What shall we ask God to do ?

This week I received a devotion by email from J.R. Miller. I will share it with you.

"We do not know what we should pray for as we ought" Romans 8:26

A pastor sat with a father and mother by the bed of a child who was hovering between life and death. He was about to pray for the little sufferer, and turning to the parents he asked, "What shall we ask God to do?" After some moments the father answered, with deep emotion: "I would not dare to choose. Leave it to God."

Would it not be better always to leave the decision to God, letting Him choose what is best for Him to do for us, or to give to us? We are not in the world to always have ease and pleasure, to always succeed, to do great things--we are here to grow into strength and beauty of life and character, to accomplish the will of God, and to have that will wrought out in our own life. Often times the present must be sacrificed for the future, the earthly given up to gain the Heavenly, and pain endured for the sake of spiritual refining and enriching.
Christ does not seek to take away the burden but rather, He would make us strong and brave to bear it.

If we are willing to let God choose for us, and accept what He gives we shall never fail to receive the best. Perhaps not what the world would call the best, but always God's best. We do not know what we should pray for as we ought, and we had better leave it to God.

We should be content to leave the guidance and choices of our lives in His hands. Think how wise He is knowing all things, knowing how to choose the best for us. Who does not know that this is better, safer and wiser than if we were to choose the way for ourselves?

The truest prayer is often times that in which we lay into the bosom of God and rest there in silence. We do not know what to ask, and we dare not say even a word, lest it might be the wrong word, hence we simply wait before God in quietness and confidence. We know that what is best, our Fathers will, and we trust Him to do what He will.

We are sure that God could relieve us of the things which are so hard for us to bear, if He desired to. This is God's world, and nothing can get out of His hands or control. All we have to do is to lay our need before the throne of mercy, and to let God answer us as He will.
 J.R. Miller

On a personal note that question is often in my heart. “What do I ask the Lord to do?" On Monday afternoon we visited my Oncologist in Vancouver. In a somewhat subdued voice he gave me the latest update on the scans that were made the week before. The news and scan analysis did not come as complete surprise but more like a confirmation of the way I have been feeling lately.
The news was that the Chemo Therapy treatments will be stopped immediately because they are not doing any good at all. The cancer continues to progress and it appears to advance even faster in the last five weeks.

Several spots on the spine are progressing, there is also a new tumor on the top of the spine/neck area. This tumor is most likely contributing to the intense pain that I am experiencing at times, traveling into my shoulder and arm. Also the top of the femur bone showed an increase in size, right in the area where it joins the pelvis, making walking difficult.

Other areas also showed an increase in cancer, like some of the ribs among others. A more detailed report is forthcoming from the CT Scan. Because of the seriousness of the cancer in the spine, a rush appointment was made with the Radiation Oncologist on Tuesday and on Wednesday I received the first of five radiation treatments for five consecutive days.

What should I ask God to do? I have considered this question many times lately. In the last couple of days I have come to the conclusion that I need to give it all over into His hands, not just some parts of it, but completely surrender to God. No one on this earth is able to stop this cancer from growing, something I already knew right from the day I was diagnosed with cancer. I truly believe that God can still do a miracle but the reality is that we all must leave this earth one day and meet our Maker. For me that appears to be sooner than I had prayed for. However, I do have peace with the ways that God is dealing with me. There are times I struggle to leave it all into God hands, I also know that God will do what is best for me and to glorify Him. This is not about me, it’s about the glory of God.

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

I covet your prayers for strength and endurance to run the race as written in Hebrews 12 1-2. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Thank you for the many ways in which you have shown your love and compassion.
John

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more.

Will­iam Will­iams

God often comforts us.

God often comforts us, not by changing the circumstances of our lives, but by changing our attitude toward them.
S.H.B. Masterman

A staggering reality.

Each week I post a new entry on my blog. There are times that I struggle what to write and pray the Lord to help me to write from my heart. This week was one of those times that I did not know where to start but received an answer because someone wrote to me in a personal email a statement “How does one face the reality of death, and truly live?”

The reality is that we all face death sooner or later. I dug into some statistics and came up with the following numbers from this amazing website that shows the reality of the number people dying each hour in the world. On this website you can watch the numbers change before your very eyes. For example each hour 2300 people die in the world, this does not include 1600 abortions each hour, making it a total of 3900 souls leaving this life and starting Eternity. Divide that number by 60 and result is that 65 hearts stop beating each second.

Take a minute and think about this steady stream of 3900 souls per hour entering eternity and you will find these numbers staggering. The media tells us about world tragedies, war, violence or other ways people die but rarely do we hear about these numbers, even rarer is the question, where will this staggering number of souls spend Eternity.

You and I personally will be confronted one day and be one of 3900 in that particular hour. Now the question is “How does one face the reality of death, and truly live?"

Are you hoping for the best and see what happens when you die? Are you ignoring the reality of death, something that will surely happen? Are you denying that there is a God and refuse to seek Him? Many Bible texts refer to the reality of death and that there is a God, this very fact must bring each one of us to our knees today to repent from our sins and believe on Him and receive Eternal life through Jesus.

Repentance and Faith in the Lord Jesus takes away the sting of death. Death is our last enemy, but a defeated enemy. It is my prayer that you will repent from your sins; trust in Him for the forgiveness of your sins and receive victory over death and the grave. With that promise of Eternal life we can face death with peace in our hearts, a peace that passes all understanding.

How do I personally take the statement that was made to me in the email “How does one face the reality of death, and truly live?” C.H Spurgeon said it in a beautiful way, and I can only say “Amen” to that. “If there is one stitch in the celestial garment of our righteousness that we must insert ourselves, then we are lost; but this is our confidence--what the Lord begins, He completes. He has done it all, must do it all, and will do it all. Our confidence must not be in what we have done, nor in what we have resolved to do, but entirely in what the Lord will do.”

Please give these things some serious thought.

This week has been extremely busy with many medical appointments including three scans that will shed more light on the progress of the 5 weeks of Chemo treatments. On Monday I hope to meet with my Oncologist to receive the results of all the scans and hopefully the source of the pain can be located. After a 7 day break I have resumed with the Chemo treatments today.

The infection and blood clots that I have in my leg continues to be treated with Antibiotic IV treatments every day at our local hospital. I can feel some progress but it is not completely healed yet. This week I battled with much pain from what I think is some kind of nerve pain in parts of my body, the pain can at times be so intense that I find it very difficult to bare. The origin has not yet been established and only with the help of pain meds can I go through days and nights. I am thankful that these meds are available to relieve the pain somewhat.

Thank you again for so many tokens of love and care in many different ways. So I travel on with life day by day, not looking too far ahead or making any big plans for the future but trusting in the Lord, He makes no mistakes.

 May God bless you and be a blessing to many.
John

Job 14:1 "Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. 2 He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.

 

Psalm 90:9 For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. 10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.   

 

I saiah 40:6 A voice says, "Cry!" And I said,"What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8      The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

I used to ask God to help me.

I used to ask God to help me.
Then I asked if I might help Him.
I ended up by asking Him
to do his work through me.

James Hudson Taylor (1832-1905)
English missionary and founder of China Inland Mission

 

 

 

The setting sun

Luke 4:40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him (Jesus) , and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.

This week has been a difficult week with much pain making it very difficult to walk and sit. The only way to be somewhat comfortable is taking pain medication and lying down. It is not something I prefer to do because I like to be somewhat productive but really had no choice this week. The pain became so unbearable on Friday that after consulting my Oncologist we decided to take a 7 day break from Chemo treatments. Hopefully this will ease the pain and discomfort in my muscles and heal my left leg that now has an infection of some kind, some doctors say it may be Cellulites or infected arteries. On Thursday my right arm failed to function properly for about an hour, it did go back to normal but the Oncologist does want to scan the brain next week to be sure it does not come from the brain.

The text in Luke 4:40 paints a beautiful picture. The setting sun and healing of the sick by Jesus. For myself I see the setting of the sun as a life slowly drawing to a close, the healing of the sick, like myself, may not be the healing we hope and pray for but the Eternal healing. There are times when I look forward to that Eternal healing. It is days like this that weigh heavy on me, sometimes the pain makes it even difficult to pray or read the Bible when Henrietta does it for me, what a blessing it is to love the Lord together as man and wife.

When Lords Supper was held this last Sunday in our church I rejoiced when Pastor Terry invited those to take part of this Lords Supper with this text from Matthew11: 28 “Come to me (Jesus), all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

With much pain in my body and joy in my heart I knew that Jesus spoke to me. I was the one who was heavy laden, seeking rest. I know that His yoke is easy and His burden is light when Jesus is carries our load with us. I know that He heals broken hearted ones and that those that seek His rest will find it.

I hope that you personally seek that Rest, Hope and Eternal life in Christ Jesus. John 6:37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

Next week will be a busy week with a Muga (heart) Scan, CT Scan and Bone Scan. The week following I hope to get the results of being 5 weeks on Chemo. We are praying for comfort and peace, whatever the outcome maybe.

I need to thank so many of you for the cards, emails, calls and tokens of love in regards to the passing of Henrietta’s mother but also those addressed to us personally.

Thank you and God bless you wherever you are and whatever your circumstances are.
John

Our Lord does not promise to change life for us; He does not promise to remove difficulties and trials and problems and tribulations; He does not say that He is going to cut out all the thorns and leave the roses with their wonderful perfume. No; He faces life realistically, and tells us that these are things to which the flesh is heir, and which are bound to come. But He assures us that we can so know Him that, whatever happens, we need never be frightened, we need never be alarmed.
 D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

 

 

 

Troubles or Blessings

 

 

Author unknown

Hope

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God. Psalm 146:5

What are you hoping for today? For many it’s an improvement in the economy or anxiety regarding job security or building a financial savings or “security” net for retirement. For others, concerns are related to health issues that you or a member of your family is dealing with and you’re hoping for a brighter tomorrow. Some of you may have incredible brokenness in your home and you’re desperately looking for signs of hope that will lead to family unity.

Maybe you hope for world peace or a medical breakthrough for a debilitating health matter. Maybe you put your hope in a caring friend, counselor or a pastor who will be of help to you in dealing with a critical problem. God may indeed use these people, but what is your hope really in.

The Psalmist made a great statement of faith concerning the one who is truly blessed. “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God.” Regardless of where we live or what conditions we are dealing with, we are indeed blessed if our hope is in the Lord! I encourage you to commit your life and worries to God and place your hope fully in Him. Let your trust in God be the bridge that transports you safely over the sea of doubt, fear, and worry.

It may sound to you that I am totally free from these things in life. The truth is, I am not. I have my difficult times and doubts at times. I also know doubt can increase at troublesome times in one’s life. I also know that my only refuge is to flee to Christ that is where we will find shelter from the storms in this life.

We gathered as family last week and said our farewells to our mother who passed away, I could not help but think of the storms that she endured in life but now is at peace with her Lord and Saviour. May you have that peace of God, which surpasses all understanding that will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus ( Philippians 4:7).

I am more than three weeks into my Chemo treatments. In the past I had to deal with many discomforts from side effects of Chemo treatments, this time it is a sharp increase in muscle pain. About 3% of patients that use this type of Chemo treatment get muscle aches and pain. I am one of them; giving me much discomfort and at times I don’t know what to do about the pain. Walking is difficult at times and most other positions are not much better. Lying down is by far the best option but I can’t do that all day. The Oncologist has now put me on pain medication which makes me sleepy and tired. It helps but the muscle spasms and pain continue. I am afraid that this will be the case as long as I am treated with this type of Chemo.

At the end of May I will receive several scans to see the results of 6 weeks of Chemo treatments. I pray for positive results. In difficult times I try to focus much on Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Be encouraged, whatever your state in life may be, God makes no mistakes and He knows your needs.
John

Do not look to your hope, but to Christ, the source of your hope.
 C.H. Spurgeon

The best moment

The best moment of a Christian's life is his last one, because it is the one that is nearest heaven. And then it is that he begins to strike the keynote of the song which he shall sing to all eternity.
C.H. Spurgeon

 

 

In memory of our dear mother.

Due to very a busy week and the funeral of our mother Jacoba deVos on May 4 I will not be posting any personal information. Thank you for the overwhelming amount of cards, love and care you have shown to us and our family. God bless you.

John.

 

 

Jacoba deVos
Psalm 84: 2 My soul longs , yea, even faints for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Jacoba deVos passed away peacefully on April 26, 2013 at the age of 92. Our beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed into the presence of her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
 Born 1921 in Goudswaard, The Netherlands and emigrated with her husband to Sunnyside, WA and later retired in Chilliwack BC. She lived for many years at Sunset Manor and more recently at the Waverly where she received outstanding love and care from all those who cared for her.

 She was predeceased by her husband Gerrit deVos in 1960 and son in law Adrian DenHoed in 2008.

 She is survived by 4 children; Arie (Lydia) deVos, Helen Den Hoed, Frances (Sander) DeJong and Henrietta (John) Van Woerden, 17 Grandchildren and 41 great grandchildren.

 Funeral services will be held at Smith Funeral Home in Sunnyside, WA on May 4, 2013 at 11 AM . Pastor A.H.Verhoef officiating. Interment to follow at Sunnyside Cemetery where she will be layed to rest by her late husband Gerrit.

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A Christian knows that death shall be the funeral of all his sins, his sorrows, his afflictions, his temptations, his vexations, his oppressions, his persecutions. He knows that death shall be the resurrection of all his hopes, his joys, his delights, his comforts, his contentments.
Thomas Brooks

Death is not the end.

Death is not the end; it is only a new beginning for the Christian. Death is not the master of the house; he is only a porter at the King’s lodge, appointed to open the gate and let the King’s guests into the realm of eternal day.
John Henry Jowett