WellnessNugget

Editor’s Note: This is the third part to a discussion on Jesus’ message to the Laodicean Church and its relevance today.

Did you know that the message to the Laodicean Church is actually good news? At first, it may not seem that way because it begins with a warning and a very honest diagnosis. But that is exactly what a good physician does—he tells the truth about the condition of the patient, even when the news is difficult to hear.

Imagine a doctor saying, “I’m sorry, but you have cancer, you are going blind, your relationships are broken, and you are financially bankrupt.” That would be devastating news.

But what if the doctor continued with “I can help you. If you are willing to work with me, I can treat each of these problems. Someone has already volunteered to pay for all the treatments. I want you to focus on your future, not your past. You can be healthy, you can see clearly, your needs can be provided for, and you can become a loving and lovable person. I can guarantee this outcome if you are willing to work with me. Are you interested?”

That is essentially the message to the Laodicean Church. Yes, the diagnosis is serious, but the cure is provided, the price has been paid, and the future can be completely different. The message is not meant to discourage us—it is meant to prepare us.

The message to Laodicea is especially significant for God’s people today. Even the disciples, after spending three and a half years with Jesus, were not ready to give the message that would change the world. Their final preparation included learning humility at the Last Supper, seeing true love revealed at the cross, experiencing unity through prayer and surrender, and then receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Only then were they ready.

The Laodicean message is the same kind of final preparation for God’s people today—a preparation for what many have called a second Pentecost. But it begins the same way it did for the disciples: with the recognition that we are not as strong, wise, or clear-sighted as we think we are. We must be humble enough to accept the diagnosis and willing to receive the cure.

One part of the cure that is especially interesting is the “eyesalve.” The goal of eyesalve is not simply better physical eyesight, but the ability to truly see—to understand and to have mental and spiritual clarity. Before Pentecost, the disciples heard Jesus’ words but did not understand them. After Pentecost, their minds were clear. They understood His mission, their purpose, and they were able to listen to and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The same can be true for us, but we must recognize that there are obstacles that prevent us from seeing clearly. We can hear truth week after week and still not truly understand it. Something may be affecting our ability to think clearly and discern truth.

This is where true science provides an interesting insight. Modern research into the gut microbiome has revealed a powerful connection between gut bacteria, the substances they produce, and brain function—especially mental clarity, mood, and the ability to think clearly. What we eat either strengthens this system or weakens it. Unfortunately, many of the foods people crave the most are the very foods that damage this system, and many of them are intentionally engineered to be addictive, making it very difficult to give them up.

If our minds are being dulled by what we eat, we may hear truth but struggle to truly grasp it. In that sense, the “eyesalve” may include not only spiritual renewal but also caring for the physical body and brain so the mind can function clearly.

Interestingly, the foods that best support the gut and brain are very similar to the simple, natural foods God originally gave to humanity—foods that nourish rather than overstimulate and damage. Both Scripture and science are pointing in the same direction. When we ignore either one, we do so at our own peril.

The message to Laodicea is not a message of rejection—it is a message of invitation. It is an invitation to see clearly, to be healed, to be restored, and to be prepared for the work God wants to do through His people. It is not bad news. It is the best news possible, because the diagnosis is given by the True Witness and the cure is guaranteed by the Great Physician.

—Rick Mautz is the Rocky Mountain Conference Wellness Support director. Photo by Sherif Emad of Pexels.

Editor’s Note: This is the second part to a discussion on Jesus’ message to the Laodicean Church and its relevance today.

We must wake up, and that is what Jesus’ message of love to the Laodicea Church is all about. So, how you will respond to this message is the missing link between just a message and a message that makes a difference and brings about the church that Jesus is longing for from His people.

Let’s go through the steps preceding the second coming, but in reverse:

1. The last event is the coming of Jesus.
2. The gospel is carried throughout the entire world.
3. The church experiences the “latter rain,” “the loud cry,” and “the second Pentecost.”
4. An understanding of the message of Laodicea leads to heartfelt prayer, genuine repentance, and true humility.

Many want to see a change take place, but don’t know how to start. Here, Jesus lays it out for all to see. Jesus gives these instructions in love and whom the Lord loveth, He chastens.

So far, this may just sound like just Bible talk, so let’s put this into language that fits daily life and what it will look like to let Him take control. Let’s start with a few things to consider.

• In what way might you feel “I am rich, increased with goods, and have need of nothing”?
• The early Seventh-day Adventist Church focused on the Sabbath truth more than on the Lord of the Sabbath.
• We may “have the truth” but not “Live the truth.” Without a relationship with God, we are wretched and miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

He does not leave us with our problems without giving us solutions, and ones that He will supervise personally, and not just leave us on our own. Again, He is knocking at the door and asking to come in, so we are not on our own for this transformation.

How do I buy Gold tried in the fire? The gold that is purified by fire is the faith that works in love. But it costs something; true love requires commitment and time. We need to give up some of our personal free time because of love for those in need.

White raiment to cover my nakedness? This is the righteousness of Christ. He doesn’t just cover us up with His white covering, but He wants to inhabit us—“Christ in you”—and transforms us into His image. When the earth is filled with the glory of God, it is Christ that they see, only because you have allowed Him to live in you.

And eye salve, to begin seeing? For clarity of discernment, to move beyond a surface relationship into one where Jesus teaches and we understand. Before Pentecost, the disciples were blind to so much that Jesus was trying to teach them. With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they not only understood but were able to declare truth in a clear manner that the receivers of the messages understood as well.

How do I recognize His knocking? When our desire is to do His will, we will recognize His knock. God does not play games with us. When we are willing, He is ready to connect, give us His spirit, and make our work effective. He has been waiting so long for us to open the door! He will not hesitate to come in and use us to the fullest.

What do I do to let Him in? Just respond to His voice. When we read His word and when we pray, we will discern what He wants us to do.

What is the outcome of my zealous repentance? You get a life free of regret and confusion—repentance brings victory. He is on our side, and now we are working together.

These are the steps that will change your life and will make the Church the force that will draw all seekers of truth. Choices are made and Jesus will come.

It is time to wake up and get up!

—Rick Mautz is the Rocky Mountain Conference Wellness Support director. Photo by Sherif Emad of Pexels.

God sends us messages at times to help us grow, to become better people, and at times to save us. These messages may be personal as we are moved by the Holy Spirit and they may come in a mass corporate manner to the church or through scripture, regardless of their religious persuasion. One such corporate message is the message to the last church of Revelation 3, the Laodicean Church.

You may be aware that the official position of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is that it is a prophetic message primarily applying to God’s end-time remnant church, which Adventists understand to include themselves. It has not always been so identified. In fact, in the early days of the church, they thought they were representing the church of Philadelphia, the church of brotherly love, until a closer analysis revealed that they were indeed better represented by the Laodicean Church.

My purpose for this article is to ask questions, to clarify what God is saying to the Laodicean Church, and to see if anything might be applied to you—the reader. And, if so, to start the process of recovery as prescribed by Jesus Christ to Laodicea.

In Revelation 3:14-22, you will see that Jesus, “the true witness,” starts out, like an effective physician, by giving the diagnosis. And then gives the solution for recovery. If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself, not others, it is vital that you carefully apply the remedy; otherwise, He says “I will spit you out.” This would make it a salvation issue and should be taken very seriously.

This is not just a nudge to do a little better. This appears to be a loud alarm clock, a wake-up call.  First, because those in this state don’t even know their condition:

Because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing”—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17).

If this is speaking to you, you may have already stopped reading because you don’t need any instruction—“I’m just fine, thank you.” Why read on? In fact, you’re not just ok but you have everything you need and don’t feel like you need anything more.

If this warning is for you, Jesus disagrees with your feeling that you don’t need anything more. In fact, He thinks that you don’t just need an adjustment, you need a whole makeover, because you are wretched and need to open your blind eyes and even get up, get dressed, and don’t even step outside till you take care of these major deficiencies.

Before you give up and say there is no hope, I can’t fix this, there is good news! Jesus comes with the needed remedy, and He is only telling you these things because He loves you. In fact, if you look outside right now you will “see” Him coming up to your front door. If you invite Him in, He will come in and bring all that is needed for total victory and life-changing transformation.

But it is not easy or cheap. You must start by buying gold tried in the fire. Eye salve to see and a white robe to cover your nakedness. Just admit your condition, repent, and let Him change you.

There are things that He will help you give up. These are things that you may want to hang on to, and you will have many heated discussions with the enemy of your soul, but, by your side, is someone who has never lost a battle with that enemy. He wants to come in and fellowship with you and help you with the transformation.

Just open the door, that’s all.

All of those failures that you are covering up, He will turn into success and overcoming. When you look at His life, you are looking at what can happen when you stop doing it on your own.

But why is all this important to me … or for the church? Have you ever longed for the power that was seen in the early church when thousands were converted in a day, the sick were healed, and miracles were common? What will bring about a change in the church where holiness—such as God’s people have never achieved before—is witnessed by a world who have lost faith in the church or even God? What has to happen before Christ comes, and how does that involve me?

See the continuation in Part 2 of this discussion and what we should do next.

—Rick Mautz is the Rocky Mountain Conference Wellness Support director. Photo by Sherif Emad of Pexels.

With the New Year comes, a little more focus goes on personal health. Maybe things you have been putting off seem a little more important.

For a lot of people, losing a little weight is now on their radar, so you may be attracted to the easy option of using a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic and others. You might want to learn all you can about this approach before starting and you may want to look at drug-free options.

I would be the first to champion the use of any medication that would be effective in losing weight and reducing the risks of serious chronic diseases. But at what cost? All medications have side effects. With the runaway popularity of GLP-1 drugs, it might be important to ask the questions like what are the risks and is there a better way? This article is not to tell you what to do, but to let you know of trustworthy sources of reliable information.*

One in 8 American adults is taking a GLP-1 drug, and 12% of U.S. adults have used one, despite the high cost, according to a June 2024 poll. What’s less talked about is that 50-75% of people who start taking these drugs stop using them within a year.

A survey published in 2023 found that while 45% of U.S. adults were interested in the use of these treatments for weight management, this number declined to 14% when they were informed about gaining the weight back after discontinuing the therapy.

If you may be one of those individuals who stopped using this “miracle drug,” you might be looking for an alternative. There are so many voices giving health information that it is confusing. There is good information out there, but how do you weed through the junk to find it.

I would like to share with you one reliable source of health information that I recommend: NutritionFacts.org. You will find evidence-based research on most health topics. While I have found this site dependable, I encourage you to study it for yourself and, with the help of your health care provider, make informed decisions about the care of your health.

Here are also a few videos on GLP-1 and its effects:

1. A Plant-Based Diet for Weight Loss: Boosting GLP-1 and Restoring Our Natural Satiety Circuit
2. Using Prebiotics, Intact Grains, Thylakoids, and Greens to Boost Our GLP-1 for Weight Loss
3. Obesity: Is a GLP-1 Deficiency Its Cause, and How to Treat It Without Ozempic and Other Drugs
4. GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs Like Ozempic (Semaglutide): How Do They Work? Are They Effective?
5. Why Do Most Users Quit Ozempic and What Happens When You Stop?
6. How to Control the Side Effects (Including “Ozempic Face”) of GLP-1 Drugs
7. Is Ozempic (Semaglutide) Safe? Does It Increase Cancer Risk?
8. Comparing the Benefits and Side Effects of Ozempic (Semaglutide)

Some of these video articles are heavy on the science, so search through them until you find one that works for you, or go to YouTube and search “Michael Greger, GLP-1.” The content is presented in plain language so that it’s accessible to a general audience.

Become informed about the options. It is your body—and you only get one, so take good care of it. As always, do not change or start medications without the advice of your health care provider, but become informed of your options.

* The organizations and articles linked above are not affiliated with nor endorsed by the Rocky Mountain Conference or the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The information provided is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional with any questions regarding your health or medical conditions. Reliance on any information provided is solely at your own risk.

—Rick Mautz is the Rocky Mountain Conference Wellness Support director. Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya of Unsplash.

I have always known that making small steps is the best way to be successful when trying to make changes.  But I haven’t always followed that approach when giving health advice.

I guess I just get excited about all the great results people can enjoy when doing everything right.  But it seldom works well for most people. Our old habits are just so strong that they seem to pull you right back in.

If changes are made slowly, one step at a time, you are able to build new habits while still enjoying some of the things you love. Then, when the new habit is solid, you can begin to add a new best habit.

What you eat has the greatest influence on your health but is also the hardest to change.  Those yummy favorites just want to pull us back in, so let’s apply this positive approach to making positive choices that can last.

I want you to succeed, so let me introduce you to a great free resource that I respect, and it focuses on the principles of adding the good, rather than ripping away the food you love.  It is the Full Plate Living* program.

This type of quality programming is usually very expensive, but because it is a non-profit, it’s completely FREE! CLICK HERE to go to their website, click on the “Join for free” tab, and begin the best path to the health you have been wanting.

This is the first in a series on health, from Wellness Support. The new name for the Health Ministry, because I want to support you in your journey toward wellness.

* Please note that Full Plate Living is not affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists or the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

—Rick Mautz is the Rocky Mountain Conference Wellness Support director. Photo by Alexas Fotos of Unsplash.