A Final Message From Pastor Bulldog's Blog Network

Hello to all of the many friends of Bob Adams' ministry. On October 16, 2009, Pastor Bulldog slipped quietly and peacefully from this world. He had many health issues in his later life, but he proved that "bulldogs are survivors" by not only working through them, but working within them to help others.

His son, Dr. Jeff Adams, wrote a post about him on his blog, http://www.drjeffadams.com./

Please send cards with your thoughts to Helen, who adored Bob and always was enthusiastic in her support of his work.

Helen Adams
c/o Del Mar Gardens
12100 West 109th St.
Overland Park, KS
66210

Bob wrote a wonderful book, "Off My Chest, From My Heart", which contained Blessays with memories of his life and work. It is entertaining and inspirational and well worth reading and sharing. If you would like an e-file copy of that book, write to pastorbulldog@gmail.com. It will be free and with no further emails to bother you.

(If you print out the hard copy, it would make a wonderful gift to a friend or for sharing with your Sunday School class.)

The mailbox will be kept open for another few weeks, so act soon for your free copy.

Pastor Bulldog kept the faith and finished the race with valor. You keep the faith too.

Survivor Chronicles #4

"What Are You Trusting God To Do For You?"

I never forget that greeting made famous by Evangelist Manley Beasley. He preached it, he lived it, and he would look one directly in the face and challenge them with it.

Trust is just that – it’s TRUST: not a shred of doubt or dust of wavering, no shades of gray – it’s just plain downright ((( TRUST! ))). I know this, but if you are a new or are an undiscipled believer, you can learn from the Bible how to “trust in the Lord” with all your heart, soul, strength … in EVERYTHING in ALL THINGS, TRUST in the “ALL IN ALL.” Am I clear?

I have learned through many trials that we learn how to trust God by steps: some by large steps, others by smaller steps, but always faith is a gift from God that comes by hearing and hearing or reading is from the word of God. The Lord knows what each of us can take and will not let us fall when the Devil attacks, but will provide a way to escape – believe it. Having cancer is so much easier for me since I learned to trust.

I would hate it if, at some juncture of my pilgrimage, I should say, "Enough Lord, the enemy is too much," and find myself wandering in the wilderness for forty years as the untrusting tribal heads of Israel did at Kadesh. God sent to spy out the land that they were promised.

However, my present trial has reasonably good news to report. Before my fourth chemotherapy treatment this week, the PA reviewed the results of my recent PET scan. The tumor on my lung has been significantly reduced in size and the mass that was close to my spine and that appeared on my neck was completely gone.

I say "reasonably good news because it is not over, but I am grateful and I am waiting on the Lord for the next move, trusting wholly in the Lord, as did Caleb, I am like a gear shift, ready to be moved into "Drive."

I do not mean to imply that I have not had moments of concern. When we hurt, we register concern, which in turn is a trigger to get going on a plan. But I have also learned to “be vigilant; because [my] adversary the devil … “, seeks to ruin as many testimonies as possible and to destroy the cause of Christ (1Peter 5:8).

My Oncologists at the Kansas City Cancer Center must be pleased with my PET scan report: I have two more treatments spaced about two to three weeks apart. But I would not tell you that chemotherapy is a "walk in the park." It takes a good two weeks for my system to get back to a reasonable status before the next treatment,

This time it was a bit rough. I sat for six hours of IV intake as usual; a pleasant experience, but it hit me when I got home: flu-like aches and pains in every muscle and joint and even my hair hurt. I hate to take heavy pain pills, but this time I took the big pain pill. But it is survivable to those who have the survivor attitude of Caleb … and other bulldogs: Bulldogs are survivors! Grrrrr!

Some patients come for 30 minutes, others are there for various other amounts of time. It is not my intention to say that what I do is what you will experience. I only want to instill a lack of fear in that I went through difficult life-threatening illnesses, which are peculiar to me, only, and I survived and am surviving, because I am a survivor in His name.

I am presently at peace in the midst of probably the most severe trial, and Jesus is present and handling all of the controls and dosage amounts. Fear not, He is with us always and never leaves nor forsakes us - unless we allow fear to take over and the Bible records that “…whatsoever is not of faith is not of God” (Romans 14:23).

Please Note: Written on the night of President Obama's address to Congress on Health Care and I'm saying to myself, if this American Health Coverage is the best in the world, make repairs, but don’t chop it up in order to manufacture problems - fix it. That’s a vacuum salesman’s trick to get a sale. Once more: Don’t sell the Cadillac because the ash tray is full.

Helen and I thank you for your card, visits, and most of all for holding us up before the Throne of Grace.

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Blessay #229, September 1, 2009

Note: SURVIVOR CHRONICLES are journals of our treatments for a tumor and are posted on “The Topic of Cancer”, a separate blog of this blog network. Go to http://bulldogs-are-survivors.blogspot.com , Click on the “The Topic of Cancer” text Icon on the left sidebar menu.

Tower Building, #101
by Pastor Bulldog

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish" (Luke 14:28-30).

"You have been advised," is the tone of the Master's voice as he teaches his disciples with this kingdom parable in Luke. He is illustrating that whoever would be His disciple must be prepared with a tower-building mentality; able to visualize the cost of building stone upon stone.
You may be saying, “What has a tower got to do with my affliction? I'm sick!” And the answer is ... believers should understsnd that accepting Christ as saviour is only the beginning of a glorious lifetime of spiritual growth, illustrated by tower-building.

In ancient Palestine towers were built to protect vineyards, sheep, and for vineyard keepers and shepherds. They were built tall in high places, sometimes as parts of city walls, or separately, for observation, protection, and defense against predators; man or beast.

When the Lord had delivered him from his enemies, the sweet Psalmist of Israel called the Lord, ”[my] goodness, my fortress; my high tower, my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust… (Psalm 144:2).”
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Building a spiritual tower costs dearly. Studying to know God from the word of instruction that he left us, calls for a cost of absolute love, unfeigned faith, obedience and time. The cost could be too severe for today’s average church member; more than someone is willing to pay.

A tower must be on a sure foundation: “... Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste (Isaiah 28:16).”

Many want to know how to attain eternal life and ask to be placed on that foundation. But like the rich man that Jesus told to sell everything he had and give it to the poor, the influence of the world system makes the cost was too much for him.

He turned aside preferring the tarnished relics of a world system of sin and pleasure. I feel sorry for that poor rich idiot. He was blinded to the simple concept of “love God with all heart, mind, soul, and body.” The Lord wanted all of him: experience, fortune, and loyalty.

If he had shown willingness to follow Jesus, he could have become a valuable disciple and a faithful steward of his own possessions, washed and restored. And … maybe he would have had his name in the Bible, instead of just “rich man.”

The Cost:

• Surrender All to Jesus:
• to love Jesus more than family members;
• to love Jesus more than his own life,
• to love Jesus more than any or all of his possessions,
• to deny oneself,
• to pick up one’s cross and follow Jesus,
• to expect to be hated of all men for “His name's sake.”

”These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).” ”And: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved (Matthew 10:22).”

Towers are actually made of lofty goals and implemented by disciples, which make for easy attitude measurements of how sincere one is when singing, “Oh, How I Love Jesus.” Building your spiritual tower is to snap “living” stones in place, one on top of the other, on the sure foundation.

These new hopeful disciples are “lively [living building] stones,“ as Peter calls them, ”built up a spiritual [tower], an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1Peter 2:5).

“Foundation stone,” then, calls for another tower to build; the Church of God, which has merged together in one, Gentiles and Jews who have decided to follow Jesus. ”For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 3:11).”

Does God Have A Plan?
Does God Intervene Into the Affairs of Men?
Do Policemen Like Coffee and Donuts?

Ananias, a humble church member in Damascus, a common man of no significant reputation, except that the Bible refers to him as a “certain disciple,” was a faithful believer, growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ. He was ready when Jesus spoke to him in a vision to receive Paul, “… a chosen vessel to the Lord, to bear his name before the Gentiles ….” The Lord placed him exactly where he was for a reason, “Behold, I am here, Lord.”

Paul built his tower on the foundation of the LAW as given to Moses. He received a Rabbinical education, a zealous defender of the LAW, persecuting believers of “that way,” consenting to the martyrdom of Stephen, when he was blinded by a heavenly light so that he fell off his “high horse.” He met Jesus, the fulfillment of the LAW, who told him to go to a certain disciple in Damascus where he would get his sight back and receive inner light form the whole counsel of God. “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”

A common man, Ananias, discipled the acclaimed and powerful persecutor of believers, so that Paul built a new tower on the Church’s one foundation, which is Jesus Christ, the Lord. His tower protected much fruit, a hundred-fold, for he was a church planter as well, to all they in Asia and to the Gentiles through Europe.

Is your tower a refuge, an escape, an armory for putting on the whole armor of God, and for a place to worship and to heal. Have you started to build your tower since having believed? Or did you consider the cost too much and decided to suffer the shame of not completing your growth in Christ?

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is (1Corinthians 3:13)."

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New and hopefully permanent email addresses for Pastor Bulldog:

pastorbulldog@gmail.com and
omc.fmh@gmail.com : Both email addresses are sent to the same Inbox. =====================================

Survivor Chronicles #3

“GIVE ATTENDANCE...”

” to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee … Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all …[in the chemo treatment room]” (1Timorhy 4:13).

I suppose that some can read, exhort, and study while chemicals course through their bodies, but not me. My dosage is heavy and it takes four to six hours each treatment. I spend that time in a comfy recliner, close my eyes, and get some peaceful rest.

The treatment room is pleasant: It is large with three walls of windows on the ground floor overlooking a garden landscape. The room is filled with recliners and lots of cheerful daylight. It is peaceful and the caregivers, of compassionate Kansas and Missouri women, have a gift of making one feel special.

It’s amusing to me; the nurse holds a couple of chemical bags for me to read while she reads to me: my name, chemical name, potency and date; this before hooking them up to the IV tower. It’s like a waitress in a fine restaurant, showing a couple of wines for approval: “good choice.” But this treatment is a bit bizarre in the first place.

Extreme fatigue is the side effects of my treatments with flu-like aches and pains, which takes about two weeks to subside. I have a strong pain pill, but I have only taken it three times during these three treatments. But we are all different and what happens to me may not happen to others, but be prepared.

Chemotherapy has some positive effects. After losing my bale of frosty white hair, I discovered my ears: large pointed wings like Dr. Spock on “Star Wars,” and I don’t have to shave, whiskers just won’t grow – maybe slow-growing fuzz.

Just before the third treatment, the Oncologist showed the CTscan results, which was to determine the next step; to go ahead with the third treatment, to include some radiation, or to have further chemo treatments; the latter being the most encouraging option.

The scan showed a slight reduction in the tumor on my right lung and it also showed that the original visible cyst on my neck had disappeared. He prescribed three more treatments spaced every two or three weeks apart and to include another scan.

However, I am cautious. elation can be stressful and stress is stress. I am just praising God, but understanding that I still need to trust Him continually, because it is not yet over. I maintain a neutral mode to let the immune systems do what the Creator ordained them to do. Negative thoughts are from the Devil and will minimize healing.

However, Paul told Timothy to “Neglect Not the Gift that is in Thee.“ Being comfy-cozy in a recliner and taking a huge dose of chemicals does not mean that one should temporarily toss off the gifts that the embedded Holy Spirit of Jesus gives to believers. "… the gifts and calling of God are without repentance" (Romans 11:29).

I never did fret about what gift I have, as many do. I believe every believer has many gifts that the Holy Spirit will engage for appropriate action for an auspicious event. The main thing is to do something when the Lord says, “Get up: Go.”

A chicken farmer I knew who was so proud of his money selling chickens to restaurants occupied a pew on Sunday, but not much else. He told me that his gift was giving money to support the church and that’s all he needed to do… well, we wish him lots of “cluck.”

This is the perfect place to meditate on those things that come to me from giving attention to the great doctrines of the Bible. It is a time of peace, rest, and healing. I’m good for six hours of rest and meditation, even if I can’t read – but I will exhort if given opportunity.

Chemo and cancer are survivable. This is the perfect place to meditate on those things that come to me from giving attention to the doctrine of the Bible. It is a time of peace, rest, and healing. But do not let one negative thought from the Devil enter in.

”Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable [positive] in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
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Survivor Chronicles #2

Medical Science or Alternative Medicine?
Isa 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

What to do: What to do… Who is right, who is wrong? That is often the dilemma that comes on with the battle of cancer. I have heard this often as a medical center chaplain on the Oncology Ward. I have also experienced it personally. Every answer was standard: Consult your Pastor and confide your feelings to your Oncologist and I will pray with you for comfort and direction.

I learned the truth of 1Corinthians 10:13: Each affliction may be different, but is as intense as everyone else; and God will “also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” He does not give you an aspirin or does not always heal directly, but He knows how much you can take before breaking.

Our main consultation should be with the Master Physician, the Lord. He does not dispense confusion and the answer He gives to all who come to Him is, ”Fear not!” I have found Him to be a very personal Oncologist and easy to talk to. While the members of His flock are sheep, each sheep is different and unique… yet, all are stamped with the earmark of the Lamb of God.

I must go back to my first bout with colorectal cancer in order to describe how it affected my present battle with invading forces. I was told that it was “dire”. The operation was reasonably successful, but a little had invaded a lymph node, so the treatment was a protocol of chemotherapy and radiation.

However, I admit that I had concern about my mode of treatment. If I chose a mixture of both medical and alternative methods, my oncologists would not abide by that. Then as now, I sought divine guidance, not franticly: hysteria blocks investigative thought and solutions. My immediate goal was to acquire peace so that intermediate and long term goals could emerge with clarity.

The Psalmist’ prayed; “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust:” and I wondered “How does one hear lovingkindness?” It came to me that I have actually been listening to the voice of the Lord, the personification of Wisdom, Justice, and Love, and Lovingkindness. There He was; every morning as I was ready to start the day: “Lord, ‘in thee do I trust, cause me to know the way wherein I should walk (Psalm 143:8);”

Lovingkindness showed me the way. I was very aware of His presence and unafraid, just peaceful: perfect peace that passes all understanding. So; at 11:00 A.M. every day, I was face down on a lab table in the “sci-fi” room where the radiation would come out from somewhere and go into my body someplace: the technicians had retreated behind a lead shield in another room. I was all alone and serenaded from beeps and buzzes before I heard the extended humm of the juice being applied. But I was ready… here’s why:

Is the Creator of heavens and earth able to still the waves of radiation? All powers are subject to him: in His nail punctured hand is “power and might; to give strength unto all; upholding all things by the word of his power. He laid the foundation of the earth: set the North over an open place, stretched out the heavens like a garment, “according to the working of his mighty power,” which He employed when he raised Christ from the dead. “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made“ (John 1:3).

That must have been quite a blast of divine power that raised Jesus from the dead, power that scientists may call radiation today: the same power from the image of the invisible God, who spoke and the light separated the darkness. With His fingers, He decorated the heavens with sprinklings of heavenly bodies, on course and in their places. Radiation? Nothing to it for the Lord Jesus Christ. He invented it

When I heard the hum of the radioactivity, it was the right nail-punctured hand of the Master Physician on the control, measuring the exact amount needed. The same is true for chemotherapy. The right hand of my salvation measured the amount of chemo that should drip slowly into my veins.

I can hear some of you draw in your breaths; “But what happens if you are not cured? What you are saying is false hope!” Not at all: I cannot find “false hope” in the Bible: various types, yes, but it is all hope. When I underwent the procedure, I had hope: others were there in silent witness to my reactions. If I should make one move of doubt, it could affect a lot of people. So, I am like the gear shift on a car; in neutral until the Master engages me. I would not frustrate the plan of God for my life.

If the invading forces prevail, God has a way for me to escape, which is far better than anything produced by avoiding false hope. I did not care, for He would get the glory in my body by life or by death, as Paul taught the Philippian church.

Update: I have had two treatments of chemotherapy and this coming Tuesday I will have the third usual six-hour infusion and then an evaluation. Don’t worry about me: Jesus and I will get caught up on a few things and I may need an attitude adjustment. I’m just going to spill over onto Him.

Thank you for your prayers, and to God be the glory.

Robert N. Adams (Helen says “Hey”)
We are Pastor and Mrs. Bulldog
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Survivor Chronicles #3 will have a more complete description of the treatments, consultations, and of the Kansas City Cancer Center.

The Healthcare Gap

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"The house of representatives ... can make no law which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as the great mass of society. This has always been deemed one of the strongest bonds by which human policy can connect the rulers and the people together. It creates between them that communion of interest, and sympathy of sentiments, of which few governments have furnished examples; but without which every government degenerates into tyranny." --Federalist No. 57, February 19, 1788
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"And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant" (Matthew 20:27): "... there is no respect of persons with God" (Romans 2:11).

CHANGE? I Did Not Expect This!

THE OLD ORDER YIELDS TO THE NEW -

Not without a few well-chosen "barks" from Pastor Bulldog. I have begun chemotherapy treatments to eradicate a tumor on my right lung. I have also begun a series on the treatments, The "Big C" Chronicles: the process, the progress, my thoughts, the effects, and results. I will add an account each week until whatever. I recognize this "sting" as the Lord permitting it to happen that He might prove me for even greater service to the Lord, "whether by life or by death". At the same time, Helen is going through a battle of pnuemonia on top of the after effects of her second pacemaker/defribulator implant. To make the treatments for both of us easier and to keep our boys from "tearing their hair out" in extra work, worry and concern, the family in a concerted effort has helped us close up house-keeping and move to a beautiful long-term care faciltiy, Del Mar Gardens of Overland Park (Metro Kansas City, MO), Kansas, just nine miles from our former home. The Bulldog will continue to bark by God's grace through faith. Keep checking in, there's more to come.

Thank you for your prayers.Click on "THE TOPIC OF CANCER" link on the side bar to the left for The "Big C" Chronicles. Thank you for your love and loyalty. "To God be the glory, Great things He has done."