Section 9—Interrelationship of Body and Mind
Chapter 41—Diet and Mind (Part 3)
Restrict the Varieties of Food—We must care for the digestive organs and not force upon them a great variety of food. He who gorges himself with many kinds of food at a meal is doing himself injury. It is more important that we eat that which will agree with us than that we taste of every dish that may be placed before us. There is no door in our stomach by which we can look in and see what is going on; so we must use our mind, and reason from cause to effect. If you feel all wrought up, and everything seems to go wrong, perhaps it is because you are suffering the consequences of eating a great variety of food.—Manuscript 41, 1908. (Counsels on Diet and Foods, 111, 112.)
God’s Plan for Us—God desires us, by strict temperance, to keep the mind clear and keen that we may be able to distinguish between the sacred and the common. We should strive to understand the wonderful science of the matchless compassion and benevolence of God. Those who eat too largely and those who eat unhealthful food bring trouble upon themselves, unfitting themselves for the service of God. It is dangerous to eat meat, for animals are suffering from many deadly diseases. Those who persist in eating the flesh of animals sacrifice spirituality to perverted appetite. Their bodies become full of disease.—Manuscript 66, 1901.
Intellectual Activity Diminished by a Heavy Meat Diet—The intellectual, the moral, and the physical powers are depreciated by the habitual use of flesh meats. Meat eating deranges the system, beclouds the intellect, and blunts the moral sensibilities.—Testimonies for the Church 2:64 (1900).
What We Eat Diminishes Intellectual Activity—We are composed of what we eat, and eating much flesh will diminish intellectual activity. Students would accomplish much more in their studies if they never tasted meat. When the animal part of the human agent is strengthened by meat eating, the intellectual powers diminish proportionately.
A religious life can be more successfully gained and maintained if meat is discarded, for this diet stimulates into intense activities, lustful propensities, and enfeebles the moral and spiritual nature. “The flesh … [warreth] against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh” (Galatians 5:17).
We greatly need to encourage and cultivate pure, chaste thoughts and to strengthen the moral powers rather than the lower and carnal powers. God help us to awake from our self-indulgent appetites!—Letter 72, 1896. (Medical Ministry, 277, 278).
Meat Eating and Disposition—As a general thing, the Lord did not provide His people with flesh meat in the desert because He knew that the use of this diet would create disease and insubordination. In order to modify the disposition and bring the higher powers of the mind into active exercise, He removed from them the flesh of dead animals.—Manuscript 38, 1898. (Counsels on Diet and Foods, 375.)
Results of Pork Eating—It is not the physical health alone that is injured by pork eating. The mind is affected and the finer sensibilities are blunted by the use of this gross article of food.—Healthful Living, 58, 1865 (Part 1) . (Counsels on Diet and Foods, 393.)
Imprudent Eater Disqualifies for Counseling—Sugar is not good for the stomach. It causes fermentation, and this clouds the brain and brings peevishness into the disposition. And it has been proved that two meals are better than three for the health of the system. [See Counsels on Diet and Foods, “Number of Meals,” pages 173-178.]
What a pity it is that often, when the greatest self-denial should be exercised, the stomach is crowded with a mass of unhealthful food, which lies there to decompose. The affliction of the stomach affects the brain. The imprudent eater does not realize that he is disqualifying himself for giving wise counsel, disqualifying himself for laying plans for the best advancement of the work of God. But this is so. He cannot discern spiritual things, and in council meetings, when he should say Yea and Amen, he says Nay. He makes propositions that are wide of the mark. The food he has eaten has benumbed his brain power.
Self-indulgence debars the human agent from witnessing for the truth. The gratitude we offer to God for His blessings is greatly affected by the food placed in the stomach. Indulgence of appetite is the cause of dissension, strife, discord, and many other evils. Impatient words are spoken and unkind deeds are done, dishonest practices are followed, and passion is manifested—and all because the nerves of the brain are diseased by the abuse heaped on the stomach.—Manuscript 93, 1901.
Coffee Affects Mental and Moral Powers—Coffee is a hurtful indulgence. It temporarily excites the mind, … but the aftereffect is exhaustion, prostration, paralysis of the mental, moral, and physical powers. The mind becomes enervated, and unless through determined effort the habit is overcome, the activity of the brain is permanently lessened.—Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 34, 1890. (Counsels on Diet and Foods, 421.)
Erroneous Eating Leads to Erroneous Thinking—The health of the body is to be regarded as essential for growth in grace and the acquirement of an even temper. If the stomach is not properly cared for, the formation of an upright, moral character will be hindered. The brain and nerves are in sympathy with the stomach. Erroneous eating and drinking result in erroneous thinking and acting.—Testimonies for the Church 9:160 (
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/78.71#97
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for teaching us how intimately connected 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…?
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.—Genesis 1:29 KJV —[The WORD OF GOD—It’s the only flesh that is safe to eat (meditate on) to live forever!]
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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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Thursday, Aug. 13: “Obesity and Weight Loss”
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If you want to support Christian radio programming for these final days, please visit
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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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where devotionals are first posted daily (almost without fail). From there devotionals are publicly shared to my page on FB, LinkedIn, and Signal (in My Story), and to a response-restricted group on WhatsApp (once again when I am able to find the time to successfully rebuild it).
NOTE: These began as daily texts to encourage my academy roommate and dear friend of nearly 50 years, until she suddenly passed March 2023. Now I continue to compile and send them to anyone who will receive them and to her family in honor of their mom. Lately, I have begun featuring consecutive chapter portions of a select Bible-based book.
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My personal prayer is that God will bless me to find ways to multiply this gift, so that we all may be encouraged to be found faithful in the sight of a Holy God, whenever Christ returns or our eyes are shut in the sleep of death.
It is a prayerful process that leads me to share from my personal study.
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