Don't Waste Your Cancer

Marvin in his sermon last Sunday inspired me to google for the balance of John Piper's 7 points "Don't Waste Your Cancer". I remember stumbling onto the 10 points much earlier on and there was one point I could not agree then. I looked for that one point and I figured which one now. Death. But as I continue on this journey, I am getting more and more confident. I know He is preparing me. I cannot hold on to anything not even life itself because I have been bought with a price. I no longer live but Christ lives in me. Even with the last medical results even though the results weren't fantastic, it had no bearing on me because my confidence is in the Lord. Cancer/death has lost its sting. But to ponder death only and not praying for healing and clinging on to His promises that He is able to deliver because it is His logos word, is not balanced. I believe God heals because His logos words says so. I still haven't found scripture on where He did not heal. Epraphroditus? But he was healed by God's mercy. We don't look at the anointed servant as Healer but God as Healer. Who's to say that Paul did not pray for his friend to be healed and was healed by God. God still works his miracles today as shown on this blog alone because we who have baby faith needs to be encouraged! Ultimately God is sovereign. He is in control. His rhema to us will be revealed to us personally when it is time to go home.

Here is what David Powlison, of the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation, who also was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, have to say about healing. "I believe in God’s power to heal—by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to pray for both kinds of healing. Cancer is not wasted when it is healed by God. He gets the glory and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray for healing may waste your cancer. But healing is not God’s plan for everyone. And there are many other ways to waste your cancer. I am praying for myself and for you that we will not waste this pain."

Don't Waste Your Cancer


1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.

EM: I wouldn’t use the word design but allowed it to happen for a purpose. Satan knew the open doors I left ajar and making full use of it but God in His infinite wisdom knew I would come back to Him and yes, I believe there is more to this cancer. Cancer is only what we see, it is only temporary but what God has in store for me is even greater and that is the journey worth taking.

2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.

EM: This is one of many pf God’s promises that I cling on to that Christ has already redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. I know ultimately that it is not always God’s plan to heal everyone yet I also know that His logos is for all of us as He guides us along, until we hear His rhema words sink into our inner spirit that gives us the peace beyond all understanding. In that way, I am confident I don’t have to close the bible and plead God for mercy because all of His words are true. How much refers to this life and how much refers to after the second coming? I believe it is a journey to take and to discover oneself but to cling on to the promises He has given to us now. Ultimately, it really doesn’t matter which way because the enemy is defeated. It has lost its sting. We already have eternal life now. :)


3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.

EM: Amen! Just a glimpse of God’s glory overshadows the cancer. We have a great big God, a prayer answering God, a miracle working God. Some look towards nutrition, or chemo or qigong but the Lord is my healer, the One I trust, my tower of refuge.


4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.

John Piper:
We will all die, if Jesus postpones his return. Not to think about what it will be like to leave this life and meet God is folly. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning [a funeral] than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” How can you lay it to heart if you won’t think about it? Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Numbering your days means thinking about how few there are and that they will end. How will you get a heart of wisdom if you refuse to think about this? What a waste, if we do not think about death.

EM: Ah, this was the one point that I struggled with when I read it earlier on in my journey but now I am beginning to be fearless. Actually, I’ve always asked my mum not to be fearful of death because we already have eternal life. It is actually a joy to meet our Maker in Heaven. I believe Robert Lam and Michael was given a glimpse of heaven. It’s too hard to refuse. The beauty of heaven compared to our suffering world. Still, if that is God’s rhema to me, I believe He will show me personally a real glimpse of heaven and I will be doubly ready then. Till then, I cling on to the promises He has for me. The past week, I have been overcomed with joy. It’s hard to explain but earlier on in the journey friends would have word for me to be joyful in the Lord. I have peace but joy just wasn’t overwhelming. But last week all that changed. Even when I sing, it is filled with joy from the heart..like I am lighter on my feet. I wonder what it means?

DP: Paul describes the Holy Spirit is the unseen, inner ‘downpayment’ on the certainty of life. By faith, the Lord gives a sweet taste of the face-to-face reality of eternal life in the presence of our God and Christ. We might also say that cancer is one ‘downpayment’ on inevitable death, giving one bad taste of the reality of of our mortality. Cancer is a signpost pointing to something far bigger: the last enemy that you must face. But Christ has defeated this last enemy: 1 Corinthians 15. Death is swallowed up in victory. Cancer is merely one of the enemy’s scouting parties, out on patrol. It has no final power if you are a child of the resurrection, so you can look it in the eye.

5. You will waste your cancer if you think that “beating” cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.

EM: Yes, cherishing Christ overshadows cancer. It’s not even worth thinking about it. It’s more rewarding to seek after Him, to have a relationship with Him and to know Him more deeply.

6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.

EM: I think it was the holy spirit that put this thought into my mind from the first night at the hospital. After He assured me and gave me peace in my heart, I just knew I had to seek Him more deeply that is getting into His word. I did not have much interest in anything else not even TV. Friends were asking me to spend more time with my children, write journals, go for massages and spas but I said no to them all. It’s not important. Seeking God first is more important.


7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.


EM: After the many revelations and miracles in the first month, I was just bursting to tell everyone and share with everyone what He was doing in my life. I knew it would be a big risk that’s why I called it an adventure. I always picture adventure like a roller coaster ride. With Jesus, we’re in for a real adventure. It got me motivated to start a blog http://www.lizadventure.blogspot.com/. No more fears. I just pray many will be blessed and continue to be blessed by my sharing for He is really who He says He is in the bible!

8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.

EM: No grieve, only love, joy and peace. :) Until His rhema words say otherwise, I will cling on to His promises that He will grant me long life just as says in Psalms and Proverbs if I stay close to Him.


9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.

EM: A lot was revealed at the first night at the hospital. Using fear as an excuse not to serve God, having resentment in my heart for a previous maid, managing kids with anger, not communicating with my dad, sacrificing too much for the kids which took a toil on my body and not putting God FIRST. The holy spirit brings many sins to memory but Ps Joseph and Ps Lydia helped me say a prayer to cover it all. To seek forgiveness and repentance even though I had already done it the first night. There were more bondages revealed during the Deeper Life Seminar classes and I broke all ties in the name of Jesus.

10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.

EM: Sharing with my friends the beauty of Jesus in this journey and watching others get blessed brings tears of joy to me. I surprise myself when I see myself get up and share with Beverly and Robert Lam. Only the holy spirit could have guided me. He shows me there is nothing too difficult in life with Him in the picture. Nothing is impossible for God. He reveals His love and compassion to me and what He has done for me, He can do the same for you. Just dive into His arms! :) I thank God for all the family and friends that surround me with their love and prayers. To God be the glory!

Full article by John Piper is at http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2006/1776_Dont_Waste_Your_Cancer/