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| FRIDAY | April 16 |
| Read Ellen G. White, “The Touch of Faith,” pp. 59-72, in The Ministry of Healing. “The only way to grow in grace is to be disinterestedly doing the very work which Christ has enjoined upon us—to engage, to the extent of our ability, in helping and blessing those who need the help we can give them. Strength comes by exercise; activity is the very condition of life. Those who endeavor to maintain Christian life by passively accepting the blessings that come through the means of grace, and doing nothing for Christ, are simply trying to live by eating without working. And in the spiritual as in the natural world, this always results in degeneration and decay. A man who would refuse to exercise his limbs would soon lose all power to use them. Thus the Christian who will not exercise his God-given powers not only fails to grow up into Christ, but he loses the strength that he already had.”—Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 80, 81. |
 What other parallels can you draw between exercising faith and exercising the body? Where do the parallels break down?  Someone driving in a car saw a woman jogging. He rolled down his window and yelled, “You’re going to die, anyway!” However rude, the man was right. As important as physical exercise is, and no matter how physically fit we become, we must always remember that, in the end, we are mortal and—unless we happen to be alive when Jesus returns—we are all going to die. The best exercise regimen in the world doesn’t save us from death. Healthful living and exercise do not lead to eternal life. Only faith in Jesus does. Why is it important always to keep this distinction in mind?  If possible, bring to class some of the latest validated scientific findings on the benefits of exercise. What do the studies teach, and how can we help our church as a whole better understand the benefits of exercise? How, too, can you get church members to start exercising more than they are now?  Without being judgmental of anyone, look around at your church. Do folk look like they are getting plenty of exercise, or do they look like they need to do more? What can you do to help? |
| I N S I D E Story | ||
| Prayer Warriors Larisa knows the power of prayer. Prayer strengthened her during the difficult years when her homeland, Belarus, was under Communist control. Today she leads a prayer ministry that reaches out to all people. Andrei walked into the prayer room one Sunday and asked the members to pray for him. His doctors said he was dying of cirrhosis of the liver. "I've prayed for months to be free of my addictions, but I'm weak," he said. "Please, pray for me." The prayer group prayed for Andrei, and Larisa taught him more about God. As Andrei surrendered his will completely to God, he received victory from his addictions. His body was healed as well, and today Andrei leads one of several prayer groups in his city. "Life was hopeless for me before God changed my life," he said. "Now I have hope and peace and a mission to reach other addicts for Jesus. I invite them to come to Jesus and find strength in prayer." Many who come to Larisa's prayer group seeking help are not believers. Some are members of other churches, but everyone receives earnest prayer. Lyuda, a new believer, asked Larisa to pray for her son, Maxim. He had broken his leg, and bone splinters had failed to heal properly. Doctors said he would not walk again without surgery, but they couldn't afford to pay the medical costs. The group prayed for Maxim, and a few months later X-rays revealed that the bone splinters were growing together. The boy did not need surgery. Arturo was a Christian, but his wife was not. When she lost her voice, doctors found nodes growing on her larynx. Arturo asked Larisa and her prayer warriors to pray. Larisa said they would pray first for her spiritual well-being and then for her physical health. Arturo's wife began attending church, and in time she gave her heart to God and was baptized. The prayer group continued praying, and when she returned to see her doctor, he could find no sign of the nodes on her larynx. Today she sings for God's glory. "Everyone who asks for prayer receives prayers," Larisa says. "God always answers our prayers, and many have come to know Jesus because of intercessory prayer. Some have received different answers than they asked for, but God's answers are better than those they pray for." Believers in Belarus continue to struggle for their religious freedom. Our prayers and mission offerings are helping believers in this country reach out to others. LARISA FILIPOVA leads a prayer group in Minsk, Belarus. | ||
| Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. email: info@adventistmission.org website: www.adventistmission.org |
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