God’s Restoring Agencies

“The ambassadors of Christ can be doubly useful if they know how to restore the diseased to health. This was the work of Christ. But as in prayer we present these suffering ones to the Lord for His healing power to come to them, the people themselves must be instructed to do those things which will assist nature, not in drug medication, but in the use of the agencies the Lord has prepared,—sunlight, pure air, pure water, healthful exercise. These things possess a power which millions in our world know nothing of. These restoring agencies must be used intelligently, and as we do all that it is in our power to do, we must mingle with our work our earnest prayers.” Manuscript 110, 1898.

Zaida and one her youngest patients, a new born indian girl.

As we work in this area here in Panama we see more and more the need to know how to treat the sick with God’s healing methods. Lately we have been called to help members of the church that have been suffering from deep depression. A pastor, when asking us to come to his church and give a health talk on how to deal with depression, tells us that depression is an epidemic at his church. When he goes to see a member of his congregation that did not come to church on Sabbath, one of the frequent excuses given is that the person was depressed.

About four weeks ago, we received a call from the local district pastor to visit a church member in a town about 40 minutes away. He had mentioned that this person was having severe pain and was having depression because of the pain. We lifted up an earnest prayer to the Lord for guidance. The way the pastor’s voice sounded told us that this was not going to be an ordinary visit. The person that we were called to visit is a nurse. She is on disability because she had suffered a whip-lash injury eight years before while transporting a patient in an ambulance that got involved in an accident, thankfully, thanks to the Hughes & Coleman Injury Lawyers Lexington she was able to get a big compensation. Her neck injuries had not been treated as they should after such an accident. For several years she suffered with pain. About two years ago she finally had neck surgery. Besides the pain from the neck injuries, she suffers from severe depression, has gastritis, suffers from seizures and also has had a hysterectomy. She had had nine surgeries for different health reasons. She was

Ladies take note at a cooking class in Bugaba while Sandra does a demostration.

under different specialists who prescribed different medications for her many health conditions, but her pain and depression were not getting better. As we assessed her, she told us that the previous week she had attempted suicide because she wanted a way out of the pain. She was having severe headaches and neck pain and had lost her sense of balance; she needed to be in bed most of the day. After her attempted suicide she was taken to the hospital but was not admitted because, according to the medical personnel that saw her, she had too many diagnoses and it was better for her to be treated at home. It was at this time that the pastor called us to see her.

Our extremities are God’s opportunities. The Lord heard our prayers. As we have applied God’s simple remedies, we have observed a miracle as God’s restoring power is working in the health of this individual. At first she was willing to use some of the natural remedies like herbs, but she refused the hot foot baths and did not faithfully use ice cold towels to her neck. But as she saw the improvement, she took courage. We talked to her about the many drugs that she was taking and

Ladies enjoying a meal after a cooking class in Alto Chiriqui.

encouraged her to slowly wean herself from them. She gave us the insert of some of the medications. As we read them, we realized that the medications were partly to blame for causing her severe headaches, chills and loss of equilibrium; even the attempted suicide was one of the adverse effects mentioned in the insert for one of the medications. Today she is doing better, thanks to God’s restoring agencies. She has stopped most medications and is following a program of diet and exercise and following the program that God inspired Dr. Neil Nedley to write to help people with depression. She has hope and is trusting in God to help her to regain her health.

Another case is that of a teacher who suffers from severe depression and has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis by a naturopathic doctor. She has not been able to get help from allopathic medicine. When she first went to the doctors, they did some testing and could not find anything wrong with her. She then opted to go to a naturopath where she was diagnosed, but she was not able to get the supplements prescribed nor the help that she requires. As we assess her, we see how God’s method of healing can bring relief to her trouble of body and soul. Learning about the laws of health, she has gained hope to regain her health. She was implementing some of God’s methods of healing but needed guidance in the areas of nutrition, exercise, rest and trust in God. She had been

Sandra and Danielle serving food at a cooking class in Alto Chiriqui.

told to do certain things, but she did not know why she should do them. Now she takes a walk in the morning sunshine, and with a smile on her face she goes to pray at the house of a prayer partner. Her prayer partner told us that the teacher had said to her, “I have not felt this happy in a long time.” She had lost weight; now she is slowly gaining it back. She can sleep better, and in the morning she feels rested. She is praising the Lord for the improvement she has experienced.

The Bible tells us, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” There is a need for more church members to be knowledgeable in the use of the agencies the Lord has prepared for a sick world. This is why Living Springs is here in Panama. Many of you know that one our goals is to build a lifestyle center. As the funds are made available through your generosity we hope this project will soon be a reality. Many people asked us if we have a place where they can come as an inpatient. Please keep us in your prayers as we are called more and more to attend complicated cases of people in need of God’s healing power.

By Zaida Acosta and Co-founder Robert Ice. Living Springs of Health and Education. Email: 4asaved2serve@gmail.com. Support for Acostas can be sent through Mission Projects International, PO Box 59656, Renton, WA 98058. Mark your donations “Panama.”