Can We Trust His Word? (7/18/2007)

Hello to All,

Thanks for praying for us this last week. The "Mack Truck" didn't hit her this time. It was only a Ford F150. And it didn't even back up and hit her again and again. We are grateful that this round was significantly less difficult than Round 2. Perhaps it's a coincidence. Perhaps God answered our prayers.

We are also grateful that Ann won't have any chemo until August 7th. She's taking a bit of break so that we can make our annual trek to Estes Park, Colorado. We are looking forward to some quality family time and being awestruck by the majesty of God.


I've tried to be honest with our struggles and doubts in previous emails with the hope that others might be encouraged in their own battles. I will continue that modus operandi today, even at the risk of sounding heretical.

Back in college at Iowa State, when I was active in evangelism, I often communicated the good news of Jesus Christ to fraternity brothers, classmates and others. If a person decided that they wanted to place their faith in Christ for the forgiveness of his/her sins, then I would help them communicate that decision to God through prayer. If the person seemed genuine I would read 1 John 5:13, which promises, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (emphasis mine)." I would then state, "It doesn't say, 'Think, maybe, hope, wish, possibly there's a chance.'" I confidently assured him, on the basis of God's Word, that he now possessed eternal life, if he truly trusted in Jesus Christ.

Given our present circumstances we've been forced to reexamine our assumptions about the Bible. Though Ann has moved past the "What if God doesn't exist?" question, she is now wrestling with "What if the Bible isn't true?" I spent too much time, money, and energy during my nine years of seminary to go there. My question is, "What if God doesn't keep his promises?"

The two verses that follow in 1 John contain a second promise:

"And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him (emphasis mine)."

I confidently encouraged classmates to trust in the first promise. Can I really depend on this second one? Can I honestly encourage Ann to rely it? Should I encourage the kids to bank on it? If the second promise isn't really reliable, is the first one? Either both promises are true or neither is.

I believe that the following verses are indisputable, rock-sold promises for believers today:

• Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me (John 15:4).
• For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them (Matthew 18:20).
• For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:11-12).

If I believe that God keeps those three promises, why do I struggle with the next three? They are recorded in the same passage.

• If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you (John 15:7).
• Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven (Matthew 18:19).
• Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases (Psalm 103:2-3).

Perhaps they're not really promises. Perhaps they don't mean what they seem to say. Perhaps they just don't apply to us today. Can I really take God at his word?

Prayer Requests:

• That we would leave our tension in Texas while we enjoy a week in Rocky Mountain National Park (leaving 7/27).
• That Ann would have the physical strength to hike to Dream Lake, where we always take our family picture.
• That the chemo would kill the tumors and that Ann's liver would return to normal size.
• That God would heal Ann in his time and way so that our grandkids will know her love and faith.
  

Thanks for listening.

Love,
Howard & Ann