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Three nights ago ...

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thisnumbersdisconnected

New Member
I have arthritis. It's not debilitating, but it can be painful. I continue to work out on a daily basis, stay in shape, but at times I have to curtail my normal routine because of the aches and pains from inflammation.

Three nights ago, on Sunday, I awoke at 4:30 a.m. with a deep, dull ache in my upper right leg, the femur -- the biggest bone in our bodies. It awakened me from a sound sleep, and after enduring it for a time, I got up and took an extra dose of the OTC pain reliever my doctor recommends for twice-a-day use. After about a half hour, the pain slowly subsided and I managed to get back to sleep. My wife had to work that day, so I had to get myself aroused to go to church. I slept through my alarm, didn't awaken until 7 a.m., and had to hurry to get to the 8 a.m. service.

Two nights ago, Monday, I again awoke at a bit after 4:00 a.m., again with the same deep, dull ache. Only this time, almost out of frustration, I prayed, "Lord, please, touch my leg, make this pain subside, and let me get some sleep. You know I have a big day today, and I need my rest. To your glory, Amen." Almost immediately, the pain subsided. When I moved over the next few minutes, trying to find a comfortable position, it would flare briefly, but again dissipate. Within minutes, I was back asleep, and awoke with my 6:00 a.m. alarm.

Last night, I again awoke at a bit after 4:00 a.m. again with the same deep, dull ache. I immediately prayed just as I had the night before, and the pain disappeared. I was asleep again in moments, and just got up about 35 minutes ago for my prayer time, study, and first cup of coffee. Then I decided I needed to share this, so here it is.

It's a simple thing. It seems like such a small thing for God to do. Yet He did it. Unhesitatingly. If the pain returns tomorrow, He will again respond to the prayer, of that I have absolutely no doubt. I have to ask myself -- and thought I would ask you -- what are we missing each day, what miracles do we not receive, because we do not ask?

Jesus' half brother wrote:
James 4, (NASB)
2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.​
I truthfully believe God wanted my attention these last few nights. He is telling me, "I have so much more for you, but you sit in self-satisfaction and believe what you have is because of your efforts, not Mine. When will you see, all you have is from Me, and I can just as easily allow it to be taken away, to allow trial, affliction and difficulty to tear down what you think you have built up?"

I am not in open rebellion, but I am in self-satisfaction. I confess that. Again, it seems like such a small thing. But it has such huge implications for what God can do through me, if I will but allow it. It comes at a time when I've been given two great blessings: The chance to help a man at church, without charge, struggling with addictions; and the opportunity for my wife and I to visit our sister church in Canada this spring or summer to do the same, help families there struggling with addiction and sin, such as adultery and bitterness.

A door opens, a choice is offered. This morning I have chosen to let God "heal the pain." So much of my ministry is born out of my own addictions and suffering. I did not have because I did not ask. Now, I have the opportunity to have so much more, and I will ask, I will seek God to lead me and work through me.

My pain these last few days, it is a small thing, but the removal of it has truly opened my eyes. Please pray for me. God bless.
 
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H

HAMel

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
this..., I'm not of the opinion that all pain is the result of our Lord trying to get out attention. Often, it just happens. Birth is the beginning of the death process.

A few years ago I suffered from terrible knee pain. In both knees. I was at the local spa enjoying the hot tub when another spoke to me about Acupuncture and recommended a practitioner in our local area.

Yeah, yeah, yeah..., but due to the constant pain I finally called up and made an appointment.

...it worked!!! Ask me if I was impressed. To this day I have no knee pain.

What struck my funny bone was I was expecting to meet with some little old woman of oriental descent but upon arrival..., I found a rather robust woman from Cuba. :thumbs:

Check your surrounding area for a practitioner and check it out. The Department of the Navy is now starting to recognize their potential.
 
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thisnumbersdisconnected

New Member
HAMel said:
this..., I'm not of the opinion that all pain is the result of our Lord trying to get out attention. Often, it just happens. Birth is the beginning of the death process.

A few years ago I suffered from terrible knee pain. In both knees. I was at the local spa enjoying the hot tub when another spoke to me about Acupuncture and recommended a practitioner in our local area.

Yeah, yeah, yeah..., but due to the constant pain I finally called up and made an appointment.

...it worked!!! Ask me if I was impressed. To this day I have no knee pain.

What struck my funny bone was I was expecting to meet with some little old woman of oriental descent but upon arrival..., I found a rather robust woman from Cuba. :thumbs:

Check your surrounding area for a practitioner and check it out. The Department of the Navy is now starting to recognize their potential.
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I am completely amazed and astounded.

How could anyone read my post and get this out of it?? Tell me, Hamel, why would I seek out a "robust woman from Cuba" when I can ask and receive? Even if I have totally missed the point, and it is just pain lifted with prayer, what would prompt anyone to suggest acupuncture over God? You've got to be kidding me.
 
Zaac

Zaac

Well-Known Member
When you can't get to sleep or you wake up in the middle of the night because there is a big, thudding ache that you feel deep in the marrow of those bones, an acupuncturist ain't gonna do much good.

But when you can call upon the name of King JESUS! and find rest...
babycha.gif
 
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HAMel

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I am completely amazed and astounded.

How could anyone read my post and get this out of it?? Tell me, Hamel, why would I seek out a "robust woman from Cuba" when I can ask and receive? Even if I have totally missed the point, and it is just pain lifted with prayer, what would prompt anyone to suggest acupuncture over God? You've got to be kidding me.

Then I humbly apologize for offering my .02 cents worth. That'll teach me, huh? Not long ago I was faced with the need for surgery. My doc told me that I didn't have cancer but..., my condition would eventually result into a cancerous condition if I didn't move on it. So, I moved on it. As you know..., an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

...but again, I do hope you forgive me for my effort(s) and perhaps should you ever find it necessary to visit a Rheumatologist, I do hope he's not of Cuban decent.

In the meantime, the following comes to mind. Old..., but still appropriate.

A religious man is on top of a roof during a great flood. A man comes by in a boat and says "get in, get in!" The religious man replies, " no I have faith in God, he will grant me a miracle."

Later the water is up to his waist and another boat comes by and the guy tells him to get in again. He responds that he has faith in god and god will give him a miracle. With the water at about chest high, another boat comes to rescue him, but he turns down the offer again cause "God will grant him a miracle."

With the water at chin high, a helicopter throws down a ladder and they tell him to get in, mumbling with the water in his mouth, he again turns down the request for help for the faith of God. He arrives at the gates of heaven with broken faith and says to Peter, I thought God would grand me a miracle and I have been let down." St. Peter chuckles and responds, "I don't know what you're complaining about, we sent you three boats and a helicopter."
 
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thisnumbersdisconnected

New Member
HAMel said:
Then I humbly apologize for offering my .02 cents worth. That'll teach me, huh? Not long ago I was faced with the need for surgery. My doc told me that I didn't have cancer but..., my condition would eventually result into a cancerous condition if I didn't move on it. So, I moved on it. As you know..., an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
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You obviously missed the part of my post where I mentioned taking the pain relievers my doctor recommends. Now kindly no longer derail my thread and let's talk about the point of the OP, which wasn't arthritis, doctors as tools of God, or anything other than what we miss on a daily basis by failing to look to God for all answers and direction. Thank you in advance.
 
agedman

agedman

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I reminded some men the other morning (retired old men eating out) that some were about the age of Abram when Sara had their child, Isaac.

With all the aches and weakening of old age, I am more and more astounded at what God can do, and how little we access His benefits because of our own self sufficiency. What a neat lesson on further emptying ourselves was presented to you!

Thank you for that most wonderful reminder, and one I think I will hopefully find time to share with the next gathering of the "romeo" group.
 
B

blackbird

Active Member
I've been following this thread through its three pages or so-----good posts, ladies & gentlemen!!!

Pain in the body----to me---in a way---serves to remind us that we are indeed Romans Chapter 8 creatures in a fallen society----v. 22 & 23 of Ch.8 tells us, "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, that is, the redemption of our body."

Pain reminds us of our fallen state and that we are still in what I call our "pre-resurrection" bodies

Pain gives us something better to look forward to----that is---gives us a appetite for our resurrected bodies

Pain also tells us-----by golly, something's not right----not suppose to be pain right there ---- I give it 7 or so days to subside---and after that---if the pain is still there----I can go to the doc and check it out---Doc tells me I have Burrsitus in my shoulders----or Tennis Elbow(Burrsitus) in the elbow---or Arthiritus in the hips----and he tells me to take a dose of Aleve

:wavey::wavey::type::type:
 
Archie the Preacher

Archie the Preacher

Member
Obvious truth that must be repeated.

Disconnected said:
I am not in open rebellion, but I am in self-satisfaction.
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Brother, I can identify with that. I think 'comfortable' can be a serious impediment to paying attention to God.

I have bad knees; arthritis. They don't usually bother me much as it is a mild condition, I walk a bit and take basic anti-inflammatory and paid meds. I don't think God wants us to live with constant pain (at least not as a general rule) but He does at times need to get our attention.
 
E

exscentric

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Several years ago after giving the doc a long list of questions each visit and being told each time "Its just old age." I was in the middle of that years long list and doc says "Come on Stan give me a hard one." I read the rest and said "I know, old age."
 
Zaac

Zaac

Well-Known Member
thisnumbersdisconnected said:
Most of the posters here are completely missing the point. Have you read the entire OP? If not, please do.
Click to expand...

It continues to be a testament of God's great love and how He continues to care for even the smallest, seemingly irrelevant things in our lives.

When you're 20 years old, who really thinks about the kind of pain like you're talking about? At all ages, we're so used to just taking something and the pain going away that we forget than an awesome God is handling these things everyday.

When you get a little older and like you TND, you get those heavy, dull aching pains that seem to come out of the recesses of a bone, it becomes easier to appreciate the hand of God at work to heal it because sometimes taking stuff doesn't help. And at 4 am , because you really haven't gotten any good rest, you just don't want to have to get up.

It's in those times that we're reminded that Jesus is a Healer and that He is the Great Physician caring for the sparrows and us.:flower:
 
T

thisnumbersdisconnected

New Member
Zaac said:
It continues to be a testament of God's great love and how He continues to care for even the smallest, seemingly irrelevant things in our lives.

When you're 20 years old, who really thinks about the kind of pain like you're talking about? At all ages, we're so used to just taking something and the pain going away that we forget than an awesome God is handling these things everyday.

When you get a little older and like you TND, you get those heavy, dull aching pains that seem to come out of the recesses of a bone, it becomes easier to appreciate the hand of God at work to heal it because sometimes taking stuff doesn't help. And at 4 am , because you really haven't gotten any good rest, you just don't want to have to get up.

It's in those times that we're reminded that Jesus is a Healer and that He is the Great Physician caring for the sparrows and us.:flower:
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While all this is true, Zaac, the real point of my OP was the greater message I got from this. As I said, the pain is a little thing, not important. The idea that I am not fully realizing all I could be, and all I could do for God, because I do not ask. That is what I was trying to say. Perhaps I didn't say it very well, given that everyone is looking at my story or healing, but not catching on the deeper message I spoke of. Thanks, though. I appreciate the effort. :thumbsup:
 
InTheLight

InTheLight

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
thisnumbersdisconnected said:
Most of the posters here are completely missing the point. Have you read the entire OP? If not, please do.
Click to expand...

People on BB read what they want to read, not necessarily what is written. We're all guilty of it.

I took your post to be a praise and thank you message with the realization that if you would only ask and trust God, he would deliver you.

John 14:13 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

I've got a little story as well. I'm a small business owner and rely on one particular customer to drive my revenues. If this customer were to cut back on purchases I would be in trouble. A frequent prayer is that my company retain this customer and that they would purchase at least the three products they are currently buying and that if it were God's will, to buy other SKU's.

This customer sends electronic purchase orders every Tuesday afternoon so I was surprised and a bit puzzled at the notification in my email that I've received purchase orders from them on Monday afternoon. Hmmm....To my amazement they were sending me pre-booking orders for the period June through September, and these orders were 10X their usual volume for these months! I immediately bowed my head and repeated, "Lord, why do I doubt that you will take care of me? Forgive me for doubting," about 20 times in a row. Then there was a Thank You praise prayer for quite awhile longer. In fact that thank you prayer is running in the background of my mind right now and has been since Monday. Praise the Lord!
 
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