Relapse then Recovery-from November 18, 2008
I had a brief chocolate relapse, but I have recovered and I am ready to move on. The missing body parts and the additional cancer (lymphoma) kind of sank in at some point yesterday. I am so thankful that the replacement chest is already in progress and that it looks pretty good. That definitely helps.
The lymphoma has hit home a bit more because in the past week, I started having the night sweats which are one of a list of B symptoms which they look at to decide when you need chemo. My hopes had been to have chemo years and years down the road or not at all. The bone marrow biopsy is also looming in next month’s hematology appointment. That was the only thing my father complained about as being painful during his whole lymphoma illness.
Okay, enough of that. I am only mentioning it for you prayer warriors. I am so grateful for your battle on my behalf. Please keep the insurance payment in prayer also. Bills are trickling in and are over $100 K without the surgeon.
These things are not actually giants in God’s view and I pray to see like Joshua or Caleb. I pray to see God’s power and his promises. Which leads me to the subject which I said I would address this time: God’s Creative Power for Healing by Charles Capps.
This little booklet was sent to me by a prayer warrior from church. It struck me so hard that I immediately ordered 20 to give out to others.
The reason this affected me so much is that it seems profound to me in the way Elijah House is earth shaking. If you think about Jesus and the cross, there were 3 simple words that he said before he died. “It is finished.” The 2 main goals of his death on the cross were to take all of our sins and to take all of our diseases. He pronounced it done–paid in full.
Yet, if you look at our spirits and souls there is still plenty of sin on each of us. We are stuck. If we are in the church, we can be branded as “hypocrites “and outside of the church “human”. None of us would deign to call ourselves perfect. So why is not our sin all crucified on the cross? Elijah House addresses this issue. I have spoken of this in previous blogs and will do so again many times.
Charles Capps speaks to this same subject as related to our diseases. Why are they still on our bodies and not on the cross? God’s promises on this subject are amazing. (Psalm 91, Psalm 107, Prov. 4, Prov. 12, Prov. 15, Prov. 16,, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 55, Isaiah 57, Mat. 8, Mark 5, Mark 9, Mark 11, Luke 6, Luke 17, John 6, John 15, John 10, John 14, 1 Cor. 6, Heb. 11, James 3, James 1, 1 Pet. 2,). And these are just a sampling.
These verses are actually unbelievable. Therein lies the problem. Our hearts and minds don’t believe these promises, much less have our bodies absorbed these truths. Capps says that you can take God’s word just like you would take medicine. Speak the promises out loud to your body 3 times a day just like you would take a pill. His idea is that you will eventually develop a faith, not just an intellectual assent or belief.
I am approaching this knowing how little faith I actually have. The scriptures are full of people with varying degrees of faith. Those who grew in faith seemed to do so by focusing on the object of their faith–God. He showed himself faithful so they trusted him more and more until they had unbelievable faith.
God has this kind of track record with me. Utterly trustworthy! So as the father of the sick boy said in Mark 9: “I believe, help my unbelief.” He is an amazing God who deserves amazing faith from his followers.
I speak out my faith in this amazing God. With God all things are possible. I will not worry about anything but in everything by prayers and supplications with thanksgiving will make all my requests known to God. And the peace which passes all understanding will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. I will think on what is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent, praiseworthy, and the God of peace will be with me. (Phil. 4)
We do believe, God. Help our unbelief! Amen.
