Living with Cancer

Every month I receive an e-newsletter from the American Cancer Society, called “Living with Cancer.” As I was doing my usual delete-without-reading, it suddenly occurred to me we are all living with “something” we would rather not be. Maybe something temporary, like a financial loss or an inconsiderate roommate. Or more long-term, like diabetes or multiple sclerosis. Whatever it is, we think we would be better off without it.

These days, you will find a plethora of books telling you how to tolerate/manage this undesirable thing. But in God's economy, you cannot live ‘without’ it: “When troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow... and when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2-4). By living with our “self-eliminating cancers,” we are all being conformed to the image of Jesus. Given that, how can we possibly say we would rather not be living with it?

Shall we Impeach Joel Osteen?

Last week $600,000 was stolen from Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church. Some of Joel’s antagonists have already begun to turn this into another opportunity to impeach his character. While his teachings may be dangerously vacuous, slandering him is not an option: “Let all wrath and anger and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Eph. 4:31).

As troubled as I am by Joel's teachings, I believe he is a brother who is greatly deceived. John says, “How can you say you love God, if you hate your brother?” (1 John 4:20). Even to those who are disobedient to the Word, Paul counsels: “Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother” (2 Thess. 3:15). Any censure of Joel Osteen will have to follow this biblical rule of ‘etiquette.’

So let us pray for Joel as we would a brother, that he will realize the opportunities afforded him, and the consequent responsibility to “accurately handle the Word” (2 Tim. 2:15)—to fulfill the mandate of every teacher, to “present every man and woman complete (mature) in Christ” (Col 1:28).  

Stress-Free Living?

Mayo Clinic just published a “Guide to Stress-Free Living.” Based on 10 years of research, they discovered that making a few simple changes can help you let go of stress, and find a sense of peace.

I couldn’t help but see a parallel. Based on a few thousand years of research, the Bible promises that one simple change can bring you peace. “God will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on Him, because they trust in Him” (Is. 26:3). Note that Mayo Clinic only offers a “sense of peace.”  The Bible promises “perfect peace.”

With innumerable 21st century distractions, it is unrealistic to think we can live stress free. So how is it we can enjoy perfect peace? Listen how Jesus speaks to a distracted Martha: “There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it [undivided attention to Jesus]” (Luke 10:41). What a timely, and timeless, reminder: “Fixing your eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:2) is the key to perfect peace.

God Takes No Pleasure in Your Legs

A few years ago, I wrote a post called “Can You Outrun the Chariots.” In this story (1 Kings 18), Elijah supernaturally outruns King Ahab’s chariots, escaping from Jezebel who was out to kill him for destroying her prophets of Baal.

Chariots represent the might of armies. Man’s legs represent the power of the individual. “God does not delight in the strength of the horse [chariots]; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man” (Ps. 147:10). In other words, it was neither slow chariots nor fast legs that accomplished God's purposes that day. It was the superhuman power of God working through a mere man.

This story illustrates the divine/human partnership where God operates through weak, humble humans. In these perilous times, with events beyond our control, we certainly cannot rely on our armies, and our legs will surely fail us. No, God wants us to relinquish control to Him who accomplishes all things, “Not by might, not by power, by My Spirit” (Zech. 4:6). Only Spirit-filled legs will hold up in the days ahead.

After this is over

My radiation/chemo treatments have begun, and will continue for six weeks. Like an uphill climb, I can hardly wait until “after this is over.”  Of course looking forward to the “other” side of a trying circumstance is natural. But with no guarantee there won’t be another one right “after,” we need more than an “after-this-is-over” mindset.

Paul tells of a host of saints who endured their trials without ever seeing the other side of it: “Having obtained a good testimony through faith, [they] did not receive the promise. For God had something better in mind..., so that they would not reach perfection without us” (Heb. 11:39-40). The “perfection” of their faith waited until after all of us together would find our faith fully perfected in the suffering and resurrection of Christ.

And therein lies the secret to enduring hard times—by keeping our eyes on Jesus..., who perfects our faith; and who, for the joy awaiting him, endured the cross, disregarding its shame, [knowing that afterward], He would sit at God’s throne (Heb. 12:2, edited). Now if we can just remember this “beforehand.” 

Are you better off than you were four years ago?

The campaign question “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” is loaded. Everyone will answer based on his or her own circumstances. Personally, I’m much better off than I was 4 years ago. My relationship with Jesus (and thus with my wife and children) just keeps getting better!

All mankind has an inborn desire for something ‘better.’ It is this ‘law of better’ that drove the early American settlers out West and astronauts into space, and drives researchers to discover the cure for cancer. But none of these pursuits will satisfy man’s desire for “better” because as Pascal said, it is “a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man” which can only be filled by God. The author of Hebrews used the word “better” 12 times, i.e., better hope, better promises, better possessions, a better country (Heb. 7:19; 8:6; 10:34; 11:16) as if speaking to this primal drive. But after we are born again, this desire doesn't stop. The Holy Spirit “keeps pressing us on to better things” (6:1, 9).

We’re all familiar with the colloquialism, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” in regard to each person’s pursuit of better things. Ironically, it seems James speaks right to it, “No sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass [on the other side of the fence]” (James 1:11).  How do you measure whether you are better off than you were four years ago?

Yokes, Ploughs, & Oxcarts

None of the Gospel writers tell us much of Jesus’ 30 years in Nazareth—except Luke, who tells us a story of Jesus at age 12. When Jesus’ family was returning from their annual “Passover” trip to Jerusalem, they lost Jesus! Upon returning to the City they found Him in the Temple, astonishing everyone with his insight.  But after that, there is an 18 year period of silence. What was Jesus doing?

First, we know He submitted to the authority of his parents (Luke 2:51). It could not have been easy to submit to the will of his parents whose understanding of His mission on earth was very limited (Luke 2:50). Second, we know He worked in His father’s carpentry business. And since people did not have household furniture as we do today, He probably made yokes, ploughs, & ox carts.

For 18 years, the Son of God made yokes, ploughs & ox carts. Don’t you think there were times when Jesus was tempted to break out—to be free of the dull life in Nazareth? I know I would have been. And the Bible says He was “tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).

Yet it was His obedience to those who could not possibly have understood Him that prepared him for His ministry to come. For 18 years in Nazareth, “He learned obedience through the things He suffered.” (Heb. 5:8-9). Making yokes, ploughs, & oxcarts may seem like an awful waste of time for the Son of God. But in such cicumstances, Jesus was perfected” (Heb. 2:10). Likewise, you and I will be perfected in our faith. What are your yokes, ploughs, & oxcarts?

Take Time to be Holy?

Jesus addressed God as Holy Father (Matt. 6:9; John 17:11). John Calvin said, “That God's name should be hallowed is to say that God should have His own honor of which He is so worthy, so that men should never think or speak of Him without the greatest veneration.” A. W. Tozer said, “No religion has been greater than its idea of God.”

Warren Wiersbe tells the following experience as an example of people's poor understanding of God’s holiness.

'We will stand and sing hymn 325,’ announced the worship leader, ‘Take Time to Be Holy. We will sing verses one and four.’ If I had been sitting with the congregation instead of on the platform, I might have laughed out loud. Imagine a Christian congregation singing “Take Time to Be Holy” and not even taking time to sing the entire song! If we can’t take the time (less than four minutes) to sing a song about holiness, we’re not likely to take time to devote ourselves to “perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor. 7:1).

The Perfect Storm

A perfect storm is an expression to describe weather conditions that happen to hit at a region’s most vulnerable area, resulting in the worst possible damage. The term is also used (metaphorically) to describe an event where a rare combination of circumstances will aggravate a situation drastically.

I read a letter in the Mercury’s Editorials this morning describing current conditions in America this way: “We are facing a perfect storm of an aging population affecting both Social Security and Medicare, unpaid war expenditures, declining oil supplies, and increased tax burden for the middle class and wealthy.” And I can immediately think of many more present conditions that could be added to that mix.

Today David Wilkerson wrote: “Beloved, if we’re going to face the coming storm, then we need to be prepared so nothing disturbs our spirit. And the only way to do that is to spend time in the Father’s presence beholding His face. We have to be shut in with Him—on our knees, practicing His presence, seeking Him—until we’re thoroughly persuaded He’s at our right hand.”

I have set the Lord always before me; because You are at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad; my flesh also will rest in hope. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16: 8-11 abbreviated).

Are There Any ‘Grown-Ups’ in God’s Kingdom?

Yesterday, I spent a few hours with a pastor friend to get his counsel and insight on circumstances in my life—I knew I needed help to get to the next level of faith. The reason I’m telling you this is that I think it is easy for us to forget that our pastors, teachers, and leaders are people, who like us, are still growing!

The other day, I was reading a commentary on the story of Moses taking counsel from his father-in-law Jethro. What makes the incident somewhat remarkable is that Moses, preeminent leader of the Hebrews, took advice from an unrenowned farmer from the outback. Moses’ humility and teachable spirit is remarkable—recognizing his need for help to keep growing.

Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden (a born again Christian) was an inspiring example of continual learning and growing. After he had already won a national championship, he changed the offense he had used for years and learned a completely new one in order to maximize the potential of a new team and the talents of one player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The result: his team moved to an even higher level of play and won three consecutive national championships.

What is the point? We may look at someone like John Wooden, an accomplished coach, or our pastors and leaders and think they are all ‘grown up’! It is too easy to forget they are still growing; and they need our prayer and support. If we could consider anyone all ‘grown up’ it would be Paul. Yet he said “I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be” (Phil. 3:12). Nearing the end of his life, Paul was still growing. As are all of us.

Self-Contained

I believe one of the primary characteristics of spiritual maturity is our readiness to accept whatever condition we are in without complaining. Paul wrote, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Philippians 4:11). The Greek word for content here means self-sufficient. Paul is certainly not claiming self-sufficiency in the way we speak of it—autonomy and independence. No, he is declaring that Jesus is all he needs. With Christ indwelling him, Paul says ‘I am self-contained’ not wanting or needing anything more than I already have.

Spiritual maturity comes when we have learned to trust Jesus has given us all we need. But let me be quick to add: being content in an undesirable circumstance doesn't mean we enjoy it. It means we have learned to focus on Jesus’ sufficiency—not on our discomfort. We have joy (not 'en'joy) knowing our Lord is using the circumstance to mature our faith, and that it is, in fact, ‘normal’ and ‘necessary’ for our growth in faith.

Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. (1 Peter 5:9-10). In other words, you will have all you need: self-contained.

God is Giving Us an Opportunity to Love the Opposition

Yesterday, a federal judge declared California's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, saying that no legitimate state interest justified treating gay and lesbian couples differently from others and that "moral disapproval" was not enough to save the voter-passed Proposition 8. The ruling was the first in the country to strike down a marriage ban on federal constitutional grounds.

Some of you may be angry about this judicial intervention—a violation of the voters’ rights. You may be angry with the court; you may resent the movement toward what-is-called ‘equal rights’ for gays and lesbians. And in all of this you may think your anger is justified—righteous anger! But let’s not forget the heart of our Savior is not anger, but love.

“You have heard the law of Moses says, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven…If you love only those who love you, what good is that?... If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that" (Mat. 5:43–48).

Yes, the Bible does say that homosexuality is sin! But so is anger, bitterness and unforgiveness. Surprise those who are thus oppositional: by loving them! Pray for them! That is exactly what Jesus did!

God says: “You are a Pleasure to Work With.”

Perhaps you're feeling discouraged today because you’ve tried hard to change, but can't see any progress. Maybe you feel like giving up? You’re not alone. Let Paul's words comfort you: “Don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time” (Gal. 6:9 NLT).

You are a divine work in progress. God is at work in you to conform you to the image of Jesus. It gives God pleasure [to be] working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him (Eph. 2:10;1:5; Ro. 8:29; Phil. 2:13).

Doesn’t it make sense since God is the one doing the work we should expect a good outcome? The Bible is quite clear on this point: God, having begun a good work in you, will FINISH it (Phil. 1:6). What's more, His work is PERFECT (Heb. 13:21).

The next time you feel depressed by an apparent lack of progress, remind yourself that you are a divine work in progress, and that He isn’t finished yet.

Training for Reigning

When I worked for the Federal government, one of my favorite collateral duties was ‘Trainer.’ Most companies have a budget to hire professional trainers whose programs enhance the quality and productivity in the work place. Though it can be costly, they consider it a good investment in their employees.

In the spiritual realm, through many trying circumstances and stresses, God is training us both for time and eternity (1 Timothy 4:8). Paul calls this God’s “endurance training.” And it is essential if we are to someday “reign with Him” (2 Timothy 2:12)—literally, then, we are training for reigning.

Also, it will help us to endure—with joy—if we believe God’s training is His investment in us, knowing that His training will result not only in accomplishing HIS eternal plan but will result in OUR eternal reward. (You might call it a ‘win-win.’)

Even Jesus recognized the need for divine training—“He learned obedience through the things He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). The Bible tells us that Jesus’ training was necessary to perfect Him in his humanity so He could realize God’s eternal purpose for Him.

Why should it be any different for you and me?