Sunday, May 28, 2023

Why is Shavuot Important? Pentecost For Kids. How Much Cancer Does Lunch Meat Cause?

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Shavuot in Scripture: Why is Shavuot Important?shavuot

Pentecost is today, Sunday, 28 June, 2023.

“Most Christians today don’t celebrate or are knowledgeable about Jewish (Old Testament) holy days. Yet, there is great benefit to believers in digging into and experiencing the culture and meaning behind the various festivals. Today, we’re looking at why Christians should celebrate Shavuot.

Perhaps you desire to know more or want to connect the Old Testament and New Testament in a way that will help your kids remember it.

Celebrating the Feasts of our Lord is the best teaching tool we as parents and grandparents can use to instill God’s Word, story, and truths in the hearts of our children.

If you have a longing to teach them all that God is and why it matters, this is a great addition to family traditions. I still remember stories that were told to me when I was very young. In fact, in grade school our music teacher was also the music leader at his church. So our musical in 4th grade school was Daniel in the Lion’s Den. I ‘ll never forget those songs or stories.

The same is true today. As we teach God’s Word to our kids – let them sing the stories, read the stories, enact the stories, and celebrate the stories – they too will never forget. I hope you agree that these are great reasons as to why Christians should celebrate Shavuot.

Shavuot In Scripture

Let’s turn to the Bible for a moment. In Scripture, Shavuot is known as “the Feast of Weeks.” Later, in the New Testament, it becomes Pentecost. The following Bible verses show us what the Bible says about this special feast.

Exodus 34:22  You shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks, that is, the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year.

Numbers 28:26 ‘Also on the day of the first fruits, when you present a new grain offering to the Lord in your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work.

Deuteronomy 16:10 Then you shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give just as the Lord your God blesses you;

Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.

Now let’s talk about why Shavuot (or Pentecost) matters.

Why Is Shavuot So Important?

Shavuot is one of those favorite stories to relive. God has something important to convey in it and that’s why He set it aside as one of the Feasts of our Lord.

In fact, it was so important that God commanded the Jewish people to come to Jerusalem each year to celebrate Shavuot, also known as the Feast of Weeks.

But why is the festival of Shavuot so important to us today?  Glad you asked.

This is my personal take on Shavuot and why we as Christians should celebrate this Jewish tradition every year.

1. God's Holy Law

god's holy lawShavuot is a reminder of God’s laws (the ten commandments) written on the tablets of stone. It helps to always be reminded of how God delivered the laws on Mt Sinai and read as a family the verses where the experience was recorded.

And all the people were watching and hearing the thunder and the lightning flashes, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it all, they trembled and stood at a distance. Exodus 20:18   Lightning, flashes, thunder, smoke (fire). Things we can all relate to.

Jewish teachings relay that Moses received the Law on the 50th day after Passover. (Exodus 19:1)

We can also note that when Moses came down from the mountain 40 days later, there was a golden calf waiting for him. The people had rebelled against the God who rescued them out of slavery and sustained them day-to-day and created their own god.

The Lord was understandably angry. On that day around 3,000 Israelites were killed.

God is very serious about His Words and His promises!

2. Promise Delivered

We see Shavuot celebrated in the book of Acts as the disciples, who were Jews, plus many more people gathered together.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And tongues that looked like fire appeared to them, distributing themselves, and a tongue rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with different tongues, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out. Acts 2:1-4

This experience told to us by Luke is an example of God delivering on His promise from the book of John.

…but an hour is coming and now is when true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth for such people the Father seeks to be His worshippers. God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:23-4

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit who the father will send in my name he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you! John 14:26

That is reason enough to celebrate the Feast of Weeks – Shavuot!

We need reminders of what God has given us. We need the Holy Spirit to bring to remembrance all that God’s Word teaches us.

Jesus the Messiah delivered on His promise! And He is still delivering on His promises today.

Shavuot is about deliverance from bondage and also deliverance from the evils of this world. These are amazing promises of the Lord!

The Feast of Weeks is celebrating God’s faithfulness in maintaining His covenant and fulfilling His promises. There’s a distinct connection between fulfilled promises of the Lord and Pentecost, when Shavuot begins, in the early church.

This particular Pentecost, or Shavuot, is when God gave the law written in the hearts of the people through the Holy Spirit.

3. Languages

languagesIn my upbringing, we rarely talked about the early disciples’ Pentecost experience because it brought up the hard-to-answer question about ‘tongues’.

This is not hard to explain when it’s learned in the context and original language of the time.

When God delivered the tablets of stone – the laws – in Exodus 20:18,  it says “the people perceived the thunder and lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking and when the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance.”

This thundering is each person hearing God’s voice.  The Israelites on the mountain were hearing God speak.

The tongues in Acts are the languages to spread the Gospel to all peoples.  The people outside the room where the disciples were being given the gift of the Holy Spirit heard the Gospel for the first time in their own language.  People traveled from miles around, there would have been people in Jerusalem from all over. Some authorities say there could have been a million people in Jerusalem that day.  The sound coming from the room to the outside was the Gospel and those hearing it were being saved in their own language.  Around 3,000 were saved that day.

It was never about confusion. That’s a misinterpretation. Tongues mean languages. It was and always is about the Gospel. And the people who needed to hear it. Heard it in their language. Today we have the power of the Holy Spirit to share the Gospel with all people. God will supply the words. We are not to let nationalities or languages cause us to hesitate our call.

4. Thanksgiving

Shavuot is a feast of thanksgiving. Thanking God for the harvest, historically wheat and barley. People bring gifts as a sacrifice, gifts from their produce.  We too need to celebrate with a feast of thanksgiving.  Thanking God for the complete assurance of salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus.  Gratitude for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is our helper. Celebrating Shavuot helps us teach our kids about the Holy Spirit and how He guides us on a daily basis.

Are you interested in learning more about the feasts of the Lord and how we can celebrate them?

For free celebration guides, devotionals, decor ideas, activities for kids, and quick, easy teachings on each feast (including Shavuot), click here.

5. Leaven

unleavened bread in the bibleAt Passover, we removed all the leaven from the home. (Leaven represents sin in our lives.)  During Shavuot, we’re given new leaven.  Leaven also means teachings.

Yeshua (Jesus) explained that leaven represents teachings and we are not to learn from the Pharisees, who focus on traditions and doctrines. Instead, we’re to learn from God’s Word. In the first chapter of the Treasures of Healthy Living Bible Study, we discuss how there’s as much to unlearn as there is to learn. As we study scriptures for ourselves and teach our kids to do the same, the Holy Spirit guides us. There are many gifted and blessed teachers we can learn from. Yet the Word is always the final authority.

Celebrate Shavuot

celebrate shavuotAs we celebrate Shavuot, it doesn’t have to be in the traditional Jewish nature.  We celebrate with music, singing, sharing praises, enjoying a feast, fellowship, and reading the story of Ruth with some fun antics added in.  Then we pray for our nation and for Israel.  Consider Acts 2:42-43: They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship to breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

Later, in chapter 3, a man was healed. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Acts 3:8-9  This is why we celebrate the Feasts of Our Lord. We are to live in such a way that people say, “Times are hard. Why are you walking and leaping and praising God?”

Our world can be chaotic and worrisome. Just in the most recent times our gas was shut down, we have COVID fear, and bombs are going off in Israel. There are always a host of hard, painful, and tragic things occurring in this broken, fallen world. Yes, I know these things. I don’t ignore them, but I know the God who knows all and loves me beyond all measure. That He is still good and He is still in control.

Therefore, I’m going to walk and leap and praise God. The Bible isn’t just great stories. It’s Jesus in real time. And because of Him, we rejoice in His Word, His revelation, His redemption, and so much more.

Shavuot is another great opportunity to take a break from our normal routines and set aside special time to remember and celebrate God’s faithfulness.

Are you ready to celebrate Shavuot with your family? I hope and pray so!”  From: https://thebiblicalnutritionist.com/why-christians-celebrate-shavuot/

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See also: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/pentecost/from-pentecost-to-pentecostalism/

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EEI-Logo-600-3

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“Almost 2,000 years ago, on the Day of Pentecost, God gave His Church a powerful gift: His very Spirit.

We may not have visible tongues of fire on our heads today, but

with God’s Spirit we can miraculously transform our hearts and

minds daily and take on God’s character.”

eei-view-lesson

eei-pentecost1

“Learn about the significance of the wave sheaf offering

and its connection to the festival of Pentecost.”

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“Refresh your understanding on what it means to be

a “firstfruit” and on what the character of a firstfruit

looks like.”

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“Discover the power that can guide and direct us daily,

enabling us to have the mind of Christ.”

eei-view-lesson

“Have a refreshing and joyous Feast of Pentecost!”

Join other parents, grandparents and guardians to discuss how they are using the EEI Parenting Manual to teach their children in our Facebook Group.

From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/learning-center/youth-development/the-word-of-god/feast-of-pentecost/?

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How Much Cancer Does Lunch Meat Cause?

“Why does the leading cancer and diet authority recommend we avoid bacon, ham, hot dogs, sausage, and all other processed meats—including chicken and turkey?

How many years of life are lost to potentially preventable cancers? Every year, more than five million expected years of life are lost to lung cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer alone. Therefore, identifying and improving strategies for prevention of cancer remains a priority, especially since not more than 2% of all human cancer is attributable to purely genetic factors. The rest involve external factors such as our diet.

The most comprehensive summary of evidence on diet and cancer ever compiled recommends we should eat mostly foods of plant origin to help prevent cancer. This means centering one’s diet around plant foods. Not just whole grains and beans every day, but every meal.

And, when it came to foods that may increase cancer risk, they were similarly bold. Unlike many other dietary guidelines that wimp out, and just advise people to “moderate” their intake of bad foods, like eat less candy. The cancer guidelines didn’t mince words when it came to the worst of the worst. For example, don’t just minimize soda intake, avoid it. Don’t just cut back on bacon, ham, hot dogs, sausage, and lunch meats, but avoid processed meats, period, because data do not show any level of intake that can confidently be shown not to be associated with risk.

Processed meat cannot only be thought of as a powerful multi-organ carcinogen, but may increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Red meat was bad, but processed meat was worse, and that included white meat, like chicken and turkey slices. So, with more heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, it’s no surprise processed meat consumption has been associated with increased risk of death.

In Europe, they calculated that reduction of processed meat consumption to less than 1/4 a hot dog a day [sic – – should be half a hot dog] would prevent more than 3% of all deaths.

This was the second largest prospective study ever done on diet and cancer, a study of more than 400,000 people. The largest ever, 600,000, was done here in the US, the AARP study. They found the preventable fraction to be much higher, suggesting, for example, that 20% of heart disease deaths among women could be averted if the highest consumers cut down to like less than a half strip of bacon a day.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Katie Schloer.

DOCTOR'S NOTE

“The World Health Organization recently published a report that puts chicken nuggets, deli turkey slices, bacon and other processed meats in the same category as cigarettes and asbestos: known carcinogens. According to independent research cited by the WHO, the deaths of 34,000 people from cancer every year are attributable to diets high in processed meat, in addition to the 800,000 additional deaths due to cases of diabetes and heart disease. That’s a meat-borne epidemic every year.”  From: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-much-cancer-does-lunch-meat-cause/

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More on processed meat can be found in videos such as:

But cancer risk has been associated with unprocessed meat as well via a variety of potential mechanisms:

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Sunday, May 21, 2023

What was Pentecost in the Old Testament? Pentecost Proves the Sabbath. Can Pesticides Be Rinsed Off?

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What Does Pentecost Mean?

What Does Pentecost Mean?“Pentecost, (Sunday, May 28th, this year) has special meaning for people of all nationalities and backgrounds. It marks the beginning of the Church, the gift of the Holy Spirit and more.

Pentecost is a festival observed by Catholics, Protestants, Jews and the Church of God. Many people don’t know the background of this holy day or why these groups often celebrate it on different days.

Within mainstream Christianity (Catholics and Protestants alike), many congregations recognize the biblical teaching that Pentecost was the day the Holy Spirit was first given to Christians. They consider it, in effect, to be the birthday of the New Testament Church.

Some congregations, however, give no special attention to this festival. The reasons some within mainstream Christianity choose not to observe Pentecost vary.

Some suggest that there are so many events in church history and on church calendars that it is hard to know which ones to observe. Others don’t celebrate Pentecost because of an uneasy feeling about anything connected with charismatics, who mistakenly believe it is necessary to recreate the supernatural events of the first Pentecost today.

In this article, let’s consider what the Bible teaches us about this day and some of the questions surrounding it.

What was Pentecost in the Old Testament?

Pentecost is one of the annual holy days God revealed to the ancient Israelites.

The seven feasts of the Lord are found in Leviticus 23. They are Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks (called Pentecost in the New Testament), the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day.

Some people refer to these observances as the feasts of the Jews. But, while God did indeed give these to Israel, including the Jewish people, it is important to note that God says, “These are My feasts” (Leviticus 23:2), and that Moses referred to them as “the feasts of the LORD (verse 44).

What we note from these passages is that Pentecost is a feast of God. These festivals do not belong solely to the Jews. They are God’s feasts and are to be observed by His people, no matter what their nationality or ethnic background might be.

What does Pentecost mean in Greek?

Pentecost holds an interesting distinction among God’s commanded holy days. Of all the annual observances given by God to the ancient Israelites, this is the only one that has been commonly known to Christians since the first century by its Greek name—Pentecost, meaning “the fiftieth day” (Thayer’s Greek Definitions).

“The fiftieth day” is related to the name of the festival in the Old Testament—the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22; Numbers 28:26; Deuteronomy 16:10)—and the way the date of its observance was determined. God’s instructions were to “count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath” and that day was to be proclaimed “a holy convocation” (Leviticus 23:16, 21).

The Feast of Weeks was also called “the Feast of Harvest” in Exodus 23:16, because it was associated with firstfruits—the early part of a harvest and the first harvest of the year in Canaan.

As Numbers 28:26 says, “Also on the day of the firstfruits, when you bring a new grain offering to the LORD at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work.”

Pentecost: what happened?

Consider the events that led up to the momentous Pentecost of Acts 2.

Three days and three nights after His crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead, and during the next 40 days He appeared multiple times to His disciples (Acts 1:3).

In addition to talking to them about the Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ told them to wait in Jerusalem because “you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:4-5).

Just a few days later, as His disciples assembled in Jerusalem to observe Pentecost, Christ’s promise that they would receive “power from on high” came true (Luke 24:49). As the Holy Spirit descended upon His faithful followers, it appeared as tongues of fire, and His disciples began to miraculously speak in foreign languages (Acts 2:3-4).

These awesome events on the Day of Pentecost in A.D. 31 launched the New Testament Church. That same day an additional 3,000 people responded to a moving message by the apostle Peter. They repented of their sins, were baptized and then received the Holy Spirit.

From this amazing beginning, the Church of God began to rapidly expand throughout the Roman Empire.

What Pentecost means today

Pentecost is an annual festival commemorating the beginning of the New Testament Church of God. Even more important, it is a reminder for each of us that God’s Holy Spirit is now available to all who repent of their sins, are baptized, and continue to follow and obey Him (Acts 5:32).

As Peter explained almost 2,000 years ago, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

There is still another meaning to Pentecost that is overlooked by many because they don’t understand that God’s plan of salvation for mankind has several stages.

The concept of firstfruits—the first part of a harvest—was an integral part of the Old Testament observance of this festival, and it continues to have meaning for us today. God must first call people before they can repent of their sins and receive the Holy Spirit, which identifies them as Christians who will receive eternal life.

Jesus emphasized this point, saying, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44).

Those who are called by God during this present age and who respond to God’s call are the “firstfruits” of His plan of salvation for mankind. They have a part in preparing for an even greater harvest of people to follow.

Our merciful God, who wants all to be saved, has planned more than one time or age for humans to be called and have their opportunity for salvation. God determines when each person will be given the opportunity for salvation.

How is Pentecost calculated?

Although many religions observe Pentecost, albeit with different names and meanings, they celebrate it on different dates.

  • Judaism observes Shavuot on Sivan 6, according to the Hebrew calendar.
  • Mainstream Christianity observes Pentecost on the 50th day after Easter, inclusive of both days.
  • The Church of God observes this holy day on the 50th day starting with the Sunday during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

Why are there so many variations in calculating this festival?

How most churches calculate Pentecost

The reason for mainstream Christianity’s date for Pentecost is pretty obvious to students of history. It’s connected with the change from the biblical Passover to Easter.

The misguided, breakaway version of Christianity, which separated itself from the original Christianity founded by Jesus and His disciples, changed Passover to Easter (the name of a pagan goddess of spring and fertility). At the same time, they also changed its date and meaning.

Those who celebrate all seven feasts of the Lord and rehearse their meanings each year continually find deeper meaning in them. Although there is no biblical directive to observe Easter, the leaders of this church decided that they would observe it to honor the resurrection of Jesus—rather than observe the biblical Passover to commemorate the death of Christ.

This version of Christianity set the method for calculating Easter so it could not fall on Passover.

Although this may not have been the direct intent of the calculation, other decrees by the Catholic Church clearly show that anti-Semitism was a driving force behind their reasons for abandoning worship on Saturday and the traditional, annual observance of Passover on the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew calendar (Leviticus 23:5). Their founders despised the Jews and didn’t want their religion to look similar to that of the Jews.

How most Jews calculate Pentecost (Shavuot)

In the first century, when Jesus’ followers observed Pentecost and received the Holy Spirit, there is no mention in the Bible of any concern or disagreement over the date. Yet there were multiple Jewish sects—including the Sadducees and Pharisees—who had differing beliefs and practices.

The Sadducees, who were members of the priestly sect, were in charge of the temple and the worship that occurred there. But, as the Encyclopaedia Britannica explains, “The Sadducees and Pharisees were in constant conflict with each other, not only over numerous details of ritual and the Law but most importantly over the content and extent of God’s revelation to the Jewish people” (“Sadducee”).

In addition to their disagreements over whether there could be a resurrection, angels and spirit (Acts 23:8), these competing sects differed in how they understood the instructions for calculating Pentecost found in Leviticus 23.

The Encyclopaedia Judaica says, “The Sadducees (and later the Karaites) understood the term ‘Sabbath’ in these verses [Leviticus 23:11, 15, 16] literally, hence, for them Shavuot always falls on a Sunday” (1971, Vol. 14, p. 1319, “Shavuot”).

But after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Pharisaic beliefs became the predominant teaching of Judaism. The way most Jews now calculate Shavuot is to count 50 days from the annual Sabbath of Passover (as the Jews call the first day of Unleavened Bread). This leads to a fixed calendrical date of Sivan 6 each year.

How the Church of God calculates Pentecost

The Church of God carefully follows the biblical instruction in Leviticus 23:16 to “count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath.”

Since the word Sabbath in this verse clearly refers to the weekly Sabbath rather than an annual Sabbath, we understand that the Sabbath that comes before the count to 50 must also be a weekly Sabbath—not an annual Sabbath.

The Church also notes that if God intended the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, as it is known today, to be observed on a fixed date (Sivan 6), He could have inspired that date to be recorded in Scripture. All the other holy days have fixed dates, and Pentecost could have been designated on a fixed date as well—if that were God’s intent.

Instead, the scriptural account emphasizes that Pentecost has to be counted each year. The reason is that the day of the week when the Days of Unleavened Bread begin varies from year to year. By counting 50 days beginning with the Sunday during the Days of Unleavened Bread (as designated by Scripture), we always come to Sunday.

What does Pentecost mean for you?

Those who celebrate all seven feasts of the Lord and rehearse their meanings each year continually find deeper meaning in them. You can find the dates for Pentecost and other festivals according to the biblical calculation on our “Festival Calendar.”

What will Pentecost mean for you this year? Study more in our article “The Miracle and Meaning of Pentecost.”

What Is Pentecost to the Jews?

In Judaism the festival is called by its Hebrew name, Shavuot. This means weeks or sevens, which alludes to the instruction to count 50 days. This feast occurred during the first harvest of the land, and Jewish tradition says that this day commemorates God giving the ancient Israelites the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai.

Jews often read the book of Ruth at this time of year. Their reasons for doing so “are that the book takes place at the time of the barley harvest, that Ruth’s assumption of Naomi’s religion reflects the Israelites’ acceptance of the Torah at Sinai, and that King David, who is alleged to have died at this time of year according to rabbinic tradition, is mentioned at the end of Ruth” (“Shavuot 101,” myjewishlearning.com).

What Is Pentecost Sunday?

Pentecost Sunday is the Sunday that many Catholic and Protestant congregations observe as the beginning of the New Testament Church and as the day the Holy Spirit was given. Unfortunately, they do not always do so on the biblically authorized date.

As previously noted, the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, was to be determined by counting—beginning with the day after the Sabbath—“fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath” (Leviticus 23:15-16).

Since the biblical Sabbath has always been and continues to be on Saturday, the 50th day after counting seven Sabbaths will always be a Sunday.

Although mainstream Christianity gets Pentecost Sunday on the right day of the week, it does not follow the biblical instruction to begin the 50-day count to Pentecost with the Sunday that falls during the Days of Unleavened Bread. Instead, mainstream Christianity begins its count from Easter. Some years (such as 2020) these dates coincide, but many years they do not.”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/pentecost/what-does-pentecost-mean/

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Pentecost Proves the Sabbath

“In Leviticus chapter 23, God revealed a series of celebrations to be observed throughout the year. One of them is called Pentecost. It also goes by other names such as Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, and First fruits (of the wheat harvest). It is a unique festival in two aspects. Firstly, it is the only holy day that does not fall on a specific day of the Hebrew Calendar. Instead, we must calculate its timing. Secondly, we must know when the weekly Sabbath occurs.

The verses about this celebration are found in Leviticus chapter 23:15-22. We will look at a few of these verses: “15 And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord…21 And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”

Notice that Pentecost is the day after the seventh weekly Sabbath from Unleavened Bread. This means it always occurs on the first day of the week. Any church body who celebrates Pentecost on Sunday is acknowledging that the true Sabbath is from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. This includes the Catholic Church. Some of their authors and clergy have admitted this!

John Laux, an author of textbooks for Catholic schools, wrote: “If we consulted the Bible only, we should still have to keep holy the Sabbath Day, that is, Saturday, with the Jews, instead of Sunday…” (Laux, p 51).

John Gibbons, a Catholic Cardinal, wrote: “But you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify” (Gibbons, pp 72-73).

The Catholic Church acknowledges the timing of the Biblical Sabbath. Any church that celebrates Pentecost on Sunday reflects the same belief. Pentecost proves the Sabbath.”  From: Pentecost Proves the Sabbath – The Sabbath Sentinel 

Kelly McDonald, Jr, BSA President   www.biblesabbath.org

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Can Pesticides Be Rinsed Off?

“Researchers measure the impact of eating organic on the levels of pesticides in our children.

Produce can be contaminated by manure runoff, and conventional produce may be contaminated with pesticides. We’ve known for years that the 800 million pounds of pesticides used annually in the United States—herbicides, fungicides, insecticides—have clear-cut detrimental effects on farm workers and their families. That’s uncontroversial.

We can even do what are called hand-wipe studies to actually measure the pesticides in the hands of kids in California’s Central Valley. The planes come down and spray this fog. How much exposure urban and suburban and children are getting from food, however, has been unclear, until now. Twice daily, urine samples were taken from 3- to 11-year-olds for more than a year to see how much pesticide is flowing through our kids. These children were nowhere near farms, or fog-spraying planes. And to single out pesticides that were coming from the diet, as opposed to a lawn treatment or something, for two weeks of the year, the kids were put on organic diet. Guess which two weeks those were? So the two times during the year when they ate organic foods, there were undetectable, or nearly undetectable, pesticide residues in their urine, while their little bodies were basically swimming in it the rest of the year.

In my 2000 update, I told everyone about this disturbing study. Vegetarianism during pregnancy associated with having sons with a specific birth defect of the penis called hypospadias. They thought it might have something to do with the phytoestrogens in soy, but that didn’t make any sense since Japan, with the highest per capita soy consumption in the world, did not have high rates of the defect. I guessed that it might be low vitamin B12 levels leading to high homocysteine, which has been related to other birth defects, but we were all wrong.

Finally, though, the mystery seems to have been solved. The researchers reanalyzed the data for clues as to what could be found in the diets of vegetarians compared to meat eaters—other than more good things, like more fruits and vegetables. Unless, there is an endocrine-disrupting fungicide, called vinclozolin, that is sprayed on most of our conventional crops, which we now know causes hypospadias. So, researchers went back and split up the vegetarian moms into two groups: those eating organic produce, and those eating conventional produce. And while the vegetarian women eating conventional produce during pregnancy had indeed higher birth defects rates, there was not a single case in the organic group.

So it seems the hypospadias wasn’t due to vegetarian diets; it was that they were exposing their fetus to more pesticides. Can’t we just rinse our produce off? Well, it’s better than nothing, but this new study looked at three pesticides on apples. Levels start out at 100%. Rinsing seems to take off only about 15% of the pesticides. The only way to really cut down our dose is to peel the apple, eliminating about 85% of the pesticides—but also eliminating much of the nutrition.

So, eat organic foods whenever possible. Organic produce has more vitamins, more minerals, tastes better, stores better, and you get to not be complicit in poisoning farm workers and their families.”  From: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/can-pesticides-be-rinsed-off/

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.

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Sunday, May 14, 2023

Is God Calling You? To the Church of God. Plantstrong by Engine 2, Happy Mother's Day.

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Is God Calling You?

Is God Calling You?“Does God have a plan for you? Is He calling you to deeper understanding of His truth? Is He asking you to make changes that will benefit you now—and forever?

Why are you surfing this website? Curiosity? Or something more? Maybe you are unable to define the reason right now.

Haven’t you ever wondered what you are doing on this earth? What is the ultimate purpose of life?

Has your conscience been nagging you about something you have done?

Did you go to church last Sunday? Why? Out of a sense of duty? To whom?

Have you ever felt frustrated with your church because the minister did not explain certain things to your satisfaction? For instance, where your deceased loved ones are now? Or how the world is going to end? Or why God allows so much suffering and so many catastrophic events in the world?

Or what happens to someone who dies without ever hearing about Jesus Christ?

Do you feel a little disturbed about things that used to be considered wrong, but aren’t so much anymore, like lying, swearing, casual sex, homosexuality or witchcraft?

Are you filled with a hunger to know the truth—the real truth—about your Heavenly Father?

If you answered “yes” to most of the questions above, it may very well be that God is calling you.

While He may be found

If so, you need to take some very important steps. The first is to respond. Don’t say, “Oh, I’m very busy right now. … I’ll look into these questions when I get the chance.”

But the Bible tells us: “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6).

You see, God’s inspired Word—the Holy Bible—tells us that nobody can come to Jesus Christ unless the Father draws him or her (John 6:44). In fact, the Bible contains evidence that all true Christians will be called by God! Jesus told His disciples, “I chose you out of the world” (John 15:19). But for what purpose?

Moreover, Jesus told His disciples: “It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” (Matthew 13:11, emphasis added throughout). God deliberately designed His Word so that only those He is calling will really begin to understand at this time.

Do you deeply desire to understand more of God’s Word? Is God calling you? How can you be sure?

Opening minds

In a nutshell, God calls people through the power of His Holy Spirit and His message, contained in the Bible. By His Spirit you will be able to prove to yourself that God exists and that the Bible is truly His inspired Word.

By His power, God opens the minds of the called few now so they can understand His Word more fully. And with understanding comes the urge to know more!

If God is calling you, you will come to understand that Christ did not come to destroy God’s law but to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). So His Spirit will lead you to “live … by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Living by the whole Bible is essential to really understanding it.

If God is leading you, you will grow to trust God, yes, to rely on Him absolutely! You will come to realize that God gives answers to His called-out ones.

If God is calling you, He will lead you to understand the scriptures that show that this whole world has been following the way of Satan, rather than God’s way (Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 4:4). You will want to follow God and obey Him in everything. You will examine yourself, understand and reject how you have lived contrary to God and His ways. Yes, you will desire to make changes to your life.

God is calling a few people today for a special role—to help proclaim the good news of the coming Kingdom of God and to help teach those who are interested to appreciate and believe everything Jesus Christ taught His disciples. The entire world urgently needs this knowledge of God’s way!

If you are beginning to understand and believe the entire Bible, if you come to understand that your ways are wrong, if you have a genuine desire to share your knowledge—then you are probably being called by God!

How will you respond?

Are you going to respond to the call? Are you prepared to live according to the Bible? Are you prepared to repent of everything you have done that you know to be wrong, and to commit yourself to complete obedience to God? Are you prepared to forgive every person who has ever wronged you?

What you need to do is read more about God and the plan He has laid out for the whole of mankind. Find out who God really is, and what He is doing while the average person fritters his or her life away on trivial pursuits.

And where do you get this type of information?

The Holy Bible is the source of all the information you need to make the most important decisions of your life:

  • To learn the truth about your Heavenly Father.
  • To bring Him into your life.
  • To learn how He wants you to serve Him.
  • To find out about God’s incredible plan of salvation to expand His royal family!
  • To understand what you have to do to be part of all this.

We have designed this website to help you in your search of the Scriptures and highlight important truths of the Bible that can give you real hope and change your life for the better.

As you learn more and more, you will also very quickly understand whether God is calling you. Because that feeling will grow until it becomes a conviction. In fact, you will feel compelled to do something about it—right away!

What a fantastic opportunity! It’s a chance to know and serve your Heavenly Father.

Act now! You can start by reading more about God’s calling in the article “God Calling!”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/blog/is-god-calling-you/?

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To the Church of God

1 Corinthians 1:2

“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

The biblical name of the Church is the “Church of God.” This name is mentioned 12 times in the New Testament.

The name Church of God is also mentioned in each of these New Testament passages: Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 10:32; 11:16, 22; 15:9; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:14; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; and 1 Timothy 3:5, 15.

For more about the Church, see “True Church: What Is Its Name?” and “The Church: What Is It?” From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/to-the-church-of-god/?

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Plantstrong by Engine 2

May be an image of 1 person and textKip Esselstyn and his Mom, Ann

“Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing moms out there! We're grateful for the love and care you provide to your families, and to the planet. Today, we celebrate you and hope you feel appreciated and loved!”   #HappyMothersDay#PlantBasedLove

PLANTSTRONG was created and implemented by Rip Esselstyn, a former world-class professional tri-athlete and the son, grandson and great-grandson of renowned physicians, after he discovered the dangerously high cholesterol level (344!) of one of his fellow firefighters at the Austin (TX) Engine 2 Station. The results of his revolutionary, plant-based diet were so dramatic – and the food so delicious and easy-to-prepare – that Rip’s program received media coverage on NPR, in the New York Times and in several newspapers across the country.

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Monday, May 8, 2023

Biblical Conflict Resolution. What Is God’s Dietary Plan? Hospitals Selling Sickness.

 

Biblical Conflict Resolution

“As interpersonal conflicts increase, how should we best deal with them? What are some of the strategies of biblical conflict resolution?

Biblical Conflict ResolutionFrom the time of Cain and Abel, offenses and conflicts have been incessant human problems. And the Bible warns that in the end time, many will be offended (Matthew 24:10).

Have you ever witnessed someone being offended? Have you ever been offended? Have you ever offended someone else? It is very likely that you have.

Offenses generally produce conflict. The Cambridge Dictionary defines conflict as “an active disagreement between people with opposing opinions or principles.”

And resolving conflict is no easy task! It can be uncomfortable and difficult because of the hard feelings and strong emotions that are involved.

Small offenses may require little more than extending forgiveness to the person who’s committed the offense. Our blog post “Conflict Resolution: Should I Say Something?” explains, “With the majority of small offenses, the best response is usually simply to forgive the offense, recognize we have similarly offended others and bear with the other person in love (Ephesians 4:2).”

The purpose of this article is to explore the situations when a more involved response is needed.

No doubt, you will face conflict at some point in your life. Countless books have been written on this subject, some of which have proven to be very helpful. But, more important, God Himself provides us with some conflict resolution strategies within the Bible, His inspired Word.

What is the lesson of Abigail in the Bible?

The courageous example of Abigail provides a good illustration of an individual with exceptional conflict resolution skills. Her reaction to a very difficult situation—the strategies that she used to address conflict—can help us be prepared to resolve potential conflicts in our own lives.

We find the story in 1 Samuel 2      We will continue to see increased numbers of offenses and conflicts in the world around us, and you will most likely face difficult conflicts in your own personal life. But the Bible provides a way for us to deal with them:  “Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel, and the man was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. The name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance; but the man was harsh and evil in his doings” (verses 2-3).

It is here that we’re first introduced to Abigail, along with her husband, Nabal. Verse 3 provides us with a key description of Abigail: She was a woman of “good understanding.” This good understanding was beneficial throughout Abigail’s life, both to her and to those around her.

It is not unreasonable to conclude that being married to a harsh man whose name literally meant “fool” left her vulnerable to moments of conflict.

We have no way of knowing every conflict that Abigail faced, but we are made aware of one significant situation that she faced. This tense situation involved her husband and another man who became extremely angry. Strong emotions and hard feelings often accompany moments of conflict.

David and Nabal

Nabal was a successful businessman; he possessed thousands of animals and was very rich. And while he was shearing his sheep in Carmel, along came David with a band of his men.

As background, it’s important to understand that when Nabal’s shepherds had been working in the fields, David’s men had provided security and protection for Nabal’s men and animals.

So David sent some of his men to remind Nabal of this. They were sent to entreat Nabal to share some supplies with them.

David’s message was, “Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David” (verse 8).

They were simply asking this wealthy man to be hospitable, which was the custom at the time. It was not an unreasonable request from David. They were not forcing Nabal’s hand; they were simply asking him to share whatever he was willing to give at this festive time. After all, they had provided some protection for his men and animals.

True to his name, Nabal’s reaction was churlish. He rudely responded with an insult in verses 10-11:

“Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master. Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat [notice his emphasis on my throughout] that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men when I do not know where they are from?”

Nabal made it quite clear that he had no intention of sharing anything with David. Not only was he unwilling to share, but he verbally insulted David as well.

Enter conflict. Nabal’s unkind reply greatly offended David and made him angry. He gathered up his men, told them to get their swords, and vowed to kill every male within Nabal’s camp.

Nabal was upset with David for asking him to share, and David was upset with Nabal for being unwilling to share. Nabal incited David by hurling insults, and David threatened to kill all of Nabal’s men.

Abigail and David

Standing in the midst of this very tense conflict was Abigail.

In verses 14-16, Abigail received a quick briefing on what was going on. She was informed of what her husband had done, as well as how David had reacted to Nabal’s conduct. The servants affirmed that David’s men did exactly as they said they had done, describing the men as a “wall [of protection] to us both by night and day.”

“Now therefore, know and consider what you will do” (verse 17).

Abigail was faced with this difficult question. As she faced the possibility of an attack by David, what would she do?

There is certainly no one-size-fits-all solution, but Abigail’s response does provide a few important lessons about biblical conflict resolution.

1. Face the problem—don’t hide from it.

Abigail discerned the situation and acted quickly to address the problem. She didn’t ignore it, hoping that it would go away. She didn’t try to hide from the problem. Abigail faced the matter head-on.

Notice the first four words in verse 18: “Then Abigail made haste.” She quickly gathered a collection of gifts for David and rode out on a donkey to meet him.

“Now when Abigail saw David, she dismounted quickly from the donkey, fell on her face before David, and bowed down to the ground” (verse 23).

Takeaway: When we’re faced with a conflict, we must be willing to address the situation. Avoiding the issue does not help resolve it.

2. Base your response on Scripture.

Abigail did not address the situation by angrily accosting David, but expressed genuine humility instead. When it comes to conflict resolution, there is quite possibly no passage more significant than Proverbs 15:1: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (See “Dealing With Difficult People” and “5 Tips for Dealing With Difficult People” for further reading on this topic.)

Through an attitude of humility and incorporating the biblical principle of a soft answer, Abigail’s approach helped defuse David’s anger.

“So she fell at his feet and said: ‘On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be! And please let your maidservant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant. Please, let not my lord regard this scoundrel Nabal. For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him! But I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent’” (1 Samuel 25:24-25).

She essentially told David, “I didn’t know that any of this had happened. Please forgive us for offending you.” She presented her gift of food, fulfilling what David had wanted in the first place. And she let David know that she knew he was fighting God’s battles (verse 28).

Once she’d softened him up, Abigail provided David with some encouragement to change his mind.

To paraphrase her reply, Abigail said, “Please forgive me. God will reward you and defeat all your enemies. I believe He has restrained you from taking revenge so you won’t have any regrets in the future.”

As you break down Abigail’s response to David, you can clearly see the resulting fruit of a soft answer turning away wrath.

Takeaway: Each situation is unique and may require a modified approach, but our response should always be based upon biblical principles.

3. Seek God’s help and know He is with you.

If we seek God’s help and strive to act as He tells us, we can know that He will be with us (Hebrews 13:5-6).

“Then David said to Abigail: ‘Blessed is the LORD God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me!’” (1 Samuel 25:32).

That’s an important statement that should not be overlooked. The Lord God of Israel sent Abigail to meet with David. God was with her. She had to do her part as well (see lessons 1 and 2), but God was with her as she faced this conflict. Through Abigail, He helped address and resolve a situation that affected many people.

Takeaway: As we face moments of conflict in our lives, we must recognize that God can be right there with us. (See “God Is There for You” for further reading on this subject.)

Prepare to apply these conflict resolution strategies

We will continue to see increased numbers of offenses and conflicts in the world around us, and you will most likely face difficult conflicts in your own personal life. But the Bible provides a way for us to deal with them.

As you face those tense moments of conflict, let Abigail’s example be a source of encouragement. Resolving conflict is no easy task, but it is attainable.

Learn more in our three-part blog series on conflict resolution, beginning with “Conflict Resolution: Should I Say Something?”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/friendship/biblical-conflict-resolution/?

Also see: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/relationships/friendship/dealing-with-difficult-people/

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What Is God’s Dietary Plan?

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” ~1 Corinthians 10:31

Can we glorify God by disobeying His word? Absolutely not. There is but one way to bring glory to God, and that is through obedience to His infallible word! We must decide this one thing, are we going to obey God or man?

“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: We ought to obey God rather than men.”   ~Acts 5:29

​So, what exactly is a Godly diet? Let’s break this down into some very simple steps, a Godly diet plan for us in the here and now consists first and foremost of eating only clean foods!  This not only refers to God’s do and do not eat list of clean and unclean animals, it also refers to eating foods that are unblemished by man.

Let’s talk just a bit about GMO’s, genetically modified (mutated) organisms. I know this is a tough concept to get our brains wrapped around, so I’m going to be extremely generalized in my explanation of this horrendous condition.

Should I eat

Misguided human beings have messed with God’s perfect foods, and corrupted both plants and animals for monetary gain as well as for power to control their propagation. They have messed with the very core of these creations, better known as the DNA! Click here for a crash course on Genetics and DNA.

God had a perfect plan, a plan that can not be improved on. By messing with and genetically corrupting these organisms, man has recreated God’s creation into what I call “Frankenstein-foods.”  So, without going into anymore boring genetic science, suffice to say, we absolutely should not be consuming any of these genetically mutated Frankenstein-foods. And that leaves us with what is better known as organic foods.

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”   ~Romans 8:20-21

Now for a brief understanding of organic foods versus chemically treated foods. Organic means natural, in other words, foods that are grown as God intended, not genetically modified or sprayed with harmful chemical pesticides (bug-sprays), dangerous herbicides (weed-killers), or chemical fertilizers. We should only eat organically grown foods that have been treated naturally, fertilized with herbivore manure or composted seaweed and vegetation mulch.

Lastly, we need to look at the condition of the foods that we’re consuming. Natural, unprocessed is what God intended for us. Not bleached, over processed, artificially colored, artificially sweetened, artificially preserved, or foods full of any additives, no matter what the purpose might be. A good rule to follow is to read all labels, and if they contain anything you can’t pronounce, don’t eat it!

We were created to eat whole natural organic, non-GMO foods like; fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, clean wild-caught fish, and minimal free-range/chicken, grass-fed clean meats and dairy (without steroid, growth hormone or antibiotic injections).

No refined sugar, and absolutely no artificial sweeteners. Only natural, raw honey or plant nectars like agave nectar, real maple syrup, and molasses. No processed and refined chemically preserved anything. If it doesn’t come in, what I refer to as a God wrapper (peeling or skin covering), don’t eat it!

I was recently at a friend’s house one morning, and he asked me if I’d like to join him in a bowl of instant maple flavored oatmeal. He knew my stance on organics, as well as how I felt about GMOs. He protested that it was organic and that oatmeal is very good for you!

I politely declined and tried to explain the difference to him. Yes, organic is good, and yes, oatmeal is good for you as well, however, instant anything is processed and altered to microwave super fast, as well as “maple flavoring” which is just that, artificial flavoring, a man-made chemical substitute for real maple syrup, and is totally unnatural and downright harmful.

I am no longer willing to compromise my beliefs to please others. I will not jeopardize my health, nor will I go against God’s rules for optimal health.  I’m to the point in my life that I don’t care what people think. I no longer care that many of my friends and relatives feel I’ve gone overboard with my dietary restrictions.

“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, you people in whose heart is My law: do not fear the reproach of men, nor be afraid of their insults.”   ~Isaiah 51:7

​I fully understand that God wants us to be healthy, and that’s the whole reason He made all these dietary rules in the first place. This is overwhelmingly apparent by a number of Biblical facts. First off, God is extremely specific about exactly what we should and should not eat. Secondly, Jesus spent the majority of His adult life healing the sick and lame. As well as the fact that God created us. Who could possibly know better what these organic bodies should consume for fuel?

With that said we must now ask, how can we get as close as possible to what God wants for us? In a nutshell, here it is.

What should we eat...?

  • ​Eat only biblically “clean foods”
  • Eat uncontaminated meats; not treated w/steroids, hormones or antibiotics
  • Eat non-GMOs; foods that have not been genetically altered by man
  • Eat organic foods that have not been chemically treated
  • Eat quantities that reflect Biblical moderation and self-control
  • Eat more raw and live foods like fresh fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds, and less animal, as well as less cooked, refined/over-processed anything

One of the biggest problems with the average American diet isn’t just how much we eat; it’s the percentage of our diet made up of cooked and over-processed foods. Eat more raw, natural foods like fresh fruits and vegetables (remember about the God wrapper) i/e the fresher, the better and the more color, the healthier. Follow God’s rules rather than man’s. The more natural the foods you eat, the healthier you will be!

Anything that isn’t labeled organic has more than likely been treated with dangerous chemical insecticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. As well as animals that are injected with steroids, growth hormones and antibiotics. Anything that isn’t labeled non-GMO has probably been genetically mutated to replicate something it isn’t. Have you ever heard the saying, only God can make a tree? Let that sink in! Man can try to improve on God’s perfection all he wants, but I assure you he will ultimately fail.

The following was a newsflash on the internet that a friend sent me. She commented on how happy she was about this discovery. “Science Confirms Eating Chocolate Cake For Breakfast Is Good For Your Brain And Waistline”  Sadly, I informed her that she was more than old enough to understand that you can’t believe everything you read.

God has given us the ability to discern. This simply means, if it quacks and waddles, it’s a duck! I don’t care what anyone might tell you it is. Use your God-given common sense, if it sounds too good to be true, that’s because it isn’t true.

The thing is, people choose to believe what they want to believe. Yes, it would be great if chocolate cake for breakfast, ice cream for lunch and Krispy Kreme donuts for dinner were good for you, but really, it doesn’t take a nutritional expert to understand that they aren’t.

What shouldn't we eat...?

Besides all of the “unclean foods“ that God tells us to avoid, we also need to use our God-given ability to discern regarding things that are not mentioned in the Bible. For example, GMO’s of any kind, chemically treated foods, over-processed foods, refined foods, artificial preservatives, and toxic chemical additives like aspartame, just to name a few. God created perfect, clean foods—man modified and mutated it into toxic, unclean trash, and sells it as a convenience!

This is what we should be eating!

Additionally, any type of soft drink is extremely unhealthy due to the excessive amount of refined sugar, but diet soda is by far the worst possible choice.

Here are the ingredients in diet coke:

​Carbonated water, caramel coloring, artificial sweetener (Aspartame, or Sucralose for the Splenda version), phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate (to protect taste), sodium (40mg), natural flavors, citric acid, caffeine. GMO: This product includes ingredients sourced from genetically engineered (GE) crops, commonly known as GMOs.

All artificial sweeteners are bad for you—Aspartame being one of the most unhealthy and down-right dangerous choices possible—its absolute poison in every sense of the word. The harmful effects of ingesting this stuff are endless. It can cause seizures, headaches, depression, ADHD, weight gain, dizziness, birth defects, cancer, lupus, Alzheimer’s, MS, and internal bleeds, just to name a few!

Opt to eat the good of the land—the foods that God has created to nourish our bodies—rather than man-made trash and fake foods!

​“If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”   ~Isaiah 1:19

​Q: Are you ready to accept God’s diet?”  From: https://thetruthmission.org/what-is-gods-dietary-plan/

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Hospitals Selling Sickness

Transcript of video at: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/hospitals-selling-sickness/

“The movement to remove fast food operations from hospitals parallels the successful movement in the 80s to bar hospital tobacco sales.

The food industry spends billions of advertising. Promotion costs for individual candy bars could run in the tens of millions, and this was years ago. McDonald’s alone spends a billion dollars on advertising every year. Such figures dwarf the National Cancer Institute’s million dollar annual investment promoting fruit and vegetable consumption or the 1.5 spent on cholesterol education. And that McBillion goes a long way.

Children’s food preferences are being molded by McDonald’s even before they learn to tie their shoelaces. By the early age of 3 to 5 years, preschoolers preferred the taste of foods and drinks if they thought they were from McDonald’s. This was true even for carrots. Baby carrots placed on a bag with McDonald’s logo reportedly tasted better.

And then if they get sick, they can continue to eat McDonald’s in the hospital. Nearly 1 in 3 children’s hospitals had a fast food restaurant inside, leading parents to have more positive perceptions of the healthiness of McDonald’s food. Or they can just buy the naming rights altogether: The Ronald McDonald Children’s Hospital.

In teaching hospitals, Krispy Kreme tops the list. Hospitals may wish to revisit the idea of serving high-calorie fast food in the very place where they also care for the most seriously ill.

This is reminiscent of the fight back in the 80s to get tobacco out of hospitals, when public health advocates made radical suggestions like cigarettes should not be sold in the hospital. By working to make our hospitals ultimately smoke-free, we become part of a global campaign to completely eliminate the tobacco scourge. The task is difficult, but so was eradicating smallpox.

Maybe it’s time to stop selling sickness in hospitals.”

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Katie Schloer.

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