A Bible devotional to give hope to people with ALS or other terminal illnesses, or anyone else who needs it.
Author: Wade McRoberts
I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. I graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1976 and served in the Air Force for 29 years. I flew the A-7D, the A-10A, the F-117A, and the F-16C. After retirement in 2005, I worked as a defense contractor. I was diagnosed with ALS in April, 2018. I received my tracheostomy in December, 2019, and have been breathing with the aid of a ventilator since. I have lost total use of my limbs, and write using a tablet with eye-gaze technology. I want to share my journey with you and share the hope that I have in the Lord Jesus!
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. (Romans 12:18, NASB)
The Bible tells us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” (Psalm 122:6) Indeed we should. This is God’s Town. This is the site where God chose for King Solomon to build His Temple, His dwelling place among His people, Israel. We’re also called to seek justice and peace wherever and however we can.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:22-26, NASB)
In his letter to the Galatian church, the Apostle Paul speaks of the “fruit of the Spirit.” At a Bible study years ago, someone pointed out that it’s not the “fruits” of the Spirit, but rather the singular, “fruit” of the Spirit. This means that the Jesus-follower is to display ALL the traits listed, not just some. I can’t practice patience and kindness and yet hold back love and joy. I have to practice the whole package.
The text above is part of a discussion on walking “in the Spirit.” I think to walk in the Spirit means that I not forget that I’m carrying the Holy Spirit with me everywhere I go. My body is the Tabernacle of a member of the Holy Trinity, and I should act accordingly so as not to defile this Temple. But Paul says if we walk in the Spirit, then we “will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” He explains that the flesh is at war with the Spirit. Paul lists the “deeds of the flesh”: “immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.” He warns us that “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
On the other hand, Paul contrasts the deeds of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and ] self-control.” He further explains that people who’ve decided to follow Jesus have “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” In other words, they have put all the deeds of the flesh in the past. There is no turning back. When we say we walk in the Spirit, we must walk the talk. One final warning from Paul: “Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.” More deeds of the flesh!
Walking in the Spirit, practicing and displaying the fruit of the Spirit, is one way people will know we have Jesus. We have to put the deeds of the flesh in the past. By these, followers of Jesus will demonstrate to Whom we belong (Remember: It’s not who you are, but Whose you are!)!
For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name. He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. (Deuteronomy 10:17-21, NASB)
In this chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses is talking to his people. He continues recounting the events from leaving Egypt through their wandering in the desert. They’re poised to cross the Jordan River to enter the land that God had promised them. Now Moses is reminding them to serve God and God alone.
Moses reminds the Israelites just Who God is: He’s “the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God.” Moses also describes Him: He’s fair (“does not show partiality”); God is completely honest (” . . . nor take a bribe”); He is just to the downtrodden (“He executes justice for the orphan and the widow”); and God loves everyone (” . . . and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing”). In other words, God is not like us. He is God. And He is worthy of our praise.
Next, Moses gives instructions. Since God provides for the alien, so should the Israelites. After all, they were aliens in Egypt. Next, they are to fear the Lord, serve Him, cling to Him, and swear by His name. Finally, Moses reminds his people that God is their praise, and He is their God. He reminds them of the miraculous wonders God performed for them to get them out of Egypt, and to sustain them on their journey through the desert.
The descriptions of God, and the commands Moses gave to the Israelites still apply to us today. They are timeless, as is God. He never changes. Indeed, we should fear God (“fear” means a healthy respect like no other). We should serve Him wherever and however we can. We should cling to Him, because He is fair, honest, just, and loving like no other. While others will fail us God never will. He is trustworthy. Have you placed your trust in Him?
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. (Ephesians 5:25-31, NASB)
Today is Valentines Day. I’m told it’s all about love. Paul has a lot to say about love in his letter to the church at Ephesus. Specifically, he writes about how we should conduct ourselves in marriage.
He tells us husbands that we should love our wives. How much? There are actually two comparisons to the answer: First, we’re to love our wives “just as Christ also loved the church.” And second, “as their own bodies.”
The first idea is that we should love our wives “just as Christ also loved the church.” And how much does Christ love the church? Paul answers that when he says that Christ “gave Himself up for her.” Jesus submitted Himself to horrific torture and crucifixion for His church, and for you and me. This is the kind of sacrifice we should be willing to make for our wives. Further, Jesus sanctified the church, and cleansed her, so “that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” As far as the parallel with marriage, I think this means we’re to treat our wives with the utmost love, and that they’re the most important blessing in our earthly life.
“So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies.” Paul explains that the husband who loves his wife also loves himself; that no one ever hated his own body, but takes care of it; and that Christ also takes the same care of the church, because we’re all “members of His body.” “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
Fellow husbands, how do we apply all this? Paul says we’re to do the impossible. No mortal is capable of loving his wife “just as Christ also loved the church.” His is a perfect love: “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) Although impossible to emulate, this is the ideal for which we’re to strive.
My pastor, Grant Etheridge, and his wife Tammy, put on a marriage seminar a few years ago. It was on Wednesday nights and lasted several weeks. Liberty Baptist Church was filled to the rafters each night for the duration. There are two takeaways I remember especially from Pastor Grant: The first is that your spouse should be your best friend. The second, marriage is not a competition–but we should try and serve the other as best we can.
Best friend: Of course, this makes perfect sense. Why else would you marry the other person? This reminds me of how I should treat my wife. “Is this how I should treat my best friend?” Or, “I can’t believe I just did that to my best friend (followed by an apology!)!”
Service: I’ll just give an example: Sue loves to wake up with a cup of coffee. I love Sue. Therefore, I used to make coffee and bring it to her (I don’t drink coffee) until I could no longer climb the stairs.
So husbands are to love their wives. The ideal is to copy the way Christ loves His church. I think St. Valentines Day and wedding anniversaries are good times to reflect on that. So Sue, Happy Valentines Day. God willing, for next Valentines Day, I will be here.
. . . according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. (Philippians 1:20-24, NASB)
The Apostle Paul writes of a dilemma: He doesn’t know whether it’s better to be alive, or to die. For those of us who are terminal, it’s an interesting question to ponder.
Paul, in another excerpt from his letter to the Philippian church, begins by stating that no matter what happens, he doesn’t want to be put to shame, but rather that Jesus would be glorified by everything he does. This includes whether he lives or dies.
Paul goes on and writes of his predicament: ” . . . to live is Christ, to die is gain.” Ponder this: If Paul continues on in this world, he has Jesus. But if he dies, his “gain” is that he has Jesus for eternity. He says he doesn’t “know which to choose.”
Alive, he speaks of “fruitful labor.” God commissioned him to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles, and that’s what he’s been doing, and will continue to do. He stresses at the end of the passage that it’s better for the Philippians that he remain in this world. He could continue to teach them. But dead, and he could go to be physically with Jesus forever. Hence the quandary.
I often wonder which would be the better choice. Here on earth, I’ve got Jesus. When I die, I’ll be with Jesus for eternity. Ultimately it’s up to God the Father. He has numbered my days. While I’m here, it’s up to me to love God and love other people. As we used to say in the Air Force, I’m “present for duty.” I don’t know how many more days I’ll be here, but every morning I ask God to help me make the most of my day, to give me the strength to do what He wants me to do, and that I’ll work for His glory.
It’s great to have Jesus both here on earth, and there in heaven forever. Do you have Him?
. . . 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 torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10,NASB)
Apostle Paul writes about a “thorn in the flesh” in his second letter to the church at Corinth. Bible scholars don’t know for sure what the “thorn” was, but Paul explains why he got it: To keep him humble.
Earlier in the same chapter, Paul explains that some time ago he’d been caught up to heaven. During this trip to “Paradise [he] heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.” He writes that he does not want to boast about himself, “so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.” Not everyone gets to go to heaven, and it’s certainly a rarity for someone to get to do it while still alive. It’s rare enough that such a traveler would be tempted to boast. But Paul writes that he would rather boast in his weaknesses. HUH?
To keep him from exalting himself, Paul received “a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me.” He writes that he asked the Lord to remove it, but Jesus replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Paul writes that he would prefer to boast in his weaknesses “so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” He says he’s content with weaknesses and other negative things in his life, “for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
The thorn in Paul’s flesh is interesting to me. It teaches me that God doesn’t heal everyone. God uses our situations for His purposes and for His glory. I don’t know why He doesn’t heal my ALS. He does. As I wait for healing, it’s up to me to love God, and love other people. Like Paul, I’ve asked God to remove the thorn in my flesh. Like Paul, God has denied my request. Perhaps the reason God rejected Paul’s plea was to teach us this lesson, and to teach us about strength through weakness.
I identify with Paul about weakness. I think today I’m physically as weak as ever, but tomorrow I’ll be even more so. It’s the nature of my disease. Before my diagnosis, my body was growing weaker. I thought I needed to be more consistent going to the gym! But it’s the gradual deterioration associated with ALS. But Jesus told Paul that His grace is enough; that “power is perfected in weakness.” Paul concludes this portion when he writes, “when I am weak, then I am strong.”
An Air Force Academy classmate, and one of my best friends, has consistently told me since my diagnosis, “Be strong!” Very encouraging! But more encouraging to me is knowing that Jesus’ power is perfected in my weakness. And like Paul, I can say, “When I am weak, then I am strong!”
God, please give me the strength I need to do what You want me to do today. I pray that everything I do will be acceptable in Your sight, would be a soothing aroma to You, and would be to Your glory. When I am weak, then I am strong. In Jesus’ name, Who perfects the power in my weakness, Amen.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7, NASB)
Rejoice? Rejoice always? Doesn’t He know I have ALS? Yes, God is omniscient, knows all and sees all, so apparently He knows that I would rather not be in this situation. Yet despite our circumstances, God expects us to rejoice. He wants us to rejoice in Himself, and to do it always. The Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Philippi, thought that this point was so important, he repeated it: ” . . . again I will say, rejoice!”
I was reading through Philippians as part of a study on Paul’s letters, and it struck me that the entire epistle is a treasure trove of foundational principles for the church. “Rejoicing always” is just one. Paul was an excellent example of one who displayed an attitude of rejoicing no matter the circumstances. He had been persecuted for his faith, survived stoning, been shipwrecked, and even wrote this letter from a Roman prison. He had sufficient reason to complain, yet his message here is “rejoice always!” Who am I to do otherwise? Philippians 4:4 image. Found at DailyVerses.net, https://dailyverses.net/search/Rejoice/niv/nkjv
Paul goes on to say that we should display a “gentle spirit” to everyone, because “the Lord is near.” Since Paul is writing to believers, the Lord is near, all right! The Holy Spirit indwells us, and we are His Tabernacle! A gentle spirit is one way we can make Him feel welcome in His Temple, of not defiling it.
And finally in this paragraph, “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Like “rejoicing always,” being “anxious for nothing” is a tall order for anyone! But the common denominator is God. We’re to “rejoice always in the Lord,” and likewise let our “requests be made known to God.” Those requests must be made “with thanksgiving,” which to me, is also a key element of being able to rejoice always!
What’s the result of all this (“rejoice always,” “your gentle spirit,” and being “anxious for nothing”)? “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I don’t know about you, but I could always use some of that kind of peace–the peace that will guard my heart and my mind “in Christ Jesus”!
The key to rejoicing always is God. We all have difficulties, but the one thing we can rejoice in is the Lord. He sent His Son, and faith in Jesus means everlasting life. God has promised that, and He’s in the business of keeping promises. He never fails. Likewise, the key to being anxious for nothing is also God. With thanksgiving, we’re to make our requests known to Him. I can’t say I always have an attitude of rejoicing. Nor can I say I never get anxious. But with God’s help (He’s not finished with me yet!), and with an attitude of gratitude, I’m working on it, and He’s working on me!
Worship: “Again I Say Rejoice,” by Israel Houghton
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11, NASB, emphasis mine)
Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church at Philippi, expresses his desire that the people of the church would grow to have the same attitude as Jesus. The idea is that all followers of Jesus would do the same. That includes us today. And what is the attitude of Christ Jesus? It’s humility.
Did you hear about the guy who wrote a book on humility? “Ten Steps to Humility, and How I Achieved It In Seven.”
Paul says that Jesus had the form of God, but He did not regard it as “a thing to be grasped.” Instead, Jesus left the majesty and comfort of His heavenly home, humbled Himself and took the form of a man. Paul goes further and says He became a servant. Imagine: The God of the universe took the form of His subjects, reached down to them to save them, and even became a servant to them. God loves us so much He sent His Son to die for us and forgive our sins.
Paul goes on to say that Jesus “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” He did so willingly, and He did so for you and for me! Why? Love.
Because of Jesus’ humility and obedience, God the Father “highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.” Further, “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, . . . and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Why? ” . . . to the glory of God the Father.”
One day in the future, God will gather every person who has ever lived, and every person will bow the knee to His Son, and acknowledge Him as Lord of all. Those who have done so before that gathering will be invited to spend eternity in heaven, in fellowship with God Himself. If you have not done so, would you invite Jesus to be the Lord of your life? He humbled Himself and became like us, and wants to have fellowship with us. He’s calling to those who are lost.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kxwzmr_aWx8
Worship: “He is Lord,” The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25, NASB)
This verse is the last in the book of Judges. It’s also the theme of the book. It’s repeated a couple other times previously. I read Judges recently as I’m walking through the Bible. It hit me that in the United States today we’re seeing much of the same scenario being played out.
Ancient Israel, before they had kings, was trapped in a vicious cycle of lawlessness. God warned Israel, through His servants Moses and Joshua, that He was their God, and that they should not worship the idol gods of the surrounding nations. He warned Israel that should they fail to heed His warnings, they would be subject to occupation by these nations, and eventually, deportation to foreign lands.
The cycle, as described in Judges, was like so: Israel would forget their God, and worship the idols. God would then remove His protection from Israel, and they would be occupied by other nations, such as Philistia. The people would then cry out to God, Who would hear and have mercy on His people. God would then appoint a judge, who would deliver Israel from the bondage of occupation. Eventually the people would forget the Lord their God, and start the cycle again. This happened many times, over and over again.
There’s a problem with our doing “what [is] right in [our] own eyes”: It leads to lawlessness. Whether we’re talking about God’s law or civil law, when people decide to do their own thing, it leads to societal breakdown and chaos. Israel paid for ignoring God’s law by losing her independence, and losing God’s favor. We’re paying for it in our Nation today.
People are doing what is right in their own eyes. We’re fast becoming a lawless society. Our borders are nonexistent. Our lawmakers pass laws, but then enforcement of those laws is deemed “racist.” District attorneys make lists of crimes they will not prosecute. Murder rates are at levels not seen in years. The news programs show brazen acts of shoplifting that will go unpunished. Respect for our police officers goes down while violence against them goes up. Criminals are released from prison years early, then go on to commit other violent crimes.
Over the years we’ve succeeded in removing God from the public square. There can be no good from that! As in ancient Israel, we ignore God at our peril. God eventually removes His blessings and protection from those who don’t want them. He does exactly what we request when we don’t want Him. I pray for revival in our Nation, for a third Great Awakening, where people turn back to God.
Those who are Jesus-followers have dual citizenship. We’re not only citizens of the United States, but the Bible tells us we’re citizens of Heaven. As we’re passing through this life, we’re to seek justice and peace, and pray for those in authority so that we’ll have a tranquil life. As I look forward to the hope of my heavenly home, my prayers are for people to know Jesus. If we follow His teaching (love God, and love people), then we’ll be all right!
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:34-36, NASB)
” . . . and the truth will make you free.” Jesus had just finished talking with some Jews about how to find the truth, and that once they had found it, they would be free. (see “Truth” from January 24, 2022) They’re incensed, because as they explain to Jesus, they are descendants of Abraham, and have never been anybody’s slaves. How dare Jesus imply they needed to be freed? That’s where the text above begins.
Jesus explains what they don’t understand: That they are sinners, and because they sin, they are slaves to sin. The Bible tells us that we are all sinners. For us to have a relationship with God, Who is holy, and can’t tolerate sin anywhere near Him, there must be a way for us to repent. A way of reconciliation with Him.
Jesus goes on to further explain: He says that the slave (that’s the people He’s talking with, and US!) doesn’t remain in a household forever, and doesn’t figure in to the master’s inheritance; but the son (that’s Jesus) does. He uses a construct they all understand (a slave vs. the son, and heir to the master’s estate) to differentiate between the sinner and the One Who offers forgiveness of sins.
Jesus concludes by telling them, “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” Jesus can break the chains of sin. He, and He alone, provides the way for us to be reconciled with the Holy God, and to spend eternity in fellowship with Him. Has Jesus set you free? All you have to do is ask Him.
Image from Kyiv. Victor, Daniel. “How do You Pronounce ‘Kyiv’?” From The New York Times, 25 January 2022. Found at https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/25/world/europe/kyiv-pronunciation.html
“Fruit of the Spirit.” Found at Do Not Depart, 
“Thorn in the Flesh.” Found at Church Leaders, 
Philippians 4:4 image. Found at DailyVerses.net, 
John 8:36 image. Found at Keith McGivern,