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A Wonderful Message of Encouragement from a Dear Friend

 

A beautiful message of encouragement from my mentor, dear friend, and fellow son, soldier, and servant our our King Flip Benham.

Dear Rusty,

We are praying and fasting for Jeremiah and all the Thomas nation.

Thank you for the powerful, encouraging, and theologically true, snippets you are sending to all of us. They are anointed and are providing rivers of “living water” to all who thirst.

I am so thankful to our Lord that He gives us only one day to live at a time. Yesterday does not belong to us any longer, It is in God’s hands. There is nothing we can do about what we did or what happened, yesterday. Tomorrow doesn’t belong to us either. Neither you nor I know if we will even be here tomorrow. Tomorrow belongs to God also. The only day he has given to us is, Today!

We are rejoicing with you for the victories won in Jeremiah’s life, today. He can walk. Thank you Jesus! We have no fear of tomorrow, nor do we live in the remorse and regret of, yesterday. We live for Him, today. Give us this day our daily bread. He gives us more than enough grace for each new day. This is the true liberty found only in Christ.

God’s mercies are new every morning. They are new, not recurring, but brand new. You have found this to be true in this deep trial, and you have written about it splendidly and spoken it magnificently. You have helped us all to move further up and further into the kingdom of God during these days of Jeremiah’s affliction.

Each new day brings God’s new mercies. Great is His faithfulness, Lamentations 3:19-27. Put this in its Biblical context and you will find the true heart of your son.

He is living up to his real namesake (Jeremiah) by revealing and extending God’s kingdom, mysteries, and grace into the hearts of us all. You, Miss Kendra, and the entire Thomas nation have become “living parables” for all the world to see that God’s Word is true. His mercies are new – brand new – every morning! His grace is, indeed, more than sufficient.

Our Jeremiah, your son, is busy completing the work God has given him to do. And, in so doing, he is bringing great glory to the God Who created Him for “…a time such as this.” John 17:4.

You, Kendra, and the family, are also busy completing the work He has given you to do by helping us all to navigate through these turbulent waters with our eyes fixed on Jesus. Our eyes are fixed on Him because your eyes are fixed on Him. We are witnessing this in every letter you write and every video you send.

Indeed, His mercies are new every morning.

Thank you for this.

We are praying for God’s perfect and complete healing of Jeremiah – a mighty young man of God!

In Christian love,

flip

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Jeremiah’s Victory Today

Update on Jeremiah:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33, 34).

We have today. Our family won a victory. The surgery was a success. Our son sat up and stood on his feet after this major surgery on his spine.

The doctors are telling us the current status, but no one was telling us what the future possibilities might be. Kendra and I were hoping to talk with our Oncologist doctor. We just happened to run into him at the coffee shop. He said the staff has grown quite fond of Jeremiah and they have all been super BTW.

Kendra and I had done some research on what Jeremiah is facing and our findings on a human level were discouraging. So we asked the doctor point blank, “What are his chances?” His response, “About a 10 percent chance to survive.”

After we got our composure from our hearts bursting asunder, we went to Jeremiah’s room. What did we run into, but Jeremiah saying, “Look Dad” as he lifted his legs high in the air with incredible force. Optimistic, and filled with grace and faith my son just smiled. I took his face in my hands and just rejoiced and just let him know we have won a major victory today.

Someone asked if he has experienced anything from the Lord through this ordeal. He answered in the affirmative. He said when they rolled him into surgery this word kept going over and over in his mind, “Now you will see the Son of God has the power to save.” The saying continued while he was knocked out for the surgery. He believes this is God’s Word to him.

Again, I grabbed his face and said that is where we will stand son. The odds are clearly against our son’s survival. We, however, have lived by two words always, BUT GOD!

In my limited understanding of the fullness of the mind of Christ, it seems it has come down to this. Either God loves our son so much, he is taking him to be with him soon. Or God is desiring to be so glorified that he is creating the worst possible scenario to heal my son and use him powerfully on this earth.

Obviously, our prayers, faith, and hope is in the latter option. Thanks to all of you for going on this incredible journey. Mere words cannot express our deep appreciation. We have God’s victory today and we will look for it tomorrow in Jesus’ name! To God be the glory!

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Update on Jeremiah

Here is an update on our son. With God all things are possible! Thanks for all your prayers, love, and support. Here is Jeremiah’s prayer and response. Gotta love this kid!

Just gonna let you guys know that I’m going through the spinal surgery around 7-8 o’clock! I’m ready to take this thing on and take this thing out in the mighty name of Jesus! I’m so thankful for everyone’s prayers and support! It means the world to me and my family! God bless you all! Let’s do this the thing!

“Definitely the underdog here,” was how Jeremiah’s oncologist described his cancer. “Got to fight harder.” Preliminary pathology suggests that it is Osteoblastic Osteosarcoma, a cancer resistant to radiation.

Yesterday’s MRI revealed two tumors on Jeremiah’s spine, between zones T6 and T7. Picture a pair of hands pressing together, crushing his nerve endings. These tumors are in addition to the one in his chest.

Without surgery, the tumors will cause Jeremiah to be permanently paralyzed from the waist down. With surgery, there is a still risk of paralysis because of the location of the tumors. Finally, following a successful surgery there is no guarantee that Jeremiah will regain the mobility he’s lost.

This is not the news we wanted.

The neurosurgeon explained that this type of surgery has a range of outcomes. Some patients regain the former use of their legs. Others do not. The goal of the surgery is to stop further paralysis.

Following the surgery, Jeremiah will then face the monster of cancer. He still has the tumor in his chest and two spots on his lungs. We are still waiting on the full biopsy results.

We are crushed. But God is good. And it is to Him, the Lord of Lords, that Jeremiah is turning.

As Rusty explained to the oncologist, “With God all things are possible.”

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible’ (Matthew 19:26).

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Prayer Alert: Our Son Jeremiah

Rusty and I knew the results of Jeremiah‘s CAT scan were bad when the doctor’s office called us so soon afterwards. We kept a brave face for the kids, left our dinner behind, and rushed back.

“I have news no doctor ever wants to give.” My heart sank. I thought our sweet Jeremiah was dealing with a fractured rib and pneumonia…but then the pain never went away. It only intensified. It got so bad I’d wake up to find him on the floor on his stomach with tears down his face. He’d punch the floor when he suppressed a cry. Rusty was determined to find an answer.

Nothing from the x-ray. Nothing from the ultra sound. Then the CAT scan…

The doctor explained our strong state football champ wasn’t so strong on the inside. What we thought was a sports injury was a large malignant growth in his chest. The doctor said it was “in a fragile place.” That Jeremiah had to be careful. No sports. No working out. When I was able to concentrate again, I heard the doctor say there are two types of malignant tumors. Before we learn the course of action, we need to determine the type of tumor. The doctor said he already scheduled Jeremiah to see a pulmonary specialist and other experts on Monday.

We love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. With Christ’s help, we will continue to love and serve Him no matter the cost or trial. Last night it was important that we confessed this truth.
Our pastor and his wife came over. Rusty anointed Jeremiah with oil and we pressed in in prayer. Afterwards, we began a worship service that went late into the night.
Jeremiah’s friend,  Jotham, came over. Jotham and Jeremiah have known each other for years. Now they minister together outside of the local abortion mill. They stand on top of our van and “tag team” preach. They’ve been joined by other “mighty men,” good friends who all want to abolish abortion NOW.
At one point, Jeremiah noticed Jotham’s grief. Jotham was brokenhearted for him and it showed. Jeremiah stopped his worship and began praying over Jotham. The spirit of the Lord fell. It was powerful.
As Jeremiah was thinking of what his new “normal” would be, he asked me to drive him to the abortion clinic and to ministry places during his treatment because “no matter what, I’m gonna serve God.”
He’s been on fire for the Lord since the OSA event in Louisville, KY. He was part of the youth revival and the amazing baptism that lasted hours. When Jeremiah came up from the baptismal waters, his face was shining and he was beating his chest. Each time he beat his chest, it was as is if he was saying, “God, I want more. I want more. I want more.”
Jeremiah was beating on his chest, the same chest we found the cancer, because he couldn’t accept anything less than more of God. Nothing else would do.
Jeremiah is facing the worst trial of his life. But God is in Him.
“God, we want more, we want more, we want more. More for our son. More for our family. More for the world. Nothing else will do.”
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Prepare for Increase

 “And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5)
    To those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it appears we are entering a new season concerning our service to God. This election cycle has revealed much about the state of our country, the church, and the citizens of America. It is not a pretty sight to behold. On the one hand, it is sickening, despicable, and disheartening to observe. On the other hand, it is good to see all the corruption, lawlessness, and injustice finally surface. Sadly, it has also revealed the Christian cannibalism running rampant as brethren tear each other apart based on whether Christians should vote for Donald Trump or not. My advice, let your conscience be your guide and whatever you cannot do in faith, to you it is sin. Besides that, it would be wise to refrain from condemning brethren to hell over their vote.
    Now more then ever, it is time that we seek God to increase our faith, service, and determination to serve Him and His Holy purposes in the midst of this perverse and crooked generation. Now more than ever, we need to prepare for greater service to advance God’s glory, Kingdom, and great salvation amongst men and nations. 
    For those of us who have endured the persecution, rejection, abandonment, and shunning of this generation, I believe a new day is dawning. Doors that were once closed, now appear to be opening. The church who once viewed us an embarrassment, radicals, or second class citizens in the Kingdom of God seem to be reevaluating our warnings and are more willing to hear our message. Some, are actually joining us in the battle for the souls of men, the lives of children, and the future of our broken, wounded land defiled by the innocent blood of babies and the perversion of the homosexual agenda. Is it too little too late, I do not know, but I thank God for this increase.

    In this, we may see a glimpse of a promise that God made to Jeremiah being fulfilled in our day. Jeremiah went through a great struggle in serving the Lord. It was hard to be faithful to Him in the midst of national rejection. It was so bad that Jeremiah had threatened to cease speaking in the name of the Lord. The increase of persecution was pressuring him to remain silent and inactive in the midst of an apostate church that was committing national idolatry (Sound familiar). 
    It was at this critical time, God’s Word revealed Jeremiah’s reluctance, “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:9) In other words, if you shut up Jeremiah, My Word will explode in your soul as an inferno to convince you otherwise. 
    May we take heed to this admonishment as well. This is not a time to retreat, be silent, or inactive. It is time for increased devotion to the Gospel of the Kingdom to defeat the culture of death savaging our nation.
    Many of us may have felt the same way as Jeremiah. Like him, we need to trust God to restore our fervor in holy fear. Our God indeed is a consuming fire!  All the struggles, such as, “No one is listening, no one cares, and why even bother, need to give way to a an increased devotion. Yes, in times past, both friend and foe rejected us us for telling them the truth. The demand to shut up, fit in, and no longer speak in the name of the Lord was a real temptation. 
    Regardless, God’s promises stand sure. To those who stay faithful to a persecuted truth and perform godly actions in the midst of an ungodly nation, a time of increase will come. God promised Jeremiah, “The  Lord  said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction” (Jeremiah 15:11).
    God promised to watch over his Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12) When He does, those who were once rejected, shunned, or condemned for living a persecuted truth, they will be “entreated well” at the appointed time. No longer will the church think that they are “Madmen in the house of our God” in the day of God’s visitation (Hosea 9:7). No, when the proverbial stuff hits the fan, it will be those who remained faithful to understand the times and knew what to do, it will be that remnant that will be in a position of increased influence. Thus, it is imperative that we prepare now for an increase of open effectual doors, knowing full well that there will also be an increase of adversarial opposition (1 Corinthians 16:19).
    This election will determine to what degree we will have to prepare for an increase of opposition. If Trump wins, though a donkey of a man, we may receive a reprieve from overt persecution. In another words, he will not use the federal beast like Hillary to crush us. As a result, we will need to prepare for an increase of effort in spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom during this window of opportunity. Storming the gates of hell, establishing the Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate, and calling ourselves, the church, and our nation to repentance will be a must.
    If, however, the Clinton’s demonic, political machine prevails, it will be a time to prepare for an increase of overt persecution. For some of us, the last time the Clinton’s were in power, we faced many years in federal prison. This happened when they were touting abortion as safe, legal, and rare. Today, they demand abortion and will force American citizens to pay for it. The stakes for obeying Christ to intervene and interpose on the behalf of the preborn will go up my friends.
    Remember this, right before the famous rescue Scripture in Proverbs 24:11, 12, God’s Word states, ” If you faint in the day of adversity,  your strength is small” (Proverbs 24:10). Jeremiah concurs, “i f you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan” (Jeremiah 12:5)?
    Brethren, I believe we are entering a time of increase. Our faith will need to increase, our service will need to increase, our influence may increase, and our willingness to suffer may increase. Regardless, it is time to prepare for increase!  
 
IN KING JESUS’ SERVICE,
Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas
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