BETTER HEALTH — MADE SIMPLE !Thirty-four Steps to Happier Living – A Complete Online Health Course! Published by TRAIL GUIDES - Altamont, TN 37301 USA Road maps for pilgrims traveling home
LESSON TWENTY-ONE - MORE ON SIMPLE REMEDIES1- Education in health principles was never more needed than now. Notwithstanding the wonderful progress in so many lines relating to the comforts and conveniences of life, even to sanitary matters and to the treatment of disease, the decline in physical vigor and power of endurance is alarming. It demands the attention of all who have at heart the well-being of their fellow men. 2- Our artificial civilization is encouraging evils destructive of sound principles. Custom and fashion are at war with nature. The practices they enjoin, and the indulgences they foster, are steadily lessening both physical and mental strength, and bringing upon the race an intolerable burden. Intemperance and crime, disease and wretchedness, are everywhere. 3- Many transgress the laws of health through ignorance, and they need instruction. But the greater number know better than they do. They need to be impressed with the importance of making their knowledge a guide of life. 4- A practice that is laying the foundation of a vast amount of disease and of even more serious evils, is the free use of poisonous drugs. When attacked by disease, many will not take the trouble to search out the cause of their illness. Their chief anxiety is to rid themselves of pain and inconvenience. So they resort to patent nostrums, of whose real properties and chemical composition they know little, or they apply to a physician for some remedy to counteract the result of their misdoing, but with no thought of making a change in their unhealthful habits. If immediate benefit is not realized, another medicine is tried, and then another. Thus the evil continues. 5- People need to be taught that drugs do not cure disease. It is true that they sometimes afford present relief, and the patient appears to recover as the result of their use; this is because nature has sufficient vital force to expel the poison and to correct the conditions that caused the disease. Health is recovered in spite of the drug. But in most cases the drug only changes the form and location of the disease. Often the effect of the poison seems to be overcome for a time, but the results remain in the system, and work great harm at some later period. 6- By the use of poisonous drugs, many bring upon themselves lifelong illness, and many lives are lost that might be saved by the use of natural methods of healing. The poisons contained in many so-called remedies create habits and appetites that mean ruin to both soul and body. Many of the popular nostrums called patent medicines, and even some of the drugs dispensed by physicians, act a part in laying the foundation of the liquor habit, the opium habit, the morphine habit, that are so terrible a curse to society. 7- The only hope of better things is in the education of the people in right principles. Let the people he taught that restorative power is not in drugs, but in nature. Disease is an effort of nature to free the system from conditions that result from a violation of the laws of health. In case of sickness, the cause should be ascertained. Unhealthful conditions should be changed, wrong habits corrected. Then nature is to be assisted in her effort to expel impurities and to reestablish right conditions in the system. 8- Pure air, sunlight, abstemiousness, rest, exercise, proper diet, the use of water, trust in divine power—these are the true remedies. Every person should have a knowledge of nature's remedial agencies and how to apply them. It is essential both to understand the principles involved in the treatment of the sick and to have a practical training that will enable one rightly to use this knowledge. 9-The use of natural remedies requires an amount of care and effort that many are not willing to give. Nature's process of healing and upbuilding is gradual, and to the impatient it seems slow. The surrender of hurtful indulgences requires sacrifice. But in the end it will be found that nature, untrammeled, does her work wisely and well. Those who persevere in obedience to her laws will reap the reward in health of body and health of mind. 10- Too little attention is generally give to the preservation of health. It is far better to prevent disease than to know how to treat it when contracted. 11- It is the duty of every person, for his own sake, and for the sake of humanity, to inform himself in regard to the laws of life, and conscientiously to obey them. All need to become acquainted with that most wonderful of all organisms, the human body. They should understand the functions of the various organs and the dependence of one upon another for the healthy action of all. They should study the influence of the mind upon the body, and of the body upon the mind, and the laws by which they are governed. 12- We cannot be too often reminded that health does not depend on chance. It is a result of obedience to law. This is recognized by the contestants in athletic games and trials of strength. These men make the most careful preparation. They submit to thorough training and strict discipline. Every physical habit is carefully regulated. They know that neglect, excess, or carelessness, which weakens or cripples any organ or function of the body, would insure defeat. 13- How much more important is such carefulness to insure success in the conflict of life. It is not mimic battles in which we are engaged. We are waging a warfare upon which hang eternal results. We have unseen enemies to meet. Evil angels are striving for the dominion of every human being. Whatever injures the health, not only lessens physical vigor, but tends to weaken the mental and moral powers. Indulgence in any unhealthful practice makes it more difficult for one to discriminate between right and wrong, and hence more difficult to resist evil. It increases the danger of failure and defeat. 15- The foundation of all enduring reform is the Law of God. We are to present in clear, distinct lines the need of obeying this law. Its principles are as everlasting and unchangeable as God Himself. 17- The body is the only medium through which the mind and the soul are developed for the upbuilding of character. Hence it is that the adversary of souls directs his temptations to the enfeebling and degrading of the physical powers. His success here means the surrender to evil of the whole being. The tendencies of our physical nature, unless under the dominion of a higher power, will surely work ruin and death. 18- The body is to be brought into subjection. The higher powers of the being are to rule. The passions are to be controlled by the will, which is itself to be under the control of God. The kingly power of reason, sanctified by divine grace, is to bear sway in our lives. 19- We need to be awakened to the duty of self-mastery, the need of purity, freedom from every depraving appetite and defiling habit. We need to be impressed with the fact that all our powers of mind and body are the gift of God, and are to be preserved in the best possible condition for His service. 20- Apart from divine power, no genuine reform can be effected. Human barriers against natural and cultivated tendencies are but as the sand-bank against the torrent. Not until the life of Christ becomes a vitalizing power in our lives—can we resist the temptations that assail us from within and from without. The above information was taken from the book. 'Ministry of Healing’, pages 125-130. 21- We have already learned in our previous study that Saturday, the Seventh day, is God's Sabbath. Then why do some people observe Sunday instead? Does the Bible approve the observance of Sunday? Some people say, it is not a big matter which day you keep so long as you do keep one day in a week. But the principle of obedience to God is involved in a life and death question. 22- We read, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandments of God, ye hold the tradition of men. This people honoreth me with their lips but their heart is far from me. Mark 7:7, 8, 6. God will not accept and substitute. Breaking any one of His commandments is sin and the wages of sin is eternal death. 23- There are eight references to Sunday in the Bible. Let us see them one by one to know the purpose of the reference. Actually, the word Sunday is not found in the Bible, but the term, "First day of the week" is found eight times. We shall now read these references. 24- The first text is Matt 28:1. "In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week came Mary Magdaline and the other Mary to see the sepulcher." We have already understood that this first day is Sunday, the day Jesus rose from the grave. The record was given by Matthew about 30 years after the ascension of Christ and he still says, "the first day" and not the Sabbath. 25- Our second text is found in Mark 16:1. "And when the Sabbath was past Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and Salome, had brought sweet spices that they might come and anoint Him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun." Here again it is speaking of the same event as in Matt. 28:1. They visited the sepulcher and found it empty for Jesus had risen very early. This record also was given about 35 years after Christ by Mark, but he does not call it the Sabbath. 26- The third text is found in the 9th verse of the same chapter of Mark. "Now, when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils." It does not say it was the Sabbath. 27- As Jesus ended His work of creation on the 6th day or Friday, and rested on the Sabbath day or Saturday, likewise He ended on the 6th day His work of redemption and rested in the tomb on Saturday. And early in the morning He rose from the grave and still calls it the first day of the week. 28- Luke 24:1 is our fourth Sunday text. Let us see if anything is said here about keeping Sunday holy. "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning they came unto the sepulcher bringing the spices which they had prepared and certain others with them." This too is speaking of the same event and does not sanction Sunday sacredness. Luke wrote this about 32 years after Christ and still calls the Sabbath, Sabbath and the first day, the first day. 29- The fifth Sunday text is found in John 20:1. John wrote this gospel about 70 years after the ascension of Christ. In case he would have been worshiping on Sunday or if he would have understood its sacredness, he wouldn't have called it the first day. Rather he would have called it the Sabbath. 30- We read, "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark unto the sepulcher and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher." Here again John simply gives a historical reference about Sunday, the first day of the week. 31- Verse 19 of the same book, and the same chapter is our sixth text Let us read, "Then the same day at the evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." Here the disciples were assembled not for worship—but for fear of the Jews. What is more, this was after the Sunday sunset which was actually the beginning of Monday, because according to the Bible, the day changes at sunset. Mark 1:32. 32- The seventh Sunday text we find in Acts 20:7. "And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight." This speaks of a special meeting held by Paul at Troas, and was a night meeting as we find in verse eight. "And there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together." This meeting was on what we call Saturday night, Paul walked 9 miles to Assos the next day, Sunday. 33- Our eighth text is 1 Cor. 16:1, 2 "Now concerning the collection for the Saints as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered them, that there be no gathering when: l. come." This refers to a collection for the poor saints, and was to be laid by in store at home, and had no reference to any public meeting. 34- Friends, no Bible text attributes holiness or sacredness to any day except the Seventh-day Sabbath of the Lord. 35- No man-made way will ever take us to heaven. Jesus is the only way to heaven. He says, "No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." If we accept this Way, we shall one day be privileged to go to Heaven. God help us so that we will not look for any excuse but accept the plain, "Thus saith the Lord." There is our eternal safety. LESSON TWENTY-TWO – THE CUTTING EDGE1- In this lesson we are going to talk about something in your body that you may be somewhat taking for granted—until they hurt or have to be pulled out, that is! Yet they are among the wonders of your body. We are going to talk about your teeth. 2- Good teeth help to make you attractive. They help you to speak correctly and clearly. And they are very important in helping to prepare your food for digestion. 3- Have you ever really noticed how wonderfully adapted your teeth are for the various kinds of work they must do? For example, when you bite into a peach you use your eight front teeth, which are shaped for cutting into food. We call these front teeth incisors. Just to the sides of the upper and lower incisors are the teeth of a different shape and needed for a different purpose. 4- They are somewhat pointed so that they can be used for tearing and gripping as when you are eating a stalk of celery. When you take a bite, you both cut into the stalk and you grip with these sharp teeth. Those of you who have false teeth have found that you have a hard time doing this! 5- Farther back in your mouth are the heavy duty teeth that are needed for crushing and grinding your food into small particles which can be handled by the digestive juices and the action of the stomach. We call these bicuspids and the molars. Some of you do not use these important grinders sufficiently. You forget that your stomach has no teeth, and you often swallow your food almost whole. When you do this, your teeth do not get proper exercise and your food is not able to be utilized as it should be. You fast eaters cheat yourselves in every way! 6- Now, let us take a close-up look at these wonderful teeth. The outer covering is the hardest substance in your body. It is much harder than bone. It is called enamel and it is made mostly of calcium. Under the enamel is a substance that is somewhat softer than the enamel. It is called dentine. In the center is the softest part called the pulp. Here in the pulp is the network of the blood vessels and nerves which nourish the teeth. The roots of your teeth are covered by a hard substance called Cementum. The roots are deeply embedded in your jaw bones which are covered by your gums. Perhaps you wonder how it is that something so well-protected and hard as a tooth can become painful, diseased, and even have to be removed. Well, there are some important reasons that you should know. 7- First of all, harmful germs can destroy teeth, but your mouth always contains harmful germs! Even after you carefully brush your teeth, there are still many left. Then how can you prevent these germs from doing damage to your teeth? 8- One answer is to brush your teeth regularly after eating any food. You see, bacteria (germs) love food—especially starchy, rich or sweet foods. When food sticks to your teeth and gets between them, you have a fine feeding and breeding place for germs. As the germs multiply and grow, they form an acid, and that acid gradually destroys the hard, smooth surface of the teeth making it easy for the bacteria to finally go all the way inside. 9- Mothers, to let your children take cookies, ice cream, candy, soft drinks and other foods between meals is one of the best ways to ensure decay of their teeth. Not only does such food stick to the teeth, but it has other harmful effects that work from the INSIDE of the teeth! Rich and sweet foods containing sugar send the sugar into the blood. Scientists are finding out that sugar interferes with the normal movement of the fluids passing in and out of the teeth. In other words, when these fluids cannot pass back and forth to the cells of the teeth, the teeth cannot be nourished property and therefore are more easily destroyed by germs. It is a fact that nearly all decay starts from the inside of a tooth, not the outside. 10- Some mothers think that the baby teeth are not important because anyhow they drop out and other teeth come in later. This is a great mistake, mothers. These baby teeth are VERY important indeed. If they decay or come out too soon, the second teeth can be deformed and irregular. It is really pitiful to see a small child with decayed teeth. Such a child is an advertisement that the parents were either very ignorant or have allowed the child to decide what it will eat by what it likes or does not like, instead of training the child to eat what is good for it. Even the diet of the expecting mother has a bearing on the future health of the child’s teeth! By the mother avoiding sugary foods in pregnancy, the child’s future teeth will be better. 11- To insure a proper diet, there should be plenty of green vegetables and fruit, whole grains and some nuts and seeds in the diet. These will insure the vitamins and minerals the teeth need in order to be strong and healthy. It is true that some people have inherited poor teeth. However, this condition can be greatly corrected by taking care of the teeth and by eating a proper diet. 12- We have already mentioned good eating habits. Let us mention something about good brushing habits. Brushing your teeth is very important to keep the surface of the teeth smooth and free from food. But do you know how to brush your teeth properly? When you brush your lower teeth, you brush from the gums up. When you brush the upper teeth, you brush from the gums down. This is very important for you to remember. Children should be taught to brush their teeth properly, and each member of the family should have his own toothbrush. Never share a toothbrush! 13- There is an old saying that if you will be true to your teeth they will be true to you. For instance, children should be given a good diet and they should not eat between meals. Those baby teeth should be cared for. 14- Artificial teeth may look pretty nice; but they are never as good as the teeth God gave you. In fact, dentists say that false teeth work only about 25% as well as your own. And if you care for your own, they can last for a lifetime. 15- Remember, no substitution can be as good as your own wonderful teeth if they are cared for. Many people are carrying in their mouths evidences of delay and decay. Fillings, bridges, and dentures reveal that we have neglected God's gift of good healthy teeth. Today, as a result of ignorance, neglect, and poor diet many are living with substitutes. Friends, there are many tonight who find themselves with another substitute—a substitute Sabbath. Many now believe God changed His mind and transferred the sacredness from Saturday, the 7th day, to Sunday, the first day. 16- God does not change. His character never changes. Please note what the Bible says, "For I am the Lord. I change not." Malachi 3:6. "Jesus Christ the same, yesterday and today and for ever." "With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17. 17- Jesus with His own mouth said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled." Matthew 5:17,18. Jesus did not change the Sabbath but instead He kept it. 18- In fact, He condemns those who do not keep it. "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19. Jesus who made the Sabbath said, "The Sabbath was made for man." Adam was the first man, the Sabbath was given to him in the Garden of Eden for all men, Jew or gentile, man or woman, bond or free—everybody. 19- Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath as in Mark 2:28; “Therefore, the Son of man is. Lord also of the Sabbath." He Himself kept it. "And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read." Hence, the Apostle John calls the Sabbath the Lord's Day. Revelation 1:10. 20- Did His apostles keep the Seventh day Sabbath? Let us consider Paul first. "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." "Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just and good." Romans 7:7,12: 21- It was Paul's custom also like Jesus to keep the Sabbath. "And Paul as his manner was went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.” Paul kept the Seventh day Sabbath and taught the people likewise. 22- Let us see about Peter. "For even here unto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps." 1 Peter 2:21. He says that we are to follow Christ's steps and He was a Sabbath keeper. 23- So, we find that neither Christ nor His disciples ever changed the Sabbath. According to Daniel 7:35, we have already studied that it was the Roman power which changed this day. And the church of Rome openly claims to have done this. Let us read some passages from their Catechism. 24- This is taken from "A Doctrinal Catechism" by Rev. Stephen Keenan, p. 174: "Question: Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals or precepts? Answer: Had she not such power she could not have done that in which all the modern religionists agree with her. She could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the Seventh-day, a change for which there is no scriptural authority." 25- The first Sunday law ever made was that issued by the Emperor Constantine. March 7, A.D. 321 and reads as follows: "Let all the judges and town people, and the occupation of all trades rest on the venerable day of the Sun. But let those who are situated in the country, freely and at full liberty, attend to the business of agriculture because it often happens that no other day is so fit for sowing corn and planting vines, lest a critical moment being let slip, men should lose the commodities granted by heaven."-Corpus Juris, Civilia God. lib. 3, Title 12,3. 26- Sunday was actually dedicated to the Sun god. The heathen worshipped the sun on Sunday. This was a heathen institution adopted into Christianity. 27- The council of Laodicea (c., A.D. 364) forbade the observance of the true Bible Sabbath. "Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday (Sabbath, original), but shall work on that day; but the Lord's day they shall specially honour, and as being Christians, shall if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ." -A History of the Council of Church from the Original Documents, Rt. Rev. Charles Joseph Hefele. D. D. Bishop of Rottenburg, book 6, sec. 93, Canon 29 (vol. II., p. 316). 28- Thus, slowly and stealthily the observance of Sunday was introduced until 530 when it was enforced and legalized. The penalty for this offense was death. During the dark ages beginning from 530 till 1798, millions gave their lives for their faithfulness to the true Sabbath. 29- The Bishop Eusebius (A.D. 270-338) who. worked with the Emperor Constantine, says: "All things whatsoever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred to the Lord's Day"-Commentary on the Psalms, Eusebius; cited in the commentary on the Apocalypse, Moses Stuart, vol. It., 9, L 10. 30- Thus we find that the early church changed God's Sabbath and instituted the observance of Sunday. This was exactly in fulfillment of the prophecy. 31- We may read the Bible from cover to cover, but we will never find even a hint on the observance of Sunday as a Holy Day. The Bible Sabbath was to be a sign "forever." Nothing from God's law can be changed. Even on the earth made new the Sabbath will be kept-"And it shall come to pass that from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me." Isaiah 66:23. The law of God is as eternal as God Himself. 32- Friends, there are only two choices. The seal of the living God, which is the keeping of the true Sabbath, the Seventh-day of the week or Saturday. It comes from Eden and will continue in the Eden restored. Another choice is the Mark of the Beast, the observance of Sunday, a spurious Sabbath. It is a life and death question. Obey and live-disobey and perish. What is your choice tonight? Don't you want to be saved in God's Kingdom? Jesus is coming again. Do you want to be with those who keep all of His commandments, including the 4th commandment, which says to keep holy the Seventh day? God loves you, this is why He is coming back. Will you be ready to meet Him? |
