I got the results of the CA-125 blood test - it is up - to 59. Dr. Berlin hasn't called about what to do next, so I am going to call her today. The thyroid ultrasound showed growths that need to be biopsied, which will happen on October 9 at 8:45 am. The radiologist did say that the growths didn't look "nasty", so he thought it would be highly unlikely that they are malignant. He also said that it is unlikely that the ovarian cancer would reappear in the thyroid. So I am not worried. I only have a small part of my thyroid left, since most of it was removed about 13 years ago due to nodules and growths which were not malignant. Also, last Friday, my mom came to live with us - she has a bad case of shingles and is in a lot of pain right now. But overall I am glad she is with us. We are creating a room and bathroom for her downstairs so she won't have to use the stairs.
This summer and now fall have been full of unexpected challenges. I am reminded of the verse in Philippians 1:19:
19 For I know that for me this will turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Footnote 19-3: The Greek word refers to the supplying of all the needs of the chorus by the choragus, the leader of the chorus. The bountiful supply of the all-inclusive Spirit enabled Paul to live and magnify Christ in his sufferings for Him.
Here is an excerpt from General Sketch of the New Testament in the Light of Christ and the Church, A - Part 2: Romans through Philemon.
The Bountiful Supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ
Verse 19 of chapter one is another verse which is very precious yet very much neglected by Christians today. This verse speaks of the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Conybeare tells us that the Greek word for supply is a technical word, referring to the choragus, the leader of the chorus on the Greek stage. The choragus was responsible to supply all the needs of the members of the chorus. Their clothing, food, musical instruments, and everything they needed was provided by the choragus. Paul used this same word to describe the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Therefore, this word may be rendered as bountiful supply, a supply that meets all our needs.
The term the Spirit of Jesus Christ is richer than the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God at the beginning of the Old Testament was not as rich as the Spirit of Jesus Christ after Pentecost. In the Old Testament times, within the Spirit of Jehovah there were not the elements of the humanity of the Lord Jesus, His suffering in His human life, the effectiveness of His death, and the power of His resurrection. However, on the day of Pentecost the Spirit was poured out from the ascended Christ, and within this Spirit were all these elements.
A cup of plain water contains only the water, but if we add tea, sugar, and other ingredients, the water becomes richer. This is a picture of the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. To speak only of the Spirit of God is not sufficient; today the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. In this Spirit there is divinity, the heavenly element, and there is also humanity, the suffering of the Lord Jesus in His human life on earth, His crucifixion, and His resurrection.
The Spirit of Jesus Christ may be compared to an all-inclusive dose of medicine. When we take this dose, one element kills germs, another element supplies nourishment, and other elements supply other needs. The reason that Paul could live Christ and magnify Him, the reason he was able to say, “For to me, to live is Christ,” is that he had the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. As a member of the “chorus,” Paul was bountifully supplied by the Choragus. This is the proper meaning of Philippians 1:19.
We also are members of the “chorus,” and the Holy Spirit is the choragus to satisfy all our needs. We are human beings, and within the Spirit is the human nature. We are suffering on the earth, and within Him there is the element of the suffering of human life. We need the cross as our killing element, and within the Spirit there is this element. We also need His resurrection power, and within the Spirit of Jesus Christ there is this power. Whatever we need today is in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. By the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ we can live Christ to magnify Him, and we can say, “For to me, to live is Christ.”
It is so wonderful that today we have the Spirit as the choragus to meet all our needs with the bountiful supply.
Here's a great hymn about the supply of the Spirit. It has many verses and can be a great way to praise the Lord by praying each of the verses:
1 Gracious Lord, Thy name “I AM” is,
Precious name, how rich and full ‘tis,
All-inclusive, faithful too ‘tis-
All we need, Thou art!
2 Thou the Son, the Father in Thee,
As the Spirit now indwell me,
That the riches of Thyself we
May experience.
3 Thou the Temple for God’s dwelling,
Thou the Father’s life e’er telling;
We in Thee with joy excelling
Face to face see Him.
4 Thou the Lamb and Thou the Bridegroom,
For the bride Thou sufferedst sin’s doom,
Wounded, crucified in our room;
Thus we find our rest.
5 Thou art wisdom and the way, Lord,
Thou our lives dost plan each day, Lord,
Grace to us Thou dost convey, Lord,
In Thy path to walk.
6 Pure and holy, righteous Thou art,
One with God, well-pleasing His heart,
Thou within to us dost impart
Harmony with God.
7 Thou art life and Thou art light, Lord,
Death hast swallowed, banished night, Lord,
Thou hast quickened, given sight, Lord;
We are now set free.
8 Thou art resurrection power,
Thou the conqu’ror in hell’s hour;
Thou dost us with might empower
Over all to reign.
9 Living water, food supply, Lord,
Thou Thyself art, and didst die, Lord,
All our want to satisfy, Lord;
Now we feast on Thee.
10 Thou the Shepherd and Physician,
Thou hast healed our sick condition;
Comfort, guide, protect-Thy mission;
Thou dost care for us.
11 Priest and King Thou art fore’er, Lord;
Into God we’re brought, and there, Lord,
Thine authority we share, Lord;
What an honored place!
12 Thou our Hope and our Redemption,
Thou wilt change our old creation,
Make of Thee a duplication,
Thus Thyself express.
13 Thou our Joy, our Peace, our Glory;
Truth, and Grace, the Rock, the Life-tree,
Building, Mountain, Sun, and Shield-we
Ne’er can tell it all.
14 What Thou art-eternal, boundless,
Full and perfect, rich, exhaustless-
Meets our need to utter fullness
And from us o’erflows.
Lord, You are eternal, boundless, rich and exhaustless - and You meet our need to utter fullness. Praise You!
Keep praying for wisdom concerning the clinical trial and also for strengthening to apprehend all that is being supplied to us.
Much love,
Joanne
No comments:
Post a Comment