health

Food For Life — Water

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What a beautiful time of the year, and how grateful we should be for the privilege to honor our Creator by bestowing gifts to Him whose birthday we celebrate. Let us not forget this in our desire to show love and appreciation for our loved ones! God tells us in the Spirit of Prophecy that it is not amiss to have a Christmas tree in our churches as long as they hold gifts for Him whom we serve and love.

“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. Drank freely, it helps supply the necessities of the system and assists nature to resist disease. The external application of water is one of the easiest and most satisfactory ways of regulating the circulation of the blood. A cold or cool bath is an excellent tonic. Warm baths open the pores and thus aid in the elimination of impurities. Both warm and neutral baths soothe the nerves and equalize the circulation.” Ministry of Healing, 237.

“I should bathe frequently, and drink freely of pure, soft water.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 419.

“Thousands have died with raging fevers consuming them, until the fuel which fed the fever was burned up, the vitals consumed, and have died in the greatest agony, without being permitted to have water to allay their burning thirst. Water, which is allowed a senseless building to put out the raging elements, is not allowed human beings to put out the fire which is consuming the vitals.

“Many make a mistake in drinking cold water with their meals. Taken with meals, water diminishes the flow of the salivary glands; and the colder the water, the greater the injury to the stomach. Ice water or ice lemonade, drunk with meals will arrest digestion until the system has imparted sufficient warmth to the stomach to enable it to take up its work again . . .Food should not be washed down; no drink is needed with meals. Eat slowly, and allow the saliva to mingle with the food. The more liquid there is taken into the stomach with the meals, the more difficult it is for the food to digest; for the liquid must first be absorbed . . . if anything is needed to quench thirst, pure water, drunk some little time before or after the meal, is all that nature requires . . . Water is the best liquid possible to cleanse the tissues.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 419, 420. It is recommended that at least eight to ten glasses of pure, soft water be consumed daily. Each kidney requires four glasses per day. How many kidneys do you have?

APPLE-PECAN COBBLER

In large pan place:

1 12 oz. Can frozen Apple Concentrate

1/3 c. Fruit Source Syrup

Warm to liquid stage and add:

12–14 Sour Apples (Macintosh, Jonathan, or Pippin) peel and finely cut. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally.

Place in Bowl:

3 Heaping T. Cornstarch

2 T. Coriander Powder

1/2 t. Sea Salt

Slowly Add, Stirring Well:

1/2 c. Cashew or Soy Milk

1 T. Vanilla (alcohol free)

Add this mixture slowly, while stirring constantly, to the cooked apples. Let come to a boil and empty into 8×13 Cobbler baking dish. Sprinkle over the top, or premix 1 cup pecans or walnuts. Cover with Cashew Pie Crust and bake at 350° for 20–30 minutes or until pleasingly brown. Top with Cashew Topping.

(Recipe in last December Land Marks.)

Reporting from Kumasi, W. Africa

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Editors Note: September 10, 1996, witnessed many good-byes, as farewells were said to friends and loved ones. A total of seven people set to the air for Ghana, W. Africa. Most were to stay for three months and several more joined them mid-November. It is all a part of our mission to give the Third Angel’s Message to the world—of which the health message is the right arm. Those serving for 3 months are: Dr. Loeffler, a chiropractor from Hemet, California, Mike and Shari Casey, health workers from California, Amanda Clark and Benjamin Reeves. These people are working to establish a clinic based on our health message. Dr. Loeffler reports.

One of our top priorities in establishing a natural health clinic in Ghana was to see that we were within the laws of this nation. A visit to the office of the Minister of Health made us realize that not only was there a known need, but also a willingness on the part of the health officials to encourage “alternative medicine” practitioners. Next we visited regional and national offices to insure that there were no serious objections. They indicated their willingness to make a “special category” for us, making us the first clinic in the nation to use only natural medicine.

On October 22, 1996, we received permission from the government of Ghana to open a clinic. They stated the following: “The Ministry has no objection to the establishment of a clinic using natural remedies,” also, “The Historic Adventist Church can be allowed to establish their clinic. They will have to re-register the clinic with the private Hospitals and Maternity Homes Board when they are ready with the requisite staff to use allopathic drugs.”

It is my personal opinion that we should not use drugs, however when we go into the sanitarium phase of this plan with in-house patients, we should have the right to use any remedy for the protection of our patients.

The clinic is located on a busy street with easy access by auto and taxi. Our location provides us with good advertising. The sign we have posted on the building is all that is necessary to draw a good group of patients.

Our building is a remodeled multi-unit dwelling, constructed of solid concrete block and reinforced concrete. Adjacent to the building is another two story structure where the Historic Adventist Church has their headquarters. On the same upper level there are guest rooms, kitchen, dining room and bath. This is where we eat and sleep and are wonderfully taken care of. The lower floor has the potential of becoming our first sanitarium. We have already received several inquiries about using it as a place for a mid-wife to work. There is also a new structure attached to the clinic that will seat about 400 people. It is designed as a church, but could also serve for other purposes.

Our team consists of a chiropractor, a native herbologist, a naturopathic doctor, and a water therapist. We also call upon the Great Physician regularly and realize that without His help we could do nothing. This multiple discipline approach is a first in Ghana, and possibly a first anywhere.

By combining our knowledge of the natural healing arts, the end results are not just unique, but very effective. According to our records to date about one third of the patients have a treatable spinal problem; i.e., one that will respond to chiropractic manipulation. Two thirds of our patients will receive one or more medicinal herbs. There are other conditions that respond to deep massage and exercise, and still others that require the proper application of water in some form. Many cases receive a combination of therapies including the use of native and imported herbs.

So far we have treated patients with conditions ranging from malaria to cancer, to arthritis, infertility, ulcers, parasites, and injuries, just to name a few. Ghana is not a wealthy nation, yet we see little actual hunger. The forests and farms provide plantain, corn, rice, beans, yams, bananas, pineapple, papaya, coconut and many other sources of inexpensive food. Yet, there are still many dietary problems here. Young children, who have been recently weaned, seem prone to B-vitamin and protein deficiencies. The adults have many problems that result from lifestyle preferences. Palm nut oil is abundant, inexpensive and palatable. Most of the traditional dishes are filled with this harmful product, and the results are evident in the typical degenerative diseases that we see frequently, such as: atherosclerosis, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and etc.

Many people in Ghana have a gross lack of knowledge in why and how to select wholesome foods. Over half of the patients we see are not eating as well as they should and could. Many are eating next to nothing that is raw.

This is where the Historic Adventist Clinic demonstrates one of its strong points. Not only do we believe in health reform, we strive to live the health reform. Every patient is told the importance of eating a well balanced, wholesome, yet simple diet and how these foods will help to bring about health. Most of the patients are very willing to cooperate with diet changes and are anxious to improve their health.

One patient who had a tumor removed from her liver some time ago, was told by the doctors to go home and die. She came to us for help, and was taught to use only wholesome foods and how to prepare them. She was also instructed in how to use water, nutritional supplements and some native herbs. We also had prayer with her on several occasions. Within a month’s time she walked by herself to the clinic, not cured, but very grateful, able to smile and full of hope.

Another patient came to us after being operated on by a drunk doctor, who, instead of removing her appendix like he was supposed to, operated on her naval. She had been experiencing severe pain at the sight of the operation. Now, by God’s grace, she is responding well to daily hydrotherapy treatments. Her pain is almost completely gone.

We are often visited by Moslem patients, and have had opportunities to witness to them. One man has started Bible studies with us, and he and several friends have promised to read a copy of Steps to Christ that we gave them. This is an excellent way to reach Moslem and other non-Christian religions, because they are wide open to natural medicine.

The people are very receptive to a natural, drugless approach to treating diseases. There has been a gradual reduction in the confidence of the average person in the effectiveness of drugs. If there has ever been an opportune time for the drugless practitioner to be accepted in Ghana it is now. This is the place, if someone is interested in using natural remedies in mission work. Many church members here are very interested in being trained as medical missionaries. I interviewed a young person today who was willing to work for nothing just for the opportunity of observing and learning the therapies. A Nigerian women is even here to observe and learn.

How long can we hold these people off? Is it not time for a teaching sanitarium to be established here? There needs to be a joint effort in establishing such an institution that can not only care for the sick but also train young people to become medical missionaries.

If you want your donation to go a long way, consider the exchange rate in Ghana of 1700 to one. Many people in the United States are living in houses that would bring enough money to establish or build a whole sanitarium. The way is wide open for this work here. I recently received a call from a chief who heard that we were starting up a clinic-sanitarium. He offered land in his village where an institution could be built.

The Lord is calling us to spread the gospel to all the world, and He has many means through which this can be done. Just imagine what a witness it would be if institutions like this could be set up in many locations. The harvest is truly ripe, but the laborers are few. Keep the work and the workers here in your prayers.

Is It Time to Give Up Milk?

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Many years ago we understood that animal products like milk could be wholesome additions to our diet if used in small amounts at a time. As Seventh-day Adventists we also had read from the writings of Ellen G. While that we should anticipate a day to come that we could no longer do that with any assurance of safety. We were warned in 1902 “that the time will soon come when there will be no safety in using eggs, milk, cream, or butter, because disease in animals is increasing in proportion to the wickedness among men.” Counsels on Diets and Foods, 356. 1902 was a long time ago and the world is certainly more wicked than in that time. That day has come! The diseases in animals have become very widespread and so intense that they have begun to pose a serious threat to humans. Scientists have always proclaimed that it was impossible for many diseases to cross the specie lines from animals to man. It appears now that long held belief does not always hold true.

Diseases now are being transmitted across specie lines in two categories: prion diseases and retro-virus caused diseases. Prions still are not totally understood. We are not sure exactly how they act in transmitting disease but researchers have found positive correlations between their presence of the transmission of at least one disease; that of BSE (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy) in animals and the occurrence of CJD (Creutzfeld Jacob) disease in humans. BSE is more commonly known as the “mad cow disease.” Prions are simple protein molecules and how they could transmit disease is not yet understood. What is understood is that neither cooking or even pasteurization can kill or inactivate them. In fact, research has proven that they can survive 300 degrees centigrade for extended periods of time. This temperature would reduce the meat or milk to carbon or ash but the prion would still be quite intact! There is no safety in ingesting any form of animal products, even cheese and gelatin. The makers of gelatin maintain that they have so processed the animal product that it has now become a pure chemical and could not therefore cause disease. Those who have examined the technique they utilize in processing have seen that the prion can easily survive all six of their procedures.

A second category of disease transmission involves the retro-viruses. This new family of viruses poses an even greater danger to humans than even the prion. A retro-virus has the ability to incorporate itself in to one’s genetic makeup. That is to say that it actually becomes part of the host. The virus now becomes basically immune to all the weapons of the human immune system because the body does not recognize it as being foreign. The only way to totally eradicate the viruses is to kill it’s host! Lets avoid these viruses at all cost. Some of the diseases caused by retro viruses are HIV, BPV, BLV, and BIV. BPV or Bovine Papilloma Virus, a disease associated with cancerous tumors in cattle, has been isolated in commercially prepared milk available in retail outlets as long ago as 1979. It appears that as SDA’s we should have seen the light on discontinuing these food sources long ago. In the United States it is estimated that up to 80% of the commercial dairy herd may carry BLV or Bovine Leukemia Virus. This disease can be transmitted from the infected lymphocytes of a diseased animal since milk is made up largely from lymphocytes it seems very prudent to avoid milk at any cost. There is evidence that it is very possible for infected lymphocytes to cross the intestinal membrane barrier and enter the blood stream in a virulent state. Also there is no guarantee that the genetic information of the retros is deactivated by pasteurization. Even though the active virus may have been “killed” by the heat, the particle can still be absorbed by the intestines. It is entirely possible that the genetic information from the particle may still be incorporated into the human. It is estimated that 40% of the dairy herd may be infected with BIV or Bovine Immunodeficiency Virus. BIV is the Bovine counterpart of the human HIV, the virus that eventually turns into AIDS. One very startling discovery is that HIV and BIV have common genetic material: the “Trans-activating gene” or more commonly called a Ta T gene. The reason this is so frightening is that even though humans may not be susceptible directly to BIV, the BIV Ta T gene may be able to trans-activate or trigger latent HIV particles in the human and indirectly cause HIV in humans. Some medical researches feel that many more humans than is presently imagined are carrying either latent or deactivated HIV viral particles in their bodies that their immune system has been successful in controlling. With sufficient dietary “doses” of BIV infected foods, these latent particles have an excellent possibility of being activated and the human host developing a full blown case of AIDS. Tests with chimpanzees which have similar anatomical and physiological make up as humans have clearly demonstrated how real this possibility is.

These things may sound quite frightening, but we must remember that God so loves us that He gave us warnings in advance so that we would be able to avoid these diseases by simply not eating those things that are no longer safe. In Romans 1:17 we are told that “the just shall live by faith.” Those who survive the end times will have to be so full of faith in God’s wisdom that they will accept His directions for every aspect of life

Food For Life — November 1996

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Happy Thanksgiving! Have we not a great deal to be thankful for this past year? It hardly seems possible that a year has passed since I wished you a happy 1995 Holiday! And now it is 1996 about to end! Surely we all have a multitude to thank God for!

“Disease never comes without a cause. The way is prepared, and disease invited, by disregard of the laws of health. Many suffer in consequence of the transgression of their parents. While they are not responsible for what their parents have done, it is nevertheless their duty to ascertain what are and what are not violations of the laws of health. They should avoid the wrong habits of their parents and, by correct living, place themselves in better conditions.

“The greater number, however, suffer because of their own wrong course of action. They disregard the principles of health by their wrong habits of eating, drinking, dressing, and working. Their transgression of nature’s laws produces the sure result; and when sickness comes upon them, many do not credit their suffering to the true cause, but murmur against God because of their afflictions. But God is not responsible for the suffering that follows disregard of natural law.

“God has endowed us with a certain amount of vital force. He has also formed us with organs suited to maintain the various functions of life, and He designs that terse organs shall work together in harmony. If we carefully preserve the life force, and keep the delicate mechanism of the body in order, the result is health; but if the vital force is too rapidly exhausted, the nervous system borrows power for present use from its resources of strength, and when one organ is injured, all are affected. Nature bears much abuse without apparent resistance; she then arouses, and makes a determined effort to remove the effects of the ill-treatment she has suffered. Her effort to correct these conditions is often manifest in fever and various other forms of sickness…

“Intemperate eating is often the cause of sickness, and what nature most needs is to be relieved of the undue burden that has been placed upon her…An abstemious diet for a month or two would convince many sufferers that the path of self-denial is the path to health.

“Some make themselves sick by overwork. For these, rest, freedom from care, and a spare diet, are essential to restoration of health. To those who are brain weary and nervous because of continual labor and close confinement, a visit to the country, where they can live a simple, carefree life, coming in close contact with the things of nature, will be most helpful. Roaming through the fields and the woods, picking the flowers, listening to the songs of the birds, will do far more than any other agency toward their recovery.” Ministry of Healing, 234-237

November Recipe:

Pumpkin Ice Cream

1 Cup Cashew Pieces

2 Tbs. Coriander Powder

1 Cup Date Rolls or Pieces

¼ tsp. Cardamom Powder

½ tsp. Sea Salt

1& 2/3 Cups Cashew Milk

1 Tbs. Vanilla (alcohol free)

Blend the thoroughly mixed above ingredients with 1 16 oz. can of Libby’s Pumpkin. Stir well, and pour into ice cube trays and freeze. When ready to eat, put through the Champion Juicer for delicious, home-made ice cream.

Diet, As It Was In The Days Of Noah

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Disease is everywhere. America is filled with chronic invalids. Disease has caused the health-care cost in America to sky-rocket. Look at the mess we are in! Obesity affects 34 million Americans and puts them at serious medical risk. It increases the chances for heart-disease, cancer of all kinds, diabetes, arthritis, and gall-bladder disease. A recent survey found that 40 to 50 percent of Americans between 35 and 59 years old were ” diet -ing.”

Then you have the problem of diabetes. There are an estimated 30 million diabetics in the world, and one-half of them are right here within the United States of America. This disease and its complications are responsible for 300,000 deaths a year. This disease is virtually non-existent in eighty percent of the world’s population because they cannot afford it! They cannot afford the steaks, the hamburgers; they cannot afford the hot dogs; they cannot afford the milk-shakes and the ice cream and all the fries and the pie.

Then we have a disease called hypertension or high blood-pressure that affects 35 million Americans within this country and another 25 million which are border-line hypertensive. Hypertension is the most important contributing factor in the 500,000 stroke cases reported each year.

Second only to cardiovascular disease, as the leading cause of death in the United States, is cancer. It accounts for twenty-three percent of all deaths with 514,000 fatalities each year. The latest survey just came out from the American Cancer Society showing how many new cases of cancer were seen each year. Do you know who leads the record across the nation? California! We can expect one in three to die with cancer within that state according to the records of 1994. It says that by the year 2000 one-third of all deaths in America will be caused by cancer.

And when there are no more answers or explanations for all the auto-immune diseases that are plaguing our country today, the specialists assign the name, syndrome, which actually means, we don’t know what is wrong. So we see Americans suffering from chronic-fatigue syndrome, irritable-bowl syndrome, sudden infant-death syndrome, and attention-deficit disorders.

Why all the disease? In July, 1988, a 712 page report was published by the Surgeon General of the United States of America, C. Everett Coop. The information that came out in this article dealt with diet and disease. The main conclusion was that Americans consume an excessive amount of food—specifically a diet that is too high in fat, calories, sugar, salt, and alcohol, and too low in fiber rich foods. His solution was to eat a high fiber starch-based diet filled with fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.

Today Americans are eating food that is filled with fat, filled with protein, filled with environmental contaminants, and this is responsible for many of the diseases and the deaths we see in the United States today. It is true, fatty foods are killing us! It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out the cause of the problem. How about one scripture?

“For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.” Matthew 24:38.

In verse 37 we read, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Do you believe Jesus Christ is coming soon? I do. Since He is coming soon, the prophecies of Christ should be real. And Christ said, if you would study your Bible, you would know what is happening in this world.

In Luke 21:31 it says Jesus says: “So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” In other words, there are going to be certain signs within the world that will let you know He is ready to come.

And then He says, “Verily, I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.” Verse 32. And in verse 34 He tells us, “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged [or filled up] with surfeiting, and drunkeness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” Surfeiting and drunkeness were the words that Christ used. What is surfeiting? It’s an overabundance of food; drunkenness is an overabundance of drink. He is trying to tell us is that in the days just prior to His coming, the world is going to be eating too much, drinking too much, and being too concerned about themselves.

Phillipians 3:19 says: “Whose God is their belly.” They are so concerned about their own desires that they are not going to be ready for His coming!

The problem Jesus was addressing was over-indulgence. Appetite was gaining the mastery over the people. He warns us, “For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” Luke 21:35. There is going to be a snare, and that snare is your appetite. Nobody escapes the temptation on appetite.

Christ urges us, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” According to the Word of God, there is going to be over-eating and over-drinking, and today we see obesity, heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and people dying from over-indulgence of appetite. Do these things have something to do with being prepared for the coming of Christ? What does He mean, “Stand before the Son of man?” Does my appetite have anything to do with that?

In Isaiah 22:12 we read: “And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth.” It was a time of afflicting their souls.

The Lord is calling His people right now to look at themselves. But notice what the state of the world is according to the prophecy of Isaiah. “And behold joy and gladness—” everything’s fine! —”slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die.” Verse 13. Leave me alone, man! I’m going to eat, I’m going to die someday, and I want to enjoy my life until I go. He is saying, The people should be preparing for My coming to stand in front of Me when I come. But yet they are eating flesh, drinking. It’s a party! We are eating like kings and queens everyday. We are slaves to our appetites.

Do you spend as much time studying your Bible as you do looking in the refrigerator? What is more important today? The Bible is! When is the last time you opened it?

I have not eaten meat in ten years, and the reason I don’t is because when my wife gave birth to our little baby girl, I began to do my home work—I began to study like never before. As I researched and looked for the best diet that I could possibly give to my child, I prayed and said, Lord, what is the best for my little girl? And He said, How about if I give it to you in one scripture? “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Genesis 1:29. You mean to tell me that I need to become a vegetarian?

In Numbers 11 we find that God has led the children of Israel out of Egypt and He is trying to lead them into the promised land. It says in Numbers 11:1 that they complained and it displeased the Lord. In verse 4 it says that they “fell a-lusting.” The children of Israel were wandering in the desert for forty years and were complaining and lusting. What are they lusting for? Flesh! And what are they murmuring to God about? What didn’t they like? They did not like the manna, they did not like the diet that God had provided for His people.

It is interesting that as they ate manna-pizzas and the manna-cotti and manna-sandwiches and all these foods God made them—I do not read where they were sick! God was trying to march them into the promised land on a vegetarian diet—a very simple diet. But they complained. The Bible says that they lusted. They said, “But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.” Numbers 11:6.

Exodus 16:31 says, “And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was coriander seed, white; and the taste thereof was like wafers made with honey.” So God provided the diet that was best for His people and out of His goodness and His care for them, said, Do not eat of the flesh-pots of Egypt, they are not good for you.

Again in Numbers 11 we find that Moses is very upset. He asks, how can I handle all these people myself? I am trying to lead them into the promised land and they want to eat the diet of Egypt. Is God trying to lead us into the heavenly land today and we are eating the diet of America? “And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and you shall eat flesh . . . Therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; but even a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils.” Verses 18–20. In other words, He knew that they were going to sit there and scarf the stuff up.

“And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought forth quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp . . . And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague” Verses 31–33.

The food they lusted for proved to be a curse. The story goes on in Psalms 78:26–29: “He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by His power He brought in the south wind. He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea. And He let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. So they did eat, and were filled: for He gave them their own desire.”

God does not put a chain around your refrigerator; He does not put your tires flat when you want to go to McDonalds and get yourself a couple Big Macs—God does not do that. He lets you have your own desire, because He is a God of love and respects your choices.

But it says here, “They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.” Verses 30, 31. Isn’t it interesting that the Lord uses the words “fattest of them?” Perhaps He is saying, The one who had the greatest appetite, who was more of the glutton, the one that just ate, ate, ate, and ate—was the one that was smitten.

There is a point here. The scenario of what is going on is that God is trying to lead us into the Promised Land and we are murmuring for the diet of Egypt—for flesh. Yet God knows that the diet of Egypt, as with the standard American diet, is not the best for His people as He leads them into the Better Land.

Does your diet have anything to do with your state of mind? The children of Israel were lusting after the flesh. In other words, the flesh was controlling their reasoning to the extent that they would not follow God’s way. The Bible says, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Galatians 5:17. Have you ever had that problem? Knowing what is right, yet your body and flesh is pulling you in another direction and you cannot do what is right?

The apostle Paul knew this very well. He says in 1 Corinthians 9:27, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself might be a cast-away.” In others words, I do not want my flesh pulling me in a way that is contrary to the Word of God. I want my reason sanctified by His divine will. That is what a Christian is.

“As the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be . . . They were eating and drinking.” Matthew 24:37, 38. It is not only that the time is short for us, but somebody else knows that the time is very, very short too. “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Revelation 12:12. Christ is coming soon! And we do not have much time. Do you want to stand ready before God? Is your flesh controlling your mind? That is the big question: Is your flesh controlling your mind?

The devil is working in a thousand ways and in a thousand places. His efforts are ten-fold greater today, knowing that his time is short, to destroy as many people as he can. He is using our food supply, he is using the environment, he is using the water, he is using the chemicals you put under your arm, on your lips, and on your face. He is doing it through your clothing, he is doing it every way he can to kill you! He uses flesh foods, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, drugs, sugar, whatever he can to stimulate your fleshly desires and to cloud your mind.

“As the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be . . . They were eating and drinking.” Matthew 24:37, 38. They are not prepared!

Paul gave us some of the most precious counsel in the Word of God with regards to this. He said, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice.” Romans 12:1. We are to present a living sacrifice—not a sick and diseased one!

There are things that we can be doing as a people. Do not make manure hamburgers, because there is more bacteria in the meat than there is in the manure of some of these animals today. Put away the coffee, put away the cigarettes, put away the high-fat diet, put away all the candy with the sugar that is rotting your teeth. Put it away! The next time you find that you cannot put away what you know is harmful to your body, watch out, because your stomach is controlling your head.

What did Paul say when he finished? He said, “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 12:2. Do you think that the Israelites, wandering in the wilderness, feeding on the quail until it came out of their nostrils, were giving glory to God?

Were they doing it His way? No they were not!

What do you want to do? It is your choice to make that decision. Do you want to serve God?
Our diet is killing us. I want you to think about this—the battle between the Spirit and the flesh. They are opposed.

I want you to think about this scripture that you have probably never looked at in this way. “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” This is what it says about His diet. “Butter and honey shall He eat.” Very simple—remember, Daniel had pulse and water, just two items. John the Baptist had locust and honey, just two items. Jesus had a very temperate diet here, “butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.” Isaiah 7:14, 15. There it is! A very temperate, simple diet is necessary. A temperate life is necessary for us to make right moral decisions.

As I look at that statement in the Bible, I go back to Galatians 5:17. It says, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” But notice verse 16: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Isn’t that beautiful?

Does your diet affect your spiritual life? Does your diet affect your moral decisions? If I am not exercising and I am eating a high-fat diet, I am going to be sluggish and tired, my blood is not going to be circulating right, I am not going to get the oxygen to my mind. How can I make a proper moral decision?

Can diet affect your spirituality? “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.” Ephesians 3:16. Where is He dwelling? In my arm? He is dwelling within the inner man, within my mind! He’s going to put His character and His life within me. It says “That Christ may dwell in your heart by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Verses 17–20.

“And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30.

The End

Temperance and Vital Force

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It is important to recognize who God really is. He made the heavens and the earth and every thing that is. He also created this human body that is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). “Know ye that the Lord, he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 100:3.

Every manufacturer that produces a product, requiring instructions, leaves an owner’s manual explaining how to operate the product. We are a product of God’s design, and He has given us an owner’s manual, the word of God. Health is based on obedience. Therefore, by obeying God’s word, it not only impacts us physically, but it also helps us to develop trust in the living God. This is crucial in the development of our characters.

The Bible says, “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.” Psalm 119:73.

To have knowledge is power, but without understanding, that power is of no avail. Understanding is the ability to apply the knowledge. The subject of this article is health law or doctor number seven: Always temperate. Many times we don’t understand this particular doctor. Inspiration tells us, “The gospel minister should preach the health principles, for these have been given of God as among the means needed to prepare a people perfect in character. Therefore, health principles have been given to us that as a people we might be prepared in both mind and body to receive the fullness of God’s blessing.” A Call to Medical Evangelism and Health Education, 43.

The gospel minister should preach the health principles, for these have been given of God as among the means needed to prepare a people, to perfect a character. So the health message is not just about veganism; it is also about perfection. People are afraid of that word. The medical missionary work has its place and part to play in God’s finishing work.

To receive the fullness of God’s blessing, we are told, “It is a duty to know how to preserve the body in the very best condition of health, and it is a sacred duty to live up to the light which God has graciously given.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 44. “The health should be as sacredly guarded as the character.” Medical Ministry, 77. Therefore it is important to understand that if character is our title to heaven, then health should be as sacredly guarded as our character, because there is an interrelationship between the health of the body and health of the soul.

Paul said, “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.

In I. You go to sleep at a certain time. You don’t drink; you don’t smoke. You do everything to win a corruptible crown. And if people can do that, I don’t know why they cannot be temperate in everything, because athletes definitely discipline themselves, but when it comes down to doing spiritual things, it’s hard.

I saw a documentary of a woman body builder. She was working out for a contest and had so much muscle that she looked horrid. Because of the hormones, even her voice had changed. She needed to get down to a certain weight, so she was fasting and eating nothing but protein. She knew the risk factor with kidney problems, but she said, “I gotta win this prize.” For a corruptible crown, it could cost irreversible damage to her kidneys. Paul said, “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” I Corinthians 9:27.

The Bible tells us, “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on and are punished.” Proverbs 22:3. A prudent man is a wise man—he avoids danger. A simple person is not aware of the situation, but nevertheless, whether we are ignorant or not, when we violate law, we will reap the consequence. Therefore, prevention is better than cure.

There is an old English style poem that we have put in our health books: “The Fence or the Ambulance.” It is about a village in which was a high mountain with a cliff. The road going up the mountain was so narrow and the drop so deadly that many of the peasants who traveled the road often slipped off the edge into the valley, where they would be scooped up by an ambulance and taken off to the hospital.

One old gentleman in the town began to protest. He said, “Why don’t we put up a fence on the cliff and dispense with the ambulance in the valley? It doesn’t make sense; we spend more money on treating disease than preventing it.” And so they cried out, “Fanatic, fanatic! If we dispense with the ambulance, he would want us to dispense with all of our charity programs as well.” That is the whole mindset of society today. We spend more time and energy on treatments or cures than on prevention.

It is more beneficial to learn how to prevent sickness than to cure diseases. We need the fence. In Psalm 139:14, it says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Genesis 2:7 says that when God took the elements and the dirt of the ground and formed man, He breathed into him the breath of life. That life was not oxygen; that life was not the Holy Spirit; that life was the life of God. God put His life into that dirt and exalted it, and that dirt became a living organism. That is why the Bible says, “The Lord is the strength of my life.” Psalm 27:1. God has given me that life—a heartbeat and 60,000 miles of blood vessels in which the red blood cells travel at the speed of 43.5 miles an hour. What an amazing body we have been given!

At creation, when God put life into man, He gave him the power to move. God put vital force into that man. You can call that vital force electrical energy, because the first thing that develops in a fetus is the brain and the central nervous system, which communicates to the whole body; the brain is the instrument of the mind.

“The brain nerves which communicate with the entire system are the only medium through which Heaven can communicate to man and affect his inmost life. Whatever disturbs the circulation of the electric currents in the nervous system lessens the strength of the vital powers, and the result is a deadening of the sensibilities of the mind.” Temperance, 13.

Therefore, when we find ourselves moving, that is using vital force; that is electrical energy. Was the light that covered Adam and Eve a sunlight or electrical light? Neither; it came from God. God breathed the breath of life into him; that light came out, because the Bible says that God is life and is light (I John 1:5; Romans 6:23). Moses, after 40 days and 40 nights in the mount, glowed because of the time he was in the light (Exodus 34:29–35). Adam and Eve were created with that vital force. “This sinless pair wore no artificial garments. They were clothed with a covering of light and glory, such as the angels wear.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, 25.

The Bible says, in Psalms 104:2, “Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain.” They were clothed with light that came from the Light, not the sunlight. When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, the light vanished. The light did not come from barley green or Noni juice, but directly from God himself while ever they were connected to Him. Sin separates and disease is the result of disconnecting from the fountain of life.

“God endowed man with so great vital force that he has withstood the accumulation of disease upon the race in consequence of perverted habits, and has continued for six thousand years.” Healthful Living, 45. It took almost 2,000 years from the time of creation for disease to manifest itself and cause infant mortality rate; children dying before their parents. Children should outlive their parents. It was so rare, so uncommon for a child to die before his parents, within the first 2,000 years of this earth, that God put it on record in Genesis 11:28. There is only one place where you see it happen. In some countries, like Papua, New Guinea, the child mortality rate is almost 25 percent among children from 8 to 15 years of age.

Children today sometimes die before their parents. “This fact of itself is enough to evidence to us the strength and electrical energy that God gave to man at his creation.” Conflict and Courage, 21. It took more than 2,000 years of crime and indulgence of base passion, to bring bodily disease upon the race to any great extent.

“If Adam, at his creation, had not been endowed with twenty times as much vital force as men now have, the race, with their present habits of living in violation of natural law, would have become extinct. At the time of Christ’s first advent the race had degenerated so rapidly that an accumulation of disease pressed upon that generation, bringing in a tide of woe and a weight of misery inexpressible.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 138, 139. We are living off Adam’s vital force. Adam lived 930 years, and back then the people did not die of any disease.

There will be a group of people who do not have to die, because already there have been two people escape this world alive—Enoch and Elijah. There are two ways in which you can die. In Job 21:23, 24, it says, “One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet. His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.”

The description here does not sound like a sick man or woman. When the fruit gets ripe, it will either be plucked or fall to the ground. When God is finished with you, He will lay you to rest, or He is going to pluck you to be translated. That is a good way to die. Moses, at 120 years of age, struck the rock too many times in disobedience and was not allowed to live to enter the Promised Land. The Bible says that his vital force was not abated, and his vision was not dim. He just went up to the mount where God gave him a view of the Promised Land. He closed his eyes and died. If I have to die, that is the way I would like to go—just close my eyes, and the next time I open them I see Jesus.

However, “Another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.” Verse 25. I pray to God that I never need to be on life support; I do not want to suffer.

Throughout the ten generations before the flood, from Adam down to Noah, the average lifespan was 912 years. After the flood, the lifespan dropped to 317, as we see in the example of Shem, the son of Noah, who was born before the flood. Today the average lifespan is 70 years.

There are two types of energy in our bodies—useable and reserve. The useable energy can be likened to a checking account. The reserve can be likened to a savings account. We write checks out of our checking account to pay bills and operating expenses. The savings account is extra money stored for emergency situations. Ideally, we do not touch our savings, but we add to it. If we have a bill for $150 and only have $100 in the checking account, and write a check for $150, there will not be enough in the account to cover the check. In order to honor the check, we would have to transfer $50 from the savings account into the checking account to make up the difference. If we continue to do that, when the roof starts leaking, the car breaks down, or some other emergency happens and we go to the savings, we may find that we have exhausted the savings by all the transfers into the checking account. When we expend our energy and are continually operating on reserve, we may end up with cancer or diabetes, and we will want a quick fix. But it does not work that way. We have exhausted our vital force, our savings account. We have to know how to preserve vital force to have good health.

“God has endowed us with a certain amount of vital force. He has also formed us with organs suited to maintain the various functions of life, and He designs that these organs shall work together in harmony. If we carefully preserve the life force, and keep the delicate mechanism of the body in order, the result is health; but if the vital force is too rapidly exhausted, the nervous system borrows power for present use from its resources of strength, and when one organ is injured, all are affected. Nature bears much abuse without apparent resistance; she then arouses and makes a determined effort to remove the effects of the ill-treatment she has suffered. Her effort to correct these conditions is often manifest in fever and various other forms of sickness.” The Ministry of Healing, 234, 235.

When one organ is affected, all are affected. If the liver is damaged, it is going to also impact the kidneys or the lungs.

If our vital force is too rapidly exhausted, the body seeks to compensate. It will pull from its resource, its savings account. Often symptoms are treated, but that does not solve the problem. We are depleting our vital force, and we need to know how to preserve that.

Road rules, speed signs, stoplights and guardrails are erected on roads for the purpose of safety and for the traveler to be aware of the existing dangers. God also has given us guardrails. Temperance is a guardrail. It is a wall of protection around us that preserves and restores one’s vital force.

“Temperance alone is the foundation of all the graces that come from God, the foundation of all victories to be gained.” Temperance, 201. Temperance is one of the fruits of the Spirit. True temperance teaches us to dispense entirely with everything hurtful and to use judiciously, wisely, that which is healthful. Few realize as they should that their habits of diet have to do with their health, their character, their usefulness in this world, and their eternal destiny. There are several areas in our lives where temperance needs to be incorporated. We are told that, “The appetite should ever be in subjection to the moral and intellectual powers. The body should be servant to the mind, and not the mind to the body.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 562.

The word temperance, when used in the context of health, has three very distinct meanings:

1 Moderation in the use of that which is good

2 Total abstinence from that which is harmful

3 Self-control

The Bible says, “My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste.” Proverbs 24:13. “Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.” Proverbs 25:16. It is clearly saying not to overdo even good things. I call that the honey principle.

“Only one lease of life is granted us; and the inquiry with every one should be, ‘How can I invest my powers so that they may yield the greatest profit?’ ” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 41. 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 ends.

“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.” Ibid. We cannot afford to dwarf a single function of mind or body. Intemperance in the true sense of the word is at the foundation of a large share of the ills of life.

“When the plagues of God shall be all around you, you will then see the principles of health reform and strict temperance in all things—that temperance alone is the foundation of all the graces that come from God, the foundation of all victories to be gained.” Temperance, 201. By the time the plagues are falling, if we have not practiced temperance, it will be too late.

We are told that, “Through intemperance, some sacrifice one half, and others two thirds, of their physical, mental, and moral powers, and become playthings for the enemy.” Ibid., 146. We rob God. It is gone for eternity.

One of first things to be aware of is excess in eating and drinking. Excessive indulgence in eating, drinking, sleeping and seeing, is sin. You can sleep too much. You can eat too much. When you see something constantly, whether it is reading or devilvision (television), it is sin. There is a law in temperance dealing with study. It says, “The more elevated and refined the powers, the more pure and unalloyed the happiness. …

“Those who eat and work intemperately and irrationally, talk and act irrationally. It is not necessary to drink alcoholic liquors in order to be intemperate. The sin of intemperate eating—eating too frequently, too much, and of rich, unwholesome food—destroys the healthy action of the digestive organs, affects the brain, and perverts the judgment, preventing rational, calm, healthy thinking and acting.” Ibid., 138.

We are talking here about the good stuff—eating and drinking too much, too frequently. There is more danger in eating too much than too little. “There are many sick who suffer from no disease. The cause of their sickness is indulgence of appetite. They think that if the food is healthful, they may eat as much as they please. This is a great mistake. Persons whose powers are debilitated should eat a moderate and even limited amount of food.” Child Guidance, 399. It amazes me that we continue to overload our bodies with too much food, especially when it is already debilitated.

“There should be no delay in reform. Efforts should be made to preserve carefully the remaining strength of the vital forces.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 159. We must do everything to preserve what we have “by lifting off every overtaxing burden. The stomach may never fully recover health, but a proper course of diet will save further debility, and many will recover more or less, unless they have gone very far in gluttonous self-murder.” Ibid.

The next thing outside of food is temperance in dress, for which there is a physiological reason. “God’s people are to learn the meaning of temperance in all things. They are to practice temperance in eating and drinking and dressing. All self-indulgence is to be cut away from their lives. Before they can really understand the meaning of true sanctification and of conformity to the will of Christ, they must, by cooperating with God, obtain the mastery over wrong habits and practices.” Medical Ministry, 275.

“In all respects the dress should be healthful. ‘Above all things,’ God desires us to ‘be in health’—health of body and of soul (III John 1:2). And we are to be workers together with Him for the health of both soul and body. Both are promoted by healthful dress.

“It should have the grace, the beauty, the appropriateness of natural simplicity. Christ has warned us against the pride of life, but not against its grace and natural beauty.” The Ministry of Healing, 288, 289.

“Special attention should be given to the extremities, that they may be as thoroughly clothed as the chest and the region over the heart, where is the greatest amount of heat. Parents who dress their children with the extremities naked, or nearly so, are sacrificing the health and lives of their children to fashion. If these parts are not so warm as the body, the circulation is not equalized. When the extremities, which are remote from the vital organs, are not properly clad, the blood is driven to the head, causing headache or nosebleed; or there is a sense of fullness about the chest, producing cough or palpitation of the heart, on account of too much blood in that locality; or the stomach has too much blood, causing indigestion.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 531. The Bible tells me the life of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11). In order to have good health, we must have good blood.

If there is unequal circulation in the body, we are going to have disease, especially women. Women have a lot of female problems because of improper dress. I would encourage us to study dress, not only in the spiritual sense, but in light of physiology, because the way we dress affects our vital force. “Satan invented the fashions which leave the limbs exposed, chilling back the life current from its original course. And parents bow at the shrine of fashion and so clothe their children that the nerves and veins become contracted and do not answer the purpose that God designed they should. The result is, habitually cold feet and hands. Those parents who follow fashion instead of reason will have an account to render to God for thus robbing their children of health. Even life itself is frequently sacrificed to the god of fashion.” Ibid., 532.

Temperance in Labor 

“We should practice temperance in our labor. It is not our duty to place ourselves where we shall be overworked. Some may at times be placed where this is necessary, but it should be the exception, not the rule.” Child Guidance, 397.

“They are expending the vital force which they will need at a future time. And when the energy they have so recklessly used is demanded, they fail for want of it. The physical strength is gone, the mental powers fail. They realize that they have met with a loss, but do not know what it is. Their time of need has come, but their physical resources are exhausted.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 64, 65.

We need a little break every now and then. Come aside and rest. Remember the day of rest God gave us. Tests have been made on body processes that have determined that for everyone, regardless of religious beliefs, the heart beats more slowly on Saturday than on any other day of the week. I thank God for the Sabbath day.

Regular Hours of Sleep 

In daylight hours the pineal gland synthesizes serotonin. In the absence of light it converts serotonin to melatonin. The serotonin levels fall and the melatonin levels rise at night. The balance between serotonin and melatonin seems to affect mood and other physiological changes. Therefore we have to be in bed at a certain time in order to benefit from this precious hormone. But after 12:00 o’clock we can forget it.

The points of regularity in time for eating and sleeping should not be overlooked since the work of building up the body takes place during the hours of night.

Temperance in Study

Intemperance in study is a species of intoxication. And those who indulge in it like the drunkard wander from safe paths and stumble and fall in darkness. I know people who spend all their time and energy in studying, reading, studying and reading and basically nothing else, to excess.

“Make it habit not to sit up after nine o’clock. Every light should be extinguished. This turning night into day is a wretched, health-destroying habit, and this reading much by brain workers, up to the sleeping hours, is very injurious to health. It calls the blood to the brain and then there is restlessness and wakefulness, and the precious sleep, which should rest the body, does not come when desired.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, 46.

Every sin, every unrighteous act, every transgression of law affects the body and depletes it of its vital force. To go forth into the next life deprived of half the power that might be carried would be a tragedy.

The world should be no criteria for us though it is fashionable to indulge the appetite. There is no encouragement given to any of the sons or daughters of Adam that they may become victorious in the Christian warfare unless they decide to practice temperance in all things. Blessings of physical and mental vigor would be given to all Christians who keep their bodies in subjection, bringing their appetites and passions under control of an enlightened conscience, feeling it a duty owed to God and to their neighbors to obey the laws which govern health. They will have moral power to engage in the warfare against Satan. We can have no right understanding of the subject of temperance until we consider it from a Biblical standpoint. Nowhere should we find a more comprehensive and forceful illustration of true temperance and its attendant blessings than is afforded by the history of Daniel and his three friends in Babylon. (See Daniel 1, 2.)

“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.” Medical Ministry, 12.

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: 731-0986-3518.

Babylonian Captivity

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In the first chapter of Daniel is described a scene of captivity. After the reign of Solomon, the kingdom was divided. The nation of Israel was made up of ten tribes, and the nation of Judah made up two tribes. Comparing the history of both nations, Israel was more rebellious and was eventually destroyed by the Assyrians. Judah was also destroyed, but before that, while under the rule of Jehoiakim, the city was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, who took many captives among whom were the royal seed. It was the purpose of the king to educate these young men, the princes, and turn them into Babylonians.

Before the coming of Christ, the people of God are going to face another captivity, one of economic boycott, social restraint, and political and religious pressure that will be applied to enforce the mark of the beast.

Are you ready for captivity? Do you know what it means to be under captivity, under the control of another nation? Like it or not, many of us will face this captivity. Under his rule, the last day spiritual king of Babylon will do all in his power to try to change your body, your mind, and your soul.

The Bible says in Daniel 1:3, “And 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.” When Babylon besieged Judah, they captured the young people, but not just any young people; they were the king’s seed and their princes.

Satan’s primary attack in these last days is also against the best. Are you a child of the King of the universe? Satan wants to capture the children of God, those who are the apple of His eye. The Bible says that if it is possible, Satan will deceive the very elect (Matthew 24:24). The more devotion and dedication you give to God and the more faith you put in God’s hand, the more danger you present to the devil and the greater persecution you may face. But you should have no fear, because perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18).

Daniel 1:4 tells us what kind of children Nebuchadnezzar sought: “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.” The blemish here mentioned is physical blemish, without even a bad odor in their mouth.

“The erect form, the firm, elastic step, the fair countenance showing that the blood was uncorrupted, the undimmed senses, the untainted breath—all were so many certificates of good habits, insignia of the nobility with which nature honors those who are obedient to her laws.” Reflecting Christ, 121. These young men were a picture of health, were physically fit, and mentally equipped. And although that text does not mention their spiritual condition, it was also in excellent condition. These young men were captured because Satan hated them because they were physically, mentally, and spiritually well-balanced and strong.

You may be physically fit, but if you are spiritually weak, Satan does not want to bother capturing you, because you are already captured. You might be mentally strong and skillful in knowledge and science, yet, if you are spiritually weak, Satan does not want to bother you because you are already weak, and he wants you to stay that way. His target is anyone of any age who is totally dedicated to God.

Notice what the king planned to do with these young people. The very first thing attempted was to teach them a new language, the Chaldean language, the Babylonian language. The Bible states in Matthew 12:34, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” That means the words that you speak express your heart or your mind, so your words are closely related to your mind.

Every language reveals the character or personality of that culture. In order to speak Chinese and communicate properly, you have to speak with a Chinese mentality. If you speak Spanish, it must be with a Spanish mentality, not with a Korean or American mentality. By teaching these young men the language of the Chaldeans, they were being educated to have a Babylonian mind, to think like a Babylonian.

Then the king provided for them food. “And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.” Daniel 1:5.

Food is to build the body, and the young captives were offered a Babylonian diet. I can imagine on that beautiful Babylonian table a big pig with an apple in its mouth surrounded by the wines of Babylon. This kind of diet was not healthy according to God’s word. Praise God for the stand of Daniel! He purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. This decision was not made when he arrived in Babylon but before he got there. To stand strong as did Daniel, before going into captivity, you had better make that purpose and decision.

A study of the life of Jesus reveals that there were two places He must enter at the end of His life. Calvary is always remembered, but there was also the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane was the place of His decision. Calvary was the hill of His sacrifice and His action. One place was to make a decision; the other place was to carry out that decision. So before you go to Calvary, you had better go to Gethsemane. Daniel went to his own Gethsemane. As he crossed the desert, he prayed, “God, no matter what is going to happen to me, I am not going to defile myself before You. God help me.”

Every person must make that decision day by day, choosing to follow Jesus all the way with grace and power, because character cannot be built overnight. When captivity comes, character will be tested. Where are you standing; on the Rock or on the sand (Matthew 7:24, 26)?

The king provided mental education—Babylonian mind. The king provided physical education—Babylonian diet. “Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.” Daniel 1:6, 7.

What was the purpose of the name changes? What was wrong with Daniel and Hananiah and Mishael and Azariah? They were good names. Dan means judge. El means God. So every time Daniel is spoken, it reminds that God is judge. Daniel’s name was changed to Belteshazzer, meaning Bel is god. Mishael means who is like God; Meshach means who is like Venus. Hananiah means God is grace. Shadrach means command of Aku. Azariah means helped by God; Abednego means servant of Nabu.

The new Babylonian names reflect the names of Babylonian gods. A person’s name refers to character. Having a Babylonian god in the new names indicates that the Babylonian nation wanted them to have the Babylonian character and worship Babylonian gods. Changing their names was an attempt to change their spiritual condition from worshiping the true God to worshiping idols made by man’s hand.

The Babylonians tried to change three things of their captives: mental, physical and spiritual. When Satan attacks, he attacks your body, mind, and soul, which encompasses everything! That is exactly what Satan tried to do in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 3:4 the Bible says, “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” He told Eve that even if she would commit sin, she would not die. If you cannot die, you are immortal. His claim was that even though she may sin, she would be immortal. Satan was lying to her about immortality of the soul. Today immortality of the soul is called spiritualism. Right there in the Garden of Eden Satan introduced to Eve spiritualism. But not only that—“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods.” Verse 5. Eating is related to the physical body. Eye opening experience is connected to receiving a new understanding, which deals with the mental. That word gods is related to spiritual.

Satan was telling Eve, I have something better for your body. I have something better for your mental condition. I have something better for your spiritual condition. All three things he offered to her, and she listened to the serpent.

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food [physical], and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise [mental], she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Verse 6. What happened to her spiritual condition? She lost it. Satan had attacked all three areas—physical, mental, and spiritual.

If Satan gets your body, he has your mind. If he has your mind, he’s got your soul, because they are all connected. Your body is the house of the mind; the mind is the house of the soul. He attacks all three. This is the very reason why Jesus came to this world, to restore man physically, mentally and spiritually—three areas—and also, socially.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom [which is mental], stature [which is physical], and in favour with God [which is spiritual] and man [which is social]” (Luke 2:52). Jesus had a perfectly balanced education—intellectually, physically, socially, and spiritually.

These are the four basic needs of man. In this world, everyone has these four—physical, mental, spiritual and social—and each individual starts out with their cup empty. It is imperative to know what is needed to fill these empty spaces.

Usually the felt need is not so much spiritual, but physical and social. People usually forget about the mental and the spiritual needs even though they also are searching for something. That is why people turn to New Age, yoga or meditation and all of the strange religions that are in the world today. People know that they are missing something in their life but are often unaware of the greatest thing that they are missing—God.

One time when doing evangelistic crusade meetings, a free massage and free blood pressure check were offered to attendees. The crusade meeting leaders went to where the people were, set up the tables and chairs and put up a sign saying, “Free Massage.” In no time, that place was flocked with people. When you show concern about a person’s body, they are open to hear what you have to say about their soul. The people are open to listen to causes when they are suffering from high blood pressure. The usual causes are high fat intake, high protein, cholesterol, unclean food, no exercise, alcohol, tobacco, soda, sugar, and things like this. Their body is clogged up with junk, and when you tell them, they listen. After their blood pressure check, they receive a massage.

A massage feels good, so while the individual was feeling good, they would be given literature on health, present truth, the Sabbath, and the Three Angels’ Messages that they could take to their home, and every time they looked at it they would think of that good massage. When invited to the meeting, the people would come.

In one small town, there was a man who owned the biggest hotel. He was so impressed by the work that was being done that he asked, “Where are you having meetings every night?” When told that the meeting was in a nearby hall, he said, “That hall is not good enough for you; come to my hotel.” The hotel was right next to the park, so after completing the medical missionary work, the meeting was opened at the hotel and it was packed with people. They wanted to hear the message, the gospel. Jesus gives us a perfect example how to work for the people for their body, mind, and soul, and their social well-being.

In Matthew 9:35 the Bible says, “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues [teaching is dealing with mental], and preaching the gospel of the kingdom [which is spiritual], and healing every sickness and every disease among the people [which is physical].” Jesus gave us the example of working with all three—mental, spiritual and physical. Balanced education prepares us to give a balanced ministry, which is so important, because it helps the people to really obey God’s commandments.

In Mark 12:30 the Bible says, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” Heart is referring to your thoughts and your feelings. The heart encompasses everything. “Love the Lord thy God … with all thy soul” is for spiritual, “and with all thy mind” is for mental, “and with all thy strength” is for physical. You are to keep God’s commandments with your body, your mind, and your soul—with everything. Satan is trying to destroy your body, destroy your mind, and destroy your soul. God is trying to restore your mind, restore your body, and restore your soul.

This is the great controversy, and as you are working for the people, all those areas must be covered. Every church should be a place of education, training, nurturing and guiding. People should be able to come to church and get healing. It should not be an unusual thing to have a clinic right next to a church.

The church should be a center of missionary effort. Church should not be a day care center for lukewarm Christians; it is not a place of babysitting sleepy church members. All church members should become living, active, moving agents of God.

To get ready for the coming of Christ, all aspects of your life have to be prepared. I understand there is no way to have a perfect body without any problems. Sometimes you may be diseased, but as far as possible you are to keep your body healthy. Some individuals may be slow in thinking, forgetful, not clear, not focused, not intelligent yet, by the grace of God, the Bible says, as you fear God, you begin to have the wisdom of God (see Psalm 111:10). So we can, by the grace of God, increase physically, mentally, and spiritually.

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Here are those three things again—mind, soul and body. Why are those three things being repeated over and over again? What was previously read in Genesis about the life of Christ, and now in the writings of Paul, are those three things mentioned again and again and again. The Bible says you are to “be preserved blameless.” In other words, the condition of your body, soul, and mind should be preserved. The word preserved means keeping it in good condition until Jesus comes.

There is no way you can think or believe that you can just continue in the life of corruption, in a life of iniquity until Jesus comes. The Bible says He is able to preserve you blameless until the coming of Christ. It is clear on this point. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” Verse 24. It is not you that does it. God is faithful; if He has called you to become blameless, preserved, whole, sanctified, dedicated to God and to love God with all your soul, mind, and heart, He is able to do it for you.

“The very best you can do will not merit the favor of God. It is Jesus’ worthiness that will save you, His blood that will cleanse you. But you have efforts to make. You must do what you can on your part.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 167.

“No man can of himself work out his own salvation, and God cannot do this work for him without his cooperation. But when man works earnestly, God works with him, giving him power to become a son of God.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 38.

You must allow Him to do it. You must surrender your heart, your mind, your soul, and your body—everything to Him. When Jesus died, He died to purchase your body. Jesus died to purchase your mind. Jesus died to purchase your soul. He paid the price to buy every part of you.

Notice the message that needs to go out to the world in these last days, the Three Angels’ Messages. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people saying with a loud voice [this is the message that needs to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, and notice the message], Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6, 7.

Observe how verse 7 encompasses the three areas of body, mind, and soul. It is interesting to observe that the “fear God” message is connected to your mental development, because the Bible says that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10). And also the “give glory to Him” message is connected to your physical health, because 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” The “worship Him that made” message certainly refers to the spiritual connection with your Creator. You can easily observe the elements of balanced education in the first angel’s message.

Notice what the mark of the beast is trying to do in the last days to God’s people in Revelation 14:9: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship …” What is that? Spiritual. In other words, in the last days people will follow the beast spiritually. And the Bible continues to say, “… worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead … .” What do you have in your forehead? Mind. People will follow the beast, not only spiritually, but they will also follow him mentally and receive the mark of the beast in their forehead or in their hand. In the Bible, hand represents physical. People will follow the beast physically.

There are two different types of education competing against each other in the last days. There is God’s balanced education: physical, mental, and spiritual. But Satan, by his education of mental, physical, and spiritual, is the worldly way of developing the body, the mind, and the soul. God is calling you to go back to the old paths, to His way, which is the good way, the narrow way, the way of salvation (Jeremiah 6:16).

When you get ready for these last day events, you must get ready physically, mentally, and spiritually. Otherwise the mark of the beast is calculated in such a way that it will get you wherever you are weak; whether you are weak spiritually, whether you are weak mentally, or whether you are weak physically, he will get you. You have to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11).

Are you hearing the word of God? You must examine your life daily to see if you are developing physically or if you are damaging your body. Are you working just too hard and not getting enough rest, or are you eating or drinking something that you know is damaging your body? You need to examine, and make sure every day to seek and to develop to the glory of God.

Are there certain things in your house that are not helping you mentally? These may include a novel, some magazines, or video games. Are you holding on to certain things that are destroying your mind; certain kinds of music, certain television programs that you are watching, or allowing your imagination to grasp? Things like this are destroying your mind.

If you are serious about the Second Coming, if you are serious about the Three Angels’ Messages, if you are serious about loving God with your body, mind, and soul, consider Jesus on the cross, bleeding, as He cried out, “My child, I gave all for you; give all for Me.”

Whatever is destroying your life today, if you are truly serious about it, you must hold it up before Jesus, and say, “Jesus, help me to give this up. If it is tobacco, help me to stop, today. If it is wine, help me to stop this very day. If it is certain magazines, help me to burn them. If it is music, help me to break them and put them in the trash. If myself is an idol, if I worship myself, and I spend more money on myself, oh God, please help me to worship You. Tear away any idols from my heart, and let God’s throne sit at my heart, that I may worship and follow only Christ.”

Who knows, perhaps God is not sending people to your fellowship because you are not ready to preach the Three Angels’ Message. You are not ready physically; you are not ready mentally, and you are not ready spiritually. There are people out there waiting to come to Jesus, but God does not want to discourage those people by your poor example. They are too precious to be discouraged in these last days. If you are serious about the love of Christ, surrender all to Jesus.

As Jesus is cleansing the sanctuary in heaven, let God cleanse your heart first. Let God then cleanse your family. Let Him cleanse your church so that you are ready to cry aloud, “Fear God, give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come, and worship Him,” and when you make this cry, it will be powerful.

Thank God for the Bible and for Jesus Christ who is trying to restore us physically, mentally, and spiritually. Now is the time to submit all to Him.

Bible Study Guides – God’s Tools

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August 21, 2011 – August 27, 2011

Key Text

“When he ascended up on high, he … gave gifts unto men. … For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:8, 12.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 80–89; Testimonies, vol. 2, 354–376.

Introduction

“Men were taught that it is possible to obey the law of God; that even while living in the midst of the sinful and corrupt, they were able, by the grace of God, to resist temptation, and become pure and holy.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 88.

1 RESPECTING GOD’S METHODS

  • What are God’s tools for the perfecting of His children? I Corinthians 12:28.

Note: “When Christ ascended to heaven, He left the work on earth in the hands of His servants, the undershepherds. [Ephesians 4:11–13 quoted.]

“In sending forth His ministers our Saviour gave gifts unto men, for through them He communicates to the world the words of eternal life. This is the means which God has ordained for the perfecting of the saints in knowledge and true holiness. The work of Christ’s servants is not merely to preach the truth; they are to watch for souls as they that must render account to God. They are to reprove, rebuke, exhort with long-suffering and doctrine.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 237.

  • How long will God use this method? Ephesians 4:13, 15. What is our responsibility? James 1:22.

Note: “I was shown that God had given light through the gifts placed in the church, which would instruct, counsel, guide, reprove, and warn. … To disregard light is to reject it. The rejection of light leaves men captives bound about by chains of darkness and unbelief.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 93.

2 HEALTH AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

  • How does physical health relate to character development? I Thessalonians 5:23; I Corinthians 3:16, 17; 6:19, 20.

Note: “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. … Obedience to them will promote our happiness in this life, and will aid us in a preparation for the life to come.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 23.

“You need clear, energetic minds, in order to appreciate the exalted character of the truth, to value the atonement, and to place the right estimate upon eternal things. If you pursue a wrong course, and indulge in wrong habits of eating, and thereby weaken the intellectual powers, you will not place that high estimate upon salvation and eternal life which will inspire you to conform your life to the life of Christ.” Ibid., 47.

  • How should we respond to all of God’s health instruction? Why? Proverbs 4:20–22.

Note: “There are but few as yet who are aroused sufficiently to understand how much their habits of diet have to do with their health, their characters, their usefulness in this world, and their eternal destiny. I saw that it is the duty of those who have received the light from heaven, and have realized the benefit of walking in it, to manifest a greater interest for those who are still suffering for want of knowledge.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 51, 52.

  • Can we disregard any instruction if it is not convenient for us? Proverbs 1:5; 14:12.

Note: “There is danger in departing in the least from the Lord’s instruction. When we deviate from the plain path of duty, a train of circumstances will arise that seems irresistibly to draw us further and further from the right.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 197, 198.

“There are some professed believers who accept certain portions of the Testimonies as the message of God, while they reject those portions that condemn their favorite indulgences. Such persons are working contrary to their own welfare and the welfare of the church.” Ibid., vol. 9, 154.

3 HEALTH AND PRAYER

  • What relationship exists between following God’s health principles and having our prayers answered? Proverbs 28:9; 30:5.

Note: “God gave the light on health reform, and those who rejected it, rejected God.” Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 6, 31.

  • Can we properly train our children and youth in our homes and churches while disregarding any of God’s instruction? What will the results be? Psalm 119:138; Galatians 6:7.

Note: “Satan is constantly seeking to gain control of your bodies and spirits. … Yet some will say: ‘What business is it to anybody what I eat or what I drink?’ I have shown you what relation your course has to others. You have seen that it has much to do with the influence you exert in your families. It has much to do with molding the characters of your children. …

“You should be instructing them how to shun the vices and corruptions of this age. Instead of this, many are studying how to get something good to eat. You place upon your tables butter, eggs, and meat, and your children partake of them. They are fed with the very things that will excite their animal passions, and then you come to meeting and ask God to bless and save your children. How high do your prayers go? You have a work to do first. When you have done all for your children which God has left for you to do then you can with confidence claim the special help that God has promised to give you.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 359, 362.

“If light is turned from in one case, it will be disregarded in another. It is just as much sin to violate the laws of our being as to break one of the ten commandments, for we cannot do either without breaking God’s law. We cannot love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength while we are loving our appetites, our tastes, a great deal better than we love the Lord.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 45.

“I saw that the reason why God did not hear the prayers of His servants for the sick among us more fully was, that He could not be glorified in so doing while they were violating the laws of health.” Ibid., 25, 26.

4 FURTHER EDUCATION

  • By what other means can we honor our Creator? I Timothy 6:11.

Note: “The greatest evidence of the power of Christianity that can be presented to the world is a well-ordered, well-disciplined family. This will recommend the truth as nothing else can, for it is a living witness of its practical power upon the heart.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 304.

“There is no education to be gained higher than that given to the early disciples, and which is revealed to us through the word of God. To gain the higher education means to follow this word implicitly; it means to walk in the footsteps of Christ, to practice His virtues. It means to give up selfishness and to devote the life to the service of God. Higher education calls for something greater, something more divine, than the knowledge to be obtained merely from books. It means a personal, experimental knowledge of Christ; it means emancipation from ideas, from habits and practices, that have been gained in the school of the prince of darkness, and which are opposed to loyalty to God. It means to overcome stubbornness, pride, selfishness, worldly ambition, and unbelief. It is the message of deliverance from sin.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 11, 12.

  • What will be the result of this type of education? Proverbs 22:6; III John 4.

Note: “Higher than the highest human thought can reach is God’s ideal for His children. Godliness—godlikeness—is the goal to be reached. Before the student there is opened a path of continual progress. He has an object to achieve, a standard to attain, that includes everything good, and pure, and noble. He will advance as fast and as far as possible in every branch of true knowledge. But his efforts will be directed to objects as much higher than mere selfish and temporal interests as the heavens are higher than the earth.” Education, 18, 19.

“It is the privilege of every soul to be a living channel through which God can communicate to the world the treasures of His grace, the unsearchable riches of Christ. There is nothing that Christ desires so much as agents who will represent to the world His Spirit and character.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 419.

5 PATRIARCHAL EXAMPLES

  • In what ways did Enoch and Noah leave us examples to follow in these last days? Hebrews 11:5, 7; II Corinthians 4:18.

Note: “Enoch’s walk with God was not in a trance or a vision, but in all the duties of his daily life. He did not become a hermit, shutting himself entirely from the world; for he had a work to do for God in the world. In the family and in his intercourse with men, as a husband and father, a friend, a citizen, he was the steadfast, unwavering servant of the Lord.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 85.

“In the midst of a life of active labor, Enoch steadfastly maintained his communion with God. The greater and more pressing his labors, the more constant and earnest were his prayers. He continued to exclude himself, at certain periods, from all society. After remaining for a time among the people, laboring to benefit them by instruction and example, he would withdraw, to spend a season in solitude, hungering and thirsting for that divine knowledge which God alone can impart. Communing thus with God, Enoch came more and more to reflect the divine image. His face was radiant with a holy light, even the light that shineth in the face of Jesus. As he came forth from these divine communings, even the ungodly beheld with awe the impress of heaven upon his countenance.” Ibid., 86, 87.

“It was through Noah’s consistent faith and works combined that condemned the world. He not only preached the present truth appropriate for that time, but he acted every sermon. Had he never lifted his voice in warning, his works, his holy character among the corrupt and ungodly would have been condemning sermons to the unbelieving and dissolute of that age.” This Day with God, 235.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What are God’s tools for your perfection?

2 Explain the connection between health reform and character development.

3 Is there something that keeps God from answering your prayers?

4 What is to be the goal of education?

5 What can you learn from those who have lived before you?

Copyright © 2002 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Food for Life – Will Power

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“The power of the will! The tempted one needs to understand the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man,—the power of decision, of choice. Everything depends upon the right action of the will. Desires for goodness and purity are right, so far as they go; but if we stop here, they avail nothing. Many will go down to ruin while hoping and desiring to overcome their evil propensities. They do not yield the will to God. They do not choose to serve Him.

“God has given us the power of choice; it is ours to exercise. We can not change our hearts, we can not control our thoughts, our impulses, our affections. We can not make ourselves pure, fit for God’s service. But we can choose to serve God, we can give Him our will; then He will work in us to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus our whole nature will be brought under the control of Christ.

“Through the right exercise of the will, an entire change may be made in the life. By yielding up the will to Christ we ally ourselves with divine power. We receive strength from above to hold us steadfast. A pure and noble life, a life of victory over appetite and lust, is possible to everyone who will unite his weak, wavering human will to the omnipotent, unwavering will of God.

“Those who are struggling against the power of appetite should be instructed in the principles of healthful living. They should be shown that violation of the laws of health, by creating diseased conditions and unnatural cravings, lays the foundation for the liquor habit. Only by living in obedience to the principles of health can they hope to be freed from the unnatural stimulants. While they depend upon divine strength to break the bonds of appetite, they are to co-operate with God by obedience to His laws, both moral and physical.” Ministry of Healing, 176, 177.

“The power of the will is not valued as it should be. Let the will be kept awake and rightly directed, and it will impart energy to the whole being, and will be a wonderful aid in the maintenance of health. It is a power also in dealing with disease. Exercised in the right direction, it would control the imagination, and be a potent means of resisting and overcoming disease of both mind and body. By the exercise of the will power in placing themselves in right relation to life, patients can do much to co-operate with the physician’s efforts for their recovery. There are thousands who can recover health if they will. The Lord does not want them to be sick. He desires them to be well and happy, and they should make up their minds to be well. Often invalids can resist disease simply by refusing to yield to ailments and settle down in a state of inactivity. Rising above their aches and pains, let them engage in useful employment suited to their strength. By such employment and the free use of air and sunlight, many an emaciated invalid might recover health and strength.” Counsels on Health, 94.

“If Christians will keep the body in subjection, and bring all their appetites and passions under the control of enlightened conscience, feeling it a duty that they owe to God and to their neighbors to obey the laws which govern health and life, they will have the blessing of physical and mental vigor. They will have moral power to engage in the warfare against Satan; and in the name of Him who conquered appetite in their behalf, they may be more than conquerors on their own account. This warfare is open to all who will engage in it.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 65.

“The will is the governing power in the nature of man, bringing all the other faculties under its sway. The will is not the taste or the inclination, but it is the deciding power, which works in the children of men unto obedience to God, or unto disobedience.” Child Guidance, 209.

August Recipe:

Blueberry Ice Cream

2 cups Water

1 cup Cashews

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Bananas

1 cup Crust pineapple

1 cup Date pieces

1/2 tsp. Sea salt

Whiz until thoroughly blended, then add:

1 Box Frozen Blueberries.

Continue blending until smooth. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze. When ready to serve, place cubes in Champion Juicer with Solid plate in place. Enjoy delicious, smooth, and healthful ice cream!

Reporting from California, USA – Healing the Sick

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“Christ, who created the world and all things that are therein is the life and light of every living thing . . In Him is life, that is original, unborrowed, underived.” Medical Ministry, 7. Because Christ loved the life He gave to each in the human family, He came to restore that life to its fullness. His requirement for all of us is to do our part in the restoration and reconciliation of fallen man to Himself. Jesus says to all that follow Him, “Heal the sick.” Matthew 10:8. This is the work the Lord gave us to do through the health ministry. Specifically what we do is teach health principles to those who are ill and point them to a better way that they may be healed. Our programs are always Christ centered. Our main object is to introduce fallen man to his Creator.

In California we offer a ten day detoxification program. This is a thorough cleanse of the entire body. During the ten days the participants stay with us in our seven bed facility. Each day we teach and put into practice the eight laws of health as found in Ministry of Healing, 127. We encourage sunbathing with moderate exposure, adequate exercise, much needed rest, along with the proper use of water, etc. Each day a lecture is given teaching health principles, the nature of disease, and how to overcome disease. The highlight of the day seems to be the afternoon steambath. Our guests range from the terminally ill to those just wanting to improve their health. No one is turned away because of finance. We want to share with all as Jesus did.

We are located on the eastern slope of the San Bernardino mountains, 4,500 feet above sea level. The air is relatively clean and hiking abundant as we border a protected wilderness area. No neighbors are near, giving privacy to do the Lord’s work in peace and quiet.

We are frequently asked to speak and teach the health message. We also conduct training programs on how to be a medical missionary, give massage therapy, perform hydrotherapy, and the preparation needed to do all this work. The Lord has blessed as we see healing taking place in the physical man. More importantly, souls are being won for the Lord. “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.” Matthew. 9:37. Won’t you be a part of the final harvest and help with the needed work-force to finish this work so we can go home?

Everyone is to be engaged in the service of the Lord. We think you will agree we are at the end of time. “Those who have a knowledge of the truth as it is revealed in God’s word must now come to the front. My brethren, God requires this of you.” Medical Ministry, 22.

“Christ, the great medical missionary, is our example. Of Him it is written that He ‘went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.’ He healed the sick and preached the gospel. In his service, healing and teaching were linked closely together. Today they are not to be separated.” Review and Herald, September 21, 1905.

As we can see, God has a plan to spread the gospel which is to include the medical missionary work.

“Christ stands before us as the pattern Man, the great medical missionary—an example for all who should come after. . . We are to do the same work that the great medical missionary undertook in our behalf. We are to follow the path of self-sacrifice trodden by Christ.” Medical Ministry, 20.

We are frequently asked, “Why did you become a medical missionary?” This question can be answered best by relating a recent experience.

Recently we were at Steps to Life when a man some 1,500 miles away called. He said, “I was told about you by an acquaintance who said you might possibly help me. My wife, whom I love dearly, has terminal cancer. (He was crying as he related this to us.) The doctor gives no hope. I love her so much! I want her to live. Please help my wife.” At that moment we felt the weight and responsibility of what it means to be a medical missionary.

Two weeks later we visited this precious couple in their home. We suggested a natural food diet designed to bring healing to the body. More important we prayed with them and directed them to the Great Physician. Both now have hope and are closer to Jesus than before. She has decided to attend our next program this summer. We all have faith that, if it is God’s will, and she follows the health laws God has given us, restoration of health will come.

Why not pray for a miracle, some people may ask? Wouldn’t this be easier and faster than going through so much trouble? Today, in most cases, lifestyle needs to be changed for healing to come. Part of medical missionary work is to educate on true health principles. Then the Lord can honor prayers for healing. We are told: “The way in which Christ worked was to preach the word, and to relieve suffering by miraculous works of healing. But I am instructed that we cannot now work in this way; for Satan will exercise his power by working miracles. God’s servants today could not work by means of miracles, because spurious works of healing, claiming to be divine, will be wrought.

“For this reason the Lord has marked out a way in which His people are to carry forward a work of physical healing combined with the teaching of the word. . . The time is at hand when Satan will work miracles to confirm minds in the belief that he is God. All the people of God are now to stand on the platform of truth as it has been given in the third angel’s message.” Medical Ministry, 14, 15.

Another aspect of our work is sending Bibles and Spirit of Prophecy books to Africa. Nearly six years ago we inherited “Inspiration Books, Inc.,” a California non-profit organization proclaiming the Three Angel’s Messages mainly to Africa. Many thousands of books are sent each year to hungering souls because of donations of used books or money for new ones which comes to us from faithful Historic Adventists. Many more could be sent if we had the funds. We wish space was permitted in this article to share some of the thrilling testimonies we receive from precious souls who have found the Sabbath and our message through these books. Many home churches are being raised up all over the world as apostasy is growing, and faithful Seventh-day Adventists, along with those who are hearing the name of Jesus for the first time, are meeting together—some just under a tree.

Jesus is coming very soon! We are told, “Get ready! Get ready! Get ready!” Early Writings, 64. Let us follow this instruction and get ready.
The End