Saving Much Suffering 119. You need to carry out the health reform in your life; to deny yourself and eat and drink to the glory of God. Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. You need to practice temperance in all things. Here is a cross which you have shunned. To confine yourself to a simple diet, which will preserve you in the best of condition of health, is a task to you. Had you lived up to the light which heaven has permitted to shine upon your pathway, much suffering might have been saved your family. Your own course of action has brought the sure result. While you continue in this course, God will not come into your family, and especially bless you, and work a miracle to save your family from suffering. A plain diet, free from spices, and flesh meats, and grease of all kinds, would prove a blessing to you, and would save your wife a great amount of suffering, grief, and despondence....—Testimonies for the Church 2:45, 46, 1868 {CD 83.1} Inducements to Simple Living In order to render to God perfect service, you must have clear conceptions of His requirements. You should use the most simple food, prepared in the most simple manner, that the fine nerves of the brain be not weakened, benumbed, or paralyzed, making it impossible for you to discern sacred things, and to value the atonement, the cleansing blood of Christ, as of priceless worth. “Know ye not that they which run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” {CD 83.2}
Posted on: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 00:41:41 +0000