LIFE AT 64 - PRESS ON

What does PRESS ON mean to you?  Think about it before you answer that, but think hard.  PRESS ON.  TO START OR CONTINUE DOING SOMETHING IN A DETERMINED WAY, OFTEN DESPITE PROBLEMS.  (CREDIT Pastor Jeff Perry)  is that what you were thinking?

Ive been thinking a LOT lately about healing.  More specifically, WHY some are healed and some are not.  Ive chatted with my wife about it, and thought even more to myself.   Ive reached some conclusions that may or may not win friends and influence people.  These are MY thoughts, though I believe they are from God as well

The Bible says that "By HIS stripes we ARE healed"  It does not say that we might be healed, or that if we pay a bunch of money we could be healed, it says we ARE HEALED!  Why do so many miss this simple, yet powerful phrase?  I know that when I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer on my larynx, I had no choice but to believe.  I also CHOSE to believe.  I really cant tell you where that sudden burst of faith came from, except that Ive been taught my whole life to believe that way.  You never truly know till you HAVE to do something if you really can or not, but trust me, when push comes to shove you PRESS ON!  I also had a tremendous amount of prayer going up literally around the world, but also at my own church.  I have a Pastor who truly believes in the power of prayer and healing.  I also KNOW that is the biggest reason Im still here today, total faith and support.

Over the last few weeks, months, I have several friends or family of friends be given awful news that they have cancer, most in advanced stages.    I have to say that it BOTHERS me a LOT.  I feel helpless to do anything except PRAY.  Really that is ALL I need to do, except offer encouragement.  ENCOURAGEMENT is HUGE when you are dealing with people with a deadly disease.  

Ive been thinking WHAT can I do?  Its so frustrating, because you tend to feel helpless, then this Sunday in the bulletin at church, my wife pointed to a specific note the Pastor had written.  "SPEND YOURSELF ON BEHALF OF OTHERS."  GOD RARELY EXTRACTS HEALERS FROM THE RANKS OF THE UNSCARRED.  EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR OWN BATTLE, YOU ARE CALLED TO REFRESH OTHERS.  INSTEAD OF SUCCUMBING TO SELF PITY, LOOK AROUND AND REALIZE THAT OTHERS NEED ENCOURAGEMENT TOO.  GIVE THEM A CALL, TEXT A SCRIPTURE, OR SPEND TIME PRAYING FOR THEM."  (Pastor Jeff Perry)

Think about this for just a minute, QUIT having a pity party, and look at those around you who might well be in worse shape that you are.  (There is ALWAYS someone that is in need).

SO what does all this mean?  It means that when push comes to shove, PRESS ON!  DO NOT be discouraged, PRESS ON!  When all looks hopeless, PRESS ON!  We have become a society of "oh well if I dont do it someone else will", THATS not true.  God may well have wanted you to do something, and if thats the case DO IT.  PRESS ON!!  You might be missing a huge blessing by NOT pressing on.  One example that comes to my mind immediately is a dear family all of which are friends of mine, had a near tragedy this last year in February.  Their son had been with 2 other friends on a lake that was frozen over, but had thawed a bit.  Im sure you likely had heard about this, it has literally gone viral, but anyway, all three fell thru the ice.  ONE, my friends son, went under the ice and was under for no less than 15 minutes.  Doctors worked on him for an additional 45 minutes with NO brain activity, no heart beat, and literally NO signs of life.  The doctors had decided to call his death.  They called his mother in to say one last good bye, but GOD had other plans and so did she.  She PRESSED ON, she took hold of his ice cold feet, and cried out to God, saying HOLY SPIRIT GIVE ME BACK MY SON!  Immediately they found a pulse.  This young man just had his 15th birthday.  He plays basketball, and he has NO signs of ANYTHING EVER being wrong with him.  In fact when they did a lung sample right after he was brought back to life, his lungs came back STERILE, that just does not happen.  This lake where he drowned, is a filthy body of water, and there is NO way they should have come back sterile.  GOD STILL REIGNS, and if He can bring a 14 yr old boy back to life, he can heal you and yours.

DONT EVER DOUBT that God can and will heal.  Doubt and fear are the biggest enemies of your healing.  TRUST in God.  Lean on His mighty arms.