I had an awesome devotional time this morning while reading Philippians 1, Acts 25, and Colossians 3. So, I make no apologies for the length of today’s post as the Lord and his word ministered to me the day before my second chemo.

 

In Philippians 1, Paul writes a letter of encouragement to the church at Philippi (modern day Greece) from his prison cell.  Imagine that! He’s imprisoned and encouraging others.

 

It reminds me of a service I attended a few year’s ago at Brooklyn Tabernacle.  Pastor Jim Cymbala held a simulcast with “born again” inmates serving life sentences at Louisiana’s Angola Prison.  Their warden, Burl Cain, who is no longer there, implemented a program over 20 years ago at the behest of his loving Christian mother who told him to give the inmates hope by providing each one with a Bible when they entered and a time for Bible study.  Eventually, Warden Cain partnered with a bible college that allowed the inmates to pursue theological degrees.  It dramatically changed the culture of the prison by changing their lives from within!  You can read about it in his awesome book: http://Cain’s Redemption: A Story of Hope and Transformation in America’s Bloodiest Prison

 

On the day I visited, the inmates watched BT’s worship from prison and we watched them worship from our seats at church.  After, some of the inmates got up to testify (to prove their stories of salvation with evidence) about how even though they were locked up for life, they felt freer than they had ever felt, freer than most of their friends and family members on the outside.  It’s was inspiring to hear these men testify about how Jesus had set their minds and spirits free even though they were incarcerated for life.  These were men who had entered Angola in their twenties and now in their forties, fifties, sixties or more were encouraging me and the rest of the church to live a life liberated by Jesus!

 

Their stories remind me of the chorus of this worship song called:  “Love Came Down” sung by Brian Johnson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN4e1o9WwEc 

Love came down and rescued me/Love came down and set me free/Mountian high and valleys low/ I sing out and remind my soul/I am yours, I am forever yours.

 

While reading about Paul’s trial this morning and thinking of Angola’s prisoners, I thought of how so many people walk around imprisoned by their worries, fears, anxieties, sinful habits, mental illness, etc.  I used to be one of those people.  My bipolar disorder kept me in bondage to my faulty, negative mind.  But once Jesus freed me, I never looked back and never picked up those strongholds again.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed,” John 8:36

Yet, I’ve had people ask me, “Why did this happen to you?” or “Why would God do this to you?”   No, no, no.  God didn’t do this to me.  He doesn’t cause evil or suffering, yet he allows it so you can rely on Him, and not yourself, to get you through it.

“Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow,” James 1:17.

God is perfect and never changes.  The Prince of the Air, our greatest enemy causes evil and harm and suffering. And we ourselves are responsible for the decisions and consequences of our lives.  And when we are not directly responsible, the evil of the world, the atmosphere, the environment, the food, etc. all contribute to our demise.

 

I can prove it!  I took a genetic test to see if my cancer had been passed down by any of the women in my family who had breast cancer.  Four of my mother’s cousins and her sister all suffered from breast cancer under the age of 50.   My mom was the only one who contracted it at 62!  So, it would seem that I would have the gene, right?

 

Nope!   The results of my BRCA gene test (a blood test that uses DNA analysis to identify harmful mutations in either one of the two breast cancer susceptibility genes) were all negative.  All 37 genes!  It turns out only 10% of our genes are inherited.   80% of our genetic makeup is influenced by our environment (food, consumer products, and pollution) and the remaining 10% from “coincidence.”  So, my bloodline or my crazy history can’t be blamed.  We can blame the state and condition of this fallen world.  Not God.  God is good toward everyone, even those who are not interested in His kingdom or in serving Him.  Life does not discriminate between good and bad people.  Unfortunately, good and bad things happen to everyone.

“For he [God] makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”  Matthew 5:45

Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

Have fun trying to avoid suffering.  It’s impossible.  But Jesus provides us with the strength, the courage, the perseverance, and everything else we need to get through our trials and crises.

 

But back to Paul who was imprisoned for preaching the gospel. [1]  Paul knew the secret to true happiness in life.  Here is my absolute favorite scripture from Paul:

“…for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. ¹² I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. ¹³ For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

What an awesome scripture.  Many rich folks have material treasures but no spiritual peace and many poor people lack basic possessions but have joy in their hearts—like Paul, like those “born again” Angola prisoners, and like me!  I am eternally grateful for the freedom given to me from my so-called “incurable” bipolar disorder. Before Christ, nothing helped.  But when I invited him into my life, I found I could do the impossible with his strength.  I could finally adopt a new perspective which over 10 years of behavioral therapy did not do!  Only with Jesus in my life, my heart, and his Holy Spirit could I begin to trample on those serpents and scorpions that were trying desperately to devour my life!

 

Paul and I both know that the secret to joy is not in blame or excessive focus on our negative circumstances.  The secret to joy is Jesus.

“The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Nehemiah 8:10.  

I don’t blame Jesus for my cancer and I don’t even focus on it negatively. In fact, my husband came up with a new name.  He said we should stop calling it “breast cancer” because those word speak death and the Bible says to speak life.  

So we call it: Breast Cancelled!

Only Jesus can give me the strength to overcome these hard circumstances.  And when you have the secret to joy and contentment, like Paul and I do, you can’t keep it a secret to yourself.  How greedy to keep such an amazing gift to myself.  I have to share it.  I have to tell people that what Jesus did for me, He can do for you, too!

 

When Jesus takes over, He replaces your old life with a newer, better life and there is visible evidence of your change.  Without the evidence, you are fooling yourself.  A life lived in Christ is a life that shows transformation.

 

Belief in Christ is a start but it doesn’t end there.  That’s only the beginning.  A relationship, not a religion or a religious spirit, is what Jesus will give you.  Without relationship, your are performing a bunch of prayers, rules, and empty rituals without meaning.  You stand up, sit down, rinse, repeat, move on, forget, and you leave church no better than the same way you came in.  You get in your car, you forget the message that was shared, and you curse out the first car that cuts you off or get into a fight with someone as soon as you get home.  Gee, what peace you have?  No, thanks!  I don’t want that type of religion.

 

Before I married my husband I spent two years getting to know him—not having sex with him.  But having a real, intimate, deep, personal relationship!  The kind of relationship Christ wants us to have with each other and with Him.  He wants us to get to know Him in a deeply personal way, which in turn will allow us to change, to transform, to be reborn, and to become “born again”—let’s not confuse a personal relationship with a secret or a private one!  Jesus doesn’t want you to keep him a secret.

 

To be born-again is not to be religious!  What a misconception.  To be “born-again” is commanded by Jesus.   You don’t believe me?  It’s in your bible, whether you are Catholic or Christian.  Read the gospel of John, chapter 3, specifically verses 3-7.

³ Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ⁴ Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”

With a  born-again life, you become new and live an improved life.  You no longer desire your old life or old habits.  When I gave my life to Jesus, I stopped wanting to curse.  Each “f-bomb” irritated me!  It felt so disgusting!  I stopped reading smutty novels and instead started to desire reading the Bible.  I no longer wanted to watch R rated movies with foul language and nudity.  I wanted to be an imitator of Christ because it’s the only thing that brought me everlasting peace!  It still does.  And when I fail, I ask God for his forgiveness and I submit to him in prayer, his word, his praise, and his worship and I’m able to move on.  I don’t sin less because I will be forgiven; I sin less because I am forgiven.

 

Seems hard to you?  Really?  It’s a lot easier to me than taking 14 pills a day, feeling exhausted, battling insomnia, worry, fear, perfectionism, going to therapy twice a week, hearing voices, allowing real demonic forces to attack me, and constantly longing to commit suicide.    https://www.clothedandinmyrightmind.com/testimony/ You can either keep fighting your demons on your own or you can ask Jesus for salvation which is real freedom, strength, and perseverance.

 

Now, every day is a celebration for me!  Every day is a God day which makes it a good day!  The years I lost have been restored.  The peace I never had is in me daily.  I’m so eternally grateful, that I choose joy on a daily basis.  If you knew the demons I fought, you’d know why I will never allow my mind to wander into the zone of depression, doubt, or negativity never again.  Whatever the problem, the circumstance, the question, the answer is always in Jesus and his word.  And it has never failed me because he says he will never leave me nor forsake me (Deut 31:8). To forsake mean to desert, to abandon, or to fail me!

 

Please, understand, I’m not superhuman or supernatural.  I can’t do these things on my own efforts.  I would be lying if I had you believe that I’ve never felt those things.  Of course, I have.  But I don’t hold on to them.  I give them to Jesus right away.   When I start to worry, I ask myself is there something I can do about this? Or is this something only Jesus can do?  If I can, I make a plan and get rest.  If I can’t, I give it to God.  How?  How do I give it to God?

 

1. I submit myself and my issue to God through prayer.  
   Ex:  “Father God, I can’t take this cancer away.  But, Lord Jesus, I know you are the Greate Physician.  You have healed me before in a miraculous way and I know it is always your will to heal.  So, Father, I ask you to heal me.  Lord Jesus, I ask you to give me a long life…”  And on and on I go till the fear, the doubt, or whatever it was is gone.   I just talk to my Father like a daughter to a Dad.  And sometimes, I’m real quiet.  I’m listening for His response either in a word, or in an impression, or an idea, etc.
2. I remind God of what he says in His book and his promises.  Have you ever noticed that night time is the worst for worry?  I’ve gotten up at 3 am to go to the bathroom and on the way back to bed heard a voice tell me, “You know you are going to DIE right!”  Oh, heck no.  I get right to work and I start to remind God of what he says in His Bible.   (This is why reading your Bible is so important.  How can you remind God of what He says, if you don’t know what He says?)  So, I start to repeat scripture—with our without the scriptural references.  Doesn’t matter.  Ex:  “Thank you, Father God, that with you I will have eternal life.   Thank you that you sent Jesus to set me apart and that you have made a home for me in your kingdom.  Father, your word says in Ps 118:17 that “I will not die; and that I will live to tell what the LORD has done.” Thank you for healing me, Lord Jesus.  That by your stripes I was healed and by your stripes, I am healed. (Isa 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).  Lord, you are Great, you are sovereign, you are Holy, you love your children and you said that with long life you will satisfy me (Psalm 91:16)…”
3. I praise Him.  Sometimes praying is difficult.  I’m either tired or too weak and sleepy to utter words in my head or my heart.  All I can muster up is praise. I tell God how much I love him and how grateful I am for His son’s sacrifice.   Ex: “Father God, Lord Jesus, I love you.  I worship you.  I praise your holy name.  I give you everything because you surrendered your only Son for me to die on a cross and made a way for my eternity.  Father, you are the creator of heaven and earth.  There is none higher than you.  Your ways are higher than mine.  Thank you for your grace and your mercies which are new every day.  Holy is your name. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to dwell inside me.  Lord Jesus, I give you my life.  I thank you for the cross. I bless your holy name. There is none like you, Lord Jesus.  Thank you for having a relationship with me…”
4. I worship with song!  I always have my phone and headphones on my night table.  And I have many playlists on my youtube channel.  I have “gospel” for when I want to hear songs by Tamela Mann; I have “worship” for contemporary songs; I have “Jimmy Swaggert’s Family Worship” for traditional songs; a special list called “Baby Roman Worship” for music I play in my belly buds for Noah which is the music I want to hear while I’m in the hospital—that’s my favorite list.  Visit my youtube channel and you’ll see these playlists, plus more: other’s testimonies, audio prayers, healing scriptures, sermons, and so much more.  Put your headphones on, pick a playlist, relax, and listen. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHMzJtKzarZgyTJnfr_byTA

All of these will have the same effect.  They will shed light on the darkness and the two cannot exist at the same time.  It’s scientific and scriptural.  You can’t serve two masters at the same time.  Doubts, worries, fears, anxieties are not from God.  Once you pray, speak scripture, praise God, or worship God’s presence takes over and the Devil and his tactics MUST FLEE!  Why?  Becuase they hate being in God’s presence and at the sound of the name, Jesus demons tremble, bow, and leave.

“so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow– of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” Philippians 2:10 (HSBC)

In a few hours, I have to wake up and go for my second chemotherapy session.  I leave with the knowledge that Christ in control, that He is not causing me to suffer, that He has a plan and it is good, and that trials are our best teachers because they make us rely on faith, which can only come from a belief and relationship with Jesus Christ.

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6

Amen.  God is faithful to complete the good work he started in me.

For this reason, I have written part of Genesis 50:20 on my wall of growing scriptures.

I pray you hung on till the end of this post and that you will be forgiving of my zealousness for Christ and my preaching today.  The Lord knows what I needed to minister to myself today and maybe someone else needed it too!

 

In Love for Christ,

Liz

Footnote from above:  [1] A teacher’s job was recently threatened for saying she would pray for a coworker: This is a sign of our times as the world continues to reject Jesus.  This is why you see Christians who are killed in the name of Jesus quoting Luke 9:26: For whoever is ashamed of me [Jesus] and of my words, of him will the Son of Man [Jesus] be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.  I’m sorry, but I’d have to lose my job and trust Jesus to find me a newer and better one! Which I know He would.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/teacher-files-lawsuit-school-threatens-fire-her-for-saying-i-will-pray-for-you-184711/