Delivered

Two months ago, I was told by one of the best doctors in the country in one the the best hospitals in the world that I was stage four cancer, incurable. I was told I had a cancerous tumor on my adrenal gland and that cancer had jumped into the lymph nodes in my chest and also evidenced itself with another tumor on my lung.
While extremely compassionate, the medical staff were all on the same page; preparing me for the worst and the avenue for my care in the last days of life which I was currently in because I had been declared terminal. I don't know if you've ever been in that position, but the two words you don't want to hear when speaking to a doctor with the credentials of the one that sat across from me is 'terminal' and 'incureable.' And you don't want to be told that they can only extend your life, just before sending you to meet the man who will be in charge of your chemotherapy as you die.

Tonight I read a passage out of the Bible where David, in his joy, danced before the Lord.
Tonight as I type these words, I know why David danced so long ago.
Tonight, I'm not terminal, I wasn't incurable.
Tonight my body is cancer free because God touched me, healed my body and delivered me from death.

I cannot rightly describe what it feels like to know that you're dying but also know that there is something going on within your body that you can't explain; thinking God is doing something powerful, but you don't know exactly what it is. But you hope.
And I cannot rightly describe what it feels like to wake up from a second surgery and the doctors are smiling. In a fog, the first thing I can remember is person after person in the recovery room telling me I didn't have cancer.

Now, I can't describe it - but I can see it. I see it in David's actions so long ago.
'David was dancing with all his might before the Lord wearing a linen ephod. He and the whole house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of the ram's horn...

And David's explanation for dancing half-naked in public was simple:
'I was dancing before the Lord who chose me...to appoint me ruler of the Lord's people Israel. I will celebrate before the Lord, and I will humble myself even more...'
     - 2 Samuel 6:14; 21-22

David had finally obtained all that had been promised to him when the Lord chose him and anointed him through Samuel so long ago as King. As a boy, he was promised the kingdom because he was after God's own heart. David had lived on the run, fighting as he went in his youth. At this time, he was about 37 years old and had just united the kingdom. He had defeated the constant enemies of Israel - the Amelekites, Philistines and captured Jerusalem by defeating the Jebusites.
As the Ark of the Covenant enters, David is full of joy for what the Lord has accomplished for His glory through David and for Israel. David is simply overcome.
I can't explain it very well - but I know what it feels like. I know why David danced. I have felt the same joy and satisfaction in the Lord.

Amazingly, this joy and the knowledge of not having cancer brings a whole host of new mysteries and questions that I cannot answer; some are frivolous and some are serious.
- Should I change the title of the blog?
I mean, I don't have cancer anymore; is it false advertising or isn't a memorial for what the Lord has done? I think it stands as a reminder of the power of God  among the people of God. Lest we forget.

- If my lymph nodes do not contain cancer, exactly what do they contain?
There is something in my body that does not belong there, now it is time to find out what it is and eliminate it.

- Why did God chose to deliver me and does not choose to heal others?
I don't know the answer to this one; and this may be the most difficult of all.  I do know that I have been healed and I am so thankful for what God has done.

And there are others, but I digress.

One thing I do want to point out is the power of prayer. If the readers of this blog have anything to learn, I hope you learn this one truth that I am about to convey.
Since August, I've had more people pray for me in more places around the world than I ever thought possible. August is when I really started getting sick although there were some praying for me long before that time.

In prayer, there were Christians of all faiths; Catholics and Orthodox Christians as well as Protestants and Evangelicals. And all of us have our own religious traditions by which we abide in seeking the same Lord.

In prayer, there were Christians of various races. Of those that I know about, there were blacks and whites; American Indians and Pacific Islanders; those of Slavic descent and true Africans. There were also countless others whom I do not know personally, but heard about in a distant country. These I will meet in eternity.

In prayer, there were men and women; yet, it was the children who may have had the purest prayers of all. As we were talking about some of my health issues one day, my son looked at me and told me that I was going to be OK, he'd prayed to God about it. In his mind, that had settled the matter. As it turned out, he was right.

In prayer, I am assuming that people prayed for me with passionate/heart felt requests. Some I know but many I do not - these are prayer warriors who pray whenever a need arises, bringing supplications before the Lord as the need is made known.

The teaching about this lesson on prayer is this - God moves greatly when we put our personal bigotries aside, when we forget about the traditions that have separated our hearts for centuries, when we focus on the one need out of love and compassion; that's when God moves.
For the last 2 months people from all over the world have prayed for me - and God moved on our behalf. Just imagine what He can do if instead of coming to Him with faint and faithless prayers - we come to Him with joined hearts and in fervency and passion.
Not only does prayer move mountains, prayers move God to suspend the natural laws of the universe on our behalf.
I am living proof that God does that very thing for His servants.

And you don't have to be a perfect saint - just a willing vessel.
Until next time, try to become that willing servant by the power of the Holy Spirit; and go win one for the good guys because God just healed one on behalf of the prayers of the good guys.

Underdogs & Comebacks

Twenty years ago, I was the starting center for the Gauley Bridge High School football team - the Travellers. The mascot is not a reference to traveling salesmen but to the favorite horse of the greatest, most honorable and highly respected general of the Civil War on either side of the conflict - Robert E. Lee.
But regardless of the sport, the Travellers were always the underdog. Always.
Except in girls basketball (who made 2 state tournament appearances), we were never favored to win. And that might be why I've always favored the underdog and appreciated great comebacks regardless of the team or sport.

As far as underdogs and comebacks go, here's a few off the top of my head that I really appreciated:
- The 2001 GMAC Bowl, Marshall University vs. East Carolina.
Marshall overcame a 30 point deficit at halftime to defeat ECU 64-61 in double overtime.

- A good underdog from 2012 is the Sugar Bowl where #21 Louisville handed #3 Florida their Gator tails and sent them packing.

- M*A*S*H the television series was a comeback kid long before it was a highly acclaimed 'dramedy'; the network was going to cancel the series but it won so many Emmy's that it gained its audience in the summer reruns. Therefore, the network renewed it - and again for 10 more consecutive seasons.

- President Richard Nixon was a comeback legend. He rose quickly in Congress as a Representative then Senator and while still a young man, was chosen as the Vice-President to Ike. He was counted as 'out' because of an accusation of taking bribes; but on national TV he 'wowwed' the nation with the famous 'Checkers' speech. Kept on the ticket, he later debated Kruschev in the White House kitchen, and put him to shame.
Then he lost to JFK in 1960, lost the Governorship of California to Jerry Brown in 1962 and was gone from public life for years. Then in 1968, out of nowhere, he returns and is elected the President of the United States; wins reelection in 1972, but resigns in disgrace in 1974.
Yet, in the 1980's & 1990's he returned as a well-respected authority on foreign affairs to which every president from Regan to his death turned to for advice and leadership.

But the greatest comeback ever recorded came from the greatest man who ever lived. The end of the story tells the whole story:
'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is RISEN!...
But go, tell His disciples - and Peter -  that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.'
         - Mark 16:6-7 (KJV)

When Christ stepped out of the borrowed tomb, He completed the greatest comeback ever known to mankind. He had spent three days dead but was then resurrected by the power of God. When you put the resurrection up against any 'comeback,' nothing even comes close to Jesus Christ; and it is still that way. Nothing even comes close to our Lord.

But in looking at this passage, two words jump out which shout grace throughout the universe. Those two words are 'and Peter,' and they tell us that like our lord, there is a 'comeback' waiting in the heart of every man and woman in the world.

The last time Peter had seen Christ, Jesus had shot a look at him while the Lord stood trial. Peter had just denied Jesus for the final time. The Scripture tells us that this look was a fixed stare; it was as if the Lord was looking right through Peter and into his soul. When Peter realized what he had done, which took place just as Jesus had said hours earlier, he went out and wept bitterly.
In his defense, Peter may have believed he had forfeited his own salvation because Jesus had said that if anyone denied Him before man, He would deny them before His Father in heaven. So, it isn't a far jump to think that Peter believed he had just lost his salvation.

Now, the message to the women at the tomb could have been anything, but it was in fact a message to the disciples in general and to Peter in particular that the Lord would meet them in Galilee. Let me give you Pastor Jack's Standard Translation -
'Go and tell Peter that one flop doesn't make you a failure.'
'Go and tell Peter that I have more for him to do.'
'Go and tell Peter that I know his true heart and I'll see him in Galilee.'

Now, I know I've played loosely with the actual Greek text, but in the instance give me some lattitude because what we're talking about is second chances and great comebacks. And Peter was about to make a great comeback, not because he was anything special but because the Holy Spirit had made him something special.
A few days later Peter would meet Jesus on a beach in Galilee. On that beach Peter would be reconciled to the Lord and he would receive his charge anew. He experienced grace and forgiveness and Peter would never forget it. In his books written to the early church, the same lessons of grace he learned at the feet of Christ - he would teach to those young Christians.
Oh, and after this meeting on the beach, Peter would never again deny the Lord; even when it meant death.

Peter stands for all time as what can happen with every person - there is a comeback and a restoration awaiting every person who will trust the Lord.
- For some people, that comeback is salvation - renewed and revived as never before. But there are many Christians who need to make a spiritual comeback beyond what they are now to become what the Lord has created them to be in His name.
- For some, it is a couple who in their marriage is facing brokenness but they need a comeback. There is one waiting, but only through the power of Christ.
- And for some, those who are sick, they need a comeback that only God can provide; not spiritually but physically beyond their sickness and into health. Such is my story at this hour.

In less than 12 hours, I will go into surgery and by the end of the day so much more knowledge will be uncovered and much will be decided - much beyond what has been revealed.
Less than two months ago, I was told that I had stage 4, incurable cancer and that my life could only be extended. Basically, I was a lost cause; but the last thing one doctor said before he left the room was, 'Miracles do happen sometimes...'

For weeks, so many around the world have been praying for that miracle that I have asked for of God. That our great and powerful Lord would move as only He can move and do what only He can do and touch me in such a way that only He can receive the glory and credit for what has happened - that I walk out of that hospital and drive away from Cleveland cancer free with a lot of years to live for Him.
I didn't care if He moved through the doctors or by a miraculous shot of lightening through the ceiling; I just wanted Him to move on my behalf.

In the morning, every person who has prayed for me and with me will find out if we have been praying in the will of God or according to our own will. But how ever this turns out, God will still be on His throne and will still be full of infinite love and mercy.

The greatest comeback in history is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, but God wants a comeback to happen in every person's life - if we would just follow Him and listen to His voice. And there is a comeback awaiting each person who follows Him and heeds His Word; but we must trust in Him and His Word for His Spirit to make our hearts and souls come alive for Him in our lives.
That's what happened to Peter and it can happen to us the same way; but like Peter, it must start with repentance and then reconciliation. Only then will we be restored and rejuvenated for the Lord Jesus Christ.

And I hope that you and me, where ever we are, become a great comeback story for the King of Kings.
Until next time, go win one for the good guys.