The Greatest Gift

The Gift of a Lifetime
By Claire Cloninger & Kathy Frizzell 

Before I looked for You
You found me
Before I knew Your name
You knew mine
Before I spoke the prayer
Your precious gift was there
One I never thought I'd find

Chorus
The gift of a lifetime
That's what You gave
Your life as an offering
My life to save
Turning my song of tears
To an anthem of praise
For the gift that You gave
The lift of a lifetime.

It's more than just Your
Hand of blessing
It's who You are
Yourself that I need
And with an open heart
I now receive You Lord
And the life You bring to me

Chorus
The gift of a lifetime
That's what You gave
Your life as an offering
My life to save
Turning my song of tears
To an anthem of praise
For the gift that You gave
The gift of a lifetime
Into the pain that I
Thought I could hide
You brought the gift
Of Your very life

Chorus
The gift of a lifetime
That's what You gave
Your life as an offering
My life to save
Turning my song of tears
To an anthem of praise
For the gift that You gave
The gift that You gave

The gift of a lifetime
That's what You gave
Your life as an offering
My life to save
Turning my song of tears
To an anthem of praise
For the gift that You gave
Is the gift of a lifetime
I'll lift this anthem of praise
For the gift that You gave
The gift of a lifetime
A lifetime

Intresting Riddles

If you have it, you want to share it. If you share it, you don't have it. What is it? A secret. The more you have of it, the less you see. What is it? Darkness What book was once owned by only the wealthy, but now everyone can have it? You can't buy it in a bookstore or take it from a library. A telephone book. What gets whiter the dirtier that it gets? A chalkboard What happened in the middle of the twentieth century that will not happen again for 4,000 years? The year 1961 can be read upside down and that won't happen again until 6009! What has no beginning, end, or middle? A doughnut. What has to be broken before it can be used? An egg. What does no man want, yet no man wants to lose? Work - Employment How many bricks does it take to complete a building made of brick? Only one, the last one. What is everything to someone, and nothing to everyone else? Your mind. Big as a biscuit, deep as a cup, even a river can't fill it up. What is it? A kitchen strainer. What goes up and never comes down? Your age. What's the greatest worldwide use of cowhide? To cover cows. What's long and thin, covered in skin; red in parts, and put in tarts? Rhubarb. What has feet and legs, and nothing else? Stockings What is the moon worth? $1, because it has 4 quarters. What grows when it eats, but dies when it drinks? A candle. What stays where it is when it goes off? An alarm clock You heard me before, yet you hear me again. Then I die, 'til you call me again. What am I? An echo There is a man standing over a dead body in a coffin, and another man walks in and asks, who's in the coffin. The first man replies, brothers and sisters, I have none, but this man's father is my fathers son. Who's in the coffin? His son There are 2 guards. One tells the truth and one lies. There are also 2 doors. One leads to Heaven and the other leads to the devils playground. One guard is in front of each door. You can only ask the guards ONE question and you have to ask the same question to both guards. What you are trying to find out is which door leads to Heaven and which door leads to the devil's playground. Ask each one "What will the other one say is the door to heaven?" They should answer the same. Go in the opposite door they say. Two boxers are in a boxing match (regular boxing, not kick boxing). The fight is scheduled for 12 rounds but ends after 6 rounds, after one boxer knocks out the other boxer. Yet no man throws a punch. How is this possible? They were women boxing. A farmer had seventeen sheep, all but nine died, how many did he have left? 9 A man builds a house with all 4 sides facing south. A bear walks past the house. What color is the bear? Probably a white Polar Bear in the North Pole. A skin have I, more eyes than one. I can be very nice when I am done. What am I? A potato   Before Mount Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain on Earth? Mt.Everest Can a man legally marry his widow's sister in the state of California? No, he's dead Clara Clatter was born on December 27th, yet her birthday is always in the summer. How is this possible? She lived in the southern hemisphere. He has married many women, but has never been married. Who is he? A preacher. How many of each animal did Moses take on the ark? Moses didn’t make the ark, Noah did. How many times can you subtract the number 5 from 25? Once, because after you subtract it's not 25 anymore. How much dirt is in a hole 4 feet deep and 2 feet wide? There is no dirt in a hole. I know a word of letters three, add two and fewer there will be. Few If a rooster laid a brown egg and a white egg, what kind of chicks would hatch? Roosters don't lay eggs. If two's company and three's a crowd, what are four and five? 9 If you were in a dark room with a candle, a woodstove, a match and a gas lamp which do you light first? The match If you were standing directly on Antarcticas South Pole facing north, which direction would you travel if you took one step backward? North Is an old hundred dollar bill better than a new one? No, I'd rather have $100 bill than a new $1 bill. No sooner spoken than broken. What is it? Silence or a promise. Some months have 30 days, some months have 31 days; how many have 28? Every month has at least 28 days. Take off my skin -- I won't cry, but you will! What am I? An onion. The more it dries, the wetter it gets. What is it? A towel. The more you take, the more you leave behind. What are they? Foot steps. There is a clerk at the butcher shop, he is five feet ten inches tall, and he wears size 13 sneakers. He has a wife and 2 kids. What does he weigh? Meat What can burn the eyes, sting the mouth, yet be consumed? Peppers What can go up a chimney down but can't go down a chimney up? An umbrella. What can go up and come down without moving? The temperature. What can pass before the sun without making a shadow? The Earth. What can you catch but not throw? A cold. What crime is punishable if attempted, but is not punishable if committed? Suicide What do the numbers 11, 69, and 88 all have in common? They can all be flipped and still be the same. What do you serve that you can't eat? A tennis ball or guests. What do you throw out when you want to use it, but take in when you don't want to use it? A fishing line. What goes up white and comes down yellow? An egg. What grows up while growing down? A plant. What one word has the most letters in it? Alphabet. What starts with a T, ends with a T, and has T in it? A teapot. What travels around the world yet stays in one corner? A stamp. What two words contain the most letters? post office What's the difference between here and there? The letter T. Which is correct to say, "The yolk of the egg are white," or "The yolk of the egg is white?" Neither, because egg yolks are yellow. Which moves faster: heat or cold? Heat, because you can catch a cold. You answer me, although I never ask you questions. What am I? The telephone.  You can't keep this until you have given it. Your word. There is $21.00 in 1 dollar bills that has to be split evenly among the 2 fathers and 2 sons. How is this possible? There is only really three people...a grandfather, the father, and the father's son who each get $7. A Man walked up to his house and he heard his wife scream " John Don't do it!" and the man ran inside and saw his wife, dead on the floor. Around her was a Baker, Milkman, and a Doctor. The man goes up to the Milkman and says "U did It!". How did the man know he did it? The baker and the doctor were both women and John the milkman was the only guy. What do you call a country, where all the cars in it are pink? A pink carnation. There is an ancient invention still used in some parts of the world today that allows people to see through walls. What is it? A Window What question can someone ask all day long, always get completely different answers, and yet all the answers could be correct? "What time is it?" In a certain city, 5% of all the persons in town have unlisted phone numbers. If you select 100 names at random from that city's phone directory, how many people selected will have unlisted phone numbers? None. If their names are in the phone directory, they do not have unlisted phone numbers! There is a horse tied to a rope. The rope is 10 feet long. There is a bale of hay 23 feet in front of the horse. The horse is able to eat the hay, yet does not break the rope. How is that possible? The rope isn't tied to anything! After a man had been blindfolded, someone hung up his hat. The man walked 100 yards, turned around, and shot a bullet through his hat. How is such a feat possible? His hat was hung over the barrel of the rifle! At a posh restaurant I was having dinner with a noted historian. We were discussing the relative merits of Woodrow Wilson, when my friend turned to me and said, "I'll tell you all you need to know about the character of Woodrow Wilson. Why when he ran for president, his own mother didn't even vote for him!" "Is that true?", I asked. "Of course, it's true," he said. "I know whereof I speak." That ended the discussion. I didn't realize until I got home that, although my friend spoke the truth, I had been tricked. How had I been mislead? Of course Woodrow Wilson's mother did not vote for her son. She couldn't. Women didn't have the right to vote before 1920. How is it possible to shave three times a day and still grow a beard? If you were a barber, you could shave other men three times a day and still grow your own beard. A man fell off a 20-foot ladder and landed on the sidewalk, but he did not get hurt. Why not? He fell off the bottom rung! Why are 1980 pennies worth almost $20? 1,980 pennies equals $19.80, which is almost $20. Which is correct: 18 plus 19 is 36. Or 18 plus 19 are 36? Actually neither is correct - 18 plus 19 is 37! Is it physically possible for you to stand behind your mother, and for your mother to stand behind you at the same time? Yes, if you stand back to back. In a marathon race what does the winning runner lose? Their breath! Why didn't Beethoven finish the Unfinished Symphony? The Unfinished Symphony was started by Schubert, not Beethoven! What has holes but holds water? A sponge David's father has three sons : Snap, Crackle and _____ ? David What is harder to catch the faster you run? Your breath! What is the beginning of eternity, the end of time, and the beginning of every ending? The letter "E". What do some men have they don't want, but would not part it for a million dollars? A bald head. A hundred feet in the air, but it's back is on the ground. What is it? A centipede flipped over. A father's child, a mother's child, yet no one's son. A Daughter. Forward I am heavy, but backward I am not. What am I? Forward I am ton, backwards I am not. What do you fill with empty hands? Gloves What has a foot on each side and one in the middle? A yardstick. What kind of coat can be put on only when wet? A coat of paint. What object has keys that open no locks, space but no room, and you can enter but not go in A computer keyboard. What is once in a minute, twice in a moment, and never in a thousand years? The letter M.

What Parents Say

What Kids Take In

God’s Guidance

God's Promises for His People

 By Mark A. Finley

Have you ever wondered how we can be certain of God’s guidance in the decisions we make? What are the principles of receiving guidance from God? How can we be sure we are following His will and not our own? In today’s lesson we will explore four biblical principles in receiving guidance from God. We will discover an all-knowing God who longs to guide His children in their decisions, and how we can be open to understand His will and let Him lead in our lives.

1. What three things does God promise to do for us? Read the text below and write your answer on the lines provided.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (Ps. 32:8).

God promises to

(a) ________________________________________ you,

(b) ________________________________________ you,

(c) ________________________________________ you.

2. How constant is God’s guidance? Write your answer in the following blank.

“For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death” (Ps. 48:14).

God promises to guide us each day of our lives, even to ________________________________.

PRINCIPLE 1—PRAYER

3. What invitation did God give us to receive His guidance?

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

God invites us to ask for (what) _____________________________________________________

and He will give it (how) _________________________________________________________ .

There may be times when we pray regarding a decision and wonder whether or not we actually are receiving an answer from God or simply following our own desires. God’s answers generally come in the form of growing convictions, not impulsive actions. A divine impression is a growing, constant awareness that God wants us to do something, not usually some split-second impression that may be here today and gone tomorrow.

PRINCIPLE 2—COUNSEL

4. How does God balance our convictions to help us avoid wrong decisions?

“Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Prov. 11:14).

“Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established” (Prov. 15:22).

God provides us with ______________________________________ to help us make good

decisions. If we are wise we will seek out godly counselors in the significant decisions we make.

PRINCIPLE 3—PROVIDENCE

5. As we seek God for guidance in prayer and are open to godly counsel, what specific instruction does God give for knowing His will?

“My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways” (Prov. 23:26).

“Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men” (Ps. 66:5).

God invites us to ________________________ His ways and __________________His works.

When we seek His will, God’s providence will operate in our lives. As we look for doors He opens and observe His ways we will discover His will.

PRINCIPLE 4—THE WORD

6. What illustration did the psalmist use to describe God’s Word as a source of God’s guidance?

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105).

The principles of God’s Word are like a ___________________ and a ____________________ .

God’s will never leads us to where God’s Word is not guiding us. If we make decisions that lead us contrary to God’s Word, we can be certain they are our own decisions and not His. One overriding principle in discerning God’s will is the willingness to do whatever it leads us to do (Ps. 40:8; Matt. 26:39; Heb. 10:7). Another way we can be sure we are following God’s will and not our own is if we are willing to give up the very things we long for the most in order to put God’s will first. Only as we surrender our decisions and their outcomes to Him will we be certain of His guidance.

God longs to guide us. As we follow these biblical principles of guidance, we will make good decisions to the glory of His name, and our lives will be blessed.

Health and Longetivity

Priceless Medicine for a Modern Man

-From amazing facts study guide

Great medical care is priceless - but wouldn't it be great if we didn't need doctors anymore? Did you know there is a proven way to put a lot of doctors out of work? Take care of your body! Scientists have sounded the ominus warnings about cholesterol, tobacco, stress, obesity, and alcohol, so why press your luck? Hospitals and psychiatric institutions are packed with people who have ignored the warnings - do you really want to join them? God truly cares how you treat your body, and He's given you a free health plan, and a manual to go by... the Bible! For amazing facts about how you can have abundant health and longer life, look over this Study Guide - but be sure to read it all before jumping to conclusions! 

 
1.   Are health principles really a part of true Bible religion?
"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 2.
Answer: Yes. In fact, the Bible rates health right near the top of the list in importance. Man's mind, spiritual nature, and body are all interrelated and interdependent. What affects one affects the other. If our bodies are misused, our minds and spiritual natures cannot become what God ordained they should.
2.   Why did God give health rules to His people?
"And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes ... for our good always, that he might preserve us alive." Deuteronomy 6:24. "And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee." Exodus 23:25.
Answer: God gave health rules because He knows what is best for the human body. Automobile manufacturers place an "operations manual" in the glove compartment of each new car because they know what is best for their product. God, who made our bodies, also has an "operations manual." It is called the Holy Bible. Ignoring God's "operations manual" results in disease, twisted thinking, and burned-out lives, just as abusing a car (against the manufacturer's counsel) results in serious car trouble. Following God's rules results in "saving health" (Psalms 67:2) and more abundant life (John 10:10). These great health laws are like a wall or fence to keep out the diseases of Satan. God tells us what these rules are so we can avoid the devil's traps.
3.   Do God's health rules have anything to do with eating and drinking?
"Eat ye that which is good." Isaiah 55:2. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Answer: Yes, a Christian will even eat and drink differently--all to the glory of God--using only "that which is good." If God says a thing is not fit to eat, He must have a good reason. He is not a harsh dictator, but a loving Father. All His counsel is for our good always. The Bible promises: "No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." Psalms 84:11. So if God withholds a thing from us, it is because it is not good.
Note: No person can eat his way into heaven. Eating even the food of angels will not entitle people to paradise. Only acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour can do that. Ignoring God's health laws, however, may cause a person to be lost, because it will ruin his judgment and cause him to sin.
4.   What did God give people to eat when He created them and provided a perfect diet?
"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed ... and every tree ... yielding seed." "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat." Genesis 1:29; 2:16.
Answer: The diet God gave people in the beginning was fruit, grains, and nuts. Vegetables were added a bit later (Genesis 3:18).
5.   What items are specifically mentioned by God as being unclean and forbidden?
Answer: In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, God very clearly points out the following groups as being unclean. Read both chapters in full.
 Pigs are unclean.
A. All animals which do not have a split hoof and chew the cud (Deuteronomy 14:6).
 Shellfish and catfish are unclean.
B. All fish and water creatures that do not have both fins and scales. Nearly all fish are clean (Deuteronomy 14:9).
 Birds of prey are unclean.
C. All birds of prey, carrion eaters, and fish eaters (Leviticus 11:13-20).
 The ones which live all or part-time in water and do not have both fins and scales are unclean.
D. Most "creeping things" (or invertebrates) are also unclean (Leviticus 11:21-47).
Note: These chapters make it clear that most animals, birds, and water creatures people ordinarily eat are clean. There are, however, some very notable exceptions. According to God's rules, the following animals are unclean and are not to be eaten: hogs, squirrels, rabbits, catfish, eels, lobsters, clams, crabs, shrimp, oysters, frogs, and many others.
6.   But I like pork. Will God destroy me if I eat it?
"For, behold, the Lord will come with fire ... and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many. They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves ... eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord." Isaiah 66:15-17.
Answer: This may be shocking, but it is true and must be told. The Bible positively states that all who eat "swine's flesh," the "mouse," and other unclean things that are an "abomination" will be destroyed with fire at the coming of the Lord. When God says to leave something alone and not eat it, we should by all means obey Him. After all, the mere eating of a piece of forbidden fruit by Adam and Eve, a sinless couple, brought sin and death to this world in the first place. Can anyone say it doesn't matter, when God so clearly shows it does? God says men will be destroyed because they "chose that in which I delighted not." Isaiah 66:4.
7.   But didn't this law of clean and unclean animals originate at Sinai? Wasn't it for the Jews only, and didn't it end at the cross?
"And the Lord said unto Noah, ... Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens ... and of beasts that are not clean by two." Genesis 7:1, 2.
Answer: No indeed! The Bible has ample evidence that there were clean and unclean animals from the very dawn of Creation. Noah lived long before any Jews existed, but he knew of the clean and unclean, because he took into the ark the clean animals by "sevens" and the unclean by "twos." Revelation 18:2 refers to some birds as being unclean just before the second coming of Christ. The death of Christ had no altering effect whatever on these health laws, since the Bible says that all who break them will be destroyed when Jesus returns (Isaiah 66:15-17). The Jew's stomach and digestive system in no way differs from that of a Gentile. These health laws are for all people for all time.
8.   Does the Bible forbid the use of alcoholic beverages?
"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Proverbs 20:1. "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder." Proverbs 23:31, 32. "Neither fornicators ... nor drunkards ... shall inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10.
Answer: Yes, the Bible clearly forbids the use of alcoholic beverages.
9.   Does the Bible condemn the use of tobacco?
Answer: Yes, the Bible gives six reasons why the use of tobacco is displeasing to God:
A. The use of tobacco injures health and defiles the body. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17.
 The use of tobacco in any form is displeasing to God.
B. Nicotine is an addictive substance that enslaves people. Romans 6:16 says that we become servants to whomever (or whatever) we yield ourselves. Tobacco users are servants of nicotine. Jesus says, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matthew 4:10.
C. The tobacco habit is unclean. "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." 2 Corinthians 6:17. It is really preposterous to think of Christ using tobacco in any form, isn't it?
D. The use of tobacco wastes money. "Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?" Isaiah 55:2. We are God's stewards of the money given us, and "it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." 1 Corinthians 4:2.
E. The use of tobacco never draws anyone closer to Christ. "Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." 1 Peter 2:11. Tobacco use is a fleshly lust.
F. The use of tobacco shortens life. Recent scientific findings confirm the fact that the use of tobacco often shortens the life span by as much as one-third. This breaks God's command against killing (Exodus 20:13). Even though it is slow murder, it is still murder. One of the best ways to postpone your funeral is to quit using tobacco.
10.   What are some of the simple, yet very important, health laws found in the Bible?
Answer: Here are 11 Bible health rules:
 Eating meals at regular hours is very important.
A. Eat your meals at regular intervals, and do not use animal fat or blood. "Eat in due season." Ecclesiates 10:17. "It shall be a perpetual statute ... that ye eat neither fat nor blood." Leviticus 3:17.
Note: Recent scientific studies have confirmed the fact that most heart attacks result from a high cholesterol level in the blood--and that the use of "fats" is largely responsible for this high level. It looks like the Lord knows what He is talking about after all, doesn't it?
 Christ specifically warns His followers not to overeat.
B. Don't overeat. "Put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite." Proverbs 23:2. In Luke 21:34, Christ specifically warns against "surfeiting" (overeating) in the last days. Overeating is responsible for many degenerative diseases.
C. Don't harbor envy or hold grudges. These evils disrupt body processes. The Bible says that envy brings "rottenness of the bones." Proverbs 14:30. Christ even commands us to clear up grudges that others may hold against us (Matthew 5:23, 24).
 A cheerful, happy disposition benefits health.
D. Maintain a cheerful, happy disposition. "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." Proverbs 17:22. "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7. Many diseases from which people suffer are a result of mental depression. A cheerful, happy disposition imparts health and prolongs life.
 Ample sleep is essential to good health.
E. Put full trust in the Lord. "The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied." Proverbs 19:23. Trust in the Lord strengthens health and life. "My son, attend to my words. ... For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." Proverbs 4:20-22. So health comes from obedience to God's commands and from putting full trust in Him.
F. Balance work and exercise with sleep and rest. "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work." Exodus 20:9, 10. "The sleep of a labouring man is sweet." Ecclesiates 5:12. "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." Genesis 3:19. "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late." Psalms 127:2. "For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? ... his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity." Ecclesiastes 2:22, 23.
 Cleanliness is crucial for health.
G. Keep your body clean. "Be ye clean." Isaiah 52:11.
H. Be temperate in all things. "Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things." 1 Corinthians 9:25. "Let your moderation be known unto all men." Philippians 4:5. A Christian will completely avoid all things that are harmful and will be moderate in the use of things that are good. Habits that injure health break the command "Thou shalt not kill." They kill by degrees. They are suicide on the installment plan.
I. Avoid all harmful stimulants. Here is a surprise for some. Medical science has confirmed the fact Caffeine harms the body.
that tea, coffee, and soft drinks that contain the addictive drug caffeine and other harmful ingredients are all positively damaging to the human body. None of these contain food value except through the sugar or cream added, and most of us already use too much sugar. Stimulants give a dangerous, artificial boost to the body and are like trying to carry a ton in a wheelbarrow. The popularity of these drinks is due not to flavor or advertising, but to the dose of caffeine they contain. Many Americans are sickly because of their addiction to coffee, tea, and caffeinated soft drinks. But the real tragedy is that men and women seeking peace and strength are using tea and coffee as cheap substitutes for prayer and Bible study. This delights the devil and wrecks human lives.
J. Make mealtime a happy time. "Every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God." Ecclesiastes 3:13. Unhappy scenes at mealtime hinder digestion. Avoid them.
 Helping people in need enhances your health.
K. Help those who are in need. "Loose the bands of wickedness, ... undo the heavy burdens, ... deal thy bread to the hungry, and ... bring the poor that are cast out to thy house ... when thou seest the naked, ... cover him ... and thine health shall spring forth speedily." Isaiah 58:6-8. This is too plain to misunderstand: when we help the poor and needy, we improve our own health.
11.   What solemn reminder is given to those who ignore God's rules?
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:7.
Answer: The answer is too plain to miss. Those who break God's rules regarding the care of the body machine will reap broken bodies and burned-out lives, just as one who abuses his automobile will have serious car trouble. And those who continue to break God's laws of health will ultimately be destroyed by the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17). God's health laws are not arbitrary. They are natural, established laws of the universe, like the law of gravity. Ignoring these laws always brings certain disastrous results. The Bible says, "The curse causeless shall not come." Proverbs 26:2. Trouble comes when we ignore the laws of health. God, in mercy, tells us what these laws are so we may avoid the tragedies that result from breaking them.

12.   What fearful, shocking truth about health involves our children and grandchildren?
"Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee." Deuteronomy 12:25. "I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." Exodus 20:5.
Answer:  A person may suffer because of his parents' or grandparents' bad health habits.
God makes it very plain that children and grandchildren (to the fourth generation) pay for the folly of parents who ignore God's health rules. The children and grandchildren inherit weakened, sickly bodies when mother and father defy God's rules for their lives. Is this what you want for your dear children and grandchildren?
13.   What more fearful, sobering fact does God's Word reveal?
"There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth." Revelation 21:27. "But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God." Ezekiel 11:21.
Answer: Nothing defiling or unclean will be permitted in God's kingdom. All filthy habits defile a person. Use of improper food defiles a person (Daniel 1:8). It is sobering, but true. Choosing their "own ways" and that in which God "delighted not" will cost people their eternal salvation (Isaiah 66:3, 4, 15-17).
14.   What should every sincere Christian endeavor to do at once?
"Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit." 2 Corinthians 7:1. "Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he [Christ] is pure." 1 John 3:3. "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15.
Answer: Sincere Christians will bring their lives into harmony with God's rules at once, because they love Him. They know that His rules greatly add to their happiness and protect them from the devil's diseases (Acts 10:38). God's counsel and rules are always for our good, just as good parents' rules and counsel are best for their children. And once we know better, God holds us accountable. "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." James 4:17.
15.   But I'm worried because some of my evil habits have bound me so tightly. What can I do?
"As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God." John 1:12. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13.
Answer: Take all of these habits to Christ and lay them at His feet. He will joyfully give you a new heart and the power you need to break any evil habit and become a son or daughter of God (Ezekiel 11:18, 19). How thrilling and heartwarming it is to know that "with God all things are possible." Mark 10:27. And Jesus says, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37. Jesus is ready to break the shackles that bind us. He longs to set us free, and will, if only we will permit it. Our worries, evil habits, nervous tensions, and fears will be gone when we do His bidding. He says, "These things have I spoken unto you ... that your joy might be full." John 15:11. The devil argues that freedom is found in disobedience, but this is a falsehood (John 8:44).
16.   What thrilling promises are given about God's new kingdom?
"And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick." Isaiah 33:24. "And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." Revelation 21:4. "They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31.
Answer: The citizens of God's new kingdom will obey His health laws, and there will be no sickness or disease. They will be blessed with eternal vigor and youth and will live with God in supreme joy and happiness throughout all eternity.
17.   Since healthful living truly is a part of Bible religion, it is my plan to follow God's health rules.
Answer: Thought Questions
1.   1 Timothy 4:4 says, "Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused." Can you explain this? (1 Timothy 4:4)
This Scripture passage (verse 3) refers to meats "which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving" by His people. These meats, as we have already discovered, are the clean meats listed in Leviticus chapter 11 and Deuteronomy chapter 14. Verse 4 makes it clear that all creatures of God are good and not to be refused, provided they are among those created to "be received with thanksgiving" (the clean animals). Verse 5 tells why these animals (or foods) are acceptable: they are "sanctified" by God's Word, which says they are clean, and by a "prayer" of blessing, which is offered before the meal. Please note, however, that God will destroy people who try to "sanctify themselves" while eating unclean foods (Isaiah 66:17).
2.   Matthew 15:11 says, "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out." How do you explain this? (Matthew 15:11)
The subject in Matthew 15:1-20 is eating without first washing the hands (verse 2). The focus is not eating, but washing. The scribes taught that eating any food without a special ceremonial washing defiled the eater. Jesus said the ceremonial washings were meaningless. In verse 19, He listed certain evils--murders, adulteries, thefts, etc. Then He concluded, "These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." Verse 20.
3.   But didn't Jesus cleanse all animals in Peter's vision, as recorded in Acts 10? (Acts 10:13)
No! In fact, the subject of this vision is not animals, but people. God gave Peter this vision to show him that the Gentiles were not unclean, as the Jews believed. God had instructed Cornelius, a Gentile, to send men to visit Peter. But Peter would have refused to see them if God had not given him this vision, because Jewish law forbade entertaining Gentiles (verse 28). But when the men finally did arrive, Peter welcomed them, explaining that ordinarily he would not have done so, but "God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean." Verse 28. In the next chapter (Acts 11), the church members criticized Peter for speaking with these Gentiles. So Peter told them the whole story of his vision and its meaning. And Acts 11:18 says, "When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."
4.   What did God make the hog for, if not to eat? (Isaiah 66:17)
He made it for the same purpose that He made the buzzard--as a scavenger to clean up garbage. And the hog serves this purpose admirably.
5.   Romans 14:3, 14, 20 says: "Let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth." "There is nothing unclean of itself." "All things indeed are pure." Can you explain this? (Romans 14:3)
Verses 3 through 6 are a discussion of those who eat certain things versus those who do not. The passage does not say either is right, but rather counsels that neither pass judgment on the other. Instead, let God be the Judge (verses 4,10-12). Verses 14 and 20 refer to foods that were first offered to idols (and were thus ceremonially unclean)--not to the clean and unclean meats of Leviticus chapter 11. (Read 1 Corinthians 8:1, 4, 10, 13). The point of the discussion is that no food is "unclean" or "impure" just because it has first been offered to idols, because an idol is "nothing in the world." 1 Corinthians 8:4. But if a person's conscience bothers him for eating such food, he should leave it alone. Or even if it merely offends a brother, he should likewise abstain.
6.   Are health laws and eating and drinking really important to me personally? If I love the Lord, isn't that enough? (Romans 12:1)
They are a matter of life versus death, because these laws involve obedience. "He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." Hebrews 5:9. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 7:21. Love to Christ is involved here because He says, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15. When we truly love the Lord, we will gladly obey Him without dodging or making excuses. This is the supreme test.
Quiz Questions
1.   Following God's health rules for the human body (1)
___   Is necessary for children, but not of great importance to an adult.
___   Is a very important part of true Bible religion.
___   Has nothing to do with a person's religion.
2.   God's health laws were given (1)
___   By a loving God who made us in the beginning and knows what is best for our happiness.
___   For the Jews only and do not apply today.
___   To show us He is boss and can control us.
3.   A true Christian will (1)
___   Eat and drink anything he desires.
___   Just love the Lord supremely and ignore His health laws because they were done away with at the cross.
___   Eat and drink only those things which will strengthen the body, mind, and character and bring honor to God.
4.   Man's first diet (1)
___   Consisted of fruit, grains, and nuts.
___   Included alcoholic beverages and flesh foods.
___   Consisted of anything and everything that Adam and Eve wanted.
5.   God lists these creatures as unclean: (7)
___   Cow.
___   Pig.
___   Chicken.
___   Squirrel.
___   Rabbit.
___   Catfish.
___   Deer.
___   Trout.
___   Clam.
6.   Alcoholic beverages are (1)
___   All right for a Christian if used in moderation.
___   Wrong for a person to use only if he thinks they are wrong.
___   Not to be used by a Christian.
7.   The use of tobacco is (1)
___   Each person's private business and has no relationship whatever to his religion.
___   Sinful, and a Christian will not use it in any form.
___   Beneficial to the Christian.
8.   Check the health laws listed below which are God's health laws: (9)
___   Don't overeat.
___   Smoke after each meal.
___   Be happy and cheerful.
___   Drink some liquor before meals.
___   Keep your body clean.
___   Eat lots of pork.
___   Drink plenty of coffee and tea.
___   Be temperate in all things.
___   Eat meals at regular intervals.
9.   A very important truth regarding God's health laws is that (1)
___   Children and grandchildren often have weak bodies and minds because parents ignore God's health laws.
___   These laws were for the Jews only and do not apply today.
___   If we really love Christ, His health laws are unimportant.
10.   The best way to overcome sinful habits is to (1)
___   'Taper off.'
___   Yield fully to Christ, who gives us power to do all things.
___   Hope they will go away.
11.   God's health laws are (1)
___   Like the rules for operating a car: They are best for us, and we run into serious trouble when we ignore them.
___   Part of Moses' law that was done away at the cross.
___   A good idea, but do not affect a person's relation to God.
12.   A sincere Christian will (1)
___   Spend more time praying and ignore God's health rules.
___   Immediately change any habit when he finds it conflicts with God's rules, because when we love Christ, we will gladly keep His rules and commandments.
___   Feel free to use tobacco.
Adventist Health Emphasis
Written by Theodore R. Flaiz
1. The question is often asked, "Why do Seventh-day Adventists give such signifi­cant attention to questions of health, apparently with a close relationship to their religious convictions?" The answer lies in their understanding of the nature of man. If they correctly interpret Biblical teaching on the matter, man is a complex entity consist­ing of a physical, an intellectual, and a spir­itual nature. In the absence of any one of these entities, or natures, there is no man. The spiritual alone or the intellectual alone does not exist. The physical alone is but a lump of clay. The three together in right form constitute man, the whole man. (See Counsels on Health, page 66.)
2. Imperfections alter state. The spir­itual entity may be blighted by immoral­ity in any form, the intellect may be marred by mental disease or emotional instability, or the physical may be marked by deform­ity or disease. In any such deviation from the original perfection the resulting entity is not a whole man.
a. Sin.—The first of these shortcomings results from conflict with or violation of God's moral precepts. Willful violation of such nature is referred to as sin, the viola­tion of God's moral law.
b. Mental defects.—The weakening or the blight of the intellectual entity may have resulted from violation of the laws of the mind or may be inherited from an­cestry that was in some way in such con­flict.
c. Physical disease.—Disease of the body, physical disease, results from the violation of the laws of health, more often by the in­dividual himself, but possibly by an ances­tor. Disease may be the result of the viola­tion of laws as inexorable as the law of gravity—perhaps the violation of the laws of hygienic eating and exercise, with ulcers or possibly an early coronary as the result.
3. Is violation of physical law a moral question? The violation of moral precept makes a man a sinner before God. And transgression of the known laws of one's physical being, such as the intemperance that brings on ulcers of the stomach or hy­pertension, is just as surely sin. In either case the image of the whole man is marred, recognized or known laws of his being are violated, and a portion of the penalty for such violation begins to be experienced by the offender.
Comment.—"A continual transgression of nature's laws is a continual transgression of the law of God. . . . Men and women cannot violate natural law by indulging de­praved appetites and lustful passions, with­out violating the law of God."—Counsels on Health, pp. 20, 21.
4. Adventist emphasis. Seventh-day Ad­ventists hold that any matter affecting the wholeness of man—spiritual, physical, in­tellectual—is a legitimate concern of reli­gion. It will be our attempt in this study to explore the Biblical basis for such a concept and to draw from the Spirit of Prophecy and other sources a better understanding of how we may intelligently relate our­selves to this question of health.
II. Biblical Statement—Our Bodies a Sacred Trust
1. Our bodies are the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16).
Comment.—"God has given you a habita­tion to care for, and preserve in the best condition for His service and glory. Your bodies are not your own."—Ibid., p. 622. "A misuse of the body shortens that pe­riod of time which God designs shall be used in His service. By allowing ourselves to form wrong habits, by keeping late hours, by gratifying appetite at the expense of health, we lay the foundation for feeble­ness. By neglecting to take physical exer­cise, by overworking mind or body, we un­balance the nervous system. Those who thus shorten their lives by disregarding na­ture's laws, are guilty of robbery toward God. We have no right to neglect or mis­use the body, the mind, or the strength, which should be used to offer God conse­crated service."—Ibid., p. 41.
2. To glorify God in our bodies. We are "bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your bodv, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Cor. 6:20).
Comment.—"Our bodies are not our own. God has claims upon us to take care of the habitation He has given us, that we may present our bodies to Him a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable."—Ibid., p. 73.
3. Bodies a living sacrifice. Paul's ad­monition (Rom. 12:1).
Note.—"It is impossible for a man to pre­sent his body a living sacrifice, holy, ac­ceptable to God, while continuing to in­dulge habits that are depriving him of physical, mental, and moral vigor."—Ibid., p. 23.
Note from experience of Daniel.—"In that ancient ritual which is the gospel in symbol, no blemished offering could be brought to God's altar. The sacrifice that was to represent Christ must be spotless. The word of God points to this as an il­lustration of what His children are to be, —'a living sacrifice,' 'holy and without blemish.' "—Prophets and Kings, p. 489.
4. Only one life to live.
Comment.—"Only one lease of life is granted to us; and the inquiry with every­one should be, 'How can I invest my pow­ers so that they may yield the greatest profit? How can I do most for the glory of God and the benefit of my fellow men?' For life is valuable only as it is used for the attainment of these ends."—Counsels on Health, p. 107.
III. Our Example—The Great Physician
1. Changes at the Fall. At the Fall, man lost not only his spiritual and intellectual perfection but also his physical perfection, and he began to die. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. Although Jesus preached the gospel, the good news of salvation, in its spiritual sense, He spent more time re­pairing broken bodies than He did preach­ing. He thereby gave evidence that physical restoration, physical health, are of signifi­cance in Christian religion.
2. Areas of Christ's interest.
a. Prevention.—Health education, "sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee" (John 5:14).
b. Therapeutic.—"And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them" (Matt. 15:30).
c. Welfare.—"I have compassion on the multitude, ... I will not send them away fasting. . . . And they did all eat" (Matt. 15:32).
3. Jesus is our example in medical min­istry. Under the impulse of His love and compassion He worked for the health and comfort of the multitude. His health work was focused upon the immediate health need of the individual or the multitude.
Relating Ourselves to Health Reform
I. Our Relationship Is Concerned With Our Health
1. Emphasis is on health, not on any dogma, ritualistic considerations, or taboos.
2. If our particular attitude toward health principles is such that the result is an anemic, sickly body, or worse, our in­terpretation of health reform is in error. The purpose of health reform is health. Health that we might better glorify God through effective service to God and to our fellow men.
" 'The more perfect our health, the more perfect will be our labor.' "—The Story of Our Health Message, p. 78.
3. Consistency.—"Those who advocate an unpopular truth should, above all others, seek to be consistent in their own life. They should not try to see how dif­ferent they can be from others, but how near they can come to those whom they wish to influence, that they may help them to the positions they themselves so highly prize. Such a course will commend the truths they hold. . . . When those who ad­vocate hygienic reform carry the matter to extremes, people are not to blame if they become disgusted. Too often our religious faith is thus brought into disrepute. . . . These extremists do more harm in a few months than they can undo in a lifetime." —Counsels on Health, pp. 153, 154.
II. Health a Sacred Trust
1. Health and character, a great treas­ure.
Comment.—"The health should be as sacredly guarded as the character."—Funda­mentals of Christian Education, p. 147.
"Health is a great treasure. It is the rich­est possession mortals can have. ... It is a terrible sin to abuse the health that God has given us."—Counsels on Health, p. 186.
2. Health concerns. Health reform, then, is concerned with any matters important to our health. Proper nutrition, fresh air, ex­ercise, proper clothing for the cold weather, digitalis for certain serious heart disease, quinine for malaria, sanitary precautions to prevent dysentery, and urgent skillful surgery for intestinal obstruction—all are of concern in the intelligent care of the health.
The counsel is concerning the health which should be guarded, not the methods, the procedures, or the practices. If our ef­forts do not contribute to health, then we must conclude that what we practice is not health reform, and may be a witness against the very idea of health reform.
3. Relative importance of health efforts. Comment.—"Every faculty with which the Creator has endowed us, should be cultivated to the highest degree of perfec­tion, that we may be able to do the great­est amount of good of which we are capable. Hence that time is spent to good account which is used in the establishment and preservation of physical and mental health."—Ibid., p. 107.
4. Sacred duty.
Comment.—" 'I saw that it was a sacred duty to attend to our health, and [to] arouse others to their duty. . . . We have a duty to speak, to come out against in­temperance of every kind—intemperance in working, in eating, in drinking, in drug­ging. ... I saw that it was duty for every­one to have a care for his health. . . . The more perfect our health, the more perfect will be our labor.' "—The Story of Our Health Message, pp. 77, 78.
Here again the emphasis is on health, "The more perfect our health, the more perfect will be our labor."
6. Health reform recognizes varying cir­cumstances of the people. If health is the objective of health reform, it will vary according to the circumstances or the needs of the individual or the community. It will emphasize the need of the person concerned or of the community concerned. Examples:
a. For the peasant in parts of South India, many of whom suffer from beriberi, it will emphasize the necessity of eating the whole-grain rice, his best assurance of pro­tection from beriberi. It will counsel a moderation in his use of the hot chilies, which may cause inflammation if not actual ulceration of the stomach or duodenum. It will not advise leaving these red peppers off entirely, for they may be his only source of the protective vitamin C.
b. Health reform will counsel the peas­ant of East Bengal to guard himself against the deadly malignant tertian malaria by sleeping under nets, and if he should con­tract the disease, it will counsel him to take the appropriate medication. It will teach him to do more in growing his own fresh vegetables, to grow more of the papaya fruits, and it will not advise against the abundantly available fish until something better is available.
c. Health reform will recognize the vary­ing needs of the farmer, the woodsman, or miner as opposed to the professional man, the businessman, or the student. It will recognize the limited food requirement of the elderly, who if their work schedule per­mits proper spacing of meals may do well on two good meals a day, while recognizing that the same program for growing children would be not only harmful to health but would constitute an act of actual cruelty.
d. Physical health and spirituality.— "The health of body is to be regarded as essential for growth in grace and the ac­quirement of an even temper. If the stomach is not properly cared for, the for­mation of an upright, moral character will be hindered. The brain and nerves are in sympathy with the stomach. Erroneous eat­ing and drinking result in erroneous think­ing and acting."—Counsels on Health, p. 134.
e. Religion and health not incompatible. —"The view held by some that spirituality is a detriment to health, is the sophistry of Satan. The religion of the Bible is not detri­mental to the health of either body or mind. The influence of the Spirit of God is the very best medicine for disease.
Heaven is all health. . . . The relation which exists between the mind and the body is very intimate. When one is af­fected, the other sympathizes."—Ibid., p. 28.
f. The true health reformer will not evi­dence gloom, criticism, or faultfinding in his life and relationship to others, but will radiate joy, courage, enthusiasm, and evi­dence of a more abundant life. The true health reformer will emphasize the posi­tive, the constructive, not the negative.
III. Health Affects Our Efficiency and Performance
1. Affects our denominational service. Speaking of some practical health sugges­tions, Mrs. White says that "these are not matters of trifling importance. We must pay attention to them if healthful vigor and a right tone are to be given to the vari­ous branches of the work."—Gospel Work­ers, p. 242.
Note that in this reference Mrs. White calls attention to health as relates to a "healthful vigor" in the work. The empha­sis is on health, and this is because it is essential to efficient performance, not out of respect for some procedure, practice, or prohibition, all of which are only a means to an end. Health, in turn, is a means to more effective service.
2. Proportionate relationship stated.
Comment.—"The character and efficiency of the work depend largely upon the phys­ical condition of the workers."'—Ibid.
3. Results of ill health in sermons.
Comment.—"Many committee meetings and other meetings for counsel have taken an unhappy tone from the dyspeptic con­dition of those assembled. And many a sermon has received a dark shadow from the minister's indigestion."—Ibid.
4. Willing ignorance of health is sin.
Comment.—"He who remains in willing ignorance of the laws of his physical being and who violates them through ignorance is sinning against God. All should place themselves in the best possible relation to life and health."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 348. Paul states he "that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things" (1 Cor. 9:25).
5. Avoid the negative approach.
a. Our health emphasis is a positive, a constructive, concept.
b. Fanaticism places the emphasis on the negative, the prohibitions.
c. This explains why fanatics, extremists, are often anemic and unhappy people.
d. Health does not come by not doing things. It is the product of doing those things that make for health.