The Dark Side of Dairy

Introduction and Context

In my previous article called White Poisons, I identified milk as one of the four white poisons that are a fundamental part of the Standard American Diet (SAD). In this article, I want to provide a summary of the core points, key insights, and conclusions of a particular episode of Hard Copy that investigates the claims behind milk consumption, particularly challenging the long-standing belief that "milk does a body good." The segment introduces author Robert Cohen, who critically examines the ingredients and health implications of milk produced by American dairy farms.

Genetically Engineered Hormones in Milk Production

• American farms inject cows with genetically engineered hormones to produce excess milk beyond natural needs. An estimated one in six cows is injected with this.
• Though calcium content in milk is often cited as a health benefit, leafy green vegetables contain more calcium per serving than milk.

Food Item	Calcium Content (mg/100g)
Human breast milk	33
Potato chips	40
Beans	50
Chickpeas	150
Amarantha grain	267

Dairy products are criticized as a poor calcium source because milk's high protein content inhibits calcium absorption.

Contaminants and Health Risks in Milk

• Milk is described as "liquid meat," loaded with protein that complicates calcium uptake.
• Contaminant concerns: 60% of American cows carry leukemia virus; 80% carry paratuberculosis.
• Health links: Potential connections to irritable bowel syndrome and elevated cardiovascular risks due to cholesterol.

Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) and Hormones in Milk

• In addition to the genetically engineered hormones injected into them by dairy farmers, cow milk also naturally contains bovine growth hormones.
• Bovine growth hormone is identical between cows and humans. Consuming milk doubles the presence of this hormone, which Cohen claims stimulates breast cancer growth.
• Milk actually contains 59 different bioactive hormones (including estrogen from pregnant cows) that may influence early puberty and other health factors in children, as well as early onset of menopause and some types of cancer (eg., prostate and endometrial).

Comprehensive Critique of Milk's Composition

Milk is described as a "dangerous brew" containing high levels of fat, cholesterol, viruses, bacteria, and growth hormones. Cohen’s book, Milk, the Deadly Poison, posits that milk contains chemical, biological, and bacterial agents harmful to human health.

International Comparisons and Dairy Industry Financials

• Countries with high dairy consumption (Denmark, Norway, Holland, and Sweden) exhibit high rates of breast cancer and osteoporosis.
• The dairy industry spends approximately $500 million annually on marketing campaigns to maintain its image of health.

Milk Protein Casein and Its Effects

Casein (80% of milk protein) is the main ingredient in a specific class of adhesives called casein glues. These glues are used to stick labels on glass bottles, to hold furniture together, and for book binding. Its consumption is linked to excessive mucus production, respiratory issues, and digestive problems. 

It is no wonder cow's milk causes inflammation and, in some cases, obesity. Dairy, particularly from cows, can act as a trigger for inflammation and digestive distress. When systemic inflammation takes hold, it can attack multiple areas of the body. In the skin, it can manifest as acne, psoriasis, or eczema. In the brain, it can trigger anxiety, fatigue, confusion, and cognitive decline. In the gut, it can lead to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)—including Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. This inflammation can also target the respiratory system, joints and other critical body systems.

Dr. Sten Ekberg of Wellness for Life explains that proteins are very heat-sensitive and become denatured when heated (eg., during pasteurization). He explains that this process involves the protein's molecular structure changing—much like how an egg white turns solid when cooked—making the proteins more difficult for the body to break down and process.

Dairy Cholesterol Level vs Bacon Fat

Robert Cohen makes a comparison regarding cholesterol intake from dairy products relative to eating bacon. 

• Dr. Cohen states in his book, "The average American eats the equivalent cholesterol in 53 slices of bacon [daily]... just by drinking two glasses of milk."
• He asserts that by consuming dairy products, a person is effectively consuming the same amount of cholesterol as if they were eating 19,000 slices of bacon per year. 
• He further contextualizes this by noting that by the age of 52, the accumulated lifetime amount of cholesterol consumed would equate to the cholesterol contained in 1 million slices of bacon.

Expert Qualifications and Public Perception

Robert Cohen, a researcher in psychoneuroendocrinology, claims the dairy industry actively suppresses damaging information. Despite marketing, widespread lactose intolerance (notably 95% of African-Americans) challenges the idea that milk is a universally suitable food.

Glossary of Terms

Term	Definition
Casein	The primary protein in milk, the main ingredient in casein industrial glue.
Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH)	A potent growth hormone identical in cows and humans, linked to cancer growth.
Paratuberculosis	A bacterial disease found in cows linked to irritable bowel syndrome in humans.
Psychoneuroendocrinology	Scientific field studying how hormones affect brain function and behavior.

---

The Hidden Truths About Milk: What You Should Know

There is a deeply ingrained belief that "milk does a body good," but mounting scientific evidence and expert insights suggest that this nutritional narrative may be more about marketing than health. Here is a breakdown of the concerns surrounding modern dairy consumption.

---

Core Points: Beyond the Marketing

• Hormonal Concerns: Many milk brands contain powerful, artificially introduced synthetic growth hormones. These substances can have profound, unnatural effects on the human body.
• Calcium Misconceptions: While dairy is pushed as a primary calcium source, many plant-based foods—such as chickpeas and amaranth grain—offer significantly higher calcium density than milk, which are more easily absorbed by the body.
• Pathogens and Viruses: Research suggests that milk can act as a carrier for various viruses, including those linked to leukemia and paratuberculosis (the latter being associated with irritable bowel syndrome).
• The Cancer Link: A unique growth hormone shared by cows and humans is present in milk. Studies suggest that consuming just one 12-ounce glass can significantly elevate levels of this hormone, which is potentially linked to the promotion of breast cancer.
• Dairy Cholesterol Level vs Bacon Fat: Robert Cohen makes a comparison regarding cholesterol intake from dairy products relative to eating bacon. He asserts that by consuming dairy products (the average American consumes two glasses of milk per day), a person is effectively consuming the same amount of cholesterol as if they were eating 19,000 slices of bacon per year. He further contextualizes this by noting that by the age of 52, this amount would equate to the cholesterol contained in 1 million slices of bacon.
• Industry Influence: The dairy industry spends roughly $500 million annually on advertising to maintain a positive public image, often overshadowing concerns about the 59 bioactive hormones found in dairy products.

Key Findings and Health Risks

Issue	Key Concern
Casein Protein	Known as the "glue" of dairy, it is linked to excessive mucus production and potential digestive/allergy issues.
Cholesterol Load	The lifetime cholesterol burden from dairy is alarmingly high, comparable to consuming hundreds of thousands of slices of bacon.
Global Data	Countries with the highest dairy consumption (e.g., Sweden, Denmark) also report the highest rates of osteoporosis and breast cancer.

Important Considerations

"Despite widespread belief, much of the public is influenced by highly funded marketing efforts rather than nutritional necessity, particularly when considering that 95% of African Americans are lactose intolerant."

It is Unnatural for Adults to Drink Milk

Science and reason prove that it is completely unnatural and abnormal, as well as unhealthy, for adults to drink milk. Milk is for infants, not adults. It is designed by God to make infants grow fast, whatever kind of mammal they are, but it was not intended to be consumed by adults. That is why in nature, you don't see adult animals drinking milk unless humans feed it to them, such as adult house cats. 

Even the Scripture says, "Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." (Heb 5:13). 

This passage is referring to spiritual milk (elementary truths of the faith), but it is based on the fact that anyone living on milk -- whether spiritual or natural milk -- is considered to still be an infant, since that is something only infants do, not adults. Adults live on solid food, not milk.

Conclusion

This summary presents a critical perspective on milk consumption as argued by Robert Cohen and the investigative program.

Further Research

Please see the following sites for further research:

The Truth About Milk (Rense.com article)

The Perils of Dairy (summary of a video).

John McDougall MD discusses what dairy products have going for them. They are a great source of nutrition -- for getting fat and growing tumors!

Is DAIRY Scary?? Inflammation & Obesity Concerns - 2026 (Dr. Ken Berry video)

Acne, dairy and cancer (PubMed article)

Milk consumption: aggravating factor of acne and promoter of chronic diseases of Western societies (PubMed article)

Dairy and prostate cancer (PubMed article)

---

Attribution notice: This article was created with the aid of AI to quickly summarize the content of the video, and was then revised by this author as necessary. 

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar, such as The Perils of Dairy, White Poisons, Some Foods Damage and Others Heal and The Benefits of Eating Well. You may also access my blog directory at "Writing for the Master." The views expressed in this blog are not intended as medical advice to treat any condition. Rather they are my personal opinions based on my own research, and do not necessarily represent the views of Doulos Missions International.

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International. He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Benefits of Eating Well

The Lord has truly blessed our family of seven since we changed our diet!  Since we eliminated the four white poisons on October 2011 ( white sugar, white flour, milk and it's byproducts, and table salt), our average monthly medical expenses have decreased by $135 (a 56% savings), and our average monthly medicine expenses have decreased by $78 (an 83% savings).  A dramatic drop occurred in our spending on those areas as soon as we made the change in our diet.  Since we live on a shoe string budget, that is very helpful to us!

Meanwhile, our monthly food expenses have increased by $200, partly because we are buying fresh produce and meats and other whole foods that have not been processed, which are more expensive than manufactured foods that come in a box, a can, a preservative, or a foil.  The other reason that our average monthly food expenses during the past three years have been higher than they were during the two years before our dietary changes is simply inflation.  Food prices have gone up significantly, so that accounts for part of our higher food bill. But the extra $200 per month that we are spending on food is offset by the $213 we are saving each month on medical and medicinal expenses.  We still come out with a net savings of $13 per month.

And best of all we feel better, we are healthier, and we spend less time being sick or at the doctors.  The Lord has been good to us, and we give Him all the glory!  We cannot take any of the credit. It is He who gave the wisdom how to change our diet, and it is He who has healed us many countless times over the years when we were sick or injured.  Praise the Lord!

We thank the Lord every day and at every meal for our food, because we realize that He is our Provider, and we are blessed to have food on the table, because there are many other people who don't have enough to eat.  I hope this article has served to give you some kind of empirical evidence for the benefits of eating well.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: This post is part of a series.  If you enjoyed it, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar. You may also access my blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

I recommend reading the following articles of mine:
Some Foods Damage, Others Heal
White Poisons
Physical Exercise
Power of God to Heal

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Healing is in the Atonement

Most Christians believe that Jesus died for sin, but very few believe he died for their own sin.  Still fewer yet believe that Jesus died so they could be healed!  I want to show from Scripture that salvation and healing, as well as deliverance are included in the atonement.  It's a package deal!

First of all, Isaiah said, “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.” (Isa 53:4-5, NASB).  I encourage you to read the whole chapter, if you can!

Then the apostle Peter quoted the prophet Isaiah saying, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1Pe 2:24, NASB)

I realize that some people misunderstand these passages.  Some may think the two passages contradict one another.  Others may say that Peter was only referring to forgiveness of sin, not literal healing from sickness.  Therefore, I’d like to do a side-by-side comparison of what the prophet Isaiah said about Jesus and what the apostle Peter said, in order to see the similarities and differences:

Isaiah	Peter	Comments
“Surely our griefs He Himself bore” (Is 53:4) "He bore the sin of many" (Is 53:12)	“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross”	1. “bore” is “nasah” in Hebrew, meaning “to carry, take, receive, bear or accept” (Isaiah);  “bore is anaphero in Greek, meaning “to take up (literally or figuratively): - bear, bring (carry, lead) up, offer (up).” (Peter) 2. “griefs” in Hebrew is "chŏlı̂y" meaning “sickness, affliction, disease, griefs, or illness,” (Isaiah); “sins” in Greek is hamartia, meaning “offense, sin” (Peter) 3. “Sin” in Hebrew is "chêṭ'," meaning, “a crime or its penalty: - fault, offence, (punishment of) sin.” “Sins” in Greek is hamartia, meaning “offense, sin” (Peter)
“Our sorrows He carried”	(Not in 1 Peter)	1. “sorrows” is “makob” in Hebrew meaning “pain”. 2. “carried” is the Hebrew word “sabal” meaning “to carry or bear a heavy load”
“We ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted”	(Not in 1 Peter)
“He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities”	(Not in 1 Peter)	1. "Pierced" comes from "chalal" in Hebrew, meaning “wounded,” “dissolved,” “profaned,” “broken,” “polluted,” “slain,” “stained.” 2. “crushed” is “daka” in Hebrew, meaning “to crumble; transitively to bruise (literally or figuratively): - beat to pieces, break (in pieces), bruise, contrite, crush, destroy, humble, oppress, smite.”
(Not in Isaiah)	“so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness”	Since Jesus bore our sins, we should die to sin.  In this way, we are enabled to live righteously and be saved.
“The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him”	(Not in 1 Peter)	1. “chastening” is “musar” in Hebrew, meaning “chastisement; figuratively reproof, correction, discipline, rebuke.” 2. “Well-being” is “shalom” in Hebrew, meaning “safe, that is, (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, that is, health, prosperity, peace.”
“By His scourging we are healed”	“By His wounds you were healed”	1. “Scourging” is “chabburah” in Hebrew, meaning “properly bound (with stripes), that is, a weal (or black and blue mark itself): - blueness, bruise, hurt, stripe, wound.”  The word “wounds” is “molops” in Greek, meaning “a mole (black eye) or blow mark: - stripe.” 2. “healed” in Hebrew is “rapha” meaning “to mend (by stitching), that is, (figuratively) to cure: - cure, (cause to) heal, physician, repair, thoroughly, make whole;” “healed” is “iaomai” in Greek, meaning “1) to cure, heal, 2) to make whole,  and 2a) to free from errors and sins, to bring about (one’s) salvation”;

When the prophet Isaiah said, “Our griefs He Himself bore,” the Hebrew word for griefs is "chŏlı̂y" meaning “sickness, affliction, disease, griefs, or illness,” according to the NAS Exhaustive Concordance (NASEC).  When the prophet said that Jesus “bore” our griefs, the Hebrew word is "nasah," which means in this context “to carry, take, receive, bear or accept” (Strongs).   Jesus actually received our sicknesses, our diseases, and our illnesses in His body on the cross. 

When the prophet said that Jesus carried our sorrows, the Hebrew word for sorrows is "makob," meaning “pain” (NASEC).  When it says He carried our pain, the Hebrew word is "sabal," which literally means to carry or bear a heavy load (NASEC).

It is repeated in the New Testament.  In the gospel of Saint Matthew, it says, “When evening came, they brought to Him [Jesus] many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: ‘HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.’” (Mat 8:16-17, NIV).  So Matthew states that when Jesus healed all who were ill, He was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53 that we have just cited.  Therefore, the Holy Spirit through Matthew confirmed that the prophecy of Isaiah is about Jesus Christ, and that this prophecy includes the Lord's healing and deliverance ministry.

Jesus Christ rose from the dead and lives forever.  Just as He healed all who were ill during His earthly ministry, He continues to do so today.  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb 13:8). 

Furthermore, the apostle Peter wrote, “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1Pe 2:24).  While Isaiah says Jesus bore our griefs, Peter says He bore our sins.  Although Peter did not use the exact same words as the prophet, Isaiah did say "He bore the sin of many" (Is 53:12). So both passages say the atoning sacrifice was for both sin and sickness.  And Peter affirms this by saying "you were healed."

The Greek word for “healed” is iaomai, which means “1) to cure, heal, 2) to make whole,  and 2a) to free from errors and sins, to bring about (one’s) salvation” (Thayer).   Therefore, Peter affirms that by the wounds that Jesus received in His passion and crucifixion, we His sheep are healed, made whole, cured, forgiven, freed from the power of sin, and saved. Jesus Christ not only paid for the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation from hell through His atoning sacrifice, He also paid for our healing and deliverance. This means that there is not only salvation but healing in the atonement. 

Here is my own composite blend of both verses from Isaiah and Peter combined together into one verse, using the various definitions of the original Hebrew and Greek words:

“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, including all our sins, offenses against God, sicknesses, afflictions, diseases, griefs, and illnesses.  He carried them on the cross, took them up, received them, bore them, and accepted them in His body all for us.  He carried our heavy load of sorrows and pains, too. We ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  He was pierced through for our transgressions and rebellion -- wounded, broken, profaned, polluted, and stained with blood, all for us.  He was crushed and bruised for our iniquities, faults, mischief, and sins.  In fact, He was beaten to pieces for the punishment that was due to us for our sin. He did all of this, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him. The chastisement and reproof that we deserved -- the correction, discipline, and rebuke that were rightfully ours – were directed upon Him.  He bore the penalty for sin that was due to us.  It all hit Him, so that we could enjoy safety, wellness, health, prosperity, and peace.  He did it all so you could be set free from errors and sins, in order to bring about your salvation and deliverance. He took every one of those black and blue marks, bruises, hurts, stripes, and red, swollen marks left on His flesh by the blows, so that you could be mended back together, cured, repaired, and completely made whole. For by His wounds received from scourging you were healed.” 

It is not God’s will for His children to have disease.  We have seen the Lord heal many various sicknesses and diseases through the laying on of hands with prayer in Jesus' name.  He has done this in our own lives, our children’s lives, as well as the lives of other people.  We have not only read about this happening through others like Smith Wigglesworth, Reese Howells, Kathryn Kuhlman, Charles and Frances Hunter, and Dr. T.L. Osborne, who saw tens of thousands healed in every corner of the earth during his sixty-five years of ministry, but we have seen it first hand. 

Going back to our text in Isaiah, the prophet began his message with the words, “Who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Is 53:1).  It’s such an amazingly wonderful message that it may seem too good to be true.  But if anyone does not believe God, he has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son (1 Jn 5:10).  Who has believed our message?  Have you?

Just as one must believe in Jesus as His own personal Lord and Savior in order to be saved, one must also believe in Jesus as His own personal Healer to be healed.  Jesus often said to those whom He healed, “Your faith has made you whole” (Mat 9:22; Mat 15:28; Mar 5:34; Mar 10:52; Luk 8:48; Luk 17:19).

It’s not enough to believe that Jesus died for the sins of the world.  In order to be saved, you must believe he died for your own sin, and that He actually bore your sin in His body. 

While few people who consider themselves Christians believe this, even fewer believe that He died for sickness and disease.  And of those who do believe He did so, there are even fewer who believe He died for their own pain, sickness, and disease.  You must believe he died for your own pain, sickness, and disease, and that He actually carried your sickness in His body.  It was condemned there, along with your sin, two thousand years ago.  You need to accept this and believe it is for you personally, in order to be healed.

If you are suffering from pain, sickness, or disease today, you don't have to.  It doesn't matter whether it is AIDS, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, or migraines.  You need only believe what God's Word says and appropriate it for yourself.  Believe it with all your heart without any doubting.  It was all paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son, two thousand years ago.

James said, "Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord." (Js 5:14).  If you are a believer, who knows Jesus, let me encourage you to do that.  Call upon the elders of your church, asking them to anoint you with oil and pray for you to be healed.  When you do so, the Scripture says, "The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven." (Js 5:15).

Scripture says the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.  You can depend on God to keep His promise. And it also says, "If they have sinned, they will be forgiven."  That's why I think it is always good when you are ill to ask the Holy Spirit to show you if you have opened the door to the enemy in your life through some sin and disobedience.  Ask Him to expose you, so that you can get it right with Him.  Repent and confess your sin to the Lord, asking Him to forgive you, and He will. That's important, because if He heals you, and you continue in disobedience, it'll be even worse.  Jesus would say, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." (Jn 5:14; 8:11)

However, not everyone reading this article belongs to a church where the elders believe in divine healing, and your elders may not believe it is God's will to heal every sick person.  In fact, some of you reading this blog may not yet belong to a church.  I encourage you to get connected with one.  But until you do, if you are a born again believer, and believe this message with all your heart, you can even be healed right where you are sitting now.  I want to encourage you to lay your hand on your body over the area that needs to be healed, and confess your faith out loud to God right now.  Call that sickness by name, and in the name of Jesus, boldly command it to leave your body.  Then praise and thank the Lord Jesus for healing you.  Receive it by faith from Him, just as you received His payment for your sins when you gave your life to Jesus.  If you did that, then I declare you are healed! 

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.

Author's note: Please don't forget to leave a testimony of your healing in the comments below.  This post is part of a series.  It is not medical advice, and I do not claim to be a physician.  If you enjoyed it, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar, especially Power of God to Heal, Going from Cursed to Cured, What Does the Bible Say About Vaccines?, The Name of Jesus, and Scriptural Guidance About Blood Transfusions. I also recommend my daughter's poem, Faith Should Not Depend on Feeling, which she wrote the same day she received a divine healing in her body.  You may also access my blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Going from Cursed to Cured

A leper once came and bowed down to Jesus saying, “If you are willing you can make me clean.” Scripture says, “Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.” (Mt 8:3).

The Greek word for cured in Mt 8:3 is katharizo, meaning “to cleanse (literally or figuratively): - (make) clean (-se), purge, purify.”

In Deut 28:16, and throughout that chapter, Moses warned that anyone who did not obey God’s Law would be cursed.  In other words they would be one on whom a curse has been invoked, accursed, doomed to destruction.  And he listed all the sicknesses that were part of that curse. 

“However, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, ‘CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE’”-- (Gal 3:13)

Christ redeemed us from the curse.  Hallelujah!  The Greek word for redeemed in Gal 3:13 is exagorazo, meaning “to buy up, that is, ransom; figuratively to rescue from loss (improve opportunity): - redeem.”

In English there is only a one-letter difference between the words “cursed” and “cured.”  I say the letter “S” in that word should remind you of the Savior! He became a curse for us!  It’s amazing but true that through faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we go from cursed to cured!

He became the sacrifice for our sin, so you could say the "s" is also for "sin."  Through His sacrifice, our Savior bore our sin.  If you repent and put your faith in Him, asking Him to forgive you, He will remove your sin and even give you power over sin.  You'll go from cursed to cured!

If you have a pain, sickness or disease today from which you cannot be healed, there is One who can heal you.  If you are a sinner in need of forgiveness today, there is One who can save you.  His name is Jesus Christ.  He alone has the power to save you from your sin and heal you from your disease. He alone can make you whole spiritually and physically. 

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.

Author's note: This post is part of a series.  If you enjoyed it, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar, especially Power of God to Heal. I also recommend my daughter's poem, Faith Should Not Depend on Feeling, which she wrote the same day she received a divine healing in her body.  You may also access my blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

What Does the Bible Say About Vaccines?

In this age of forced immunizations, there are still some states that allow home schools to obtained an exemption based on their religious convictions.  If you have such convictions, then this article may assist you in explaining your reasons for not immunizing.

Do Not Contaminate God’s Temple
The body of a Christian is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Co 3:16; 1Co 3:17; 1Co 6:19; 2Co 6:16; Eph 2:21). As such, the believer is to purify himself from everything that contaminates both body and spirit (2 Co 7:1). Vaccines may contain various ingredients that contaminate the body, including aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate, ammonium sulfate, formaldehyde, various toxoids and antibiotics, as well as heavy metals like mercury contained in thimerosal, which is used as a preservative.   Mercury is a highly toxic element, second only to radioactive plutonium. When it is combined with other ingredients, specifically aluminum and formaldehyde, the synergistic effects increase 10,000-fold.  Scientific studies have connected thimerosal with autism.  To inject known neurotoxins into our children, which have known health risks, would be a violation of these biblical teachings.

Some vaccines such as the “measles - mumps – rubella” (MMR), the “measles – rubella” (M-R-Vax), and the Biavax rubella vaccine, all produced by Merck & Co., Inc., as well as the Imovax rabies vaccine produced by Connaught Laboratories, and the Havrix hepatitis A vaccine by GlaxoSmithKline, contain human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissue.  We believe that according to God’s Word, life begins at conception (Ps 139:13), and abortion of a human life in the womb constitutes murder.  This is an abomination to God.  The Bible says, “Thou shalt not murder” (Ex 20:13).  It would be unconscionable for us to inject the remnants of a murdered baby into our children or ourselves.

Some vaccines even contain DNA, such as ProQuad, the “measles, mumps, rubella and varicella” vaccine by Merck & Co., Inc.  

The authors of a study published in 1980 by "Mutation Research" came to the conclusion that smallpox vaccination has a "mutagenic effect" on human chromosomes. [Neil Z. Miller's 1999 book Vaccines: Are They Really Safe and Effective?, p. 46] "Viruses and viral vaccines are agents for the transfer of genetic imprints from one host to another. In other words, because they contain pure genetic material (DNA and RNA) from a foreign organism, once injected into a human recipient, the new genetic material is incorporated into the invaded cells." [Miller, p. 48] In the 1960s, Joshua Lederberg, Dept. of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, said that "live viruses are ... genetic messages used for the purpose of programming human cells". Lederberg said that "we already practice biological engineering on a rather large scale by use of live viruses in mass immunization campaigns." [Miller, p.49]

"No one knows the long-term effects of tampering with the genetic codes and delicate structure of the human organism. However, the physical invasion of the human body by foreign genetic material may have the immediate effect of permanently weakening the immune system, setting in motion a new era of autoimmune diseases. For example, research indicates that psychotic disorders may be caused by viral infections. The incidence of schizophrenia is on the rise compared to earlier times, and studies now indicate that about one-third of all cases are autoimmune in nature. Once again, some authorities implicate the childhood vaccine programs." [Miller, p. 49]

We believe that God is our Creator and He put the DNA in each person, containing the exact codes needed to instruct the cells of our bodies how they should build.  Scientific research has revealed that the genetic material contained in the vaccines is incorporated into the invaded cells of the vaccinated recipient. This constitutes crossing the DNA of humans and animals.  It would be unconscionable to allow someone to inject the DNA of an animal or another person into the blood of our children or into our own blood.  This would constitute a type of sorcery, which is forbidden by God.  We believe that vaccines contaminate our body and spirit, God’s temple, thereby weakening us, and we must purify ourselves of such things, as a means of perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The Life is in the Blood
The life of all flesh is in the blood, so the blood must be kept pure.  The Lord said, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood…” (Lev 17:11a).  He also said, “For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life…” (Lev 17:14a, ESV).  

Since the life of a human is its blood, it must be kept pure.  Nothing unclean may be put into the blood.  Since the life of every creature is in its blood, we must not put it into our own blood.  This is the same as putting their life into our blood.  Since their lives are not pure, their life weakens us.

It’s a well-documented fact that satanic rituals involve animal and human sacrifices, as well as drinking blood.  This is an occult practice.  In both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, God forbids His people to eat blood (Lev 17:14; Act 15:20). Since they did not have vaccines when Scripture was written, nothing is mentioned about them.  But since God forbids eating or drinking blood, we know that He does not want us putting animal blood into our bodies by any means, whether ingestion or injection. 

Pharmaceutical Roots in Sorcery
In a day when there are huge numbers of deaths caused by adverse drug effects (ADEs) from prescribed pharmaceutical drugs, it is interesting to note the biblical reference to sorcery: "But the cowardly, unbelieveing, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolators, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Revelation 21:8 (New King James)

In this passage, the word 'sorcerers' comes from the Greek word 'pharmakos' (Strongs) which is derived from the Greek word 'pharmakon' and is defined as: “a druggist (‘pharmacist’) or poisoner” (Strongs). 

An interesting passage in the Bible refers to the methodology used to deceive the nations in the end times:  "...For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived."  Revelation 18:23

The word 'sorcery' (Strongs) in this passage is the Greek word 'pharmakeia'. It is defined in as “medication” (pharmacy).  Drugs that the government considers illegal, like marijuana, cocaine, LSD, and heroin, are connected with the occult and sorcery.  And so are many of the drugs the government considers legal.  We do not necessarily believe that every medicine produced by a pharmaceutical company is considered sorcery.  But pharmaceuticals have their roots in sorcery.  And it is obvious in the case of vaccines that these are connected with sorcery, since they are poisonous (toxic), rely on the blood of dead animals, and they consist of ingredients that we are forbidden by God to put into our bodies. 

For example, some vaccines may contain pig blood, horse blood, rabbit brain, dog kidney, vesicle fluid from calf skins, rhesus monkey fetal diploid cells, bovine fetal serum, rhesus monkey fetal lung cells, bovine serum, chicken embryo, monkey kidney cells, calf serum, chick embryonic fluid, washed sheep red blood cells, and mouse serum proteins.  Many vaccines are made from the blood of diseased animals, decomposed animal parts, and are not sterile.  The Bible teaches that there are clean and unclean animals and that God’s people are not to put the unclean into their bodies. 

Luke 13.1-5 states that those who mix human blood with the blood of sacrificed animals are 'sinners.' This is precisely what pharmaceutical industrialists do in order to produce many vaccines, by mixing the blood of animals with that of humans.  And it is what medical practitioners do when they inject vaccines containing animal blood into the bloodstreams of humans.  The human and animal blood is mixed together, which is an abomination to God (Lev 20:16).

It is Not God’s Will for His People to Be Sick
Vaccines may also contain other ingredients that contaminate and harm the body, such as deadly viruses (both live and inactive).  The human body’s reaction to these (i.e., fever, aches, pains, nausea, inflammation, coma, death, etc.) show that the immune system accurately recognizes these components as foreign and harmful.  The pharmaceutical companies call these “adverse drug effects” (ADEs). Scripture teaches that it is not God’s will for believers to have sickness or disease.  The psalmist said, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;” (Psa 103:2-3).  God is willing and able to heal all our diseases.

Do Not Destroy God’s  Temple
In some cases, vaccines can even result in death to the patient. A top Merck vaccine scientist (Dr. Maurice Hilleman) openly admits the presence of AIDS and deadly SV40 in vaccines. If you or your child dies, “They” cannot be held liable! Why would they protect themselves from lawsuits if it wasn’t harmful? They do so, because they know that it is.  And the Scripture says that “If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.” (1Co 3:17).  We must never be accomplice to any man who destroys the temple of God, even if the intent was to prevent disease, because His temple is holy, and we are His temple. 

The Lord is Our Healer
Jesus Christ not only paid for the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation from hell through His atoning sacrifice, He also paid for our healing and deliverance.  The prophet Isaiah said, “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.” (Isa 53:4-5). 

When the prophet said, “Our griefs He Himself bore,” the Hebrew word for griefs is chŏlı̂y meaning “sickness, affliction, disease, griefs, or illness,” according to the NAS Exhaustive Concordance (NASEC).  When the prophet said that Jesus “bore” our griefs, the Hebrew word is nasah, which means in this context “to carry, take, receive, bear or accept” (Strongs).   Jesus actually received our sicknesses, our diseases, and our illnesses in His body on the cross. 

When the prophet said that Jesus carried our sorrows, the Hebrew word for sorrows is makob, meaning “pain” (NASEC).  When it says He carried our pain, the Hebrew word is sabal, which literally means to carry or bear a heavy load (NASEC).

It is repeated in the New Testament.  In the gospel of Saint Matthew, it says, “When evening came, they brought to Him [Jesus] many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: ‘HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.’” (Mat 8:16-17).  So Matthew states that when Jesus healed all who were ill, He was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah that we have just cited.  

Jesus Christ rose from the dead and lives forever.  Just as He healed all who were ill during His earthly ministry, He continues to do so today.  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb 13:8). 

Furthermore, the apostle Peter wrote, “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1Pe 2:24).  The Greek word for “healed” is iaomai, which means “1) to cure, heal, 2) to make whole,  and 2a) to free from errors and sins, to bring about (one’s) salvation” (Thayer).   Therefore, Peter affirms that by the wounds that Jesus received in His passion and crucifixion, we His sheep are healed, made whole, cured, forgiven, freed from the power of sin, and saved. This means that there is not only salvation but healing in the atonement.  

Just as one must believe in Jesus as His own personal Lord and Savior in order to be saved, one must also believe in Jesus as His own personal Healer to be healed.  Jesus often said to those whom He healed, “Your faith has made you whole” (Mat 9:22; Mat 15:28; Mar 5:34; Mar 10:52; Luk 8:48; Luk 17:19).

Since it is not God’s will for His children to have disease, then it is not God’s will for them or anyone else to inject disease in any form into their bodies.  The child of God is supposed to walk in the perfect will of God, and never do anything he knows to be contrary to God’s will (Mar 3:35; Rom 12:2; 1Pe 4:1-2; Heb 10:36; Eph 6:6; 1Jn 2:17; Mat 7:21).

We have seen the Lord heal many various sicknesses and diseases through prayer and the laying on of hands.  He has done this in our own lives, our children’s lives, as well as the lives of other people.  We have not only read about this happening through others like Smith Wigglesworth, Reese Howells, Kathryn Kuhlman, Charles and Frances Hunter, and Dr. T.L. Osborne, who saw tens of thousands healed in every corner of the earth during his sixty-five years of ministry, but we have seen it first hand. 

This is not a gift reserved only for a select few believers.  Healing is a covenant promise of God to His people.  God keeps all His promises and cannot lie.  Not one word of all His good promises has ever failed.  In Saint Mark’s gospel, he records the words of our Lord Jesus to His disciples when He commissioned them to preach the gospel, make disciples, and baptize them.  He said, "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mar 16:17-18).  This is part of the Great Commission. He not only called us to preach salvation, but healing and deliverance also.  We cannot take only the parts of the Bible we like and leave out other parts.  We have a mandate from the Lord of the Universe.  He said that believers would lay hands on the sick.  And when He said, “They shall recover,” this reveals it is His will for those upon whom believers lay their hands shall recover.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we believe that if we are walking faithfully in obedience to Him, then He will put none of the diseases upon us that He put upon the Egyptians.  For He said, "If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer." (Exo 15:26). 

We do not rely on vaccines to prevent diseases, we rely on our great God.  He has revealed Himself to His people as “Yahweh Rapha,” the Lord your Healer (Ex 15:26), and we have come to know Him personally as such.  To deny this would be to deny Him.

Sometimes believers do get sick.  When they do, they are to call upon the elders of the church, not the doctors.  And the Lord promises to heal them, if they do so.  The apostle James wrote, “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.” (Jas 5:14-15).  He says, “the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”  We have faith that the Lord will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise Him up.

Futility of Seeking Physicians Rather Than God
The role of physicians has its place in society.  But a godly physician knows that only God can heal his patients.  Many people have sought physicians rather than God and either gotten worse or died as a result.  There are examples of this in Scripture for our instruction.  One was Asa, King of Judah. 

“In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa became diseased in his feet. His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians. So Asa slept with his fathers, having died in the forty-first year of his reign.” (2Ch 16:12-13)

One more example will suffice, and that is the woman with the hemorrhage.  “A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse…”  (Mar 5:25-26).  Although she spent all she had seeking the care of physicians, they could not help at all. In fact, she only grew worse.  It was only when she put her faith in Jesus and touched the hem of his garment that she was healed, and her bleeding stopped immediately. 

We believe that when people seek physicians rather than God, they will end up like King Asa or like the woman with the issue of blood.  We see this happening today in the rise of diseases, of which vaccines are suspected by scientists to be the cause, such as autism, schizophrenia, and various autoimmune diseases.  Not to mention all the so-called "adverse drug effects" resulting from vaccines.  The immunization campaign deceives people into thinking that physicians can protect them from disease without seeking God, when in fact this program only makes them worse.

Cause of Disease and Plagues
Scripture records that the following diseases came upon the people because of disobedience to God’s Law: plague, hemorrhoids, itch, consumption, fever, inflammation, boils, tumors, scabs, blindness, confusion, and madness. (Deut 28; cf., Num 14:12; Lev 26:25; Am 4:10; Jer 24:10).  And since this list is not exhaustive enough, the Scripture goes on to say, “He [the Lord] will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt of which you were afraid, and they will cling to you. Also every sickness and every plague which, not written in the book of this law, the LORD will bring on you until you are destroyed.” (Deu 28:60-61). On the other hand, God promises His blessings of prosperity, or overall well being, upon His obedient children (Deut 28:1-14).

Divine Protection from Plagues
We are keenly aware that we are under the protection promised in Psalm 91, which says, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’ For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper And from the deadly pestilence.” (Psa 91:1-3).  The deadly “pestilence” in this verse is from the Hebrew word deber, meaning the destroying “plague” (Strong).  The Lord -- not the pharmaceutical company -- delivers us from the deadly plague.

We don’t need to live in fear of plagues.  God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7).  Though a thousand fall at our side, even ten thousand at our right hand, it shall not approach us, because He will give His angels charge over us.

The Lord has promised us, “You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day; Of the pestilence [plague] that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand, But it shall not approach you. You will only look on with your eyes And see the recompense of the wicked. For you have made the LORD, my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, Nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways.” (Psa 91:5-11).

The Lord promises that if we love Him and call upon Him, He will deliver us and satisfy us with long life (Ps 91:14-16).  Man cannot give us long life, since he himself is subject to sickness and death. But we know that God who is Life Himself has the power to do so, and will do what He promised. 

The Scriptures also command God’s people to come out of Babylonian the Great whore, so as not to partake of her sins. “I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues.” (Rev 18:4). 

We believe the government immunization program is part of the Babylonian system that God commands us to come out of.  So rather than participate in this program in an attempt to avoid plagues, we believe it would actually be sin to participate in the program, since it is based on sinful activities.  We believe that if we are obedient to come out of her, we will not receive of her plagues.  We have divine protection only if we come out.

A Nation’s Proper Response to Plague
Scripture teaches that when God sends a plague to His people, the solution is for them to humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways.  God says: "If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2Ch 7:13-14).  God promises to heal the nation in response to this kind of prayer.

When God sent a plague to the nation of Israel as a result of King David’s sinful census, it took the lives of seventy thousand men (2 Sam 24:15).  Then David repented of his sin and prayed to the Lord (2Sa 24:17).  He obeyed God’s command and sought the Lord:

“David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Thus the LORD was moved by prayer for the land, and the plague was held back from Israel.” (2Sa 24:25)

When David confessed his sin and sought the Lord for forgiveness, prayer for the land moved the Lord, and the plague was stopped. This is the way God’s people, especially the national leaders, are to respond to plague.

But wicked men want to devise schemes so that they can avoid sickness without turning from their wicked ways.  They want to mix their potions and inject them into human beings in an attempt to defy God.

Obey God Rather Than Man
As Sherry Shriner states: "The Bible teaches that there have been times in history when evil government and government employees have attempted, through force or color of law, to intimidate, harm or destroy the children of God’s people. (Exodus 1 and 2; Matthew 2).   The Bible teaches that when man’s law contradicts God’s law, His people must obey God over man. (Acts 5:29) Therefore, be it known, should any policy, edict or legislation of man decree our children must be vaccinated, we must obey God rather than man just as Moses’ parents of old, we will do so without fear (Exodus 2)."

The Bible teaches us that we are not to harm or wrong our neighbor. (Romans 13:10 and James 2:8) When a family decides to decline vaccines, it does not do wrong or threaten their neighbors. If vaccines were truly effective, the neighbor who has been vaccinated would not be in danger from someone who is not vaccinated.

Conclusion
After having seriously considered the Scriptures and the suppressed facts about vaccines, you may elect to forego these risks, by faith in God and enjoyment of His blessings, among which are health and natural immunity.  For anyone with deeply and sincerely held religious convictions about this matter, it would violate conscience to allow their children to be vaccinated. 

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.

Author's Note: This is not to be construed in any way as medical or legal advise.  Consult a  lawyer and/or physician for professional advice.  If you enjoyed this post, also see Scriptural Guidance About Blood Transfusions. More of my articles on Biblical Health and Wellness may be found on the Home page of this blog. I also recommend you read the book called Plague by Kent Heckenlively and Dr. Judy Mikovits, PhD. You may also access my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.

Image credit: Image taken from article called Vaccines: Is Your Pediatrician a Bully? by Healthnutnation.

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Taking Care of Your Body

If you are a disciple of Jesus, then you should know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Many times as believers, we think only about our spiritual well-being, and sometimes neglect our bodies.  Some of the Lord's servants physically over-exert themselves, pouring themselves out by working in such a way that they ruin their health.  This is especially true of pastors and ministers of the gospel who are devoted to serving the Lord.  If that's you, then you need to understand that the Lord wants you to take care of your body, too.  You need to get proper rest and eat right, because your wellness is important.

But then there are those who are lazy and self-indulging, and they can not be used by the Lord, because they have allowed themselves to fall into poor physical health from neglecting their bodies. This is also displeasing to the Lord.

Lastly, there are those who overly emphasize their own physical fitness.  This is idolatrous and the Lord considers is a big sin.

I'd like to encourage you to read my blog about a Korean pastor who was raised from the dead after he died from an illness caused by overexerting himself for the sake of Lord's work. It includes an excerpt from a book by another Korean pastor, Yong-Doo Kim, called Baptize by Blazing Fire.  I also strongly urge you to read my blog about that book, which links to the free, abridged e-book available online, as well as the full hard copy book available for purchase.  I think these will encourage you to take proper care of your body without neglecting or idolizing it.

Image credit: Image taken from article called Importance of Physical Fitness by Alex Trinca.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master.

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Some Foods Damage, Others Heal

Food pyramid from ihelt.com

In my previous posts, I have mentioned the need to eat real food, which means whole foods that have not been man-made or processed.  I've also mentioned the need to avoid other foods that damage your body, particularly the four white poisons -- dairy, refined sugar, refined salt, and refined white flour. 

While I have studied this topic extensively from many sources over the years, one excellent source of information I've found is Bee Wilder.  She has a website called Healing Naturally by Bee.  In this post, I'd like to highlight a few things she teaches, which I think are key.

On her home page, she states: " 'Real' food is medicine! Unprocessed foods direct from nature nourish your body so it can heal itself. Your health is damaged and deteriorated by processed foods, foods that are microwaved or irradiated (zapped with radiation), and foods not properly prepared for human consumption."

Foods That Heal
She gives an excellent list of healthy foods.  Her list includes dairy, but based on our research, we concluded that it is definitely not healthy and we have eliminated it from our diet.

One of the things you probably don't expect to see on the list are saturated fats.  She points out a fact that many experts have found, which is that our bodies actually need saturated fats.  This includes all animal fats, and certain other saturated fats like cold-pressed, virgin olive oil, as well as virgin coconut oil. 

Contrary to a myth that was created in the 1950's by a biochemist named Ancel Keys, fat and cholesterol do not cause heart disease.  There's an entertaining video called the Big Fat Lie, which covers this.  But I'd encourage you to also read what Bee has to say about saturated fats.

Stay away from the unnatural oils that contain unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, like corn, soy, safflower, and canola oil.  These go through a hydrogenation process that makes them very unhealthy for your body.

Foods That Damage
I recommend Wilder's article called Foods that Damage, Foods that Heal.  In addition to listing the healthy foods, she gives quite a comprehensive list of foods that damage your body.  In addition to the ones I've already mentioned, these include grains, nuts, seeds and legumes that have not been properly prepared, and including all products containing them, irradiated and microwaved foods, pasteurized foods and foods that are processed using high heat, genetically modified foods, soy and soybean-based foods, as well as supplements and products containing soy.  She states, "Foods must be free of additives, pesticides, heavy metals, irradiation, neurotoxins (MSG, carrageenan, etc.), nitrates, sulphites, etc."

It's important to note that during biblical history there was no such thing as processed or pasteurized food as we know it today.  Prior to the industrial revolution, "food processing" was limited to crude methods like natural fermentation, sun drying, smoking, or preserving with natural salt.  The food that Jesus and the apostles ate did not contain chemical pesticides, additives, growth hormones, nitrates, sulphites, or neurotoxins.  You can be sure they ate whole foods, free of these toxins, which are real food that nourishes your body.  And their bodies were vessels fit for the Master's use.

Let me just say a word about MSG, which is an acronym for monosodium glutamate.  If you are not aware of the dangers of this poison, I highly recommend your do your research.  This substance is a commonly used flavor enhancer in food.  Most fast foods contain MSG.  It's found in many canned and packaged products westerners eat, including soups, as well as dressings and fast foods. The label will not always say monosodium glutamate or MSG.  Often times when there is MSG in a product, it may simply state "natural flavorings" or some other pseudonym. MSG has been linked to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, asthma, obesity, and a host of other diseases. A good place to start your research is with this video. Some other sources of info on this are the following:

MSG Linked to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Degenerative Disease by Kathryn Picoulin
The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about MSG
Monosodium Glutamate MSG Health Dangers and Side Effects of Toxic Additives
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) Causes Obesity
MSG Dangers and Deceptions

Putting it All Together
These are just a few resources I'd like to provide for you to educate yourself on which foods damage and which foods heal your body.  As we have implemented these changes into our family's diet, we have seen a significant measure of health restored in a number of areas in our family, including sinus headaches, asthma, and seborrhea.  I hope you will find this helpful, and begin making the changes in your diet to remove the toxins and consume the real foods that God created for you to enjoy.

If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ already, this information can help you take the practical steps necessary to be a vessel fit for the Master's use.  But if you are not yet one of His disciples, you can't become one by trying to purify yourself physically.  Only He can cleanse your heart and make you whole.  He loves you with an everlasting love, and He died upon the cross for you, in order to wash away your sin and enable you to be in right relationship with God.  That's why I'd like to invite you to give your whole life to Him today.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: This post is part of a series.  If you enjoyed it, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar, such as Some Foods Damage and Others Heal and The Benefits of Eating Well. You may also access my blog directory at "Writing for the Master."  The views expressed in this blog are not intended as medical advice to treat any condition.  Rather they are my personal opinions based on my own research, and do not necessarily represent the views of Doulos Missions International.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

White Poisons

Most people put poisons into their body every day and don't realize it.  They consume foods that are toxic and which cause poor health, but have no idea how much damage they are doing.  There are four white poisons I want to talk about today that you should avoid.  They are white sugar, white flour, milk and it's byproducts, and table salt. 

Sugar
First of all, sugar is a major factor in poor health. Robert Lustig, MD. gave a lecture about this in 2009 that has been reported on in the New York Times and featured on You Tube. Most nutrition experts agree with him.  Sugar can cause diseases like atherosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, rectal cancer, hemorrhoids, and many other health problems. In fact, sugar is the source of all chronic disease. Nancy Appleton, PhD. lists 143 reasons sugar ruins your health.  She's right, and just think of all the sugar in the western diet. Whether it's cookies, soft drinks, cakes, chocolate, or breakfast cereal, you will find sugar in just about every meal that westerners consume.

Even many of the so-called healthy alternatives contain sugar.  For example, look at the ingredients on a commercial box of soy milk or commercial almond milk, and you will find sugar.

But it's not just refined sugar that's bad for you.  There are many forms of sugar, including glucose and fructose.  Fructose is contained in fruit juices, even the ones that have no sugar added. And when you consume it in high quantities, it's not healthy.  Since all fruits contain sugar, it's best to eat the fruits raw in their whole form, and limit your daily intake.  This will lower the amount of fructose you consume, rather than squeezing out the juice and drinking it.

Many of the carbohydrates you eat are converted into sugars in your body when digested, and this has an overall net affect on your health, which is not good for you when you combine it with all the other sugars you consume directly.  For example, when you eat potatoes, carrots, and even grains contained in bread and cereals, your adding to your sugar intake.

I think this is one of the major causes of obesity in America today, so if you care about your health, cut out the direct intake of refined sugar, including white sugar, brown sugar, and raw sugar.  Use a little bit of honey as a sweetener instead.  And limit your consumption of carbohydrates that turn into sugar inside your body.

If you would like to do more research on the harmful effects of sugar, I suggest reading Kill the Sugar Before It Kills You: 'Sugar Is the Source of All Chronic Disease', a CBN News article by Lorie Johnson.

Milk
Another white poison is milk and all its byproducts.  It's horrible and will kill your family.  According to Robert Cohen's "Not Milk" website (no longer online as of 2026), this is a bad news substance that has been linked to acne, arthritis, allergies, asthma, autism, breast cancer, constipation, Crohn's disease, depression, irritable bowels, lactose intolerance, Lou Gehrig's disease, migraines, multiple sclerosis, obesity, osteoporosis, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, and many other diseases.  I've researched this out thoroughly and found that what Cohen says is true.

Eighty percent of the protein in milk is casein.  This substance is very harmful to your body.  It's the same glue used to hold your furniture together and to affix labels to beer bottles. When you consume it, your body creates histamines and it generates lots of mucus.  And the pasteurization process renders casein into an inorganic substance that cannot be digested.  So it doesn't do your body any good to drink milk.

And just think of all the dairy westerners consume each day.  In addition to drinking milk directly, it's an ingredient in many of the processed foods you eat.  Then there are all the cheese products in foods like cheeseburgers, pizza and lasagna. There's all the butter you use for cooking, put on your toast and in your recipes.

A great case in point concerning the harmful effects of dairy is the Scandanavians.  Denmark, Norway, Holland, and Sweden have the highest rates of osteoporosis as well as breast cancer.  There is also a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension).  Dairy products (from cows, goats, and reindeer) are heavily consumed. In addition to drinking milk, Scandanavians also have a high intake of sour cream, buttermilk, and cheese. Cheese is generally served at every meal.  This should help you to see how dangerous this substance is to your body.

If you are concerned about getting enough calcium, you should know that protein inhibits your body's ability to absorb calcium, and milk is liquid protein.  So it's not the best source of calcium.  If would like to find good, healthy sources of non-dairy calcium, such as leafy greens (which is much more bioavailable than in milk), then see here.

If you would like to do more research on your own, I suggest you watch the interview with Robert Cohen, read my articles The Dark Side of Dairy and The Perils of Dairy. Also read the Deadly Dairy Deception, by Dr. Robert Bibb, MD., and the FAQ on the Scandanavian Diet.

I've done the research and I say one of the best things you can do for your health is get rid of the dairy.

Salt
Typical salt is "chemically cleaned". This is another deadly substance.  When you consume processed table salt, you do a lot of harm to your body.  Over time, you increase your blood pressure and cause a hardening of the arteries.

You'll find refined salt in most of the foods you eat as part of a western diet. And most of the common salts have toxic chemicals that pollute your body.  You can read more about this from Bee Wilder.  But what your body needs are salts that have not been processed with chemicals, such as unrefined sea salt or naturally harvested Himalayan salt, which contain many trace minerals needed for optimal health.  You would do yourself a favor if you switch to real salt and avoid foods containing refined salt.

White Flour
This is the last one I will discuss.  White flour is made from whole grains that have been processed. This process renders the grain devoid of most of its nutrients.  To further add insult to injury, chlorine is used as an industry standard chemical agent to bleach the flour, which gives it a longer shelf life and removes the odor.  This is the same chemical in the bleach you use to remove stains from your laundry. Dr. Joseph Mercola explains this process and why white flour is bad for you, especially bleached white flour. 

What you end up with is a food that is full of empty calories.  And you'll find white flour in breads, dumplings, pastas, and all sorts of baked goods.  This is another food to avoid, if you care about your health.  Replace it with wheat flour, which has not been bleached.

Putting it All Together
Now that I've shown you why these four substances are toxic, stop and think about how the western culture promotes their consumption beyond even the normal daily diet.  In the Spring, people consume high quantities of these poisons around Easter time and Mother's Day.  In the summer, these are part of graduation parties, picnics and holiday parties like Father's Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day.  In the fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving give people another reason to indulge in these poisons.  And then in the winter, you've got more opportunities to do so at Christmas, New Years, and Valentines Day.  In between all those, you have all the birthday parties. It's no wonder westerners are so sick and diseased when we regularly consume so much poison in our diet.

I want to be clear that I am not forbidding anybody from eating these foods.  "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving..." (1 Ti 4:4). You can eat them if you like, but I am simply presenting facts about them, so that you can make wise decisions for the sake of your health and that of your family.

If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Bible says that your body is a member of Christ (1 Co 6:15). That means you should take good care of it. If you would like to take a step toward improving your health, then begin cutting these white poisons out of your diet and replacing them with healthy, nutritious alternatives.

Author's note: This post is part of a series.  If you enjoyed it, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar, such as The Milk Deception, Some Foods Damage and Others Heal and The Benefits of Eating Well. You may also access my blog directory at "Writing for the Master."  The views expressed in this blog are not intended as medical advice to treat any condition.  Rather they are my personal opinions based on my own research, and do not necessarily represent the views of Doulos Missions International.

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.