Chasing My Tail

Cesar Milan, noted “dog whisperer” says dogs often chase their tails as a sign of boredom and harm themselves by biting them out of habit. I see a parallel to cancer here. Shortly after receiving my metastatic cancer diagnosis a friend had sent me a book describing how to beat cancer without using any conventional therapies: no radiation, chemo, etc. Simply employ a certain type of diet and exercise and the cancer would beat a hasty retreat… for a time. What I took from the book of course was the [always] good advice to eat healthy – definitely no harm in that! I did however have to put the book down about 2/3 of the way through, realizing I was making an idol of this book and placing it far above my hope in Jesus. I was no longer following hard after Jesus; I was chasing cancer’s tail.

Again I repeat, we all want to live as long as possible. My son plans to at long last marry by the end of this year. I definitely want to live long enough to see that blessed event and hopefully the fruit of the union – grandchildren. I have to ask myself though, at what cost? To make myself and everyone around me miserable with extraordinary dietary demands that costs an exorbitant amount of money? (There could be other costs, less tangible.) I speak from experience on that, having exchanged the peace of Christ, where there is “no shadow of turning” (James 1:17) for the riches of this world that fall away and perish. When King Hezekiah was on his deathbed, Isaiah the prophet was sent to tell him he had fifteen more years. Ecstatic about the news, he immediately went out and made a foolish choice. Sadly, his last years proved to be the most trying of Hezekiah’s life! (Isaiah 39) The Lord God always has the very best plans for us.

Too often we want the security of the Christian life, but don't want to surrender “our way” of dealing with issues even if it displeases the Lord or results in our harm. Let’s consider a biblical example. When his kingdom was slipping through his hands King Saul was desperate for answers and consulted a medium, perhaps thinking anything would do, so long as he found out what he needed to know. (1 Samuel 28:2-12) One way we can end up mimicking Saul is when we practice any form of eastern mediation in hopes of overcoming a problem. Seriously think on this. The Lord doesn't want us to open our mind to “Satan (who) transforms himself into an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14) The Lord does want us to be filled with those things which glorify Him, things that are “noble, just, pure, lovely, whatever things are of good report…" Anything praiseworthy—He says; meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)  

So interesting – I was just reading a book on cancer by an M.D. who stated that wanting an immediate fix of any kind may not be the best thing for us. It can even make us worse off than before because we still haven’t allowed ourselves to go through emotional experiences associated with cancer. More on that later, but in the meantime would anyone disagree that scarred skin is tougher than natural skin? Those trials we endure shape our character and make us more resilient. The apostle Peter was inspired to put it this way…”that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ…(1 Peter 1:7) Awesome!

Some dogs can chase their tales to exhaustion. This is true for some people too – especially when suffering from the duress of a trial such as cancer. There is an innate desire to live. As a Christian, however, I want to urge anyone who will listen to remember our last breath here is only the beginning, so let's not spend our time chasing our tails.  It can simply wear you out. (I can't be the only one who s guilty of that.) 

May this excerpt from Hebrews 11 be a blessed reminder to continue chasing hard after our Lord! “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”(Hebrews 11:13-16) 

For more posts from Comfort in Christ Cancer Support go to http://comfortinchristcancersupport.blogspot.com/

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Correction Please

This morning, my mind traversed back to times when getting bad news meant going it alone. Of course before coming to know Jesus as Lord and Savior all bets were off in terms of successfully riding out a storm. My boat, let’s say kept banging into the same big rock, hoping for different results. Once I began to start knowing “the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10) along with the fellowship of His sufferings,” light began trickling into dark places. An endless journey of beginning to understand God’s Word had started as He put people in my life that truly had a relationship with Him. These people weren’t floundering on the waves, but were ashore and firmly anchored in the truth of Christ Jesus. I was overwhelmed by their care and concern not only for me but for the Lord; to honor Him above all by striving to get correct understanding of His Truth. 

This side of heaven will always include struggling with the flesh and falling short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:20) Part of successfully navigating the waters of life entails surrendering insurmountable expectations to Jesus. God knows our frame and remembers we are all but dust. (Psalm 103:14) Surrendering self to the Lord is a daily process and is sometimes aided by the help of godly people, which is so important. As a new believer, after having spent so much time with the attitude of ‘what’s in it for me?’ a quick infusion of spiritual milk was needed – proper training in how to study the Word of God. Twenty years later I’m happy to say the hunger and thirst for such wisdom hasn't diminished and pray cancer never wears down the desire to get it right for Christ. Much esteem for God’s truth remains because He has helped me beyond measure to receive biblical correction when needed.

It’s not easy to be reined in, to accept discipline, correction or instruction in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Yet how true it is: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” (Proverbs 27:6) Anyone sincerely trying to help me may inflict pain as they deliver biblical instruction but it is for the greater good; to better know Jesus Christ. As they say however “this bread slices both ways.” No one should be above reproach or correction. Any brother or sister in Christ should be able to sound the warning bell in a believer’s life to keep them from harm, from going the wrong way.

We, who are dealing with cancer, may have very well heard “bad news” more than once. If we have established ourselves with belief in the biblical definition of Jesus Christ, His Gospel for our salvation; bad news should be more easily absorbed or maybe deflected?The ones who have surrendered to Jesus Christ can be certain that no matter what happens their eternal destiny has been sealed. We know Jesus is the One who will always be there and never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 11:8) Whatever it takes let’s willingly accept the correction He lovingly gives.

For more posts from Comfort in Christ Cancer Support go to http://comfortinchristcancersupport.blogspot.com/

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Things Unseen

At our last support group meeting at church we spent quite a bit of time talking about the importance of keeping our eyes on the things unseen, which is so contrary to the desires of our flesh. Yet the Scriptures teach: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)”

Think about the context and content of those words. In the throes of cancer treatments we have an all too deep familiarity with the fact that the “outward man is perishing.” Lost hair, lost grip, lost organs; whatever the case may be, we’re trying to slow death through a powerful weapon. The benefits outweigh the risk with the hope someday a doctor will say “it’s all gone.” Even if cancer wasn’t a factor in our lives, the truth is since the fall of Adam the world has been a broken place. Life expectancy was once in the hundreds of years and now we average no more than 80 years. Though the universe was perfectly designed by our Creator Jesus, sin came in to spoil the plan. Despite what man did to pollute perfection, Jesus continues to hold all things seen together in harmony, until He comes again when He will to “bring all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:21)

Satan the enemy of our souls seeks to distract us from following the Lord by getting stuck looking at the physical world and activities that don’t come easy anymore. I propose we look at our calamity as a blessing and fulfillment of this passage from 2 Corinthians. Seriously – what is happening to us is producing so much more than we’re losing. That “eternal weight of glory” is immeasurable, indescribable, and unfathomable. To get a glimpse of it, allow God to use the cancer diagnosis to reach other people around you and see what happens. As you keep your mind on the Word of God, the eternal dwelling place of the Christian, in the presence of the Living God, there will be little energy left for self-absorption.

Elisha the prophet had a servant who was intimidated the sight of the enemy army. Elisha reassured him, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." (2 Kings 6:16) Then Elisha prayed to the God of Heaven to open the eyes of the servant so he could see that there were horses and “chariots of fire” all around (Elisha). The book of Hebrews (Ch 12) says that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, referring to all the saints who went before us and are now with the Lord. Countless saints of no reputation, people whose lives were sealed for the day of redemption by the blood of the lamb. (Ephesians 4:30) Many endured unspeakable acts for the cause of Christ and they are there with Him cheering us on as we deny ourselves for the sake of our Lord.

Fellow believer: let us keep our attention on the only thing, he only one deserving of all glory, honor and praise as we look forward to the Day when we will see Him as He is – face to face! (1 John 3:2)

For more posts from Comfort in Christ Cancer Support go to http://comfortinchristcancersupport.blogspot.com/

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We'll Just Keep Walking...

What happens to us when we die? There’s nothing to fear for the Christian. Though some world religions teach that man just disappears upon death, the Bible teaches we are eternal beings and we have a desire to live forever. (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Those who deny the existence of God quite often also deny the reality of heaven and of hell as taught in the scriptures. Hell was prepared as the everlasting residence “for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41) Why unbelieving people would spend eternity there, might be best understood simply as “why not?” Those who reject God their whole life through are already on their way to this terrible place, are they not; by choice?

It is hell to be separated from God, to live in darkness, to scorn the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Given careful thought, seeing how determined the heart can be to maintain that wall of separation why would the Lord God interfere and usurp human will to force anyone to go to heaven? After clearly explaining in Romans chapter 3, that no one is good enough to earn their way to heaven, the apostle Paul clarifies how one gains admittance; by faith in the righteousness of Jesus Christ…by faith in what He did on the cross at Calvary. Paul explains in Romans 4, the patriarch Abraham believed in the promises of God and was “fully convinced in his own mind” that (God) was able to perform what He had promised. (Romans 4:19-22) God did it! God did it all!

Yes, we want to live forever. In certain quarters it’s taught or promoted that enough faith in techniques, programs, methodical rituals or mantras will allow us to escape health problems. In this leg of the journey with cancer in the picture, it’s so much more realistic for me to aspire to complete surrender to God’s power and promises. In fact I would submit looking forward to the Lord showing Himself strong takes more faith than any suggested agenda man may teach. As a believer in Jesus Christ I know that my life is hid with God in Christ (Colossians 3:3). The Lord knows “the measure of our days” (Psalm 39:4) and He has promised when those who’ve followed Him reach the end of their days on earth they will immediately be where He is forever. In heaven there is no death – no crying or pain. The former things have passed away – “all things have become new.” (Revelation 21) Ascension to heaven upon death isn’t based on wishful thinking but rather the fact that Christ alone paid the whole price the sins of the world on the cross.

I’ve been walking with the Lord now for about 20 years, through highs and lows; ups and downs.  I’ve been emphatically reminded time after time that He has never left me or forsaken me. (Hebrews 13:5) Entering the holiness of heaven is just another step along the way and we’ll just keep walking – Jesus and me forever and ever.

For more posts from Comfort in Christ Cancer Support go to http://comfortinchristcancersupport.blogspot.com/

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