Tag: terminalillness

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Alive Because of Grace!

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  (Ephesians 2:4-7, NASB)

God is certainly rich in mercy toward us.  The Bible is consistent in that we’re all sinners, and there’s nothing good in any of us humans.  This passage from Ephesians says that God is rich in His mercy toward us anyway.  Why?  Because He loves us!  You and me!

I’m constantly in awe that the Creator of the universe should have regard for me, a lowly sinner.  But His divine plan includes a way for us all to be forgiven of our sins, for reconciliation with Him, and to spend eternity with Him!  The Apostle Paul says here that even before we asked God for forgiveness, we were “dead in our transgressions.”  If you have become a follower of Jesus, then you’re now alive.  Forgiven.  Made new!

God is so holy that He could never stand for sin in His presence.  When He sees someone who’s accepted His gift of salvation, He sees His Son.  When we ask for salvation in the blood of Jesus, then we can approach God’s throne of grace, eligible to spend eternity with Him.

The passage also says that we are saved by grace. We’re not saved by anything we’ve done.  God’s grace, through His Son, is the only way to secure fellowship with Him.  As my friend and mentor, Brigadier General Dick Abel (USAF, Ret.) has always said, “It’s all about Jesus, and it’s all about grace.”  Period.

God loves us so much, that even when we were dead in our sin, He made a way for us to become alive:  Jesus.  Have you asked Him to be your Savior?  Being alive in Christ brings hope for the future!

Worship:  Alive, by Big Daddy Weave

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Time Management

For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.  (1 Thessalonians 5: 9-11, NASB)
After my diagnosis of ALS, I spent some time trying to figure out what purpose God had in mind for me (see my previous essay from August 15). In the meantime, I received an email from Joe Shirey, a friend, Air Force Academy classmate, and my Sunday School teacher. He attached an excellent pamphlet by Pastor John Piper called “Don’t Waste Your Cancer.”

Pastor Piper wrote the pamphlet on the eve of his surgery for prostate cancer. He says, “Cancer is not wasted when it is healed by God. He gets the glory, and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray for healing may waste our cancer.” He goes on to remind believers in Christ that the current pain or affliction is “the labor pains of a new creation.” That is, when we die, we’ll become new, and we’ll be in the presence of the Lord!

One can use the title of the pamphlet to address whatever difficultly he or she is going through. Strike the word “Cancer” and insert your difficulty. In my case it’s Don’t Waste Your ALS. While praying for my own healing, I can also use whatever capabilities I have to glorify God. Piper states that not everyone will be healed from their disease. But I can still look for those chances to share the love of Jesus. I’m capable of loving God, loving other people, praying for those in distress, etc.

My friend Joe is an excellent example of not wasting his cancer.  A 20-plus-year cancer survivor (non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), he has shared this pamphlet with many people. He has ministered to many people with cancer and other diseases. That’s one reason we suffer: So that we can help others when they suffer. In my efforts to not waste my ALS, can I not look for opportunities to help others and share God’s love with them?

The verses above remind us that whether alive or passed on, we still have Jesus. Because of that wonderful news, we’re to encourage each other. And because of Jesus’ love, there is hope in His name!