be some made eunuchs for the kingdom, born eunuchs. (Matthew 19:12.) That means that such a man does not have the ability to reproduce or procreate.

Read 11 Kings 20:17, 18. This is speaking of the days of Hezekiah. Hezekiah showed all of his goodness to the heathen kings, and God was going to deal with that, but in verse 17, the Bible says, “Behold, the days come, that all that [is] in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.” This is the prophecy of the captivity of Babylon. Verse 18 continues: “And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

So, is Daniel 1:3 telling us that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego were made eunuchs? Yes, they were. What a terrible ordeal to experience, especially a male Hebrew! That eliminated all probability of them being the progenitors of the seed of Jesus Christ. The devil was trying to stop God’s plan.

Intimate Relationship

These young men were castrated, but not cast away. The devil is seeking to castrate you and me. He is trying to immobilize us; he is trying to make us impotent. But God is looking for a people that will conceive His character. The Bible says, “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3. That word know indicates an intimate relationship.

The Bible says that when Adam knew his wife, they brought forth a child. (See Genesis 4:1, 25.) When we have an intimate relationship with God, we are going to produce character, because God is going to impregnate us with His seed. He is going to put His seed in us through His word. But the devil is seeking to make the Word of non-effect in our lives. He is seeking to castrate us.

Power

Daniel purposed in his heart. The devil thought that impotency would stop God’s plan, but God is not bound by biology. God is not bound by circumstances. God said to Abraham, “You shall have a child.” God said to Peter, “When you are converted,”—not if but when! Luke 22:32. Jesus will put a positive emphasis on our lives. God will give us power.

At the pool of Bethesda, there were impotent, powerless people. They were people controlled by such things as appetite, sensual desire, pornography, and lying. Does that sound similar to today?

There is not one habit, inherited or cultivated, that God’s power cannot break. Whatever our past may be, if we cry to Him and say, “Lord, I want to be freed,” He will free us quicker than He will heal our physical infirmities.

God does not delay when it comes to delivering us from sin. However, if we pray, “Lord, take this tumor out of my body,” He might say, “I give you grace and power to endure it.”

To be continued . . .

Thomas Jackson is a health evangelist and Director of Missionary Education and Evangelistic Training (M.E.E.T.) Ministry in Huntingdon, Tennessee. He may be contacted by e-mail at: gods-plan@meetministry.org or by telephone at: 731-986-3518.

The Pool of Bethesda, Part III

Have you ever considered that the seven days of creation are a revelation of the steps of becoming a converted person? Each day represents a step in conversion! If you study just Genesis and apply the principles of Genesis, you will get into heaven. Every word is a revelation of God’s plan to restore His image in the soul of man.

For example, on the first day, God said, “Let there be light.” Genesis 1:3. Where were you before God touched your life? You were in darkness, without shape or form. God said, “Let there be light,” and that light came into your heart and lighted your path. Christ is the Light of the world. (See John 1:6–9.)

Allow me to clarify this for you. On what day did God create the sun? Did He create the sun before He created the plants? No, He created the plants before He created the sun! (Genesis 1:11–19.) The sun was created on the fourth day, but many people have believed that the light of the first day, when God said, “Let there be light,” was the sun. That was not the sun, because the sun that we see in the sky depends upon the Light of the world, the Son of righteousness who comes with healing in His wings. (Malachi 4:2.)

Matthew 5:14 says, “Ye are the light of the world.” Jesus is the Light, and if you have Jesus in you, then you are going to be the light. No darkness will be there. As soon as you step into a place, there is going to be light. Insects are drawn to light; they are rather pesky creatures. Considering this, consider that when you are filled with the Light, you are going to attract a lot of folk that you will perhaps want to put your foot on and squash, but they are God’s creatures. If you are not attracting individuals of every type, something is wrong with you; you must have Light.

The Halt

A third type of person was at the pool of Bethesda. John 5:3 identifies the impotent, the blind, and the halt. When you think of the word halt, you perhaps think of lame, but I would invite you to consider another meaning for it: “to stop or to be motionless.”

Ezekiel 37:1–5 reads, “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, [there were] very many in the open valley; and, lo, [they were] very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.”

If God can take a valley of dry bones with no motion and put life into it, what can He make with that which already has life, just not the life that He wanted it to have? God can take nothing and make something out of it.

I want so much for you to understand this, because we have a work to do. The devil has come down with great wrath. He is angry with the woman, and he is to make war with the remnant of the seed who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17.) The devil is angry at no other church but this church. He is angry at this church because God has entrusted this church with the light. As long as the devil can keep us deceived and fighting among ourselves, he is happy.

The Bible continues, in Ezekiel 37:6, 7, “And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I [am] the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking.”

When God puts His people together with truth, there is going to be a shaking. In fact, the shaking is already here. All those sinners in Zion will be shaken out, and God will have a people. He will put life into those people.

“Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds.” Verse 9.

You see, God is holding back these four winds until He puts His seal upon His people. (See Revelation 7.) We are in the sealing time now. The sealing time is the settling into the truth, both spiritually and intellectually, so that you and I cannot be moved, that we might have that final seal. It is a settling in that we cannot be moved with every wind of doctrine.

Motionless Prey

The way the devil catches prey is to paralyze it with a roar. The ground trembles; the prey feels the tremble, and it becomes paralyzed. It does not know which way to go. It becomes motionless, and the devil can easily trap it. A moving target is difficult to catch! When people are not witnessing for the Lord, they are motionless. They are spiritless. They have no Spirit.

The gospel commission is given in Matthew 28. When you look at the word gospel, what are the first two letters? G and O. God is telling us that we must go. It is time to work. We need to roll up our spiritual sleeves and go to work for God. We need to get out of the pews and stop being motionless. We need to ask God for His Spirit so we can go to work for Him.

This action is not brought about at the pool of Bethesda. It is only brought through the power of the Holy Spirit. When it falls upon His church, it will be on fire for the Lord. As soon as you come to know God, you have got to tell someone about it!

The Withered

The last representation we read about at the pool of Bethesda is the withered. I am certain you have seen a withered celery stalk or a withered carrot. It has lost its quality. It is limp; it is useless.

In 11 Timothy 2:20, 21, we read: “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, [and] prepared unto every good work.” God is telling us that in His house He has different vessels, and He wants to prepare them for His use. In every house, in every church, in every ministry, God wants people He can use.

It is not how long you live that matters, but it is how well you live for the Lord. I am a young 58. I am not youthful, but I am useful. Those people who are 40 years of age and older are not youthful, but they are going to be useful. Those who are younger than 40 years are youthful, but they can be useful too. The Bible says, “The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the grey head.” Proverbs 20:29.

Matthew 5:13 states: “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

What is the purpose of salt? It is used for seasoning. When you put the salt on the food, does the salt become the food? When you season something, the salt adds flavor to it. It is mingled with the food, but it is distinct. It gives flavor.

God said, “You are the salt of the world.” Therefore, as Christians, we are not to become like the world, but we are to give flavor to the world. We are to provide the right impression that God wants the world to have.

We should give the right impression to the world that the God who created heaven and earth is a God of mercy and love, but He is also a God of particulars. He is not going to save us in our sin.

If the Christian is watching pornography, how can the Christian teach the world not to watch pornography? If the Christian, in a business transaction, uses an unjust balance, how can he or she testify to being a Christian while not being fair in trade?

A Christian should be transparent with nothing to hide. It has been said that character is what you do when nobody else is watching or will find out. In other words, what you do when no one else is around is character.

Jesus said, “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.” John 15:5. When you abide in Christ, you not only bring forth fruit for yourself, for when fruit appears on the tree, it is for other people to pluck. When people see fruit in your life, they are able to pluck it and benefit from it; they see Jesus. You are useful.

God talks about talents in Matthew 25:14–30. Every person has at least one talent. You might not be familiar with your talent; you might not know what it is, but you can ask God to reveal it to you. If you do not use that talent, it will be taken away from you. It will be useless.

Usefulness—whether it is playing the piano or playing the violin, do it to God’s glory. If it is working on the computer, do it to God’s glory. If you are working on automobiles, do it to God’s glory. Be useful!

Healing Waters

The true healing waters are described in Ezekiel 47:12: “And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.”

Inspiration tells us, “After the entrance of sin the heavenly Husbandman transplanted the tree of life to the Paradise above; but its branches hang over the wall to the lower world. Through the redemption purchased by the blood of Christ, we may still eat of its life-giving fruit.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 288. There is healing in those leaves; those leaves are the type of promises of God’s Word.

Instruction for the attire of Aaron as he served in the sanctuary included, “A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.” Exodus 28:34. If you have eaten a pomegranate, you know that it is rather hard on the outside, and it has a lot of seeds on the inside. They are edible seeds, and they are encased in a juicy, red substance. Have you ever tried counting the seeds of a pomegranate? I have. I counted up to 300 or 320 seeds and I stopped counting. I gave up! It seemed an impossible task to count all of the seeds.

Why do you think the pomegranate was used on the hem of the priestly robe? Why not a mango or a kiwi? The pomegranate is a virtual seed basket.

Luke 8:11 explains, “The seed is the word of God.”

Peter said, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” 11 Peter 1:2–4. Every seed contains the promise of God. Every seed of the pomegranate is encapsulated in red; every promise of God is backed by the blood of Jesus. You can bank on those promises!

Healing Waters

In the sanctuary, the colors of blue, scarlet, and purple were used. The blue represents loyalty. “The children of Israel, after they were brought out of Egypt, were commanded to have a simple ribbon of blue in the border of their garments, to distinguish them from the nations around them, and to signify that they were God’s peculiar people.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 473. They were to be commandment keepers. Blue represented obedience. The sky is blue. God wrote His law on sapphire; that is true blue. Blue represents loyalty and obedience.

Scarlet represents sacrifice. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Isaiah 1:18.

In Leviticus, an example is given of the cleansing sacrifice. “And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water: And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times: And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet: But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.” Leviticus 14:49–53. One bird was killed. The live bird was dipped into the blood of the dead bird and then set free. The blood of the dead bird represents the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ. His blood sets us free. Scarlet represents sacrifice.

Royalty is represented by the color purple. The Saviour was mocked. A crown of thorns was placed upon His forehead and a purple robe was placed about Him as His accusers saluted, “Hail, King of the Jews.” (Mark 15:17, 18.)

Purple represents royalty. Blue represents obedience. Red represents sacrifice. God is a master artist. What two colors do you put together to get royalty? red and blue. When you mix obedience with sacrifice, the result is royalty.

God wants people with obedient hearts, hearts of sacrifice.

“Sin brings physical and spiritual disease and weakness. Christ has made it possible for us to free ourselves from this curse. The Lord promises, by the medium of truth, to renovate the soul. The Holy Spirit will make all who are willing to be educated able to communicate the truth with power. It will renew every organ of the body, that God’s servants may work acceptably and successfully. Vitality increases under the influence of the Spirit’s action. Let us, then, by this power lift ourselves into a higher, holier atmosphere, that we may do well our appointed work.” Review and Herald, January 14, 1902.

We do not need to be at the pool of Bethesda. All we need is the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thomas Jackson is a health evangelist and Director of Missionary Education and Evangelistic Training (M.E.E.T.) Ministry in Huntingdon, Tennessee. He may be contacted by e-mail at: godsplan@meetministry.org or by telephone at: 731-986-3518.