"Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen...
By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. " Hebrews 11:1-3
Can I have the assurance that David will survive the BMT and not just survive, but will be completely cured of multiple myeloma? Yes, I believe it can happen because our faith is in the Lord Jesus, who said "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it..." John 14:12-14.
The Lord has so kindly allayed my anxiety by reminding me through His word "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6. Yes, let us continually present our requests to the Lord.
I want to share with you how the Lord has renewed my faith in Him again through His word:
As far back as the time when David was first hospitalised at TTSH last Sep, even before the diagnosis, the Lord has through a dear sister-in-Christ told me to be prepared for "things to get worse before they get better". When it was confirmed to be multiple myeloma, I was crying to the Lord for mercy and assurance that all would be well eventually. The comforting message from the Lord (in the form of thoughts from bible passage) came from Daniel 3 (attached below for reference). I felt the Lord assuring me that He would be with us as He had when Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego were in the fiery furnace. Just as the 3 of them emerged from the fire unharmed, we (David, Joshua and I) would too. However, what impressed upon me besides the miraculous deliverance but rather the attitude of the 3 when they said "If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." The ulimate purpose is that His name be glorified! Yes, that is our desire too - that the mighty name of Jesus be glorified!
One thing I can testify is so far we have never felt alone - His presence has been with us.
"As sure as God puts His children in the furnace he will be in the furnace with them." -- Charles H Spurgeon
Thanks for praying. Hope you will also find strength, comfort and peace in Christ if you are also facing difficulties or trials in your life.
Rejoice in the Lord always!
Whee Ling
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Daniel 3
The King's Golden Image
1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an (A)image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the (B)province of Babylon.
2Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the (C)satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4Then the herald loudly proclaimed: "To you the command is given, (D)O peoples, nations and men of every language,
5that at the moment you (E)hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.
6"But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be (F)cast into the midst of a (G)furnace of blazing fire."
7Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Worship of the Image Refused
8For this reason at that time certain (H)Chaldeans came forward and (I)brought charges against the Jews.
9They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: "(J)O king, live forever!
10"You, O king, have (K)made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to (L)fall down and worship the golden image.
11"But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.
12"There are certain Jews whom you have (M)appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up."
13Then Nebuchadnezzar in (N)rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king.
14Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve (O)my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?
15"Now if you are ready, (P)at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well But if you do not worship, you will immediately be (Q)cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and (R)what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?"
16(S)Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.
17"If it be so, our (T)God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and (U)He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
18"(V)But even if He does not, (W)let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
Daniel's Friends Protected
19Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with (X)wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
20He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire.
21Then these men were tied up in their (Y)trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.
22For this reason, because the king's command was (Z)urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.
23But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, (AA)fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.
24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king."
25He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and (AB)walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the (AC)gods!"
26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the (AD)Most High God, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego (AE)came out of the midst of the fire.
27The (AF)satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king's high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the (AG)fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their (AH)trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.
28Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, "Blessed be the (AI)God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has (AJ)sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their (AK)trust in Him, violating the king's command, and yielded up their bodies so as (AL)not to serve or worship any god except their own God.
29"Therefore I (AM)make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of (AN)Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their (AO)houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is (AP)no other god who is able to deliver in this way."
30Then the king (AQ)caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.
