GOD’S HEALTH MESSAGE FOR MODERN WORLD

Written by Slawomir Gromadzki, MPH

CHRIST’S HEALING MINISTRY AS THE RIGHT ARM OF THE GOSPEL

All Christians agree that our ultimate and greatest example to follow is, of course, our Lord Jesus Christ. But, what was His most important mission here on earth?

It was to save the lost world through accepting the good news of the Gospel, which means through faith in Him. And what was the right arm of the Gospel in His mission of saving lost humanity? What opened the door for Christ and His Gospel to be accepted by sinful men and women? What was the most powerful method Jesus used to encourage people to accept Him as their saviour? It was the healing ministry. In the gospel of Matthew we read that Jesus was “proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matthew 4:23)

 

WHY JESUS DIDN’T TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT HEALTH PRINCIPLES

However, you may say that Christ, whose example we are to follow, wasn’t teaching people about healthy lifestyle, diet, or natural remedies, but instead He was only healing them in a miraculous way. Therefore, we also should only pray for people without teaching them about health.

First of all, two thousand years ago Jesus didn’t need to tell people to improve their lifestyle and diet because it was generally very healthy. At that time, unlike it is today, Israelites didn’t have smartphones, internet, computers nor television. Most of the time they spent outside in the sun generating serotonin and enough extremely important vitamin D. They had plenty of exercise, one of the most important element of healthy lifestyle, as for the most of the day they were physically active. Also since there were no cars or factories the air at that time was clean.

They didn’t drink harmful coffee, cola, or black tea. Instead, they were drinking only herbal teas and were benefited with their excellent healing properties. They didn’t use drugs, smoke cigarettes or cannabis. It is possible that some of them could drink alcohol in the form of red wine made from fermented grape juice, but when we read the NT we draw a conclusion that alcohol wasn’t a problem at that time either, all the more since the Bible taught them to avoid it, including wine.

They were forbidden to consume red meat with blood, animal fat (including lard), and unclean meat such as pork or shellfish. The fish they ate, from time to time, was higher in very beneficial anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fatty acids and it was free from dioxins, mercury, lead and other toxic substances found in fish today.

There were no plastic containers to contaminate water and food with thousands of harmful chemicals.

At that time there was no conventional medical care with countless unnecessary surgeries nor prescribed medication accused today of being number one cause of death (after heart attack and cancer)!

They didn’t consume refined sugar, refined salt, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, refined white flour products, polished rice, pizza, soda, chips, unhealthy desserts, ice creams, chocolate with bad theobromine, canned foods, refined pro-inflammatory oils and margarines.

Also their life was much less stressful than it is today.

In one of his articles Dr Oz wrote that, “According to Dr. Don Colbert, people back in Jesus’ time ate mostly plant-based foods. Their diet included fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, fish, dates, grapes, pomegranates, olives, olive oil, garlic, leeks, onions and nuts. Many ate most of their food raw, which also bestows additional health benefits. Bread was the main food of ordinary people. Fine bread made from wheat was expensive. The poor ate coarse bread made from barley. Meat (beef, goat and mutton) was a luxury and only the rich could afford to eat it often. The Israelites were forbidden to eat pork. Herbs were used to season food and raw honey was used to sweeten it” (>, >).

Well, now we know why Lord Jesus and apostles were healing people without telling them to live a healthy lifestyle. It was so because the diet and lifestyle at that time were very healthy!

 

HEALTH CONDITIONS HEALED BY CHRIST

In addition, please notice what types of diseases and health problems were common at that time and were cured by Christ. According to four Gospels Jesus healed paralysed, blind, deaf, lepers, epileptics, a person with dropsy (today oedema or swelling, usually caused by inflammation), chronic haemorrhage (a woman who suffered from bleeding for 12 years), and a person who suffered from fever. Jesus also resurrected dead people, such as Lazarus, and He healed those who were demon possessed.

It looks like, at that time the health problems people were suffering from, were not so much the result of an unhealthy diet or lifestyle but they were rather caused by infections, genetic mutations, poverty, and may be the lack of hygiene, and sometimes they were the result of sin.

Jesus didn’t heal anyone from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, chronic fatigue, dementia, hair loss, peptic ulcers, depression, cellulite, high blood pressure, or other common today health problems caused by unhealthy lifestyle, bad diet, use of stimulants, or lack of physical activity.

 

CAN GOD HEAL US IF WE CONTINUE DESTROYING OUR HEALTH?

Let’s say you smoke cigarettes and develop lung cancer, and every day you pray begging God to heal you. But at the same time, you still keep on smoking. Can you expect God to heal you even if you have faith and pray a lot or even fast and pray? No, because if God heals a smoker who doesn’t quit smoking He himself would promote sin. And it is exactly the same with regards to those who suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, obesity, depression, and other lifestyle diseases as a result of bad diet, lack of exercise and use of stimulants. The Lord can’t hear them unless they repent and stop killing the temple of God’s Spirit.

That is why there are so many sick Christians (including Seventh Day Adventists), for whom even whole congregations pray but they are not healed. Yes, sometimes they experience false healing but they are not healed by God, because He expects them to repent, pray, receive empowerment from Holy Spirit, and in His power give up on everything which ruins their health. He also wants them to live a very healthy lifestyle, to consume only healthy unrefined plant-based foods, drink clean water, exercise, spend time in nature, and use effective and safe remedies (including super foods, herbs, good supplements, water treatments, clay, positive thinking, charcoal, etc.), and with faith and assurance ask the Lord for his blessing and healing.

In the book Ministry of Healing we read that, “In many cases of prayer for the healing of the sick, that which is called faith is nothing less than presumption. Many persons bring disease upon themselves by their self-indulgence and disregarding the laws of health in their habits of eating and drinking. If God were to work a miracle in restoring their health, He would be encouraging sin. It is labor lost to teach people to look to God as a healer of their infirmities, unless they are taught also to lay aside unhealthy practices” (MH, 227).

 

ELLEN WHITE AND GOD’S HEALTH MESSAGE

So, we can conclude that two thousand years ago our Lord didn’t taught people about health because the health message, as we know today, would had been irrelevant at that time. But, since modern lifestyle, nutrition, customs, as well as environment are different and very unhealthy, we could expect that our loving, caring and wise God had a plan to send someone through whom He could give us instructions with regards to health that would be relevant and appropriate for modern lifestyle and currant health problems.

And that was exactly what God did. He chose a humble American girl and fervent believer in Christ by the name Ellen Gould White who at that time was 16 years old. And in 1844, exactly at the end of the last prophetic period of 2300 years found in the Bible, He gave her first of approximately 2000 visions. And part of those visions included also numerous instructions for God’s people concerning health, diet and lifestyle. Those instructions were then written down by her and are found in books such as Councils on Diet and Foods, the Ministry of Healing or Counsels on Health.

 

THE STORY OF MY CONVERSION

About 30 years ago, in Poland, when our country was still under communism I was addicted to alcohol, smoking, junk food, and other harmful practices. And when my girlfriend left me because of my addictions and selfishness I decided to change my life and liberate myself from the slavery to those addictions. So, I desperately tried to accomplish that goal through my own efforts. Unfortunately, after many attempts and failures I realised that it was impossible, as at that time my will power was pathetic. And when I tried everything and failed every single time, I finally was inspired to give God a chance, although at that time I didn’t know Him and wasn’t sure He existed. But somehow, I went to an empty big cathedral sat down in a pew, knelt, and for the first time in my life I prayed with tears in my eyes bagging for help and change in my life.

And when I was doing it I felt a strange peace filling my mind as if someone wanted to say that my prayer was heard and that I will be granted what I asked for. Very soon after that honest fervent prayer God sent someone who brought me a book. And guess what the title of that book was and who was the author. The title of the book was the Great Controversy (>) and it was written by Ellen White. The first and part of the book about history of Christianity, persecutions of true Christians, the Great Protestant Reformation, and Millerite Movement, although it was very interesting, I was reading quite slowly. But when continued reading about amazing Bible prophecies, the origin of sin, good and evil angels, the change of God’s Commandments, the Sabbath, final events, second coming of Jesus and unbelievably wonderful new everlasting life of true believers in heaven, I was so impressed and overwhelmed by emotions and the influence of God’s Spirit that I was reading these chapters for the entire night until I finished in the morning.

Greatly impressed by what I had dissevered I immediately bought the Bible and found that everything the author of the book Great Controversy wrote was confirmed in the Word of God. I started to pray and read the Bible every day, and as a result I was finally I managed to accomplish what I previously wasn’t able to on my own. Being empowered by God’s Spirit I was gradually set free from alcohol and then also from smoking. Since then, for over 30 years I’ve never touched these stimulants and never even wanted to simply because I believe that when I accepted Lord Jesus as my Savior and His righteousness as my only ticket to heaven, I was born again from the Spirit who enabled me to live a new and much better life of peace and God’s power. Later on, after reading other books including Councils on Diet and Food, written by the same author, Ellen White, I also accepted God’s beautiful health message with all my heart and by His grace I greatly improved my diet and as a result I recovered from various health problems.

 

EXTRAORDINARY SYMPTOMS ACCOMPANIED BY ELLEN WHITE’S VISIONS

There are many reasons to believe Ellen White, who lived over a hundred years ago, was the true messenger of God and that books she wrote were inspired by Him. First of all, the behaviour and symptoms experienced by her while she was receiving those visions were unique and nothing short of a miracle. John Norton Loughborough (one of the pioneers of the SDA Church and author of the beautiful book Christ and His sanctuary), had seen Ellen White in vision about fifty times and made written notes of several extraordinary physical symptoms he noticed while observing her when she was receiving visions:

“In passing into vision, she gives three enrapturing shouts of ‘Glory!’ which echo and re-echo, the second, and especially the third, fainter but more thrilling than the first, the voice resembling that of one quite a distance from you, and just going  out  of hearing. She would be instantly filled with superhuman strength, sometimes rising to her feet and walking about the room. But to whatever position she moved a hand or arm, it could not be hindered nor controlled by even the strongest person”.

In 1845, she held a 18.5 pound Family Bible in her outstretched left hand for half an hour. She weighed 80 pounds at the time.

“Her eyes are always open, but she does not wink; her head is raised, and she is looking upward, not with a vacant stare, but with a pleasant expression, only differing from the normal in that she appears to be looking at some distant object… She did not breathe during the entire period of a vision that ranged from fifteen minutes to three hours. Yet, her pulse beat regularly and her countenance remained pleasant as in the natural state. Physicians, at different times, conducted tests to check her lack of breathing and other physical phenomena. When she came out of vision, all seemed total darkness even in the day time. She would exclaim with a long-drawn sigh, as she took her first natural breath, ‘D-a-r-k.’ There was never an excitement among those present during a vision; nothing caused fear. It was a solemn, quiet scene.”

Apart from John Loughborough, there were many other eyewitnesses including physicians who confirmed she did not breathe while in vision. One of them was Daniel T. Bourdeau, who initially was very sceptical but changed his mind after he was given a chance to examine Ellen White when she was in vision:

“On June 28, 1857, I saw Sister Ellen G. White in vision for the first time… To satisfy my mind as to whether she breathed or not, I first put my hand on her chest sufficiently long to know that there was no more heaving of the lungs than there would have been had she been a corpse. I then took my hand and placed it over her mouth, pinching her nostrils between my thumb and forefinger, so that it was impossible for her to exhale or inhale air, even if she had desired to do so. I held her thus with my hand about ten minutes, long enough for her to suffocate under ordinary circumstances she was not in the least affected by the ordeal”.

 

DO WE “HOLD FAST” TO THE “TESTIMONY OF JESUS” WHICH IS THE “SPIRIT OF PROPHECY”?

In the book of Revelation (12.17) we find a characteristic of true people of God living before the second coming of Jesus. It describes them as “those who keep the commandments of Go” (including the fourth one about the Sabbath) and that they “have the testimony of Jesus”, or “hold fast to the testimony of Jesus”: “And the dragon was enraged with the woman (true Christ’s Church), and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus” (NKJ), or “hold fast to the testimony of Jesus” (Weymouth NT and NIV).

Now, what is this “Testimony of Jesus”? We don’t have to guess because the same book of Revelation tells us that the “testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). It is the spirit of prophecy revealed not only in the Bible but also in the writings of Ellen White.

But, do we really “hold fast to the testimony of Jesus” which is the spirit of prophecy? Or maybe when we read the writings of the spirit of prophecy, we only choose what is convenient to our carnal nature? We pretend to have a respect for the spirit of prophecy, but in reality, if those writings condemn something we like very much or are addicted to, then we do not “hold fast” to the spirit of prophecy and have tendencies to interpret it in a distorted way in order to justify our unhealthy and sinful habits.

 

PROOF OF INSPIRATION FROM GOD

One of the proofs that what she wrote on health was inspired is the fact that although she wrote those instructions way over a hundred years ago when the knowledge on health and nutrition was almost none she never made any mistake according to the modern standards of health and medical knowledge.

Here is what Clive M. McCay, a none-Adventist physician and Professor of Nutrition at Cornell University, wrote about it: “In spite of the fact that the works of Mrs. Ellen G. White were written long before the advent of modern scientific nutrition, no better over-all guide is available today.”

A very similar opinion about Ellen White’s writings on health had another physician, Dr. Jackson A. Saxon: “Since finishing medical school I have been in practice for nineteen years. I have not had to change one medical idea that I have gotten from the writings of Mrs. Ellen G. White, but all my medical books have had to be replaced with more updated versions based on modern research.”

Famous American health promoter and nutritionist, Nathan Pritikin wrote about her writings the following words: “If you want to get to the originator of the proper diet, you have to go back to Ellen White. She laid the guidelines that unfortunately are not being adhered to as strictly as they should be.”

Agatha Thrash and her late husband, Calvin Thrash, both Medical Doctors and authors of popular books on health, were both atheists. However, after reading books on health by Ellen White they started believing in the existence of God as they realised that in 19th century she couldn’t provide such relevant information on diet and health unless she was inspired by a supernatural intelligence. Here is a short quote in which Dr. Agatha Thrash says about writings by Ellen White: “When one considers the ignorance and error to obvious health rules of that day, it is all the more remarkable that every single item which Mrs. White wrote in the fields of nutrition and health are consistently supported by the newest scientific information.”

 

NOT ELLEN WHITE BUT GOD HIMSELF WAS THE AUTHOR OF THE HEALTH MESSAGE

Let me now share with you what Ellen White herself wrote on health. First of all, she clearly states that the health message she shared in her writings was not her idea but it came from God himself: “God gave the light on health reform, and those who rejected it rejected God.” It means that refusing to get acquainted with this message and rejecting it is saying no to its Author who is God.

 

RIGHT ARM OF THE GOSPEL

“The health reform, I was shown, is a part of the third angel‘s message and is just as closely connected with it as are the arm and hand with the human body. I saw that we as a people must make an advance move in this great work… Lustful appetite makes slaves of men and women, and beclouds their intellects and stupefies their moral sensibilities to such a degree that the sacred, elevated truths of God‘s word are not appreciated”  (1T 486).

 

THE THREE-FOLD PURPOSE OF THE HEALTH MESSAGE

So, we are to be very interested in health message and use it for the following main purposes:

First, we need a health reform in our own lives. We must open our hearts to this message, pray for God’s strength and live a very healthy lifestyle according to its principles taking care of our own bodies which are the temples of Holy Spirit.

Second, we need to know God’s health message and implement its principles to have a healthy mind, as it is through the mind that our Lord communicates with us and inspires us.

Third, according to the inspired writings of Ellen White, the health message, proper use of Gods remedies, and the medical missionary work are to be used in order to lead people to the Christ and his saving truth, which is the gospel. We are also told that the Gospel of salvation only through faith in Jesus should be either included in health message or follow it. Otherwise, if we share only the health message without the greatest truth, which is the salvation through faith in Christ, we are filling hell with healthy people! 

 

SHARING HEALTH MESSAGE MUST BE COMBINED WITH PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL

In addition, without Christ nobody can be truly healthy as it embraces three aspects of health, physical, mental and spiritual. Here is the quote which reveals one of the reasons why including the truth about saving love of Christ in the health message is so important: „Many are suffering from maladies of the soul far more than from diseases of the body, and they will find no relief until they shall come to Christ, the wellspring of life. Complaints of weariness, loneliness, and dissatisfaction will then cease. Satisfying joys will give vigor to the mind, and health and vital energy to the body.” (4T 579, 1881)

 

HEALTH MESSAGE IN THE SDA CHURCH

It is true that one of the reasons why today members of the SDA Church are regarded as an example of good health is because of the influence of the writings on health by Ellen White. Some time ago the US government spent 5 million dollars to find out why SD Adventists are much healthier and live significantly longer than the general population. And it was found that it is so not only because they don’t smoke or drink alcohol, but also because about half of them are vegetarian or vegans and are more particular about living a healthy lifestyle.

Unfortunately, the sad truth is that only part of the SDA Church members really respect the health message given by God through Ellen White. That is why so many of us die prematurely and suffer from chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, depression, and other lifestyle conditions that are the a result of unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, and inability to control chronic stress.

One of the reasons many of us suffer as a result of various health problems and die way too early is found in the book of Hosea, where God himself says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Today, however, in most cases we die not because the knowledge is not available but because we simply refuse to gain it.

In order to change it we need to repent, change our attitude to God’s health message included in beautiful books such as the Ministry of Healing or Councils on Diet and Food, study them with prayer and with faith ask the Lord for strength to implement the principles.

The Lord wants us to be very careful with regards to what kind of food we feed our bodies and minds because they can either greatly benefit us or cause much suffering and dangerous diseases leading to premature death, thus bringing disgrace to God and the Church we represent.

 

WHAT IS IT?

After the Lord delivered his people from the slavery in Egypt and when He led them through the dessert to the Promised Land He sent them a health message in the form of manna the bread from heaven. Do you know what the original Hebrew meaning of the word manna is? “Manna” literally means “what is it?” So, when the Israelites saw those strange flakes falling down from heaven, like a snow, they kept asking: “manna, manna?” which literally meant, “what is it?”: “And in the morning when the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, ‘What is it?’ (Hebr. – ‘manna’) for they did not know what it was” (Exodus 16:12-15).

Thinking about the meaning of the word “manna”, I believe that also today we need to be more “manna” or “what is it” type of Christians. It means we need to be very particular about choosing the food we feed our temple of Holy Spirit. Before we buy anything we should carefully read labels and also say “manna?” or “what is it?” and do not buy the product if there is caffeine, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, calcium carbonate, MSG, refined pro-inflammatory oils, meat, dairy, eggs, refined salt, white flour, alcohol, dangerous preservatives in them or if they contain GMO ingredients.

And there is no fanaticism in such attitude because our body is the temple of God’s Spirit which is holy and because this is what God’s health message requires from us today.

 

GOD’S END-TIME “SPECIAL” PEOPLE NEED “SPECIAL” DIET & LIFESTYLE

God’s health message has a lot to do with solemn words which inspired apostle Peter wrote to followers of Christ including us: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” (1Pt 2.9).

He says that we are supposed to be royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own special people. What does it mean? Just after I read the book Great Controversy and before I knew about the SDA Church, I had to spend two years in Polish army in as under communism it was obligatory. And in my unit there was also a group of about 100 soldiers who were equivalent of American marines. They were trained to be special soldiers. They jumped from airplanes, marched and ran many kilometres every day. They were trained to fight in enemy’s territory. They were trained to not betray their country and fellow soldiers even if persecuted and tortured. They were doing many things that were not required from regular soldiers. They had special gym, they were on special much healthier and more nutritious diet. Their physical, theoretical and mental training was much more intense than that of regular soldiers. They did other things common soldiers did not do because they were special!

Inspired apostle Peter calls true followers of Christ “special” because the Lord “called us out of darkens into His marvellous light” in order to fulfil through us the final and dangerous mission of proclaiming God’s holy truth which is to be done in enemy territory. This mission requires a special training, very healthy diet and lifestyle, daily communion with God through nature, heartfelt prayers and Bible study, fasting, physical exercise, drinking only clean water and implementing every principle included in God’s health message.

One of the best examples of Christ’s “special” soldier was Apostle Paul, who also enquire from us to be “special” and to not follow the inspired by God’s enemy diet and lifestyle of this world: “I urge you, brothers and sisters, (…) offer your bodies as a living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God… And do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1-2).

The Lord wants us to be like Daniel and his young Hebrew friends in Babylon who were “special”, practised God’s health message, and were totally dedicated to God. They were given all sorts of unhealthy foods and stimulants, but in spite of the fact that it was very risky to refuse consuming them, and although they could find many excuses to enjoy king’s diet, they refused. They said “no”, because they knew they were God’s special people. They remembered that the Spirit of God dwelled in them and that God didn’t want them to consume anything that was harmful for the body and mind. In the book of Daniel we read that, “Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine” (Daniel 1:8) and asked to let them be on a God appointed diet: “Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink” (Daniel 1:12).

 

DR. NUSSBAUM & ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

Let me give you a more modern example of a person who always understood the importance of God’s health message. In 1989 while I was in America, from time to time I had a privilege to listen to elder Frazee, and on one occasion he spoke about Adventist physician, Dr Nussbaum who was very active in propagating vegetarianism organising international vegetarian congresses, and he was also a director of the Department of Religious Liberty at the European division of the SDA church. One day when he was in America he was invited by the most popular at that time in America lady, Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt, the widow of the former president of the United States.

Dr. Nussbaum accepted the invitation, and when he entered the room to meet her she was sitting at the table together with her friend and they were enjoying a cup of tea and biscuits. So, after Dr. Nussbaum was welcomed by Mrs Roosevelt, she said, “Well Dr. Nussbaum, why don’t you sit down please and have a cup of tea or coffee with us.” But, guess what his response was. He said, “Thank you very much for your kindness, but I don’t drink neither tea nor coffee.” Oh, she said, that’s very interesting, could you tell us please why you don’t drink neither tea nor coffee”. And being a physician and having great knowledge about human anatomy, physiology and health principles, he explain everything including negative influence of toxic purine alkaloids such as caffeine or theobromine found in tea and coffee. And, Mrs Roosevelt and her friend were very interested in his explanation. When Dr. Nussbaum finished Eleanor Roosevelt said, with a smile on her face, “Well Dr. Nussbaum, since you don’t drink neither tea nor coffee you should at least try some of those delicious biscuits”. And, do you know what he said? He kindly answered, “Thank you very much madam, but I don’t eat between meals”. After hearing this answer some may think, “Wow, what a fanatic! How he could refuse a few biscuits offered by the most popular woman in America.” But, Mrs Roosevelt wasn’t offended, and said, “Oh, Dr. Nussbaum, this is very interesting, please tell us why you don’t eat between meals.” So, again he explained everything in a very interesting way making a very good impression on her. And, when soon after that meeting Mrs Roosevelt was going to defend religious liberty in America challenged by one of the Catholic bishops, she decided to choose none other but that conservative SDA physician, Dr. Nussbaum, to assist her and be her adviser.

 

THE SOURCE OF STRENGTH TO IMPLEMENT PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH MESSAGE

Also from us today God expects the same attitude toward His health message. But, we all know that the positive attitude and the adequate health knowledge alone are not everything. The problem is many of us are addicted to unhealthy foods and lifestyle and are unable to overcome temptation due to the pathetic will power. So what we can do in order to address this problem.

As Christians who know the Bible we should be aware of the fact that Satan is presented in the Word of God as the “ruler of this world” and that living in his territory we can’t be masters of our own lives. There are two spiritual forces that can control our lives, will and minds. One is life-giving, loving, self-sacrificing and perfectly good, while the other is perfectly selfish, evil and leads to suffering and death. And, if we do not chose every day to surrender our lives to the good force, the dark side will eventually slowly have more and more corrupt influence on our will.

That is why Apostle Paul so often encourages us to surrender our will every day in prayer to God asking with faith for Holy Spirit to control our minds. In this way we are learning to live by the Spirit who also gives us strength to implement principles of healthy lifestyle:  “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:16). It is also through living by the Spirit that Apostle Paul himself was able to live a life of obedience to God’s will: „I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

 

CHARISMATIC & BASED ON SPIRITISM HEALING IS NOT THE PART OF GOD’S HEALTH MESSAGE

As Lord Jesus himself predicted there are many charismatic healers who before His return will cast out demons, perform miracles and heal people but not through His power or the power of Holy Spirit as Christ is going to tell them “I don’t know you” because they disregard the will of God revealed in His holy Commandments including the fourth one which says, “remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy”: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness’.”

Since, according to this statement it is not Christ who gave them the power to heal than who enabled them to do it? They obviously do it not through the power of Holy Spirit but the influence of evil angels who want people believe that those who heal them represent true Christ’s church.

 

ELLEN WHITE ON CHARISMATIC HEALING

The following statement by Ellen White corresponds with what Lord Jesus said about those healers as she declares that, “Men under the influence of evil spirits will work miracles. They will make people sick by casting their spell upon them, and will then remove the spell, leading others to say that those who were sick have been miraculously healed. This Satan has done again and again” (2SM, 53, 1903).

 

SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH CHARISMATIC HEALING THAT CAN’T COME FROM GOD OF LOVE, PEACE, HARMONY & ORDER

Apart from meaningless speaking in tongues, noisy music or prophesying, there are various bizarre behaviours associated with charismatic movements. One of them is referred to as being slain in the spirit. It occurs when preachers place their hands on someone’s forehead, or when they gesture forcefully towards targeted individual or even entire audience, causing them to be violently thrown back to the ground as if pushed by an invisible force. Often, these charismatic healers have men who attend the falls in an effort to avoid injury during ecstatic episodes. Another symptom associated with charismatic services is described as drunk in the spirit. It may involve spastic crawling on the floor, hypnotic dancing, shaking, uncontrollable laughing, inability to speak, etc. These abnormal and senseless manifestations resemble demon possession and have nothing to do with true healing described in the Bible and they can’t be empowered by God’s Spirit of love, peace, harmony, wisdom and order.

It is also thought-provoking that people who are healed by those false Christian healers loose conscience and fall, but in the Bible those who were healed by Jesus or apostles were always conscious and did not fall.

 

EXPERIENCE OF AN ADVENTIST SISTER FROM POLAND

Some time ago I was told about certain sister who was a member of the SDA church in Poland. She was paralysed for a long time and earnestly prayed and often enquired from the church members to ask God to heal her. Unfortunately, for some reason she wasn’t healed. Finally someone from her own church suggested her to visit one of the charismatic churches where different people were often healed. And although in her spirit she doubted that those miracles were performed by God’s Spirit the temptation was too strong to resist and finally she went there with her friend. And lo and behold, she was finally healed and was able to move without a wheelchair. However, although she was excited about being able to walk again, yet at the same time something strange happened. After that charismatic healing she completely lost her inward peace. Now her heart was filled with anxiety, remorse and fear as if she had committed a horrible sin. It was such a burden that she asked her church members to pray for her. And when they did asked the Lord to give her piece, guess what happened? She had her peace back but the effects of that charismatic healing were gone and she became paralysed again!

 

EXAMPLE OF TRUE HEALING PERFORMED BY GOD

Let me give you an example of true and performed by the Lord healing which was experienced by Ellen White. This is the kind of powerful healing which can’t be imitated by Satan: “For five minutes I stood there, trying to speak, and thinking that it was my last speech. All at once I felt a power come upon me, like a shock of electricity. It passed through my body and up to my head. The people said that they plainly saw the blood mounting to my lips, ears, cheeks, and forehead. Before that large number of people I was healed, and the praise of God was in my heart and came from my lips in clear tones. A miracle was wrought before that large congregation. I then took my place among the speakers, and before the congregation bore a testimony such as they had never heard. It was as if one had been raised from the dead” (2SM, 54, 1904).

 

CHARISMATIC HEALING PERFORMED BY EVIL ANGELS

Those who look for miracles as a sign of divine guidance are in great danger of deception. It is stated in the Bible that the enemy will work through his agents who have departed from the faith, and they will seemingly work miracles. By means of healing and charismatic gifts Satan keeps on deceiving many sincere believers.

 

WE ARE NOT TO ASK GOD TODAY TO HEAL SICK PEOPLE IN A MIRACULOUS WAY

For this reason we are not supposed today to lead sick people to recovery through miraculous healing but by sharing with them the health message, using God’s natural remedies and praying for His blessing: “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” (2SM, 54, 1904).

 

THE WAY WE ARE TO LEAD OTHERS TO RECOVERY

If we are not to relieve our suffering by miraculous works of healing then what we should do in order to recover from our health problems? We just need to live according to all the principles of healthy lifestyle, use God’s remedies and pray for God’s blessing of our efforts.  Here is the list of remedies from God’s pharmacy that we can use with His blessing:

• DAILY COMMUNION WITH GOD THROUGH PRAYERS & BIBLE
• UNREFINED PLANT DIET
• EXERCISE
• WATER
• SUNSHINE
• FRESH AIR
• REST
• TEMPERANCE
• FAST
• HYDROTHERAPY
• ACTIVATED CHARCOAL & CLAY
• HERBS & HERBAL REMEDIES
• SUPER GRASSES
• GOOD NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS (ESPECIALLY VITAMIN D, B12, MAGNESIUM, ZINC, SELENIUM AND OTHER MINERALS, AND ANTIOXIDANTS)

NEW AGE MEDICINE (BASED ON SPIRITISM AND ACTIVITY OF EVIL ANGELS)

But please stay away and warn others against using the counterfeits of Gods remedies called the new age medicines as they are based on spiritism and are inspired by the enemy who wants people to use them in order to control our minds. Here is the list of dangerous new age medicines and healing methods that come from the same source as charismatic healing and lead to dangerous spiritual, moral and emotional side effects:

• CHARISMATIC HEALING
• HOMEOPATHY
• REFLEXOLOGY (FOOT MASSAGE)
• ACUPUNCTURE
• REIKI
• SHIATSU
• EFT (EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE)
• HYPNOSIS
• RADIESTHESIA
• IRIDOLOGY
• RADIONICS
• BIOENERGOTHERAPY (THERAPEUTIC TOUCH)
• YOGA
• TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION
• AROMATHERAPY

 

CONVENTIONAL MEDICAL CARE

Also keep in mind that conventional medicine, especially prescribed drugs and any medication which is harmful is not a part of the right arm of the gospel or our health message as it causes horrible side effects often leading to death. According to the National Vital Statistics Reports, “Conventional Medical Care Kills More People than Heart Disease or Cancer” (January 11, 2012, Volume 60). Can you believe this? Conventional medical care, instead of being more effective in saving lives kills more people than heart disease or cancer!

Of course, sometimes prescribed medication and surgeries are necessary and save life, but very often they are used even if not necessary thus leading to suffering and premature deaths. I think as Christians we should be brave enough to ask governments, NHS, the medical and public health authorities, why in spite of the fact that we know how harmful and dangerous the conventional medicine and often medical care is, why medical students still don’t study about nutrition, why they are not taught about the importance of healthy lifestyle, natural remedies, herbs, hydrotherapy, and good quality supplements? And what is the answer to the question? The answer is, of course, the money of selfish big pharma which seem to control modern conventional medical world!

When I was doing my master’s degree in public health at the University of Liverpool, I often tried to express my concern about present condition and mistakes of NHS and the health care as well as great demand for health reforms, do you think it was welcomed? No, every time I tried it was condemned, regarded as a bad idea or a heresy.

Today it is not even a secret that the public health authorities, governments, health care, and entire medical world are controlled by rich pharmaceutical companies.

 

USE GOD’S REMEDIES INSTEAD OF HARMFUL DRUGS

Occasionally, it is reasonable or even necessary to use prescribed medication for some time while gradually introducing natural remedies and at the same time slowly reducing administration of harmful drugs. However, the truth is very often pharmaceuticals are not necessary and should be replaced by God’s remedies including water treatments, super foods, herbal remedies, charcoal, clay, good nutritional supplements, etc. that do not cause any harmful effect if properly used: “Those who seek healing by prayer should not neglect the natural remedies. It is no denial of faith to co-operate with God, and to place ourselves in the condition most favorable to recovery. We should use every facility for the restoration of health, asking His blessing on the means which He Himself has provided” (MH, 231.3).

DOES THE USE OF HERBS AND OTHER NATURAL REMEDIES CONTRADICT FAITH?

But there are many Christians who think that using natural remedies such as herbs proves lack of faith in God’s healing power? Here is how the inspired messenger of God answers this question:

“With regards to the matter of prayer for the sick, many confusing ideas are advanced. One says, He who has been prayed for must walk out in faith, giving God the glory, and making use of no remedies. I know that these ideas are wrong and lead to many evils. The path of faith lies close beside the path of presumption. The use of certain herbs that the Lord has made to grow for the good of man, is in harmony with the exercise of faith. The Lord has provided antidotes for disease in simple plants, and these can be used by faith, with no denial of faith; for by using the blessings provided by God for our benefit we are cooperating with Him.  We can use water and sunshine and the herbs which He has caused to grow for healing maladies” (MS 65, 1899).

 

EXAMPLE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOD’S REMEDIES

But, let me give you an example from my own experience how effective are God’s remedies, especially when they are combined with prayers. In 1989 three years after my baptism, the Lord sent me from Poland to America where together with students from different countries I participated in a special one-year health and medical missionary training. I was living there with my friend sharing room with him. Unfortunately, after about six months somehow he contracted a virus and was diagnosed with chickenpox, suffered from very severe symptoms, high temperature and couldn’t participate in training for about two weeks.

But since as a child I didn’t go through chickenpox and wasn’t vaccinated, thank God, now everybody was looking at me with pity as they knew I would be the next victim of the chicken pox virus as it is extremely contagious and I shared the room with that sick person.

However, since my English was not very good at that time as I could assimilate only about 50% of the training knowledge from various classes and lectures we had every day I had to study much harder in order to keep up with others. Therefore, I concluded that if I contracted chickenpox I wouldn’t be able to participate in the training for about two weeks. Because of that I decided to ask the Lord to protect me against virus or give me His wisdom how to do it.

And when I was praying a strong persistent thought came into my mind prompting me to do the alternating (or contrast) hot and cold showers twice a day. So, being convinced the idea was inspired by the Lord I was taking a very hot shower for about 3 minutes and then I took as cold shower as possible (gradually lowering temperature) for about 2 minutes, alternating from hot to very cold three to five times. I repeated the same procedure twice a day. Unfortunately after a few days the first symptoms of chickenpox appeared anyway, so I got a bit discouraged, but thank God I didn’t gave up on showers. I continued taking them every morning and evening and every time did that treatment the symptoms disappeared. Altogether they appeared 3 times, but every time I did the hydrotherapy they disappeared, and after the third time they never appeared again.

However, a very short time after that experience, I was reading a book on health written by certain American physician. And when I read one passage I got very excited. He wrote that even after contracting the chickenpox virus the disease can still be prevented or stopped by an alternate hot and cold showers as it is the best way to weaken virus and stimulate the immune system! That was exactly what I was doing, without even knowing that it was the most effective natural treatment I could use against that disease. So I was very thankful to God and Holy Spirit for giving me His wisdom and inspiring me to perform that approved by Him treatment.

Since I didn’t develop chickenpox all students and everybody in that retreat was surprised I was free from any sign of that extremely contagious disease in spite of the fact that I wasn’t vaccinated and never had chickenpox in my childhood. So, I told them the whole story and we all praised the Lord for His love, wisdom and very effective remedies.

Well, was God on my side? Yes. Could He heal me without hot and cold showers? Yes, but He wanted me do what I could. He inspired me to use His remedies, be on a very healthy diet, ask for His blessing and trust Him. As a result I recovered without any side effects and with much stronger immune system.

 

THERE ARE SITUATIONS GOD CAN HEAL IN A MIRACULOUS WAY

The fact, however, that God wants us now to use healthy lifestyle and natural remedies to treat diseases doesn’t mean that He never performs direct miraculous healing, when it is required and according to His will.

Let me give you an example. It is a true story I’ve heard from Dr. Milan Moskala, a SDA physician and very dedicated missionary who works as a dentist in Bangladesh. At the same time he spends a lot of time helping poor families there, feeding hungry children with bananas and establishing SDA Christian schools. He told us an amazing story about certain poor woman in a village who accepted Jesus as her Savior and was baptized into the SDA Church. Unfortunately not long after that, her son who at that time was about 5 years old, was playing with another boy, and when he jumped into the water he hit something and died. After about four hours the mother of that boy together with other people from her village finally found her son dead lying on the bottom of the pond. When villagers saw the boy dead they told that woman that their gods punished her for becoming a Christian. Soon after that the SDA pastor came to comfort the poor woman and he was inspired to pray in the presence of all the villagers who were gathered around the dead boy’s body and his crying mother. Initially he didn’t want to pray for a miracle and resurrection of the boy, but while he was doing it the Spirit of God inspired him with faith and courage. And when he prayed in the name of Jesus, suddenly, to the amazement of all the witnesses, the boy moved and came back to life. The first word he said was, „ma, mama”. Since that time almost the whole village accepted Jesus as their God and Savior and they also changed the name of that resurrected boy. Now they call him Lazarus.

Well, it looks like the same Christ who lived 2 thousand years ago is still alive and working in accordance to His promise. He Himself said „I am with you always even unto the end of the world”. And in another place He says, “The one who comes to me I will not cast away”. And the wonderful good news is that death doesn’t have to have the last word.

 

SUMMERY

Summarising this very important subject, let me remind you that the health message we were given by God through Ellen White, is the right arm of the gospel and that it consists of three key elements:

 

1. PERSONAL HEALTH REFORM. It means we are to study the health message (beginning from the writings by Ellen White), get as much knowledge about healthy lifestyle and health as possible. Then we must pray every day with faith and assurance claiming God’s promises of Holy Spirit to control our carnal natures and give us victory over our weaknesses and addictions and provide us with His wisdom and strength to implement all principles of God’s health message.

 

1. Learn about GOD’S NATURAL METHODS OF TREATING DISEASES, including nutrition, super foods, water treatments, activated charcoal, clay, herbal remedies, good nutritional supplements, etc.

 

3. Use all the health and medical knowledge we have in the MEDICAL MISSIONARY WORK. It means we are to share the health message with others through individual conversations, sharing books, internet, mass media, or public efforts. We are to give example with our own healthy lifestyle, and help others to recover from their health problems encouraging them to pray, improve their diet and lifestyle and use mentioned above Gods natural remedies

 

4. Use health message as the RIGHT ARM OF THE GOSPEL. Never forget to use the health message as an opportunity to point to Christ as the only Healer of the soul and spirit. Always remember to tell everyone that without accepting Lord Jesus and his free gift of salvation, gift of indwelling Holy Spirit, and internal peace, nobody can be truly healthy as human existence embraces not only physical but also mental and spiritual aspect of life and health.

 

Thank you for your attention and God bless you all.

Amen.

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