Medicine I

THE GREATEST CURE IN THE WORLD

In our first study on Biblical medicine we discovered that when sickness comes we should: 1 – Pray for Wisdom, 2 – Apply ourselves to Understanding 3 – Seek many Counselors, 4 – Use Discretion.
Actions: One key factor for our healing found in Proverbs 4:20-22 was our actions. We must be obedient to God’s word. That takes research, study and discipline.
First Thessalonians 5: 23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God doesn’t want us to abuse our worship or spiritual life; our soul or mind, will and emotions; or our bodies which is our physical strength and vitality.
Here are words for meditation: If we know we are doing something to hurt the body that God has given us, shouldn’t we make some changes? Sure, but what if we are ignorant of what harms our physical bodies? Therefore, we must first be knowledgeable of what harms us, so we can make the right changes for God’s glory.
Does nicotine harm one’s body? Strictly from all medical evidence, it does. Stats showed twenty years ago that 32% of all cancer comes from the tar and nicotine in tobacco. Wait! Did you know that the same stats showed that 34% of all cancer came from the foods we eat? Have you quit eating those foods or made any changes about your diet? Did you know that diabetes, heart problems, colon problems and nearly every problem in your body can be traced to three things? It can be traced to how you control your actions and attitudes and appetite.
You won’t change your diet till you are fully persuaded in your mind that God’s way is best.

Look at what God says about our attitude. Our Attitudes have a lot to do with our health. It can determine both our spiritual and physical health.
Turn to Psalms 103:
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
- Verse one reveals the importance of praising the Lord. There are many reason to praise the Lord. We should praise Him because he is holy. He is worthy. And it will renew your health.

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
- Verse two shows the importance of meditation. Thinking on the goodness of the Lord will develop a thankful and a grateful spirit.
When thankfulness and gratefulness flows from our hearts it also flows out of our mouths. We will tell others, whether our mate, children or church family of the goodness of the Lord that we realize. It renews our youth.
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
- Two things are revealed in verse three. By thinking on the goodness of the Lord, it will bring a person to salvation as well as healing. Because meditating on God’s word makes a person want to obey the Lord. It increases our faith.
– Verse one through three if put into practice will change a person’s actions and attitudes in life. Look at verse four.
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
That person will be crowned with a loving and kind and merciful spirit. He will also be content in life.
Mix all of these ingredients together and a person’s life is renewed like the strength of an eagle. Look at verse five.
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

I will say again, Salvation is a free gift to all who will believe and receive Jesus Christ as Savior, but our rewards in glory are determined by our labor of love for the Lord.
In the same way, our physical well being is not just promised by God so we can live and eat as we please. He gives good instructions about our attitude, action and appetite.

God gave Israel these promises: Deuteronomy 28:1 “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.”
Drop down to verse 58. “If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;
59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.
60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.
61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.”

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are going to heaven. We are saved by grace. What part of us is saved? Our spirit! Our soul is being saved every day or being delivered as we engraft God’s word in your life – James 1: 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Our bodies were cursed in the garden and they will die in time. They will not be saved in this world. Not till we see Jesus will they be delivered from the curse (I John 3:2). But, that doesn’t mean we have to suffer the diseases of the world. God told Israel they didn’t have to.

After God delivered Israel from Egypt and crossed the Red Sea, they went out into the wilderness of Shur. After three days without water they came to a body of water that was bitter and the people began to murmur against Moses. Moses cried out to God and God gave Moses these words which he delivered to the people.
Exodus 15: 25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

God allowed them to come to this place in their lives so they would learn that His way is best. He told them if they would obey his voice that they would not have to suffer the diseases of the world. You see that Moses cried out to God for direction. Then Moses reveals a new name of the Lord: Jehovah-rophee, “The God that heals.” Who do you trust for your healing? Doctors of God!

In Romans 14 Paul is confronted with what is right and wrong about certain days and certain foods. He gives a great principle that you must realize. It is found in verse 5…Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

You must be persuaded that God’s way of healing is better that modern medicine. You must have a Biblical attitude and Biblical actions that reveals your faith and hope. That will curve your appetite.

I am absolutely persuaded because I’ve seen it work in so many people’s lives. I have chronicled people with cancer and have seen those who chose God’s way either cured or I witnessed them live a longer life with far less pain and hospitalization.

In Second Chronicles we see the life of a king who became ill. He would not seek God. God gave him two years to turn to him but he would not.
16:12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.
13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.

Yale, Harvard and Princeton use to graduate three professional people into the ministry. They were doctors, lawyers and preachers. At one time doctors, lawyers and preachers served people as a ministry for mankind.
Today, there are still some Christian lawyers, preachers and doctors that so minister but very few. The majority of these professional people have become business minded and money minded.
Though they seek to help as they practice on you and believe their way is best, I am persuaded that God’s way is best if we would trust and obey.

Now let me give to you one of the greatest healing remedies in the Bible. No modern doctor will ever tell you what God makes so clear.

Testimony 1: One man gave this testimony over the material I will give you over the next few weeks. “My family and I are grateful to God for the benefits we have received through these medical studies. We are learning to make wise responses to each health challenge that arises.
It is our goal to prevent illness as much a possible through adopting a Biblical manner of life that builds healthy bodies.
Comparing our prescription drug expenses over the past eight years, we discovered that there has been an 82% reduction in the medical costs of our family. And one of the keys to our family health is the Bible teaching on _____________. At the first sign of fever, instead of taking antibiotics we obeyed God’s word and healing came.

Testimony 2: Near the beginning of my wife’s recent pregnancy she was bothered by nausea. In previous pregnancies, this all-day nausea lasted for three months. This time we had learned a way of removing toxins from the body that would not harm the baby. My wife applied the Bible remedy for three days and her nausea went away. After a week the nausea began to return, so she applied it for one day and the nausea went away. The same thing happened a week later and after another application the nausea was gone for the rest of the pregnancy.

Testimony 3: For years I have been about thirty pounds overweight. One day I discovered I had lost fifteen pounds by applying God’s procedure. I continued gradually until I reached my proper weight. I have been able to say at this weight ever since.

Testimony 4: For the last four years my wife suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. Her condition worsened to the point that her fingers were “frozen” and she could not bend them. I suffered from a high cholesterol level, one notch below the emergency level.
We heard of God’s procedure and followed it for seven days. My wife joyously moves her fingers freely and my cholesterol level dropped from one notch below the emergency level to just above the normal level.

What Bible practice could cure so many physical problems?
The answer is found in Matthew 6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
God tells us in Isaiah (58:6, 8), when our fasting (actions and attitude) is pure, that miraculous things will happen:
a. Spiritually (v 6)
-It will break the bands of sin that bind us… loose the bands of wickedness.
-It will put joy and peace back in our life... undo the heavy burdens.
-It will set us free from that which has power over us… the oppressed go free.
-It will deliver us from every habit… and that ye break every yoke?
b. Physically
8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

The question is, “Do we believe?” People go to doctors with many problems and they spend literally thousands of dollars on medicines and procedures over years and years and years and a life time.
We take medicine for one thing and the medicine causes problems in other areas. Then we have to take medicine because of the problems that the medicine we are taken is causing.
Every medication we take goes through our liver. Our liver is a filter and sooner or later it will be affected.

Whereas, God gives direction and a promise for a cure speedily (Isa 58:8).

*To begin a fast first takes the belief that God’s word is true.
With a fast there are physical pains that are minor compared to the benefits that God promises like healing, spiritual discernment, long life and your children’s salvation. Did you know Cornelius fasted for four days seeking Salvation?

Understand that your flesh will fight you.
-You will experience some hunger pains and headaches normally.
--The reason for the hunger pains is your body is on a clock that you have set. If you eat three times a day or six times a day, your stomach naturally begins to churn over the habitually time you eat. So, you have to control that before a fast or expect hunger pains to come.
Headaches will normally come. The reason for headaches is due to the poor diet most people are on. Most people are addicted to sugar and caffeine. Your head will hurt because your body is craving one of these.

Gradually however as you fast for God’s glory your body will overcome these two battles.

THE FAST:
Directions: During a fast drink six to eight glasses of well water or distilled water. Don’t drink city water. There is too much poison in it.
During the time of fasting stop and pray for your burden or need.
-At meal times read God’s word and pray. Go on short walks and stay busy.
-Don’t just sit or lay down and stair at the wall. Your body has plenty of energy from the fats already in you to give you all the energy you need for many days.
- As you work listen to Christian music and spend time with the Lord.

Some people ask, “What type of fast and how long should I fast?”

I. A one day fast will help prevent physical and spiritual problems:
1 – …If we have our hearts right with God and man.
a. We must have the right attitude – praise, thanksgiving and gratefulness.
b. We must display the right actions – trust and obey.

2 – …If we begin to eat and drink God’s way before a fast it will alleviate the headaches.
a. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day (50 to 80 ounces).
b. Eat 50% natural (fresh fruits, fresh salads, fresh bread)
c. Stay away from these harmful foods. Most people are addicted to them. You should slowly remove or reduce these food in your life if you want to be healthy and enjoy those special fasting times with the Lord:
i. Sugars: (soda, sweet tea, cakes, pies, juices, candy…)
ii. White flour: (bake goods, breads, cookies…)
iii. Caffeine: (coffee, tea, cokes, mountain dew…_
iv. Red meat: (beef, pork,) (if you can eat fish/ chicken)
v. any artificial foods (anything manmade such as margarine, diet drinks, no-fat foods, artificial sweeteners, de-calf coffees, etc is very, very dangerous to your health)

II. A longer fast will solve more difficult physical and spiritual problems.
After you adjust to a one day fast seek God’s direction in taking a three day or a seven day or even a fourteen day fast. Why? This should only be done once or at most twice a year for you physical benefit.
--The greater the disease in your body, the longer you must fast.
You notice in “example 4” where it was a seven day fast for the arthritis and cholesterol victims to return to normal.
Men that have had cancer and had been given six months to live choose seven days and fourteen days fast with very strict eating habits that gave them healing. (They would fast more often during the year due to their problems).

If you have tumors, cancers, arthritis, or if you have wayward children, unsaved children, marital problems, financial problems, seek God according to Isaiah 58 and God promises healing in every way, physically and spiritually.

If you have a major physical problem I would suggest a longer fast but get wisdom and understanding before you fast. If you are on medication get directions from a Christian doctor that has knowledge of both worlds.

Remember that a fast consist of a diet of only pure water. No food, no drinks, no gum, no candy, absolutely nothing but a clean glass and about eight glasses of water a day.

What does a fast do? It hydrates the body. Other bodily functions slow down such as your digestive system. “The life of the flesh is in the blood.” Much of your blood begins to attack areas in your body where there are diseases, tumors, arthritis, heart problems and other problems that have built up over the years.
Slowly, the blood brings healing in these areas. God made our bodies so if we obey God’s word they can heal themselves completely.

People have reported that moles and warts have fallen off their bodies and areas where they had pain for years disappear. People with ringing in their ears have reported over a fourteen day fast that the ringing cleared up and their hearing greatly improved.

When you fast remember God’s promise in Isaiah 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

Warning: We are living in a day of very bad diets. We are filling our bodies daily with sugars and chocolates; caffeine in coffees, teas, sodas; poisonous white bleaches in our flours, cakes, biscuits and breads; chemicals in our red meats and fish and chicken, therefore before you consider a three-day or longer fast it would be very wise for you to change your diet for two weeks or completely or go on a juice fast and wing yourself off of these poisons.

Illustration: My wife some years ago decided to go on a three-day water fast to clean out her body and bring healing. On the second day, her heart began to pound and race. It was due to the poisons from so many foods she had been eating.
So plan a fast. First start eating good and slowly but as quickly as possible wing yourself off sugars, caffeine’s, bleached foods and red meats.
Then go on a juice fast first.
To go on a juice fast you would need a juicer and a book with the many types of juices you can drink. For example:
i. A mixture of carrot and apple juice is good for the healing of the entire body.
ii. A mixture of beet and carrot or apple juice is a great cleanser for the liver.
iii. You can mix cabbage with carrot and apple to clean other organs.
iv. If you have kidney trouble, juice fresh cranberries.
v. If you want a very enjoyable drink, juice a pineapple with ginger root.
vi. Make a sweet lemonade with four oranges and a half a lemon.
vii. Fresh apple juice is great healthy drink.
viii. A pomegranate is great to take toxins out of your body.
A ten day juice fast will clean your body of most poisons and toxins.

Daniel ate this way. I’m sure he didn’t juice but he ate vegetables and fruits and he and his friends were physically stronger and spiritually wiser than all the wise men in the entire kingdom of Babylon.
In Daniel 1:20 the king found them not just better than the other wise men of Babylon but he found them ten times better.

Spiritual fasting: God’s wisdom in fasting not only brings healing to the body, but it does for you spiritually and supernaturally what you have never been able to do.
---Many of you have tried to live right and you have prayed and you have been faithful to church but certain problems still exist in your life. Family problems, lost love ones, physical problems… What are you going to do?

Matthew 17: 14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is a lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Demons have control of some of your family members. They are lost going to hell and don’t seem to care how they live.
Or they are living a life that you know will bring the judgment hand of God. You have prayed and you have asked God for help. You have become more faithful to church. You have changed the way you are living and yet it seems they are still going their way. What will you do?
Will you go on a fast? How long? For some of your problems to be solved and children to be saved it may take you going on a three day, seven, day fourteen day fast.

One last question:
How will a fast benefit me?
1 – It will benefit you physically.
a. It will bring healing to your body in places you won’t even know.
b. It will eliminate a variety of physical disorders and increase your five senses.
2 – It will benefit you spiritually.
a. A fast will heighten the alertness in your spiritual life.
b. Your understanding of God’s word will grow amazingly.
c. Your worship will become more exciting.
d. You will see more amazing answers to your prayers.

*The dean of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Daniel Tosteson, read much of the material that I studied years ago and am again in the process of restudying. He stated, “A new method of study is working so successfully that it may well be “the wave of the future” in medical education.
Medical Training Institute of America, September, 1991