What is God’s plan for human beings as far as their health and well-being are concerned? “That they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). “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.”1

Cancer, heart attack, and autoimmune diseases are among the top killers worldwide. Everywhere people are facing new diseases that science is unable to address without extensive new research and technological advancement. To this we may add unexpected health problems and chronic illness. Billions of dollars are spent on drugs and medicines in a desperate attempt to control the spread of disease. People are dying every day, and many are living without any hope for a better life. God may be calling you to help these people find relief from becoming one of these staggering statistics. He wants to turn everyone to the Source of all blessings.

“When properly conducted, the health work is an entering wedge, making a way for other truths to reach the heart. When the third angel’s message is received in its fullness, health reform will be given its place in the councils of the conference, in the work of the church, in the home, at the table, and in all the household arrangements. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body.”2

When we look at the successful ministry of Christ, we find that healing was a very important part of His work. “When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick” (Matthew 8:16). In reality, “during His ministry, Jesus devoted more time to healing the sick than to preaching.”3 What emphasis do we place on the medical missionary work?

In Acts 3 is a story of the kind of results one can expect when doing medical missionary work. In this experience, first, the initial healing of a man takes place. Peter and John are the agents whom the Lord uses. (See Acts 3:1–7.)

The next verses reveal how the healing affected the man’s soul, which leads him to recognize the true Healer. “And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God” (verse 8). See how the man is very excited about his healing—he jumps for joy in praise to God.

As the story continues, it shows how quickly and effective word-of-mouth advertising spreads. “And all the people saw him walking and praising God: and they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering” (verses 9–11).

The chapter continues (verses 12–26), creating a unique opportunity to share the word which never existed before, as the medical missionary workers address the important issues of life. Here Peter preached to them repentance and the need to accept Jesus as the risen Saviour.

This healing incident created a new and unique opportunity to witness. That’s what we find in Acts 3 as the lame man who was healed held onto Peter and John.

The healing incident attracted attention and created an interest.

Then the apostle Peter pointed the people to the true source of healing power—Jesus Christ.

He did not go into a discourse of all the natural healing methods but used this as an opportunity to witness. This is when the present truth is to be presented.

Then when a person accepts this, he is made whole—body, soul, and spirit.

Many times opportunities will come for medical evangelism, and the question is: What are you able to share? What training should be included in the curricula of missionary schools? “The Lord, in His great goodness and matchless love, has been urging upon His human instrumentalities that missionaries are not really complete in their education unless they have a knowledge of how to treat the sick and suffering. If this had been felt as an important branch of education in the missionary line of labor, many who have lost their lives might have lived. Had they understood how to treat the ailments of the body, and how to study from cause to effect, they could, through their intelligent knowledge of the human body and how to treat its maladies, have reached many darkened minds that otherwise they could not approach.”4

Having a good practical knowledge of health can be one of the most effective tools a worker can have to reach souls. This is clearly an advantage to have when witnessing, especially in well-developed countries. In the Geneva-Project-2010-evangelistic-outreach program, the first thing on the agenda was a conference on health. Although we did not have practical healing with treatments, useful health lectures were given by health professionals. About 50% of the people that came later to the prophecy seminar were from this first health convention. This shows how the entering wedge was used successfully and gave a clear advantage to the gospel ministry.

People will seek help for their physical maladies more frequently than for their spiritual health. It is rare for most to realize the needs of their sin-sick soul. When we help them with those immediate health issues, the person often opens up the way to continue the healing process in the soul and spirit. Trust has been earned. Emotions are closely connected to our well-being. A surprisingly large number suffer from depression and stress. This is where tender spiritual guidance is essential to their recovery.

The Lord’s messenger writes: “Not only should those who believe the truth practice health reform, but they should also teach it diligently to others; for it will be an agency through which the truth can be presented to the attention of unbelievers. They will reason that if we have such sound ideas in regard to health and temperance, there must be something in our religious belief that is worth investigation. If we backslide in health reform we shall lose much of our influence with the outside world.”5

Let’s ask ourselves: “Does the outside world even know who we are?” Why? Are we really preaching the three angels’ messages in fullness? Is the health message being practiced and preached?

In your daily activities you may just come across someone with a sniffle, a tummy ache, or a small injury, and there you will find an entering wedge to the gospel. Everyone has a health challenge of some sort.

Let me tell you a couple of experiences. A young lady came to me with acute skin problems (acne, eczema), and after she did a detox and made some dietary changes her problem cleaned up completely. A few months later she came to visit me at my clinic, not to discuss health, but rather to ask my advice on other personal matters in her life. Her trust in me had first been earned through the health message.

Another time a mature lady came to me, faced with the last option of having to remove her colon and having to use a colostomy bag for the rest of her life. I had her visit me every week for a few months to learn about dietary changes, colon cleansing, and exercise. She gradually became a new woman, and we became close friends. She turned vegetarian and invited me to her home many times, letting her family and friends know of her new way of life. She eventually had my husband (a minister) and myself over for dinner to meet with her and her husband (who is a wealthy and respected business man in that area). No, she never had that surgical operation and is healthier today than she ever was. She was like the lame man in Acts as she excitedly told her whole family and friends about her recovery and her new way of life.

When you use God’s simple natural remedies, people are healed and other people hear about it. What is the reason for this entering wedge? “When properly conducted, the health work is an entering wedge, making a way for other truths to reach the heart.”6 “Medical missionary work is the pioneer work of the gospel.”7 It is the door for the truth for this time.

There are a lot of people out there in the world doing natural healing work. They are using it also as an entering wedge but for false teachings. It’s so prevalent in the natural health work to find people soaking up the health message and then being deceived into all the mystical ideologies from the New Age philosophies, eastern religions, and straight-out spiritualism.

Many Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, New Agers, and Spiritual Healers (of which all stem from non-Christian religions and philosophies) are pure vegan. They are teaching people to live according to certain physical laws and it’s working to arouse interest, but these teachings are an entering wedge for a spirit that is totally opposed to the gospel of Christ. We are here losing a huge audience just in this area alone. The medical missionary must not only study the modalities of health and healing but must also study and know God’s truth and message for this day and age. It is not our purpose to merely make healthy sinners. Even in some of the popular churches in western countries, health messages are becoming more acceptable as the popular messages of “health, wealth, and prosperity” are pushed by charismatic preachers bringing vast sums of money flowing into the churches.

When working at the “Raw and Living Foods Institute” as a Colon Therapist in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A., I was very impressed at the way the 10-day program was conducted. The leader (who cured herself from cancer) explained that she had read in the Bible how Daniel and his companions were tested on dietary health for 10 days. So she had everyone give their testimony after 10 days of detoxing with raw, living foods, and juices. It was amazing to hear people from all walks of life give positive and enthusiastic testimonies of their healing. They were encouraged to invite their friends to come and hear and taste some of their dishes. The place was always packed and many signed up for the next program. Their testimonies were their biggest advertising.

Brethren and sisters, this is how we can work, too. There are thousands out there eager for this work to be done. Word of mouth is still the best form of advertising. When will we take up the advantages we have in giving the health and gospel message combined to an eager, thirsty people? “Doors that have been closed to him who merely preaches the gospel will be opened to the intelligent medical missionary. God reaches hearts through the relief of physical suffering.”8

“I can see in the Lord’s providence that the medical missionary work is to be a great entering wedge, whereby the diseased soul may be reached.”9

“Medical missionary work is the pioneer work of the gospel, the door through which the truth for this time is to find entrance to many homes. . . . A demonstration of the principles of health reform will do much toward removing prejudice against our evangelical work. The Great Physician, the originator of medical missionary work, will bless all who thus seek to impart the truth for this time.”10

“Do medical missionary work. Thus you will gain access to the hearts of the people. The way will be prepared for more decided proclamation of the truth. You will find that relieving their physical suffering gives an opportunity to minister to their spiritual needs. . . . The union of Christlike work for the body and Christlike work for the soul is the true interpretation of the gospel.”11

“When the third angel’s message is received in its fullness, health reform will be given its place in the councils of the conference, in the work of the church, in the home, at the table, and in all the household arrangements. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body.”12

Is it important to progress in our spiritual life? The answer is obvious. Is our health as important as our soul? “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 2).

In the area of health, many more truths have been opened to our understanding than there were 100 years ago. There are many organizations in western societies now helping to combat illnesses through diet and lifestyle changes. Simple raw-food-detoxification programs are becoming quite popular as testimonies of their success in healing are spreading. Many in the world are far ahead in implementing this health message than we who have known about it for over 100 years. Did you know that in 2009 there were approximately 407,200,000 vegans in the world? Many of my clients spend large sums to attend health retreats for the purpose of cleansing, detoxifying, and overcoming ailments. These programs use very simple methods similar to those found in the Spirit of Prophecy.

“The diet reform should be progressive. As disease in animals increases, the use of milk and eggs will become more and more unsafe. An effort should be made to supply their place with other things that are healthful and inexpensive. The people everywhere should be taught how to cook without milk and eggs, so far as possible, and yet have their food wholesome and palatable.”13 This was written 106 years ago. Are you progressing in your health knowledge and practice?

“In all parts of the world provision will be made to supply the place of milk and eggs. And the Lord will let us know when the time comes to give up these articles. He desires all to feel that they have a gracious heavenly Father who will instruct them in all things. The Lord will give dietetic art and skill to His people in all parts of the world, teaching them how to use for the sustenance of life the products of the earth.”14

“The Lord would bring His people into a position where they will not touch or taste the flesh of dead animals. Then let not these things be prescribed by any physicians who have a knowledge of the truth for this time. There is no safety in the eating of the flesh of dead animals, and in a short time the milk of the cows will also be excluded from the diet of God’s commandment-keeping people. In a short time it will not be safe to use anything that comes from the animal creation. Those who take God at His word, and obey His commandments with the whole heart, will be blessed.”15 This was written in 1898. That is about 114 years ago. Don’t you think God was long ago trying to warn us through the prophet about those same foods which research scientists are today revealing as detrimental to health?

What do some researchers say about cow’s milk?

“Cow’s milk is an unhealthy fluid from diseased animals that contains a wide range of dangerous and disease-causing substances that have a cumulative negative effect on all who consume it.

“All cow’s milk (regular and ‘organic’) has 59 active hormones, scores of allergens, fat and cholesterol.

“Most cow’s milk has measurable quantities of herbicides, pesticides, dioxins (up to 200 times the safe levels), up to 52 powerful antibiotics, blood, pus, feces, bacteria and viruses. (Cow’s milk can have traces of anything the cow ate . . . including such things as radioactive fallout from nuke testing.)”16

Here is another one. “Let’s look at the scientific literature first. From 1988 to 1993 there were over 2,700 articles dealing with milk recorded in the ‘Medicine’ archives. Fifteen hundred of these had milk as the main focus of the article. There is no lack of scientific information on this subject. I reviewed over 500 of the 1,500 articles, discarding articles that dealt exclusively with animals, esoteric research and inconclusive studies.

“How would I summarize the articles? They were only slightly less than horrifying. First of all, none of the authors spoke of cow’s milk as an excellent food, free of side effects and the ‘perfect food’ as we have been led to believe by the industry. The main focus of the published reports seems to be on intestinal colic, intestinal irritation, intestinal bleeding, anemia, allergic reactions in infants and children as well as infections such as salmonella. More ominous is the fear of viral infection with bovine leukemia virus or an AIDS-like virus as well as concern for childhood diabetes. Contamination of milk by blood and white (pus) cells as well as a variety of chemicals and insecticides was also discussed. Among children the problems were allergy, ear and tonsillar infections, bedwetting, asthma, intestinal bleeding, colic and childhood diabetes. In adults the problems seemed centered more around heart disease and arthritis, allergy, sinusitis, and the more serious questions of leukemia, lymphoma and cancer.”17

What about eggs? Here is just one sample regarding eggs from ABC News, dated August 18, 2010. The subtitle reads: “Some of the 380 Million Recalled Eggs Were Sent to Stores Just Two Days Ago.” The article stated that one of the largest egg producers in the U.S.A. announced a voluntary recall of 228 million eggs after they were linked to cases of salmonella poisoning around the country.18 With all this kind of information coming to the forefront of the news, we realize that each one of us may have a health challenge of some sort. The question is, are we progressing in our health journey? Do we have an advantage if we don’t progress?

What kind of people does God want us to be? “Had the Israelites obeyed the instruction they received, and profited by their advantages, they would have been the world’s object lesson of health and prosperity. If as a people they had lived according to God’s plan, they would have been preserved from the diseases that afflicted other nations. Above any other people they would have possessed physical strength and vigor of intellect. They would have been the mightiest nation on the earth.”19

I want to be saved, and I know you want to be saved. It is the basic need in every heart. Our purpose in witnessing for Jesus to a dying world is to save people. We are fulfilling God’s wish for this world by doing medical missionary work. “That thy way may be made know upon earth, thy saving health among all nations” (Psalm 67:2).

“Medical missionary work is the right hand of the gospel. It is necessary to the advancement of the cause of God. As through it men and women are led to see the importance of right habits of living, the saving power of the truth will be made known.”20 If we take this work seriously, what will we have in every city and in every country where the work of God is established? “In every city where we have a church, there is need of a place where treatment can be given.”21

There are so many areas in the natural therapies and health work in which to train. A few in your church could easily learn, obtain any necessary licensing, and open a small clinic. I did it and has been such a good avenue for contacting people. I have clients from all walks of life, some rich and famous, some traveling from other countries, and many poor and sick. I have given to them from my heart and knowledge, and I have received many blessings from them by doing so. Healing others is never one way. You will gain more knowledge and be healed in many ways too.

As we approach the end of this world’s history, what should we be doing? “As we near the close of time we must rise higher and still higher upon the question of health reform and Christian temperance, presenting it in a more positive and decided manner. We must strive continually to educate the people, not only by our words, but by our practice. Precept and practice combined have a telling influence.”22

During this Week of Prayer, we are asking you to make urgent requests to our heavenly Father to impress upon His people the need of health work. Those of you who have a burden to train in some health field, such as medicine, naturopathy, nursing, therapeutic massage, colon hydrotherapy, and herbology or to open health retreats, natural therapy clinics, vegetarian restaurants, cooking classes, would do well to work in harmony with their burden. We also need to pray that more of our health practitioners will learn to present the message of health in a way that cooperates with the third angel’s message so that we can prepare people, not only to have a healthier life in this world but in the great hereafter as well. We also ask you to pray for the ministry that they may feel the need to cooperate with the health workers and include the health message in every evangelistic campaign. Let us use this witnessing advantage so that the right arm may be used to open the way for the greater truths of the third angel’s message. R