HOME SWEET HOME

History for the Thomas Nation was made on Friday, March 18th, in the year of our Lord 2005. After three long months of being at death's door, the Lord in His infinite mercy, brought my lovely bride back home. Several friends were on hand to greet and welcome Liz on her triumphant return home. We enjoyed food, fellowship, and much thanksgiving towards God.

Our house and lives are going through some more changes to adjust to Liz's care. There will be a lot of traveling back and forth to the hospital, clinic, and the physical therapy facility. We have also compiled different charts and schedules that deals with Liz's many medications and exercises she must do every day.

Starting soon we hope to get back to some sort of "normal" schedule for family life, homeschooling, and ministry that we enjoyed before this ordeal hit. Please pray for a smooth transition and for Liz's full recovery. There is always a danger of a relapse and we do not want to go backwards. Our desire is as the Scriptures declare, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13,14)." By God’s grace we will press forward, reaching forth till Liz is fully recuperated, walking, leaping, and praising God. Thanks to all of you who took the time to write, call and send financial assistance. As Liz has stated, "We have seen the Church in a greater and more wonderful light through this difficult ordeal."

TESTIMONIES

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Revelation 12:11)

Liz’s struggle with cancer has touched countless lives throughout America. It has literally reached to other nations of the earth. We have stood in awe as God has taken the sufferings of my lovely bride to renew, transform, convict, and cause many to rejoice in the goodness of the Lord. The following is just a sample of what the Lord has done, and we trust, will continue to do as Liz is restored to complete and total health.

Dear Rusty & Liz,

For quite some time now I have had the desire to write to you both. I have been hesitant because I have never met either of you. However, we are brothers and sisters in Christ, and I have grown to love you both over the past few months. It is my understanding that you attended the same church as my husband, Jim, in Florida many years ago. So, I came to know of your story because of his friendship with you.

I'm not sure if you realize how many lives have been touched through the knowledge of your ordeal. I wanted to let you know that everything you have endured has revealed God's presence and power to hundreds of people. It would be very difficult for me to communicate to you the many different ways you have touched my life as I've joined with you seeking God's divine healing and intervention. And, I realize that this is not an unique experience. Others that you do not know have been touched by you as well. Months ago I shared your story with my mother and sisters, who in turn told their friends. And so it went, on and on, sisters in Christ sharing your experience with you, praying for you, and seeking God's will. How awesome it is to see God move!! You have a whole group of ladies here in Ohio who care very much for you and have followed your progress online. We have checked the computer frequently for updates.

My mom, my sister, and I are all nurses. We understand the overwhelming medical challenges you have faced. But, as a daughter of the King, I know He is ABLE...and that says it all. No matter what news we have gotten, I have held onto that truth. I know that God has a purpose for everything. He knows how your ability to endure the trials you have faced has witnessed to so many people. Oh, and what awesome witnesses you have been!!

Perhaps I should not have waited so long to write, because now there are so many instances that made me stop and say "Wow, these are great people!" You have exemplified the complete faith and trust we must have in God. I recall quite some time ago reading about Rusty witnessing a lady signing an advance directive form and how he not only witnessed the event, but became a living witness for Christ. That was awesome. And, Liz, being so ill and still raising your hands in praise to the Lord. I could go on and on. There are so many times that I was amazed at how you both have handled this ordeal. But, most impressive, was that you didn't just trust in God for a little while and then get angry or give up when things got worse. You have continued to trust and lean on Him without fail, even in the toughest times.

I have seen people over the years, in my nursing experience, deal with a crisis many different ways. However, I have never before seen anyone deal with it as you both have, with the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ continuing to guide and direct your every step. For many people, a crisis such as this would have immobilized them and made life stand still. And perhaps, to some extent, you feel like your life has been put on hold while you endure this...until you get past it. But, it really hasn't. Your life and ministry have continued to go on, in a very strong and powerful way. I guess one of the biggest things I want to communicate to you is just that...you are continuing to minister to so many people as we follow your progress and share this with you.

As a mom myself, I could not imagine the heartache you feel being separated from your children. I am sure there are many other aspects of your situation that I'm not even aware of. This has certainly not been an easy trial to endure. I just wanted to let you both know that you have set wonderful examples for the rest of us on how to handle the challenges life throws at us...to trust only in Him and His Word.

So, why do bad things happen to good people? I don't know for sure. But, I know when something bad happens to someone like Job, or yourself, you reveal the Presence of God, the Grace of God, the Mercy of God, the Love of God, and the Power of God! I can see it in the words of your story with every update I have received. I can see Him, through you!

You have touched my life, and the lives of my mom, sisters, friends, the hospital staff, your church family, your community and so on. I thank you, for the burden you have carried for the rest of us, just to let God speak to each of us in some way as we've lived through this with you. I honestly believe that you will never know just how much work you've done for the Lord while in that hospital bed. I thank God for your progress and I will continue to uplift you and your family in prayer.

In His Service,

Nikki Walsh

This e-mail message came from a special lady that God delivered out of a deadly drug habit and the abortion industry. We had the wonderful opportunity to invest in her life the Gospel of the Kingdom. She has come far and still needs our prayers. She is writing to tell us her atheist brother is even struggling over the special circumstances that surround Liz’s amazing recovery from death.

(On a side note, but closely related, when Liz was due to come home, the Oncology department had to send a nurse down to remove a tube from Liz’s port. One nurse finally came and declared these words to Liz, "You do not know how special you are. Most of us nurses in the cancer department never get to witness someone come back from a condition like yours. It is truly remarkable!") Now the message from Kirsten.

Wow!! She looks beautiful, God has truly blessed your family. My brother, who is not only a doctor, but a confirmed atheist, is even having a hard time explaining this, as I have been passing all the e-mails and updates on Liz's condition as I receive them!! He is one more soul being touched by Liz, even in San Angelo!! We continue to pray for her speedy recovery, we no longer are praying for her survival, because we have seen that miracle already!!!

We are celebrating what a testimony to the power of Jesus, Today, to still perform miracles for those who ask and believe!! My family is being touched, thank you again, especially to Liz, for once again inspiring my life, like many years before!!

Love,

Kirsten and the Salzano family

---

Dear Liz,

"He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord will wipe away tears from off all faces;" Isaiah 25:8a

I pray this note finds you in good spirits. We are all rejoicing with you and your family for the miraculous work our Lord is doing in your body, soul and spirit. I know your thoughts must be on your beautiful family waiting your homecoming. I am sure that caring for your children has been the most rewarding (although challenging) WORK you have ever done.

I heard of their visits with you and believe they have been very helpful toward your recovery. I can only imagine the worshipful gazes your received from the young eyes of Torah Grace and Jeremiah Flip. I know your children are an anchor that holds you to this life. No one could ever love your children as passionately as Rusty and you do. Jesus cared enough for you to raise you from your illness.

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live." John 4:19

I thank God for you, my dear sister. You are a living epistle to Christian women everywhere. I look forward to seeing you soon and hearing all the awesome testimonies you have to share of His glory.

In Heartfelt Love and Admiration,

Marilyn Carroll

salvation

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name (Jesus) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

In this world there are serious problems that consistently plague mankind. Just a brief gaze at a local newspaper or a TV news program affirms the tragic state of affairs that affects our world. It doesn’t matter what political stripe you are, nor your religious or non-religious affiliations, you can be a conservative or a liberal, a Christian or an atheist, but regardless of our persuasions, most of us are convinced something has gone terribly wrong with mankind.

Two important questions should emerge from this tragic predicament. First, what is the true source of our problems and based upon that premise, what is the correct solution. All good doctors know the key to their success in healing people is in the correct diagnosis of what ails them. Common sense tells us without the correct diagnosis, it doesn’t make a difference what cure you prescribe. It simply won’t manifest the desired results and in all likelihood, it will compound the illness, sometimes unto death.

Man apart from God has one diagnosis of what ails man and the God of the Bible has a completely different diagnosis. Humanists, Secularists, and Atheists believe man is inherently good, its just his environment that is messed up. Based upon that diagnosis, man sets out to prescribe a cure to save himself. Typically its through law, (government policy and programs) education, money, science, and technology. Whenever serious problems arise in our nation, what does our government and media call for? Their tired slogan is "more money, more education, and more government programs." We are trillions of dollars in debt pursuing this course, yet they still insist this will surely solve our problems and man can move onto perfection.

In and of themselves, money, education, science, and technology are not inherently evil. As a source of man’s salvation, however, they are woefully lacking. In fact, the world system held sway by this naturalistic philosophy can only succeed in creating pits for man to fall into and then tax us to death to try and bail us out. It is a vicious cycle with no way of escape, except through another entirely different source of salvation.

God, however, places the source of man’s trouble actually within him. In Mark 7:21-23, Jesus clearly states, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man."

Notice where Jesus places the ultimate source of man’s problem. It comes from within us. Man can change spouses, children, churches, locations, friends, and jobs, but does that save man? The self-evident answer is no. Man will only be confronted with this horrible dilemma over and over again. The problem goes where man goes for we are the problem. The painful truth is, there is a sinful nature that rages within us and no outward shifting of circumstances can change that reality. Thus man’s greatest deliverance is to be delivered from himself.

The Salvation of the Lord

Based upon this diagnosis, there are several word/pictures in the Bible that reveal the great salvation offered to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. First, it would be fitting to define the word salvation Biblically. It means to deliver from evil, both temporal and eternal deliverance from evil. The Apostle Paul declared, "Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us." (2 Corinthians 1:10) It also means preservation from danger. There are dangerous thoughts that lead to sin and crimes that lurk within us and will eventually manifest itself physically. God’s salvation preserves us in the midst of this two-fold danger.

Four Word/Pictures of God’s Salvation

Justification! Romans 5:1 states, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." The word justification paints for us the image of a court trial. It is a legal, judicial term. All of us will one day stand before a just Judge who is not of human origin. All of us will have to give an account for every thought, word, and deed we have committed in this life before God’s bar of justice.

Unfortunately, this Judge cannot be bribed and no high-priced lawyer can detour Him from the truth. He will not be swayed by our poverty nor enticed by our riches. Sadly, even before He officially declares our guilt, our own consciences will scream the verdict that will echo throughout eternity in our shame-ridden souls.

As this picture of the court trial progresses, know for a surety that the righteous Judge will officially find unrepentive men guilty and will pass sentence. The sentence is death, eternal death, that will separate us from God forever. This is the bad news, but wait, there is also some good news. We can be justified. Thus instead of hauling us away to eternal separation from His Holy presence, the same righteous Judge stands up, takes off his robe, becomes our substitution, dies in our stead, and let’s us go free. Romans 4:25 declares, "Who was delivered for our offences, (Jesus delivered over to death on our account) and was raised again for our justification."

Redemption!

John 8:34-36 states, "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the slave of sin. And the slave abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth forever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." As we examine the words of Jesus in this passage, picture a slave block, a place where precious human beings are bought and sold based upon the lustful whims of slave masters. As human beings, we must come to grips with the fact that our hearts and souls have been bought and sold on this slave block countless times by the destructive power of sin. But there is One according to the book of Isaiah that can "break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron ."

God’s redemption sets the captive free. It delivers us from the power of sin that destroys our lives. This redemption came with a costly price, the sacrifice of the Son of God on a cruel cross. If true liberty is what you seek, then you must place your faith in the only One that has the power to grant that precious gift, the Lord Jesus Christ. He paid a debt that He did not owe, we owed a debt that we could never pay. All of us need someone to wash our sins away. Thanks be to God for this unspeakable gift that is full of joy and great glory.

Propitiation

1 John 2:2 states, "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross appeased the wrath of God that was against us. John 3:36 declares, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." Though God is love, he hates sin and will not abide it. This places sinful man in a dangerous predicament. How can a Holy God who hates sin establish a relationship with sinful man? Through the bloody, cruel cross God took our sin, misery, disobedience, moral failures and many transgressions and thrust them upon Jesus. This satisfied God’s justice and thus released mercy to the guilty. The Scriptures declare that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us, the just for the unjust and now we can have peace with God (Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 3:18).

Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5:19 states, "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." Reconciliation is a picture of a broken relationship, particularly between a parent and a child that miraculously becomes restored. The premiere example of this heart-wrenching plight is found in the "Prodigal Son" story taught by Jesus in Luke 15. I would highly recommend that you read this special passage of Scripture. It is truly inspiring.

God’s word declares, "For he saith, I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I helped you: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2) This tract was written in a feeble attempt to communicate to you the Gospel of the Kingdom that has the power to save your soul. The Lord is making His appeal known. His desire is to make all things brand new in your life, regardless of all your sins, transgressions, and past failures. He desires to justify you, to redeem you, and to remove all hostility that exists between you and Him. The Bible declares that if you hear His voice do not harden your heart, but rather open your heart, eyes, ears, and your life to His saving grace. I would encourage you to humble yourself, repent of your sins, call upon the name of the Lord, and ask Him to save you and to fill you His Spirit!

Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas

come alive

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18,19)

By the time you receive this mailing we would have completed yet another "God Is Going Back To School" campaign. Church of the Open Door and our ministry is collaborating on a two-fold ministry venture. First, we are going back to the schools with this tract to pass out on God’s salvation. (Those of you who may be interested in a hard copy of this tract, just contact us and we will send you one).

Secondly, Church of the Open Door will be performing a Modern Day Passion Play that I wrote called "Come Alive." The play will be performed on Friday, March 25th, at 7pm, Saturday, March 26th, at 7 pm, and Sunday, March 27th, at 6:30 pm. Church of the Open Door is located at I-35 and North Loop 340 (exit 339).

To those of you in the Central Texas area who have unsaved loved ones, "Come Alive" is a powerful, anointed drama that brings the historic Jesus right into a modern, disfunctional family. It sets the captive free and restores an alcoholic, abusive husband and father back to his estranged wife and children. We are praying for the students and all those who will be moved by God’s Spirit to come witness this play. May our Lord be glorified, His great salvation known, and His Kingdom advanced through these outreaches. The Lord richly bless you!

IN KING JESUS' SERVICE,

Rusty, Liz, and the Thomas Nation