One of the difficult lessons in God’s Word for me to fully capture is the state of abiding.

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” Jn 15:4
What does the word abide mean? menō A primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): – abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry.

The scripture tells us to abide or stay in Christ, or remain in a given place of safety where God will produce the most fruit in our lives.

In Acts 27:10, Paul was being transported by ship along with 276 other men and prisoners from Caesarea, Israel to Rome, Italy. Paul was to appear before Caesar to defend himself from his Jewish accusers. While in route to Rome the ship landed in a city off the Island of Crete called Fair Havens or Good Harbor. Paul encouraged the ship captain to stay (or abide) there because it was winter and sailing into the rough Mediterranean waters that time of year would jeopardize everyone’s life.  Paul’s words were not heeded and the captain ordered the ship to depart from Good Harbor. Paul had no choice but to trust God for the outcome. Once the ship was well on its way, there  arose a “tempestuous” winter storm. Although Paul was given a promise from the Lord in Acts 23:11 that he would speak in Rome, the storm  caused fear and robbed him of his hope. Paul had done all that he could do to stay in a place of safety (Fair Havens) but was thrust into a storm that he didn’t choose.

Sometimes, we also are thrust into storms that we dont choose. We may be fearful or lose hope because there appears to be no escape. God is ever faithful to His promises; in His Word and also to the promises He imparts to us individually. He inspires purpose and vision for our lives.  Storms may shake us to our core but God is still working within the storm to fulfill our destiny as the Lord has purposed beforehand. As with the Apostle Paul, God wasn’t finished producing fruit through his life and was going to save him from perishing in the sea. God sent an Angel to comfort and assure Paul that no one would perish and that Paul would appear before Caesar.

We as believers are much like Paul, we may desire to abide in Christ and stay in a place of safety like Good Harbor but because of circumstances beyond our control we are thrust into a storm. Many kinds of problems cause us to realize that our mind or body are both incapable of overcoming a situation that grips us with fear. Paul had a fear of perishing before he reached Rome even though he had a promise from God. Later in his life he would write,

“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil 4:12.13

Paul was testifying that in every circumstance of life he faced; whether he suffered need or had fullness, it was Christ who strengthened him. It didn’t matter to Paul what his body had to go through because his only goal was learning about Christ.

While in the midst of a storm, Paul was in the process of learning how to abide in Christ. He was about to face unknown peril of the Sea and there was a good possibility he would die before reaching the promise of appearing before Caesar in Rome. We often think Paul was a super saint with no weaknesses, but real fear struck him. God sent an Angel with a promise so he would not fear and know that no one would perish in the storm, the Angel also confirmed his destination to arrive in Rome before Caesar. Once Paul heard from the Lord, his hope began to soar and his faith was strengthened. He told the men with him on the ship, that no one would perish because an Angel had spoke to him that night. Paul warned them that unless they stayed with the ship they would perish in the storm. God may use storms, circumstances or problems in your life to bring to pass His greater purposes, but be of good cheer for God is ever faithful to His promises. If God still has work for you to do here then wait on the Lord, abide in His rest, fully confident that “He that began a good work in you will accomplish it.” (Phil 1:6)  As you seek Him you will find Him. He will answer.

 The other day one of my therapists repeated a common remark that other doctors, nurses and therapists have said to me, “you know you will never be able to eat again”,  “you know you will lose your voice” or “you know you will never get better”. Even though these comments are meant to be compassionate they provide zero comfort to me. I always respond by saying, “God will heal me” After my comment they usually label me as “crazy or delusional” and then go on to tell me that no one gets healed of ALS but you might be the “ONE exception” just to appease me.

I am fully aware of the probablities and statistics of ALS, I am not in “denial” as I have been told, I just don’t happen to place my belief  in them. My belief is that “Anything is possible” with God; and with God “nothing is impossible” (Mat 19:26, Mar 9:23).  I believe God for impossiblities because our “…faith  is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things NOT YET seen” (Heb 11:1). I take comfort and assurance that one day I will be with God in heaven, I do not live in fear of death and God knows the number of my days. Having said all that, He has also put a vision in my heart to share His Good and Hopeful News to many hurting people. My encounter with the person of Christ Jesus in March, 1998 has been an anchor and why I have been so “stubborn” as to NOT believe everything I have been told of this ALS condition. Yes, It is possibly the trial of my life but I am in the fight of faith to see God be glorified through my lips and living sacrifice.  

The Truth is, what they tell me might have merit in the physical sense; I don’t have a chance to survive or be healed because ALS is fatal with no cure. But I don’t choose to fight the battle only on the physical level; I choose to place faith in the Cross where my victory has already been won by my Savior Jesus Christ. I cannot do a thing in my flesh, literally, this disease has limited me to a great extent. I have to call on Jesus every day to live and breathe through me (Gal 2:20). His name is called YAHWEH RAPHA The Lord who Heals (Mt 8:16,17).

God, in His great compassion wills for me to be healed (Mt 8:2,3) and His Word says God has already provided healing for everyone (Is 53:4, 5; 1Pt 2:24). He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), He is the same God that healed the blind, deaf, and paralyzed 2000 years ago that He is today (Heb 13:8).

Because I believe in God’s love for me and that He has given me a promise; I’m not to worry about if and when I will be healed. I fail many times in this area of trusting Him but Jesus always lovingly reminds me to depend on Him for everything. When I depend on Him for my present and future needs I can find rest in my soul. As I rest from depending on myself I find my Father waiting there with peace and comfort.

We all remember Jesus telling Peter that he would deny knowing Him three times before the rooster crowed (Lk 22:34). But, do we remember what Jesus said to Peter after the ascension, when He appeared to Peter and four other disciples after they were fishing? Jesus was standing along the Galilean seashore waiting to meet Peter; when Peter recognized Jesus he got out of his boat and swam to shore. Jesus challenged Peter to follow Him and to do His work but He said something that Peter would remember and keep in his heart until his own death.   Jesus told him, “When you are old, thou shalt stretch forth thine hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whether thou wouldest not” (John 21: 18-19).   Jesus was talking about Peter’s death….. but he also told him that he would be old when he died!

As my friend Bill Scott reminded me in sharing on this verse, 

“Fast forward a few years later. Peter is in jail for preaching the gospel.   He has been told that he would be put to death the next morning.   Acts 12 tells the story  ‘…in the middle of the night while Peter was sleeping between two soldiers and bound in chains, while a keeper was guarding the door the angel came and woke him.   Peter rose up and the chains fell off and he escaped.’ How is it that just days before, James, the brother of John, had been killed with the sword because of Herod’s decree and this same Herod had decreed Peter’s own death and yet Peter was sleeping at a time when his death was imminent?   How could anyone sleep knowing that? Because Peter was at rest, remembering the Word that Jesus spoke to him on the Galilean seashore a few years ago, that when he was old certain things would happen to him. Peter has been placed in jail and condemned to die.   Yet he is not worried or stressed out about it, in fact he goes to sleep like a baby. Why is he at rest when death awaits him in the morning? Maybe he thought about Jesus’ words to him about being old, and then walks around, and thinks to himself hey, wait a minute I’m not old! I’m not going to die!   He remembered the Word of the Lord to him. Even before that, he had been threatened for preaching the gospel, but he acted out of faith and continued what he was called to do.”  

The Herod death sentence that we face may be disease or something else, but it’s the same Lord who spoke to Peter that will speak to you. He is standing by the seashore waiting for you to come to him so that he can lavish on you His love through His Word.  He wants you to find rest in Him from all your worry and care in this life.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good–not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.” Matt 11:28-30