The Book For Life: Feeding the Soul, Spirit, and Body

By Juanita B. Williams and Doretha Billie Foushee, Ph.D.

Stop! Look! Listen!

Did you know that you are created in the image of God and that God loves you? Yes, God created us in his image, and he loves us! We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14).

God wants us to live long, healthy, and full lives. He said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Yet, when we look around, we see millions of people, God's prized creation, suffering from both poor physical and spiritual health. What is the problem?

In this book, the author presents the steps to take to bring harmony and health into both our physical life and our spiritual life in an easy-to-read and understand manner. Beginning with a discussion of who our creator is and some of his characteristics, the author continues with a discussion of who the natural man, the spiritual man, and the physical man are and how they came to be. Each of these men exhibits distinctive characteristics and dietary requirements. These characteristics and requirements are discussed in a clear and easy-to-understand manner.

You will also learn what happens when these men don't receive the nutrients required to maintain their health. Some of the most prevalent diseases of the human body are discussed, including their causes, symptoms, treatments, and most importantly, prevention strategies. The book concludes with some of the author's favorite recipes. These recipes do not contain high amounts of the major health destroyers--namely, high fat, high salt, and high sugar--yet they are delicious.

Our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 6:19); therefore, we should take special care of it. This book is written to enlighten, inspire, and encourage us to do so.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9781638740384

Book preview

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The Book For Life

Feeding the Soul, Spirit, and Body

Juanita B. Williams and Doretha Billie Foushee, Ph.D.

ISBN 978-1-63874-037-7 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63874-038-4 (digital)

Copyright © 2021 by Juanita B Williams

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Scripture quotations identified as NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Acknowledgments

I give thanks to God, who moved in my spirit to write this book. And I thank God that I was obedient to his command. I thank my lovely sister, Dr. Doretha B. Foushee, my coauthor, who worked so diligently with much patience to make this all possible. To my daughter and son-in-law, Cassietta and Clinton Harris, and my three sons, Sergeant First Class (Retired) Thomas J. Williams Jr., Elder Terrell Williams, and Elder Christopher Williams, who were contributing writers, I am eternally grateful. I thank my husband and Emeritus Pastor, Elder Thomas J. Williams Sr., who gave me all the time I needed to work on this book, and my other two sons who were very encouraging to me.

Introduction

Sunday morning, April 12, 2020, I was preparing for church when I was moved in my spirit. And 3 John 1:2 came to my mind. It says, Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in good health, even as thy soul prospers. I thought about the covid-19 pandemic. I marveled that this virus has taken so many lives and that most of them were Black lives. My mind went to Hosea 4:6, which says, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, and my mind said, It’s time for the next version of the Chaste Housekeeper Cookbook. In case you are wondering, the Chaste Housekeeper Cookbook is a self-published cookbook by the Women’s Department of our church. We hope this book will move you to say, as the four lepers in 2 King 7:3 said, Why sit we here until we die? You can have victory over any virus or any sickness rather than being a victim.

Don’t wait until you feel sick to eat right. The most disease begins in the gut. The world we live in is full of injustice. You might not have money for insurance, but the body can heal itself. God is just, he rains upon the just and the unjust, and he led us to prepare this book just for you. This book was prepared to lead you to the healing of the soul, the spirit, and the body.

As you read this book, you will become motivated, I feel, to take control of your life because you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Psalm 139:17–18 continues to say, How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

We are God’s children, and he loves us. He loved us so much that he died for us on the cross. Most people memorized John 3:16 when they were children: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. If you are ready to live a prosperous life, naturally and spiritually, God can help you. The thoughts God has of you are good and not evil: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11).

In this book, we discuss the natural man, the spiritual man, and the physical man. Taking control over these three men is the way to prosper and be in good health. But you might say, how can I take control of them when I do not even know who they are? That is a good question. By the time you finish reading this book, we hope you will have a clear understanding of who they are, where they came from, what you need to do to get them in proper perspective and some of each’s distinguishing characteristics. Submitting to the guidance of our creator is the first step.

Who Is Our Creator?

When we consider our solar system, we know that some power or extreme force has set things in motion or caused the big bang or the explosion of the dust clouds or by whatever means or act of our eternal creator. Our existence points to an intelligent and purposeful God. How is it that the earth is placed at just the right distance from the sun to provide the ideal amount of light, heat, and energy to support the vast forms of life that exist on the earth? How is it that the systems of nature are so intrinsically aligned to support all the beauty of this earth that we look upon with amazement?

The moon is positioned to support the changes in the tide. Water, which is critical to life, has the unique properties to expand and become solid ice when cold, exist as a liquid at room temperature, and become a vapor when heated. The sun heats the water in the bodies of water placed throughout the earth, causing the water to evaporate into the clouds where it condenses. There it is dispelled and distributed across the land to aid the growth of vegetation and sustain humans and other animals’ lives. And as the rain falls, it also cleans and scrubs the air that we breathe.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon explores how the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is not full, and then somehow, it makes its way back around to do the same thing again and again. This perfect balance allows for the earth to operate in this continuous cyclic pattern. Even when we consider life and how life contains the ongoing elements of rebirth and reproduction, we know that there is a mighty God. Genesis 1:11 says, Its seed is within it, and it reproduces after its kind.

Another example of God’s intelligence and purposefulness is shown in the relationship between plants and animals. Plants and vegetation inhale carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen, which they release into the atmosphere; while animals, including humans, inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. The book of Romans states that For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead (Romans 1: 20a). Paul is making a case for us to see the attributes and evidence for the revelation of an almighty God.

Understanding this, we realize that it is also this true and living God, who also made us, and according to the Holy Scriptures, has made us in his likeness and image. Of all the animals in the animal kingdom, it is not surprising to believe that man has dominion. The desire to create, advance, and achieve is embedded in our DNA. Therefore, in seeing this, I hope it brings you to the same conclusion to which I have come, that every individual should desire to be connected to, nurtured by, and sustained by our creator, God. After all, we are his creation and his offspring. Are we receiving all that God has for us? Can we reach our fullest potential and fulfill all of our purposes without a relationship with our creator? It is very advantageous for us to live in harmony and fellowship with our loving, eternal, and all-knowing creator.

God is holy. Why is he holy? Because he can do no wrong. Nor can he be in fellowship with anything contrary to his character. God cannot lie. God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all (John 1:5b). The Old Testament gives us an illustration of God’s holy character. God demands Israel to be holy for he is holy (Leviticus 19:2b). The sanctuary’s purpose was so that God may dwell among his people (see Exodus 25:8, 29:45). In Exodus 19:5, God reminds his people that if they obey his voice and keep his covenant, they would be a peculiar treasure unto him above all people for all the earth belongs to him.

What is God establishing? He shows that he is holy. And only amongst the holy, peculiar, and set-apart people will he dwell. In reading the Old Testament scriptures, one can see the requirement to be holy in almost every aspect of the children of Israel’s lives. What is God establishing? His people will be like no other people on the face of the earth. Why is that necessary? Because God is holy. Therefore, what is laid out in the laws given by Moses is the righteous requirement to be in a relationship with a holy God. It further shows us the vast division between our nature and the holy God.

Therefore, as Paul will later describe, the law reveals the knowledge of sin or our shortcomings when we compare ourselves against the righteous requirements of God’s holy standard. Paul further explains that he was alive without the law. But when the commandment came, sin revived, and he died. God’s holy and righteous standards find us all guilty and distant from God, therefore giving us a relatable illustration of God’s holiness, which is illustrated to us through the rigorous and strict nature of the Old Testament law (for example, read Lev 11:1–23). Another aspect of God’s holiness is that he is unique. The God of Abraham resides as God all by himself and is the only true and living God. In Isaiah 43:10, the Lord tells us that there was no God before him and neither will there be one after him. He declares that I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no savior.

God is organized and purposeful. One of the attributes that we can conclude from our creator’s discussion is that he is organized and purposeful. Everything created by God has a purpose that extends outside of its existence. What makes that even more ironic is that many forms of life do not appear to be aware of their importance in assuring the functioning of our environment. Yet even they have a purpose. Consider the ants. They are small and do not appear to be aware of the important role they play in support of our environment. Yet ants turn and aerate the soil, allowing water and oxygen to reach plant roots. Ants take seeds into their tunnels to eat. These seeds often sprout and grow new plants. Thus, ants play a role in seed dispersal. They also feed on organic waste, insects, or other dead animals, thereby serving as decomposers. We should understand that if there is a higher purpose and means for which to live, it is impossible to be fulfilled if we are not aligned with our creator’s intent.

Our correct place and purpose are outside of our natural existence and are instead a spiritual place in full harmony and purpose of God’s desires. It is coming into this alignment with our creator that true, complete, prosperous, and fulfilled living can be achieved. To go to this place requires being intimately connected with God. Yes, we have fallen from our rightful place, so it is here that we have a dilemma. As we have already stated, our God is holy.

Chapter 1

The Natural Man

And the lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breath into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

—Genesis 2:7

The book of Genesis records the beginning of all things created. It reveals the reality of the one true God of the Hebrew people, Yahweh. The Genesis narrative also tells the story of the creation of the Garden of Eden and of the only people on earth who lived in this perfect environment. Starting with dust, God created a man to rule over his creation; therefore, creating humankind was God’s loftiest act of his creation. God breathed into Adam, and Adam became a living soul.

Later on, God created Eve to be Adam’s helpmate. The first couple had to tend the Garden of Eden’s grounds. God gave this couple everything they needed. They did not worry about clothes and food, sickness, nor death. They were created in a perfect relationship with God. They were innocent and could enjoy