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Sabbath Bible Lessons

Healthful Living

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Lesson 10 Sabbath, December 4, 2010

Sunlight

“Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun” (Ecclesiastes 11:7).

“The sun is a God-given physician.”—Manuscript Releases, vol. 20, p. 25.

Suggested Reading:   Our High Calling, pp. 245, 296

Sunday November 28

1. THE FOURTH DAY OF CREATION

a. What was created on the first day of creation? Genesis 1:3. And on the fourth day? Genesis 1:16.

b. How do we know that sunlight is good for health? Ecclesiastes 11:7.

“Let your judgment be convinced that exercise, sunlight, and air are the blessings which Heaven has provided to make the sick well and to keep in health those who are not sick. God does not deprive you of these free, Heaven-bestowed blessings. . . . Properly used, these simple yet powerful agents will assist nature to overcome real difficulties, if such exist, and will give healthy tone to the mind and vigor to the body.”—Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 535.

c. To whom does the Lord give His blessings? Matthew 5:45.

“[The divine Teacher] appeals to every blessing of the natural world, the showers that fall upon the earth, the dew, the glorious sunlight, given alike to thankful and unthankful. The bounties of God’s providence speak to every soul, confirming Christ’s testimony to the supreme goodness of His Father.”—The General Conference Bulletin, October 1, 1899.


Monday November 29

2. HEALING RAYS

a. With what comparison does the Bible emphasize the value of sunlight? Psalm 84:11.

b. How can we use the sunlight as a healing agent?

“[Sunlight] is one of nature’s most healing agents. It is a very simple, therefore not a fashionable remedy, to enjoy the rays of God’s sunlight and beautify our homes with its presence. . . . Our own folly has led us to deprive ourselves of things that are precious, of blessings which God has provided and which, if properly used, are of inestimable value for the recovery of health. If you would have your homes sweet and inviting, make them bright with air and sunshine. Remove your heavy curtains, open the windows, throw back the blinds, and enjoy the rich sunlight. . . . If you have God’s presence and possess earnest, loving hearts, a humble home made bright with air and sunlight, and cheerful with the welcome of unselfish hospitality, will be to your family, and to the weary traveler, a heaven below.”—Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 527.

c. What blessing do we receive from the Sun of Righteousness? Malachi 4:2.

“Blessed and beneficent are the rays of light from the Sun of Righteousness who is now pouring His enlightening, healing beams upon everyone who will open the windows of the soul heavenward.”—The Upward Look, p. 257.

“Christ is the wellspring of life. That which many need is to have a clearer knowledge of Him; they need to be patiently and kindly, yet earnestly, taught how the whole being may be thrown open to the healing agencies of heaven. When the sunlight of God’s love illuminates the darkened chambers of the soul, restless weariness and dissatisfaction will cease, and satisfying joys will give vigor to the mind and health and energy to the body.”—The Ministry of Healing, p. 247.

“By [the] employment and the free use of air and sunlight, many an emaciated invalid might recover health and strength.”—Ibid., p. 246.


Tuesday November 30

3. HEAVENLY LIGHT

a. What benefit do plants and human beings receive from sunlight?

“The pale and sickly grain-blade that has struggled up out of the cold of early spring puts out the natural and healthy deep green after enjoying for a few days the health-and-life-giving rays of the sun. Go out into the light and warmth of the glorious sun, . . . and share with vegetation its life-giving, healing power.”—My Life Today, p. 138.

b. Who and what is our fountain of spiritual light? Psalm 119:105.

c. What blessings does God want to give us as we open our eyes to the light of the truth? Acts 26:18.

d. How are we blessed when the “the morning star” shines in our heart (2 Peter 1:19)? John 8:12; 16:33. What is our duty? Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:15, 16.

“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.”—Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, pp. 378, 379.


Wednesday December 1

4. UNDER THE SCORCHING HEAT

a. What lesson should be learned about the effect of the sun on the grass and the flowers? James 1:10, 11.

“The hot summer sun, that strengthens and ripens the hardy grain, withers and destroys that which, though fresh and green, has no depth of root, because the tender fibers cannot pierce the hard and stony ground.”—The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 2, p. 239.

b. In what sense is a true Christian compared to a palm tree in the desert? Psalm 92:12.

“See the weary traveler toiling over the hot sand of the desert, with no shelter to protect him from the rays of the tropical sun. His water supply fails, and he has nothing with which to slake his burning thirst. His tongue becomes swollen; he staggers like a drunken man. . . . Suddenly he sees in the distance, rising out of the dreary sandy waste, a palm tree, green and flourishing. Hope quickens his pulses; he presses on, knowing that that which gives vigor and freshness to the palm tree will cool his fevered blood and give him renewed life.

“As is the palm tree in the desert—a guide and consolation to the fainting traveler—so the Christian is to be in the world. He is to guide weary souls, full of unrest, and ready to perish in the desert of sin, to the living water. He is to point his fellow men to Him who gives to all the invitation, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink’ (John 7:37).

“The sky may be as brass, the burning sand may beat about the palm tree’s roots and pile itself about its trunk; yet the tree lives on, fresh and vigorous. Remove the sand, and you discover the secret of its life; its roots strike down deep into waters hidden in the earth.

“Thus it is with the Christian. His life is hid with Christ in God. Jesus is to him a well of water, springing up unto everlasting life. His faith, like the rootlets of the palm tree, penetrates beneath the things that are seen, drawing life from the Fountain of life. And amid all the corruption of the world he is true and loyal to God. The sweet influence of Christ’s righteousness surrounds him.”—In Heavenly Places, p. 240.


Thursday December 2

5. THE DIVINE GIFT

a. What God-given assurance makes it worthwhile to live in this world? Psalm 27:1; Romans 8:31.

“I hope that you will keep under the direct rays of the Sun of Righteousness, that the bright beams from the face of Jesus Christ may shine with brightness upon your heart, and that you may reflect their bright rays to others.”—The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 710.

b. What type of sun should we always have in our homes? Ephesians 4:32.

“Home should be a place where cheerfulness, courtesy, and love abide; and where these graces dwell, there will abide happiness and peace. Troubles may invade, but these are the lot of humanity. Let patience, gratitude, and love keep sunshine in the heart, though the day may be ever so cloudy. In such homes angels of God abide.”—The Ministry of Healing, p. 393.

c. What spiritual lesson is drawn from cultivating a proper appreciation for light? John 12:35, 36.

“Light, precious light, shines upon God’s people; but it will not save them unless they consent to be saved by it, fully live up to it, and transmit it to others in darkness. God calls upon His people to act. It is an individual work of confessing and forsaking sins and returning unto the Lord that is needed.”—Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 123.


Friday December 3

REVIEW AND THOUGHT QUESTIONS

a. What great blessings are derived from sunlight?

b. Why is Christ referred to as the Sun of Righteousness?

c. Just as the moon reflects the sun, what are we to reflect to the world?

d. Why is the Christian compared to the desert palm?

e. How can we make our life radiant with spiritual sunshine?

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