Jeff Balsom had successful brain surgery last Tuesday to remove a tumor. Doctors will continue to treat the lung tumor and other issues.
Jeff and his family are dearly loved in Chicago, around the Midwest and in many places including the Ukraine. He serves as an elder in Chicago and on the ICOC Elders Service Team and has been instrumental in Eurasian Missions.
Please pray and encourage others to pray. Jeff writes a very inspirational blog to keep people updated on his progress. Subscribe and send your encouragement to him at jeffbalsom.com
Jeff - Communion 8/15/10 from Red Eye on Vimeo.
God's Plans, September 11
God has good plans for our lives!
Jeremiah 29:10-12
This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
I don’t know about you, but when I think about the plans that God has for me, I focus on “plans to prosper me and not to harm me.” That would include things that I think are good. Things like marriage, happiness, children, fun, vacation, success, not sickness and certainly not cancer. Yesterday I got a note from Ellen Royer, who just had some of her own surgery and she is doing well. And she said something like, what I am going through is causing a revival in the prayer lives of people all around. That is a good plan. It is not about me or my need but if God uses it to turn us more to Him that is good.
However, even with that thought, I am not feeling all the good. I have appointments with doctors set up on September 22, three doctors all in one day to follow up and make plans for the future treatments for my head and lung. That does not sound like good plans. Even though these are great doctors, I am not looking forward to the road that must be traveled. It sounds more like “after seventy years” than plans for “a hope and future.”
But think of the inspiring stories that came in those seventy years. Just two are the fiery furnace, Daniel and the lion’s den, what we learn about trusting God completely when everything looks bleakest. I can think quickly about plans that God has used that just don’t seem like great plans. When the disciples were faced with the horrible death of Jesus on an old rugged cross, it opened the door for the resurrection, when the Israelites were freed from Egypt and then trapped by the oncoming Egyptians in the desert, it opened the door for the crossing of the Red Sea, when Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and wanted to harm him, Joseph trusted God and was used by God for good to bless his family and the Israelites. The Bible is full of these stories of mighty power that call us to faith to live out.
I get real simple when I think being at that point and sing a song that I listened to this morning. There are promises and truths in the Bible that we must hold on to that will carry us through the moments of walking where we do not want to walk and Jesus will guide us carefully where we need to go. He is strong and He can do it. I am weak and I cannot handle it alone. I need Jesus and I need many faithful friends walking with me. Take a moment to sing it. It feels good! There are powerful verses here I did not know exsisted.
Jesus Loves Me
Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
they are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me! Loves me still,
'tho I'm very weak and ill,
that I might from sin be free,
bled and died upon the tree.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in his I'll go.
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song.
Telling me in words so clear,
"Have no fear, for I am near."
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
I love Jesus, does he know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say,
That I love him every day.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
Hebrews 11:22 – Hebrews 12:3
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.
By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
It is only by faith that we can live out God’s perfect plans for our lives! Let us all turn to Jesus to live out the race that is marked out for us.