Monthly Archives: March 2022

Have you ever felt like Moses, trembling in front of the burning bush, pleading with God, “Please send some else”?

That’s where I am at right now. God has put something on my heart, a work I feel totally inadequate for. I know He wants me to do this, but I find myself shaking in my boots, all too aware of my humanity.

It’s at moments like these, I find comfort in this quote from the book, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 333, which says:

“As the will of man co-operates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in His strength. All His biddings are enablings.”

You see, it doesn’t matter how big the task is, because we serve a big God! No matter how unqualified we feel, how inadequate, imperfect, God reminds us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9). What God is calling us to do may seem impossible, “but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26).

Your talents may seem puny, your resources limited, but remember it was with just a wooden staff God turned water into blood and parted the Red Sea. “Nothing is too hard” for our God. (Jeremiah 32:17)

This morning is God asking the impossible of you? Then get up and get going. I know you feel inadequate. So do I, but remember, you’re not in this alone. The same God who went with Moses, “goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

Stop putting it off, hoping He’ll choose someone else. He chose you! So get to work. Don’t wait for the sea to part, for your doubts to disappear. Remember “the Lord himself goes before you…”.

Just pick up your staff and go!

Blood – it’s not something most of us think much about, except when it starts leaking from a cut or scrape. Then we get a little panicky! Most of the time, however, we don’t give it much thought, even though it is essential to our continued existence.

This weekend, at a medical conference I attended, I met a man who thinks a lot about blood. Dr. David DeRose, author of The Methuselah Factor, is an expert in Hemorheology. Pronounced “hemo-rē-​ˈäl-​ə-​jē”, this is the study of the physical properties of blood flow through our veins and arteries. It is concerned with the viscosity or “stickiness” of our blood.

Why is our blood’s “stickiness” important? Because it affects how well the blood flows through our system, which in turn plays a part in prevention of many diseases and conditions we often worry about, things like strokes, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Optimal hemorheology can even help prevent weight gain, arthritis, cognitive decline and hypertension.

Thankfully, simple lifestyle changes – such as drinking more water; eating a whole-food, plant-based diet; losing weight; and getting regular exercise – can improve our blood’s viscosity and flow, helping to prevent the conditions mentioned above.

There is one condition, however, these lifestyle changes cannot cure – the disease of sin. To eradicate this most deadly of diseases a more radical solution was required. We read about it in 1 Peter 2:24, which tells us Jesus “‘himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’”

It “was not with perishable things…that you were redeemed…but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18). There is no other cure for your sin. It is only the blood of Jesus, which flowed so freely for you and I on Calvary, which “purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7).

Like any cure, however, this one must be accepted to be effective. Just as I would never force a treatment on a patient without their consent. God will never force you to accept Jesus as your Savior, to let His blood purify you from all sin. It is your free choice.

Today won’t you make that choice? Accept Jesus as your Savior today. There is no other cure for sin, for this disease that would destroy your soul, no other way to peace and life – only the Blood, the blood of Jesus Christ!

“All we can do is pray.” Really?

I hear this phrase, “All we can do is pray”, over-and-over when people face seemingly impossible situations, whether it is a terminal illness, a child who has wandered, or the loss of a job. Recently I’ve heard these words expressed about the war in Ukraine and the rapidly unfolding humanitarian crisis brought on by the conflict.

I understand the sentiment. As we watch desperate Ukrainian women and children, many with only the clothes on their backs, fleeing for safety, our hearts break and we feel helpless, impotent. Overwhelmed by the hopelessness of the situation, we think, “All I can do is pray.”

I have two problems with this expression. First, it makes it sound like prayer is our course of last resort – when all else fails we’re left with prayer, with no real expectation our prayers will be answered. Prayer is seen as an act of desperation, rather than an act of faith.

The truth is prayer should be our first resort, our go-to response in every situation, whether a loved one’s illness or a world crisis. Philippians 4:6 tells us to, “in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

No matter the situation, prayer is the most important thing we can do, because “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16). Prayer can open prison doors, heal disease, raise the dead, move mountains, and, yes, even stop wars. It is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal and, too often, the last one we reach for.

My other problem with the expression, “All we can do is pray”, is it is a blatant lie! It’s a way for us to abdicate our responsibility and go on with our peaceful, mundane lives, ignoring the cries of the suffering and desperate around us or on the other side of the world.

The truth is there is always something we can do. When a friend is ill, we can hold their hand, soothe their fevered brow, even empty their bedpan. In the face of poverty, we can donate clothes or money, help in a shelter, or provide someone with a job.

With the refugee crisis in Europe, we can contribute to agencies such as ADRA or the Red Cross who are providing much needed relief. We can use social media to raise people’s awareness and offer concrete ideas of ways to help.

When refugees come to our shores, we can welcome them with open arms and open doors, following the example of our Heavenly Father, who “loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.” (Deuteronomy 10:18).

This week, when you face a seemingly impossible situation, whether at home or across the sea, remember prayer isn’t all you can do. It is the most important thing you can do. So get down on your knees and tell God about the need. Then get up and get to work, showing God’s love to others, not just “with words and speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18).