I had the privilege to be born and raised in a loving Christian home BUT that wasn’t ENOUGH. I went to all the church services. Sunday morning and evening, Monday night Awana, and Wednesday night prayer meetings BUT that wasn’t ENOUGH. I was still a sinner. Romans 3:23 says “All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.”
Being raised in a Christian home and going to church was never going to be good enough to get me to heaven. Romans 6:23 says “The cost of sin is death, but God’s free gift is eternal life.” I had, what I would consider, a good childhood. As a child I “said a prayer”. I “said a prayer” several times but nothing ever changed. Saying a prayer was not ENOUGH. Simply acknowledging God is not ENOUGH.
Matthew 7:22 & 23 says “Many will say they did works in God’s name but He will say I NEVER KNEW YOU.” Real salvation requires change. A wise man once said “Faith alone saves, but faith that saves is never alone.” James 2:17 says “Faith that doesn’t produce good works is dead and useless.” You see, good works are not ENOUGH either. I would come to discover this truth.
When I hit Jr High my dad was diagnosed with cancer for the first time and my world as I knew it was turned upside down. This began a downward spiral for me. For the first time I question God and His goodness. I often would ask the question “How could a good God do this to a man that passionately loved Him?” My heart grew cold and angry towards this “loving” God. Over the next 7 years I watched my dad fight and eventually lose his battle with cancer and never did he blame God or give up on Him. I wish I could’ve said the same thing.
Over those 7 years I grew more bitter and angry towards God eventually having no use for Him or the church. I separated myself from both and attempted to fill the God sized hole in my life with anything I could find to help me mask the ache. However at the age of 3, God placed a person in my life that He knew I was going to need. This young man became my best friend and a child of God’s at a very young age.
Though I had given up on God, my best friend hadn’t. He also never gave up on me. He prayed frequently that God would save me BUT that wasn’t ENOUGH. My friend couldn’t save me either. Romans 5:1 says “we have peace with God because of what Christ has done for us. John 3:16 says “God loved the entire world so much that He let His only Son die for our sins.” THAT WAS ENOUGH!!! I just wasn’t ready for it yet. Remember that friend of mine since we were 3 years old?
One evening in the summer of 2000, he invited me to go with him to his church for a potluck dinner. I saw no harm in it and this kid (me) never turned down free food. However God had more in mind that night for me than food. He was about to show me a view of Himself I’d never seen before. When I arrived at that little country church in Sherman, PA, I was introduced to a group of people who, though they’d never met me before, poured into my life. I began to see and experience a loving God through these people. They explained to me verses like John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 that say “while we were STILL sinners,Christ died for us.” This began to sink in deep for the first time. Romans 10:9 & 13 say “Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord (Christ) to save them from their sins, will be saved.” One Sunday morning on July 30, 2000, I claimed that promise from God and gave Him my sin and authority of my life.
This all took place just a few months before dad lost his battle with cancer and met the Creator of the universe, the God that he so passionately loved. By God’s grace he got to see the last of his children accept Christ as their savior. But that’s not the end. Not by a long shot. Fast forward another 18 God filled years. In June of 2019 I found myself in the same footprints as my dad. I had been battling what I thought was kidney stones for several days and finally decided to go see a doctor about them. What I thought were kidney stones turned out to be a 15 cm. cancer tumor wrapped around my right kidney.
Within a couple of days I had surgery to remove the kidney and the cancer. The surgeon was confident that he had gotten all the cancer removed and we were released to go home 3 days later. 3 years later in October of 2022 I began to experience a 2 month long migraine that I couldn’t shake. We decided to return to the doctor, and we heard those familiar, dreaded words again “we found cancer”. This time they found cancer in my brain and because it had spread from my kidney I was now facing a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis.
Once again I was rushed into surgery and once again the doctor was confident that he had gotten it all out. When it came time to wean off of the medicine for the pain the migraine came back. This puzzled the doctor and he went back to the scans they’d taken prior to the last surgery. Sure enough there it was. There was a third cancer tumor sitting just in front of the brain stem. This one was inoperable. This may have been overwhelming to some or even most people, however I now have a hope in God to carry me through this dreaded diagnosis.
By God’s grace, as I walk this journey, I now can understand how my dad was able to maintain the same hope in a loving God. Whatever the outcome I KNOW that I WILL get to experience eternal life because of God’s promises found in His word. Ephesians 2:8 & 9 says “By grace, we’re saved through faith. This is not of our own works, it’s a gift from God, so that no man can boast in himself.”
Christ’s death and resurrection is ENOUGH!!!
Chaplain Mark “Stir Fry”
Least of Saints MC
Dos Rios Chaplain (IA)
To hear my wife’s side of our story check out this link: CLICK HERE
Wow what a powerful testimony! My heart breaks for you and I’m encouraged by your faith. I pray for the peace of God to wash over you and your family as you weather this storm. Godspeed brother!
Thank you brother for sharing. You are an inspiration to me. May God keep you and your family in peace as you continue your walk.