GOD Himself led our church through the Testimony of JESUS… which is the Spirit of Prophecy.
GOD’s guidance for His remnant people, His end-time church…
GOD’s Priorities for Vision Content (1845–1865)
1) Formulation of Doctrinal Framework – 1840s
Sabbath, state of the dead…
“We know that we have the truth.” (Letter 30, 1850)
2) Organization of the SDA Denomination – 1850s
Dec. 24, 1850: first vision on “gospel order”
11 days after EGW’s declaration on doctrine
First steps in organization in 1860:
May 13: First “legally-organized” SDA Church, Parkville, MI
Oct. 1: SDA name adopted & first institution (publishing house) organized
3) Development of the “Health message” – 1860s
The General Conference was organized May 21, 1863.
Sixteen days later the first major health reform vision was given June 6th.
4) Education, Service & Worldwide Mission – 1870s
We can see that GOD gave us a clear sight of biblical doctrines through earnest bible study and visions from his prophet Ellen Gould Harmon White.
When we had a biblical foundation He gave us instructions on how to organize an official church. That wasn’t so easy, because a lot of believers thought that an officially structured church would mean to establish Babylon.
As soon as the General Conference was organized we were instructed, step by step, in health principles. It also wasn’t easy, because the common lifestyle was very different. Does that sound familiar to you?
And when all of this was “digested”, GOD gave us instruction on how to educate our children, how to minister to the Lost and gave us the Call to Worldwide Mission.
We can see a wonderful plan that builds up in every step…
Let us have a closer look at the history of our Health Message
1 Autumn 1848 1st known vision of health-related matters
2 Spring 1854 2nd limited vision
3 June 6, 1863 1st major vision of Health Reform
4 December 25, 1865 2nd major vision
5 October 25, 1868 Vision of “imbalance”
6 December 10, 1871 Extended counsel of character preparation
1. In the fall of 1848, Ellen White was shown the harmfulness of tobacco, tea and coffee.
She wrote about this topic for the first time in 1851. (Letter 5, 1851).
2. Six years later, on February 12th of 1854, she received more details about cleanliness, heavy food, pastries, and sugar.
She also saw quite a bit about the importance of controlling appetite at that time.
3. June 6, 1863 was her “1st Major Vision of Health Reform”
James and Ellen White visited an evangelistic campaign by R. J. Lawrence and M. E. Cornell, where they stayed in the home of Aaron Hilliard…
James White was very sick at that time. He had a bad lifestyle, depression, and was working too much… (When he died on August 6, 1881, three men had to take over all the duties he performed for the church!)
…during the family worship, Sabbath opening, they wanted to pray for James` recovery… When GOD`s people earnestly prayed for healing at that time it had always worked. Until now… This time, Ellen went into vision for 45 minutes and was instructed about health. GOD answered the prayer this time in another way.
It was the most well-known and most comprehensive vision on the subject of health!
The content emphasized earlier reforms and introduced new ones. Counsel was given for the recovery of James`health and also for the church at large regarding the relationship between physical well-being and spiritual health (care of health as a religious duty), dietary guidelines, environmental concerns, cause of disease, natural remedies, health education and also the education of the public in these matters as a duty of Christians.
4. December 25, 1865, the second major vision was given in Rochester, NY.
The background was a special service in a local SDA Church. It was Christmas Day and the fellow brethren and sisters were praying for James White’s healing again.
More details were given in this vision. Now the church was given the order to establish its own health institution. It was less than a year before the Western Health Reform Institute opened. Ten years later, it was given the name “Battle Creek Sanitarium” by Dr. Kellogg. Its purpose was to cure those who were already ill and to teach preventive medicine.
On September 5, 1866, the Western Health Reform Institute was established.
It was a “normal house” that had been remodeled, and treatment rooms were added (side building, left on the picture). They did a great work there and they started small, simple and soon. We can learn a lot from our history.
5. On October 25, 1868, Ellen White was shown what happens when one loses his focus on health reform. She could see the damage of one-sidedness and imbalance that some people brought upon themselves and onto others with their lifestyle choices (extremes in both directions).
6. On December 10, 1871, she received extended counsel on character preparation.
Health reform is a vital component in preparing a people to meet the Lord.
The PURPOSE of the Health Message
Now we come to the climax, the most important fact… Why did we receive the health message?
“Beloved, I wish above all things, that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prosper.” (3 John 1:2).
GOD wants our physical, mental & spiritual well-being!!!
He loves us so much and wants to bring us back to the state of Eden (as close as possible here on earth). That’s why He performed miracles when His people prayed…And then He gave us a health message to care for our well-being in HIS strength and to serve others.
For GOD, health & salvation are one – if you haven´t read the book “D’Sozo” by Dave Fiedler yet, I encourage you to do so. You will be blessed abundantly!
Our spiritual well-being is very much connected to our physical condition!!!
“The sons and daughters of the Lord should grow in efficiency. Their tastes, their appetites, must be brought into captivity to Jesus Christ. Their passions must be under control, in order that they may have a clear mind for the Spirit to operate upon. It is essential that gospel principles be received in the home life and the daily experience. Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, are the fruits that will then appear. “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts.” (Lt 2a, 1896).
The Spirit of GOD connects with our spirit!!! Like a transmitter and a receiver.
GOD, the transmitter, is always on the right channel but if we, the receiver, aren’t rightly tuned then we won’t receive a signal. This means that we cannot hear GOD`s voice as clearly as we could.
“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:18-19).
We are all, likewise, called to be fishers of men…
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.” (Matthew 4:23-24).
Teaching, preaching, and healing was JESUS’ mission… and it should be ours too.
“In the work of the gospel, teaching and healing are never to be separated.” (The Ministry of Healing, 140).
“The divine commission needs no reform. Christ's way of presenting truth cannot be improved upon. The worker who tries to bring in methods that will attract the worldly minded, supposing that this will remove the objections that they feel to taking up the cross, lessens his influence. Preserve the simplicity of godliness.” (Letter 123, 1903).
With JESUS as our example we have the perfect role model. If we just follow His footsteps, we can’t get lost in any of the traps that Satan places before us, even hindering us to reach the people…
Country Living and the Health Message
“It was not God's purpose that people should be crowded into cities, huddled together in terraces and tenements. In the beginning He placed our first parents amidst the beautiful sights and sounds He desires us to rejoice in today. The more nearly we come into harmony with God's original plan, the more favorable will be our position to secure health of body, and mind, and soul.“ (The Ministry of Healing, 365.2).
We can see in this and the following quotes that country living is also a key for real holistic health, for us, our children and the people we want to minister to.
“To live in the country would be very beneficial to them (your children); an active, outdoor life would develop health of both mind and body. They should have a garden to cultivate, where they might find both amusement and useful employment. The training of plants and flowers tends to the improvement of taste and judgment, while an acquaintance with God's useful and beautiful creations has a refining and ennobling influence upon the mind, referring it to the Maker and Master of all.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, 136 (1876)).
“Nature is God's physician. The pure air, the glad sunshine, the beautiful flowers and trees, the orchards and vineyards, and outdoor exercise amid these surroundings are health giving—the elixir of life. Nothing so tends to restore health and happiness as living amid attractive country surroundings.” (My Life Today, 135.7-8).
“God desires us to reach the standard of perfection made possible for us by the gift of Christ. He calls upon us to make our choice on the right side, to connect with heavenly agencies, to adopt principles that will restore in us the divine image. In His written word and in the great book of nature He has revealed the principles of life. It is our work to obtain a knowledge of these principles, and by obedience to co-operate with Him in restoring health to the body as well as to the soul. Men need to learn that the blessings of obedience, in their fullness, can be theirs only as they receive the grace of Christ. It is His grace that gives man power to obey the laws of God. It is this that enables him to break the bondage of evil habit. This is the only power that can make him and keep him steadfast in the right path.” (The Ministry of Healing, 114.4 - 115.1).
It is JESUS who granted us all in all. He begged His FATHER to send us the HOLY SPIRIT so we can have victory, guidance and comfort. Let us learn at His feet from the holy scriptures and the book of nature.
I want to end with this wonderful quote of guidance for our work in the vineyard:
“Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.” (The Ministry of Healing, 143).
Tom Brandtner "...a brand plucked out of the fire" (Zec. 3,2). Husband & Father
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