God Grace and Direction in Times of Cancer

TODAY’S POST IS NUMBER 1900

MY EXPERIENCE WITH WHAT I KNOW NOW AS PROSTATE CANCER

Charles e Whisnant

My life verse has been Philippians 1:21:  ‘FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE IS GAIN.”  And today that is still by life verse.  Christ is my life.  In this life, to live for Christ has been my life.  From those early years playing church in our church in Roanoke, Virginia to today still preaching in a church has been my life.

HOW I FOUND OUT I HAD A HIGH PSA  

• After my Mom died in July 2010, I became more aware of the need to have extra insurance.  I applied for some more insurance and took a physical.  The result came back and I was turned down for bad health.  We were shocked since the last time my heath report was great.

• The report showed I had a 30 PSA, and a few other high readings on my health.  We could not understand the high Prostate score at all and began to look into the matter. 

THE BEGINNING OF HEALTHY EATING:

•  Because of the other health issues, Charity convinced me to begin to eat more healthily than I was.   I was not aware that I had any health issues. I have never been very sick ever. Tonsillectomy and two hernia operations is the most.  
•  

• But in July Charity got me on this health food, no sugar, no diet Mt Dew, no white bread, no Union Mills cookies. And Charity fixed me a healthy  green smoothie every day and a good fruit smoothie in the evening.

RESULT OF HEALTHY EATING:

• Over the next three months I lost 28 pounds.  I was feeling rather good, and still do.  But there was this concern over the high Prostate score.  I had another test and the score was 27.  I was really not all that concerned, but others were. 

• Well, my insurance agent Jim Wayne was concerned about this matter and wanted me to check with a doctor.  And I was thinking I need to get healthy too.  Charity while at Union Mills had several people come in and talk to her about my health.

• We have no health insurance. Car insurance, yes: life insurance yes, but no health insurance.  That does make a difference in your thinking.  I am 64 and a year away from Medicare.  And we are not on welfare and have no medical card.  

FOLLOW THE PATH AND DIRECTION SET BEFORE US

• Charity and I have said, “Lord, you know where we are, and you know our situation and know what we need to do.”   We have asked the Lord for wisdom and help in knowing what we should do. 

• Well, Saundra Wheeler has been a great friend of Union Mills for a number of years, and she came into the bakery a number of times, and she said she check with her husband about me.  Sure enough, Dr. Wheeler called that afternoon and asked some questions and set my appointment to talk to him on October 31.

1.     So I went to see Dr. Wayne Wheeler on Monday, October 31, 2011, and he said to get another blood work, and come to see him at SOMC on Saturday, November 05

2.     I took the blood test on the same Monday.  

3.     I went to see Dr. Wheeler on Saturday, November 05 2011, at SOMC and had the result of the test and took an exam of my prostate. Dr. Wheeler said I need to see a urologist.  He called Dr. Chris Schmidt and asked if he would see me. 

4.     Charity called on that next Monday and an appointment was set up for that Tuesday 11-08-11

5.      I went in that Tuesday and he talked with me, and read my blood work, took the prostate exam.  He said I need to come in the next day to get a biopsy.

6.     Then I came back on Wednesday November 9^th and had a biopsy of my prostate.

7.     Then the following Wednesday, November 16^th I came back to Dr. Schmidt’s for the result. Dr. said it was an 8 on a scale of 5 to 10. He said 6 would have been great, but 9 or 10 would have been really bad.

8.     That day November 16^th Dr. Chris had received a call from Dr. Wheeler about me and mentioned the program in Columbus, a blind study that a doctor was giving.  So Dr. Chris had his assistant to look into it.  Since I have no insurance and not on Medicare, there are only a few choices.  But both doctors said they would get me through this.    Well, Dr. Chris said he would have the office call me on Thursday or Friday about this Blind Study. 

9.     And sure enough Columbus office called on Thursday November 17^th.   The doctor in Columbus was accepting me for a pre-trial exam.   

10. I have an appointment with them on November 28, 2011, to have the pre blood work and tests as necessary. Can’t believe how fast this has happened.   This study will provide me with the test and exam and care.  Dr. Schmidt said he highly recommends this doctor, and he took time to check into this new study and procedure in helping with the prostate cancer.  

 Dr. Betz, who talked to Charity at the very beginning of this saga wants us to check on the program at the University of Indiana.  So we are also getting more information on the Proton Therapy at Bloomington Indiana University.

And over the last few months I have been taking VAXA supplements for my health as well.  Which Dr Wheeler said was not enough to hurt me. LOL  

So here we are today, thanking the Lord for what has been set before us.  We ask for wisdom and direction in this matter, and to be wise in our decisions.  It seems the Lord has brought people into our lives who have given us direction and the help we need at this time.  So we are trusting the Lord’s director and the advice we have received from Dr. Wheeler and Dr. Schmidt.  

We certainly do not know about tomorrow but we do know who hold tomorrow in our lives: The Lord Jesus Christ.The Lord has given us peace and my blood pressure is perfect, and my attitude is one of gratefulness,.  As I have said, for me to live is to live for Christ, and to die would be gain. Seeing the Lord face to face would really be great. But I would like to finish teaching Romans at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, and I love my lovely wife Charity and family.  So as long as the Lord wants me to continue on this earth, I am glad to be at His service. I just want the Lord to be glorified in all this that is set before Charity and I.

Romans 8:2 The Life of The Spirit

This message from Romans 8:2 covers part of the outline/notes.

ROMANS CHAPTER EIGHT AND VERSE TWO

Charles e Whisnant, Pastor-Teacher

“THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HATH MADE YOU FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH”

November 13^th 2011

   

I am hoping when I give understanding of the words that I can help us understand the whole verse, and how it fits into Paul’s overall thinking and the point that what he is trying to make.

In order to produce a good interpretation we are going look at the words as Paul said them. Paul in verse two is going to give us reasons for his statement in verse one is true.

FOR:^{1063 HO GAR}

The purpose of verse two is to give us a reason for verse one. And FOR reminds us that verse one is not a detached statement. There is a reason for, an explanation of, what has just been said. You could use the word “BECAUSE.”

FOR THE LAW ³⁵⁵¹

·        How can we use the term “law” possibly mean that he is talking about the gospel, or the way of salvation by faith, as over against an attempt to justify ourselves by works under the law?

·        "The "law of the Spirit of life" has invaded and opposed "the law of sin which is in my members" thus freeing us from its bondage  We cannot obey God's law in the strength of the flesh, but as we reckon (that is, deliberately acknowledge) ourselves to be dead to sin and "alive unto God this doctrinal truth increasingly becomes practical truth in our lives."

OF THE SPIRIT⁴¹⁵¹ OF LIFE ²²²²

KJV reads “hath made me free” . What the Apostle Paul wrote:  Which Paul was meaning here was “it happened “once and for ever’.

·       The point here is the law of the Spirit freed me’ – made me free. It is not hath made” but ‘made’.  It has already happened ‘once and for ever’ it is completed; it belongs to the past.

·       And again the word “me” should be “you” Paul is writing about the Christian generally, and not about himself. That anyone who is a Christian.

Which means: The work of the Holy Spirit in the Believer.

·        Romans 8:10-11; John 4:10,14; 6:63; I Corinthians 15:45; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Revelation 11:11; 22:1;

What I want to accomplish today is to learn what it means to have the life of the Spirit in the believer! And that the Holy Spirit produces entire sanctification, or what is called the “second blessing.”

Some on to teach that this “work of the Spirit” is the second work in the believer after salavation.

·        In the process of salvation, God implants in us a new law for a new life.  “The spirit of life.” Here is given the believer upon the New Birth,  a “Spirit who quickeneth” John 6:63 and it is the Spirit who gives life.

IN¹⁷²² CHRIST⁵⁵⁴⁷ JESUS ²⁴²⁴

HATH MADE YOU FREE ^{(1659/3165) (eleutheroo = the ending " -oo"} 

v  Means not only will it be set free but it will be seen as set free) .

v  Means to cause someone to be freed from domination.

v  The picture is that of the emancipation of slaves.

v  The idea is that the one set free is at liberty, capable of movement, exempt from obligation or liability, and unfettered.

v   Although the act of setting free results in freedom and liberty we must understand that this new freedom is not a license to sin. In fact true liberty for the believer is now living as we should and not as we please. 

v  In short, the Spirit, Who brought the life of God Himself into us, has set us free from the power of our flesh and free to be the person God wants us to be.

“FREE FROM THE LAW ³⁵⁵¹ OF SIN ²⁶⁶ AND DEATH”²²⁸⁸

 

·       The law of sin is that principle in us that pulls us downward into death and that used to control and condemn us

·       This is Romans 6 in a nutshell. Paul presents two opposite laws or principles. The characteristic principle of the Holy Spirit is to empower believers for holy living. The characteristic principle of indwelling sin is to drag a person down to death. It is like the law of gravity. When you throw a ball into the air, it comes back down because it is heavier than the air it displaces. A living bird is also heavier than the air it displaces, but when you toss it up in the air, it flies away. The law of life in the bird overcomes the law of gravity. So the Holy Spirit supplies the risen life of the Lord Jesus, making the believer free from the law of sin and death.

Eric and Lessie Whisnant Family visit

Rob Temple III birthday Time with Family