Exodus 15:25 And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.
This segment of the presentation, "Building a robust immune system" has to do with a faithful adherence to the laws of health, which is the practical way in which faith in God's promises of good health are realized. in the passage above, the Lord gives us the conditions by which His promises are to be fulfilled, hence the reason why He says "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of thy God and keep His commandments", then the promises mentioned will be fulfilled in due season.
It is therefore necessary for us to find out what the laws of health are, and they basically consist of faith in God, proper diet, adequate rest, lots of water, regular exercise, fresh invigorating air, "Bitter herbs" for medicine and natural remedies, and last of all, not eating between meals. When these are combined with a cheerful, forgiving spirit, our immune systems will be boosted tremendously, to the point where we will be enabled by God to withstand the advance of multiple diseases and ailments, according to His will.
Because of the constraints of both time and space, we will only address two of the main ones, which we trip up on ever so often. The habit of eating between meals is productive of the most pernicious results, for it effectively robs the digestive organs of vital rest, which they need in order to restart another digestive process, and be able to do so efficiently. When our digestive organs are not rested properly, the rest of our internal organs are adversely affected, being forced to work overtime to get their work done.
This then puts additional strain on the immune system, making it much less effective in fighting diseases. This fact has been well documented for many years by leading physicians and physiologists, even though there are those who erroneously advocate for eating six small meals throughout the day to lose weight. And to add to the dilemma, the last meal is often taken just before sleep, so that the digestive organs are being forced to work overtime, when they should be at rest, along with the rest of the body. These practices should be immediately dispensed with, for they effectually prevent us from building good immune systems. Let's read:
[Selected Messages 2 pp. 441>415} "Many indulge in the pernicious habit of eating just before sleeping hours. They may have taken three regular meals; yet because they feel a sense of faintness, as though hungry, will eat a lunch, or fourth meal. In many cases, the cause of this faintness is because the digestive organs have been already too severely taxed through the day in disposing of unwholesome food forced upon the stomach too frequently, and in too great quantities.
The digestive organs thus taxed become weary, and need a period of entire rest from labor to recover their exhausted energies. A second meal should never be eaten until the stomach has had time to rest from the labor of digesting the preceding meal. If a third meal be eaten at all, it should be light, and several hours before going to bed. But with many, the poor tired stomach may complain of weariness in vain".
The other law of health which we need to address, is that of going to sleep early at night, on a continual basis. The practice keeping late hours inhibits the repair of cells, tissue, and organs and prevents the immune system from functioning as it should. Wherever possible, late night work should be avoided, for God has made the rhythm of the body to rest at night and to work during the day, hence the reason why Christ alluded to this fact in the following passages, which carry dual meanings. Let's read:
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Matthew 20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
Most of us go to sleep way too late at night, and this is one of the main the causes why our immune systems become greatly compromised over a period of time. Restful sleep is critically important for the recuperation of mind and body, but when we allow the one-eyed monster to control us, instead of the other way around, then we lose those early hours of rest, during which certain chemicals are released into the bloodstream, which have to do with the repair of the body.
Early rest has also proven to be very important to weight loss, sharp memory, and a well balanced temperament, all of which are essential to good health and longevity. We ask our readers to try it for just one week, by going to bed early without watching television for hours on end, and we will discover that in the morning, our vital energies will have been replenished, and we will be ready to fight another day.
Let us try by the grace of God to incorporate these simple rules into our daily routines, and with the blessing of God upon us, we will be enabled to surmount common colds and diseases of different stripes, where others who may not be like-minded, may become trapped in a healthcare system which is based on treating symptoms and results, instead of addressing the issues of prevention and cause. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reveals God's will for our lives, and if we work in harmony with the laws of health that have been given us, God will respond according to His good will, by blessing our efforts and taking up the slack, where we have run out of options. Let's read:
Deuteronomy 7:12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers 14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people".... 15 And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee".....
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!