Hi Everyone,
Sorry for the rather sporadic postings to the blog-I just get to tired in the evening and in the morning (when I am most energized and inspired) I often have too much to do - it is a great problem. Just think a few months ago I felt like I was languishing in my bed with absolutely nothing that I could except pray. I see now what a gift that time was. To be relieved of all other duties so that I could spend time with the Lord moment by moment. I will try to post at least one a week. I also pray so that what I post is from the Lord - I can't just be ministering Joanne - that would never give life!
An update about the surgeon's visit. It was frustrating because the surgeon is in a different health care system from the oncologists. So, she didn't have access to any of my records and my primary care didn't send over what she had. Basically, she confirmed that it was indeed a hernia and the bulge is most likely my small intestine. She said that larger hernias are less dangerous than small ones and are less likely to get pinched. However, it is still a concern to have the small bowel moving in and out of that space in the muscle. She is concerned about how to repair the hernia because of the nodules on the peritineum and needs to speak with Drs. Berlin and Berkowitz and also get the actual ct films from Dana Farber, which is like Fort Knox when it comes to getting any records even sent to my primary care physician. So, please pray about which surgeon to use. I thought of contacting the surgeon who did the first bowel surgery I had in April. She works at BWH and would be able to access records and she also knows Drs. B and B. By the way, the bleeding stopped. My primary care doctor has not been able to get me an appointment with a gyn doctor yet! It has been 2 weeks. Hopefully it was just because I lifted some boxes of books. I think I will let Dr. Berkowitz' nurse know, just to hear what they think. I never talk directly to him - but to his nurse practitioner Joan. So, I really hear what SHE thinks. The balance problem still persists - I need to see an ENT doctor about that. Lots to do. Which brings me to what I was considering this morning....
The verse in Philippians 4:13 says I am able to do all things in Him who empowers me.
The footnote for in Him says that:
Paul was a person in Christ (2 Cor. 12:2), and he desired to be found in Christ by others. Now he declared that he was able to do all things in Him, the very Christ who empowered him. This is an all-inclusive and concluding word on his experience of Christ. It is the converse of the Lord's word in John 15:5 concerning our organic relationship with Him, "Apart from Me you can do nothing."
The footnote for empowers says the following: The Greek word means makes dynamic inwardly. Christ dwells in us (Col. 1:27). He empowers us, makes us dynamic from within, not from without. By such inward empowering Paul was able to do all things in Christ.
I also considered the verses mentioned above in John 15:4-5 Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
I never put these two verses together before. But by considering them both, I realized that my interpretation of Philippians 4:13 was somewhat off - I thought I can do everything in Christ, and He is my power, my strength. One day when I was trying to give myself an injection, I kept saying this verse over and over "I can so all things in Christ who empowers me..." However, I was not able to give myself that shot. Was Christ not effectively empowering me to do that thing? I realize now that it's not that we can do whatever we are doing and not grow weary because we have Christ empowering us. It is that everything we do is in the realms and sphere of Christ - like the branches and the vine. The branches cannot do anything apart from the vine. They are borne by the vine and they have the life of the vine flowing throw them. So the branches carry out and do whatever the vine is doing. They don't try to do something and then say I can do this because I am in the vine. I hope you can see what I see here. It is really wonderful to put these two verses together. Some days are filled with lots of doing - even I can think that I had all this energy to do it because Christ empowered me....but actually I could be empowered by my own self and really be doing a lot of nothing in God's eyes. Only what He authors, what He initiates He empowers us to do! Praise Him! So when I feel that I can't get up in the morning to spend time with the Lord, when I ask Him to empower me, He does. When I don't think I have the energy to write this blog, He does. He is the empowering One within me. Praise Him!
As a result of this revelation, I also enjoyed a hymn about being one with the Lord.
1 One with Thee, Thou Son eternal,
Joined by faith in spirit one,
Share we in Thy death inclusive
And Thy life, O God the Son.
One with Thee, Thou Son beloved,
Part of Thee become thru grace,
Heirs with Thee of our one Father,
We’re Thy Spirit’s dwelling place.
2 One with Thee, Thou Son incarnate,
Born with Thee, the Man of worth,
We, the members of Thy body,
Sojourn with Thee here on earth.
One with Thee, Thou Son anointed,
Sharing too the Spirit’s power,
We in full cooperation
Labor with Thee hour by hour.
3 One with Thee, Thou Son forsaken,
Judgment and the curse we’ve passed;
We to sin are dead forever,
Hell beneath our feet is cast.
One with Thee in resurrection,
Death can never us oppress;
Live we in Thy new creation,
Bearing fruits of righteousness.
4 One with Thee, Thou Son ascended,
Seated with Thee on the throne,
Thine authority we share and
Rule with Thee, Thy rank our own.
One with Thee, Thou Son returning,
Glorified with Thee we’ll be,
E’er to manifest Thy beauty,
One with Thee eternally.
Just enjoy these glorious facts! We are one with the Lord. How marvelous!
Joanne
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
An Update and a Reflection
I wanted to update everyone on a few things. Apparently following the last surgery, I developed a hernia which is now manifesting itself as a grapefruit sized protrusion. The CT scan showed a hernia that involved a bowel loop - so next week I have to see a surgeon about this. Please pray for wisdom in this decision. Also I developed some bleeding again and will need to see a gynecologist for evaluation. Since these issues don't really involve oncologists, I have to go to new doctors. I also have some hearing loss in my left ear as a result of the chemo - so I really can't hear people to talk to me from other rooms or floors of the house! Otherwise, I have energy each day and really enjoy my work at Boston Trinity. The library is coming along, and it is wonderful for me to have the opportunity to be there.
----
This morning I was considering how in my life I had settled down into a somewhat comfortable spiritual position - to use a popular phrase - I lived much of my life in a spiritual "comfort zone" of sorts. Of course, it hasn't been all comfort outwardly, but I was able to find comfort in my experiences of the Lord's sustaining me and carrying me through. Then last April came and I was told I had cancer. As I've said before, this was not part of my plan, no way was I going to find any comfort in what lay ahead. And this is precisely the place where the Lord had to bring me, so I would lay hold of Him as the Comforter and journey through the situations and circumstances in and with Him. This realization shows how thorough and fine the Lord's dealing with us is - He desires to transform every part of our being until we are the same as He.
This experience reminds me of the experience of the Seeker in Song of Songs 5:2-5:
2 I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking: Open to me, my sister, my love, My dove, my perfect one; For my head is full of dew, My locks with the drops of night.
3 I have put off my garment; How can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; How can I dirty them again?
4 My beloved put his hand into the opening of the door, And my inner parts yearned for him.
5 I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands dripped with myrrh, My fingers with liquid myrrh, Upon the handles of the bolt.
Watchman Nee writes in The Song of Songs: "Song of Songs 5:2 says, "I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night." By this time, her own work and life have ceased. She is like one who is asleep; there is no further activity, work, endeavoring, struggle, effort, or anxiety. She is perfectly at rest...
This is a picture of a person's contentment in his own experience, and a failure to see the importance of experiencing Philippians 3:10 [To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,] in a full way. Subconsciously, the self has crept in. The maiden sees only herself. It seems that her past experiences in God's work and glory have occupied a place in her already. Her questions indicate that she does not want to change her present spiritual condition. But the Lord's calling interrupts our present condition. All spiritual progress involves a change of our present order. This is where the price lies. An attachment to spiritual ease is often the reason behind a rejection of higher callings. When we are spiritually at ease and our conscience does not condemn us concerning any error, and when we find ourselves having many spiritual experiences that issue from the Lord's death and resurrection, we are reluctant to pursue after the goal Christ has set for us. We prefer to live in the same way, not spending additional effort to pursue new things and not losing our present peace."
How faithful the Lord is to come to us in our comfort and call us again. He calls us and He reveals Himself to us to remind us of all that He is and has done for us. What a tender, loving Savior!
This interaction with the Lord reminds me of a hymn I have enjoyed over the years:
Come in, O come! the door stands open now;
I knew Thy voice, Lord Jesus, it was Thou;
The sun has set long since, the storms begin;
’Tis time for Thee, my Savior, O come in!
Alas, ill ordered shows the dreary room;
The household stuff lies heaped amidst the gloom,
The table empty stands, the couch undressed;
Ah, what a welcome for th’Eternal Guest!
Yet welcome, and tonight this doleful scene
Is e’en itself my cause to hail Thee in;
This dark confusion e’en at once demands
Thine own bright presence, Lord, and ord’ring hands.
I seek no more to alter things, or mend,
Before the coming of so great a Friend;
All were at best unseemly, and ’twere ill
Beyond all else to keep Thee waiting still.
Come, not to find, but make this troubled heart
A dwelling worthy of Thee as Thou art;
To chase the gloom, the terror, and the sin:
Come, all Thyself, yea come, Lord Jesus, in!
While this hymn could be the cry of an unbeliever who is opening up to the Lord for the first time, I also have experienced that, while the Lord does indwell my heart, I have areas, regions, that I have closed off to Him. This hymn has been my prayer many mornings. "Lord, Come - not to find but to make this troubled heart a worthy dwelling of Thee as Thou art."
So, when the light comes, and we realize that we have been settling down in our comfortable past experiences of Christ, we can open to Him just as we are because He is the unique answer, the only cure for our troubled heart.
May the Lord continue to supply you with all-sufficient grace!
Joanne
----
This morning I was considering how in my life I had settled down into a somewhat comfortable spiritual position - to use a popular phrase - I lived much of my life in a spiritual "comfort zone" of sorts. Of course, it hasn't been all comfort outwardly, but I was able to find comfort in my experiences of the Lord's sustaining me and carrying me through. Then last April came and I was told I had cancer. As I've said before, this was not part of my plan, no way was I going to find any comfort in what lay ahead. And this is precisely the place where the Lord had to bring me, so I would lay hold of Him as the Comforter and journey through the situations and circumstances in and with Him. This realization shows how thorough and fine the Lord's dealing with us is - He desires to transform every part of our being until we are the same as He.
This experience reminds me of the experience of the Seeker in Song of Songs 5:2-5:
2 I sleep, but my heart is awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking: Open to me, my sister, my love, My dove, my perfect one; For my head is full of dew, My locks with the drops of night.
3 I have put off my garment; How can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; How can I dirty them again?
4 My beloved put his hand into the opening of the door, And my inner parts yearned for him.
5 I rose up to open to my beloved; And my hands dripped with myrrh, My fingers with liquid myrrh, Upon the handles of the bolt.
Watchman Nee writes in The Song of Songs: "Song of Songs 5:2 says, "I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night." By this time, her own work and life have ceased. She is like one who is asleep; there is no further activity, work, endeavoring, struggle, effort, or anxiety. She is perfectly at rest...
This is a picture of a person's contentment in his own experience, and a failure to see the importance of experiencing Philippians 3:10 [To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,] in a full way. Subconsciously, the self has crept in. The maiden sees only herself. It seems that her past experiences in God's work and glory have occupied a place in her already. Her questions indicate that she does not want to change her present spiritual condition. But the Lord's calling interrupts our present condition. All spiritual progress involves a change of our present order. This is where the price lies. An attachment to spiritual ease is often the reason behind a rejection of higher callings. When we are spiritually at ease and our conscience does not condemn us concerning any error, and when we find ourselves having many spiritual experiences that issue from the Lord's death and resurrection, we are reluctant to pursue after the goal Christ has set for us. We prefer to live in the same way, not spending additional effort to pursue new things and not losing our present peace."
How faithful the Lord is to come to us in our comfort and call us again. He calls us and He reveals Himself to us to remind us of all that He is and has done for us. What a tender, loving Savior!
This interaction with the Lord reminds me of a hymn I have enjoyed over the years:
Come in, O come! the door stands open now;
I knew Thy voice, Lord Jesus, it was Thou;
The sun has set long since, the storms begin;
’Tis time for Thee, my Savior, O come in!
Alas, ill ordered shows the dreary room;
The household stuff lies heaped amidst the gloom,
The table empty stands, the couch undressed;
Ah, what a welcome for th’Eternal Guest!
Yet welcome, and tonight this doleful scene
Is e’en itself my cause to hail Thee in;
This dark confusion e’en at once demands
Thine own bright presence, Lord, and ord’ring hands.
I seek no more to alter things, or mend,
Before the coming of so great a Friend;
All were at best unseemly, and ’twere ill
Beyond all else to keep Thee waiting still.
Come, not to find, but make this troubled heart
A dwelling worthy of Thee as Thou art;
To chase the gloom, the terror, and the sin:
Come, all Thyself, yea come, Lord Jesus, in!
While this hymn could be the cry of an unbeliever who is opening up to the Lord for the first time, I also have experienced that, while the Lord does indwell my heart, I have areas, regions, that I have closed off to Him. This hymn has been my prayer many mornings. "Lord, Come - not to find but to make this troubled heart a worthy dwelling of Thee as Thou art."
So, when the light comes, and we realize that we have been settling down in our comfortable past experiences of Christ, we can open to Him just as we are because He is the unique answer, the only cure for our troubled heart.
May the Lord continue to supply you with all-sufficient grace!
Joanne
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Considering Goals and Grace
This morning I enjoyed two hymns - one actually led to the other. You may be familiar with them. The first hymn spoke of having God as our unique goal.
1 My goal is God Himself, not joy, nor peace,
Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God;
'Tis His to lead me there—not mine, but His-
At any cost, dear Lord, by any road.
2 So faith bounds forward to its goal in God,
And love can trust her Lord to lead her there;
Upheld by Him, my soul is following hard
Till God hath full fulfilled my deepest prayer.
3 No matter if the way be sometimes dark,
No matter though the cost be oft-times great,
He knoweth how I best shall reach the mark,
The way that leads to Him must needs be strait.
4 One thing I know, I cannot say Him nay;
One thing I do, I press towards my Lord;
My God my glory here, from day to day,
And in the glory there my great Reward.
As I considered the goals I hold in my heart, I had to confess to the Lord that He was not my unique goal - I often prayed for peace, for joy, for blessing. Then I realized that only Christ is the source of real joy, lasting peace and all blessing! So He must be my unique goal. I realized that since Christ is the source of these things, daily I need to seek Him, not seek them....which led me to the next hymn, a familiar favorite for many:
1 Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wand'ring from the face of God;
He, to save my soul from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
2 O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee.
Teach me, Lord, some rapturous measure,
Meet for me Thy grace to prove,
While I sing the countless treasure
Of my God's unchanging love.
3 Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Prone to leave the God I love:
Take my heart, oh, take and seal it
With Thy Spirit from above.
Rescued thus from sin and danger,
Purchased by the Savior's blood,
May I walk on earth a stranger,
As a son and heir of God.
The Lord Jesus is the Font of every blessing. Oh, Lord, tune our hearts to sing Your praise! Verse 2 of this hymn speaks of being a debtor to grace. The title of this blog is the varied grace of God. Many would say the definition of grace is "God's unmerited favor." While is isn't false, it is short of what that favor is. That favor, that grace is having access to God, enjoying God, partaking of God, and experiencing God. That grace is active! In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul said:
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace unto me did not turn out to be in vain, but, on the contrary, I labored more abundantly than all of them, yet not I but the grace of God which is with me.
The footnote for Not I but the grace:
10-2 Not I but the grace of God equals no longer I ...but ...Christ in Gal. 2:20. The grace that motivated the apostle and operated in him was not some matter or some thing but a living person, the resurrected Christ, the embodiment of God the Father who became the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit, who dwelt in the apostle as his everything.
Then I read the gospel of John chapter 1 - there were three verses about grace that I enjoyed:
John 1:14, 16, 17
14 And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us (and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only Begotten from the Father), full of grace and reality.
16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and reality came through Jesus Christ.
Once of the references for grace in these verses is Romans 5:2:
Romans 5:2
2 Through whom also we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and boast because of the hope of the glory of God.
Footnote 2-2: Grace is the Triune God Himself, processed that we may enter into Him and enjoy Him. Grace here, in the deepest sense, is the Triune God as our enjoyment. It is more than unmerited favor and more than mere outward blessing. We are not merely under God's blessing; we are in His grace (see note 2-3).
Footnote 2-3: Faith first gives us access into grace, then, a solid standing in grace.
Dear ones, by faith we have access into this grace and as we continue in the Lord, our standing is in the grace as well. If we see this grace as a Living Person, how marvelous is our standing! How rich is grace! Grace is just our wonderful Lord Jesus, the fount of every blessing, our unique goal.
Much love to all of you. Please pray for more energy each day. Also, that I would know the Lord's restriction for how much to do each day. It is hard - life runs at quite a high speed - you don't realize it until you are out of it for a while and try to get back in. It is quite dizzying! But He is able.
Joanne
1 My goal is God Himself, not joy, nor peace,
Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God;
'Tis His to lead me there—not mine, but His-
At any cost, dear Lord, by any road.
2 So faith bounds forward to its goal in God,
And love can trust her Lord to lead her there;
Upheld by Him, my soul is following hard
Till God hath full fulfilled my deepest prayer.
3 No matter if the way be sometimes dark,
No matter though the cost be oft-times great,
He knoweth how I best shall reach the mark,
The way that leads to Him must needs be strait.
4 One thing I know, I cannot say Him nay;
One thing I do, I press towards my Lord;
My God my glory here, from day to day,
And in the glory there my great Reward.
As I considered the goals I hold in my heart, I had to confess to the Lord that He was not my unique goal - I often prayed for peace, for joy, for blessing. Then I realized that only Christ is the source of real joy, lasting peace and all blessing! So He must be my unique goal. I realized that since Christ is the source of these things, daily I need to seek Him, not seek them....which led me to the next hymn, a familiar favorite for many:
1 Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wand'ring from the face of God;
He, to save my soul from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
2 O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee.
Teach me, Lord, some rapturous measure,
Meet for me Thy grace to prove,
While I sing the countless treasure
Of my God's unchanging love.
3 Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Prone to leave the God I love:
Take my heart, oh, take and seal it
With Thy Spirit from above.
Rescued thus from sin and danger,
Purchased by the Savior's blood,
May I walk on earth a stranger,
As a son and heir of God.
The Lord Jesus is the Font of every blessing. Oh, Lord, tune our hearts to sing Your praise! Verse 2 of this hymn speaks of being a debtor to grace. The title of this blog is the varied grace of God. Many would say the definition of grace is "God's unmerited favor." While is isn't false, it is short of what that favor is. That favor, that grace is having access to God, enjoying God, partaking of God, and experiencing God. That grace is active! In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul said:
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace unto me did not turn out to be in vain, but, on the contrary, I labored more abundantly than all of them, yet not I but the grace of God which is with me.
The footnote for Not I but the grace:
10-2 Not I but the grace of God equals no longer I ...but ...Christ in Gal. 2:20. The grace that motivated the apostle and operated in him was not some matter or some thing but a living person, the resurrected Christ, the embodiment of God the Father who became the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit, who dwelt in the apostle as his everything.
Then I read the gospel of John chapter 1 - there were three verses about grace that I enjoyed:
John 1:14, 16, 17
14 And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us (and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only Begotten from the Father), full of grace and reality.
16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and reality came through Jesus Christ.
Once of the references for grace in these verses is Romans 5:2:
Romans 5:2
2 Through whom also we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and boast because of the hope of the glory of God.
Footnote 2-2: Grace is the Triune God Himself, processed that we may enter into Him and enjoy Him. Grace here, in the deepest sense, is the Triune God as our enjoyment. It is more than unmerited favor and more than mere outward blessing. We are not merely under God's blessing; we are in His grace (see note 2-3).
Footnote 2-3: Faith first gives us access into grace, then, a solid standing in grace.
Dear ones, by faith we have access into this grace and as we continue in the Lord, our standing is in the grace as well. If we see this grace as a Living Person, how marvelous is our standing! How rich is grace! Grace is just our wonderful Lord Jesus, the fount of every blessing, our unique goal.
Much love to all of you. Please pray for more energy each day. Also, that I would know the Lord's restriction for how much to do each day. It is hard - life runs at quite a high speed - you don't realize it until you are out of it for a while and try to get back in. It is quite dizzying! But He is able.
Joanne
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Test Results and Life Food
Hi Everyone,
I had blood work done on Thursday and got the results yesterday. The liver function test was normal as were all the other tests. The CA 125 was 5 - down a point from October, which is in the normal range (0-35). I am thankful to the Lord for this result. I am still trying to go into the library at Boston Trinity 3 days a week - usually by the 3rd day I am kind of dragging myself in. I love it though - this week I had the opportunity to work with 2 students. It was wonderful!
I don't think I mentioned that I am also taking 3 classes on line to complete my MS in library science. I love the courses but it is hard to keep track of everything that needs to be completed for all the classes. These were classes that I had dropped back in April when I was first diagnosed. I was able to take one in the fall and then 3 now. After this quarter, I will have only 3 left! It is amazing that my mind can function. Another testimony to the restoring work of the Lord.
Cooking healthy is all a challenge because healthy eating is definitely not "fast food." It requires getting fresh cruciferous vegetables and then processing them (chopping, shredding, cutting, cooking) to get them palatable. I also have to search for recipes. I've been making some interesting dishes for the family. It is too hard to cook something for them and something else for me and it is good that we all eat this way. Everyone enjoys the "interesting" concoctions I've come up with - like pumpkin black bean soup or eggplant stew or vegan minestrone with kale and cabbage! I have a slogan I say to myself - "Eat to live, not live to eat." This is a good life principle, I think. So, day by day, as I eat to live physically, I am also taking the time to eat to live spiritually. It is amazing that the Lord Jesus likened Himself to bread, to food.
In John 6:35 and 57 - Jesus says that He is the bread of life and that we should eat Him:
35 Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall by no means hunger, and he who believes into Me shall by no means ever thirst.
57 As the living Father has sent Me and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me.
Isaiah 55:1-2 say:
1 Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters, And you who have no money; Come, buy and eat; Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And the result of your labor for what does not satisfy? Hear Me attentively, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Eat what is good! What could be better than the Lord Himself, the living bread! When we eat Him, we live because of Him - He is the ultimate life food! How do we eat Him, you may wonder? By taking in His word, in short little portions by prayer. What better words to pray than the word of God. As we pray the Word, we are assimilating it into our being - and like the Lord Jesus said in John 6, we can expect to live by Him.
This week I really enjoyed this hymn. It is a wonderful one for praising the Lord for all that He is. Here is a link for the tune: http://www.hymnal.net/Hymns/Hymnal/midi/e0169_i.mid
1 Thou, Lord, to God art precious,
His chosen, His delight;
With oil of joy, anointed,
How comely in His sight.
Chorus
We treasure with affection
Thy perfect comeliness,
Thy sweetness and Thy fragrance,
And all Thy loveliness.
2 The altogether lovely,
The fairest of the fair,
Thy mouth with grace o’erfloweth;
Our hearts their love declare.
3 The wise men offered treasures
And honored Thee at birth;
Thou wast by noble buried,
Still lovable in death.
4 Thy head has been anointed,
The lovely One Thou art;
Thy feet anointed also,
Beloved in every part.
5 Thy death as myrrh in sweetness
Man’s spirit comforteth;
Thy resurrection fragrance
God’s longing answereth.
6 As henna flow’rs, Thy beauty
In loveliness complete;
As apple trees that flourish,
Thy fruit abundant, sweet.
7 Sweet wine Thy love surpasseth,
Thy name an ointment is;
We take Thee as our love feast
And taste the sweetest bliss.
8 As on Thyself we ponder
And all Thy beauty trace,
We taste to full Thy sweetness
And rest in Thine embrace.
He is our love feast - when we enjoy the Lord Jesus, we taste the sweetest bliss.
Much love to all of you. Remember, eat to live!
Joanne
I had blood work done on Thursday and got the results yesterday. The liver function test was normal as were all the other tests. The CA 125 was 5 - down a point from October, which is in the normal range (0-35). I am thankful to the Lord for this result. I am still trying to go into the library at Boston Trinity 3 days a week - usually by the 3rd day I am kind of dragging myself in. I love it though - this week I had the opportunity to work with 2 students. It was wonderful!
I don't think I mentioned that I am also taking 3 classes on line to complete my MS in library science. I love the courses but it is hard to keep track of everything that needs to be completed for all the classes. These were classes that I had dropped back in April when I was first diagnosed. I was able to take one in the fall and then 3 now. After this quarter, I will have only 3 left! It is amazing that my mind can function. Another testimony to the restoring work of the Lord.
Cooking healthy is all a challenge because healthy eating is definitely not "fast food." It requires getting fresh cruciferous vegetables and then processing them (chopping, shredding, cutting, cooking) to get them palatable. I also have to search for recipes. I've been making some interesting dishes for the family. It is too hard to cook something for them and something else for me and it is good that we all eat this way. Everyone enjoys the "interesting" concoctions I've come up with - like pumpkin black bean soup or eggplant stew or vegan minestrone with kale and cabbage! I have a slogan I say to myself - "Eat to live, not live to eat." This is a good life principle, I think. So, day by day, as I eat to live physically, I am also taking the time to eat to live spiritually. It is amazing that the Lord Jesus likened Himself to bread, to food.
In John 6:35 and 57 - Jesus says that He is the bread of life and that we should eat Him:
35 Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall by no means hunger, and he who believes into Me shall by no means ever thirst.
57 As the living Father has sent Me and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me.
Isaiah 55:1-2 say:
1 Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters, And you who have no money; Come, buy and eat; Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And the result of your labor for what does not satisfy? Hear Me attentively, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Eat what is good! What could be better than the Lord Himself, the living bread! When we eat Him, we live because of Him - He is the ultimate life food! How do we eat Him, you may wonder? By taking in His word, in short little portions by prayer. What better words to pray than the word of God. As we pray the Word, we are assimilating it into our being - and like the Lord Jesus said in John 6, we can expect to live by Him.
This week I really enjoyed this hymn. It is a wonderful one for praising the Lord for all that He is. Here is a link for the tune: http://www.hymnal.net/Hymns/Hymnal/midi/e0169_i.mid
1 Thou, Lord, to God art precious,
His chosen, His delight;
With oil of joy, anointed,
How comely in His sight.
Chorus
We treasure with affection
Thy perfect comeliness,
Thy sweetness and Thy fragrance,
And all Thy loveliness.
2 The altogether lovely,
The fairest of the fair,
Thy mouth with grace o’erfloweth;
Our hearts their love declare.
3 The wise men offered treasures
And honored Thee at birth;
Thou wast by noble buried,
Still lovable in death.
4 Thy head has been anointed,
The lovely One Thou art;
Thy feet anointed also,
Beloved in every part.
5 Thy death as myrrh in sweetness
Man’s spirit comforteth;
Thy resurrection fragrance
God’s longing answereth.
6 As henna flow’rs, Thy beauty
In loveliness complete;
As apple trees that flourish,
Thy fruit abundant, sweet.
7 Sweet wine Thy love surpasseth,
Thy name an ointment is;
We take Thee as our love feast
And taste the sweetest bliss.
8 As on Thyself we ponder
And all Thy beauty trace,
We taste to full Thy sweetness
And rest in Thine embrace.
He is our love feast - when we enjoy the Lord Jesus, we taste the sweetest bliss.
Much love to all of you. Remember, eat to live!
Joanne
Monday, January 28, 2008
Living Light
This morning I enjoyed this hymn - it is a wonderful hymn to pray to the Lord. The tune is an old English song "Drink to me only with thine eyes".
O Jesus Christ, grow Thou in me,
And all things else recede;
My heart be daily nearer Thee,
From sin be daily freed.
In the bright beams which on me fall,
Fade every evil thought;
That I am nothing, Thou art all
I would be daily taught.
More of Thy glory let me see,
Thou Holy, Wise, and True;
I would Thy living image be,
In joy or sorrow too.
Fill me with gladness from above,
Hold me by strength divine;
Lord, let the glow of Thy great love
Through all my being shine.
Make this poor self grow less and less,
Be Thou my life and aim;
Oh, make me daily through Thy grace
More meet to bear Thy name.
I enjoyed the chorus especially: O Lord, each day, let Your supporting might still embrace my weakness. Fill me with Your light to remove all the regions of darkness within and overcome all death with Your life!
The wonderful thing about light is - that when it enters, darkness is dispelled - you can't have darkness and light together. Here are a few wonderful verses about light:
John 1:4-5
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
John 8:12
12 Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall by no means walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 12:46
46 I have come as a light into the world, that every one who believes into Me would not remain in darkness.
Ephesians 5:8
8 For you were once darkness but are now light in the Lord; walk as children of light.
Revelation 21:10-11
10 And he carried me away in spirit onto a great and high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, as clear as crystal.
There is a progression here from the Lord Jesus to the believers to the believers with the Lord in the New Jerusalem!
The way this can happen is because the light we receive from the Lord is living!
Here is something I read about light by from chapter 25 of The Fulfillment of the Tabernacle and the Offerings in the Writings of John:
"We have seen that in this chapter [John 8] the Lord Jesus declares that He is the light of the world. This light shines in the darkness, repels it, and even swallows it. Only light can swallow darkness. When light comes, darkness vanishes immediately. Only light can repel darkness. There is no way to get rid of darkness unless light comes. Who is the light that repels the darkness of sin and death? This light is Jesus, the Son of God.
Light issues in life. As the Son of God, Christ is the light of the world. When we receive the shining of this light, we receive life, for the light, as the light of life, issues in life. This light is different from natural light or electrical light, which are not living. The light we have received from Christ is living. It lives in us, it grows, and it reproduces because it is the light of life."
Stay in the light today dear ones. This light will scatter all the darkness and will make us light! Hallelujah!
Thank you for praying! I do feel more energized day by day. I attended two church meetings this past weekend! It was wonderful!
Much love,
Joanne
O Jesus Christ, grow Thou in me,
And all things else recede;
My heart be daily nearer Thee,
From sin be daily freed.
Each day let Thy supporting might
My weakness still embrace;
My darkness vanish in Thy light,
Thy life my death efface.
In the bright beams which on me fall,
Fade every evil thought;
That I am nothing, Thou art all
I would be daily taught.
More of Thy glory let me see,
Thou Holy, Wise, and True;
I would Thy living image be,
In joy or sorrow too.
Fill me with gladness from above,
Hold me by strength divine;
Lord, let the glow of Thy great love
Through all my being shine.
Make this poor self grow less and less,
Be Thou my life and aim;
Oh, make me daily through Thy grace
More meet to bear Thy name.
I enjoyed the chorus especially: O Lord, each day, let Your supporting might still embrace my weakness. Fill me with Your light to remove all the regions of darkness within and overcome all death with Your life!
The wonderful thing about light is - that when it enters, darkness is dispelled - you can't have darkness and light together. Here are a few wonderful verses about light:
John 1:4-5
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
John 8:12
12 Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall by no means walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 12:46
46 I have come as a light into the world, that every one who believes into Me would not remain in darkness.
Ephesians 5:8
8 For you were once darkness but are now light in the Lord; walk as children of light.
Revelation 21:10-11
10 And he carried me away in spirit onto a great and high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, as clear as crystal.
There is a progression here from the Lord Jesus to the believers to the believers with the Lord in the New Jerusalem!
The way this can happen is because the light we receive from the Lord is living!
Here is something I read about light by from chapter 25 of The Fulfillment of the Tabernacle and the Offerings in the Writings of John:
"We have seen that in this chapter [John 8] the Lord Jesus declares that He is the light of the world. This light shines in the darkness, repels it, and even swallows it. Only light can swallow darkness. When light comes, darkness vanishes immediately. Only light can repel darkness. There is no way to get rid of darkness unless light comes. Who is the light that repels the darkness of sin and death? This light is Jesus, the Son of God.
Light issues in life. As the Son of God, Christ is the light of the world. When we receive the shining of this light, we receive life, for the light, as the light of life, issues in life. This light is different from natural light or electrical light, which are not living. The light we have received from Christ is living. It lives in us, it grows, and it reproduces because it is the light of life."
Stay in the light today dear ones. This light will scatter all the darkness and will make us light! Hallelujah!
Thank you for praying! I do feel more energized day by day. I attended two church meetings this past weekend! It was wonderful!
Much love,
Joanne
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Yesterday I was considering Abraham and how the Lord appeared to him again and again to restate His promise to him. First he appeared to him in Ur of the Chaldeans, according to Acts 7:2-3; and again in Genesis 12:1-3; then in Genesis 12:7, and then in Genesis 13:14-17. Each time his promise was restated:
Acts 7:2-3
2 And he said, Men, brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
3 And said to him, "Come out from your land and from your relatives, and come into the land which I will show you."
Genesis 12:1-3:
1 Now Jehovah said to Abram, Go from your land And from your relatives And from your father's house To the land that I will show you;
2 And I will make of you a great nation, And I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 And I will bless those who bless you, And he who curses you I will curse; And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.
Genesis 12:7
7 And Jehovah appeared to Abram and said, To your seed I will give this land. And there he built an altar to Jehovah who had appeared to him.
Genesis 13:14-17
14 And Jehovah said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, Now lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward;
15 For all the land that you see I will give to you and to your seed forever.
16 And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed can also be numbered.
17 Rise up; walk through the land according to its length and its breadth, for I will give it to you.
I read the footnotes for these verses and one especially touches me with regard to the third appearing of God to Abraham in Genesis 12:7:
This was the third time God appeared to Abraham. Here God's reappearing confirmed to Abraham that he had answered God's calling and had arrived at the place where God intended him to be. God's reappearing also strengthened Abraham to live by faith (Heb. 11:8-10) as an anti-testimony to the godless living developed by mankind at Babel.
God appeared to him again and again to call him progressively and also to strengthen him. Many times we may feel that our faith is failing or even gone. We need to pray for the God of glory to appear to us! We need to hear God's promises again and again so that we do not get discouraged and lose hope. Also we need to pray for revelation. I was touched with verse 15, where Jehovah says All the land that you see I will give to you. How much we need a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Lord, take the veils away from our eyes. We want there to be no separation between us and You!
There is a wonderful hymn about this experience:
1 Remove my covering, Lord,
That I may see Thy light,
And be deceived no more,
But all things see aright.
Chorus
Oh, may Thy living light, Lord,
Scatter all my night, Lord,
And everything make bright, Lord,
For this I pray to Thee.
2 I hardly know myself;
Deceived so much by pride,
I often think I’m right
And am self-satisfied.
3 I know Thee even less;
In doctrine, shallowly;
True revelation lack
Of Thy reality.
4 As for Thy life within,
In darkness I mistake-
If spirit or the flesh,
One for the other take.
5 As for Thy way, O Lord,
I often am not clear;
I toward seclusion tend
And from the pathway veer.
6 As for Thy will for me,
I do not know it well;
I substitute my own
And often would rebel.
7 As for the church, I need
Thy revelation more,
The Body-life to know,
Thy wisdom to explore.
8 I long to be unveiled,
In everything made clear,
No more to be deceived
Or to my pride adhere.
Here's a link to the tune if you want to sing along:
http://www.hymnal.net/Hymns/Hymnal/midi/e0359_i.mid
Oh, may Thy living light Lord scatter all my night! How much we need Your appearing!
I haven't been able to write on the blog because I have been kind of exhausted lately - just doing too much during the day, I guess. It is so great to be able to work at the school library but I do need the Lord to regulate me day by day. The next step for me is to have a follow-up CT scan in mid-March. As soon as I have the date, I will let you know. I have a blood test and port flush on January 31st. The blood test is for the CA-125 level. This is the cancer marker level in the blood. I am trying to eat those veggies but they do not stay fresh very long - perhaps I should just cook everything on the weekend and then eat it during the week. We'll see. I'm also taking supplements to boost my immune system.
Thank you dear ones for all your prayers and support.
Much love to you,
Joanne
Acts 7:2-3
2 And he said, Men, brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
3 And said to him, "Come out from your land and from your relatives, and come into the land which I will show you."
Genesis 12:1-3:
1 Now Jehovah said to Abram, Go from your land And from your relatives And from your father's house To the land that I will show you;
2 And I will make of you a great nation, And I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 And I will bless those who bless you, And he who curses you I will curse; And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.
Genesis 12:7
7 And Jehovah appeared to Abram and said, To your seed I will give this land. And there he built an altar to Jehovah who had appeared to him.
Genesis 13:14-17
14 And Jehovah said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, Now lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward;
15 For all the land that you see I will give to you and to your seed forever.
16 And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed can also be numbered.
17 Rise up; walk through the land according to its length and its breadth, for I will give it to you.
I read the footnotes for these verses and one especially touches me with regard to the third appearing of God to Abraham in Genesis 12:7:
This was the third time God appeared to Abraham. Here God's reappearing confirmed to Abraham that he had answered God's calling and had arrived at the place where God intended him to be. God's reappearing also strengthened Abraham to live by faith (Heb. 11:8-10) as an anti-testimony to the godless living developed by mankind at Babel.
God appeared to him again and again to call him progressively and also to strengthen him. Many times we may feel that our faith is failing or even gone. We need to pray for the God of glory to appear to us! We need to hear God's promises again and again so that we do not get discouraged and lose hope. Also we need to pray for revelation. I was touched with verse 15, where Jehovah says All the land that you see I will give to you. How much we need a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Lord, take the veils away from our eyes. We want there to be no separation between us and You!
There is a wonderful hymn about this experience:
1 Remove my covering, Lord,
That I may see Thy light,
And be deceived no more,
But all things see aright.
Chorus
Oh, may Thy living light, Lord,
Scatter all my night, Lord,
And everything make bright, Lord,
For this I pray to Thee.
2 I hardly know myself;
Deceived so much by pride,
I often think I’m right
And am self-satisfied.
3 I know Thee even less;
In doctrine, shallowly;
True revelation lack
Of Thy reality.
4 As for Thy life within,
In darkness I mistake-
If spirit or the flesh,
One for the other take.
5 As for Thy way, O Lord,
I often am not clear;
I toward seclusion tend
And from the pathway veer.
6 As for Thy will for me,
I do not know it well;
I substitute my own
And often would rebel.
7 As for the church, I need
Thy revelation more,
The Body-life to know,
Thy wisdom to explore.
8 I long to be unveiled,
In everything made clear,
No more to be deceived
Or to my pride adhere.
Here's a link to the tune if you want to sing along:
http://www.hymnal.net/Hymns/Hymnal/midi/e0359_i.mid
Oh, may Thy living light Lord scatter all my night! How much we need Your appearing!
I haven't been able to write on the blog because I have been kind of exhausted lately - just doing too much during the day, I guess. It is so great to be able to work at the school library but I do need the Lord to regulate me day by day. The next step for me is to have a follow-up CT scan in mid-March. As soon as I have the date, I will let you know. I have a blood test and port flush on January 31st. The blood test is for the CA-125 level. This is the cancer marker level in the blood. I am trying to eat those veggies but they do not stay fresh very long - perhaps I should just cook everything on the weekend and then eat it during the week. We'll see. I'm also taking supplements to boost my immune system.
Thank you dear ones for all your prayers and support.
Much love to you,
Joanne
Friday, January 18, 2008
Update on CT scan
Hi everyone,
Dr. Berlin called tonight and explained the CT scan report to me. Apparently there is nodularity present with nodes that are very small - 7-9 mm, asymmetry of the vaginal cuff and enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area. There was also something else that I cannot recall. While there is no evidence of recurrence, these areas must be watched. Dr. Berlin said that the enlarged lymph nodes could be just inflammation. They have remained the same size since the last CT scan in June. I need to schedule another CT scan for mid-March.
Thank You, Lord for all Your healing work!
Thank you all for praying!
Love,
Joanne
Dr. Berlin called tonight and explained the CT scan report to me. Apparently there is nodularity present with nodes that are very small - 7-9 mm, asymmetry of the vaginal cuff and enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area. There was also something else that I cannot recall. While there is no evidence of recurrence, these areas must be watched. Dr. Berlin said that the enlarged lymph nodes could be just inflammation. They have remained the same size since the last CT scan in June. I need to schedule another CT scan for mid-March.
Thank You, Lord for all Your healing work!
Thank you all for praying!
Love,
Joanne
What we see
This morning I was reading these verses in Hebrews 2:8b-9:
8 You have subjected all things under His feet. For in subjecting all things to Him, He left nothing unsubject to Him.But now we do not yet see all things subjected to Him,
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little inferior to the angels because of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death on behalf of everything.
What touched me was that the fact is that God has subjected all things under the feet of Christ -but we don't see all things subjected to Him, BUT we see Jesus - crowned with glory and honor. Stephen, the first martyr saw Him standing at the right hand of the Father. This wonderful person Jesus has passed through suffering, death and has been raised, has passed through the heavens and is now crowned with glory and honor. Everything we need is in Him. When I look at my situation, I don't see things subjected to Him - but when I look away to Jesus, I see One who has conquered sin, death, the devil - One who is crowned with glory and honor.
This wonderful person lives in me! He is a treasure store of riches. When I need patience, He is patience. When I need unconditional love, He is that love. He is strong, buoyant and without sickness. Whatever I need, He is. He is the I Am. We are not called as Christians to imitate Him. That would be impossible for me. Rather, He is indwelling us and desires to live out His life through us.
Here's a hymn that goes along with these verses. The tune is "O Come All Ye Faithful". I enjoy all the adjectives about what Christ is:
THERE'S A MAN IN THE GLORY
There's a man in the glory whose life is for me.
He's pure and He's holy, triumphant and free.
He's wise and He's loving, how tender is He!
His life in the glory my life must be;
His life in the glory my life must be.
There's a man in the glory whose life is for me.
He overcame Satan; from bondage He's free.
In life He is reigning; how kingly is He!
His life in the glory my life must be.
There's a man in the glory whose life is for me.
In Him is no sickness; no weakness has He.
He's strong and in vigor; how buoyant is He!
His life in the glory my life must be.
There's a man in the glory whose life is for me.
His peace is abiding; how patient is He!
He's joyful and radiant, expecting to see
His life in the glory lived out in me;
His life in the glory lived out in me!
I hope you will all enjoy this wonderful Person today!
I never heard back from Dr. Berlin last week regarding the CT scan I had on January 9th. She is supposed to call me today. I am not worried though. When I hear from her I will post an update.
I have been enjoying helping at the school library. I am trying to eat my veggies, colorful berries, and Omega-3 oil every day. It is challenging but there is much grace for this. Hallelujah!
Love,
Joanne
8 You have subjected all things under His feet. For in subjecting all things to Him, He left nothing unsubject to Him.But now we do not yet see all things subjected to Him,
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little inferior to the angels because of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death on behalf of everything.
What touched me was that the fact is that God has subjected all things under the feet of Christ -but we don't see all things subjected to Him, BUT we see Jesus - crowned with glory and honor. Stephen, the first martyr saw Him standing at the right hand of the Father. This wonderful person Jesus has passed through suffering, death and has been raised, has passed through the heavens and is now crowned with glory and honor. Everything we need is in Him. When I look at my situation, I don't see things subjected to Him - but when I look away to Jesus, I see One who has conquered sin, death, the devil - One who is crowned with glory and honor.
This wonderful person lives in me! He is a treasure store of riches. When I need patience, He is patience. When I need unconditional love, He is that love. He is strong, buoyant and without sickness. Whatever I need, He is. He is the I Am. We are not called as Christians to imitate Him. That would be impossible for me. Rather, He is indwelling us and desires to live out His life through us.
Here's a hymn that goes along with these verses. The tune is "O Come All Ye Faithful". I enjoy all the adjectives about what Christ is:
THERE'S A MAN IN THE GLORY
There's a man in the glory whose life is for me.
He's pure and He's holy, triumphant and free.
He's wise and He's loving, how tender is He!
His life in the glory my life must be;
His life in the glory my life must be.
There's a man in the glory whose life is for me.
He overcame Satan; from bondage He's free.
In life He is reigning; how kingly is He!
His life in the glory my life must be.
There's a man in the glory whose life is for me.
In Him is no sickness; no weakness has He.
He's strong and in vigor; how buoyant is He!
His life in the glory my life must be.
There's a man in the glory whose life is for me.
His peace is abiding; how patient is He!
He's joyful and radiant, expecting to see
His life in the glory lived out in me;
His life in the glory lived out in me!
I hope you will all enjoy this wonderful Person today!
I never heard back from Dr. Berlin last week regarding the CT scan I had on January 9th. She is supposed to call me today. I am not worried though. When I hear from her I will post an update.
I have been enjoying helping at the school library. I am trying to eat my veggies, colorful berries, and Omega-3 oil every day. It is challenging but there is much grace for this. Hallelujah!
Love,
Joanne
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Jehovah Rophe
This morning when I was spending time with the Lord, I was reminded of one of His names which is in Exodus 15 at the bitter waters of Marah - Jehovah Rophe - I am Jehovah who heals you:
Exodus 15:22-26
22 Then Moses moved Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.
23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore its name was called Marah.
24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
25 And he cried out to Jehovah, and Jehovah showed him a tree; and he cast it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them.
26 And He said, If you will listen carefully to the voice of Jehovah your God and do what is right in His eyes and give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Jehovah who heals you.
(Heb. Jehovah-Rophe)
This is an interesting chapter in many ways. First, they intentionally went 3 days into the wilderness - they went south into the wilderness and there was no water. The life study of Exodus message 30 says that the wilderness represents resurrection. Following the crossing of the Red Sea the children of Israel walked in resurrection - and there was no natural water there. Nothing of the natural life can satisfy their thirst. In Egypt they had the Nile - a huge river - but in the wilderness there was no water - nothing natural to satisfy their thirst. So the Lord led them to Marah - they were being led by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. At Marah the waters were bitter. The Lord showed Moses a tree to put into the bitter waters which turned them sweet. This tree is the cross of Christ which, when we apply it to our bitter situations, they become sweet. But it is after this that it says that the Lord tested them and then revealed Himself to them as Jehovah Who heals you. Not only were there bitter circumstances, but there was bitterness within the children of Israel. We have many situations which test us and through the testing reveal our inward condition. Only the Lord Jesus can heal us. When we apply the cross to our inward sickness, we are healed. Our healing was accomplished on the cross of Christ. To read more of this great life study, here is a link: http://ministrybooks.com/books.cfm?id=%23%230O%3C%0A
and click on chapter 30.
What does it mean to apply the cross of Christ? We can pray something like this: “Lord, I need You, and I need more experience of the cross. I need to put the tree not only into my circumstances, but also into my very being. I need to apply this tree to my mind, emotion, and will. I need to apply it to my spirit and to my attitude toward others.”
We can apply the cross of Christ to our entire being. 1 Peter 2:24 says:
24 Who Himself bore up our sins in His body on the tree, in order that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose bruise you were healed.
The cross of Christ solves all the problems we have. We are healed through the application of the cross!
I got results from the CT scan and the nurse told me that they saw 2 normal abnormalities on the scan, which they will watch. While I am not sure about this ambiguous term, I know that I can apply the cross of Christ even to the abnormalities on the CT scan.
I am reminded of a hymn. The words of the chorus were written by A. B. Simpson. The opening words were written in the 17th century by the poet Angelus Silesius:
Though Christ a thousand times
In Bethlehem be born,
If He’s not born in thee,
Thy soul is still forlorn,
The Cross on Golgotha
Will never save thy soul,
The Cross in thine own heart
Alone will make thee whole.
Chorus
O Cross of Christ, I take thee
Into this heart of mine,
That I to my own self may die
And rise to thy life Divine.
What e'er thou lovest, man,
That too become thou must;
God, if thou lovest God,
Dust, if thou lovest dust.
Go out, God will come in;
Die thou and let Him live;
Be not and He will be;
Wait and He'll all things give.
To bring thee to thy God,
Love takes the shortest route;
The way which knowledge leads,
Is but a roundabout.
Drive out from thee the world,
And then thy heart shall be
Filled with the love of God,
And holy like as He.
O Cross of Christ I take thee into this heart of mine that to my own self I may die and rise to thy life Divine!
Much love to all,
Joanne
Exodus 15:22-26
22 Then Moses moved Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.
23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore its name was called Marah.
24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
25 And he cried out to Jehovah, and Jehovah showed him a tree; and he cast it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them.
26 And He said, If you will listen carefully to the voice of Jehovah your God and do what is right in His eyes and give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Jehovah who heals you.
(Heb. Jehovah-Rophe)
This is an interesting chapter in many ways. First, they intentionally went 3 days into the wilderness - they went south into the wilderness and there was no water. The life study of Exodus message 30 says that the wilderness represents resurrection. Following the crossing of the Red Sea the children of Israel walked in resurrection - and there was no natural water there. Nothing of the natural life can satisfy their thirst. In Egypt they had the Nile - a huge river - but in the wilderness there was no water - nothing natural to satisfy their thirst. So the Lord led them to Marah - they were being led by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. At Marah the waters were bitter. The Lord showed Moses a tree to put into the bitter waters which turned them sweet. This tree is the cross of Christ which, when we apply it to our bitter situations, they become sweet. But it is after this that it says that the Lord tested them and then revealed Himself to them as Jehovah Who heals you. Not only were there bitter circumstances, but there was bitterness within the children of Israel. We have many situations which test us and through the testing reveal our inward condition. Only the Lord Jesus can heal us. When we apply the cross to our inward sickness, we are healed. Our healing was accomplished on the cross of Christ. To read more of this great life study, here is a link: http://ministrybooks.com/books.cfm?id=%23%230O%3C%0A
and click on chapter 30.
What does it mean to apply the cross of Christ? We can pray something like this: “Lord, I need You, and I need more experience of the cross. I need to put the tree not only into my circumstances, but also into my very being. I need to apply this tree to my mind, emotion, and will. I need to apply it to my spirit and to my attitude toward others.”
We can apply the cross of Christ to our entire being. 1 Peter 2:24 says:
24 Who Himself bore up our sins in His body on the tree, in order that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose bruise you were healed.
The cross of Christ solves all the problems we have. We are healed through the application of the cross!
I got results from the CT scan and the nurse told me that they saw 2 normal abnormalities on the scan, which they will watch. While I am not sure about this ambiguous term, I know that I can apply the cross of Christ even to the abnormalities on the CT scan.
I am reminded of a hymn. The words of the chorus were written by A. B. Simpson. The opening words were written in the 17th century by the poet Angelus Silesius:
Though Christ a thousand times
In Bethlehem be born,
If He’s not born in thee,
Thy soul is still forlorn,
The Cross on Golgotha
Will never save thy soul,
The Cross in thine own heart
Alone will make thee whole.
Chorus
O Cross of Christ, I take thee
Into this heart of mine,
That I to my own self may die
And rise to thy life Divine.
What e'er thou lovest, man,
That too become thou must;
God, if thou lovest God,
Dust, if thou lovest dust.
Go out, God will come in;
Die thou and let Him live;
Be not and He will be;
Wait and He'll all things give.
To bring thee to thy God,
Love takes the shortest route;
The way which knowledge leads,
Is but a roundabout.
Drive out from thee the world,
And then thy heart shall be
Filled with the love of God,
And holy like as He.
O Cross of Christ I take thee into this heart of mine that to my own self I may die and rise to thy life Divine!
Much love to all,
Joanne
Thursday, January 10, 2008
CT scans, veggies and mercy!
I had my CT scan yesterday and also saw Dr. Berkowitz who told me that I would be seeing him in 6 months (July). I will alternate seeing him and Dr. Berlin every 3 months. He also told me that he puts no stock in CT scans because they are so hard to read and because there is so much scarring due to all the surgeries. He told me to expect to have more xrays because of the lack of clarity in the scan.
It was a bit confusing but I am not going to worry. I am trying to eat in a more healthy way - taking in Omega-3 and cruciferous veggies. It is not easy. Today I just wanted a cup of coffee and a doughnut. It is hard to change what we eat. I thought of the children of Israel longing for the leeks and garlic of Egypt. They had a more drastic change - from garlic to manna - wow. My change is from muffins to broccoli.
This week I returned to Boston Trinity Academy to help out in the library. It has been 9 months since I was there last. What a wonderful experience it is to feel "normal" again. I am so thankful to the Lord for His abounding mercy and love. These 3 verses from a hymn by Charles Wesley really speaks well of how amazing God's love is.
And can it be that I should gain
An int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
He left His Father's throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race:
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Thank you Lord that Your mercy found me! I will post again when I hear the results of the CT scan -- hopefully tomorrow.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
Joanne
It was a bit confusing but I am not going to worry. I am trying to eat in a more healthy way - taking in Omega-3 and cruciferous veggies. It is not easy. Today I just wanted a cup of coffee and a doughnut. It is hard to change what we eat. I thought of the children of Israel longing for the leeks and garlic of Egypt. They had a more drastic change - from garlic to manna - wow. My change is from muffins to broccoli.
This week I returned to Boston Trinity Academy to help out in the library. It has been 9 months since I was there last. What a wonderful experience it is to feel "normal" again. I am so thankful to the Lord for His abounding mercy and love. These 3 verses from a hymn by Charles Wesley really speaks well of how amazing God's love is.
And can it be that I should gain
An int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
He left His Father's throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race:
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Thank you Lord that Your mercy found me! I will post again when I hear the results of the CT scan -- hopefully tomorrow.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
Joanne
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