Archive for the ‘Healing and health’ Category

Oh how easy the Mark of the Beast will be!

April 25, 2020

San Francisco forced people to wear masks during the 1918 Spanish ...

In the above picture, we see a man walking out in the fresh air wearing a mask. No one close to him yet he has a mask on to “protect” him from the big bad monster–the coronavirus! But let us look at this behavior and how this blind faith and total obedience surely is a precursor to a future prophetic event –The Mark of the Beast!

First let us look at the reality of this mask-wearing.

Recently the World health Organization headquarters (W.H.O) made an announcement of mask-wearing. In a recent article in Business Insider, it read —

“The use of face masks on healthy people during the coronavirus pandemic has been a major point of contention and confusion among scientists and the public.

On Friday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that all Americans wear face masks when they are in public.

But new guidance from the World Health Organization released on Monday says healthy people don’t need to wear face masks and that doing so won’t provide added protection from the coronavirus.

There’s some evidence that caretakers of infected people can protect their health by wearing masks, the WHO guidance said, but “there is currently no evidence that wearing a mask (whether medical or other types) by healthy persons in the wider community setting, including universal community masking, can prevent them from infection with respiratory viruses, including COVID-19.” (Dated 4/7/20)

There is much discussion of this as to whether it really protects and safeguards against airborne diseases, ie. coronavirus.

Personally, I can understand a general precaution for public gatherings of condensed people but to wear a mask outside while you are walking in the fresh clean air, or driving in your car –give me a break! No wonder in many cases we are not acting like people but sheeple!

In Scripture we read —

“And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”(Rev. 13:14)

Deception will be a key trick that the very powerful “false prophet” will use soon. But already we are witness to mass sheep-like obedience! Without common sense, nor even good solid medical sense, many are blindly following orders from “big brother”, our government.

So with the already willingness to follow ridiculous commands, how much easier will it be to be swayed by a powerful Satan-inspired “prophet” who shall perform miracles and cause many to cry out in joyful voices–“It is from the Lord!!” ?

As we have posted many times before we will have to make one of two choices –God’s team, join the 144,000 warriors of God who proclaim the Loud Cry (Come into His kingdom and obey His Commandments), or the Satanic servants who proclaim Sunday as the worship day of the Lord and demand Sunday worship for the masses, thus getting the Mark of the Beast. Remember this Mark is final for eternity!

No one can remain neutral.

Just as the lack of proper study and seeking REAL information cause many of us to be sheeple in things of this world, the word of God tells us this same laziness will be the undoing of the masses soon in the world that counts–God’s final kingdom! Spirit of Prophecy speaks of Satan’s trick —

“I will influence popular ministers to turn the attention of their hearers from the commandments of God. That which the Scriptures declare to be a perfect law of liberty shall be represented as a yoke of bondage. The people accept their ministers’ explanations of Scripture, and do not investigate for themselves. Therefore by working through the ministers, I can control the people according to my will.” (GC, p.338, 1884 edition)

In closing, let us be faithful and smart, willing to listen, learn and study and do as God’s Word instructs. Then we shall indeed be God’s people not the world’s sheeple.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim, 2:15)

A Healthy Foundation and Remedies

April 18, 2020

In 1946 brother Houteff made a Tract as seen above. In it, he expounded upon the human body in regard to health and disease. We all the fear of a global pandemic today, we thought we’d post about some good solid health info. The following is some information contained in the Tract.

“THE CAUSES OF DISEASE

Disease has been identified in three different categories — hereditary, communicative, and self-created (acquired). This being so, then there must be three kinds of sin, three laws to transgress. Two of these laws are found in the Decalogue (Ex. 20:3-17): The first prohibits sinning against God, and the second against our fellowmen. The Third, therefore, is the law of health, the law which forbids transgressing against our bodies (Lev. 11; Isa. 66:16, 17).

Plainly, then, sinning against God brings in its wake a hereditary curse, the kind that passes from father to son “unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me” (Ex. 20:5), saith the Lord. And sinning against our fellowmen brings communicative diseases, shown in the fact that when Miriam sinned against her brother, Moses, she was stricken with the contagious disease, leprosy (Num. 12). “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long….” Ex. 20:12.

So “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Gal. 6:7. Thus it was that when Haman built the gallows upon which to hang Mordecai, he himself was hanged on them (Esther 7:9, 10). And when Daniel was unjustly cast into the lions’ den, his enemies were devoured by the hungry beasts, but Daniel was spared (Dan. 6:16, 22, 24). Moreover, when the three Hebrews were cast into the fiery furnace, those who carried them were consumed by the flames, but the Hebrews came out unharmed (Dan. 3:21-23). So also, “he that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” Rev. 13:10.

It is therefore a never-failing fact that if one molests his neighbor, or intends to do so, the harm will fall on himself; and if he harms his neighbor’s children, his own children will suffer as a result. The diseases, though, which are not inherited, the sinner himself creates by sinning against his own body. Sinning against a neighbor or against oneself, nevertheless, is indirectly sinning against God also.

 

WHAT SHOULD EVERYONE KNOW?

If one is suffering from a hereditary disease, for which his parents, grandparents, or great grandparents alone are guilty, he is, of course, helpless to do much of anything in the line of complete recovery, be it by dieting or by using drugs. He may, however, be able to control the disease or even to overcome it by being strictly obedient to the laws of God, knowing that nothing in the world will effect a cure for such illness but prayer, if God’s wisdom so decrees.

On the other hand, if one is suffering from a disease which has been communicated to him or that is communicative, due to one’s sinning against his fellowmen, then to remove the disease once and forever, he must repent of his sin, practice the golden rule: “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” Matt. 7:12.

But if the disease be neither hereditary nor communicative, then it must be self-created, acquired by oneself, by violating the laws of health, by not living right in one respect or another.

The wise will, therefore, correct their habits of living — make sure that they do not sin against God or against their fellowmen, that they sleep, breathe, eat, drink, and work correctly and religiously, and if there is a cure at all, they will have it.

The cause of each type of disease having now been defined, the sufferer of any of the three kinds of diseases may without difficulty determine which one of the three laws he is transgressing and as a result paying the penalty it imposes. If he is afflicted with complications of diseases, though, he must be breaking all of God’s laws. Let him henceforth quit sinning in any line if he expects to recover and stay well, too.

Many diseases, of course, are wrongly classed as contagious. For example, tuberculosis is not actually communicable, for when one becomes infected with the disease, he can effect a cure if while it is yet in its early stages, he begins to live right. Obviously, then, if one always lives right, he need not fear of the disease ever getting a foothold in his body.

So in the last analysis a number of diseases so-called contagious are not in reality such. Strictly speaking, they are infectious, brought on by oneself. And now, how fortunate should one consider himself to know that right living and right doing, with faith in God, actually do away with a multitude of sorrows!

SUMMARIZING THE CAUSES OF ALL DISEASES

Those who wonder what is the cause of this, of that, and of the other disease, may quickly test every case:

It is now fully understood that life and death are at war with each other as are the nations among themselves: One nation’s army may pour fire upon another, but not all of the soldiers receive the same kind of wound even though the whole army be under the same fire. In like manner, the bodies of men are the soldiers and the cause of disease the Enemy’s mighty weapon in the warfare between heaven and earth.

Hence, though some suffer from headache, some from stomach-ache, some from diabetes, some from anemia, from heart disease gallstones, neuritis, or other ailments, yet all suffer for the same reason — simply because they have in one way or another moved away from their only fortress, the laws of God. This is the final diagnosis of all diseases. Stick close to Nature, and Nature will stick close to you.” (The Entering Wedge, page 9-13)


Good solid information indeed! Additionally if you find you or a loved one with the Coronavirus you may want to try Marie’s natural remedy if it gets to the more serious respiratory stage  —

Is the Coronavirus in Bible Prophecy?

March 7, 2020

Image result for Coronavirus

As I frequently do, I wait on the Lord for ideas to write about. Early this week I was ready for another post but as I was driving in the morning the thought came to me that we should speak about something that has been in our world headlines lately. This virus has really created much fear and worries to be sure!

But is this really a concern? Is this what some are calling the next Bubonic plaque? Let us look at this situation for a Biblical perspective. Is the Coranavirus spoken of in the Bible?

The simple answer is –yes and no. There is no direct mention of this specific virus but there is mention of pestilence coming in the last days. In speaking of the end days Jesus said —

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matt. 24:6-7)

So these viruses and contagious diseases are to be among us until the final days. But why the tremendous media onslaught lately? It seems the worldwide media has spooked many and fear has become widespread.

But the Word of the Lord assures all who trust Him that HE SHALL PROTECT US!

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, …” (Psalms 91:1-16)

But we want to bring up something that some may not be aware of. Satan has always been the spreader of fear and hate, we know this. But ever since Adam and Eve submitted to His wiles in the garden, Satan has had great control in the world. Jesus showed us this fact.

“…the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”(Matt. 4:8-9)

We notice Jesus did not contest that Satan had all these kingdoms of the earth to give. Thus we know that beneath what we can openly see, there runs a network of global elites, those with vast wealth and able to hear Satan’s voice very clearly. These are those who are known as Satan’s supreme henchmen.

Their world consists of Satan worship. child pedophilia, horrible human sacrifices, and other Satanic things. Who are these people you wonder? At the end of this post we have a YouTube video presentation that describes what is known as the current world’s hierarchy. The Satan run world government.

We say this to set the foundation that, right now this coronavirus fear, is nothing more than an organized global elite media program setting up more control for themselves. They want a one-world government, and have for a long time. Recently a timely article was published by “It is Written” and we’d like to expound more on this blatant con game —

“As of Tuesday, March 3, there were approximately 100 confirmed cases of coronavirus, known as COVID-19, across the United States. There have been around 90,000 reported cases in the world, with around 3,100 deaths (including six in the U.S.).¹

Where the numbers will eventually go is anyone’s guess. But thankfully, the coronavirus isn’t HIV/AIDS or Ebola. Or even the flu. It’s serious, and it’s highly contagious. But as far as global epidemics go, as bad as it is–and 3,100 deaths is a tragedy, to be sure–the CDC estimates by comparison that as many as 46,000 people have died from the flu since October of last year in the United States alone!²”

 

The Flu is much more deadly! Can we imagine this same fear being spread on something that is well known as the Flu? It is much more contagious and deadly yet it is not novel or new and can’t have the same impact in deluding the masses! The global elites own and control the mass media around the world. the Rothschilds and other mega-rich families have guided our news UNTIL the internet came along!

This, of course, is the Lord’s doing, as He is wanting His end-time prophecy fulfilled to gather His final servants for the Gospel to go to all the world., let us read —

“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” (Rev. 7:1-4)

Thus the whole world, whether the global elites like it or not, shall have an angelic protection and thus this virus nor ANY virus will not harm the world to a great degree. Why? Because His lowly ones, those obscure servants of His that are striving with all power God has given them to be among the 144,000 and thus they cannot or will not have any harm brought to them! So because of this, the whole world rides along with this safety net!

The Scriptures tell of the great King of the North, the power that rules the Holy land as coming to his end very soon and so will this world hierarchy. The Lord is about to bring forth His army as spoken of in the prophet Joel —

 

“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

A fire devoureth before them; and behind them, a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them, a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen, so shall they run.

Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war, and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” (Joel 2:1-11)

So soon this ploy, the coronavirus ploy, and all other man-made phony schemes will come crashing down and a new game begins! Be strong and have faith, and do not let Satan and his henchmen worry you, this is all a smokescreen.

Instead of listening to the globalist media scare, keep your eye on the middle east, THAT is where God’s time clock and next big event will take place. The Elijah message says so —

“..while the powers of earth are engulfed in a gigantic war, the wicked in the church shall be cut off, no more to pass through her. ” (Tract 14, p.22)

Calif. Man with Coronavirus Says It’s Easier Than a Cold, Shows Trump Was Right About Not Panicking

A Thanksgiving Feast

November 24, 2018

Related image

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 childrenmercy 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

 

 

The Quote Scripture Plan for Addictions

September 24, 2016

smoking

Let’s face it, nicotine is one powerful substance. I have personally seen its devastating work. My Mother passed away at age 72 from emphysema due to smoking for 50+ years. My Grandfather had a large portion of his jaw removed when he was 68 due to cancer after being a long time pipe smoker.

But there is a plan which, if followed and believed can defeat this very addictive substance. It is God’s proven plan. Let us read.

“Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. And having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”

Then the devil took Him to the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple. “If You are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.” Jesus replied, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.” “Away from me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'” Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him.” (Matt. 4:1-11)

These Scriptures show us the powerful effect our King had with the devil. And what method did the Lord use? Scripture! We see that Satan came at Jesus and when tempted our Lord rebuked him , not with subtle arguments or persuasive words, but with a “thus sayeth the Lord”.

Recently  during my work travels I received a call from “Gary” a former church friend of mine, whom I had not seen for a good 3 years. He is a member of the prior church I belonged to. We chatted for a bit, then he said he needed some help with his refrigerator. We made plans for the service call the following day.

So I showed up at the appointed time and went in to see his refrigerator. Sure enough, it was a solvable problem (bad freezer fan) and I proceeded to do the repair. While working on it I was able to chat with Gary. Soon we discussed church. But as we spoke  the Spirit indicated to me that Gary was not ready yet for some deeper present truth studies. He was to be reached at his level. As we talked it clicked. So I told him about how there is so much sin in our church, poor dressing, poor eating, socializing among our members instead of studying and testifying of God’s power and work.

He agreed and said that the church was turning into a “country club.” Then I was moved to tell him how I overcame some of my worldly ways such as drinking, chewing tobacco, poker, etc. Then Gary told of his “current” bad habit–smoking. He admitted he was not an over-comer and really needed to stop this bad habit. Bingo! The plan came.  I told Gary about the “quote Scripture plan”. He was all ears.

Basically, I said, it requires that one find a favorite Scripture. Then on day one you start out the day armed with this Scripture and use it on the first temptation from the devil. In my personal case chewing tobacco was my vice. So that first day I had to quote Scripture maybe 10 or 12 times. But , and this is very important, you must quote Scripture and then say “Be gone from me devil in the name of Jesus Christ!”

This effectively chases away the devil/temptation. He will come back again, but you will quote and rebuke him again.  A tampering off should be achieved as the month goes by.

Gary liked the plan. He said he would try it. I encouraged him and told him that he must believe each time he quotes God’s word and not doubt.

A few days ago I got a text from Gary saying he’s successful so far. We praised the Lord and told him not to give up, keep going until you have no more desire and the devil has left for good.

The Lord’s messenger gave us a serious warning concerning our bad habits–

“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.” (Testimonies, vol.5, p.214)

Our King said- “Do not fear; only believe.”(Mark 5:36)

There is no disagreement among the world’s medical leaders that nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on the planet. Only Heroin and Cocaine ranked higher in addictiveness. So of all the “legal” substances one can use, it is nicotine that has the highest addiction among the world’s population.

About 1.1 billion people — one in every three adults — are smokers, according to the World Health Organization. And yours truly is a witness to the powerful effect of nicotine.

One of the best testimonies one can give is that of a personal testimony. So I would like to give my own testimony about the quote Scripture plan.

Back in early 2009 I came upon the Bible truth that the Sabbath of the Lord was real, this was new to me being raised a Catholic. I soon came into the Seventh-day Adventist church and was baptized in mid 2009. But as I began my SDA membership and church attendance, I carried into it a few bad habits, chewing tobacco being one of them. In fact I remember  at least a couple of times going to church with some tobacco in my cheek. Let me briefly regress to the past.

This bad habit actually started back in my late teens when , as a bat boy for the San Diego Padres national baseball team. The players often would have a big load of “chew” in their mouth and spit it out often on the field. One day I decided I would try it. BIG mistake! I almost immediately began to get dizzy and felt like vomiting. The natural body defenses warned me–bad stuff!

But I soon tried it again and it gave a strange feeling of exhilaration. You see nicotine raises the blood sugar and one gets a feeling of being “high” , the degree of this depends on the amount and the length of the chew. The more one chews, though, the more one gets used to it and it becomes an addiction. But fortunately after those Padre years, I left the bad habit for a long time.

But in my early 40’s I began to chew on cigars. Having asthma I did not want to inhale smoke, so I found chewing on the cigar released the nicotine  and gave me the “buzz” I liked. Ok, I have digressed to show you how the habit came let’s get back to the story.

But as we all should know the process of sanctification is a process not a one time event or immediate occurrence. The key is that we should want to keep drawing closer to Christ, we should want to “chop away” at our sins, much as a tree remover keeps chopping away at the stump to bring it down.  We keep choppin til we bring down our sins (eliminate them) until the sins we do are mostly unconscious or without deliberateness.

So as I continued my walk the Lord was telling me to straighten up with this bad habit. So I came across the Scripture where Jesus , our perfect example, fought temptation. It was in the desert where Satan tempted Him. But how the Lord handled it was with–Scripture! I figured if it was good enough for our King, it’s good enough for me. Armed with this idea, I decided to use it to overcome my tobacco habit.

That first day I quoted ” The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want” (Psalms 23:1). I used this because of two reasons. One, it was my mother’s favorite Bible verse. Two, it had in the words “I shall not want” meaning not wanting tobacco. This was quoted alot that first day, as the devil came again and again to tempt  me to partake in this habit, which off and on I had done for a good 15 years or so.

In other words, the devil had me just where he wanted me–hooked and bound by his chain called tobacco. But I trusted in Christ, through His Holy Spirit, and His –word.

This is key my brothers and sisters, we MUST believe in order for Christ to work in our life. I believed that with Christ’s word and it put into action —it would work!

As the days went on I kept quoting the Scripture with the very important devil rebuke added– “Be gone from me devil in the name of Jesus Christ!” This was the plan and I followed it day after day. Soon it was tampering off and by the third week I was down to quoting it maybe 2 or 3 times a day. Finally by the 4th week  the devil left for good!

The word says– “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

To this day I have never went back to this evil habit and all praise and honor to Him who made it possible. By all means tell your friends and family if you should know of anyone who needs help with an addiction. The Lord’s word is powerful if you believe.

“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” We can overcome. Yes; fully, entirely. Jesus died to make a way of escape for us, that we might overcome every evil temper, every sin, every temptation, and sit down at last with Him.”(Testimonies, vol. 1, p.144)

Meat Eating

February 28, 2015

cheeseburger gal

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” (Matt 17:11)

What a God we have! One that saw that so many things that would need to be “restored” for us. And one of the biggest restorations needed is–Diet Reform. Look around us. Even we who claim to have the light for this day, “Seventh Day Adventists”, have sunken low in our standards pertaining to eating and drinking.

Let us look at what our Lord has said through his Elijah prophet concerning our diet.

First let us go back to Christ’s day. In Matthew 14:15-21, we read–

 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.“Bring them here to me,” he said.  And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.  They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

The above story was just one example of Jesus approving meat-eating. He gave us parables which also supported the eating of meat. So we should be able to eat meat today because He approved of it, right? This would certainly be the case had our Lord not promised to bring His last spokesman to our church, the “Elijah”.

Being the all seeing God, He knew we would need guidance in this area. Just look at Mad Cow disease, and the often filthy conditions of the meat processing plants around the world. The mercury levels of fish, and other toxic agents in them. The list goes on and on.

To be sure, the Lord did not wait to spread the word. Even before the final Elijah, He spoke through His prophetess.

“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)

Straight forward words about not eating meat, wouldn’t we say? The underlined part is what really struck me. She sure pointed out that it was the wrong course for God’s followers. Let us now read what brother Houteff brought us from the Lord, as the final say in this matter (restoration).

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.

Let us interject here. Yes, we are before “the great and dreadful day of the Lord”, but we should understand our time as the beginning phase. The “Then” brother Houteff is explaining is upon the arrival of the pre-millenial kingdom in Israel. That is the time when animals shall not eat meat (ie.lions, etc.).In other words the restoration is happening now, albeit in a very small way. But soon to grow to cover the whole promised land (post church purification).

It shall be as this time prophesied – “And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become  fenced, and are inhabited.”(Ezek.36:35) (Remember the upcoming world war 3 shall largely destroy the land (desolate) only to be miraculously back as like Eden.) 

Additionally, the restoration of all things has indeed happened through His word as spoken by the prophet. The prophet has written it all out and thus restored the truth in all areas for us,  and although it has not literally all happened, it has been restored through His word first. Upon the kingdom we shall see it all take place in perfection.

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Isa. 11:6-9.

Still further, if the words, “not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man” (Matt. 15:11), be understood to mean that it matters not what we eat or drink, then why should we not eat swine’s flesh, drink tea, coffee, and even liquor, and smoke tobacco,–indeed, eat and drink whatever we please? (Answerer, vol. 5, Q-148)

We see that the Lord sent His message stating that vegetarianism would be restored before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. As we have shown in prior studies,  this day is not the Lord coming in the clouds but the church judgment day. So we should know that today we are called to STOP EATING MEAT. Yes, that includes fish.

Our Lord has spoken now to us today, and it is our specific instructions. Fish and other meats were acceptable in times past but not today for God’s people. The whole idea of His Elijah message is one of restoration–restore all that needs to be restored. That assuredly includes our diet.

“If Seventh-day Adventists practiced what they profess to believe, if they were sincere health reformers, they would indeed be a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. And they would show a far greater zeal for the salvation of those who are ignorant of the truth.” (Counsels on health, p.575)

“Without health no one can as distinctly understand or as completely fulfill his obligations to himself, to his fellow beings, or to his Creator. therefore the health should be as faithfully guarded as the character.” (Education, p.195)

 For an excellent informative article on Mad Cow disease and how cows are infected to a greater degree than realized.  click here — http://www.shepherds-rod-message.org/health/mad.html

The Belly God

November 15, 2014

Stomach growling

In Romans 14:17, we read, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Oh , how many of us who profess Christ serve another king day after day! This revelation just recently came to me, that we eat without wanting food, we program ourselves to eat because it is “breakfast, lunch, or dinner” time!

What we really are doing is sitting before a “god” of sorts, the god of food and drink. We think we  must eat because it is time to eat, our pre-set program says so. But is this really God’s will? Let us look at how food plays a much larger role in our Christian walk than many realize.

Apostle Paul explains, “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.(Phil. 3:18-19)

This is so prevalent today. People worshiping (even unbeknownst to themselves) the “god” of their belly.  I, myself have recently realized that I was eating without really wanting food. It was time to eat therefore–I ate. But being a long time digestion challenged person, I assumed I needed food on a regular schedule until– the Lord rang the bell in my mind about what I was doing.

You see, our bodies are a fantastic machine capable of working all minute details of our system , including calling us for the signal to –eat.

We remember when the Lord began His ministry here on earth, that His first step was to go with out food. He showed us that in our walk we must FIRST serve God and then eat.

Another great habit to get involved in is, do not eat between meals. This is simple yet very effective in learning self control of our appetite. We can set in motion a firm desire to show we are not going to have any “belly god”.

It is interesting to note the experience of Daniel the prophet. We know that he was “greatly beloved” of God. But do you notice that in the very beginning of his prophetic writings he began a vegetable fast? That’s right.

Daniel 1:12 reads, ” Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.”

I believe this was divinely placed in the first part of his ministry to show us that our bodies are to be clean and mean, a finely tuned machine as it were, and ready to be in tune with the Lord.

Overeating and eating of the worldly processed junk, many call “food” today, certainly befogs the mind and can only serve to numb our experience with the Lord. Our “antenna”  should be clean and dialed in to listen to His voice.

Here is what I found recently that I believe was given to me by the Lord. As mentioned I have been a long time digestion challenged person. This most likely is due to my many years of eating poorly and doing my share of drinking. I had weakened my digestion. So as I have converted my life several years ago,  from worldliness to devotion to God, I have eaten what I thought was the best I could. Yet trouble seemed to linger at many turns.

Then the Lord spoke, “Robert, why don’t you let Me guide you in eating and drinking?” Wow! Now why didn’t I think of that :-). So as we “supped” He said that my stomach will “growl” when it needs food. I don’t have to force myself to eat just because it’s time. So that was the answer. Let my system tell me , not the other way around! I was going to call this the “growl diet” but figured it would be a little bewildering to some.

We are counselled by Inspiration by our church founder’s very important inspired pledge for us as faithful people of God–

“I SOLEMNLY PROMISE, BEFORE GOD, TO ABSTAIN FROM TOBACCO, SPIRITOUS LIQUORS, SNUFF, TEA, COFFEE, FLESH-MEATS, BUTTER, SPICES, RICH CAKE, MINCE PIES, A LARGE AMOUNT OF SALT, AND ANIMAL FAT OF ALL KINDS, BAKING POWDER, SODA OR SALERATUS IN ANY FORM, AND CHEESE, AND FROM ALL EXCITING ARTICLES OF FOOD, AND TO ABSTAIN FROM EATING BETWEEN MEALS, AND TO DO ALL I CAN TO INDUCE OTHERS TO DO LIKEWISE.”

MY PERSONAL PLEDGE, BEFORE GOD,

SIGNED_____________________________

 (Letter to the General Conference, March 29, 1908)

“Satan sees that he cannot have so great power over minds when the appetite is kept under control as when it is indulged, and he is constantly working to  lead men to indulgence.” (Christian Education, p.180)

These Inspired counsels will surely help us to walk closer to the Lord. May the Lord keep us mindful of our bodies, knowing that fasting and timely eating will bring blessings. We can then show the Lord we have nothing to do with any “belly god”. May we all heed this divine counsel!

God’s True Biblical Medicine

January 12, 2013

After many years of my prior “worldly” life, shall we say, I have had a mal functioning stomach at times. This along with some other aches and pains popped up now and then, and I typically took the normal over-the counter meds. Yet I found my self talking them over and over with no real relief. Then in early 2012 I met a sister in the faith, ms. Bonnie Henderson. I was thrilled to learn that she had quite a thorough knowledge on what is called ‘Essential Oils”.

Anyway, I soon bought some oils from her such as peppermint, lemon, oregano, and others. I was impressed to say the least. The peppermint just knocks out whatever stomach trouble I have and it appears to be strengthening my whole system as well (sinus, breathing, etc.)  So tonight we are honored to have a guest writer, who can explain this healing system that is both Biblical and current in providing medicinal value to many aches and pains.

God’s Healing Oils

“In the beginning God created… and God said, let there be…” When God created the earth he spoke everything into existence. That means that everything God created was imbued with His power.

The One who sees the beginning from the end created in advance everything that we would need to live and survive on this earth. In Genesis 1:29 we are told that God had given us every herb bearing seed, and every tree yielding seed as our meat (food). So naturally, we have been clearly instructed as to what would be the best food to sustain and keep us healthy. The Spirit of Prophecy enforces this by saying that “Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator.” {(1905) M.H. 296}

But did the all-knowing God when looking forward see that man would disobey his health laws and go his own way? Of course He did. However, we serve an all-powerful and amazing God who provided in advance.

Many people are aware that fresh and dried herbs along with untainted fruits, veggies and nuts in their purest form hold health and healing properties, but sadly many are not aware that the most potent form of the healing properties come from the essential oil within said fruit, plants, tree, etc.

So what exactly are essential oils? Essential oils, known as nature’s living energy or the life force, are the natural, aromatic volatile liquids found in shrub, flowers, trees, roots, bushes, and seeds that are usually extracted through steam distillation. Essential oils can be hundreds to thousands times more potent than fresh and dried herbs, carry the highest level of oxygenating molecules known to man (cancer cells cannot grow in an oxygen rich environment), have much higher frequencies than fresh or dried herbs, and hold some of the highest antioxidant levels as reported on the ORAC Score. For example, if you think blueberries have a high ORAC Score at 2,400, let’s look at the essential oil of clove that has an ORAC Score of 1,078,700. Essential oils in short are our most powerful form of nutrition and most potent form of natural medicine.

Essential oils are nothing new and are nothing to be scared of, as some seem to think, but their healing power and many uses is something that everyone should take time to study and understand. If they were not important, I don’t believe they would be in the Bible and/or would have been used by our LORD.

All throughout the Bible there are references to aromatic plants and/or essential oils for healing and anointing. In fact, do you realize that in all the gifts the three wise men could bring to the baby Jesus they chose Myrrh and Frankincense? And according to Exodus 30:22-25, what did the LORD tell Moses to use to anoint the sanctuary, which protected His people from sickness and disease? Yes, the LORD commanded that Moses make holy anointing oil using pure myrrh, sweet cinnamon, sweet calamus, cassia and olive oil (fatty oil). And in John 12:3 what did Mary Magdalene anoint Jesus’ feet with before his crucifixion? Yes, the very precious and expensive oil of spikenard.

The Spirit of Prophecy even tells us that “Light was given that there is health in the fragrance of the pine, the cedar, and the fir. And there are several other kinds of trees that have medicinal properties that are health programming.”–Letter 95, 1902 (Written June 26, 1902)

So if God provided us with the perfect food and perfect protection, why is it that we are so sick? And why is it that instead of seeing that we are sick because of our own rebellion that we make it worse by turning to man’s concoctions that only destroy the fine machinery that God gave us? And what makes it worse is that we have been clearly instructed that “the drugs administered to the sick do not restore, but destroy. Drugs never cure.” {2SM 288.3}

The LORD is pleading with us to “return, ye backsliding children” saying “I will heal your backslidings.” {Jeremiah 3:22} Our creator wants nothing more than for us to live the abundant life He created us to live, but we must do our part. We must “cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils” {Isaiah 2:22} and return to God and His ways.

If we truly want to serve our LORD, we cannot do it with sick and enfeebled bodies and minds. Sister White exclaims that “The Lord has given me light that when the Israel of today humble themselves before Him, and cleanse the soul-temple from all defilement, He will hear their prayers in behalf of the sick and will bless in the use of His remedies for disease.” {9T 164.1} Will we hear or will we forbear?

Health is one of the many blessings that come from obedience. If we want to truly walk with and follow Jesus we must follow His commands, and that includes the health laws and examples He has given us to follow. As you strive to either maintain and or regain your health, I encourage you to learn more about God’s Healing Oils at www.essential-oils-4-healing.com and start incorporating them into your life. My life has been forever changed, and I pray yours will be too!

Health & Blessings,

Bonnie Henderson
http://www.essential-oils-4-healing.com