20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Revelation of Hope
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My topic tonight is Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Does the book of Revelation give us any specific instruction about our own lifestyle? Does God have a plan of physical, mental and spiritual survival outlined in Revelation?
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Do our lifestyle choices really make a difference at endtime?
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Are the diseases that are plaguing us in the 21st century merely a matter of chance? Is God some kind of celestial dictator who points His finger at you and says your time is up?
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Is health like rolling the dice? When your number comes up you are doomed? Some people seem to think so. 5
Is health a matter of chance or choice? Dr. Neil Nedley tells a fascinating story of monitoring a patient who was taking a tread mill test. 6
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Dr. Nedley stood by the treadmill and the patient looked at him and said, “Doctor, I really don’t think my lifestyle makes much difference at all. “We each have a time we are going to die; that time is set and there is nothing we can do about it.
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“When God calls your number, it’s up and your life is over.” Dr. Nedley explained to his patient that some people can bring about pre-mature disease and death by their lifestyle choices. Our choices can either add years to our life or our choices can subtract years from our life. More and more scientific research indicates that our physical health is a matter of choice and it’s not a matter of chance.
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The overwhelming amount of medical evidence clearly demonstrates that our daily choices affect our likelihood of living a long and healthy life. 9
I am convinced that the devil is anxious to destroy our health and God wants to build it up.
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The Book of Revelation presents two opponents in this titanic struggle between good and evil. Satan, the destroyer, and Jesus, the Restorer. Satan is out to take away our freedom by leading us into bondage by enslaving us in destructive physical habits.
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best He deceives millions of Christians into thinking it does not make any difference how they treat their bodies as long as their hearts are right with God. The Book of Revelation reveals Satan as a destroyer.
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Revelation 12:9 “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world . . .” 13
One of Satan’s ways of controlling human beings is to deceive them that certain lifestyle practices give them freedom, when in actuality they lead them into bondage. He leads people into the bondage of drugs, tobacco and alcohol. When they become enslaved in their addictions, Satan deceives them in to thinking they are happy.
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They have the illusion of happiness when they are really in bondage to tobacco, sexual immorality, drugs or alcohol. Revelation gives us this warning. Revelation 21:26, 27 “And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 15
But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie,
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Here is an incredible contrast picture: Those who give God glory in their entire lifestyle enter God’s eternal city, New Jerusalem.
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Those who accept Satan’s lies and defile their bodies are outside the city. The way we care for our bodies on earth reveals how we would care for them through all eternity. The body is not a fun house. It is a temple for the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. In 3 John verse 2 the Bible says,
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“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” Some people say, “It really doesn’t matter what you drink. It really doesn’t matter what you eat.”
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“It really doesn’t make a difference if you smoke. It doesn’t really make a great deal of difference if you use drugs.” Because, they say, “God is interested in your soul.” The Bible does not teach a separation between soul and body.
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There is a Greek idea, called Greek dualism. It says you can do anything to your body, but it’s not going to affect your soul. The Bible teaches that we are whole persons. God wants to save us completely, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. In fact, God’s last day message in the Book of Revelation says—
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Revelation 14:7 “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; 22
and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” In the judgment hour, in the last days of earth’s history, God calls us to give glory to Him.
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He calls us to live in harmony with the health laws he has placed in our bodies. God longs for us to be healthy. He says, “Give glory to Him” in this judgment hour. What does it mean to glorify God? How do I give glory to God? The apostle Paul answers the question. 24
1 Corinthians 6:20 “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 25
The Bible calls us to glorify God in our physical bodies. We are bought with a price. The price of the precious blood of Jesus on Calvary. He’s purchased our mind. He’s purchased our spirit, our spiritual life. He has purchased our body. The Bible says—
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 26
We glorify God or dishonor Him in the way we treat our bodies. When Christ was nailed to the cross on Calvary, He purchased our body. We are twice His: He created us and He redeemed us. 27
In Romans 12:1 NIV, the apostle Paul makes it plain, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, 28
holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” It’s a spiritual act of worship to eat for God’s honor and glory It is a spiritual act of worship to refrain from tobacco, alcohol, addictive drugs, and to refrain from immorality.
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You see, my friends, God is calling for a people who are completely committed to Him. He is calling for a people who are dedicated mentally, physically and spiritually to Him. There are some lifestyle practices which destroy our bodies. The scientific evidence indicates that smoking is one of America’s deadly killers. I’ve had people say to me, “But, I am— Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Dying for a smoke.” That’s exactly right. They are dying for a smoke. Dr. Linus Pauling, one of the few scientists ever to win two Nobel Prizes, said—
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“Every cigarette you smoke takes 14.5 minutes off your life.” In other words, smoking is committing slow suicide. I enjoy life too much to smoke 30 cigarettes a day and take off 450 plus minutes of my life. Someone says, “Oh, you mean as a Christian you can’t smoke. You’re in bondage, you can’t smoke.”
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Who is in bondage? The person who hikes up a mountain breathing fresh air— 33
Or the person who can’t walk across the street because he is suffering from emphysema? Who is in bondage? I thank God that He calls Christians from any lifestyle practices that destroy them.
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Beckman Research Institute is a premier center for pioneering biomedical research in the United States. They say— It is estimated that cigarette smoking kills over 1,000,000 people each year.
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According to Cancer Research UK: “Smoking is the single biggest cause of cancer in the world.” In the UK, smoking kills five times more people than road accidents, overdoses, murder, suicide and HIV all put together. Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Studies from Europe, Japan and North America have shown that 9 in 10 lung cancers are caused by smoking. Tobacco smoke contains about 70 different cancercausing substances. When you inhale smoke, these chemicals enter your lungs and spread around the rest of your body.
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Scientists have shown that these chemicals can damage DNA and change important genes. This causes cancer by making your cells grow and multiply out of control. 38
Smokers have a 25% higher risk of a heart attack than nonsmokers.
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The very first puff of smoke reaching a person’s lungs causes his blood vessels to contract, constricting the flow of blood forcing the heart to work harder. 40
Nicotine causes the arteries to shrink. The blood flow is restricted by the narrower openings. 41
When arteries get smaller and smaller, clots get caught in the blood vessel and then a stroke or heart attack happens. 42
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Probably one of the most damaging effects of cigarette smoking is to the unborn child. Scientific studies show smoking affects not only the smoker, it affects their children.
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If you are pregnant, it affects your baby. More and more studies are being done on what happens to that child if the mother smokes. There are more pre-mature babies and more babies that have complications at birth. Secondhand smoke has also become a real problem. If you have children in the home, it affects them.
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They have more colds. Recent studies indicate children of smokers have a higher cancer risk due to second hand smoke. Do you really want to pollute the atmosphere surrounding your kids with tobacco smoke?
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The power of God will enable you to quit. By the grace of God, you can be free. You can present your body “a living sacrifice.” Someone says, “What does this have to do with the Book of Revelation?” It has everything to do with Revelation. Revelation 3:21 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, . . .” 46
Through His grace you can overcome. Revelation declares, “Those who enter the gates of heaven will not be defiling their bodies.” God says there is a message calling men and women back to worshipping their Creator. Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best We’re living in a time when men and women have turned their backs on the physical laws of health that God has given throughout scripture. As a person quits smoking there is some real good news. The good news is— 1. Your lungs improve 47
2. Irritation stops.
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3. Inflammation stops.
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4. Congestion stops.
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5. Dripping mucous stops.
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6. Shortness of breath stops. When you stop smoking your blood vessels widen. Your blood flows more clearly. You heart beats more regularly. Your risk of heart disease and cancer reduces dramatically. Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best But someone says, “I started smoking before I knew all these things and I’m addicted now, I just can’t quit.” Quitters always win! By the grace of God you can win! You can say, “I’m not a slave to tobacco or any other addiction anymore. I want to be a servant to Jesus Christ, I want to be a child of the King.”
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And He comes into our lives and grants us His power over those habits! The Bible says, in Romans 5:20 “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” And no matter how strong tobacco is Jesus Christ is much stronger. No matter how strong nicotine is Jesus Christ is much stronger.
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However strong drugs are, Jesus is stronger. Alcohol, Jesus Christ is stronger. Drives for pre-marital sex, Jesus is stronger. Jesus is stronger than enslaving physical habits. When we present our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice, Jesus comes into our lives. 55
This Jesus who touched the eyes of the blind and they were opened, who touched the withered man and he was healed, The Christ who caused the lame to jump and walk, that Jesus comes into our lives. This Jesus comes to us with power. The Bible says,
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Matthew 7:7, 8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 57
The Bible says if you need God’s power, ASK! If you need God’s power to overcome smoking, ASK. If you need God’s power to overcome alcohol, ASK. If you need God’s power to overcome drugs, ASK. If your appetite is out of control, ASK. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” In this text Jesus was speaking about all the spiritual power in the universe.
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God promises you spiritual power. In fact the Bible says that Jesus will deliver us from slavery of sin. Romans 6:16 NIV “Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey?”
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We need Jesus Christ. Jesus frees. Jesus delivers. Jesus makes us new. The Bible says— 60
Romans 6:16 NIV “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey?”
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Fighting the battle of the bottle Whatever the struggle you face, get on your knees and ask God to help you. 62
It may be a real struggle but the Lord will deliver you. Some people struggle more than others, but God works miracles for those who trust Him. Now, there’s a lot of confusion about the effects of alcohol on the body and mind. Dr. Melvin Knisely of the University of South Carolina observed how alcohol affects the blood.
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Red blood cells carry oxygen through the bloodstream and deliver it to cells throughout the body. The tiniest vessels, called capillaries, only permit passage of one of these red blood cells at a time.
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Alcohol causes the red blood cells which carry oxygen to clump together, forming a “sludge”. This sticky blood doesn’t pass through the tiniest blood vessels of the body.
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Using a microscope, Dr. Knisely could look into the eye and determine how many drinks of alcohol a person had taken. He warns that drinking alcohol cuts off oxygen supplies to the brain. 66
The brain cells, unable to get enough oxygen, are destroyed. Research has shown that brain cells never regenerate! They are gone forever. 67
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Where does the Holy Spirit communicate with you? Does He communicate through your fingers? Does He communicate through your toes? Where does He communicate? Through the brain, of course. Do you see why the devil brewed alcohol in the laboratories of hell? Because alcohol destroys brain cells. The human brain is the only place where God can communicate with us through His Holy Spirit. Someone says, “I have a few billion brain cells, if I destroy a few, so what.” What they don’t realize is this. The special brain cells that the alcohol destroys are in the forebrain. They have to do with conscience, reason and judgment. Why is it when you drink you feel less inhibited? It’s because you are destroying conscience, reason and judgment. The Holy Spirit communicates through our brain.. That’s why Solomon says in: Proverbs 20:1 “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” Why is it that pilots are not allowed to drink 24 hours before they go on a flight? Why is it that medical students are told not to drink before going into their state board exams? Because it affects their judgment.
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Two out of every five people—40% of alcohol users develop serious drinking problems.
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best What if your dog bit two out of five guests? Would you keep that dog around? Certainly NOT! Two out of every five people who take even one drink, develop serious marital problems, other family problems, and job-related problems. You don’t know if you’re one of those two.
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The Bible was certainly on target when it warned, Proverbs 23:29-33 NIV “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
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What a list. Woe, sorrow, strife, complaints, bruises, bloodshot eyes. Do you want to be in that list? The text continues with the answer: Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
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Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! The Bible says, Don’t even look at wine when it is fermented. It is going to deceive you. We continue,
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In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. So why would I want to put something in my body that poisons me like the bite of a venomous snake. God says the only way to deal with alcohol is to give it up completely. Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things.”
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Someone says, “Wait a minute, you forgot about the story where Jesus turned the water into wine at a wedding feast.” Does this indicate that it’s okay to drink socially? Thank you for asking that question.
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Let’s read the story. John 2:6, 7 NIV “Nearby stood six stone water jars . . . filled . . . to the brim.” 77
In the Bible the same word “Wine” can mean one of two things. It can mean fermented wine or it can mean the pure juice of the grape, non-alcoholic. 78
The only way you will know is the context of the Bible passage. Isaiah 65:8 says, “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for a blessing is in it…’” That wine the Bible calls fresh or unfermented wine. Fermented wine is aged wine which causes intoxication. The pure, fresh unfermented juice of the grape is invigorating.
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But what kind of wine did Jesus create? Look at those measurements. The wine He created at that wedding feast was a large amount: Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best John says it was enough to fill “six stone water jars to the brim” and the Apostle describes the jars as “each holding 2030 gallons.” That’s between 120 and 180 gallons of wine! 80
This could make scores of people drunk. It was enough for everyone at that wedding feast to easily get drunk. Can you believe that Christ created fermented wine that intoxicates? Did Jesus create enough fermented wine to get the whole village drunk? Certainly not. Possibly some teenager took his first drink and became a life long drunkard. Possibly someone drove his ox cart off the road on the way home because he was in a drunken stupor and crushed a leg, becoming an invalid for the rest of his life.
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Possibly someone left the wedding under the intoxicating influence of alcohol with someone else’s wife. Wouldn’t Jesus be responsible if He created such a fermented beverage? The Bible indicates that the wine Jesus made was the pure fresh juice of the grape. The master of the feast didn’t know Jesus had made the water to wine. When he tasted the juice that Jesus had made, he called the bridegroom. Notice what the scripture records in John 2:10— “And he said to him, ‘Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. 82
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best You have kept the good wine until now!’” Jesus didn’t create fermented, intoxicating, alcoholic wine for those people to drink. Not at all. The Bible says He created the “good wine.”
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And what is the “good wine”?— a wine that is unfermented. Our Lord created wine that was so sweet, so magnificent, that it gave them energy. It didn’t destroy their brains. Jesus will never create something that’s going to cause people to lose control of their minds – not for one second!
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It’s the devil who is destroying people’s spiritual life. God is calling us to keep our minds clear in preparation of the second coming of Christ. There is no such thing as responsible drinking. You become irresponsible when you drink because it deceives you. Shakespeare said of alcohol: “O God! that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains.” Jesus wants adults to set the tone for young people. If you are drinking socially, how can you tell your teenage son or daughter not to drink?
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And even if you think you can “handle it” how do you know they can handle it? Many young people have started drinking at home by taking beer out of the refrigerator when their parents are gone. Or drinking and sipping wine when their parents are away. Our youth follow our example more than our words.
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best One of the leading causes of death in automobile accidents is alcohol. No one gets in a car after drinking and thinks that they are going to be killed (or kill someone else). 87
They have been deceived by the evil one. There is only one way to be free and that’s to give these bodies of ours to Jesus. Ask Him to clean them up. Our bodies are the temple of God. I am not my own for Christ bought me on the cross.
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God promises to give us abundant health. In the Old Testament God made a wonderful promise to ancient Israel. Moses said:
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Exodus 15:26 “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, 90
give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes,
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I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.” God says, “I don’t want you to be plagued with many of the diseases that come from alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sexual immorality, and a harmful diet.”
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God says, “I am the Lord who heals you.” God wants you to be in health. Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Psalms 105:37 “And there was none feeble among His tribes.” When the Israelites followed God’s plan of health they were free from the diseases that afflicted the Egyptians.
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The Israelites were model specimens of health. In a world filled with sickness and disease God wants to show in your body a new way of life. Studies done on Egyptian mummies confirm the truthfulness of God's Word.
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When medical researchers evaluated the health practices of the Egyptians they came to some astounding conclusions on health and disease in the ancient world. One researcher performed autopsies on literally thousands of Egyptian mummies.
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From these autopsies we have learned much about Egyptian culture and health habits. One autopsy was performed on Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II. The autopsy showed almost completely clogged arteries. He probably died of a massive heart attack. 96
A British researcher by the name of— Dr. Rosalie David, Manchester University, Manchester, England performed multiple autopsies on Egyptians mummies. 97
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best She discovered that the Egyptians were dying of the same diseases as Western society today.
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Dr. Claude Rufeis did x-rays on 14,000 mummies.
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Heart Disease, Cancer, Arthritis, Obesity, High Blood Pressure, Rheumatism, STD's Why? Because they were not following the Bible’s plan of health. 100
What about diet in the scriptures? Does the Bible offer any help in choosing the best diet? It certainly does. And what are the health principles God gives when it comes to diet?
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When God created the human race, He gave them a magnificent diet of fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables.
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Gensis 1:29 “And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, 103
and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.’”
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best The Eden diet was a vegetarian diet. God did not give Adam and Eve flesh food in the Garden of Eden. Adam didn’t kill animals in Eden for lunch. It was God’s desire that Adam and Eve live long and abundant lives on the original diet given in Genesis.
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When Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden their diet included fruits, nuts and grains and various kinds of vegetables. When they left the Garden, God added root vegetables.
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It wasn’t until after the time of the Flood in Noah’s day that God gave people permission to eat flesh food for what seems to be obvious reasons. All vegetation was destroyed. But flesh food was not the original diet that God gave Adam and Eve.
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Seven generations from Adam there was a man named Methuselah who lived to be 969. The average life span before the Flood was 900 years. Before the flood Adam lived for 930 years.
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Some people ask, “Did they really live that long?” They certainly did. Nine hundred and sixty-nine years was short in God’s eyes. He designed them to live forever. Noah lived 950 years. After the flood the generations begin to degenerate rapidly. The age of the ancients went from 600 to 400 to 200 years. Seven generations AFTER the flood Nahor lived to only 140.
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What happened? After the flood God gave permission for the first time to eat meat. But He made a distinction between clean and unclean. Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best God instructed Noah to bring both clean and unclean animals into the ark.
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Genesis 7:1, 2 “Then the LORD said to Noah, ‘Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.
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You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female.’” 112
So God said, there are two kinds of animals, clean and unclean. Before Adam and Eve sinned God gave them a vegetarian diet. At the time of the flood, God allowed the eating of meat. But He made a distinction between clean and unclean. The unclean were never to be eaten.
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Some people have asked, “If you want the best diet what is it?” Science reveals that is a vegetarian diet. I’m personally a vegetarian, not because it is a sin to eat meat. The Bible does not teach that it is a sin to eat meat. I’m a vegetarian because in my lifestyle, I want God’s best plan. When it comes to eating flesh foods, the Bible makes a distinction between the clean and the unclean. If you choose to eat meat, it is a far wiser choice, in harmony with the Bible to only eat clean meat. After the flood the vegetation had been destroyed. God instructed Noah to take the clean animals into the ark by sevens. Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best The unclean were taken in by two’s because they were not fit for food. Some of these were scavengers, created to eat the garbage of the earth. It was only after the flood that God gave human beings permission to eat meat. God gave specific instruction that science is confirming today. Medical research continues to reveal the truthfulness of God’s word.
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If you do eat meat, certainly cut out those high-fat meats. Certainly don’t eat rare steaks filled with blood. The Bible gives very clear, very specific instructions to help us know which animals are clean or unclean. Major portions of two entire chapters – Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 are devoted to this instruction.
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Now, which are the clean animals? Moses wrote: Deuteronomy 14:6-8 “And you may eat every animal with cloven hooves, having the hoof split into two parts, 116
and that chews the cud, among the animals. So it has to have two characteristics to be clean. It must have a split hoof (like a cow) and chew its cud. 117
What does chewing the cud mean? It means that the animal chews its food, swallows it, spits it up, and chews it again so the poisons and toxins are not absorbed into the flesh as easily.
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Some examples of clean animals are the cow, the sheep, the goat and the deer. Those animals fit God’s description as clean animals. What animals are unclean? What animals should we avoid according to the Bible? Moses continued:
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Nevertheless, of those that chew the cud or have cloven hooves, you shall not eat, such as these:
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the camel, the hare, and the rock hyrax; for they chew the cud but do not have cloven hooves; they are unclean for you. 121
The camel. The Bible says, “Do not eat the camel.” How many of you are willing to take all the camel out of your refrigerators and throw it away? Because you believe the Bible, how many of you will take that camel out of the freezer?
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No more fried camel. No more camel sandwiches for lunch. The Bible says, “Camel is unclean for you.” How many of you are willing to give up eating camel because you love Jesus? All right, good. Let’s go on — Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud; We’ve learned about the camel, the hare – that’s a rabbit and the rock hyrax. They chew the cud but do not have cloven hoofs, they are unclean to you. Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best What’s a hyrax? It’s like a rock badger, an animal like a large rat. So no more fried rat strips in the morning. Going on, Moses said further in Deuteronomy 14:8— you shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcasses.” Swine, what’s that? 124
Pigs! Nobody would eat one of those things would they? We are too smart to eat pigs, right? Nobody would eat bacon, would they? Some people say, “But when Jesus died on the cross, it was all okay.” Did Jesus die to cleanse pigs?
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Or did Jesus die to cleanse sinners? Jesus came to cleanse sinners. If pig was unhealthy before the cross it must be unhealthy after the cross. Here’s a verse you should remember: The Psalmist says— Psalms 84:11 “No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Pig! Pork! Why does God mention it? Because the pig has a very simple digestive system.
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When the pig eats its food the toxins are reabsorbed into the flesh. Also, pork is the highest cholesterol source of all meats. It predisposes people to heart disease. The Bible says, “Don’t eat pork.” Get rid of it, throw it away. 127
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Pork has the highest fat content of all meats. If pork was good, God wouldn’t hold it back from us. But since it’s NOT good He says: “Don’t eat it.” Why? Reason #1
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Dr. McNaught found that one of every four pork specimens had living trichina larvae in it. If you put an infected piece of pork under a microscope you’ll see the trichina larvae which may have millions of little eggs.
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Those eggs hatch in your stomach. Then invade your muscle tissue, causing serious symptoms like arthritis or rheumatism. Trichina are parasite worms. Trichinosis is breaking out again. Someone says, “Oh, but we cook it so hot that we kill them all.” Does it give us more comfort to know we’re eating dead trichina larva rather than live ones? Many cases of trichinosis that break out afflict people who thought they cooked their pork sufficiently.
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I’d rather follow God, friends. And I know you would too, wouldn’t you? We can learn to control our appetites. We can “eat to live” rather than “live to eat.” We don’t have to be among those that God speaks of in Isaiah. Isaiah 66:15-17 “For behold, the LORD will come with fire . . . and the slain of the LORD shall be many. 131
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best ‘Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, to go to the gardens after an idol in the midst,
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eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, shall be consumed together,’ says the LORD.” The apostle Paul speaks of those who cannot control their appetite this way,
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Philippians 3:19 “Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame— What does this mean? Does it mean that a person is lost merely because they eat a piece of pork? Not at all.
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There are many Christians that don’t understand this. They love Jesus. They serve Jesus. What does the text mean? It means this— If a person’s attitude is such that they say, “I don’t care what you say, God, I’m going to do what I want to do. If I feel like eating pork, I’m going to do it.” This is not talking about a person who eats a piece of pork, but an attitude of the mind. An attitude of rebellion. I would rather put my life in the hands of God and follow His way, wouldn’t you?
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I would rather follow God’s simple health laws than my way any day. The Bible talks about some people, who set their mind on earthly things.” Our God is the God of the universe and He invites us to give Him our bodies. 136
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best In a sense You are what you eat God goes on to describe creatures in the water. What about fish? Moses said,
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Deuteronomy 14:9 “These you may eat of all that are in the waters: you may eat all that have fins and scales. 138
And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.” If a fish has fins and scales you may eat it. But if it’s in the water and does NOT have fins and scales, such as a crab, lobster, or clam, a scavenger, do NOT eat it.
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Dr. Bruce Halstead, a marine biologist, did some research that confirms this Bible instruction. He was employed by the American government after the 2nd World War.
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After extensive research Dr. Halstead prepared a manual for navy fliers who may be shot down over water and have to eat some seafood to survive. The manual detailed the fish which were safe to eat and those which were not. Dr. Halstead published a manual for fliers on his findings. The interesting thing he said was this: “If you lose this manual remember one thing, if it has fins and scales, you can eat it. If it doesn’t have fins and scales such as crab, lobster, shrimp, oyster, clams – don’t eat it because of the high level of toxicity.” 141
This man of science, this marine biologist, echoed the words of God in Deuteronomy 14:10— Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best “And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.” Dr. Bruce Halsted's research confirms these Bible instructions.
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Prevention magazine had an article some time ago in which they stated, Prevention Magazine “Shellfish are dirty and dangerous.” 143
What about Peter's vision? Some people though have honest questions. They sincerely wonder about Peter’s vision of the sheet with all kinds of animals in it. 144
In that vision he saw rats, snakes, alligators, pigs, and a whole array of unclean things. As the sheet descended from heaven filled with unclean animals, God instructed Peter to rise and eat.
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Peter was confused. Did God mean we should eat rats, pigs, crabs, and alligators? Let’s look at it a little more closely. Acts 10:13, 14 “And a voice came to him, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 146
But Peter said, ‘Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.’” Some preachers will try to tell you that this vision means you can eat anything you want to. Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best That’s certainly not how Peter understood it. He didn’t eat. In fact, he refused to eat. It was only when God explained the true meaning of the vision that he understood it. Peter explained the meaning of the vision to the rest of the disciples this way— Acts 10:28 “But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” 148
Acts 10:34, 35 NIV “. . . I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 149
A sheet came down from Heaven. In that sheet there were rats, pigs, and snakes and God said, “Eat it.” Peter said, “I can’t eat it, it’s unclean.” At that time two people knocked on my door and said come to Cornelius’s house.
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He is a truth seeker. Cornelius’s was a Gentile. Peter was a Jew. They were of different races. The Jews considered people of another race unclean. So God, Himself gave Peter a symbolic vision explaining to him that no human being should be called unclean. but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” Was this a vision that we should eat pigs, snakes, and rats? Not at all. It was a vision about racial harmony. Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best It was a vision that God has made of one blood all nations. It was a vision against prejudice between people of different backgrounds. But this verse says “God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." Man can say this is a vision of eating unclean animals. But God used unclean animals as an illustration that Peter should accept all people through Jesus Christ. All people are one in Christ. There should be no barriers between people. All people should be accepted in Jesus. This is the meaning of this vision. Peter explains it clearly. But you say, “I’m struggling with alcohol, tobacco, unclean foods or drugs.
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I hear God calling, what can I do?” Jesus says, I will give you the power and strength to live a victorious abundant life. Here is a vital principle in giving up habits that are destroying us. John 15:5 “. . . for without Me you can do nothing.” 153
First, without Christ you cannot quit smoking. Without Christ you cannot give up alcohol. Without Christ you cannot give up unclean foods. Without Christ you cannot give up the lust which rages in your soul and destroys relationships with people you love.
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Two Vital Principles The first principle: Without Christ, you can do nothing! The second principle is this; with Christ all things are possible! Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He doesn’t say, “I can do all things through Christ EXCEPT quit smoking. I can do all things through Christ EXCEPT give up drugs, alcohol and unclean foods.” No, He says Without Christ we can do nothing.
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Jesus says to you right now, “Come to Me. Put your tobacco on the altar, put your alcohol on the altar. ” If you are in some destructive relationship, put your life on the altar. If you’re abusing your body with drugs, put that on the altar.
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If you are overeating, if you can’t control your appetite, put that on the altar, too. Lovingly, Jesus reminds you, “I’ve worked many miracles, I delivered demoniacs and they went free. Their chains were broken.” Jesus says, “I delivered people who were blind and crippled, and they went free with great joy.”
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Jesus says, “When you surrender all, I’ll work miracles in your life. “When you put your life on the altar, when you come forward and give Me your heart, My welcoming arms will be out for you!” 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body God’s last day message to the world calls men and women to present themselves to Him completely. Revelation of Hope North American English
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20—Revelation Reveals Life at its Best be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
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Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Jesus wants you to have an abundant life. Jesus wants you to be free. Come to Jesus tonight and tell Him you want to give up alcohol, tobacco, unclean foods.
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He urges us to present our bodies and minds to Him. He will give us power to do what we never thought possible. God is gathering a group of people that He will preserve as a testimony for the world that His way of life is best. Would you like to say, “Jesus, I’ve given you my mind in these meetings. But tonight, Lord, I want to give you my body. I want to surrender all to you, right now.”
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I love the words of the song, “I Surrender All.” All To Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give, I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live I SURRENDER ALL Chorus: I surrender all, I surrender all All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all Would you like to surrender your all to Him and ask Him to give you the happy, abundant life as we pray?
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