Dave and I heard an awesome message last night at church….It really spoke to me about the fact that I have such distorted expectations of God and when “my expectations” are not met that I immediately take that as God not hearing me…or God being distant or even worse…Not wanting to help me…and the Holy Spirit really showed me that my heart had a huge stone rolled in front of it from thinking that God has abandoned me or has forgotten about me..instead of looking at all of these trials as being “exactly” where He needs me to be so that the “Glory of God” might be shown to all…..I need to know this and I need to believe this…because I have no control over the next year or its circumstances….all I have is “God”…all I have is the promise that He would never leave me or forsake me…but is that enough???? I pray it will be….
Our pastor based it on John 11 – The death of Lazarus and a family in crisis….
Mary, Martha and Lazarus were “loved” deeply by Jesus…but they found themselves in crisis…Mary had just shortly before this crisis “anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume/oil and her tears”….She had a “mountain-top” experience with the Lord….How many times do we have that and then we quickly fall flat on our face…? Mary, Martha and Lazarus “truly” believed that Jesus was who He said He was….but…..
But now they were a family in “crisis”, like many of us find ourselves…..whether it’s a health crisis, financial, marriage, rebellious children, or all of these or something else…they now “needed” Jesus and they needed Him fast….they KNEW he was “able” to make it all better…they KNEW if they could only reach Him that He would come immediately and heal Lazarus….
So, Mary sends word to Jesus who is away…and says, “Lord, the one YOU LOVE is sick”….She believed that Jesus really did love her brother. She also knew that “Jesus” was the only one who could make a difference in her brother’s life…that she was helpless without Him….and she also shows us that no matter who we are… “we all have expectations” of God and how “He” should respond to our needs.
However…the hard lesson… the most important lesson of this study was and still “is”…that the way God responds to our needs…..our crisis… may not meet our “expectations” of God…
Jesus’ response to this family’s crisis was:
1. Yes…I love Lazarus and I am in deep sorrow about his health…..
2. Yes… I am the only one who can make a difference in this situation…and I will…
3. But…. I don’t do things the way you may want to see them done…but I do them so the “glory of God” may be shown…
So…Jesus stayed put where he was for “two more days”….TWO MORE DAYS??? LORD did you not hear what I said…We are IN CRISIS here….WE NEED YOU NOW and WE EXPECT YOU TO HEAL LAZARUS !!!! Do you think this was an easy thing for Jesus??? It wasn't … he was deeply grieved…but KNEW that the timing was as such that God was preparing for HIS GLORY to be shown in all of this….
You see…there’s “our plan” and then there’s “God’s plan”…..God’s timing and His ways may sometimes cause us pain…We just don’t understand that God is preparing to reveal Himself to US and to others who do not know Him….
Can you imagine how Mary and Martha must have felt??? I can….I have felt it many times….especially over the past two years….my pillow saturated with my tears and crying out to God….”God…where are you?????” “God…please no more…not now” !! “God…when will you come and relieve us of some of these problems?”….”God are YOU NOT LISTENING?????!!!!”….”God…why me????”…..and my main plea…”God I CAN’T TAKE ANYMORE”…..(can ANYONE relate with me on this???)
Jesus told the disciples that he must wait so that the “Glory of God” may be shown to an unbelieving world…
When Jesus did show up…Lazarus had been dead and in the tomb for FOUR DAYS…Now this is a dismal picture in our frail “worldly minds” isn’t it?? And even though Mary “believed” that Jesus was who He said He was…she still said to Him when he arrived…”Lord..IF YOU’D ONLY BEEN HERE MY BROTHER WOULD NOT HAVE DIED !!!” She obviously didn’t understand still who “Jesus” was….or else she wouldn’t have been in such despair……(sound familiar????? Lord…if you only had given me that job we wouldn’t be going through this…Lord….if only you’d give me a breather I could do more for you and your Kingdom….and Oh..my most recent…Lord..if only you’d grant Dave’s prayers so he can travel…yeah..I’ve been very wrapped up in that one ! As if God is genie in a bottle ! Lord…Lord…Lord…if only..if only..if only !) LOL ! (you gotta laugh at some of this stuff…)
At this point, the scriptures state that “Jesus wept”…not only because of the fact that Lazarus had suffered and died...but also because of the “unbelief” of those who He thought “knew” Him intimately…I wonder how many times I cause the Lord to weep because of my “unbelief”….
Jesus said….”remove the stone from the tomb”…and this time “Martha” pipes in ! (she questions the Lord of the universe…)…”But Lord…He has been dead for four days..the stench will be unbearable!”…
And Jesus says…”Didn’t I tell you …didn’t I show you so many, many times….that IF YOU BELIEVED you would see the GLORY of GOD??”
And most of us know the rest of the story….Lazarus was raised from the dead for all to see that day…and EVEN with that…EVEN with that….there were those there that day who did not believe…BUT….Mary and Martha never questioned Him again….The next time we see them, it’s at Jesus’ tomb…running towards it…believing that HE WAS INDEED ALIVE !! (not wavering at all….but running towards Him…in the world’s view…it was as bleak as ever…but Mary KNEW this time….)
When we think like this…when we think that in the midst of our sorrow and pain…..that God is not there…..or He is not listening……or He is not “able”… it changes our viewpoint about God…we start to doubt Him and see Him as “distant and cold”….uncaring or even “unwilling”…and we start leaning on our “own understanding” and that is a dangerous place to be…God IS there…God IS able…God IS listening…GOD is going to bring us through…God IS all that we say we believe Him to be and more…
Finding God’s presence in ALL circumstances……whether we get the answer we “want” or not… brings healing to our unresolved pain…(and I realized last night that I have a lot of this floating around in my heart….unresolved pain…the pain of watching my husband suffer and go through chemotherapy…the pain of lost friends…lost time…..the pain of my own physical limitations……the pain of the “what ifs”……and the “whys???”)
How do we find God in the “circumstances” that we find ourselves in…in the health crisis..in the marital conflict…financial struggles..etc… ?
We HAVE to let go of our perceived expectations that God has to rescue us according to “our thinking” and “our timing”..….Mary and Martha obviously did not see God’s plan…until it was unveiled….until they “saw” that Lazarus was alive….How many times do we have to “see” an outcome to “believe” that God is in control??? I know that I fall into that category way too many times to count on my fingers and toes….
We need to “want” to find God’s presence in whatever the situation is…to find that “quiet place”…where He beckons us to “come and rest our weary souls”….”to be still and KNOW that I AM GOD”…It takes “faith” on our end….Faith in the God of the Universe…who raised Lazarus from the dead…to “find his presence” in all things…It’s time we “let go” of the expectations and trust that God will be faithful EVEN when we don’t see anything happening on our time frame.
I have a friend who almost every time I see this person I ask how they are and they say “Oh…Life is good…I got money in the bank…jobs on the horizon…and I’m feeling great”!! I always wonder “what if” life wasn’t “great”…what if the bank had no money in it…what if there were no jobs…what if they just got a diagnosis of “cancer” or “fibromyalgia” or some other disease….What would they say then?? Would life still be “great”???? Would there still be excitement in this person’s life?? Would there still be the sound of happiness and contentment?? I don’t know…but I pray and I hope that I can be that person that says “Life is great and God is still ABLE…God is still with me…God deeply loves me”….no matter what the circumstance…I know I will still have my “fleshly” moments…I am human…I have limitations….I get tired…I get weary….I don’t want to see suffering….but I pray that from this day forward, I can remember and take hold of the fact that God never ever ever leaves me…He never forgets me…He never is “not able” to do something exceedingly wonderful in my life EVEN IF the outcome is looking bleak….all I need to do is “believe”…God help me in my “unbelief”….
Let’s find God today in our “here and NOW” and still know that He loves us…deeply…that He weeps with us when we hurt…but He mostly hurts when we think that He just does not care or is not “there” in the darkest parts of our lives…
Just a few thoughts from what I heard last night….and thought I would share with you all.
Love..Barbie
Crazy Papa
I'll make 'um an offer
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
"And So This Is Christmas" (John Lennon)
And so another Christmas has come and gone. Today, people are saying goodbye to loved ones who are traveling across the country and around the world to make their way back home. Some are standing in lines waiting to return and "unwanted" or "wrong size" gift in exchange for something bigger or better. Some people are returning to the job needing to finish out the week at work. And some are continuing in their lifestyle as NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN Christians, continuing to share the "Good News" that Jesus Christ has come into the world to save sinners, like me; and you.
Today is no different from yesterday, the day before or any other day in our calander year. Even as we put it up to our celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday morning. Today is the BEST day given to you to share your faith in Christ as one of His soldiers. The world is quickly "caving in" physically, emotionally, and most of all politically. A day will come when sharing your faith may jeopardize your very freedom.
So as it has been said before "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." Don't waste it. That co-working sitting beside you is going to Hell if he or she doesn't know Jesus Christ personally. That traveler sitting next to you on the plane will never see the Gates of Heaven if he or she doesn't know Christ. That grumpy old man standing behind you in line, waiting to exchange a gift he doesn't appreciate or cannot use is speeding like a missile toward Hell, and you may be his only hope.
Today, not January 1st, is the time to make a NEW RESOLUTION that you will take advantage of the opportunities that God gives you to lead another soul to Heaven by sharing your testimony about Christ. And you may think, "I'm not a soul winner, I can't do this!" But don't forget the blind man who was healed and ran off declaring "I don't know who He is. I only know that 'once I was blind, and now I see!'"(paraphrase) You can be that tool that wipes the blinding scales off the eyes of a lost person today, just by sharing the Love of Christ.
Enough preaching, God is Great. You are all loved and He is waiting to share His love with others in the world that need to know Him. I hope you had a blessed Christmas and that "today" will be the best evangelistic day of your life.
Merry Christmas because God Loves You!
Dave
Today is no different from yesterday, the day before or any other day in our calander year. Even as we put it up to our celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday morning. Today is the BEST day given to you to share your faith in Christ as one of His soldiers. The world is quickly "caving in" physically, emotionally, and most of all politically. A day will come when sharing your faith may jeopardize your very freedom.
So as it has been said before "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." Don't waste it. That co-working sitting beside you is going to Hell if he or she doesn't know Jesus Christ personally. That traveler sitting next to you on the plane will never see the Gates of Heaven if he or she doesn't know Christ. That grumpy old man standing behind you in line, waiting to exchange a gift he doesn't appreciate or cannot use is speeding like a missile toward Hell, and you may be his only hope.
Today, not January 1st, is the time to make a NEW RESOLUTION that you will take advantage of the opportunities that God gives you to lead another soul to Heaven by sharing your testimony about Christ. And you may think, "I'm not a soul winner, I can't do this!" But don't forget the blind man who was healed and ran off declaring "I don't know who He is. I only know that 'once I was blind, and now I see!'"(paraphrase) You can be that tool that wipes the blinding scales off the eyes of a lost person today, just by sharing the Love of Christ.
Enough preaching, God is Great. You are all loved and He is waiting to share His love with others in the world that need to know Him. I hope you had a blessed Christmas and that "today" will be the best evangelistic day of your life.
Merry Christmas because God Loves You!
Dave
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Maintenance Cheomotherapy Completed
Today, December 20, 2007, I completed my final maintenance therapy treatment at the oncology office. It took 2 & 1/2 years to get here and to tell you the truth, I am very tired. First it was the horrific 6 months of very harsh chemical treatment that gave me 44 days of hospital time, with my blood count so low they though I might just leave the earth at any time. In fact, I was not able to complete the entire protocol as there should have been 6 treatments and I only had five. They should have been at 100 percent and I only had two at 100 percent dosage. The remaining 3 treatments were cut back due to the bad reaction I was having to the CHOP therapy.
And so we got through that and then we started the 2 year maintenance therapy treatment which required "Rituxin" which was a less harsh chemical. I handled this treatment without even one hospitalization, however, the treatment knocked me down for a few days each week. The treatments went on for 2 years (once per week for 4 weeks every 6 months).
Praise the Lord God in Heaven, it is finally over! And it is only through His strength that I have gotten through all of this. I have tried to maintain an attitude of gratefulness throughout this time and feel I have done rather well. Oh, there have been times when I moaned and groaned, cried and slept (mostly slept). There were some lower moments as you watch your youthful life change and see that there are things you have always done in life that you cannot do anymore. Sometimes just taking out the trash seems like an 8 hour work day. I have felt every kind of emotion possible to mankind, I believe. I have felt good and bad, I have felt happy and sad, and yes, I have felt depression during this process. There have been times when I have asked God why He was keeping me here. And of course, He always had a great answer, like someone else needed me. There have been so many "someone Else's" in my life since this all began and I couldn't be more thankful. I have helped people with new shoes, with food to eat, and OH YES, God even granted me the grace to lead a few to Him during this time frame.
So I suppose, to sum it all up what I really feel like is that I have been blessed beyond human recognition. I know that sounds hard to grasp or understand, but throughout all of the ups & downs, the good & bad times, the "great attitudes" and the "grumpy ones", God has never left my side. He has shown me a side of Him that I may never have seen otherwise. So don't feel sorry for me (your going to die someday too). I have been living with the King in my spirit like few people get a chance to experience. And it has been wonderful. My faith has grown to such an extent, that I cannot express it to you in words (you just had to be there).
You have all prayed for me and I am thankful(by the way, I have incurable cancer, so the prayers shouldn't stop). People I have never met have sent me well wishes, knitted angels (boy did they come in handy) and yes, some people are still sending financial gifts to see that Barb and I get by. You see, this is a side of God that few of us get an opportunity to see in our lifetimes, unless our physical health faulters and these faithful ones go into action and they give of their lives in such a way that it is difficult to explain. Barb and I have even had the opportunity to drive to Denver Colorado, and personally meet a couple (Bill & Mimi) who have been holding us up in prayer for so long and supporting us in unbelievable way that we wonder WHO is holding them up. It reminds me of Moses and Aaron in the desert. When Moses held his arms up the army would win and when he could no longer hold them up the army would lose, so Aaron took over for Moses, holding up the arms of Moses until victory. It is people like these who have held our arms up for so long and now we have reached a milestone in this disease. You know, they say we can't beat it, but after 2 & 1/2 years of this kind of support, I think we have a chance; a great chance since God is on our side.
Well, it was important for me to recognize this milestone in my life with cancer and our prayers now are that these cells just fall off to sleep like Rumpelstiltskin and never wake up again. We (Barbara and I) are very grateful to be able to call all of you "our friends" and more importantly, our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.
"If we don't see you down here, we'll see you in the air!"
We love you...Dave & Barb
And so we got through that and then we started the 2 year maintenance therapy treatment which required "Rituxin" which was a less harsh chemical. I handled this treatment without even one hospitalization, however, the treatment knocked me down for a few days each week. The treatments went on for 2 years (once per week for 4 weeks every 6 months).
Praise the Lord God in Heaven, it is finally over! And it is only through His strength that I have gotten through all of this. I have tried to maintain an attitude of gratefulness throughout this time and feel I have done rather well. Oh, there have been times when I moaned and groaned, cried and slept (mostly slept). There were some lower moments as you watch your youthful life change and see that there are things you have always done in life that you cannot do anymore. Sometimes just taking out the trash seems like an 8 hour work day. I have felt every kind of emotion possible to mankind, I believe. I have felt good and bad, I have felt happy and sad, and yes, I have felt depression during this process. There have been times when I have asked God why He was keeping me here. And of course, He always had a great answer, like someone else needed me. There have been so many "someone Else's" in my life since this all began and I couldn't be more thankful. I have helped people with new shoes, with food to eat, and OH YES, God even granted me the grace to lead a few to Him during this time frame.
So I suppose, to sum it all up what I really feel like is that I have been blessed beyond human recognition. I know that sounds hard to grasp or understand, but throughout all of the ups & downs, the good & bad times, the "great attitudes" and the "grumpy ones", God has never left my side. He has shown me a side of Him that I may never have seen otherwise. So don't feel sorry for me (your going to die someday too). I have been living with the King in my spirit like few people get a chance to experience. And it has been wonderful. My faith has grown to such an extent, that I cannot express it to you in words (you just had to be there).
You have all prayed for me and I am thankful(by the way, I have incurable cancer, so the prayers shouldn't stop). People I have never met have sent me well wishes, knitted angels (boy did they come in handy) and yes, some people are still sending financial gifts to see that Barb and I get by. You see, this is a side of God that few of us get an opportunity to see in our lifetimes, unless our physical health faulters and these faithful ones go into action and they give of their lives in such a way that it is difficult to explain. Barb and I have even had the opportunity to drive to Denver Colorado, and personally meet a couple (Bill & Mimi) who have been holding us up in prayer for so long and supporting us in unbelievable way that we wonder WHO is holding them up. It reminds me of Moses and Aaron in the desert. When Moses held his arms up the army would win and when he could no longer hold them up the army would lose, so Aaron took over for Moses, holding up the arms of Moses until victory. It is people like these who have held our arms up for so long and now we have reached a milestone in this disease. You know, they say we can't beat it, but after 2 & 1/2 years of this kind of support, I think we have a chance; a great chance since God is on our side.
Well, it was important for me to recognize this milestone in my life with cancer and our prayers now are that these cells just fall off to sleep like Rumpelstiltskin and never wake up again. We (Barbara and I) are very grateful to be able to call all of you "our friends" and more importantly, our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.
"If we don't see you down here, we'll see you in the air!"
We love you...Dave & Barb
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Don't Worry, Be Happy
"Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?'"(Matt 6:31)
Today it came to me as to WHY this is such a powerful scripture verse. Yesterday was a very worrisome day for me. I don't know why. I don't usually get "overly concerned" with these things. Living on Social Security has it's benefits. At least you know how little you will get each month. But for some reason I was extremely worried about our finances. I've never slept outside nor have I ever missed a meal. But all day it seemed, I was full of worry.
I found myself going from my recliner to the computer, looking up the bank account and checking assets against outstanding checks and debts; probably half a dozen times yesterday. It continued throughout the day and on into the night as I lay in bed with numbers continually floating through my head.
I woke up this morning with extreme back pain and weakness in my left leg. Some of you may know that I have a 3 inch Titanium Cage in my lower back as a fusion. It was hurting something terrible. It was so bad, that my leg was getting so weak I feared falling down. Barb and I called the pain doctor and they were able to see me right away. He put a 3 inch needle in my low back and filled the joint full of some sort of medication which very shortly "numbed" everything, relieving some of the pain.
We came home and rested but the events of yesterday kept popping up in my head. Why was I so worried? What concerned me so? The check always comes! The rent always gets paid. Well, now it is 1:19am the next morning and I am sitting here in front of my blog, writing because God has spoken yet again. He gave me the verse above and a couple other verses that say (continuing in vs 32), "For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Kinda makes me wonder where the severe backache came from. Worrying about things I cannot control when the King of the Universe is trying to speak to me.
I know you are probably hurting tonight, but are you worrying? "Seek first His Kingdom and righteousness..." and let tomorrow take care of itself. By the way, the numbers never changed. Each time I calculated them, they continued to remain the same. Today, the debts are current! Ain't God Great?
Today it came to me as to WHY this is such a powerful scripture verse. Yesterday was a very worrisome day for me. I don't know why. I don't usually get "overly concerned" with these things. Living on Social Security has it's benefits. At least you know how little you will get each month. But for some reason I was extremely worried about our finances. I've never slept outside nor have I ever missed a meal. But all day it seemed, I was full of worry.
I found myself going from my recliner to the computer, looking up the bank account and checking assets against outstanding checks and debts; probably half a dozen times yesterday. It continued throughout the day and on into the night as I lay in bed with numbers continually floating through my head.
I woke up this morning with extreme back pain and weakness in my left leg. Some of you may know that I have a 3 inch Titanium Cage in my lower back as a fusion. It was hurting something terrible. It was so bad, that my leg was getting so weak I feared falling down. Barb and I called the pain doctor and they were able to see me right away. He put a 3 inch needle in my low back and filled the joint full of some sort of medication which very shortly "numbed" everything, relieving some of the pain.
We came home and rested but the events of yesterday kept popping up in my head. Why was I so worried? What concerned me so? The check always comes! The rent always gets paid. Well, now it is 1:19am the next morning and I am sitting here in front of my blog, writing because God has spoken yet again. He gave me the verse above and a couple other verses that say (continuing in vs 32), "For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Kinda makes me wonder where the severe backache came from. Worrying about things I cannot control when the King of the Universe is trying to speak to me.
I know you are probably hurting tonight, but are you worrying? "Seek first His Kingdom and righteousness..." and let tomorrow take care of itself. By the way, the numbers never changed. Each time I calculated them, they continued to remain the same. Today, the debts are current! Ain't God Great?
Saturday, December 15, 2007
God Bless The Lonely Saints
Luke 22:31,32 says, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded {permission} to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
Tammi’s devotion from Rest Ministries yesterday really hit a “chord” with Barb and I,as we have experienced severe loneliness and loss of relationship since my cancer diagnosis and I was “re-reminded” of it in a huge way this past week when I ran into someone who, prior to my cancer, we considered our “best friends”, his wife is actually a breast cancer survivor and I remember the “saints” of our church ministering to their family while they went through this, but when I received my diagnosis, my “best friend” said “he could not handle it”and so, I have not seen or heard from him, nor Barb, from his wife since finding out I had cancer.
Seeing him this week reminded me of the fact that the “church” (the body of believers) is not really carrying their weight and failing miserably in this area of ministry to those who are sick and for some reason, they look at illness as a “lack of faith” and/or “contagious” and if we hang with these people, we may end up like them. I have to say that I would not change my position that I am in today for anything. God has worked in me, in 2 & 1/2 years, what would normally take a lifetime to work in people and many people even some Christians never will “get it”!
I’m not trying to make this blog a “pity party”. It’s just a reality, and we need to speak about it. It’s reality and it’s rampant in the “church body”. Very sad! This is NOT to say that this type of ministry is not going on but it seem, not only to me, but a large group of others, going through some kind of pain and suffering, are experiencing the same things.
So, when I saw this “friend” of mine this week, I actually stopped him and asked him why he never contacted us in the last 2 & 1/2 years and his reply was “that’s just the wimpy side of me.” Well I do not remember reading anywhere in my bible where Jesus said, "All the Wimps line up on this side and all the strong Christians line up on the other side. I will not share with you what I told him after that, but I did speak the “truth” to him, and I feel pretty safe in saying that he probably is thinking long and hard about his role as a Christian man today!
Now with all of that being said, I could not stop this blog without telling you about the people that GOD has brought into our lives. People we would have never met or had the chance for fellowship or ministering to if I had not been given this cancer. And so, even though I do NOT like this cancer situation, would I go back to 2-1/2 years and miss out on what God did bless Barb and I with? NO WAY. Do I want to beat this cancer? You bet! But I am grateful for the road he has brought Barb and I to and through so far, and my only prayer is that we can continue to minister to the hurting, the sick, the poor, the needy. Just remember some day as you lean down to pray with someone who is hurting, you may by “entertaining” an angel.
Some may take offense at these comments and that is NOT my intention. Rather I would like to raise awareness that Christian men and women may miss out of "sitting with an angel" if they fail to follow the scripture verse above. It is easy to see that those who are ill and hurting are trying to be good stewards of God's presence in their lives.
Dave
Tammi’s devotion from Rest Ministries yesterday really hit a “chord” with Barb and I,as we have experienced severe loneliness and loss of relationship since my cancer diagnosis and I was “re-reminded” of it in a huge way this past week when I ran into someone who, prior to my cancer, we considered our “best friends”, his wife is actually a breast cancer survivor and I remember the “saints” of our church ministering to their family while they went through this, but when I received my diagnosis, my “best friend” said “he could not handle it”and so, I have not seen or heard from him, nor Barb, from his wife since finding out I had cancer.
Seeing him this week reminded me of the fact that the “church” (the body of believers) is not really carrying their weight and failing miserably in this area of ministry to those who are sick and for some reason, they look at illness as a “lack of faith” and/or “contagious” and if we hang with these people, we may end up like them. I have to say that I would not change my position that I am in today for anything. God has worked in me, in 2 & 1/2 years, what would normally take a lifetime to work in people and many people even some Christians never will “get it”!
I’m not trying to make this blog a “pity party”. It’s just a reality, and we need to speak about it. It’s reality and it’s rampant in the “church body”. Very sad! This is NOT to say that this type of ministry is not going on but it seem, not only to me, but a large group of others, going through some kind of pain and suffering, are experiencing the same things.
So, when I saw this “friend” of mine this week, I actually stopped him and asked him why he never contacted us in the last 2 & 1/2 years and his reply was “that’s just the wimpy side of me.” Well I do not remember reading anywhere in my bible where Jesus said, "All the Wimps line up on this side and all the strong Christians line up on the other side. I will not share with you what I told him after that, but I did speak the “truth” to him, and I feel pretty safe in saying that he probably is thinking long and hard about his role as a Christian man today!
Now with all of that being said, I could not stop this blog without telling you about the people that GOD has brought into our lives. People we would have never met or had the chance for fellowship or ministering to if I had not been given this cancer. And so, even though I do NOT like this cancer situation, would I go back to 2-1/2 years and miss out on what God did bless Barb and I with? NO WAY. Do I want to beat this cancer? You bet! But I am grateful for the road he has brought Barb and I to and through so far, and my only prayer is that we can continue to minister to the hurting, the sick, the poor, the needy. Just remember some day as you lean down to pray with someone who is hurting, you may by “entertaining” an angel.
Some may take offense at these comments and that is NOT my intention. Rather I would like to raise awareness that Christian men and women may miss out of "sitting with an angel" if they fail to follow the scripture verse above. It is easy to see that those who are ill and hurting are trying to be good stewards of God's presence in their lives.
Dave
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Share the Sufferings of Christ
1 Peter 4:12,13 says, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation".
I had my third session of chemo today and as I walked through the door of the Oncology office, I had to take a deep breath. Because I knew that the treatment they were planning to issue to me would create a suffering in my body for the remainder of the day and on into the week, as it tore down my bodies defense system and allowed me to experience extreme pain and fatigue. I arrived home from today's treatment and just like all of the other times, retired immediately to my recliner to sleep and rest from the fight that waged on the inside. Some of you can understand what I mean when I refer to it as the "fight that waged on the inside". As the body gets weaker, the fight becomes more difficult until there are times when you cannot even raise your shield with your arms, for being so weak. And that is just why the Lord wants us to "hide" His word deep in our hearts. So that when we reach this stage of suffering physically, we still have the ability to quote, if only in our hearts, the verses and promises He has given us. Like the one above in verse 13; ..."to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ". Here Jesus allows us to look at the pain as His pain as we "suffer with Christ". Ever think of that? But from the cross Jesus suffered our pain, our sin, our misfortunes, just so we could be free from them someday. Oh, they are here on this earth, but guess what? This earth is not our home; we are only passing through.
He goes on in verse 14 to say "If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you". Its hard for us as "finite" beings to think of God's Glory "resting upon us". But that is just what the promise conveys! Our rest comes from the "Finished" work of Christ, on the Cross of Calvary (John 19:30 "It Is Finished").
Some of us will go on hurting, suffering, experiencing pain from this world. But Jesus says to ALL of us "...take courage, for I have overcome the world". That means You Win, Man! Take courage in your Lord Jesus because He has come to Set You Free! And you can take that to the bank.
My prayer is for God's peace for you tonight (or whenever you read this). He is standing right beside you and will not abandon you. You are truly blessed of God.
Your friend, Dave
I had my third session of chemo today and as I walked through the door of the Oncology office, I had to take a deep breath. Because I knew that the treatment they were planning to issue to me would create a suffering in my body for the remainder of the day and on into the week, as it tore down my bodies defense system and allowed me to experience extreme pain and fatigue. I arrived home from today's treatment and just like all of the other times, retired immediately to my recliner to sleep and rest from the fight that waged on the inside. Some of you can understand what I mean when I refer to it as the "fight that waged on the inside". As the body gets weaker, the fight becomes more difficult until there are times when you cannot even raise your shield with your arms, for being so weak. And that is just why the Lord wants us to "hide" His word deep in our hearts. So that when we reach this stage of suffering physically, we still have the ability to quote, if only in our hearts, the verses and promises He has given us. Like the one above in verse 13; ..."to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ". Here Jesus allows us to look at the pain as His pain as we "suffer with Christ". Ever think of that? But from the cross Jesus suffered our pain, our sin, our misfortunes, just so we could be free from them someday. Oh, they are here on this earth, but guess what? This earth is not our home; we are only passing through.
He goes on in verse 14 to say "If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you". Its hard for us as "finite" beings to think of God's Glory "resting upon us". But that is just what the promise conveys! Our rest comes from the "Finished" work of Christ, on the Cross of Calvary (John 19:30 "It Is Finished").
Some of us will go on hurting, suffering, experiencing pain from this world. But Jesus says to ALL of us "...take courage, for I have overcome the world". That means You Win, Man! Take courage in your Lord Jesus because He has come to Set You Free! And you can take that to the bank.
My prayer is for God's peace for you tonight (or whenever you read this). He is standing right beside you and will not abandon you. You are truly blessed of God.
Your friend, Dave
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Testimony of Bush's Press Secretary
Comment from Dave: I read Tony's testimony and thought I would be honored to have his words on my blog. It will take a good 6 to 10 minutes to read but his testimony encapsulates everything I have been saying for over two years now. Please take the time to read this passionate testimony from a person who experiences peace in his heart.
Dave
A Testimony to Share!
This is an outstanding testimony from Tony Snow, President Bush's Press Secretary, and his fight with cancer. Commentator and broadcaster Tony Snow announced that he had colon cancer in 2005. Following surgery and chemo-therapy, Snow joined the Bush Administration in April 2006 as press secretary.
Unfortunately, on March 23, 2007 , Snow, 51, a husband and father of three, announced the cancer had recurred, with tumors found in his abdomen,- leading to surgery in April, followed by more chemotherapy. Snow went back to work in the White House Briefing Room on May 30, but has resigned since, "for economic reasons," and to pursue " other interests."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Blessings arrive in unexpected packages, - in my case, cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases - and there are millions in America today - find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God's will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence "What It All Means," Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.
The first is that we shouldn't spend too much time trying to answer the "why" questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can't someone else get sick? We can't answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.
I don't know why I have cancer, and I don't much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.
But despite this, - or because of it, - God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don't know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.
Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere.
To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life,- and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many non believing hearts - an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live fully, richly, exuberantly - no matter how their days may be numbered.
Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease,- smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see, - but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance; and comprehension - and yet don't. By His love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.
'You Have Been Called'. Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet, a loved one holds your hand at the side. "It's cancer," the healer announces.
The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. "Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler." But another voice whispers: "You have been called." Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter,- and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our "normal time."
There's another kind of response, although usually short-lived an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tiny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions.
The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies. Think of Paul, traipsing through the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes ( Spain ), shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment.
There's nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue, - for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever could give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do.
Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf.
We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us, that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God's love for others. Sickness gets us part way there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two peoples' worries and fears.
'Learning How to Live'. Most of us have watched friends as they drifted toward God's arms, not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power and authority of love.
I sat by my best friend's bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was an humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. "I'm going to try to beat [this cancer]," he told me several months before he died. "But if I don't, I'll see you on the other side."
His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn't promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity, - filled with life and love we cannot comprehend, - and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms.
Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don't matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?
When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up, - to speak of us!
This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God.
What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don't know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us who believe, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place, in the hollow of God's hand." T. Snow
Dave
A Testimony to Share!
This is an outstanding testimony from Tony Snow, President Bush's Press Secretary, and his fight with cancer. Commentator and broadcaster Tony Snow announced that he had colon cancer in 2005. Following surgery and chemo-therapy, Snow joined the Bush Administration in April 2006 as press secretary.
Unfortunately, on March 23, 2007 , Snow, 51, a husband and father of three, announced the cancer had recurred, with tumors found in his abdomen,- leading to surgery in April, followed by more chemotherapy. Snow went back to work in the White House Briefing Room on May 30, but has resigned since, "for economic reasons," and to pursue " other interests."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Blessings arrive in unexpected packages, - in my case, cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases - and there are millions in America today - find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God's will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence "What It All Means," Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.
The first is that we shouldn't spend too much time trying to answer the "why" questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can't someone else get sick? We can't answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.
I don't know why I have cancer, and I don't much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.
But despite this, - or because of it, - God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don't know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.
Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere.
To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life,- and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many non believing hearts - an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live fully, richly, exuberantly - no matter how their days may be numbered.
Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease,- smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see, - but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance; and comprehension - and yet don't. By His love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.
'You Have Been Called'. Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet, a loved one holds your hand at the side. "It's cancer," the healer announces.
The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. "Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler." But another voice whispers: "You have been called." Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter,- and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our "normal time."
There's another kind of response, although usually short-lived an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tiny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions.
The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies. Think of Paul, traipsing through the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes ( Spain ), shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment.
There's nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue, - for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever could give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do.
Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf.
We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us, that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God's love for others. Sickness gets us part way there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two peoples' worries and fears.
'Learning How to Live'. Most of us have watched friends as they drifted toward God's arms, not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power and authority of love.
I sat by my best friend's bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was an humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. "I'm going to try to beat [this cancer]," he told me several months before he died. "But if I don't, I'll see you on the other side."
His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn't promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity, - filled with life and love we cannot comprehend, - and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms.
Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don't matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?
When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up, - to speak of us!
This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God.
What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don't know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us who believe, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place, in the hollow of God's hand." T. Snow
Men delivered from manifold troubles
My bible gives a sub-title to Psalm 107 and it reads: The Lord Delivers Men from manifold Troubles. Listen to what it says in PS. 107:23-31 "Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters; They have seen the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep. For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind, Which lifted up the waves of the sea. They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths; Their soul melted away in their misery. They reeled and staggered like a drunken man, And were at their wits' end. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, And He brought them out of their distresses. He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they were quiet; So He guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men!"
Most of you have read my wife's email concerning my liver condition and what "appears" to be NEXT for us physically. And I, not unlike my wife, was thinking that "just two more sessions of chemo" then we get a break; then the liver function tests seem to want to prove different. So many of you out there are experiencing similar situations. You are tossed to and fro, like a little life raft out on the magnificent ocean of life. You stagger around as if "drunken" and still your feet remain "steadfast" to the deck of the boat of your life. One wave after another and you continue to get up, dust yourself off, and continue on the mission that God has chosen for you.
Well, nothing has changed here in our lives. We get up, thank God for His grace, and continue on in the direction He has sent us. For my liver function to go from 100k to 1.62 million is very dramatic in man's eyes; "But God"! Up to and including today, God has provided me with a ministry of such tremendous magnitude and there is nothing that can stop it now. Psalms 46:10 says: "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth". That helps to remind me that NONE of this is "for me". Be still and know that I am God. I'm here and I'm working it out. Just believe in Me and see the Glory of God.
Are you standing in the boat tonight, swaying to and fro from the treacherous winds of your life, not knowing where to place your next step. Anchor Deep. Stand Still. Remember that He is God! And let Him have His way with your life. You'll be at more peace when you do. You wonder, "How can you know for sure, Dave"? Well, all I can say is "I'm standing in the boat"!
Be at peace.
About the Author
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, Who also suffers a serious chronic illness, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two and a half years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his blog is http://www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com/, his personal testimony can be read at http://www.nowwhataz.org/ and he can be reached by email at dstallings2@qwest.net.
Most of you have read my wife's email concerning my liver condition and what "appears" to be NEXT for us physically. And I, not unlike my wife, was thinking that "just two more sessions of chemo" then we get a break; then the liver function tests seem to want to prove different. So many of you out there are experiencing similar situations. You are tossed to and fro, like a little life raft out on the magnificent ocean of life. You stagger around as if "drunken" and still your feet remain "steadfast" to the deck of the boat of your life. One wave after another and you continue to get up, dust yourself off, and continue on the mission that God has chosen for you.
Well, nothing has changed here in our lives. We get up, thank God for His grace, and continue on in the direction He has sent us. For my liver function to go from 100k to 1.62 million is very dramatic in man's eyes; "But God"! Up to and including today, God has provided me with a ministry of such tremendous magnitude and there is nothing that can stop it now. Psalms 46:10 says: "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth". That helps to remind me that NONE of this is "for me". Be still and know that I am God. I'm here and I'm working it out. Just believe in Me and see the Glory of God.
Are you standing in the boat tonight, swaying to and fro from the treacherous winds of your life, not knowing where to place your next step. Anchor Deep. Stand Still. Remember that He is God! And let Him have His way with your life. You'll be at more peace when you do. You wonder, "How can you know for sure, Dave"? Well, all I can say is "I'm standing in the boat"!
Be at peace.
About the Author
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, Who also suffers a serious chronic illness, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two and a half years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his blog is http://www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com/, his personal testimony can be read at http://www.nowwhataz.org/ and he can be reached by email at dstallings2@qwest.net.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
God's Best from the Stallings Household
Barb and I wanted to do something special for those of you who are always taking the time to read my blog and pray for us. You have all been so special and we will never forget anyone of you. Know that we love you and we wish you a Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years Joy. Jesus Christ is why we are here and we will be sure to ALWAYS give Him the glory.
Our prayer is that everyone of you are at peace this Christmas Season.
We love you all very much,
Dave, Barb, 'Capt. Jack'
If this link does not work, just copy and paste to your address bar.
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1246648685
PS. This download is "Safe"
Our prayer is that everyone of you are at peace this Christmas Season.
We love you all very much,
Dave, Barb, 'Capt. Jack'
If this link does not work, just copy and paste to your address bar.
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1246648685
PS. This download is "Safe"
Friday, December 7, 2007
Giving Thanks for ALL Things
Ephesians 6:18-20 says "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father"
My prognosis remains the same today. I still carry around with me, blood cells labeled "Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (in fact, in two more weeks I will have finished my 2 year maintenance program). At that point I go on a "Wait & Watch" program where they do nothing until my symptoms resurface. I try to wear a smile every single day. I am grateful to my God for the blessings He has shared with me throughout this ordeal. My family has never been closer in our 37 years of existence. All of the studies to date indicate that I will have fewer years on this earth than most men my age and I remain grateful for the experiences that have been given to me over the last 2 1/2 years. These are blessings that could have never come without this particular difficulty in my life.
I think of Sandy and her probing questions while sitting in the chemotherapy room time and again. Today I feel confident that Sandy has her own personal relationship with God because he brought both Sandy and I together one day. As I knelt there in front of her chemo chair with a needle stuck in my chest, I remember that it was that day that she asked Jesus to control her life. I think of Steve who today wears a different pair of shoes because someone wanted to be a blessing to him through Barb and I.
I think (quite often) of my good friend Mike, who left us in December of 2005, to go and be with the Lord. My wife and I were at his bedside two days before he went home to be with the Lord. He was sleeping peacefully, little if any expression on his face. I walked into the room, bent over his bed and kissed him on the forehead and spoke his name. He never opened his eyes, but he smiled. I don't believe it was a smile brought on by his facial muscles but rather his heart as he recognized my voice. I talked to him, I read about God to him and prayed (I'm sure) with him and within the next 48 hours he was sitting at the feet of Jesus without any pain, without any tears other than perhaps tears of joy as he was ushered into his heavenly home. I remember saying to Mike during that time, "Michael, when we come to the edge of all the light we know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen; either there will be something solid to stand on, or we will be taught how to fly," and I truly believe that Michael learned to fly that day.
I live every day of my life in pain and if you are reading this blog you probably experience the same thing. It is tough and sometimes it looks as though there is "no way out". And for some of us, this is true. However, just the mention of our Lord, Jesus Christ, brings a smile to my face because I know with every confidence that He is building a mansion for me and if it is tomorrow or 5 years from now, He will just be placing the last nail in my home in glory. That's is REALLY something to look forward to.
"Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might"!
About the Author
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, Who also suffers a serious chronic illness, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two and a half years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his blog is http://www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com/, his personal testimony can be read at http://www.nowwhataz.org/ and he can be reached by email at dstallings2@qwest.net.
My prognosis remains the same today. I still carry around with me, blood cells labeled "Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (in fact, in two more weeks I will have finished my 2 year maintenance program). At that point I go on a "Wait & Watch" program where they do nothing until my symptoms resurface. I try to wear a smile every single day. I am grateful to my God for the blessings He has shared with me throughout this ordeal. My family has never been closer in our 37 years of existence. All of the studies to date indicate that I will have fewer years on this earth than most men my age and I remain grateful for the experiences that have been given to me over the last 2 1/2 years. These are blessings that could have never come without this particular difficulty in my life.
I think of Sandy and her probing questions while sitting in the chemotherapy room time and again. Today I feel confident that Sandy has her own personal relationship with God because he brought both Sandy and I together one day. As I knelt there in front of her chemo chair with a needle stuck in my chest, I remember that it was that day that she asked Jesus to control her life. I think of Steve who today wears a different pair of shoes because someone wanted to be a blessing to him through Barb and I.
I think (quite often) of my good friend Mike, who left us in December of 2005, to go and be with the Lord. My wife and I were at his bedside two days before he went home to be with the Lord. He was sleeping peacefully, little if any expression on his face. I walked into the room, bent over his bed and kissed him on the forehead and spoke his name. He never opened his eyes, but he smiled. I don't believe it was a smile brought on by his facial muscles but rather his heart as he recognized my voice. I talked to him, I read about God to him and prayed (I'm sure) with him and within the next 48 hours he was sitting at the feet of Jesus without any pain, without any tears other than perhaps tears of joy as he was ushered into his heavenly home. I remember saying to Mike during that time, "Michael, when we come to the edge of all the light we know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen; either there will be something solid to stand on, or we will be taught how to fly," and I truly believe that Michael learned to fly that day.
I live every day of my life in pain and if you are reading this blog you probably experience the same thing. It is tough and sometimes it looks as though there is "no way out". And for some of us, this is true. However, just the mention of our Lord, Jesus Christ, brings a smile to my face because I know with every confidence that He is building a mansion for me and if it is tomorrow or 5 years from now, He will just be placing the last nail in my home in glory. That's is REALLY something to look forward to.
"Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might"!
About the Author
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, Who also suffers a serious chronic illness, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two and a half years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his blog is http://www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com/, his personal testimony can be read at http://www.nowwhataz.org/ and he can be reached by email at dstallings2@qwest.net.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
"Blessed is the caregiver"
Matthew 5 says: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
I've been watching these devotions for some time now and I read of so much pain and suffering. It is difficult to continue to "fight the good fight" with the pain and illness that those who write deal with everyday. My heart goes out to them. Above is a "sampling" of The Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount from our Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot think of a better way to describe my "caregiver", Barb, my wife.
And tonight I think about those who suffer the "everyday" struggle of caring for a loved one who has a chronic illness and especially those who are watching their loved ones die. As my wife and I sat at the dinner table tonight I made a comment (not thinking ahead, naturally), about my future which cut her like a knife. I suggested to her that we should go ahead and arrange a trip we were planning because "when this cancer wakes up"...that was all I was able to get out when she burst into tears. How often do our caregivers think of the future and what it holds for them. How strong they must be to constantly give the care needed without breaking down, in tears, over what the future holds for them. My wife wonders what she will do without me; where she will live; how she will survive; where will the money come from. But she NEVER burdens me with those thoughts from day to day. She just continues to do what Jesus has called her to do and that is to be a caregiver for me.
My precious wife will be blessed by the "kingdom of heaven"; She will be blessed as the Father "comforts" her; It will be a blessing for her as she "inherits the earth"; She will be blessed as she is "satisfied" by God's grace. Blessings will be hers as she receives "mercy" from the Father; and mostly, she will be blessed when "she sees God".
But for now, she is fulfilling her calling of God by caring for me and the cancer that assures us that it will "awaken". I have researched my blog and found that it is read in over 41 States across the United States and on 2 other continents by hundreds of people who all wish me well. Tonight I am calling on all of you (and all of your Internet friends) to send a word of encouragement to my wife, Barbara (and others you know who have been called to this task). Please take a moment out of your busy day to write to her at grammybarb@qwest.net and let her know that we all realize how important she and others are in our lives. After all, who could care for us like they do?
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, Who also suffers a chronic illness, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his blog is www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com, his personal testimony can be read at www.nowwhataz.org and he can be reached by email at dstallings2@qwest.net.
I've been watching these devotions for some time now and I read of so much pain and suffering. It is difficult to continue to "fight the good fight" with the pain and illness that those who write deal with everyday. My heart goes out to them. Above is a "sampling" of The Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount from our Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot think of a better way to describe my "caregiver", Barb, my wife.
And tonight I think about those who suffer the "everyday" struggle of caring for a loved one who has a chronic illness and especially those who are watching their loved ones die. As my wife and I sat at the dinner table tonight I made a comment (not thinking ahead, naturally), about my future which cut her like a knife. I suggested to her that we should go ahead and arrange a trip we were planning because "when this cancer wakes up"...that was all I was able to get out when she burst into tears. How often do our caregivers think of the future and what it holds for them. How strong they must be to constantly give the care needed without breaking down, in tears, over what the future holds for them. My wife wonders what she will do without me; where she will live; how she will survive; where will the money come from. But she NEVER burdens me with those thoughts from day to day. She just continues to do what Jesus has called her to do and that is to be a caregiver for me.
My precious wife will be blessed by the "kingdom of heaven"; She will be blessed as the Father "comforts" her; It will be a blessing for her as she "inherits the earth"; She will be blessed as she is "satisfied" by God's grace. Blessings will be hers as she receives "mercy" from the Father; and mostly, she will be blessed when "she sees God".
But for now, she is fulfilling her calling of God by caring for me and the cancer that assures us that it will "awaken". I have researched my blog and found that it is read in over 41 States across the United States and on 2 other continents by hundreds of people who all wish me well. Tonight I am calling on all of you (and all of your Internet friends) to send a word of encouragement to my wife, Barbara (and others you know who have been called to this task). Please take a moment out of your busy day to write to her at grammybarb@qwest.net and let her know that we all realize how important she and others are in our lives. After all, who could care for us like they do?
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, Who also suffers a chronic illness, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his blog is www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com, his personal testimony can be read at www.nowwhataz.org and he can be reached by email at dstallings2@qwest.net.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Strengthen your brothers!
Luke 22: 31,32 says: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Tomorrow morning I start the last of two and one half years of chemotherapy for a blood cancer called Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It has been a rough ride and it is not over yet. The doctor says that the studies on the type of drug they use for my therapy only have about a 3 year history thus far. So they will complete this last one and then stop ALL treatment. Sounds a little scary but I am confident in God that all will be well.
After this treatment and because there is no cure for my type of cancer, they will simply wait for the symptoms to return again and test to decide whether I am strong enough for the Bone Marrow Transplant.
On the day of my diagnosis I explained to the Oncologist that there was nothing that she could do outside of God’s will for my life. I explained that she was welcome to treat me but my life was in God’s hands. I have lived the last 2 ½ years with that attitude and God has blessed me beyond the measure that I expected. I have had the pleasure of praying with and leading a precious old lady to Christ, with a chemo needle stuck in my chest. God has been with me through all of it so far, and I don’t expect Him to leave me, ever.
It has taken me these 2 ½ years to develop my testimony and it is “ever changing” but it is available if anyone wishes to read it at www.nowwhataz.org.
After this treatment, my family and I will celebrate Christmas together and then Barb and I will try to do some traveling. We love to just “be gone” so we will try to do as much as we can until it becomes necessary to start treatment again. Your prayer support is primarily why we are where we are today. I could not be more grateful for those prayers and they cannot stop now. I am following the lead of the passage above and I lean totally on God’s love and grace to see me through.
Now that Rest Ministries is publishing some of my devotions, I will continue to write as much as I can. Thank you and my God show you the kindness He has shared with me.
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his website is www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com and can be reached by email at dstallings2@qwest.net.
Tomorrow morning I start the last of two and one half years of chemotherapy for a blood cancer called Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It has been a rough ride and it is not over yet. The doctor says that the studies on the type of drug they use for my therapy only have about a 3 year history thus far. So they will complete this last one and then stop ALL treatment. Sounds a little scary but I am confident in God that all will be well.
After this treatment and because there is no cure for my type of cancer, they will simply wait for the symptoms to return again and test to decide whether I am strong enough for the Bone Marrow Transplant.
On the day of my diagnosis I explained to the Oncologist that there was nothing that she could do outside of God’s will for my life. I explained that she was welcome to treat me but my life was in God’s hands. I have lived the last 2 ½ years with that attitude and God has blessed me beyond the measure that I expected. I have had the pleasure of praying with and leading a precious old lady to Christ, with a chemo needle stuck in my chest. God has been with me through all of it so far, and I don’t expect Him to leave me, ever.
It has taken me these 2 ½ years to develop my testimony and it is “ever changing” but it is available if anyone wishes to read it at www.nowwhataz.org.
After this treatment, my family and I will celebrate Christmas together and then Barb and I will try to do some traveling. We love to just “be gone” so we will try to do as much as we can until it becomes necessary to start treatment again. Your prayer support is primarily why we are where we are today. I could not be more grateful for those prayers and they cannot stop now. I am following the lead of the passage above and I lean totally on God’s love and grace to see me through.
Now that Rest Ministries is publishing some of my devotions, I will continue to write as much as I can. Thank you and my God show you the kindness He has shared with me.
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his website is www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com and can be reached by email at dstallings2@qwest.net.
Adendum to November 25, 2007 Post
I have been in touch with a precious new Christian friend who has shown me how to "block" certain types of advertisements from google.com without the need to severe our relationship. So the ads will remain and I will continue to monitor them closely as I can now block as I wish.
I do not need to reclaim my position. I know God loves us all, however, I am confident that He does not want us to associate with some ideaologies. If while surfing on my blog, you find something in these marketing squares that you would question, please feel free to click on the word "comment" below and express your concerns to me. I will address them immediately.
By God's Grace,
Dave
I do not need to reclaim my position. I know God loves us all, however, I am confident that He does not want us to associate with some ideaologies. If while surfing on my blog, you find something in these marketing squares that you would question, please feel free to click on the word "comment" below and express your concerns to me. I will address them immediately.
By God's Grace,
Dave
Not My Will but Thine, Oh Lord!
I heard a christian man once say "You know your depressed when the only hope you have is that you ARE GOING TO DIE, and you start winning the battle!" Obviously things were so difficult in his life that his thoughts were only directed to his reunion with the Father. I had to take a close look at that thought and wonder if this was from God or was he being "duped" by the devil once again in his mind.
The chronically ill experience so many difficult and despairing times that it is sometimes hard to tell where these thoughts sometimes come from. Then I was directed to First Thessalonians 5:16-18 which offer the simplest directive to the will of God for each of us, no matter what the circumstances are. The verse reads: "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1. Rejoice always: whatever the circumstances, whatever the condition in life, God says to "Rejoice always".
2. Pray without ceasing: always live life in an attitude of pray, whether it is for yourself or someone God has placed on you heart, God says to "Pray without ceasing".
3. In everything give thanks: I can think of hundreds of situations in my own life that I am NOT thankful for and here God says "give thanks".
Here God has given us the simplest of recipes in life for His will. Rejoice, pray, give thanks. How difficult can that be? When I am laying in bed and cannot move from the pain, "Rejoice, pray, give thanks". Guess what? I tried that last night as I lay on my bed, unable to drift off to sleep and before I knew it, I was looking at my clock beside my bed and it was 6:17am and I had slept through the night.
I must give credit to a church and pastor I met last week in California for this verse application. His church is called "Set Free Church" and he is pastor Willie Dalgity and he shared this impressive, yet simplistic approach to God's will for our lives. "Rejoice always...not just some of the time (when things are going well); "pray without ceasing"...allow our minds to be in a constant attitude of prayer; "in everything give thanks"...Thank you Lord that I'm not in as bad shape as some of the people I know. And God's promise is "for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." How simple can it get? Don't know God's will for your life? Try this simple 3 verse application and see if God doesn't start to reveal, not only His love for you, but His will for your life as well.
And yes, if you live in the Calimesa area of California and you are not going to church somewhere, you really should check this one out.
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his website is www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com and can be reached by email at dstallings2@qwest.net.
The chronically ill experience so many difficult and despairing times that it is sometimes hard to tell where these thoughts sometimes come from. Then I was directed to First Thessalonians 5:16-18 which offer the simplest directive to the will of God for each of us, no matter what the circumstances are. The verse reads: "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1. Rejoice always: whatever the circumstances, whatever the condition in life, God says to "Rejoice always".
2. Pray without ceasing: always live life in an attitude of pray, whether it is for yourself or someone God has placed on you heart, God says to "Pray without ceasing".
3. In everything give thanks: I can think of hundreds of situations in my own life that I am NOT thankful for and here God says "give thanks".
Here God has given us the simplest of recipes in life for His will. Rejoice, pray, give thanks. How difficult can that be? When I am laying in bed and cannot move from the pain, "Rejoice, pray, give thanks". Guess what? I tried that last night as I lay on my bed, unable to drift off to sleep and before I knew it, I was looking at my clock beside my bed and it was 6:17am and I had slept through the night.
I must give credit to a church and pastor I met last week in California for this verse application. His church is called "Set Free Church" and he is pastor Willie Dalgity and he shared this impressive, yet simplistic approach to God's will for our lives. "Rejoice always...not just some of the time (when things are going well); "pray without ceasing"...allow our minds to be in a constant attitude of prayer; "in everything give thanks"...Thank you Lord that I'm not in as bad shape as some of the people I know. And God's promise is "for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." How simple can it get? Don't know God's will for your life? Try this simple 3 verse application and see if God doesn't start to reveal, not only His love for you, but His will for your life as well.
And yes, if you live in the Calimesa area of California and you are not going to church somewhere, you really should check this one out.
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his website is www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com and can be reached by email at dstallings2@qwest.net.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
New Gay Bible Advertisement
Dear precious Saints of God. This morning as I was searching through my blog, I ran across an advertisement (that is, evidently, on my website as Christian materials) for a New King James Bible and it states "This Free Bible Download contains all of the great text of the King James Version and a new book entitled God's New Law describing the prophecy that was declared in 2000". It also advertises
"New Additions:
- Homosexuality and Fornication Forgiven
- Gay Marriage in God's Kingdom."
By the time I finish this blog and publish it, the advertisement will be gone as these advertisements circulate every few minutes.
Concerning this bible, I must review my relationship with Google Advertisers to see if I will continue based on the content of these "New Additions", however I want anyone who reads this blog to know that even though I believe that God can and does forgive these sins, I DO NOT support homosexuality under ANY circumstance, and I DO NOT support the advertisement of any additions to God's Holy Word.
I have to do some extraordinary research as I am unwilling to "click" on the downloads from my computer to read what is prophesied, however, we who take God's Word at face value understand that there is NO NEW PROPHECY to be written and added to God's Word so without even downloading this product, I am "at odds" with it in its original description.
My best advise to any of you who might run across this advertisement is that you just simply let it pass and not help its cause by clicking on it. If I cannot get this type of advertisements separated from the Christian Genre which I requested, then I will be forced to terminate my relationship with Google AdSense.
I hope I have made my position clear "in love" as I know the power of forgiveness and also know the power of God's Wrath upon those who would try to subvert the Holiness of His Word.
Dave
"New Additions:
- Homosexuality and Fornication Forgiven
- Gay Marriage in God's Kingdom."
By the time I finish this blog and publish it, the advertisement will be gone as these advertisements circulate every few minutes.
Concerning this bible, I must review my relationship with Google Advertisers to see if I will continue based on the content of these "New Additions", however I want anyone who reads this blog to know that even though I believe that God can and does forgive these sins, I DO NOT support homosexuality under ANY circumstance, and I DO NOT support the advertisement of any additions to God's Holy Word.
I have to do some extraordinary research as I am unwilling to "click" on the downloads from my computer to read what is prophesied, however, we who take God's Word at face value understand that there is NO NEW PROPHECY to be written and added to God's Word so without even downloading this product, I am "at odds" with it in its original description.
My best advise to any of you who might run across this advertisement is that you just simply let it pass and not help its cause by clicking on it. If I cannot get this type of advertisements separated from the Christian Genre which I requested, then I will be forced to terminate my relationship with Google AdSense.
I hope I have made my position clear "in love" as I know the power of forgiveness and also know the power of God's Wrath upon those who would try to subvert the Holiness of His Word.
Dave
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
How Long Is "Long Enough"?
"When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, It is finished! and He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit" (John 19:30). The Bible indicates that Christ hung on that cross for about 6 hours. Some would argue longer and some, shorter. It doesn't matter because the point is that He was on the cross until the job He was sent to earth to do was completed.
Here we have a part of the Trinity that was there at the creation, was there in the garden, was there at the Red Sea, and was there until His friends and loved ones came and took Him down from the cross and wrapped and laid Him in the tomb. He was there when Mary came to the tomb to care for Him even in His death. He was there long enough to finish the task.
Most of us who suffer from a chronic illness often ask the question "How long is long enough"? How long do we suffer with the disabling difficulties of the illness or injury we have? Will there come a time, Jesus, when you tell us that we have suffered enough? We think of Job in the Bible and the terrific suffering he went through and continued to stand strong for Christ. What about the disciples who, after Pentecost, withstood the suffering and martyrdom for the sake of Christ?
What about Paul in the New Testament? In Second Corinthians 12:7ff he says, "And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me - to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me." I'm personally not one who daily appreciates the Lord's response to Paul because it means the same thing for me and when I am suffering in pain and sickness, the last thing I want to do is get on my knees and pray for or minister to someone who needs a touch from God. "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Know what that means? When we are weak, He is strong. I have never seen more of Christ in my life than I have since my diagnosis, since my injury, since my illness settled on my life.
How long is long enough? I pray every day "Maranatha" which means "Come quickly, Lord Jesus". And everyday He put an opportunity in my life. Sometimes I take the opportunities and run with them. Sometimes I run from them. But every time God speaks to me and lets me know that "His grace is sufficient for me"! Is His grace sufficient for you? Only you can answer that.
How long is long enough? You may not find out this side of Heaven but thank God He had prepared a place for us!
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his website is www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com and can be reached by email at dstallings2@qwest.net..
Friday, November 9, 2007
Whatever Works!
Jesus has an encounter with a man named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. Jesus said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (Jn.3:3)
After 56 years of looking over the world we live in, I have discovered that we live mostly among the philosophical "pragmatist". The ideology of a pragmatist is that "whatever works" is what the game plan is. Today we see so many people, young and old with that philosophy. "Yeah, if that works, let's do it that way". We want to be ahead of the competition so let's do it this way. Disturbingly, I see it in the Christian world as well. "The Bible has dried up somewhat, so let's use some other materials to draw people into the pews". Let's modernize the church services and offer benefits that make people more comfortable. I've even seen, in my lifetime, a "Drive-in" church. They remodeled a drive-in theatre and the church goers would drive up to the speaker, place it in the window and listen to a message, then replace the speaker and just drive away. Please don't get me wrong. I love good worship music and praise songs. Don't even mind a cup of coffee with my message. I just see the church getting away from using the Bible as its primary teaching material.
Remember the passage in Matthew where Jesus tells the rich young ruler that it would be..."easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God"(Matt.19:24)? Jesus has been telling us for hundreds of years now that this philosophical ideal of pragmatism just won't work. You can't just put together your own ideas and plan an eternity in Heaven with Jesus. Early on in His ministry, He made it very plain..."You must be born again!"
Things are, and have been happening in the world that indicate that Jesus is planning His return. He promised that He would come back for His own and it looks like someday soon, that will become a reality. Where will we be when He returns? Will we still be looking for that "nitch" that the world thinks will work? Or will we be declaring to the world "You must be born again"? As Christian men and women, we have an obligation to the "lost" in the world. Jesus commanded us to "Go" and to "Tell" the world about Him and His return for the church.
Let's all try to do our part.
P.S. I am writing devotions for Rest Ministries Online Magazine so look for me at www.restministries.org
After 56 years of looking over the world we live in, I have discovered that we live mostly among the philosophical "pragmatist". The ideology of a pragmatist is that "whatever works" is what the game plan is. Today we see so many people, young and old with that philosophy. "Yeah, if that works, let's do it that way". We want to be ahead of the competition so let's do it this way. Disturbingly, I see it in the Christian world as well. "The Bible has dried up somewhat, so let's use some other materials to draw people into the pews". Let's modernize the church services and offer benefits that make people more comfortable. I've even seen, in my lifetime, a "Drive-in" church. They remodeled a drive-in theatre and the church goers would drive up to the speaker, place it in the window and listen to a message, then replace the speaker and just drive away. Please don't get me wrong. I love good worship music and praise songs. Don't even mind a cup of coffee with my message. I just see the church getting away from using the Bible as its primary teaching material.
Remember the passage in Matthew where Jesus tells the rich young ruler that it would be..."easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God"(Matt.19:24)? Jesus has been telling us for hundreds of years now that this philosophical ideal of pragmatism just won't work. You can't just put together your own ideas and plan an eternity in Heaven with Jesus. Early on in His ministry, He made it very plain..."You must be born again!"
Things are, and have been happening in the world that indicate that Jesus is planning His return. He promised that He would come back for His own and it looks like someday soon, that will become a reality. Where will we be when He returns? Will we still be looking for that "nitch" that the world thinks will work? Or will we be declaring to the world "You must be born again"? As Christian men and women, we have an obligation to the "lost" in the world. Jesus commanded us to "Go" and to "Tell" the world about Him and His return for the church.
Let's all try to do our part.
P.S. I am writing devotions for Rest Ministries Online Magazine so look for me at www.restministries.org
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Do you have a troubled heart?
"Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me." (Jn. 14:1-4,6)
I was lying in bed tonight thinking about the activities of the last couple of years and I just had to take a moment to thank the Lord for the strength and courage He has given to Barb and me. On April 19, 2005 I had a major surgery that would eventually lead to the discovery of an "incurable" form of cancer within my body. Having had to prepare and endure treatment for this cancer, without the ability to recover from the back surgery, has certainly brought the need and ability to put my faith in God.
In the middle of pain I have never experienced before, I have been introduced to more people, needy people, struggling people, that I would never have known without being taken down this path. I have already lost one of those dear friends during this past year and was privileged to share Christ at his "going home" celebration just a few short months ago. With well over 100 friends and family members present that day, who's to say they would have ever heard the plain and simple Gospel of God without God directing me there. I have seen "overwhelming" fear in the faces of a lot of people I have met, that just seemed to disappear with just the "mention" of His name!
So laying in bed trying to get to sleep (it's 2am) I heard the voice of God telling me to share a little something with those of you who experience some of these trials.
I have been truly blessed over this past 2 years with the opportunity to be used of God, trying to stand in the gap, and be a faithful servant to Him and tonight I can feel God's smile. And believe me when I say, I have done nothing in my own power through it all. Oh, I know that there is a tremendous amount yet to be done, but tonight I feel the Lord's joy.
Over the last 30 plus years of walking with the Lord (most of the time, ahead of Him), we have always looked forward to the Lord's Second Coming. In fact, I believe that we are close, so close to His return that sometimes, I swear, I can "feel the brush of angel wings" on my cheeks.
If your reading this and feel you have some "unsettled issues" that need God's attention, please take the time to go to Him and let Him find that "soft or wounded" spot in your heart, and when He does, rest assured that He, and only He, can cover it with His love and make you whole.
Dave
I was lying in bed tonight thinking about the activities of the last couple of years and I just had to take a moment to thank the Lord for the strength and courage He has given to Barb and me. On April 19, 2005 I had a major surgery that would eventually lead to the discovery of an "incurable" form of cancer within my body. Having had to prepare and endure treatment for this cancer, without the ability to recover from the back surgery, has certainly brought the need and ability to put my faith in God.
In the middle of pain I have never experienced before, I have been introduced to more people, needy people, struggling people, that I would never have known without being taken down this path. I have already lost one of those dear friends during this past year and was privileged to share Christ at his "going home" celebration just a few short months ago. With well over 100 friends and family members present that day, who's to say they would have ever heard the plain and simple Gospel of God without God directing me there. I have seen "overwhelming" fear in the faces of a lot of people I have met, that just seemed to disappear with just the "mention" of His name!
So laying in bed trying to get to sleep (it's 2am) I heard the voice of God telling me to share a little something with those of you who experience some of these trials.
I have been truly blessed over this past 2 years with the opportunity to be used of God, trying to stand in the gap, and be a faithful servant to Him and tonight I can feel God's smile. And believe me when I say, I have done nothing in my own power through it all. Oh, I know that there is a tremendous amount yet to be done, but tonight I feel the Lord's joy.
Over the last 30 plus years of walking with the Lord (most of the time, ahead of Him), we have always looked forward to the Lord's Second Coming. In fact, I believe that we are close, so close to His return that sometimes, I swear, I can "feel the brush of angel wings" on my cheeks.
If your reading this and feel you have some "unsettled issues" that need God's attention, please take the time to go to Him and let Him find that "soft or wounded" spot in your heart, and when He does, rest assured that He, and only He, can cover it with His love and make you whole.
Dave
Monday, November 5, 2007
In The Beginning....God
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters".(Gen 1;1,2)
You know we talk about a lot of stuff on this blog but sometimes it is good to go back to the beginning. I look out at the world today and see the turmoil and pain taking place and have to say "Maranatha, Lord Jesus"! Please come quickly. There are people in the world trying to make ends meet with no arms or legs, some with viruses that cannot be healed, there are some who walk around with terminal diseases like cancer, MS, and so many other medical difficulties that makes me feel like a well person compared to them and it just doesn't seem far for the lot of us.
Back in the beginning God spoke to us and He explained about the beautiful world He created for us and He had so much fun and love in making this place for us to dwell upon until He finally completed our mansions in glory. Its just too bad that the devil and some of his helpers wanted to create such chaos in the process.
I was just sitting here tonight thinking about God's new creation in the beginning of Genesis and suddenly Darwin's Theory popped into my mind (probably because of some notes I have written down on the margins in my bible about him. He seemed to want to work so hard to convenience us that we came from the apes and that we evolved into the men we are today. Well I gotta tell you, I have some pretty heavy back aches from the surgeries they have done on my back and I really doubt that I spent much time flying along the treeline using branches because I just know it would have created and trip to the ER for my back.
His theory was all based on a "Chance of happenings" for each situation?????? Wow, That was profound. He called his postulated theory ..."Fortuitous Concurrences of An Accidental Circumstance".
What a meat head! If that theory were proven correct then it would be interesting each time you opened a can of peaches to see what you might find inside. Ha! Ha! "Accidental circumstances" indeed.
But the God of the universe said, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"! I have to tell you at this point that it takes LESS faith in my life to believe this situation than the "Fortuitous Concurrences of An Accidental Circumstance" How absolutely ridiculous. I close my eyes and can see, by Faith our God the Father standing off in a distance waiting to hold me in His arms. He knows I have cancer and that I will be home soon. He's standing right there waiting with nothing else on His mind but to make me whole again. I love the Lord, don't you?
Dave
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his website is www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com.
You know we talk about a lot of stuff on this blog but sometimes it is good to go back to the beginning. I look out at the world today and see the turmoil and pain taking place and have to say "Maranatha, Lord Jesus"! Please come quickly. There are people in the world trying to make ends meet with no arms or legs, some with viruses that cannot be healed, there are some who walk around with terminal diseases like cancer, MS, and so many other medical difficulties that makes me feel like a well person compared to them and it just doesn't seem far for the lot of us.
Back in the beginning God spoke to us and He explained about the beautiful world He created for us and He had so much fun and love in making this place for us to dwell upon until He finally completed our mansions in glory. Its just too bad that the devil and some of his helpers wanted to create such chaos in the process.
I was just sitting here tonight thinking about God's new creation in the beginning of Genesis and suddenly Darwin's Theory popped into my mind (probably because of some notes I have written down on the margins in my bible about him. He seemed to want to work so hard to convenience us that we came from the apes and that we evolved into the men we are today. Well I gotta tell you, I have some pretty heavy back aches from the surgeries they have done on my back and I really doubt that I spent much time flying along the treeline using branches because I just know it would have created and trip to the ER for my back.
His theory was all based on a "Chance of happenings" for each situation?????? Wow, That was profound. He called his postulated theory ..."Fortuitous Concurrences of An Accidental Circumstance".
What a meat head! If that theory were proven correct then it would be interesting each time you opened a can of peaches to see what you might find inside. Ha! Ha! "Accidental circumstances" indeed.
But the God of the universe said, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"! I have to tell you at this point that it takes LESS faith in my life to believe this situation than the "Fortuitous Concurrences of An Accidental Circumstance" How absolutely ridiculous. I close my eyes and can see, by Faith our God the Father standing off in a distance waiting to hold me in His arms. He knows I have cancer and that I will be home soon. He's standing right there waiting with nothing else on His mind but to make me whole again. I love the Lord, don't you?
Dave
Dave Stallings lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife of 36 years, Barbara, and their dog, Captain Jack…along with their kids and grand kids ! Dave is a semi-retired pastor and loves to blog on his personal web page since being diagnosed with Stage IV incurable non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma two years ago..his motto is “It is what it is and God is not surprised”….his website is www.nowwhataz.blogspot.com.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
A Father's Advice
"Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding", (Proverbs 4:1)
Ever feel that you have passed on your father's advice because you feel a need to achieve something that his advise suggests passing on? I have! My father has given me "sound teaching" and I have turned my head not wanting to receive the understanding. But I remember that my father would always tell me to "hold fast to his words...that I might keep the commandments and live", (Pr. 4:4)
I consider myself intelligent and understand most things. Problem is that I don't always wait on the "wisdom" to fall from perhaps advice given prior to acting. I don't always make decisions using the wisdom that God has promised me. My body hurts from the pain over the sickness and injury, and I am anxious to find a solution "in my own understanding". But there is so much of Proverbs 4 that tells us that the person who waits on wisdom will eventually make the correct decision. I always find myself looking to the problem and not through the problem to see the wisdom on the other side.
Here Solomon uses the analogy of a wife to make his point. Verses 13ff say "Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; and they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble".
Just think! Taking the time to look at our daily life situations with "Wisdom" can keep us from stumbling! I don't know about all of you, but I have enough scabs on my knees from stumbling in the misunderstanding of my life events. I trust God and desire to wait on His wisdom for me. How about you?
God's very best,
Dave
Ever feel that you have passed on your father's advice because you feel a need to achieve something that his advise suggests passing on? I have! My father has given me "sound teaching" and I have turned my head not wanting to receive the understanding. But I remember that my father would always tell me to "hold fast to his words...that I might keep the commandments and live", (Pr. 4:4)
I consider myself intelligent and understand most things. Problem is that I don't always wait on the "wisdom" to fall from perhaps advice given prior to acting. I don't always make decisions using the wisdom that God has promised me. My body hurts from the pain over the sickness and injury, and I am anxious to find a solution "in my own understanding". But there is so much of Proverbs 4 that tells us that the person who waits on wisdom will eventually make the correct decision. I always find myself looking to the problem and not through the problem to see the wisdom on the other side.
Here Solomon uses the analogy of a wife to make his point. Verses 13ff say "Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; and they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble".
Just think! Taking the time to look at our daily life situations with "Wisdom" can keep us from stumbling! I don't know about all of you, but I have enough scabs on my knees from stumbling in the misunderstanding of my life events. I trust God and desire to wait on His wisdom for me. How about you?
God's very best,
Dave
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Trust In The Lord
One of the first passages of scripture I memorized as a new Christian, over 30 years ago was Proverbs 3:5,6 which reads "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight".
Never has that passage been more applicable in my life than in the last 5 years or so. On a daily basis, we as Christian men and women, see things happen, not only in our own lives but in the lives of those we love dearly, not being able to help or understand why. So the Lord tells us to "Lean". Lean on what? Lean on Him and not trust our own understanding because His is divine and ours is not. So when we just simply don't understand, we can know that He is directing our paths. I confess that I need a lot of direction in my life. But there is one thing that I understand very clearly. That is that God has my "best interest" at heart and He will not direct me into a path that will not eventually give Him the glory.
The writer goes on to say "Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body, and refreshment to your bones". I have spent plenty of years being "wise in my own estimation" or so I have thought. But when I play the way the Lord intended me to, I receive healing. Not the kind of healing that I expect sometimes, but healing in my spirit and a closeness with God. Want to be close to God? Do not consider your wisdom above God.
In one of my favorite books the author says to "Anchor Deep". His analogy is a sailboat but his subject is faith in God. He says "Stability in a storm comes not from seeking a new message but from understanding an old one. The most reliable anchor points are not recent discoveries, but are time-tested truths that have held their ground against the winds of change. Truths like: My life is not futile; My failures are not fatal; My death is not final. Attach your soul to these boulders and no wave is big enough to wash you under" (Six Hours One Friday by Max Lucado). Change comes into our lives almost daily. Trust in the Lord.
Have a great day today.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Wisdon Brings Security
Proverbs 2 begins by saying, "My son, if you will receive my sayings, and treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity..."
I was listening to "The Savage Nation" with Michael Savage on the radio tonight and was a little surprised at the advice he was giving. He got my attention right away because he was discussing the advantages in reading the Bible when you get up in the morning. He commented on what we do when we rise from our sleep. Some will make coffee and sit and read the morning news in the newspaper or on the internet and this is how they will start their day. By doing so, his rational was that the spiritual day for this person would start out and continue at about an "80" throughout the day. Another person my get out of bed and go to the internet and turn on the porno right away and his day would start out at a zero (out of 1000 by the way) and that is how this persons spiritual day would continue (as a big zero). Another person may get up in the morning and pick up his bible and read something from God in the morning and his day would begin at 1000 and probably continue at that scale throughout the day.
All interesting statistics as he was talking about the dignity and integrity of the spiritual man in today's society. Realizing that we all have a spiritual component to our lives, Michael Savage, not known for his preaching, was offering this wisdom just as though it were from God's word Itself. Earlier I quoted Proverbs 2:1-7 and it seems to me that this was exactly what Michael Savage, a "mostly" political advisor, was trying to explain to his radio audience. I thought, "here's a man, not known for his spiritual expertise, telling us that we will gain more from the day if we are willing to invest some of our morning time to God and His Word. I have to admit, I was shocked. I was also, all ears because what he was sharing was the TRUTH as I see and read it from scripture. Even if we invest one or two minutes in the morning in God's Word, whether we completely understand what we are reading or not, we will come out of the day with a better, stronger spiritual perspective in life. So when the author of Proverbs was saying in verse 2, "Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding..." this is really what both the author and Mr Savage were talking about. Look for the better part of life and see if it doesn't "rain" down on you throughout the day.
Do you get your news from the television or newspaper; perhaps the internet or radio, first thing in the morning, or are you one of these people who start their day out at 1000 by giving God the first few minutes of your day. He sure does make the day more tolerable when you take Him along with you, don't you think?
I just thought that was interesting. I normally seek out wise sayings (wisdom) from famous preachers that I am familiar with and tonight God opened another door, for just another "slice" of His wisdom from somewhere I would never thought of looking. I was impressed. In the morning, I plan to start my day out at 1000; how about you?
The Proverb goes on to say in verse 8 "Guarding the paths of justice, He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul..." So, here is a good place to drop a name and recommend a good book to go along with reading the Bible. Having a "Non-Curable" form of cancer, I read encouraging materials frequently and I found a wonderful book by Max Lucado titled "Facing Your Giants". I bought the book and then bought the book on CD so I could listen to it over and over again as I drive down the road. I can assure you, anyone facing life's difficulties, will be uplifted by his writing.
Would love to read your "feedback". Just click on comments at the end of this post.
Try reading a chapter from Proverbs each day. There are 31 so you can read through the book in a month and then start all over again.
Dave
I was listening to "The Savage Nation" with Michael Savage on the radio tonight and was a little surprised at the advice he was giving. He got my attention right away because he was discussing the advantages in reading the Bible when you get up in the morning. He commented on what we do when we rise from our sleep. Some will make coffee and sit and read the morning news in the newspaper or on the internet and this is how they will start their day. By doing so, his rational was that the spiritual day for this person would start out and continue at about an "80" throughout the day. Another person my get out of bed and go to the internet and turn on the porno right away and his day would start out at a zero (out of 1000 by the way) and that is how this persons spiritual day would continue (as a big zero). Another person may get up in the morning and pick up his bible and read something from God in the morning and his day would begin at 1000 and probably continue at that scale throughout the day.
All interesting statistics as he was talking about the dignity and integrity of the spiritual man in today's society. Realizing that we all have a spiritual component to our lives, Michael Savage, not known for his preaching, was offering this wisdom just as though it were from God's word Itself. Earlier I quoted Proverbs 2:1-7 and it seems to me that this was exactly what Michael Savage, a "mostly" political advisor, was trying to explain to his radio audience. I thought, "here's a man, not known for his spiritual expertise, telling us that we will gain more from the day if we are willing to invest some of our morning time to God and His Word. I have to admit, I was shocked. I was also, all ears because what he was sharing was the TRUTH as I see and read it from scripture. Even if we invest one or two minutes in the morning in God's Word, whether we completely understand what we are reading or not, we will come out of the day with a better, stronger spiritual perspective in life. So when the author of Proverbs was saying in verse 2, "Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding..." this is really what both the author and Mr Savage were talking about. Look for the better part of life and see if it doesn't "rain" down on you throughout the day.
Do you get your news from the television or newspaper; perhaps the internet or radio, first thing in the morning, or are you one of these people who start their day out at 1000 by giving God the first few minutes of your day. He sure does make the day more tolerable when you take Him along with you, don't you think?
I just thought that was interesting. I normally seek out wise sayings (wisdom) from famous preachers that I am familiar with and tonight God opened another door, for just another "slice" of His wisdom from somewhere I would never thought of looking. I was impressed. In the morning, I plan to start my day out at 1000; how about you?
The Proverb goes on to say in verse 8 "Guarding the paths of justice, He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul..." So, here is a good place to drop a name and recommend a good book to go along with reading the Bible. Having a "Non-Curable" form of cancer, I read encouraging materials frequently and I found a wonderful book by Max Lucado titled "Facing Your Giants". I bought the book and then bought the book on CD so I could listen to it over and over again as I drive down the road. I can assure you, anyone facing life's difficulties, will be uplifted by his writing.
Would love to read your "feedback". Just click on comments at the end of this post.
Try reading a chapter from Proverbs each day. There are 31 so you can read through the book in a month and then start all over again.
Dave
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Today I have "Seen" & "Read" Everything!
This afternoon, as I sat in the waiting room at my wife's doctors appointment, I picked up the August 27, 2007 Edition of Newsweek Magazine and read a story with the headline reading "BeliefWatch: Reincarnation -- China Regulates Buddhist Reincarnation" I have included the date of the article and the "by line' just so you don't think I've gone off the deep end myself. This is an actual story that someone in Newsweek Magazine authorized the waste of paper and ink on. And America is developing a "Problem" with Christianity! Wow!
By Matthew Philips
Newsweek
Aug. 20-27, 2007 issue - In one of history's more absurd acts of totalitarianism, China has banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission. According to a statement issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the law, which goes into effect next month and strictly stipulates the procedures by which one is to reincarnate, is "an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation." But beyond the irony lies China's true motive: to cut off the influence of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual and political leader, and to quell the region's Buddhist religious establishment more than 50 years after China invaded the small Himalayan country. By barring any Buddhist monk living outside China from seeking reincarnation, the law effectively gives Chinese authorities the power to choose the next Dalai Lama, whose soul, by tradition, is reborn as a new human to continue the work of relieving suffering.
Back to reality, please! Now if I understand this right, China has written a law that states that the next Dalai Lama, can only be reincarnated from within the confines of the country of China. I read several "posts" to this ridiculous article on the Internet and some were "witty" some concerning and others just down right funny. China's proposal, using the law, says that they are taking over the duties of the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob and no longer need His services as they have the ability to accomplish such a task as "Planting & Placing" a man's soul.
Here is a blog from a person simply known as Alistair which I thought was particularly funny and pointed...
"Chuckles... I can't really see there's any way they can begin to enforce this. I wonder how the monks themselves and the Dalai Lama feel? Maybe he will argue politically over it?
I can see the headline now. And the subsequent report.
Drama Lama Ding Dong!
In an amazing turn of events the Dalai Lama today revealed that, unless China releases its hold on Tibet, he plans to reincarnate, not in the east, but in a remote Swiss town!
Fears of a slaughter "en mass" of the kind not seen since Herod (allegedly) had away with first born babies in an attempt to kill off the King of the Jews before he got out of the manger manifested when, China moved to put a stop to reincarnation by banning it within Tibet without governmental permission!
The Dalai Lama issued a statement saying that, although he saw this as a classic example of the totalitarian regime Tibet is against, abiding by the laws of the land is something which has to be observed, so as to demonstrate that, it is possible to circumvent such things! "Switzerland is a well known neutral country and is ideal for the purposes of this." He also added in a characteristic show of humour that, "Because of their history with timekeeping, I can get my rebirth timed perfectly down to the last second".
A statement from a Chinese official on the Dalai's cunning plan to bypass these new laws read simply "It's not unusual in the world for a Lama to spit in the eye of those who wish to try to control it."
If this wasn't so serious it would actually be funny. Here we have a government (China) all away around the other side of the world, using government money, power and influence to determine, WHERE, WHEN, and WHO the soul of the next Dalai Lama will reincarnate into. Christians , PLEASE SPEAK UP! Do you see any 1st Century political similarities here? God help us to get OUT OF YOUR WAY before we screw something else up! My Bible says that God and God alone, breathed "life" into Adam and gave him his soul. Can we stand by and watch these "unlearned" go to hell because the believe in a tradition rather than a Savior? According to this story, Chinese Doctors would be standing in the "Delivery" rooms of hospitals watching for someone to "hand" the Dalai Lama's soul to. Can they get anymore arrogant?
Below this line is the entire story as it appeared in Newsweek in August 2007.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
China Regulates Buddhist Reincarnation
By Matthew Philips
Newsweek
Aug. 20-27, 2007 issue - In one of history's more absurd acts of totalitarianism, China has banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission. According to a statement issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the law, which goes into effect next month and strictly stipulates the procedures by which one is to reincarnate, is "an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation." But beyond the irony lies China's true motive: to cut off the influence of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual and political leader, and to quell the region's Buddhist religious establishment more than 50 years after China invaded the small Himalayan country. By barring any Buddhist monk living outside China from seeking reincarnation, the law effectively gives Chinese authorities the power to choose the next Dalai Lama, whose soul, by tradition, is reborn as a new human to continue the work of relieving suffering.
At 72, the Dalai Lama, who has lived in India since 1959, is beginning to plan his succession, saying that he refuses to be reborn in Tibet so long as it's under Chinese control. Assuming he's able to master the feat of controlling his rebirth, as Dalai Lamas supposedly have for the last 600 years, the situation is shaping up in which there could be two Dalai Lamas: one picked by the Chinese government, the other by Buddhist monks. "It will be a very hot issue," says Paul Harrison, a Buddhism scholar at Stanford. "The Dalai Lama has been the prime symbol of unity and national identity in Tibet, and so it's quite likely the battle for his incarnation will be a lot more important than the others."
So where in the world will the next Dalai Lama be born? Harrison and other Buddhism scholars agree that it will likely be from within the 130,000 Tibetan exiles spread throughout India, Europe and North America. With an estimated 8,000 Tibetans living in the United States, could the next Dalai Lama be American-born? "You'll have to ask him," says Harrison. If so, he'll likely be welcomed into a culture that has increasingly embraced reincarnation over the years. According to a 2005 Gallup poll, 20 percent of all U.S. adults believe in reincarnation. Recent surveys by the Barna Group, a Christian research nonprofit, have found that a quarter of U.S. Christians, including 10 percent of all born-again Christians, embrace it as their favored end-of-life view. A non-Tibetan Dalai Lama, experts say, is probably out of the question.
Maybe I'm missing something important...but this much I am well aware of. God is not the focus of this story and event, but rather mankind is the focus, and for their efforts, according to God's Holy Word, they will be judged!
Just Dave's Thoughts...
Monday, October 29, 2007
Tonight I Would Like Your Prayers!
I am not positive what is going on with me either emotionally or physically but as a special favor I would request that you pray for me. I have, for the most part, been extremely "up beat" about my prognosis over the last two plus years, with the Lymphoma and other difficulties that go along with it. And now I am experiencing some difficulties that seem to interfere with my everyday life and thought process. I've always felt that there is a "low level" depression that hangs around, even in people like me who accept and are happy with their fate (about God, that is). So there have been days lately that I have not been feeling like a "champion" as I usually do. Possibly more thinking about going into this phase of the cancer may have triggered some emotional uneasiness within my mind. I don't know but I recognize that it is there.
From a Biblical aspect, which is what I always try to achieve, I see Paul in the New Testament pleading with God on at least 3 different occasions to "remove the Thorn from his flesh". Few, if any of us has really grasped the true "Thorn" in Paul's flesh, but we know from reading the account that it is real and his pain is a "high priority" burden, and so we know his only place to discuss its possible future is with God. So after he has pleaded his case before God, then God's response is always "My grace is sufficient for you". Never does God say, I will consider it or perhaps "Look for the suffering to go away in 10 days" or anything like that. God simply leaves Paul with His best option "My grace is sufficient for your needs".
Now, in December I will undergo my final "Maintenance" chemotherapy treatment and after that we'll be in what the doctor refers to as a "wait and see" mode. In other words, there will be no aggressive action taken for my treatment when this chemo session ends but rather they will wait to hear from me when I become symptomatic once again. And naturally, my body doesn't want to go through that again so I say to God, Please God, take this burden from me. Lately my body has felt heavy, and very agitated, trouble with my legs remaining still so I can sleep through the night. That agitation is beginning to affect other parts of the body to the extent that I appear to be having severe agitation throughout my body, especially during the night time hours, when laying down trying to sleep. And quite honestly, all I can hear from God at this point is, "My grace is sufficient for your needs". I am very strong on faith and an extremely weak person when it comes to my physical needs. So tonight, I just want to ask you to pray. Pray sincerely that (because I already know God's answer) my physical strength and ability will "step up to the plate" and help me endure this difficulty with as little "blubbering" as possible. Pray that as I recognize the physical weariness from the disease, at that moment God will place someone Else's need in my mind and cause me to lift them up in prayer so that I am not thinking of my self. I am no hero here on this earth. I have never saved a child from a burning building or rescued a drowning victim just in the nick of time. I'm just the kind of Christian Man who wants to be called "A Man After God's Own Heart"
You see, from the beginning of my diagnosis, I have been aware that I cannot get through this on my own. I require faithful people like yourselves in serious prayer for my challenge (and BTW, anyone who does not realize this, these challenges take there toll on our relationships at home as well so please pray for my wife Barb). And by the way, there are others out there that need you just as bad.
God's Best Tonight,
From a Biblical aspect, which is what I always try to achieve, I see Paul in the New Testament pleading with God on at least 3 different occasions to "remove the Thorn from his flesh". Few, if any of us has really grasped the true "Thorn" in Paul's flesh, but we know from reading the account that it is real and his pain is a "high priority" burden, and so we know his only place to discuss its possible future is with God. So after he has pleaded his case before God, then God's response is always "My grace is sufficient for you". Never does God say, I will consider it or perhaps "Look for the suffering to go away in 10 days" or anything like that. God simply leaves Paul with His best option "My grace is sufficient for your needs".
Now, in December I will undergo my final "Maintenance" chemotherapy treatment and after that we'll be in what the doctor refers to as a "wait and see" mode. In other words, there will be no aggressive action taken for my treatment when this chemo session ends but rather they will wait to hear from me when I become symptomatic once again. And naturally, my body doesn't want to go through that again so I say to God, Please God, take this burden from me. Lately my body has felt heavy, and very agitated, trouble with my legs remaining still so I can sleep through the night. That agitation is beginning to affect other parts of the body to the extent that I appear to be having severe agitation throughout my body, especially during the night time hours, when laying down trying to sleep. And quite honestly, all I can hear from God at this point is, "My grace is sufficient for your needs". I am very strong on faith and an extremely weak person when it comes to my physical needs. So tonight, I just want to ask you to pray. Pray sincerely that (because I already know God's answer) my physical strength and ability will "step up to the plate" and help me endure this difficulty with as little "blubbering" as possible. Pray that as I recognize the physical weariness from the disease, at that moment God will place someone Else's need in my mind and cause me to lift them up in prayer so that I am not thinking of my self. I am no hero here on this earth. I have never saved a child from a burning building or rescued a drowning victim just in the nick of time. I'm just the kind of Christian Man who wants to be called "A Man After God's Own Heart"
You see, from the beginning of my diagnosis, I have been aware that I cannot get through this on my own. I require faithful people like yourselves in serious prayer for my challenge (and BTW, anyone who does not realize this, these challenges take there toll on our relationships at home as well so please pray for my wife Barb). And by the way, there are others out there that need you just as bad.
God's Best Tonight,
Thursday, October 25, 2007
What Have We Come Here For?
Tonight, for the FIRST TIME EVER in my life, we shared a fellowship with ALL of our children (3) and All of our grandchildren (4), all in the same house, in the same room (since Leo was born), gathered around on the couch and chairs, on the love seat and floors, just enjoying the company and fellowship of one another. There in a crowded living room, in my son's home, we all sat together talking and sharing love for each other. My son and two daughters, my two granddaughters and two grandsons all together for the first time ever in our lives. I didn't think much about the emotional impact until just a few minutes ago as I was laying in bed listening to worship music on my iPod.
I was reminded of a story in the Gospel of John when Jesus stooped down to the ground to write something in the dirt. There were a few "troublemakers" there taking issue with a young woman and making accusations about her and another man. Jesus simply stooped to the ground and starting writing in the dirt. The implication here is that some of the people there began to recognize their sin. Some, perhaps even recognizing their need for a savior. And without further argument they began to disburse from the scene starting with the oldest and working down to the youngest in the group. And this made me think, for even as "sweet" as the fellowship was, as historical as the gathering of our family was, did we recognize, in that small group, our sin? Did we acknowledge our need for a savior tonight as a family. I cannot honestly confess that we did, at least not me. Totally consumed in the event of my entire family all in one place for the first time ever, all I could think of was the joy in my heart for those that I love so much. I didn't take the time to spiritually rationalize our collective need for a savior, I just enjoyed the peace of the moment.
Of course, later on this evening, while listening to the worship music, I was reminded of what we are all here for. A beautiful song by Selah called "Wonderful, Merciful, Savior" was playing in my headphones and I closed my eyes to see the wonder of its message...
"You are the hope in our heart, Lord.
You are the one that we praise,
You are the one we adore,
You give the healing and grace, Lord,
that's all we've come here for!"
Almighty Omnipotent Father...here in our weakness,
You find us, falling before Your throne,
You are the one that we praise,
You are the one we adore,
You give us healing and grace,
that's all we've come here for."
These are a couple of the verses of the song but how strong it was tonight.
My thoughts drifted back to the story of the woman caught in adultery, and the men who stood around her. Those men knew from the beginning what they had come there for, but I can't help wonder if their thoughts on that subject changed as the event progressed. As they recognized their sin is it possible that some of them gave new wonder to what they were there for?
I am a fortunate man. My son and both of my daughters know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they guide, and I am sure will continue to guide their children (my grandchildren) toward the same knowledge of Jesus Christ in their lives.
So what did we come there for? Of course, we all wanted to wish Mom/Grandma well on her birthday celebration, and for the first time, we all gathered around and welcomed our new grandson into the fold and I am sure tonight, even though there was no exhaustive talk about spiritual matters, the entire family knew exactly "what we came there for"
Thank you, Selah, for the reminder.
I was reminded of a story in the Gospel of John when Jesus stooped down to the ground to write something in the dirt. There were a few "troublemakers" there taking issue with a young woman and making accusations about her and another man. Jesus simply stooped to the ground and starting writing in the dirt. The implication here is that some of the people there began to recognize their sin. Some, perhaps even recognizing their need for a savior. And without further argument they began to disburse from the scene starting with the oldest and working down to the youngest in the group. And this made me think, for even as "sweet" as the fellowship was, as historical as the gathering of our family was, did we recognize, in that small group, our sin? Did we acknowledge our need for a savior tonight as a family. I cannot honestly confess that we did, at least not me. Totally consumed in the event of my entire family all in one place for the first time ever, all I could think of was the joy in my heart for those that I love so much. I didn't take the time to spiritually rationalize our collective need for a savior, I just enjoyed the peace of the moment.
Of course, later on this evening, while listening to the worship music, I was reminded of what we are all here for. A beautiful song by Selah called "Wonderful, Merciful, Savior" was playing in my headphones and I closed my eyes to see the wonder of its message...
"You are the hope in our heart, Lord.
You are the one that we praise,
You are the one we adore,
You give the healing and grace, Lord,
that's all we've come here for!"
Almighty Omnipotent Father...here in our weakness,
You find us, falling before Your throne,
You are the one that we praise,
You are the one we adore,
You give us healing and grace,
that's all we've come here for."
These are a couple of the verses of the song but how strong it was tonight.
My thoughts drifted back to the story of the woman caught in adultery, and the men who stood around her. Those men knew from the beginning what they had come there for, but I can't help wonder if their thoughts on that subject changed as the event progressed. As they recognized their sin is it possible that some of them gave new wonder to what they were there for?
I am a fortunate man. My son and both of my daughters know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they guide, and I am sure will continue to guide their children (my grandchildren) toward the same knowledge of Jesus Christ in their lives.
So what did we come there for? Of course, we all wanted to wish Mom/Grandma well on her birthday celebration, and for the first time, we all gathered around and welcomed our new grandson into the fold and I am sure tonight, even though there was no exhaustive talk about spiritual matters, the entire family knew exactly "what we came there for"
Thank you, Selah, for the reminder.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
I am so very thankful!
Last week we completed our 3rd Annual "Light The Night" fundraiser and walk for Lymphoma and Leukemia and as always, it was a great success. Our family has raised at least $1000 each year for research and awareness. All of my local family was there and participated and donated to my cause. From the stage over the last three years now I have heard the phrase "Every 5 minutes someone is diagnosed with Lymphoma or some type of blood cancer, and every 10 minutes someone loses their battle". That is a hard statistic to stare at especially when the disease is within your own body, however, with the support I have received from my family and so many people who love me, my attitude has gotten stronger and stronger. This was the first year that I personally was not able to complete the walk, but it was because of the problems with my back and not the Lymphoma that kept me from the task.
I know that God has a wonderful plan for my life and some very WONDERFUL moments have ushered their way into my life after my initial diagnosis. What do I think this means for me? Well, I am very optimistic about the future as far as this disease is concerned. In fact, I feel more confident that I can win this battle than I do in seeing our world survive the chaos it now finds itself in. At any rate, my prayer to our Heavenly Father is always "Maranatha" (Come Quickly, Lord Jesus). The sooner Jesus returns for His Church, the less difficulties we all encounter each and every day while we are here. So, does this make you think within yourself, "Do I have my heavenly reservation?" If not, it may be a good time to do some research and discover that God really loves you and has a tremendous plan for your life also. The Bible says in Romans 10:9 "If we confess with our mouths Jesus as Lord, and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we SHALL be saved." This is naturally a promise that only God can make. Do you live your life in sin and deciept continually. If so, a seed has just been planted in your heart and it will begin to grow and help convict you of your sin, and when that happens, you next step will be to stand and confess that as sin and ask God for forgiveness for that sin and invite him to move into the recesses of your heart and allow the Holy Spirit to take over the control of your life. Time to surrender to someone; might as well be the God of glory.
Once you have confessed and surrendered your life to God's control, you need do nothing more than follow His spirit as He guides your life each and every day. Listen close and the Spirit of God will continually direct you straight to God and he will help you "shed" the pounds and pounds of guilt and shame as you approach Our Lord Jesus Christ. And don't be surprised that when you complete this journey you find yourself right in front of a "Bible Believing" "Bible Teaching Church. Just pledge to confess you sin and follow His leadership and you will see some pretty amazing things transpire in your life. Get yourself a good bible translation (I'm partial to the New American Standard Open Bible, mine put together by a group from Campus Crusade For Christ many many years ago. Find whatever is easy to understand and grow from there.
And so to close, if you prayed to receive Jesus within this blog, you can have the assurance of knowing that you are as "SAVED" and Billy Graham, the Evangelist. Take your new found freedom to the streets and highways of life and be sure to share it with others.
Finally the God of the Bible says; "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Believe in your heart and dwell on it constantly. God will come close to you and soon you will be communing with God. Please let me know how it goes.
Do you have this disease? Call me and I will talk to you about it. Call 623-512-5842 or email me at dstallings2@qwest.net
I love you all,
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