A 20 year habit and a video...


     I know that this is an avenue to get out about my cancer but I don't want to stop the process of collecting my thoughts.  So here goes.  About 20 years ago I took a group of men from the church down to some Promise Keeper events at the Pontiac Silverdome.  That started the need to gather the men of the churches I have been involved in on a regular basis.  It started in the conference room on the upper level in the back of the Glen's store in Alpena.  For 20 years I have gotten up early to grow in the Lord together with others.  I have seen a lot of guys come and go over that time.  Sometimes it was an all out organized Bible study; sometimes just a time of prayer over one of the guys going through a trial of life; sometimes just a time to shoot the breeze; but lately it has been a time to bounce off my sermon ideas.  Even though this is a great medium, the personal touch and interaction still trumps it.


     Some last thoughts on the sermon for Sunday.  Is it an coincidence that I am studying James 4 this week of my life?  I don't think so.  The chapter ends with those words, "...you do not know what tomorrow will bring...you are a mist that appears for a little while..."  Verses 13 & 14 are void of God in the works of your life.  Verse 15 says to make sure He is there, not just in word but also in attitude and action.  This sermon is working up to be the most challenging yet in this series.


     So onto the video.  We went to see the oncologist today.  Our next step is a PET scan in Petoskey or Traverse City early next week.  They are still looking to see if the cancer has gone any farther.  They have labeled it adenocarcinoma, which is a colon cancer but it is more in my anus than my rectum.  That is the problem.  A team of doctors will look at my case Wednesday and give more direction to surgery first and then treatment or treatment and then surgery.  A trip to Grand Rapids might be needed for another test and probably any surgery will be with a specialist who only deals with surgery in that area.  The tumor is in a bad spot but God can get anywhere.  Thanks again for your prayers and your love.


Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

Comments

  1. Deborah@Green Willow PondJanuary 28, 2011 at 3:21 PM

    We love you guys and are praying for you. Our hearts cry is that you would be healed, Adam. Whatever path God has you on, we know he is in control. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he watches over you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thomas A.January 28, 2011 at 3:29 PM

    I have spent the last few days reading all of your blogs. I can't help but to stop and think about where do the writing skills come from? From our mother and father. It always comforts me to know that our mother is somewhere looking out and continually praying for us.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pastor AdamJanuary 28, 2011 at 5:55 PM

    Thanks Deb and Tom...Mom was a good teacher and I think it just took a while for me to check up to others. Thanks Deb to for the song.

    ReplyDelete
  4. NormJanuary 29, 2011 at 6:34 PM

    Dear Pastor Adam,

    I wanted you to know that the congregation of Mount Hope Church is praying fervently for your healing and recovery. We are just concluding a week of prayer and fasting and we have witnessed God moving in the miraculous. We will continue to pray for you until you get the breakthrough you need.

    In Christ,

    Pastor Norm Oberlin & the People of Mount Hope Church

    ReplyDelete
  5. Pastor AdamJanuary 29, 2011 at 6:36 PM

    Thanks Norm...and all the gang at Mount Hope. I am truly humbled by the body of Christ calling on the Lord for me. I will keep you updated and hope to be at prayer time on Thursday.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Connect a bit of Scripture with a bit of life - Spurgeon

     I heard this phrase today along with another that if you connect a bit of Scripture with a bit of life, it will end up effecting all of your life.  This came up in my study of the book of James and specifically the verses dealing with not just being a hearer of the Word but also be a doer of the Word.  It is all about application.  I can't look at preaching the Word without giving steps of applying the Word.  It really is an incomplete sermon if I don't.      Many times I think it has to be big and many points and given cute aliteration that makes it snappy and I think easy to remember and fun to write down.  Reality is, if I would make it a bit of Scripture connected to a bit of life and just that it would probably accomplish much more.  How much time I spend on the opening statement and lame joke and research and introductions and how many points and the closing statement and so little time on connecting the bit of Scripture to the bit of life.      So I guess I ha
Read more

Galatians #15 - Galatians 6:11-18 - "On The Road Again..."

Image
  Another week closer and it involves some more travel for the Wolfgangs.  I feel like the Willy Nelson song, " On the road again... "  I don't know if I agree with the next line though. " ...I can't wait to get on the road again. " One of the members of the church in Wisconsin calculated that I will travel well over 10,000 miles to make this transition.  Traveling mercies prayers please. Last Sunday we will look at Paul's final words to the churches in Galatia.  He brought them the gospel (good news) message of Jesus and what resulted were churches forming throughout the region.  The letter is to defend that message that our salvation comes from and is in Christ alone.  Christ's sacrifice on the cross was sufficient for the forgiveness of our sins.  The summary statement of the letter is found in  Galatians 6:15 (LSB) .  " For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. "  Translated another way earlier in  Ga
Read more

Sermon prep and maybe a video...

     James 4 has brought up some interesting study.  First, "the quarrels and fights among you."  Those are usually worse than you think even though we try to minimize them.  The source is simpler than you think because it is coming from within you.  The solution is easier than you think because the solution that James gives is that we need to humble ourselves before the Lord.  Any sincere resolution is specific and brief.  Beware of lengthy resolutions that usually include explaining it away or excusing some of the behavior.      As I have seen before, the words are a sign of the heart.  I read this week that if we have a critical heart we usually start by speaking evil of another to ourselves.  Then we progress to speaking evil of another to that person with a running tally in our heads of all their wrongs.  Finally, we speak evil of another to others and broadcast in a way that we are thinking that we are helping.  Giving judgment is always easier than giving mercy.  I
Read more