We have been looking at the theory and background of wellness. Now let’s take a look at some examples. This is somewhat like Jesus’ use of parables to teach – you can go only so far on theory before everything starts to run together. Illustrations clarify theory.
Gerson Therapy: In the middle of the 20th Century, Max Gerson, M.D., was healing disease that all other physicians had given up on. One such example is a small boy, “Baby R.S.” (Case No. 15 of 50 in reference) This 8-month-old baby had surgery twice to remove a recurring cancer on his left shoulder. The doctors recommended radical amputation; the parents refused and took the baby to Dr. Gerson. Under Dr. Gerson’s care 1950 - 1957, the baby steadily improved; the treatment was a lasting success with the boy growing up healthy and strong. Dr. Gerson died in 1959, but his therapy continues to heal “terminal” cases today. (Max Gerson, M.D, A Cancer Therapy, Gerson Institute, Bonita, CA: 1990, p 306ff)
Macrobiotics: This is a diet based on whole grains and traditional foods in harmony with the seasons. During WW I, imports of grain to Denmark were cut off by blockade,. The food advisor to the government ordered slaughter of 4/5 of the pigs and 1/5 of all cattle to free up grain for people to eat in the place of meat and dairy. He also limited production of alcohol from grain. The Danes ate more porridge, fresh vegetables, greens, beans, peas, and fruit and less milk, meat, and butter. In one year of this austere diet, approximating a macrobiotic diet, the cancer rate dropped by 60% and the death rate by 40%. After the war, with their former meat and dairy diet restored, the disease and death rates soon returned to their prewar levels. (Michio Kushi, The Macrobiotic Way, Avery Publishing, Garden City Park, NY: 1993, p 8)
Budwig Protocol: Johanna Budwig, MD., practiced in Europe during much of the 20th century, restoring wellness to thousands. One example was George Friedrich who had suffered three serious heart attacks between ages 60 and 63. Medication controlled his symptoms, but he became very weak and aged visibly. When introduced to Dr. Budwig’s Formula (cold-processed, unrefined raw flaxseed oil blended with low-fat cottage cheese), he immediately included that in his daily diet. Within three months, his breathing was easier and his angina was almost eliminated. A year later, the medical doctors who examined him were amazed at his full recovery. (William L. Fischer, How to Fight Cancer & Win, Agora Health Books, Baltimore: 2000)
The Hallelujah Diet: In 1976 at age 42, Rev. George Malkmus was told that he had colon cancer, a baseball-size tumor similar to the one his mother had recently been treated for – unsuccessfully; she died a horrible death. On the advice of a friend, Rev. Malkmus changed his diet to all raw fruits and vegetables and lots of fresh carrot juice. In less than a year with no medical treatment at all, the tumor had disappeared, along with hemorrhoids, hypoglycemia, severe allergies, sinus problems, high blood pressure, fatigue, pimples, cold, flu … even body odor and dandruff were gone. In the 32 years since, Hallelujah Acres has helped many thousands of people worldwide back to vibrant good health. (George H. Malkmus with Michael Dye, God’s Way to Ultimate Health, Hallelujah Acres Publishing, Shelby, NC: 1996, p 24ff)
These examples are just four of the many ways that people are finding wellness today. The common element among them is depending on the body to heal itself by supplying vital nutrition and eliminating the causes of disease. There is no medicine as powerful as the healing capability that the Creator designed into our bodies at the beginning. Genesis 1:31 “And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good!”
There is not time nor space to go into detail here on all the approaches to wellness, but I welcome your inquiry on any specifics.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Wellness as Wisdom
Proverbs 1:20-33 is a very strongly worded instruction to make wise choices. Of course, each of us does that to the best of our ability.
Sometimes we do not see an obvious “wise” choice, so we might decide based on preference. For example, should I choose a Chevrolet, Ford, or Dodge pickup? Just about anyone in the country can answer that question, but the answers won’t all agree. People can do whatever they want much of the time with little ill effect.
In Luke 11:12, Jesus asked whether a father will give his child a scorpion when he asked for an egg – that is a much clearer choice. The benefit of one and the harm of the other make it obvious which is the wise choice. Some wisdom is easy.
When it comes to decisions about wellness, there is a similar pattern. Some of the choices are matters of preference, while others are critical. The easy choice is to continue doing what we’ve always done – and we can expect to get what we’ve always gotten. Although we in the US spend far more per person than other leading nations, we rank only 37th in the world in health care system performance.1 The more difficult and critical path is to choose what works and to have the discipline to follow it. We can get some information from professionals and some from personal investigation. Especially with the availability of Internet research, hardly any knowledge is beyond our reach once we look for it.
From all that I’ve found, the choice among wellness plans is much like the choice of pickup. Different strokes for different folks, but all carry the same load. Next month, let’s look at some results of a few of the many effective ways to approach wellness.
The decision whether to adopt a wellness plan is more like the scorpion and egg situation. Every resource I have found concludes that the rich Western diet is one factor in much of the disease that we see now. It is very obvious in the Far East – as Japan and China move toward a Western-style diet and the frantic lifestyle of city life, the formerly rare Western diseases are becoming all too common. Let’s reverse the world-wide trend and choose wellness! (In case you wonder if I believe in salvation by diet, NO! I believe that in Christ we have the freedom to choose any food without sin; rather, our choices are a matter of stewardship of the resource of wellness.)
1. T Colin Campbell, Ph.D., The China Study, Benbella Books, Dallas: 2004, p 17
Sometimes we do not see an obvious “wise” choice, so we might decide based on preference. For example, should I choose a Chevrolet, Ford, or Dodge pickup? Just about anyone in the country can answer that question, but the answers won’t all agree. People can do whatever they want much of the time with little ill effect.
In Luke 11:12, Jesus asked whether a father will give his child a scorpion when he asked for an egg – that is a much clearer choice. The benefit of one and the harm of the other make it obvious which is the wise choice. Some wisdom is easy.
When it comes to decisions about wellness, there is a similar pattern. Some of the choices are matters of preference, while others are critical. The easy choice is to continue doing what we’ve always done – and we can expect to get what we’ve always gotten. Although we in the US spend far more per person than other leading nations, we rank only 37th in the world in health care system performance.1 The more difficult and critical path is to choose what works and to have the discipline to follow it. We can get some information from professionals and some from personal investigation. Especially with the availability of Internet research, hardly any knowledge is beyond our reach once we look for it.
From all that I’ve found, the choice among wellness plans is much like the choice of pickup. Different strokes for different folks, but all carry the same load. Next month, let’s look at some results of a few of the many effective ways to approach wellness.
The decision whether to adopt a wellness plan is more like the scorpion and egg situation. Every resource I have found concludes that the rich Western diet is one factor in much of the disease that we see now. It is very obvious in the Far East – as Japan and China move toward a Western-style diet and the frantic lifestyle of city life, the formerly rare Western diseases are becoming all too common. Let’s reverse the world-wide trend and choose wellness! (In case you wonder if I believe in salvation by diet, NO! I believe that in Christ we have the freedom to choose any food without sin; rather, our choices are a matter of stewardship of the resource of wellness.)
1. T Colin Campbell, Ph.D., The China Study, Benbella Books, Dallas: 2004, p 17
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Wellness as Stewardship
Remember the passage (1 Corinthians 6:19) that tells us “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” The context is condemnation of immorality – open sin. I suggest that it would not be out of place to consider that passage as pertaining to stewardship.
I have recently had opportunity to review the giving aspect of stewardship. Although I am not willing to say that failure to tithe is sinful, I sincerely believe that failure to give will deny me much of the joy of my Christian life. In Acts 20:35, Paul attributed to Jesus the well-known expression, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” So by receiving without giving, I may deny myself some of the blessing of God.
The parallel I see regarding wellness is this: It is more blessed to maintain my wellness so that I can give of myself (my time, my energy, my creativity, my love) than it is to be unwell and have to depend on others to give to me. Although I do not consider it sinful to be unwell (any condition less than perfect wellness), to be unwell will eventually result in my being limited in my ability to give of myself for others. I want to be ALIVE! as long as I live so that I can give freely and generously of my time, energy, and creativity.
I believe that the clear message of the Bible is that God desires our perfection (wholeness, completeness) of both salvation and wellness. Matthew 5:49 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is … not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.Exodus 15:26 “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God … I will put none of the diseases on you … for I, the Lord, am your healer.”Gospels – many, if not most, of Jesus’ contacts with the people of Israel were healings.
I invite you to join me in mutual support of our wellness. It is an area that will require discipline and focus to see the best results.
I have recently had opportunity to review the giving aspect of stewardship. Although I am not willing to say that failure to tithe is sinful, I sincerely believe that failure to give will deny me much of the joy of my Christian life. In Acts 20:35, Paul attributed to Jesus the well-known expression, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” So by receiving without giving, I may deny myself some of the blessing of God.
The parallel I see regarding wellness is this: It is more blessed to maintain my wellness so that I can give of myself (my time, my energy, my creativity, my love) than it is to be unwell and have to depend on others to give to me. Although I do not consider it sinful to be unwell (any condition less than perfect wellness), to be unwell will eventually result in my being limited in my ability to give of myself for others. I want to be ALIVE! as long as I live so that I can give freely and generously of my time, energy, and creativity.
I believe that the clear message of the Bible is that God desires our perfection (wholeness, completeness) of both salvation and wellness. Matthew 5:49 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is … not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.Exodus 15:26 “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God … I will put none of the diseases on you … for I, the Lord, am your healer.”Gospels – many, if not most, of Jesus’ contacts with the people of Israel were healings.
I invite you to join me in mutual support of our wellness. It is an area that will require discipline and focus to see the best results.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Balancing Wellness
Balance is extremely important when moving around. Try riding a bicycle – or even walking – without it. A young lady I know well lost access to half her balance apparatus when the tumor was removed from her right auditory nerve, and the nerve with the tumor. Now it is quite a challenge for her to walk, especially down steep stairs.
Balance is an important aspect of wellness as well. Wellness is not achieved by one factor alone, but by achieving balance among a number of factors. In previous reports, I have paid a lot of attention to the impact of diet on wellness because that is so often the most neglected factor. This month, let’s take a look at wellness from a broader perspective. For the dedicated student, more detail is available on my website, especially at “The Wheel of Wellness.”
Relationship with God is of the utmost importance to wellness – the first of the Ten Commandments is “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3) After a lifetime of searching for meaning, King Solomon finally concluded, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth,” (Ecclesiastes 12:1a) and, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13a)
Another very significant factor is relationships with other people. This factor is illustrated in the Lord’s Prayer, in the expression “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) Another aspect of relationships is summarized in the word love; I John 4:7, among many others, tells us “Love one another.” Paul in I Corinthians 13 stresses the importance of love in our relationships.
Some of the other factors I have identified are attitude, rest, and activity, as well as intake (diet and other environment).
Meanwhile, I welcome your questions and comments. Having seen my wellness challenged by cancer in 1996 and continuing to see others suffering have convinced me that it takes some action on our part to achieve the wellness that God desires for us. I believe that the promise of Exodus 15:26 (“If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord Your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”) will often apply even today. And when it does not, then with the disease that God allows, He will provide the grace to bear it as He did for Paul (II Corinthians 12:9).
Balance is an important aspect of wellness as well. Wellness is not achieved by one factor alone, but by achieving balance among a number of factors. In previous reports, I have paid a lot of attention to the impact of diet on wellness because that is so often the most neglected factor. This month, let’s take a look at wellness from a broader perspective. For the dedicated student, more detail is available on my website, especially at “The Wheel of Wellness.”
Relationship with God is of the utmost importance to wellness – the first of the Ten Commandments is “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3) After a lifetime of searching for meaning, King Solomon finally concluded, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth,” (Ecclesiastes 12:1a) and, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13a)
Another very significant factor is relationships with other people. This factor is illustrated in the Lord’s Prayer, in the expression “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) Another aspect of relationships is summarized in the word love; I John 4:7, among many others, tells us “Love one another.” Paul in I Corinthians 13 stresses the importance of love in our relationships.
Some of the other factors I have identified are attitude, rest, and activity, as well as intake (diet and other environment).
Meanwhile, I welcome your questions and comments. Having seen my wellness challenged by cancer in 1996 and continuing to see others suffering have convinced me that it takes some action on our part to achieve the wellness that God desires for us. I believe that the promise of Exodus 15:26 (“If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord Your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”) will often apply even today. And when it does not, then with the disease that God allows, He will provide the grace to bear it as He did for Paul (II Corinthians 12:9).
Monday, August 25, 2008
Wellness by Miracle Food
A time when God intervened most directly in the lives of the most people is the escape from Egypt as recorded in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. What is recorded there gives us a special glimpse into the choices we can make about wellness that are most directly in tune with God’s plan for our wellness. This brief note will offer a beginning point, but the main effort is up to you – after all, it is your own wellness that you are the one most concerned about and steward of.
The most familiar aspect of wellness of the children of Israel during the exodus is manna. The Passover is important, but it recurred only once a year, while manna was the daily staple for the forty years they were in the wilderness. We do not have a chemical analysis of manna, but from the description provided in Scripture, I believe that manna was the perfect food, sufficient for nutrition and wellness. Exodus 16:31 “… it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey.” Numbers 11:7-8 “Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. … and its taste was as the taste of cakes baked with oil.”
The Lord also provided quail for the people to eat, but that was in response to their grumbling about the manna. I firmly believe that manna was sufficient for everything except their greed. Numbers 11:4 “And the rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, ‘Who will give us meat to eat?’” My belief is reinforced by the results of their eating the quail that God provided: Numbers 11:33 “While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague.” Sometimes God will allow us to have something that is not good for us, just because we ask. That does not mean that He desires us to have it. Rather, imitating Jesus, let us ask that His will be done in our lives.
Recent research supports those who, through the centuries, chose to avoid consuming animal products. T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., spent decades analyzing the effect of diet on wellness and published his conclusions as The China Study. What he found, and it is affirmed by many physicians who have studied the effect of diet on wellness, is that the more animal products and processed food one consumes, the higher the probability of developing the common western diseases of aging (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.). My understanding of Scripture is that we have liberty to eat anything we choose. But our freedom does not eliminate the consequences of consuming food that leads to illness.
I encourage you to be a wise steward of whatever degree of wellness you have.
The most familiar aspect of wellness of the children of Israel during the exodus is manna. The Passover is important, but it recurred only once a year, while manna was the daily staple for the forty years they were in the wilderness. We do not have a chemical analysis of manna, but from the description provided in Scripture, I believe that manna was the perfect food, sufficient for nutrition and wellness. Exodus 16:31 “… it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey.” Numbers 11:7-8 “Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. … and its taste was as the taste of cakes baked with oil.”
The Lord also provided quail for the people to eat, but that was in response to their grumbling about the manna. I firmly believe that manna was sufficient for everything except their greed. Numbers 11:4 “And the rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, ‘Who will give us meat to eat?’” My belief is reinforced by the results of their eating the quail that God provided: Numbers 11:33 “While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague.” Sometimes God will allow us to have something that is not good for us, just because we ask. That does not mean that He desires us to have it. Rather, imitating Jesus, let us ask that His will be done in our lives.
Recent research supports those who, through the centuries, chose to avoid consuming animal products. T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., spent decades analyzing the effect of diet on wellness and published his conclusions as The China Study. What he found, and it is affirmed by many physicians who have studied the effect of diet on wellness, is that the more animal products and processed food one consumes, the higher the probability of developing the common western diseases of aging (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.). My understanding of Scripture is that we have liberty to eat anything we choose. But our freedom does not eliminate the consequences of consuming food that leads to illness.
I encourage you to be a wise steward of whatever degree of wellness you have.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Some Detail of Biblical Wellness
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. I am convinced that many clues to wellness are provided to us in Scripture, and as we earnestly seek godly wellness, the Holy Spirit will allow us to discover them.
Exodus 30-34 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense … .” That was the holy incense that God told Moses to present to Him. Although the specific recipe was sacred, never to be copied for personal use, the individual ingredients were highly sought after for other uses.
Stacte – resin from a tree in Israel, Storax – healing properties
Onycha – taken from a Red Sea mollusk, fixes and enhances the other ingredients
Galbanum – used for abscesses, acne, boils, bronchitis, cuts, lice, aging skin, muscle aches, poor circulation, rheumatism, scars, sores, wounds
Frankincense – antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, astringent, sedative, decongestant, anti-gas, digestive aid, trigger or increase menstrual flow. Used to treat syphilis, infections, skin disorders (bacterial and fungal), and boils. As used in aromatherapy, deepens breathing, aids relaxation, expands lungs, releases trahydrocannabinole (a psychoactive compound that seems to lift up the spirit). Used by ancient Egyptians as eye liner – also prevented eye infections. Used to anoint newborns and individuals in transition. Embalming agent.
Matthew 2:11 And [the magi] came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. The value of gold is apparent – we have common knowledge of the value of precious metals. But we may not as readily recognize the value of frankincense and myrrh. In the culture of Jesus’ time, there were no antibiotics, no antibacterial hand soaps, no sterilizing techniques to eliminate the common germ or virus. Now we can see how eminently practical the gifts were for the family facing an unplanned international journey.
As we apply similar study to the remaining books, chapters, and verses of Scripture, we can expect to find many more nudges toward the wellness that our Creator intended us to enjoy.
Exodus 30-34 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense … .” That was the holy incense that God told Moses to present to Him. Although the specific recipe was sacred, never to be copied for personal use, the individual ingredients were highly sought after for other uses.
Stacte – resin from a tree in Israel, Storax – healing properties
Onycha – taken from a Red Sea mollusk, fixes and enhances the other ingredients
Galbanum – used for abscesses, acne, boils, bronchitis, cuts, lice, aging skin, muscle aches, poor circulation, rheumatism, scars, sores, wounds
Frankincense – antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, astringent, sedative, decongestant, anti-gas, digestive aid, trigger or increase menstrual flow. Used to treat syphilis, infections, skin disorders (bacterial and fungal), and boils. As used in aromatherapy, deepens breathing, aids relaxation, expands lungs, releases trahydrocannabinole (a psychoactive compound that seems to lift up the spirit). Used by ancient Egyptians as eye liner – also prevented eye infections. Used to anoint newborns and individuals in transition. Embalming agent.
Matthew 2:11 And [the magi] came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. The value of gold is apparent – we have common knowledge of the value of precious metals. But we may not as readily recognize the value of frankincense and myrrh. In the culture of Jesus’ time, there were no antibiotics, no antibacterial hand soaps, no sterilizing techniques to eliminate the common germ or virus. Now we can see how eminently practical the gifts were for the family facing an unplanned international journey.
As we apply similar study to the remaining books, chapters, and verses of Scripture, we can expect to find many more nudges toward the wellness that our Creator intended us to enjoy.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Wellness in Early Bible Times
As early man multiplied and spread over the face of the earth, the Bible focused on the particular lineage that produced the Semitic people, the descendents of Shem, son of Noah. To my knowledge, everyone before the flood still ate the original vegetarian diet – there is no mention in Scripture of any meat being used as food. The transition away from that diet is expressed in two verses:
• Genesis 6:21 take for yourself [on the ark] some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for [all the birds and animals]
• Genesis 9:3 [After the flood] every living thing shall be food for you
Along with the expanded diet came a new prohibition: Don’t eat meat with the blood still in it. First expressed in Genesis 9:4, the “no blood” rule was reinforced during the Exodus (see Leviticus 3:17; 7:26; 17:10-14; 19:26, and Deuteronomy 12:16, 23, 24; 15:23). This is also one of the few, if not the only, Old Testament dietary law that was also required of the New Testament church (see Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25).
It is refreshing to be free of the burden of the Old Testament law. In Christ, we, the New Testament believers, have the liberty to eat whatever is set before us without guilt (Romans 14:13-23).
What was the price of the liberty to eat meat? I was not there – quite likely other factors affected wellness. One apparent consequence of the change was a dramatic decline in lifespan; after man began to eat meat, lifespan plummeted. Please check my data in Genesis 5 – 35: Adam lived 930 years; Jared, 962; Methuselah, 969; Lamech, 777; Noah, 950; Shem, 600; Shelah, 433; Peleg, 239; Nahor, 148; Terah, 205; Abraham, 175; Isaac, 180. Since then, with a few exceptions, a person has been considered old by age 80, and living to age 120 quite rare.
Some observations: Adam was still living when Lamech, Noah’s father, was born – 9 generations! Seth died only 14 years before the birth of Noah. Lamech was the first to die before his father. Methuselah died the year of the flood – wonder how long he would have lived if there had been no flood? Or was the flood held off until Methuselah died? Lifespans shortened so much that Peleg died 12 years before Noah. Shem outlived Abraham, and was still alive until Isaac was 100 years old. Shem died when Jacob was fifty years old –a span of twelve generations!
• Genesis 6:21 take for yourself [on the ark] some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for [all the birds and animals]
• Genesis 9:3 [After the flood] every living thing shall be food for you
Along with the expanded diet came a new prohibition: Don’t eat meat with the blood still in it. First expressed in Genesis 9:4, the “no blood” rule was reinforced during the Exodus (see Leviticus 3:17; 7:26; 17:10-14; 19:26, and Deuteronomy 12:16, 23, 24; 15:23). This is also one of the few, if not the only, Old Testament dietary law that was also required of the New Testament church (see Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25).
It is refreshing to be free of the burden of the Old Testament law. In Christ, we, the New Testament believers, have the liberty to eat whatever is set before us without guilt (Romans 14:13-23).
What was the price of the liberty to eat meat? I was not there – quite likely other factors affected wellness. One apparent consequence of the change was a dramatic decline in lifespan; after man began to eat meat, lifespan plummeted. Please check my data in Genesis 5 – 35: Adam lived 930 years; Jared, 962; Methuselah, 969; Lamech, 777; Noah, 950; Shem, 600; Shelah, 433; Peleg, 239; Nahor, 148; Terah, 205; Abraham, 175; Isaac, 180. Since then, with a few exceptions, a person has been considered old by age 80, and living to age 120 quite rare.
Some observations: Adam was still living when Lamech, Noah’s father, was born – 9 generations! Seth died only 14 years before the birth of Noah. Lamech was the first to die before his father. Methuselah died the year of the flood – wonder how long he would have lived if there had been no flood? Or was the flood held off until Methuselah died? Lifespans shortened so much that Peleg died 12 years before Noah. Shem outlived Abraham, and was still alive until Isaac was 100 years old. Shem died when Jacob was fifty years old –a span of twelve generations!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The Foundation of Wellness
Let’s review wellness as presented in Scripture.
I encourage you to study these verses in context, and other verses as well, to discover the plan that God laid out for us for wellness. I firmly believe that He designed us and equipped us for perfect wellness, and any shortfall in our wellness is the result of the fall of Adam and Eve, followed by a general wandering away from the path that God had designated for men to follow.
In the Beginning…
Genesis 1:29 every plant yielding seed … shall be food for you
Genesis 1:30 to every beast, bird – every green plant for food
Genesis 2:9 God caused to grow every tree good for food
Genesis 2:16 from every tree you may eat freely
Genesis 2:17 but not from the tree of knowledge of good and evil
Genesis 3:1-7 desire for the forbidden (food/knowledge) led to sin
Genesis 3:17-19 eat of the plants of the field in toil, by sweat
Genesis 3:22-24 driven out of the garden lest he eat life fruit and live forever
My understanding of these verses (in context) is that we, man and animal alike, were created perfectly to consume a diet of plants. We (man) were created in the image of God, without sin, with free will to choose to obey. The rules were simple: every plant yielding seed was available to Adam for food, except that one tree was off limits.
Adam and his new bride were content with their choices until Satan tempted them. Unlike Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Eve and her husband yielded to the temptation – they wanted that knowledge that would make them like God and accepted Satan’s lie that they would not die. Perhaps Satan was aware that it would take almost a thousand years for them to die, but he knew he was lying anyway.
After the fall and before the flood, there was no change in the dietary instruction, (eat plants!) but now man would have to work for his food. Because there were still plants (the tree of life) that would enable them to live forever, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden.
We can not undo the fall. We can not reverse history to go back before man wandered away from the way God had planned for him. But we can start from where we are and move closer to what will restore our wellness. The steps are simple: find out what paths lead to wellness; choose one; follow it. The only hard part is to have the internal motivation to choose and follow the path you have determined to be right for you.
I encourage you to study these verses in context, and other verses as well, to discover the plan that God laid out for us for wellness. I firmly believe that He designed us and equipped us for perfect wellness, and any shortfall in our wellness is the result of the fall of Adam and Eve, followed by a general wandering away from the path that God had designated for men to follow.
In the Beginning…
Genesis 1:29 every plant yielding seed … shall be food for you
Genesis 1:30 to every beast, bird – every green plant for food
Genesis 2:9 God caused to grow every tree good for food
Genesis 2:16 from every tree you may eat freely
Genesis 2:17 but not from the tree of knowledge of good and evil
Genesis 3:1-7 desire for the forbidden (food/knowledge) led to sin
Genesis 3:17-19 eat of the plants of the field in toil, by sweat
Genesis 3:22-24 driven out of the garden lest he eat life fruit and live forever
My understanding of these verses (in context) is that we, man and animal alike, were created perfectly to consume a diet of plants. We (man) were created in the image of God, without sin, with free will to choose to obey. The rules were simple: every plant yielding seed was available to Adam for food, except that one tree was off limits.
Adam and his new bride were content with their choices until Satan tempted them. Unlike Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Eve and her husband yielded to the temptation – they wanted that knowledge that would make them like God and accepted Satan’s lie that they would not die. Perhaps Satan was aware that it would take almost a thousand years for them to die, but he knew he was lying anyway.
After the fall and before the flood, there was no change in the dietary instruction, (eat plants!) but now man would have to work for his food. Because there were still plants (the tree of life) that would enable them to live forever, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden.
We can not undo the fall. We can not reverse history to go back before man wandered away from the way God had planned for him. But we can start from where we are and move closer to what will restore our wellness. The steps are simple: find out what paths lead to wellness; choose one; follow it. The only hard part is to have the internal motivation to choose and follow the path you have determined to be right for you.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Putting Wellness in Perspective
My view of wellness is that it is just one aspect of total Stewardship. When man was created, he was assigned the steward or manager of all creation (Genesis 2:19-20).
Here are some of the Facets of Stewardship as I see it:
Time -- Each of us has the same amount of time, and responsibility for how we spend it. How well we use our time is a significant measure of our ability as stewards. Eph 5:15-16 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
Talent -- I am responsible to use wisely whatever ability I have. My talents are unique, and if I don't do what I am able to do well, there may be no one else available who can do it half as well as I could have.
Lu 12:48 … And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
I Pet 4:10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Treasure -- Giving is one of the greatest blessings of life. I can enjoy the remnant far more after giving generously to others.
Mal 3:8-10 10 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed Thee?’ In tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until there is no more need.”
Temple
I Cor 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
Talk -- It seems obvious that I am responsible for what I say, yet many folks spend their lives saying things that get them into trouble.
Mt 15:11 “Not what enters into the mouth defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”
Mk 7:20 And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man.”
James 1:26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.
James 3:2 … If any one does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.
I Pet 4:11 Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God … .
Thought -- This may take a little thought to work through, but the concept is that what I think sets the course for my life, so is a matter of significance. What I think about influences what I say, and my words influence what I do.
Pr 23:7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is.
I Pet 1:13 Therefore, gird your minds for action … .
Team -- Whatever team I join becomes my responsibility, at least in part. Each player on a sports team bears some responsibilty for winning. Each member of a family will contribute to its effective functionin
I Cor 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.
I Tim 5:8 But if any one does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has defiled his faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
A lthough the practice of stewardship is not our ticket to enter heaven, it is clear in Scripture that the mature believer who truly loves the Lord will practice wise stewardship in all aspects of life.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Making Choices for Life
In the Bible we learn that first Aaron (Numbers 20:23-29) and then Moses (Numbers 27:12-14, Deuteronomy 34:1-8) died at the time set by God. God curtailed the life of each of them because of an error they had made (Numbers 20:6-13). One lesson I see in that Scripture is that although Moses was 120 years old, “his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated.” Moses was still in full strength to do the Lord’s will, but it was time for him to be “gathered to your people.”
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Choose the Good!
Psalm 103 (excerpt)Of David.
Of David.
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
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What a loving God we serve! His plan is to forgive all our sin and heal all our diseases! He satisfies our desires with good things so that we are continually renewed.
Monday, March 24, 2008
In Search of Healthy Bones
No one wants to have brittle bones. As my mother aged, her bones were so fragile that for her to reach into the cupboard to get a piece of china put her at risk of fracturing a vertebra. My sister-in-law has bones so weakened that her medical provider is injecting something like superglue to hold her spine together. It is terrible to lose bone strength that severely! How can we prevent it?
· Stay physically active. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for walks, jogs, bicycle rides. Swim, do yoga or aerobics every couple of days and don’t be afraid to buy barbells to use once in a while. Play a sport or join a social group that incorporates exercise. The possibilities are endless, and they can be fun. You’ll feel better, and your bones will be much healthier for the effort.
· Eat a variety of whole plant foods, and avoid animal foods, including dairy. Plenty of calcium is available in a wide range of plant foods, including beans and leafy vegetables. As long as you stay away from refined carbohydrates, like sugary cereals, candies, plain pastas and white breads, you should have no problem with calcium deficiency.
· Keep your salt intake to a minimum. Avoid highly processed and packaged foods, which contain excess salt. There is some evidence that excessive salt intake can be a problem.
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