A few days ago we enjoyed a day of “thanksgiving” which to many around the world is a day to remember all good and joyful things we have. The heathen , particularly, gather around the family table and enjoy the token turkey. But what about the “people with such great light” , when they chomp down on turkey, fish or any other meat?
In Testimonies, vol.1, p.260 we read —
“Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual experience. The time is short. God is calling; will you hear? Will you receive His message? Will you be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity.”
How does the above Inspired reference apply to our post? A few days ago we were having a talk with a fellow S.D.A member and she was telling of a “great dinner” one of the local S.D.A churches had. It included meat, which we as S.D.A know is not to be eaten if we value our spiritual walk with Christ.
This is also reinforced by the Lord’s Elijah message He sent pleading with us to come into His ark of safety BEFORE that great and dreadful day comes. Let us look at some of the Lord’s guidance concerning our diet today.
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made..” (Psalms 139:14)
Indeed! Our bodies are like fine tuned machines. And as in our human made machines, such as cars, airplanes and other machines, we would not think for once to put in them pour fuel and oil would we? Thus the same with our bodies which are millions of times more complex! God made us to “thrive” on vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and herbs. This is our perfect fuel.
On a personal level, I would like to add that we sometimes struggle to get two specific needs filled when we forego meat — Iron and Protein. Therefore I find it better if Iron supplements and Protein powders are added. That is my own personal observation, you may find that as well.
Some may ask about Eggs and Milk? Great question, let’s read what Inspiration tells us from God–
“WHAT ABOUT USING MILK AND EGGS?
Question No. 146:
Since diseases among cattle and poultry are becoming more and more numerous, virulent, and widespread, should we not now discard milk and eggs from our dietary?
Answer:
If there is an epidemic among cattle and fowl in your region or locality, then you should definitely exercise great caution when using milk and eggs, and should work toward replacing them, just as soon as possible, with suitable substitutes.
At present we have no knowledge that would compel or justify a country-wide disuse of such poultry and dairy products, and the more especially so if no suitable substitute is available and if the Lord has not opened the way to provide such. Nevertheless, we should all be diligently seeking for something better so that when conditions do develop to make the continued use of these products unsafe, we will not be caught without a satisfactory substitute.
“Let the diet reform be progressive. Let the people be taught how to prepare food without the use of milk or butter. Tell them 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 increase of wickedness among men. The time is near when, because of the iniquity of the fallen race, the whole animal creation will groan under the diseases that curse our earth.”–Testimonies, Vol. 7, p. 135.
“The time will come when we may have to discard some of the articles of diet we now use, such as milk and cream and eggs; but it is not necessary to bring upon ourselves perplexity by premature and extreme restrictions. Wait until the circumstances demand it, and the Lord prepares the way for it.
“…I am instructed to tell them to eat that food which is most nourishing. I can not say to them: ‘You must not eat eggs, or milk, or cream. You must use no butter in the preparation of food.’ The gospel must be preached to the poor, but the time has not yet come to prescribe the strictest diet.”–Testimonies, Vol. 9, pp. 162, 163. (Answerer, vol. 5, Q-146)
The Spirit of Prophecy leaves no doubt about our diet and– meat-eating.
“Greater reforms should be seen among the people who claim to be looking for the soon appearing of Christ. Health reform is to do among our people a work which it has not yet done. There are those who ought to be awake to the danger of meat-eating, who are still eating the flesh of animals, thus endangering the physical, mental, and spiritual health.
Many who are now only half converted on the question of meat-eating will go from God’s people to walk no more with them….. A diet of flesh meat tends to develop animalism. A development of animalism lessens spirituality, rendering the mind incapable of understanding truth.“(Counsels on Diet and Foods, p.382)
“Vegetables, fruits, and grains should compose our diet. Not an ounce of flesh meat should enter our stomachs. The eating of flesh is unnatural. We are to return to God’s original purpose in the creation of man.”—Manuscript 115, 1903 (Counsels on Diet, p.380)
“Is it not time that all should aim to dispense with flesh foods? How can those who are seeking to become pure, refined, and holy, that they may have the companionship of heavenly angels, continue to use as food anything that has so harmful an effect on soul and body? How can they take the life of God’s creatures that they may consume the flesh as a luxury? Let them, rather, return to the wholesome and delicious food given to man in the beginning, and themselves practice, and teach their children to practice, mercy toward the dumb creatures that God has made and has placed under our dominion.”—The Ministry of Healing, 317, 1905 , (Counsels on Diet, p.380)
You know a brother or sister “in the faith” who lacks spiritual discernment? Look at their diet. They enjoy meat?
As Inspiration counsels we are “teach” our children “mercy toward the dumb creatures that God has made and has placed under our dominion.” But are we doing that?
Some may say, “Jesus and the people back then ate fish, so we can too.” Yes indeed they did but as we have posted so many times before, the scroll is unrolling down through time. And “their present truth” is not necessarily our present truth.
Briefly, you recall that an adulterer or adulteress was punished by stoning in Moses day, yes? Is that the Lord’s truth today? Of course not, He showed mercy is now to be given, but to be sure the admonishment to cease from these sins and “sin no more” still exists. Or the past truth that the people of God were to return the Tithes to the Jewish Church, pre- Christ. This too has changed to returning Tithes to His present truth organizations today. So the present truth of today is “stay away from meat”.
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH EATING CLEAN MEAT?
Question No. 148:
In the light of Matt. 15:11 and other scriptures, is it not clear that vegetarianism is of man and not of God?
Answer:
If the scriptures cited constituted the Bible’s entire treatment of the subject, then an unqualifiedly affirmative answer to the question might be necessary. But in the beginning “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.” Gen. 1:29. All this and naught else was to be the “meat” of mankind.
Thus in the beginning, man’s diet did not include flesh food. Not till after the flood, when every green thing on the earth had been destroyed, did he receive permission to eat flesh. Then God said: “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you, even as the green herb have I given you all things.” Gen. 9:3.
Later, though, while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, God provided them with manna. But when they murmured against it, and attributed its phenomenon only to circumstances, claiming that it was impossible to obtain flesh foods in the desert, He literally and angrily heaped quail upon them. At what price, though! Thousands died in order to teach the lesson that the manna was not the mere result of circumstances but rather a purposive Providence. For “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.” Num. 11:33.
Because the Exodus movement was to fit up a people to take the promised land and to set up the kingdom then, as we are now, they were charged to abstain from all flesh foods. And because John the Baptist bore an important message in his day (“Repent ye: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”–Matt. 3:2) similar to ours today, his diet was of honey and of the fruit of the locust tree. How much more important, then, as our types teach, that we who have the culminating message of the gospel, and who are the vanguard of the hosts of the eternal kingdom, defile not the temples of our souls with that which our types were forbidden to eat.
Furthermore, as the Elijah of Malachi 4:5 and Matthew 17:11 is to restore all things before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, then necessarily he will restore vegetarianism, man’s original dietary. Then, not only man but beast as well, will be strict vegetarians, and all will once again consort together in the renewed fellowship of Edenic peace.” (Answerer, vol. 5, p.148)
Ok back to that S.D.A church with the “great dinner”. I personally know this church very well and in fact have preached a sermon there a couple of years ago and guess what was one of the major topics in that sermon? Yes, meat-eating. But sadly Scripture was fulfilled that day, let us read —
“And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.” (Ezek. 33:32)
After the sermon, many were warm and thanked me for the “straight testimony” yet obviously looking down to today , it moved not the leaders to shepherd the flock in the way they must go.
The message tells us more–
“But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming, and shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.” Matt. 24:48-51.
Inspiration teaches that his eating and drinking with the drunken does not merely mean drinking wine. One may get drunk by partaking of the world’s spirit, and also by becoming engrossed with the “cares of this life.” Luke 21:34.
And to do all this is to say in the heart, “My Lord delayeth His coming.” “Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die.” Matt. 24:48; Isa. 22:13. (SRod Tract, vol. 1, p.87)
In closing did you know that the Great All-Seeing Lord gave us a booklet on diet? Yes indeed, below is a REAL FEAST that feeds our souls, not the imitation feast that Satan has snared many of us with turkey, fish and who knows what else. The Lord knows it is not the time to rejoice and make merry for the great day of judgment will very soon hit our S.D.A church. If we are not careful these flesh dinners will fulfill prophecy —
“And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call for weeping, and for mourning, and for baldness, and for girding with sackcloth: And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die! The LORD of Hosts has revealed in my hearing: “Until your dying day, this sin of yours will never be atoned for,” says the Lord GOD of Hosts.”(Isaiah 22:12-14)
http://shepherds-rod.org/Misc/EW.htm
Godsloveandlaw's Blog 
November 29, 2018 at 6:47 pm |
Amen…