[The text below represents an edited transcript of the TV version of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Seven Reasons to Hope for Healing

Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and a multitude of other maladies plague our modern world. Why? And what can you personally do about it?

Sadly, many of you watching this program are afflicted with chronic medical issues from which you are suffering—perhaps for years. A television ad for a new drug shows happy vibrant actors, giving great promise, yet telling you in a pleasant voice all the side effects that may create greater problems. Then comes the next ad from a law firm looking for victims of the side effects to sue big pharma over the last miracle potion.

Is there not a better way?

Jesus’ Ministry of Healing

The Bible tells us that healing was a major part of Jesus’ ministry. People flocked to Him to be relieved of every kind of sickness and infirmity.

So here are some serious questions:

• Were those accounts genuine miracles? Or were they made-up stories?
• Did Jesus and His apostles really bring about such miracles?
• Do you, dear friends, believe those accounts of the blind, the lame, and the deaf being healed to see, walk, and hear—in some cases for the first time in their lives?
• Can these biblical accounts be relied upon? And if not, what else can you discard from the pages of the Bible?
• Are you one who has suffered from an affliction for years?
• Have you gone to doctors and not found lasting relief?
• Are the drugs you are taking helping with one problem, but creating another?

If so, you’re hardly alone. Now, I could give you a litany of statistics, but the fact that millions of others suffer from a similar problem does nothing to solve your problem.

Healing Is Part of Preaching the Gospel

If you’ve lost hope, I’m here to say there is hope. And today I’m going to give you seven points that can restore hope. So let’s get started.

• Point #1: The Gospel Christ preached was accompanied by healing.

The four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) record many instances of miraculous healing—far too many to cover here. Notice this account in Matthew 4:23–24.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them (Matthew 4:23–24).

Here is another example—this time found in Luke 4.

Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. But Simon’s wife’s mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them. When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them (Luke 4:38–40).

Jesus Sends His Servants to Heal the Sick

But was Jesus the only One to heal the sick? The answer is not at all.

And that brings us to:

• Point #2: Jesus commanded others to preach the Gospel—and to heal the sick.

It’s evident from Jesus’ commands to His disciples in Luke 9, beginning in verse 1, that preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God was to be accompanied by healing.

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.... So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere (Luke 9:1–2, 6).

But was it Jesus and His Apostles only who were sent to heal the sick? Not at all! Note this little-referenced passage found in Luke 10, beginning in verse 1.

After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest…. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’” (Luke 10:1–2, 9).

Yes, healing was a major part of first-century Christianity.

1. The gospel Christ proclaimed was accompanied by healing.
2. Jesus commanded others to preach the gospel and heal the sick.

But did divine healing cease upon the crucifixion? Or was it to continue?

Healing Goes With Believing the Gospel

Following His resurrection, Jesus told His Apostles to preach the gospel to all the world, and that miraculous signs would follow those who believe. Note it in Mark 16, beginning in verse 15.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:15-18).

Was Jesus promoting snake handling and drinking poison as some unbalanced and deceived individuals have taken this commission? Not at all. He never intended His followers to tempt God in this manner, but don’t take my word for it. Prove it for yourself out of your own Bible.

Jesus Himself never tempted God. It was the adversary, Satan the Devil, who challenged Christ to show His faith by tempting Him—Matthew 4:5-6.

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

But what was His response to this challenge?

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God’” (Matthew 4:7).

So what did Jesus mean by taking up snakes or drinking poison and not being harmed? The Bible explains itself, sometimes by examples, and we have an example of precisely what Christ meant in Acts 28. We’ll begin in verse 3.

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm (Acts 28:3–5).

Paul was not going about tempting God to prove his faith.

So, again:

1. The Gospel Christ proclaimed was accompanied by healing.
2. Jesus commanded others to preach the gospel and heal the sick.

Jesus Christ Is Still Healing the Sick

And now for point #3—let’s read it straight from the Bible—Hebrews 13:8.

• Point #3: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Yes, the same Jesus Christ who walked this earth 2,000 years ago and performed mighty miracles is alive today and He has not changed.

When I entered Ambassador College in the fall of 1965, I learned about a faculty member who had been a quadriplegic as a result of injuries sustained in the Korean War. But he had been miraculously healed, not in a tent meeting with cameras running and a lot of hoopla, but in private with a faithful minister of Jesus Christ anointing and praying for him.

The college only had 550 students, and everyone knew everyone, and everyone knew of his miraculous healing. I often saw him dripping with sweat, coming out of the handball court after a vigorous game of handball. In 1974, he visited us in our home in Monroe, Louisiana.

Yes, I knew him well, and I knew men and women who knew him prior to his healing. No one disputed that this paralyzed man was healed by the same Jesus Christ who performed miracles of healing nearly 2,000 years ago. And, I have known many others since that time who have been miraculously healed. Yes, Jesus is the same today as He was yesterday.

Divine Healing Requires Faith

So, why do we not see more genuine divine healings today? The answers are found in our next four points.

• Point #4: Faith is a factor in healing.

I understand that one can point to a handful of situations where faith by the one being healed may not be certain, but in most cases, faith is a definite factor in healings.

Jesus was confronted by two blind men seeking that their sight would be given them (Matthew 9:28–29).

And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”

“Your Faith Has Made You Well”

Then again He was confronted by another blind man (Mark 10:51–52).

So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

Then there was the case of the man in Lystra who was crippled from birth. We read of this miraculous healing at the command of the Apostle Paul in Acts 14:9–10.

This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.

On the flip side, when Jesus visited His hometown of Nazareth, those who grew up with Him, could not get past the fact that Jesus was a local and therefore could not be the Savior. We read in Mark 6:3–6.

“Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” And they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief (Mark 6:3–6).

So why are there not more healings today? Is it in part, because of the question Jesus asked in Luke 18:8, where He said:

“Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Obedience to God Brings Healing

Except in unusual cases where another lesson is taught, faith in Christ is a prerequisite for healing, but it’s not the only prerequisite.

And that brings me to:

• Point #5: God hears the prayers of those who obey and do those things pleasing in His sight.

Here it is in 1 John 3:22.

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Consider how many sicknesses are clearly linked to the violation of biblical laws and principles: cancers and other maladies relating to smoking and vaping, damaged minds and bodies linked to the use of “recreational drugs,” and sexually transmitted diseases as a result of promiscuous behaviors.

God tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, but how many do not take care of their bodies and overeat, eat too many refined foods, and move their bodies too little?

Additionally, there are laws spelled out in Scripture that tell us we should not eat certain meats, but people rationalize—and even take scriptures out of context—to get around God’s clear instructions. The result? Swine flu, Ebola, SARS, MERS, Nipah Virus, and more. All these diseases involve animals God warned against eating. And the 1918 pandemic that killed between 50 and 100 million people worldwide was a swine flu.

Forgiveness and Healing Are Linked

If you are a reader of the Bible, perhaps you remember this famous account found in Luke 5, beginning in verse 18.

Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him…. When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’” (Luke 5:18, 20–23)?

This brings me to point #6.

• Point #6: Healing is the forgiveness of sin through Christ’s sacrifice.

It is widely recognized that Isaiah 53 is a Messianic prophesy. Sadly, the translators of the King James and other versions of the Bible did not translate some words literally, as they should have in the following passage. However, the literal meanings are found in the margins.

Surely He [Christ] has borne our griefs [literally sicknesses], and carried our sorrows [literally pains]; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:4–5).

”By His Stripes We Are Healed”

Jesus was crucified to pay the penalty of sin for us, but why did He have to suffer such a terrible death? Why was He beaten mercilessly? Peter confirms what Isaiah wrote (1 Peter 2:21).

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously…. who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:21–24).

Our sins bring about pain and suffering, both physically and spiritually. And sin leads to sickness and death.

Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, experiencing sin’s full penalty for us.

Know God’s Plan, God’s Will, God’s Timing

And as I’ve shown, healing is tied to faith and obedience, but perfect faith and obedience do not automatically bring healing.

And that brings us to our seventh and last point.

• Point #7: Healing must fit into God’s great plan for each of us.

The Apostle Paul was facing many trials, and God, out of His great mercy, gave him a most realistic vision of heavenly things. It is in this context that we read that God did not heal him of a grievous affliction. We pick up the story in 2 Corinthians 12:7–9.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Corinthians 12:7–9).

God does not always heal us in this physical life. He worked many mighty miracles through the prophet Elisha, but as we read in 2 Kings 13:14:

Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die.

Romans 8:18 Meaning: We Suffer with Christ

Jesus Christ came with a message about a coming Kingdom that will rule on earth. That message tells us He is working out a great plan that you can be part of, and sometimes we only learn important lessons through suffering. Here is what the Apostle Paul wrote to the people in Rome.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God…. and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:14, 17–18).

God Heals in His Wisdom and Timing

Before closing, let me say that nothing in this program is meant to say that you should not see a doctor. However, that does not mean you should not go to God for healing. I personally have known of many absolutely miraculous healings that defied doctors’ predictions. I’ve seen people miraculously healed of one painful condition, but not another.

I’ve also known many people who asked God to heal them, but they died.

The reality is that there comes a time for each of us to go to sleep until the resurrection. If we know God, we realize His plan transcends this physical existence.

God does heal today. I know that. I’ve seen it. I’ve experienced it. But God heals according to His wisdom and His plan for each of us. And in the end, it is up to Him as to how and when.

Thanks for watching.

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See you in the next video!

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Three (Free) Health Tips from the Bible

The cost of healthcare has been rising worldwide. People all over the world are feeling the pinch—and you’re probably one of them. Staying healthy is getting more and more expensive around the globe. According to the World Economic Forum website:

“In 2021 alone, global spending on health reached a staggering $9.8 trillion, accounting for 10.3% of global GDP…” (“Health spending takes up 10% of the global economy: How can tech help reduce costs and improve lives?”, August 5, 2024).

That’s outrageous—over 10% of the Gross Domestic Product worldwide is spent on healthcare. And it’s the most expensive in the United States. Out of all the countries around the world, Americans spend the most on healthcare. According to U.S. government data:

“U.S. health care spending grew 7.5 percent in 2023, reaching $4.9 trillion or $14,570 per person. As a share of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, health spending accounted for 17.6 percent” (“National health expenditure data,” CMS.gov, December 18, 2024).

It’s hard to fathom how it has gotten so expensive just to take care of our health. But what if I told you there are things you can do—at no cost—that can have an oversized impact on your health?

Is it too good to be true?

Ok, let me rephrase that. There is a cost. There is always a cost. But the costs I’m talking about are not dollars, pounds, or euros, but small changes in your life. They take a little bit of time and effort, and they come out of the pages of your Bible.

Jesus Christ Cares About Health and Healing

Jesus cared about people’s health when He was on this earth. He healed the sick from all sorts of very serious diseases. In fact, it was an important part of His ministry. Notice what He said in John 10:10, explaining this principle.

“… I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

God is offering to give us eternal life in His Family forever. That is and will always be the more important “life” that God is offering all of humanity. But we can also understand the last half of this statement as meaning our Savior desires that we have an abundant and blessed life now. And that certainly includes our health.

Some things, such as genetic or environmental factors, are beyond our control. The normal wear-and-tear of our bodies through the aging process is a part of life. At the same time, much of our health is affected by lifestyle choices we make, which can reap good consequences or bad.

Principle #1: Move More and Sit Less

So, what are some biblical principles of better health you can put into practice today?

The first is:

1. Move more and sit less.

We were created by our loving God. And God gave us physical bodies and expects us to take care of these bodies. Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:19:

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

How to Glorify God in Your Body

How does one glorify God in his body? Well, by simply taking care of it as best he can. And one aspect of that is understanding that God made our bodies to move. We need exercise.

Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:8.

For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

The emphasis of the Apostle Paul was on the spiritual lasting value of godliness. It lasts forever. But on the other hand, physical bodily exercise does profit—a little bit, for a little while.

This is especially worth noting in our modern world of sedentary desk jobs and the explosion of passive screen time. Simply put, most of us are sitting way too much and moving way too little.

Follow Jesus Christ in an Active Lifestyle

It’s interesting to note that during His lifetime, Jesus Christ walked all over Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, making trips back and forth to and from Jerusalem multiple times. In the booklet Biblical Principles of Health, evangelist and Tomorrow’s World writer Douglas Winnail writes:

“To journey across the hill country of Galilee, Jesus often walked…. Just to keep the Holy Days, Jesus may have walked in excess of 450 miles each year. When you consider that He may have walked a mile or more a day during the rest of the year, it is not hard to see that Jesus could easily have walked more than 1,000 miles every year. That is a lot of physical activity” (Biblical Principles of Health, August 2024, p. 30).

Of course, we aren’t living in first-century Judea. But think about it. Jesus was active physically. Maybe we can follow His example a little bit more in that aspect of His life, as the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:6.

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Certainly, this is referring to His teachings and spiritual life. But all of us can afford to walk more and sit less. And maybe in those walks we can enjoy the chance to commune with God, to thank Him for the sunshine, the trees, and the fresh air. Maybe “walking with God” can be taken a little more literally. And it doesn’t cost a thing.

God Built Our Bodies to Stand Upright

The website of the government of the state of Victoria, Australia, sums up the importance of this active lifestyle this way:

“Humans are built to stand upright. Your heart and cardiovascular system work more effectively that way. Your bowel also functions more efficiently when you are upright…. Physical inactivity contributes to over three million preventable deaths worldwide each year (that’s six per cent of all deaths). It is the fourth leading cause of death due to non-communicable diseases” (“The dangers of sitting: why sitting is the new smoking,” Victoria State Department of Health, betterhealth.vic.gov.au, July 4, 2022.)

One example of the necessity of movement is the lymph system. Our lymph system is a network of organs, tissues, and vessels that aids in the transport of fluids throughout our body.

“CP+R” is a private cardiac rehabilitation service based in London, England. On their website, they describe the function of the lymph system this way:

“… Skeletal muscle contractions compress on the lymphatic vessels and open the one-way valves, encouraging fluid containing waste and toxins to be removed… Poor lymph circulation results in inflammation or disease so it is imperative to make lifestyle changes to keep the lymph system healthy. Exercise is the answer” (“Exercise, lifestyle and the lymphatic system,” cpandr.co.uk, accessed January 7, 2025).

Resist a Sedentary Lifestyle

So does this mean you have to be a world-class athlete to be healthy? Of course not. In whatever way we can, we’ve just got to move. And age is not a limiting factor. No matter how old we are, we can experience the benefits of being more active. It doesn’t take a gym membership or fancy, expensive equipment. It just takes a little movement.

As Dr. Winnail further explains in Biblical Principles of Health:

“There are also benefits for senior citizens who begin to exercise or who remain physically active to the extent they are able. They can maintain muscle mass and bone density… reduce excess weight, manage stress and improve mood, and reduce the risk or effects of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Physically active seniors experience less depression and have less need for expensive medical care…. Regular physical activity even appears to slow the normal aging process. Even those confined to beds or wheelchairs feel better if they are involved in an exercise program” (Biblical Principles of Health, August 2024, pp. 27–28).

No matter your situation, whether you’re highly active already or are extremely limited in mobility, just do what you can to move. It’s free, but the rewards can be significant.

Principle #2: Think About What You Eat

The second biblical key to better health is:

2. Think about what you eat.

The Bible gives very specific guidelines on what to eat and what not to eat. To start this segment, let’s go to the example of Peter in the Book of Acts. While he was staying with a tanner who lived by the sea, he had a very confusing vision. We pick up the account in Acts 10:9.

Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean” (Acts 10:9–14).

When Peter said “unclean,” he was speaking of animals that God commanded not to eat. A list of them can be found in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.

Biblical Clean Eating

What’s important to note here is, just like God created our bodies to move, He also created certain meats for us to eat and others not to eat. And as Dr. Douglas S. Winnail explains in the book Biblical Principles of Health, many of the animals on the forbidden list are often implicated in the transmittal of diseases to humans. Some of those are:

1. Tularemia (spread by rabbits and rodents)
2. Ebola virus (spread by bats and monkeys)
3. MERS (spread by bats and camels)
4. SARS
5. Swine flu
6. Covid-19 (#4–6 spread by bats, pigs, civets, other “exotic” meats)
7. Trichinosis (spread by pigs, bear, walrus, squirrels, rats, cats, rabbits, foxes, panthers, lions, horses)
8. Cholera
9. Typhoid
10. Hepatitis A
11. Norwalk virus
12. Salmonella
13. Paralytic shellfish poisoning (#8–13 all frequently linked to shellfish)

Certain animals were created by God to be the garbage collectors and the cleanup crew of the natural world.

Understanding Peter’s Vision in Acts 10

When we understand that meats deemed unclean by God actually do carry serious risks to human beings, doesn’t it make sense to avoid them?

So, back to Acts chapter 10. Peter was given a vision to kill and eat all sorts of unclean animals. Remember his reply? Let’s read it again in Acts 10:13.

And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again (Acts 10:13–16).

Now, what was the meaning of the vision? Peter answers the question himself, a little later in the account. The Roman centurion Cornelius called for Peter, and Peter traveled to Caesarea to meet him. Now, you have to understand—Cornelius was a Gentile. Up to that point, all those in the Church that Christ founded were circumcised Jews or had become Jewish proselytes. But Peter was about to have an experience [that] would change the Church forever. God was about to allow physically uncircumcised Gentiles into the Church.

Let’s pick it up when Peter meets Cornelius and those with him in Acts 10:27.

And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean” (Acts 10:27–28).

The purpose of the vision was to show Peter that non-Jews could be welcomed into the Church Christ founded, as long as they repented, accepted Jesus as their Savior, were baptized, and received God’s Spirit. The vision wasn’t about unclean meats at all. It was about the conversion of the Gentiles.

The Meaning of 1 Timothy 4

Another passage that is often misunderstood by many is found in 1 Timothy 4:1.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth (1 Timothy 4:1–3).

First of all, God’s laws in Leviticus and Deuteronomy would never be called “doctrines of demons.” And also, in verse 3, notice that God created some foods to be received with thanksgiving. Which foods? Those called “clean” in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. Going on, in verse 4:

For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4).

Some will take this verse to mean any and all creatures are good for eating if they are prayed over—even if they are snails, rats, or [octopi]. But is that what it says? No. It says it “is sanctified by the word of God.” What was the “word of God” Paul referred to? The Hebrew Scriptures, including the dietary laws.

So what do we see?

1. Move more and sit less.
2. Think about what you eat.

Principle #3: Connect with God in Prayer

In the remaining segment, let’s consider one more fundamental, biblical principle to better health.

And that is:

3. Stay connected to God through prayer.

When my wife was in college, she took a microbiology class. The teacher, when talking about the explosion of antibiotic-resistant diseases, made quite a remarkable statement. He said, “We may soon get to the point where we will have to go back to praying by the bedside of the sick.”

Now think about that. He recognized the potential for—because of the overuse of antibiotics—diseases that had grown resistant to any medicine. And he recognized the danger of that kind of world.

We are entering a time of unprecedented disease and epidemics. COVID was just a shot across the bow.

End-time prophecies tell us in the end-times before Christ’s return, there will be great suffering because of runaway, virulent diseases. Now is the time for us to begin to look to our Father, and our Savior, to take care of our health. And notice, God provides for healing, through anointing and prayer in James 5:13.

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up… (James 5:13–15).

Prayer and anointing by ministers of Christ by the bedside of the sick is not a last-resort, no-other-options kind of thing. For real Christians, it should be a way of life. It should be our first response, not an afterthought.

Struggling? Remember Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh

Now God doesn’t always heal immediately, even after heartfelt and sincere prayer. But even then, when it seems like God isn’t answering our prayers, we need to maintain contact with God.

Paul experienced this. He had a “thorn in the side,” which he earnestly prayed God to take away. Notice the account in 2 Corinthians 12:7.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me (2 Corinthians 12:7–8).

What was God’s response? Notice, going on:

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

God did not heal Paul but gave him strength and encouragement to endure the affliction he suffered under. He helped him to understand infirmities are not always punishments from God, but oftentimes just trials to teach us valuable lessons. Notice Paul’s response.

Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9–10).

Learn to Trust God for the Strength You Need

Paul came to understand his purpose for being. He came to fathom that God was training him for a higher purpose. He was teaching him to not depend on his own power, but rather look to God’s strength to sustain him day by day.

Prayer and communication with our Creator is not just a quaint, sentimental feeling from a bygone era. It’s the way to stay strong and healthy in the modern world today. Notice this comment from Dr. Winnail on page 49 of the study guide we’re offering today.

“Studying 4,500 adults, the Harvard School of Public Health found that people deal better with aging if they have purpose in their lives. They found that people living with a purpose maintained more muscle strength, could walk faster, engaged in healthier behaviors, slept better, felt better, and lived longer than individuals who had little or no purpose in their lives. The study revealed that people who kept a more positive and purposeful mental perspective obtained physiological advantages that contributed to better health” (p. 49).

To those familiar with the Bible, this doesn’t come as a surprise. Almost 2,000 years ago, the Apostle Paul wrote, in Philippians 4:6,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7).

In a world of cynicism, doubt, and negativity, we need that peace and sense of purpose more than ever. It doesn’t cost a thing to spend time in prayer to God. And the benefits to our physical health even, our healing, and even our mental outlook, can be enormous.

How to Be Happy and Healthy

In today’s program, we discussed several biblical principles for better health:

1. Move more and sit less.
2. Think about what you eat.
3. Stay connected to God through prayer.

Health matters to us all. When we feel good, everything seems to work better. We’re able to take care of our tasks and our work better; we enjoy our interactions with our friends and loved ones better; life is just more enjoyable.

But on the contrary, when we don’t feel good—when our joints ache, or our head hurts or we’re suffering from a serious malady—life is a lot harder.

We often take good health for granted early in life. Strength and vitality of youth can seem like it’s going to last forever. And before we know it, the years have fled by, and the ravages of time does its work, and we suffer the results of aging and all the health problems related to it. David said this in Psalm 90:10.

The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow…. So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:10–12).

David asks God to “teach us to number our days, to gain a heart of wisdom.” And truly, as we live we should seek for wisdom to understand the meaning of life, why we’re here, and what we should be doing to obey and please Him.

Think about it. We have at our fingertips access to the greatest advice in the universe on how to be healthy and happy. And it doesn’t cost a thing, except a little bit of our time and focus. But it’s worth it.

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