Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 2/17/2009

Question
Pastor Carpenter,

I am 32 years old woman who just found out that I have cancer.  I have 3 young children and I am scared to death.  I have always considered myself a spirtual person.  I can look back and see where the Lord has guided and changed my life.  Most of the time I stay positive and leave this in the Lord's hands but there are times that I just loose it and cry for hours.  I do not worry about actually dying but about leaving my children so young.  My question is about prayer.  I have been taught that we should pray for God's will.  How does one pray for a miracle?  I am on many prayer circles in my community and I do feel the Lord with me.  What are some bible verses that can help me get through this?  My son is 10 years old and he gets angry about what is happening.  How can I help him get throught this without being angry or blaming God?  Thank you so much for your time.

Answer
Hi Tanya,

Thank you for this very powerful question.  Please know that I will be praying for God to heal you.  I believe that you can pray for GOd's deliverance or His grace to endure what He has planned for you.  The Apostle Paul prayed like that.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

You need to let your son know that you know where you are going based upon God's promises in His word.  Make sure your son has also trusted in Jesus as savior so that he can one day be with you again.
Let him know about the promises you can claim about eternal life.

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Revelation 21:1-4


And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

1 Corinthians 15:51-58
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don