WilliamMacDonald.org

DITP Discipleship Intern Training Program w Jean Gibson. 212 Recordings from 1973-1974

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DITP Link Here

that middle cross

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Believers Bible Commentary

2009-12-19T09:09:00.000-08:00

Audio at Voices for Christ

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Bill's Last Days

2008-03-23T17:58:00.000-07:00

account from the assembly he was part of
latest is toward the top of the article, earliest at the bottom

This will be the final update to this page. It has now been nearly 2 months since our brother, William MacDonald, went home to be with the Lord. As promised, a DVD of the Memorial Service has been completed and is available for a limited time through d&k Press at http://www.dkpresschristianbooks.com There is a minimal charge for it to cover the cost of professional duplication, shipping and handling.

Thank you all for your expressions of sympathy and love. We appreciate your kind words on the guestbook and through letters and phone calls.

We will now end the ability to sign the guestbook and move the main page of William MacDonald to another location on our website. We will provide a link for it on the front page for now.

With Christian Love,

Don Robertson

Tuesday, January 1, 2008 (11:53 a.m.)

May the Lord give to you fruit that remains during 2008. May the Lord come quickly this year. Maranatha!

Thank you for your continued interest in the information we're providing here. We've had quite a number of inquiries about a couple of issues. The first is about a biography about William MacDonald. The second is for biographical information. Let me answer both questions openly since it is probably a question on the minds of many.

First, there is an authorized biography in the works already. Bill was reluctant to write an autobiography while he was living, but kept extensive biographical notes. He passed on to a "secret author," who will be revealed at a later time, all of the information, pictures, files, etc. that he felt would be proper for a biography of his life. The author is well known to Bill as Bill was to the author. The foundation for the book has already been laid out and when the book is published we will update this site. So the simple answer is, yes there is an authorized biography coming "soon". That's all I can say for the moment.

Second, we are happy to include the following biographical information about Bill.

William MacDonald was born in Leominster, MA on January 7, 1917
His family moved to Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland when Bill was 6 years old
They returned to MA
Born Again, 1935
AB degree, Tufts College (now University), 1938
MBA degree, Harvard Business School, 1940
Employed as an Investment Analyst, First National Bank of Boston, 1940-1942
Active duty in the US Navy, 1942-1946
On faculty of Emmaus Bible School (now College), Oak Park, IL, 1947-1965
President of Emmaus Bible School, 1959-1965
Bible Teaching ministry in the USA, Europe and Asia, 1965-1972
On faculty of the Discipleship Intern Training Program, San Leandro, CA 1973-1996
Bible Teaching and Writing ministry, 1996-2007
During his lifetime William MacDonald wrote 84 published books
He also wrote numerous magazine articles, short papers, and sermons.
Went into the presence of His Lord, December 25, 2007, 9:20 pm, Pacific Time

Bill was known to say, "The best place for a college degree is at the foot of the cross."
Though schooled in some of the "finest" schools in the country, and employed as an investment analyst, he found that the greatest investments in life cannot be found in the stock market, real estate, or possessions. In fact, he taught a life lived out for the Lord was the best investment anyone could make, that treasures in heaven are more valuable than treasures on earth and that people are more important than things.
Bill's college "minor", in writing, became his major in life.

Saturday, December 29, 2007 (7:52 p.m.)

I'm sorry that I had no updates yesterday, but I was tied up with funeral arrangements and interviews with the local newspaper. For those who could not make it to the graveside service I thought you might be interested in the events of the day.

The Daily Review did a feature story about Bill in this morning's newspaper. It can be found online by clicking here (please understand this linked page is hosted by the newspaper and we are not responsible for advertisements that appear on the page. We have linked for your convenience only) or in today's paper on the front page of the Local section. The continuation of the story ends on the religion page. Another answer to prayer is there was no rain during the service.

There were between 250-300 people that gathered around the grave site for the funeral. The funeral coach arrived first, followed by the two SUV's with the pall bearers. Bill had named various men whom he wanted as pall bearers. Some were not available, but were out of town. We asked several young men to fill the gaps. This is something Bill would encourage.

There were eight pall bearers. I asked Gary Wilson (a close friend to Bill and one who often, with his family, hosted Bill in his home) to take the position of honor at the head, Matt Clarke (so often Bill's right hand man) to be the first at Bill's right side followed on that side by Robert Brown (a young man whom Bill has been teaching) and Luke Robertson (my oldest son and the technical webmaster behind this website). On Bill's left I had Charley Epps (one of the elders of Calvary Bible Chapel), followed by Sam and Jake Wilson (Gary's two oldest sons). And I, Don Robertson, (one of the elders at Calvary Bible Chapel) took the place at Bill's feet.

We carried Bill's body to the burial site and the service began. Mr. Jim McAlister (a long time friend of Bill, whose wife, Helen, has translated the Believer's Bible Commentary into Japanese) opened in prayer. The audience sang one of Bill's favorite hymns called "Victory in Jesus."

Howard Ormsby (one of the elders of Calvary Bible Chapel) officiated at the service giving a message from Psalm 23. He spoke about 3 secrets from this beloved Psalm. Read the Psalm to see if you can determine which verses apply to the following three points:

1. The Secret of a Happy Life
2. The Secret of a Happy Death
3. The Secret of a Happy Eternity

After Howard's message, we sang a chorus that Bill taught wherever he went called "Thank You Jesus."

We asked Dave Johnson (a former DITP student Bill taught in the early 80's) to pray. His prayer,

Lord, we want to praise and thank You again for the precious gift of our friend & beloved brother, Bill MacDonald.

Words fail us as we try to express our heart-felt gratitude for giving us such a godly man who means so much to us, a man who truly was a spiritual father to so many of us. He was a brother who daily reminded us of the character & grace of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and consistently pointed us to Him. He was a brother who was the embodiment of what Paul said, For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Thank you that though Bill is dead, he still speaks to us through his writings, his teaching, and the sweet memory of his life.

Lord, we are going to miss him and the wisdom, humility, devotion, godly counsel, the love and friendship that overflowed from his life and profoundly touched our lives and those of countless others around the world. Thank you that our brother fought the good fight valiantly, that he ran the race and finished the course well. We believe there is a crown of righteousness laid up for him which he will lovingly lay at Your feet.

Thank you Lord Jesus, that Bill is now home with You, the One whom he loved above all and served so faithfully. Thank you that his faith is now made sight as he gazes upon You, the One who loves us and gave Himself for us. Thank you that his joy is made full as he hears Your voice saying, Well done, good and faithful servant. Truly precious in Your sight is the death of Your godly ones.

As we say farewell to our dear friend and brother, we do so with sorrow and joy: sorrow that he is no longer with us, but fullness of joy knowing that He is with You forever. We say goodbye for now, with fond remembrance of one who led us, who spoke the Word of God to us and having seen the outcome of his way of life, we ask Lord, help us by Your grace to imitate his faith.

We do so looking forward to that day when we will see our brother again around Your throne joining our voices with his and those from every tribe and tongue and nation saying, Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. Amen.

Bill had asked that a recording of Amazing Grace be played on the bagpipes (using a recording). We were able to get a live player (Steve Kidwell) to come and play the 4 verses. He was dressed in his Scottish outfit. A fitting tribute to Bill's Scottish ancestry.

A folded American flag was presented to Howard Ormsby on behalf of the US Government in appreciation for Bill's service in the Navy.

We believe the service was both honoring to the Lord and a fitting tribute for a man of God.

On behalf of the Christians at Calvary Bible Chapel, all the believers present at the funeral today as well as the thousands of Christians who have visited this site and the hundreds who have commented on the guestbook, we send our deepest sympathies to Bill's extended family in Scotland. "Weeping may endure for an evening, but joy comes in the morning." Warmest Christian greetings from all of us to each one of you.
Your brother in Christ, Don.

Thursday, December 27, 2007 (5:45 p.m.)

We have now completed the funeral arrangements for Saturday. We have chosen not to have a motorcade parade from the mortuary because we believe that would be against Bill's wishes. Instead, we ask all who wish to attend the graveside service to meet us at the grave site. Please arrive early enough to park your vehicle and walk to the site. The grave is at Chapel of the Chimes, 32992 Mission Blvd., Hayward, California 94544. Bill will be buried in the Garden of Honor II. The coordinates to find the site (for future reference) is 3N, 9E, Plot A3. This refers to marker 3 North, 9 East, Plot A3. For your information, the actual grave marker (headstone) will not be in place for up to three months.

The graveside service will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 29, 2007. We ask you to please arrive early enough to park your vehicle and walk to the site. This could take up to 10-15 minutes for some guests. You are allowed to park in the parking lot, or on any road in the cemetery. Please leave at least 5 parking spots available by the grave site for the coach and for two vehicles for the pall bearers. We ask for three more spaces for the elderly or infirm. We have asked for some chairs, but it is likely there will only be perhaps 6-10 available. Please allow our elderly guests to sit in these seats. Please dress warmly and be prepared in case of rain.

I was with Bill 17 years ago when he picked out his grave site. As you might expect, Bill chose a site near the roadway to make it easier for loved ones to reach his grave without difficulty. The benefit of his thoughtfulness 17 years ago will be appreciated by all on Saturday.

Click here to view a map of the location for the burial site.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 (5:05 p.m.)

Bill requested that we conduct a very simple graveside service and have a memorial service later. We will follow his request. We have now made arrangements for these services. Please email this information to as many people as would be interested. This seems like the best way to communicate with friends all over the world.

The graveside service will be held at
Location: Chapel of the Chimes,
32992 Mission Blvd.,
Hayward, California 94544
Date: Saturday, December 29, 2007
Time: 11:00 a.m.
This will be a simple service of about 30-45 minutes at the grave. It will start promptly at 11:00 a.m. There will be no seating available for this service. All are welcome to attend, but you may prefer to attend the Memorial service in January.

The memorial service will be held at
Location: Fairhaven Bible Chapel
401 MacArthur Blvd.,
San Leandro, CA 94557
Date: Saturday, January 12, 2008
Time: 11:00 a.m.
This service will be approximately 1 hour and will start promptly at 11:00 a.m. We anticipate a large crowd of people for this service. We are making arrangements for a video feed to the lower auditorium for overflow crowds. For our out of town / out of country guests we are making arrangements for a live feed to the internet so you can be with us electronically. As soon as we have the information about the uplink site we will post it on this site. Refreshments will be served after the memorial service.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 (2:15 p.m.)

Some of our readers have asked whether Bill was alone. The simple answer is that Bill was seldom alone during the last two weeks. The question, I believe, has to do with his final day. Let me tell you that there was a continuous outpouring of love and affection shown to Bill throughout his final trial. And it would be difficult to recall all the individuals who visited, read to him, prayed with him, sat with him and cared for him. In addition there were numerous letters, emails and cards that came and were read to him during his sickness. During the last 24 hours of his life he had someone (and often many) by his side. Rather than naming names, let me tell of some of the events.

A group of us gathered early in the morning just to hold his hand, to read the Christmas story and to softly sing and pray. Bill was still able to respond with a simple nod of his head or by opening his eyes or by squeezing the hand of the one holding his hand. He was alert enough to understand what was happening and who was there.

Several close friends gathered in the early afternoon to read, to pray and to say "see you soon." Bill was still responsive but was drifting in and out of consciousness.

Some believers read the afternoon update and quickly traveled to the hospital to be with Bill and stayed until he went home to be with the Lord. At 3 p.m. I spoke with him to let him know some guests had arrived. There was no longer any facial response, but he squeezed my hand for the last time.

More friends gathered around 6 p.m. and read, and prayed and sang "It Is Well With My Soul." We believe Bill heard and sang the song with us in his heart even though his body was shutting down. He seemed to be at peace.

Friends came and went throughout the early evening. The Lord even provided a charge nurse for the evening shift who is a believer, whom Bill knows and who took care of his stepmother many years ago. It was just one of so many kindnesses of the Lord. And she came into the room and joined in the singing.

I had asked the Lord early on that he would allow me the privilege of being with Bill when he was called to heaven and He granted that request. As my family stood around the bed with Bill's elders, friends and loved ones he quietly slipped out of the room and went home to be with His Lord.

After he died more friends came and we held a little praise service in his hospital room thanking the Lord for a man of God whose life was lived out for the Lord, praising God for taking him home to heaven and singing hymns of worship to the Lord.

No, Bill was not alone. He was surrounded by children, young people, adults and seniors.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 (8:37 a.m.)

The Lord continues to comfort believers with His Word.

1Corinthians 5:1-9:
For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007 (9:20 p.m.)

Our brother William MacDonald passed into the presence of the Lord at 9:20 p.m. Christmas evening.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007 (8:34 p.m.)
Bill has been receiving comfort care during the rest of the afternoon. He has not suffered from pain or anxiety as far as we can tell. He has gone through this trial triumphantly and has been an example to us, not only in life, but even as he dies. Bill has had one love during his life and He is the Lord Jesus Christ. It is with joy we commit him into the loving care of the One he loves so much.

We ask you to pray with us that the Lord will, as Bill would often say, "take down his tent gently and quickly." The last few hours have been times of tenderness as saints have come by to pray, read, sing and hold his hand. Tears are shed for our loss, but feelings of joy overshadow our tears for Bill's gain. To be with Christ is far better.

Bill's vitals are declining rapidly now and he may only have a few more hours before His home calling.

Brothers and sisters, thank you from Bill and from all the saints at Calvary Bible Chapel for your love, care, and tender comments. Pray that the Lord would raise up many more young men and women to follow hard after the Lord.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007 (12:19 p.m.)
Brothers and sisters, thank you so much for your prayers, love and support of Bill through this trying time. It hurts me to write this particular update because of the pain it will cause to so many of you. Although my earlier update today suggests the "numbers" are improving they did not tell the whole story. We have just received news from Bill's personal doctor that the blood tests, that we did not have this morning, show that Bill is now in renal failure. His kidneys can no longer function properly. In his present condition Bill could not tolerate kidney dialysis, nor would he want to. Because his kidneys are in failure we must stop feeding him through the IV. His care will now need to change to comfort care until He passes into the presence of His Lord.

His Master is calling Him home. It's where Bill wants to be. He will finally be able to see the Lord Jesus face to face. We could feel jealous for him, but we will have to wait our turn, or wait for that shout and the meeting in the air. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed

Pray that the Lord will now quickly take him home without further suffering.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007 (8:57 a.m.)
Bill had a restful night and continues to improve slowly but steadily. The care he is receiving from the nursing staff is very much appreciated and they are doing all they can to make him comfortable. They must move him regularly to prevent any sores and they do that as tenderly as they can. But it hurts! It hurts at the surgery site. Then the pain eases and his breathing improves.

It appears to us that his kidneys are functioning and, based on the numbers, they seem to be improving. Thank the Lord for His loving care.

Bill and I had some deep conversations last week. We know and believe with all our hearts that to be with Christ is far better. And, given the choice, who in their right mind wouldn't want to go to heaven and be with the Lord. But our times are in His hands. Our days were all numbered before there was one of them. And as Bill has often said, "we are immortal until our work is done." We discussed the tension that continually exists in the mind of a Christian between departing and being with Christ (which is far better), and remaining and continuing to be a blessing to the Body of Christ (which is needful). How wonderful it is to know that it is the Lord who makes that call. And so we continue to ask you to pray for Bill's health and recovery, if this is the will of the Lord. How great it is that we can rest in His perfect will and trust Him for the outcome.

Wishing you and your family a time of sweet reflection on the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who loved us and gave Himself for us!

It is encouraging to see some of the medical staff reading his book, Final Destiny. Bill is completely ready to meet the Lord. But remember to pray for those caring for him. Some still do not have this hope.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007 (12:01 a.m.)
We have just returned from the hospital. There have been many improvements throughout the day but there is still cautious optimism regarding his kidneys and lungs. Please continue to pray for the Lord's perfect will for Bill. He would want nothing else. And if he could, he would wish all of you a most blessed Christmas day remembering God's greatest gift to mankind, His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Monday, December 24, 2007 (1:00 p.m.)
Thank you again for all the outpouring of love you have shown to Bill by your calls, letters, emails, and comments on the guest book page. Although Bill is still unaware of most of this, when he is ready, we will be sure to read these to him. I'm sure this will be a great encouragement to him.

I returned to the hospital at 6 a.m. to find a flurry of activity around his bed. He was able to remove his lung tube and refused to let the nurses reinsert it. Those are his wishes at this time. He is now on an oxygen mask and is breathing on his own and he is oxygenating his blood at a good level. The doctors planned to take the tube out later today in any case. It seems that Bill wants to hurry them along.

I spoke with his cardiologist who is very pleased with his heart condition. His heart is still strong and pumping well. The lung specialist was pleased with his steady progress through the morning on the oxygen mask. And his vitals are all improving including his blood pressure.

In a surgery such as this, the shift of fluids in and out of the body put a tremendous amount of stress on the kidneys. In the first surgery the kidney function fell considerably but rallied within about two days. His kidneys are under the same stress now and their function has fallen. We are now at the 36 hour mark after surgery and we are hopeful that they will rally once again in the will of the Lord. We know that if they do not he will experience renal failure and he would not want to undergo kidney dialysis, nor could his body tolerate that procedure. This is the greatest medical concern at the moment, but we know the Great Physician and we ask that His will be done.

It appears that his intestinal tract, which was not terribly active after the first surgery, is now active. This, too, is a matter for prayer.

Bill's life has been lived out fully for the Lord. Without question he has been an example to thousands and a teacher to perhaps millions. Whether the Lord calls Him home at this time, or spares him for more service this is a matter for the Lord to decide. We continue to pray (perhaps selfishly) that the Lord will heal His servant. But we are completely content that whatever the Lord does is right, is best, is for our good and is for His glory.

Monday, December 24, 2007 (12:16 a.m.)

We returned to the hospital at about 6:30 p.m. last night and have just returned home. Here is the latest on Bill's current condition. There is a slow, steady improvement hour by hour. His blood pressure is improving, his respiration is good and improving. His fever has come down from 102 degrees to 99 degrees. He became more responsive as the night progressed.

As always, The Lord has manifold purposes in trials. The Lord continues to bring new nurses to Bill's aid and this gives us the opportunity to share about the Master Bill has served all these years. We are able to use this opportunity to share with them about the Lord and give them gospel literature that Bill has written. As we pray for Bill's physical health, let's remember to pray for the souls of these precious ones who minister to Bill. And remember Bill's doctors as well. He has witnessed faithfully to them over the years.

As another treat, the Lord has brought in a charge nurse at this critical time who just happens to be a Christian, and just happens to attend one of the local assemblies here, and just happens to be a personal friend of Bill's and just happens to be the nurse who attended to his step-mother during her final years at Bethesda Christian Retirement Home until she passed into the presence of the Lord at the age of 100.

Sunday, December 23, 2007 (4:00 p.m.)

I have visited Bill several times today. This morning at 7:30 a.m. he was alert enough to recognize me and respond to questions. He indicated he was not in pain and was not uncomfortable. It is, of course, necessary to move Bill every couple of hours from one side to his other side. This does cause a fair amount of pain due to the incision from surgery.

We are at this moment about 18 hours past the end of surgery. He lost a fair amount of fluids during surgery and they are making every effort to rehydrate him. His blood pressure is low and this causes some concern regarding kidney function. The renal specialist was just in to see him. I also spoke with the pulmonary specialist about his lungs, how he is breathing and whether there is any indication of fluid build up in the lungs. He indicated that they are monitoring this closely. He did have a temperature of about 102 degrees early this morning but it is returning to normal. The doctor does not believe there is any infection, but rather that this is a response to being dehydrated.

Please pray at this time for a return to normal blood pressure, that the lungs would remain clear, and that the Lord would continue to give him strength.

The doctors believe it to be in Bill's best interest if there are no visitors for at least a few days until he regains his strength and has passed this critical period of his recovery. The Lord is with him and is comforting him. I will remain by his side as much as possible to pray with him, read to him and encourage him with your cards, letters, emails etc. Feel free to sign the guest book and add any appropriate comments for me to pass on to Bill. We will not read these to him until he is up to listening. But we do appreciate your prayers and the outpouring of love from all over the world.

The hospital staff has been diligent and responsive in their care for Bill. Dozens of his books such as Final Destiny have been distributed to staff, nurses, technicians and visitors. Pray that the Lord would even give fruit to Bill during this time of sickness.

Saturday, December 22, 2007 (11:30 p.m.)

Bill has just returned to ICU after undergoing a 4 hour surgery tonight. The surgeon met with us after the surgery and explained that because Bill has been on blood thinners for a number of years prior to his first surgery, internal bleeding was to be expected. We do know that Bill suffered from internal bleeding in the days after his first surgery. The testing during the last few days indicated that there was a blockage in the region of the original surgery. The surgeon discovered tonight that Bill had developed a 4 liter blood clot that grew around his intestines, at the site of the original surgery, twisting them and squeezing them shut. This is the reason he had a blockage.

The surgeon successfully removed the blot clot, reattached the intestines and reported that they are now open and flowing. He also reported that there is no bleeding at this time. Bill has been off blood thinners for two weeks now. As I write this, Bill has been out of surgery for about 30 minutes and is recovering nicely in the Intensive Care Unit. He is being properly monitored, ventilated and is being nourished through a central line to his heart.

The doctors are hopeful that this surgery has completely removed the blockage and that his internal systems will begin to function normally again. With any surgery there are significant risks and more so considering his age. The doctors have done what they can do to assist Bill. We are trusting the Lord will heal his body if it is His will. Please pray with us that Bill will make a full and complete recovery in the will of the Lord.

Saturday, December 22, 2007 (1 p.m.)
Bill underwent a series of tests to determine if he still has an intestinal blockage. It has been positively determined that he has another blockage that requires immediate surgery. The doctors have attempted to improve this condition with medicine to no avail. He underwent a series of x-rays over a period of a day to determine that he has a blockage and the only way of correcting this condition is with surgery. I spoke with the surgeon at noon today and he recommends surgery. I asked if we could confer with his heart doctor, his lung doctor and his personal physician to determine if he is physically and mentally up to the challenge of another surgery and they were unanimous in their approval for surgery. I have also consulted with the elders of Calvary about his condition and have asked for their recommendations and we are united in moving ahead with the surgery to remove the blockage. I was able to communicate this to Bill and he seems to be resigned to this procedure and we committed him to the loving care of our Lord Jesus Christ. May His will be done.

It appears that surgery will take place late this afternoon or early evening. Please pray for successful surgery, his strength and recovery after surgery.

At this time we are asking for prayer. Visits will resume once he is physically able to accept visitors. Please keep watch for updates about this.
Thanks,
Don

Thursday, December 20, 2007
Don Robertson has been with Bill all day today. The infection is now gone and the doctors are draining excess fluids from Bill. The progress is slow but steady. He no longer has a tube in his lungs and the lungs seem to be quite clear. His vital signs are all improving and the doctors seem pleased with the progress today. He is able to speak to me in brief sentences and is communicating with nods and hand motions, too.

Please pray that the intestinal tract will function properly again and that he will soon be able to take in clear liquids. Pray for continued patience and comfort for Bill. He makes a good patient.

Thank you for all of your prayers for Bill. The Lord is marvelously sustaining him in this ordeal.

Monday, December 17, 2007
Today Bill had a set-back.

After having a meal of clear liquids, he aspirated. This necessitated a trip to the ICU where hospital staff worked for about an hour to clear his lungs.

Bill will be heavily sedated for the next few days while his lungs are clearing.

Pray for the Lord's will to be done and for those making decisions.

Sunday, December 16, 2007
The Lord has heard and answered prayer very graciously - Bill is definitely on the road to recovery!

After a restful night, Bill was encouraged by a very positive doctor's update and breakfast! The respiratory nurse is also pleased, as his blood oxygen level and congestion in his lungs has so improved that he is able to breath normally.

Also, tests have shown that Bill's hemoglobin is improved and stable. He has also been moved from ICU to a spacious hospitable room the Lord graciously prepared for him.

The prayer requests are:

Wisdom for the medical professionals attending to his needs. (the nurse's strike at the hospital has not affected Bill's care at all!)
For a full recovery.
For strength for physical therapy, as Bill started this on Sunday.
That all his bodily functions would return to normal.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!

Sunday, December 16, 2007 6:16 a.m.

Progress Thursday and Friday. Thursday may have been the lowest point and then the Lord answered many prayers. Bill?s health began to improve slowly but steadily. By Friday it appeared that the internal bleeding had stopped and he was beginning to respond to treatment. Hour by hour on Friday there was a steady improvement.

Saturday, he is doing much better. The doctors have removed the tube from his stomach. This has given him much relief from the discomfort he was experiencing in his throat. Test results all came back with marked improvements in his health. All of the vital signs were steady, the bleeding has stopped, his color has improved and his hemoglobin levels have risen. He is communicating clearly and he is sitting up for extended periods of time. We praise the Lord for the marked improvement in the last 24 hours. Bill was even able to "enjoy" his first hospital meal and he audibly thanked the Lord for it.

We, at Calvary Bible Chapel (his home church), had coordinated 24 hour a day watch in Bill?s hospital room. We want to thank all who were able to participate in this. But another sign of improvement is that although he greatly appreciated the saints ministering to him in this way, he positively stated that this will no longer be necessary.

">Today's prayer request is for a full recovery, as Bill still has congestion in his lungs and is weak from all he has been through. He will need to undergo extensive physical therapy after having been immobilized for a week. He truly thanks all the saints who have been praying for him and for all the demonstrations of love shown to him.

Paul Harvey Guest Host Eulogy on Bill MacDonald

2008-01-02T12:34:00.000-08:00

here

Location of Gravesite - click on picture to enlarge

2007-12-29T20:14:00.000-08:00

Dave Johnson - closing prayer at Gravesite Service Dec 29

2007-12-29T14:00:00.000-08:00

Lord, we want to praise and thank You again for the precious gift of our friend & beloved brother, Bill MacDonald.

Words fail us as we try to express our heart-felt gratitude for giving us such a godly man who means so much to us, a man who truly was a spiritual father to so many of us. He was a brother who daily reminded us of the character & grace of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and consistently pointed us to Him. He was a brother who was the embodiment of what Paul said, For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Thank you that though Bill is dead, he still speaks to us through his writings, his teaching, and the sweet memory of his life.

Lord, we are going to miss him and the wisdom, humility, devotion, godly counsel, the love and friendship that overflowed from his life and profoundly touched our lives and those of countless others around the world. Thank you that our brother fought the good fight valiantly, that he ran the race and finished the course well. We believe there is a crown of righteousness laid up for him which he will lovingly lay at Your feet.

Thank you Lord Jesus, that Bill is now home with You, the One whom he loved above all and served so faithfully. Thank you that his faith is now made sight as he gazes upon You, the One who loves us and gave Himself for us. Thank you that his joy is made full as he hears Your voice saying, Well done, good and faithful servant. Truly precious in Your sight is the death of Your godly ones.

As we say farewell to our dear friend and brother, we do so with sorrow and joy: sorrow that he is no longer with us, but fullness of joy knowing that He is with You forever. We say goodbye for now, with fond remembrance of one who led us, who spoke the Word of God to us and having seen the outcome of his way of life, we ask Lord, help us by Your grace to imitate his faith.

We do so looking forward to that day when we will see our brother again around Your throne joining our voices with his and those from every tribe and tongue and nation saying, Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. Amen.

Messages

2007-12-26T06:15:00.000-08:00

audio archive

2006-03-05T20:09:00.000-08:00