Please Pray for Me and This Ministry Daily

By David J. Stewart

Thank you to those who keep me and my ministry for the Lord in your daily prayers. I don't believe in the power of prayer; I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit of God. Prayer is simply asking, but God is the power behind answered prayer. I'm tired of people talking about prayer as a good therapy or as a mere form of meditation. Prayer works because there is an awesome and loving God in Heaven Who hears us.

I am in so much physical pain on a daily basis. The pain in my neck is so bad, and the muscle tension is severe. After having two neck surgeries, I am worse off now than before my surgeries. But I don't regret getting the surgeries, because surgery does help some people. Unfortunately it hasn't helped me at all.

I sincerely doubt if I will ever have another day in this earthly existence without horrible neck pain and suffering. I have accepted that fact. It is my reality. That is the situation that I must deal with. The only way I can deal with this is by taking it one moment at a time, one hour at a time, one day at a time. If I think of having to spend decades to come in this pain, it is extremely frightening and overwhelming. So I have learned to just do what I can do from moment-to-moment to deal with my horrible pain and suffering. And of course, I don't know if I'll even be alive tomorrow. That is God's decision. Proverb 27:1 warns against boasting of the future, because we do not know what tomorrow holds. I share the Apostle's Paul's sentiments in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

The tingling in my fingers and puffy sensation in my arms has intensified since the first surgery in 2009. The recent surgery several weeks ago (which was a revision of the first surgery using a bone graft from my hip this time) has done nothing to offer any relief. My hip doesn't hurt at all; however, My neck is very tight and the pain is horrible. The pain medications do help quite a bit, but sometimes they just don't work. I woke up this morning with sharp pain radiating down the back of my entire right arm and right leg. I can feel the pain shooting down from the back of my neck. Something is very wrong in my neck. It hurt so bad and there was nothing I could do. My pain is very bad toward the end of the day. It's debilitating at times and it's only by God's grace that I am able to continue.

I'm taking 80 mg. of Oxycontin and 12 mg. of Dilaudid per day to cope with the pain. I take 10 mg. of Ambien to sleep. It helps, but can only do so much. The pain radiating down my arms is horrible at times, on a daily basis. My right leg hurts too, but I can walk ok with a slight limp. It hurts horrible at times when I'm sitting down. My leg feels partially asleep. Despite my health problems, I am thankful to God for the remaining health that I do have.

I do feel good at times by the grace of God, thanks to the pain medications and a positive spiritual and mental attitude that I maintain as a born-again Christian who walks with the Lord. I think of Jesus' promise in John 14:18, “I will not leave you comfortless: I WILL COME TO YOU.” And He has through His wondrous Holy Spirit. I couldn't make it without My precious Lord and Savior who cheers my heart, brings Scriptures to remembrance and watches over me.

I am confident that the Lord has given to me a thorn in the flesh to keep me humble (and it does very much). My neck pain began 6-years ago in 2004, just 2-years after starting my online ministry in 2002. It was over the year to follow throughout 2005 that my website ministry grew from 500 visitors per day to 5,000 visitors per day. By the Spirit of God, this ministry is now receiving on average 10,000 visitors per day. Over the past 8-years, this ministry has reached out to over 17,500,000 people around the world for the Lord Jesus Christ. Although that number is small in comparison to many heathen and secular websites, it is rare for a Christian ministry. I give all the credit to the Lord. I am simply the clay, God is the Potter. I am grateful that the Lord has done this work of grace through me to help others.

The internet is an incredible opportunity to reach people for God with the truth. The Apostle Paul seized upon the opportunity in his time to preach the gospel and turn many souls to the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 1st Corinthians 16:9, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” My only desire is to help others find the precious Lord Jesus Christ and grow in the truth. Nearly everything in society today is a lie and a deception. It's incredibly tragic just how much the public has been misled about so many things, everything from false religion to the true reason why America was founded as a vehicle by which to achieve World Government.

I sincerely appreciate those who pray daily for me and this work; but moreover, you have an investment in this ministry as a prayer warrior. Prayer is not preparation for the greater work, prayer is the greater work. We are living in the Last Days. I do not know how much longer this ministry will be here. I have renewed it through 2014. I plan by God's grace to continue my work for the Lord, as the Lord allows. This is God's ministry, I'm just His humble servant.

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).