Health and Happiness

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."

-3 John 2

            My dearly Beloved reader! 

  Today is a great and wonderful day, as we prepare for the soon coming of Christ we must keep ourselves in good health, for your body is a temple. 1 Cor 6:19-20

            With that in mind I pray that you are blessed by this excellent study that was sent me by a brother in the faith, which I have made only a few additions too where it seemed fitting.

"Pure air, sunlight, abstemiousness, rest, exercise, proper diet, the use of water, trust in Divine power—these are the true remedies."—Ellen G. White, Ministry of Healing, p. 127

Fresh Air

Sunshine

Abstemiousness 

Rest

Exercise 

Water 

Nutrition 

Trust in God

1—Fresh Air

The Most essential element to sustain life is oxygen.

Without food you will die in a few weeks.

Without water you will die in a few days.

Without air you will die in a few minutes.

Blood and cells are dependent upon oxygen.

Fresh air invigorates the vital organs and aids the system in ridding itself of accumulated impurities. Fresh air also brings life to the skin and has a decided influence on the mind. Fresh air contains negative ions which help to immune system fight disease. The lack of fresh air causes specific problems such as fevers, colds, and lung diseases.

2—Sunshine

"And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day." Genesis 1:16

Every living thing in our world is dependent on sunlight. Without sunlight nothing would live. the following discoveries show the benefits derived from the sun: It lowers blood sugar and blood pressure; it lowers cholesterol by converting it to vitamin D; it utilizes calcium and phosphorus; it increases red blood cells; it increases white blood cells; it strengthens the immune system; it calms the nerves and increases adrenaline; it destroys germs on the skin; it reverses jaundice; it increases circulation; and it helps eliminate pesticides and other chemicals from the system.

"Pure air, good water, sunshine, the beautiful surroundings of nature...these are God's means for restoring the sick to health."—Ellen G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 7, p. 85

Start the day with exposing your face and body to the sun for 10 to 15 minutes. Gradually increase your time to 30 to 45 minutes daily. DO NOT GET SUNBURNED.

"As the flower turns to the sun, that the bright beams may aid in perfecting its beauty and symmetry, so should we turn to the Sun of Righteousness, that Heaven's light may shine upon us, that our character may be developed in to the likeness of Christ."—Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 6

3—Abstemiousness or Temperance

Abstemiousness means temperance. True temperance teaches us to dispense entirely with everything harmful and to use judiciously that which is healthful.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise think (meditate) on these.”

Phil 4:8

4—Rest

"He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made." Genesis 2:2

The greatest remedy for being tired is SLEEP.

The body requires plenty of rest to heal.

Sleep is the greatest rejuvenator; it restores strength to muscles, nerves, and brain.

During sleep the body repairs, re-energizes, and prepares for renewed activity.

One hour of sleep before midnight is equal to 2 hours of sleep after midnight.

During a day of work and activity, toxins build up in our system which cannot immediately be thrown off. These toxins product fatigue—that well-known weariness at the end of the day. Sleep gives the body time to expel wastes and to make repairs.

"The stomach, when we lie down to rest, should have its work done, that it may enjoy rest, as well as other portions of the body. The work of digestion should not be carried on through any period of the sleeping hours."—Ellen G. White, Healthful Living, p. 84

Rest is not synonymous with sleep. Four types of rest are:

Physical Rest—sitting, lying down, or relaxing. Not eating late at night or before bed.

Sensory Rest—quietness and refraining from using the eyes.

Emotional Rest—a withdrawing from the ups and downs caused by personal interaction.

Mental Rest—a detaching of the mind from all intellectual demands or activity.

Your Prescription: First, get the sleep your body needs, 8 hours a day and several hours before midnight. Second, do not neglect that important rest we need, such as taking morning walks, sitting in a Jacuzzi or by a mountainside, looking at a forest or lake, going to the ocean, or reading the Scriptures.

"A life in Christ is a life of restfulness. There may be no ecstasy of feeling, but there should be an abiding peaceful trust. Your hope is not in yourself; it is in Christ. Your weakness is united to His strength, your ignorance to His wisdom, your frailty to His enduring might....Let the mind dwell upon His love, upon the beauty, the perfection of His character..."—Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 70

                   There is also much new science cataloging the need of the body for a weekly day of rest. New studies have shown that as the week progresses the body becomes more taxed and by the seventh day (Saturday) the body actually hits a sort of peak where it either receives the rest it cries out for, (The Sabbath day) or by Sunday (the first day) of the following week, it has actually suffered harm.  

5—Exercise

"The Lord God put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." Genesis 2:15

"God designed that the living machinery should be in daily activity. For in this activity or motion is its preserving power.... The more we exercise; the better will be the circulation of the blood."—Ellen G. White, Healthful Living, pp. 131-132

"There is no exercise that can take the place of walking. By it the circulation of the blood is greatly improved. Walking, in all cases where it is possible, is the best remedy for the diseased bodies, because in this, all of the organs of the body are brought into use."—Ellen G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 78

"Moderate exercise every day will impart strength to the muscles, which without exercise become flabby and enfeebled."—Ellen G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 2, p. 533

"Exercise will aid in the work of digestion. Take a walk after a meal; but no violent exercise after a full meal."—Ellen G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 2, p. 530

"Morning exercise, walking in the free, invigorating air of heaven, or cultivating flowers, small fruits, and vegetables, is the surest safeguard against colds, coughs, congestion of the brain, inflammation of the liver, the kidneys, and the lungs, and a hundred other diseases."—Ellen G. White, Healthful Living, p. 176-177

Studies are finding that exercise is an important factor in the fight against cancer.

"If physical exercise were combined with mental exertion, the blood would be quickened in its circulation, the action of the heart would be more perfect, impure matter would be thrown off, and new life and vigor would be experienced in every part of the body."—Ellen G. White, Counsels on Health, p. 572

"Those who thus exercise the Christian graces will grow and will become strong to work for God. They will have clear spiritual perceptions, a steady growing faith, and an increased power in prayer.... Strength comes by exercise. Activity is the very condition of life. Those who endeavor to maintain a Christian life by passively accepting the blessing that come through the means of grace, and doing nothing for Christ, are simply trying to live by eating without working.... A man who would refuse to exercise his limbs would soon lose all power to use them. Thus the Christian who will not exercise his God-given powers, not only fails to grow up into Christ, but he loses the strength that he already had."—Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 80

6—Water

"And a river went out of Eden and watered the garden." Genesis 2:10

The body requires water constantly. Most of this water is recycled within the body itself. However, it must have a replacement of eight glasses of water per day. Cleansing of waste material is a daily task for the body, not only from its own wastes, but from the constant bombardment of germs and viruses, and in today's society, from chemicals and drugs. If the body is not thoroughly cleansed, it is forced to break down. "Water is the best liquid possible to cleanse the tissues.... Drink some, a little time before or after a meal."—Ellen G. White, Healthful Living, p. 226

Frequent bathing is very beneficial, especially at night before retiring or upon arising in the morning. "The bath soothes the nerves. It promotes general perspiration, quickens the circulation, overcomes obstruction in the system, and acts beneficially on the kidneys and the urinary organs. Bathing helps the bowels, stomach, and liver, giving energy and new life to each. It also promotes digestion and instead of the system being weakened, it is strengthened...and a more easy and regular flow of the blood through all the blood vessels is obtained."—Ellen G. White, Counsels on Health, p. 104

"Impurities are constantly and imperceptibly passing from the body, through the pores, and if the surface of the skin is not kept in a healthy condition, the system is burdened with impure matter....and if the garments worn are not frequently cleansed...the pores of the skin absorb again the waste matter thrown off. The impurities of the body... are taken back into the blood, and forced upon the internal organs."—Ellen G. White, Healthful Living, p. 143

Food should not be washed down, and no drink is needed with meals. Eat slowly and allow the saliva to mingle with the food. The more liquid there is taken into the stomach with the meals, the more difficult it is for the food to digest, for the liquid must first be absorbed.

Many make a mistake in drinking cold water with their meals. Taken with meals, water diminishes the flow of the salivary glands, and the colder the water, the greater the injury to the stomach. The best time to drink your water is a half hour before or an hour after your meals. A couple large glasses of hot water first thing in the morning will assist your bowels in elimination.

Other benefits of water are hydrotherapy, hot and cold fomentation, enemas, etc.

"God is the source of life and light and joy to the universe. Like rays of light from the sun, like the streams of living water bursting from a living spring, blessings flow out from Him to all His creatures. And wherever the life of God is in the hearts of men, it will flow out to others in love and blessing."—Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 77

7—Nutrition

"And God said, 'Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed...and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat (food)." Genesis 1:29

Proper nutrition is vital to good health. Food that is devitalized cannot supply the vitamins and minerals it lacks. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we choose wisely the food that goes on our table. Vegetables and fruits should be making the greater proportion of our meals, along with whole grains, beans, legumes, and seeds. Nuts can be included in small amounts. From our food, we will obtain all the elements essential for good health: vitamins, minerals, water, carbohydrates, protein, fats, and fiber.

Foods should be prepared with simplicity and variation, perhaps only three or four dishes at a meal, and properly cooked. Food should be carefully chosen and prepared with intelligence and skill. Avoid the use of grease in foods. Lard, butter, and hydrogenated vegetable fats may be classified as grease. If using oil, use natural oils sparingly, such as olive, flax, or canola, and keep it refrigerated.

Avoid sugar. It is not good for the stomach, because it causes fermentation. Milk and sugar clog the system, irritate the digestive organs, and affect the brain. Sugar, when largely used, is more injurious than meat.

Eat raw vegetable salads or raw fruits before the main course. This will stimulate and assist digestion, and help avoid overeating of cooked foods. Fruits and vegetables should not be eaten at the same meal. Eat fruits at one meal and vegetables at another.

Eat sparingly—for strength and not for drunkenness. The benefit you derive from your food does not depend so much upon the amount eaten, as upon its proper combination and thorough digestion. Neither does gratification of taste depend so much upon the amount of food swallowed as upon the length of time it remains in the mouth. Overeating clogs the machinery and weakens the moral power to resist other passions.

Eat at regular intervals, allowing 5-6 hours to elapse between meals. Do not eat a morsel of food between meals. When hungry between meals; simply drink a large glass of cool water. Do not eat before going to bed. The stomach must not be constantly at work, but have periods of rest.

Take time to eat and enjoy mealtimes. Avoid eating compulsively or when emotionally upset, in pain, or overtired.

Eat a substantial breakfast. In the morning, after a good night's rest, the stomach is far better able to digest a hearty meal than at other meals of the day. The practice of eating a little or no breakfast and a heavy supper may be conducive to putting on unwanted pounds.

Two meals a day are better than three; but if a third meal is eaten at all, it should be light and eaten several hours before going to bed. Example: two meals—8 AM and 3 PM or three meals—6 AM, 12 PM, and 6 PM.

In grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are found all the food elements to make good blood.

REMEMBER, include in the diet a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, dark leafy greens, more raw foods, whole grain cereals and breads, vegetable proteins from sources such as dry beans, peas, and other legumes (soybeans, garbanzos, kidney beans, pintos, lentils, etc.), tofu, nuts, seeds, and soybean or rice milk. Our recommendations are a high starch, low fat and moderate protein diet that includes plenty of raw fruits and vegetables.

Reduce the fats, oils, salt, and sugars in the diet and avoid high cholesterol foods such as eggs, cheese, butter, and meats. All animal foods contain cholesterol, and that includes chicken and fish. Let the diet reform be progressive! Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20, and 10:31:

"What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

8—Trust in Divine Power

"And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man." Genesis 2:22

Who is the Great Physician?

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for him that cometh to God must believe that He is, and the He is a rewarded of them that diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

From whom does all healing come?

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding ...it shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." Proverbs 3:5, 8

"If thou will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and will do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His commandment, and keep His statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee." Exodus 15:26

What is His desire for your life?

"Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospereth." 3 John 2

"Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments...which I command thee this day, to do them...and the Lord will take away all sickness and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt...upon thee." Deuteronomy 7:11, 15

Does He want our complete restoration?

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Does a lack of trust create a negative influence?

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Proverbs 17:22

"A sound heart is the life of the flesh; but envy the rottenness of the bones." Proverbs 14:30

Remember, worry, stress, and depression bring decay, disease, and death. The immune system is strengthened by trusting God.

The foundation of all health is in the acceptance of the blessings which the Creator has provided for us. Foremost of these is the privilege we have of choosing our Savior to be our Guide as well as our Great Physician. In fact, the divine purpose of our physical healing is to make us more inclined to accept the spiritual healing Christ longs to perform upon our hearts.

There is an inexpressible peace that comes to one who has learned to trust in God and to lay all things in His hands. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, "Come unto Me...and I will give your rest." Rest from sorrow, rest from fear, and rest from insecurity. But first we must come to Him as our Great Physician. We must trust Him before we can understand and practice His profession or reveal His wisdom and love. The let us resign ourselves to do His will, and endeavor faithfully to follow every instruction He gives for when we come to God, we must be willing to acknowledge and accept His ways as best for us, and follow them, regardless of our own personal preference and prejudices. There may be times when we may not discern His wisdom in certain events, but it is on these occasions that we especially honor Him by our faith. By being obedient to Him in those things which He asketh of us—be it in the physical or spiritual realm—we shall discover that He is guiding us on our way to complete healing.

"Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God.... 'The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy.' James 5:11. His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them.... Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice. There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel. No calamity can befall the least of His children, no anxiety harass the soul, no joy, cheer, no sincere prayer escape the lips, of which our heavenly Father is unobservant, or in which He takes no immediate interest. 'He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds.' Psalm 147:3." — Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 100

        Thank you so very much for reading this beloved!

God Bless you always

Sincerely,

Kevin Hughes with the Historic Message Church

Desire of Ages chapter 19 and John chapter 4

"If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water."

-John 4:10

Dearly beloved Reader,

                   Today has been a very special day, I have seen that the effects of my baptism are evident, in each and every interaction, my prayer is that Jesus will continue to draw me closer. I pray that He would increase and that I would decrease. I am thrilled to report that it is with love joy that His servant publishes this work, the desire of my heart is that this will be a blessing to any who shall read it.

                  Today's morning studies have brought your servant to the 19th chapter of the Desire of Ages; which is such a blessing as it discusses Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well.

             In John the fourth chapter Jesus has labored long and become thirsty, there is a woman drawing water from the well, but she is a Samaritan and the Jews and the Samaritans have a bitter history. Some of the Samaritan ancestors were actually Jews but because of their sinning God allowed them to be taken by a heathen tribe and over time the heathen and Jewish religion became intermingled. While the Samaritans claimed to be worshiping the Living God they were bowing down to graven images. When the temple was being rebuilt in Jerusalem they had sought to assist only to be turned away by the command of the prophets, which lead them to hate the Jews and they built a temple of their own on a nearby mountain, but they worshiped idols there and it never had the blessing of God.  

              "To offer a drink to the thirsty traveler was held to be a duty so sacred that the Arabs of the desert would go out of their way in order to perform it. The hatred between Jews and Samaritans prevented the woman from offering a kindness to Jesus; but the Savior was seeking the key to this heart, and with the tact born of divine love, He asked, not offered, a favor. The offer of a kindness might have been rejected; but trust awakens trust. "
-Ellen G. White Desire of ages 179-180

          The Savior bids the woman, "Give me a drink." John 4:7 The woman startled says "How is it that You being a Jew, ask a drink of me, a Samaritan woman?" John 4:9
Jesus however knows only love for all people, and not actually answering her question He offers her something greater than she can offer Him; saying, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water."  John 4:10

           The woman perceives the "solemn import" of the Savior's words, but she does not comprehend them.
Rather she says, "Sir You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than out father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock." John 4:11,12

         "She was looking backward to the fathers, forward to the Messiah's coming while the Hope of the fathers, the Messiah Himself, was beside her, and she knew Him not."
p. 180

I ask you the very question sister white went on to ask, "How many thirsting souls are today close by the living fountain, yet looking far away for the wellspring of life?"

        The woman had at first presented an almost sarcastic view, thinking Jesus to be some pride filled Pharisee; but then when He offered her the cup of living water she realized that this was no racist Pharisee, but this was surely a man of God, her manner of speaking had changed now to inquisitive, even curious. Then in John 4:13, 14 Jesus does not answer her question directly, but rather chooses to offer her deeper truth promising that if she should drink from the water He gives, she shall "never thirst again."

            Understand that "Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply the need of the soul. Only One can meet that want. The need of the world, 'The Desire of all Nations' is Christ. The divine grace which He alone can impart, is as living water, purifying, refreshing and invigorating the soul."

         Jesus' promise that the woman would never again thirst at first strikes one as odd seeing as how the more God reveals His truth and His word, and His love, the more the human longs for it, but in reality it is simply a fact because, "He who tastes of the love of Christ will continually long for more; but he seeks for nothing else. The riches, honors, and pleasures of the world do not attract him. The constant cry of his heart is, 'More of You.' And He who reveals to the soul its necessity is waiting to satisfy its hunger and thirst."

p. 181

       The woman said to Him "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."
Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."
        The woman answered and said, "I have no husband."
-John 4:15-17

         The woman now desires to draw from the living well, the Savior; but she cannot understand what Jesus truly represents until she has become convicted of her sins. Jesus will not give her the truth until He has laid this conviction on her heart, and she has accepted His saving grace.

        He tells her that she must go get her husband, but not wanting to get distracted she tells him she doesn't have one to keep the conversation from any pursuit in that direction; but the one who reads the hears responds in His loving way.

      Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,' four you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you have spoke truly."
-John 4:17,18
     
         Oh the height of Jesus' love, higher than the heavens above! Jesus saw all this woman's sins, He saw what kept her in chains, just like He does with each of us all beloved! With awe she now looks upon the Savior who knows the secret she hoped would never be known. Jesus does not however leave her in sin! GOD FORBID! He gives her, just as He does all of us, the chance to accept his free gift of grace and leave her life of sin behind.

           With awe she tries to change the subject, she says, "I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship."
John 4:19,20

Oh that I could have the patience of Jesus, this is my prayer, that He would impart this gift of patience onto me!
Jesus allows the woman to steer the conversation, His love for her is so great, He cannot bear that she not receive the truth she longs for. She now sees that Jesus is clearly at the level of a prophet, and He has shown no ill toward her people like the other Jews display, no prejudice exists in the Savior; but now it is time for Him to tear down her wall of prejudice towards the Jews. Jesus replies with love, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him."
           -John 4:21-24

           Jesus calls to attention the fact that the Samaritan religion with its graven images is no more than idolatry like every other graven image; it doesn't matter what you call a statue, the moment you bow down to it, you have committed idolatry. That said, Jesus does not say, "You're not a Jew you don't get in." Like the Pharisees and the Jews of the time, the barren fig tree. Now, He says, "Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Matt 11:28

            Or more specifically, the Savior says, "whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
John 4:14

            "Jesus had convinced her that He read the secrets of her life; yet she felt that He was her friend, pitying and loving her. While the very purity of His presence condemned her sin, He had spoken no words of denunciation, but had told her of His grace, that could renew the soul."
p 184

             Now the woman "Began to have some conviction of His character." a question began to arise in her mind, "Might not this be the long-looked for Messiah?"

         So she brings up the subject "I know the Messiah is coming (who is called Christ). When He comes He will tell us all things." John 4:25

           Jesus then reveals to this humble woman of Samaria what He did not openly state to His own people. His own people who desired to be dazzled by signs and wonders, and who even after that would say, "Prove to us that You are the Son of God." "Prove Your Messiahship now!" To them He pointed to the prophecies, to them He offered signs and wonders, and still they rejected Him.

          Yet to this woman He who knows all said, "I who speak to you am He." John 4:26

How wonderful a thought! The woman rushes into the city proclaiming the coming of the Savior, telling all "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"
John 4:29

          The disciples worry about Jesus who now is invigorated despite having not eaten and still not having drank water either. "Rabbi, eat." they say to Him.

But Jesus is satisfied to share His gospel with souls, and He says, "I have food of which you do not know."
John 4:31,32

           Then Jesus gives His disciples a parable, this is a parable that they must relate to because the Savior knows that they would not have approached this Samaritan woman who now is sharing Christ. He said,

"Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest?' Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look ant the fields, for they are already white for the harvest!"

                    Then the Samaritan woman returns, with the wheat fresh from the harvest. "She (the Samaritan woman) proved herself a more effective missionary than His own disciples."
p 189 In that the moment she heard the truth she shared it.

            Jesus tarried in Samaria for two days and many people were converted. Imagine, that one Samaritan woman, by the Jews rejected, who would have gone unnoticed by at that point, even the apostles, yet she became an instrument by which the Savior brought a multitude to Himself.

               When Jesus brings His children home, by God's grace beloved, I pray that I will be under the tree of life and see that woman with the multitude that she showed to the Savior that day.

Thank you for reading and I pray you're blessed.

  Sincerely,

Kevin Hughes, with the Historic Message Church

Pastor Mike Bauler Study from 3/20/2014 "Revelation 14:6-12 deeper look"

Revelation 14:6-12 deeper look

                        "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth- to every nation tribe, tongue, and people- saying with a loud voice,' fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.' And another angel followed, saying, 'Babylon is fallen is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.' Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, 'If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of Babylon which is poured our full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.'"

Revelation 14:6-10 

Dear Reader,

                This Bible study was conducted last night and I have felt convicted that it must be shared. Shared with my friends who are already in the faith, that they may be blessed by it, as well as for those who are not yet in the faith that the Lord may shed His light on them. My humble prayer is that you will be blessed.

            What is happening? 

            In  Revelation 14:6,7 the Bible is clearly giving us the instruction to worship the one true God who created the heaven's and the earth, the sea, and all that in them is.  Then in v9, and 10 of the same chapter a solemn warning is given to those who worship the beast and receive his mark.

            Choices presented

          Two choices are presented to the world

1. worship God
2. worship the beast 

          Revelation 13:1 describes this beast rising out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns and on his heads a "blasphemous name" see Daniel 7:8, 23-25

           Who is not going to heed the Third Angel's warning?

Revelation 13:8 "ALL who dwell on the earth whose names are NOT written in the Lamb's book of life." 

• most of the world is going to worship the beast, there will only be a remnant of them who are written in the Lamb's book, a remnant who according to Rev 12:17 "keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus."

Understanding 

              Rev 14:1 "Then I looked, and behold a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His father's name written on their foreheads."

In Revelation 7:1 we see a holy angel going about sealing God's people again, "On the forehead"

            A Contrast revealed

        Here we see a great contrast revealed between the world, and God's people. 

1. God's people will have the seal of God; they will have "His name" written on their "Foreheads"
2. the world will accept the beast's mark also on their foreheads and hands.  

What is God's name? And How can we have it "Written on our foreheads?"

             God has many names, but what did He answer when He was asked what His name is?

Exodus 33:18,19 "And he (Moses) said, 'I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory.' Then He said, 'I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."     

• here Moses has asked to see the glory of the Lord; lets see what happens...

Exodus 34:5,6

"Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the NAME OF THE LORD. And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, 'The Lord the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffereing, and abounding in goodness and truth." 

What did the Lord say His name is?

           The Lord says that His name is "Merciful, and Gracious, Longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth."

What does this mean?

           It means that the name of the Lord is His character! 

Okay so we know what Revelation is talking about when it says the "Name of the Lord." It is talking about His character, but how can we get His character on our foreheads?

         To answer this we have to start with a question.

     What does the forehead mean?

Deuteronomy 11:1,18

"Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, and keep His charge, his statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always..."

"Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be frontless between your eyes."

•            God's commandments are to be written where???
•             In your heart and soul, and between your eyes (your forehead)

Heb 10:16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My Laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them"

Isaiah 8:16 "Bind up the testimony, seal the law."

God is promising to write His law upon our minds if we will be His people!

Can you imagine Beloved Reader??? Totally free from sin, with God's very character written on your heart and mind! I would say it was too good to be true but Jesus cannot lie and He is the one who made this promise, claim it for yourself!

             Revelation 14 makes much more sense now, and Revelation 14:12 tells us a little more.

"This is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."

There is that promise again, the Faith of Jesus!

Faith and the Law

          Rom 3:31 "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid! On the contrary we establish it."

So it is our faith of Jesus beloved that allows us to ask for His character and know that He will give unto us as we ask, therefore freeing us from sin and giving us the strength to live like He did, establishing the Law in our hearts and minds.

          Rom 3:20 "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh is justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin." 

             James 1:23 compares the law to a mirror, a mirror cannot remove the stain from your shirt or get that broccoli out of your teeth, it only shows you the blemish so that you can use the toothbrush, or stain remover.

             The law cannot save us because we cannot keep it of ourselves and even if we could it would do no good without faith. It is the faith of Jesus that allows us to keep the Law and gives the law meaning to us. That we might be true to the law in spirit and not only in letter.

         Hebrews 11:1 tells us that Faith is the very evidence of what is unseen, it is what allows us to worship the God we cannot see rather than Babylon which we unfortunately see all too well.

            Hebrews 11:7 tells us that it was faith by which Noah built the Ark, Genesis 6:22 explains that Noah did ALL that God commanded of him. It was faith by which Noah kept the commandments.

So all that is great, but what does God want, what is true worship?

1 Chronicles 16:29 "Give glory to God and worship Him in the beauty of His holiness."

• God will actually make us holy, He will impart His holiness! 
• when this happens we will know Him

John 4:22-24 

• True worship is that of the Spirit
• true worship requires that God impart on us His Holy Spirit

How can I be made pure?

Our last text answers this question. 1 Peter 1:22,23 tells us that it is God's word, the Bible which purifies and makes us holy!

Thank you so much for reading and again I pray that you are blessed.

Sincerely,

Kevin Hughes, your brother in the faith of Jesus

"Responding with love"

Portland Or 3/20/2014

"But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them that spitefully use you and persecute you."

Dear Reader,

                  This is a study I feel convicted to share although it is in no way very meaty, but it is my prayer that it will be a blessing to you my beloved reader. The topic of this humble article is "responding with love"

                Beloved, I will begin by saying that I have already been sent some requests to revisit the topic of "faith v presumption." Well it is my promise to you that there will be another study on that in the future as well as many other topics, I feel impressed to share this specific topic today.

               Today as I was sitting in class I invited some of my classmates my baptism this Saturday, one of the young ladies got very defensive and began bashing the Adventist Church, following every insult with "No offense." which I chuckle at because of course I would not be offended, Paul said in Romans 8:28 that all things work for the good of those who love God, and John tells us that to love God is to "keep His commandments"1 John 5:3; and in 2 Cor 6:3 we are told by Paul to "Give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed." I was of course not offended, rather saddened by this girl. I spoke to her and discovered that her anger blazed against me because she knows nothing of Seventh Day Adventism, not the Bible, but that she is simply upset because her ex-husband is a mormon and she thinks that SDA is the same thing. I explained that it is not, but she would have none of it, to her everyone is a mormon, a christian, or an atheist like her... please pray for this girl who's soul is so clearly oppressed by Satan.

              I did not relent but rather continued to speak to her, I avoided insulting her ex because I do not know him, and I resisted the urge to argue with her, it was not God's purpose for me to win an argument, but to win a soul. I spoke for a little and listened much, letting her tell me all about her personal issue, which she spoke of freely, I feel for her honestly. I understand why she feels the way she does, I only pray that she will look into the truth and be converted when she realizes that not only is SDA very different from mormon, but that it is the truth and that is why it is so radically different than any other denomination.

              I am certainly not telling this story to imply that I have some sort of secret knowledge as to how to deal with people or to say, "look I reacted well under pressure." the fact of the matter is that for most of my life I have reacted very wrong to people, it was only when examining what the Bible says that I realized my great need for a change and decided to allow Jesus to fix this broken life, that I may become someone who doesn't argue about things. I still offer prayer and supplication daily, hoping and praying, and dying to self that my Savior might increase in His servant and live through me! So if you will read on you'll see a study of some things that lead me to see that it was not God's purpose that I should go about winning arguments, but that I should go about winning souls.

                 Now let us reason together with God's word being our guide, as should always be the case, and I pray that this study may be a blessing to you.

                Let us begin with Matt 11:6 where Jesus says "Blessed is He who is not offended because of Me." Now think about this, this is a twofold blessing. Why is that? Well on the one hand we are blessed for accepting Jesus and what He has done for us by living a holy life, dying a holy death, and raising from the dead that we who believe in Him might also raise up on the last day. There is a second part to this blessing though, it is not just for the people on the outside, though I assure you people on the outside are blessed when they are not offended by Jesus but rather accept Him; it is also for us. When we get offended and argue there is no love in that, and "Let us love one another, for love is of God; and every one who loves is born of God and knows God." 1 john 4:7 Beloved, it is not our call to win an argument, but to win souls, if you let your temper take control you inevitably surrender the high ground, therefore you yield the victory even if you do "win the argument" because any witness to that argument will see you as no different than the non-Christian. Not only that the angels will not stay with you when you allow temper to rule, you must pray to God and if we would only pray God would strengthen us against this temptation. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us that God can bring every thought "into captivity" that means EVERY THOUGHT! Because God cannot lie Num 23:19.

             Rather than argue let us cling to the promises of God! Take upon yourself the promise of James 5:7,8 "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." Verse eight was obviously written for our time beloved! How much God loves us that He would send in His word special messages in His word written more for the people in the end times when "His coming is at hand" than for the people actually speaking it. Yet the message applied to them too, why? Because God loves all His children! God's word is so clear on this issue I only with that I had listened to it sooner friends, if I could I'd take back every argument with my mother and every thought that I have thought that was not right towards my parents, and I would will to honor them instead. Not only this, but I would not have argued with my teachers, even when they sought to teach lies such as evolution; I would instead have spoken the words of love to them.

           Beloved if you feel like, "I just can't, I have always had a temper and I know I will fail this test."
Than simply get down on your knees, the same Savior who freed the two demoniacs is still alive today to free us from our demons and vices.

"Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." Heb 12:11

           Paul under the inspiration of God writes that while right now the path God had convicted you of seems difficult it will "yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness." Don't you want to partake of that fruit beloved?!?! 

              When Jesus' earthly parents for a moment lost focus of Him as a child and they spent three days looking for Him in the city, only to find Him in the temple sharing truth with the rabbis Luke 2:43-47; they tried to reprove Jesus saying "Son, why have you done this to us? Look your father and I have sought You anxiously." Luke 2:48 Did Jesus start an argument? Did Jesus say, "well if you had paid closer attention it would not have been!" Certainly not beloved. Jesus answered with a loving rebuke in the form of a question, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" Luke 2:49

Now that beloved, is how I want to respond to EVERY situation; not with cruelty, nor with a quick answer from the tongue, but rather with a kind rebuke that gives my brother and my sister pause. Asking a question which they know as well as I do has but one answer. This is how Jesus operates. He does not yell and get upset, and He would not tolerate that from us, rather He desires that we would live like Him. That we would not be accusatory but rather kind. Take His character upon yourself and let Him live through you. You will soon see that Jesus can make you to answer correctly to situations. The Lord is good my friends and I will close with this.

                 "The positiveness and energy, the solidity and strength of character, manifested in Christ are to be developed in us, through the same discipline that He endured."

-Ellen G. White Desire of Ages p 63 

That is all beloved, if you would like any questions answered or further study on this or other topics please e-mail me at hugheskevin117@gmail.com.

Thank you so much and may the Lord Jesus Christ be with you wherever you go.

           Sincerely

Kevin Hughes

              

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