Section 9—Interrelationship of Body and Mind
Chapter 39—Harmonious Action of the Whole Personality Necessary (Part 2)
Counsel to One Who Indulged in Exaggerated Language—From the light which God has given me, I know that spiritual deformity is being developed in you. In the place of giving a faultless exhibition of right principles and correct habits, you are gathering to yourselves sentiments and principles which will exclude you and all who partake of the same spirit from the heavenly courts. Your mind is becoming deformed by the way in which you treat it. I entreat of you to change decidedly about. Check all exaggerated language, for it destroys the harmony of the mind.
The body needs careful culture, that it may be kept in a healthy condition. So the mind needs to be strictly disciplined, lest it shall be unduly developed in some things and insufficiently developed in others. Because these susceptible organs are not in your sight, where you can see the harm that you are doing to your intellectual powers and how much they need regulating, you are not conscious of the harm you are doing them. You entertain unsound theories, and your mind is made to serve these theories.
The way in which you are mismanaging your mental machinery is wearing it out. But you cannot see what harm this is doing. Sooner or later your friends with you will see the unfavorable development of your thoughts and actions. Your stomach is beginning to testify to the action of the mind. A symmetrical and well-disciplined mind would change for the better the powers of digestion.—Letter 29, 1897.
Harmony Uses Complementary Effort (counsel to a husband)—We cannot all have the same minds or cherish the same ideas; but one is to be a benefit and blessing to the other, that where one lacks, another may supply what is requisite. You have certain deficiencies of character and natural biases that render it profitable for you to be brought in contact with a mind differently organized, in order to properly balance your own. Instead of superintending so exclusively, you should consult with your wife and arrive at joint decisions. You do not encourage independent effort on the part of your family; but if your specific directions are not scrupulously carried out, you too frequently find fault with the delinquents.—Testimonies for the Church 4:128 (1876).
Lower Propensities to Be Under Control—“We are laborers together with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Man is to work out his own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God that worketh in him both to will and to do of His good pleasure. God gives man physical and mental powers. None are needless. Not one is to be misused or abused. The lower propensities are to be kept under control of the higher powers.—Letter 139, 1898.
Health of the Body and Mind—The life of Daniel is an inspired illustration of what constitutes a sanctified character. It presents a lesson for all, and especially for the young. A strict compliance with the requirements of God is beneficial to the health of body and mind.
In order to reach the highest standard of moral and intellectual attainments, it is necessary to seek wisdom and strength from God and to observe strict temperance in all the habits of life. In the experience of Daniel and his companions we have an instance of the triumph of principle over temptation to indulge the appetite. It shows us that through religious principle young men may triumph over the lusts of the flesh and remain true to God’s requirements, even though it cost them a great sacrifice.—The Review and Herald, January 25, 1881. (The Sanctified Life, 23.)
Healthy Life Favors Perfection of Character—A pure, healthy life is most favorable for the perfection of Christian character and for the development of the powers of mind and body.—The Review and Herald, December 1, 1896. (Counsels on Health, 41.)
Mind, Sinew, and Muscle to Work Harmoniously—By properly using our powers to their fullest extent in the most useful employment, by keeping every organ in health, by so preserving every organ that mind, sinew, and muscle shall work harmoniously, we may do the most precious service for God.—The Youth’s Instructor, April 7, 1898.
Happiness the Fruit of Harmonious Action of All Powers—Those who serve God in sincerity and truth will be a peculiar people, unlike the world, separate from the world. Their food will be prepared, not to encourage gluttony or gratify a perverted taste, but to secure to themselves the greatest physical strength, and consequently the best mental conditions….
Our heavenly Father has bestowed upon us the great blessing of health reform, that we may glorify Him by obeying the claims He has upon us…. The harmonious, healthy action of all the powers of body and mind results in happiness; the more elevated and refined the powers, the more pure and unalloyed the happiness.—The Review and Herald, July 29, 1884. (Counsels on Health, 50, 51.)
The Influence of Rejoicing—God’s people have many lessons to learn. They will have perfect peace if they will keep the mind stayed on Him who is too wise to err and too good to do them harm. They are to catch the reflection of the smile of God, and reflect it to others. They are to see how much sunshine they can bring into the lives of those around them. They are to keep near to Christ, so close that they sit together with Him as His little children, in sweet, sacred unity. They are never to forget that as they receive the affection and love of God, they are under the most solemn obligation to impart it to others. Thus they may exert an influence of rejoicing, which blesses all who come within its reach, irradiating their pathway.—Letter 40, 1903. (Medical Ministry, 45).
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for teaching us how intimately is the body and mind. Please bless us to follow Your guidance in their harmonious development. that we can be truly transformed to share Your love to those around us. With the right motives, we can be used of Your Holy Spirit to be a blessing. Thank You for the privilege of prayer and for knowing that through the name of Your Son we may expect what we ask, because we ask according to Your will to be in communion with Jesus. Please bless us to commit to doing right with the motive of divine love: overcoming every tendency to sin against You. Please grant to us a pure, wholesome, consistent Christian life, which is obtained by daily studying Your Word, the Holy Bible, under the guidance of Your Holy Spirit, to behold and reflect the character of Jesus to each other first and to the world. Like Jesus, please bless us to not be conformed to this world, but to be truly transformed into the persons You would have us be, working fully in the service of the King: Jesus. Please bless us truly to contemplate the life of Christ and to allow Your Word to develop within us that true religion, borne of love, which ennobles the mind, refines the taste, sanctifies the judgment, and makes us patient partakers of the vibrant health, purity, and holiness of Heaven. Because we ask all these in the Awesome name of Your Son, Almighty Jesus the Christ, our Savior, we say Thank You and Amen.
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DID YOU KNOW THIS…?
¶Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.—3 John 1:2 KJV —[The WORD OF GOD—It’s the only flesh that is safe to eat (meditate on) to live forever!]
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You are uniquely special. See how so… Advance to 2:31:00 (for musical lead-in and children’s intro):
https://youtube.com/live/uPzBC5rspI4?is=sVY-k16-tvQk_yxU
Do you feel sorrowful, disconnected—without a place to feel at home or useful? I pray this might show you the way forward. Watch…
https://www.youtube.com/live/2QB6fcwVuws?si=fsEvZU-rkI-BngfD
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FREE HEALTH TALK* open to the public Thursdays at 5pm at Country Life Natural Foods Store and Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant, 1217 Eberhart Avenue, Columbus, GA.
Thursday, Aug. 13: “Obesity and Weight Loss”
*Exception: $10 for any cooking class
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WHGR 91.5 FM went LIVE noon on Thanksgiving Day 2025, for Hurtsboro (my childhood home town) and surrounding areas, including Tuskegee, Alabama.
If you want to support Christian radio programming for these final days, please visit
https://www.ucheepines.org/radio
Thank you!!!
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I coordinate wonderful health and worship events and conferences online and onsite as a gospel medical missionary at Uchee Pines, a total plant-based health retreat, where doctors and practitioners specialize in lifestyle medicine. For event details, visit https://www.ucheepines.org/events
Therefore, if at any time you fail to receive this post as a text, please visit
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