Mornings are the hardest time. I wake up and am instantly reminded of our story. I want to put my head under the covers and simply ignore it all.
Each morning I remind myself that God's mercies are new every morning
I pray that Jesus will cover Jay and I with fresh peace and mercy for today.
This morning there is a sprinkling of fresh snow on the ground and despite the cold, the trees are beginning to think Spring and are budding.
There is a cozy fire in the wood stove thanks to My Love, who thoughtfully built the fire so I could be warm when I got out of bed this morning.
There is a load of laundry in the washing machine and I am enjoying a bowl of Lucky Charms and a cup of hot tea.
Seriously - what more does a girl need?!?
His mercies for us today are good and I am thankful!
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease!
Great is His faithfulness;
His mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, "The Lord is my
inheritance; therefore, I will
hope in Him."
Lamentations 3:22-24
Monday, March 7, 2016
Saturday, March 5, 2016
How Deep The Father's Love
Yesterday, I contemplated fear. Fear of physical pain and fear of spiritual pain and often uncertainty.
The evil one enjoys twisting God's truths into lies and make us question God's love, and God's saving grace.
I asked Jesus a very specific question. "While in the garden, You experienced great fear; a terror so big that You sweat drops of blood. You experienced an immense physical reaction because of fear. What were you most afraid of? Were you afraid of the physical pain: the beatings and floggings that would leave you so weak you could barely walk; the physical pain of dying the most cruel death ever designed - dying slowly and agonizingly on a cross? Were you most afraid of spiritual pain - the pain of being separated from Abba Father? The pain of the Father turning His face from you."
Today, Jay and I were watching a Ray Vander Laan DVD about the Passover and the 5th Cup.
The title is The 5th Cup, our Way of Hope. Ray was teaching from an olive garden at the place where people now believe is the Gethsemane. When I saw this was the lesson, the Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder and said Pay Attention - you asked a question and you're receiving an answer.
During a traditional Passover Seder meal there are 5 cups. The cups represent the redemption of the Israelites Exodus from Egypt and God's promises to them:
Cup#1: "I will take you out..."
Cup #2: "I will save you..."
Cup #3: "I will redeem you..."
Cup #4: "I will take you as a nation..."
The first 4 cups reference Exodus 6:5-8 when God assures His people that He hears them and remembers His covenant with them.
At least three of the cups were recorded in the gospels.
* The cup before the meal is the cup of sanctification - cup #1
* The second cup is the cup of deliverance (Luke 22:17)
* The third cup is the cup of redemption (Luke 22:20)
* The fourth cup is the cup of protection
Matthew 26:29, tells that Jesus refused to take this cup :"Mark my words - I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom."
Now we come to the 5th cup. The Traditional Passover refers to Jeremiah 25:15-17 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: "Take from my hand this cup filled to the brim with my anger, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it, they will stagger, crazed by the warfare I will send against them." So I took the cup of anger from the Lord and made all the nations drink from it - every nation to which the Lord sent me.
The cup of wrath also known as Elijah's cup (Malachi 4:5). At this point in the Passover, the door is opened and and the patriarch says "pour out your wrath on the world." The cup is filled but no one drinks it....
JESUS DRANK THIS CUP (Matthew 26:39-42)
Jesus drank the 5th cup...the cup of God's wrath against the nations.
This was the reason for the extreme terror Jesus felt. "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God"
Jesus prayed - "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me..." The 5th cup - the cup of anger and wrath. The cup of hell itself.
Jesus drank the ENTIRE cup. and when he'd drank the cup, He cried out "It is finished".
God's wrath was satisfied. His anger and judgement quelled.
Jesus drank the cup of wrath that was intended for me and you. Jesus, the perfect, sinless one, drank the cup of hell so that we don't have to.
"How deep the Father's love for us! How vast, beyond all measure. That He would give His only son, to make a wretch His treasure!"
Thank you Abba Father!! Thank you Jesus!!
The evil one enjoys twisting God's truths into lies and make us question God's love, and God's saving grace.
I asked Jesus a very specific question. "While in the garden, You experienced great fear; a terror so big that You sweat drops of blood. You experienced an immense physical reaction because of fear. What were you most afraid of? Were you afraid of the physical pain: the beatings and floggings that would leave you so weak you could barely walk; the physical pain of dying the most cruel death ever designed - dying slowly and agonizingly on a cross? Were you most afraid of spiritual pain - the pain of being separated from Abba Father? The pain of the Father turning His face from you."
Today, Jay and I were watching a Ray Vander Laan DVD about the Passover and the 5th Cup.
The title is The 5th Cup, our Way of Hope. Ray was teaching from an olive garden at the place where people now believe is the Gethsemane. When I saw this was the lesson, the Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder and said Pay Attention - you asked a question and you're receiving an answer.
During a traditional Passover Seder meal there are 5 cups. The cups represent the redemption of the Israelites Exodus from Egypt and God's promises to them:
Cup#1: "I will take you out..."
Cup #2: "I will save you..."
Cup #3: "I will redeem you..."
Cup #4: "I will take you as a nation..."
The first 4 cups reference Exodus 6:5-8 when God assures His people that He hears them and remembers His covenant with them.
At least three of the cups were recorded in the gospels.
* The cup before the meal is the cup of sanctification - cup #1
* The second cup is the cup of deliverance (Luke 22:17)
* The third cup is the cup of redemption (Luke 22:20)
* The fourth cup is the cup of protection
Matthew 26:29, tells that Jesus refused to take this cup :"Mark my words - I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom."
Now we come to the 5th cup. The Traditional Passover refers to Jeremiah 25:15-17 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: "Take from my hand this cup filled to the brim with my anger, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it, they will stagger, crazed by the warfare I will send against them." So I took the cup of anger from the Lord and made all the nations drink from it - every nation to which the Lord sent me.
The cup of wrath also known as Elijah's cup (Malachi 4:5). At this point in the Passover, the door is opened and and the patriarch says "pour out your wrath on the world." The cup is filled but no one drinks it....
JESUS DRANK THIS CUP (Matthew 26:39-42)
Jesus drank the 5th cup...the cup of God's wrath against the nations.
This was the reason for the extreme terror Jesus felt. "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God"
Jesus prayed - "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me..." The 5th cup - the cup of anger and wrath. The cup of hell itself.
Jesus drank the ENTIRE cup. and when he'd drank the cup, He cried out "It is finished".
God's wrath was satisfied. His anger and judgement quelled.
Jesus drank the cup of wrath that was intended for me and you. Jesus, the perfect, sinless one, drank the cup of hell so that we don't have to.
"How deep the Father's love for us! How vast, beyond all measure. That He would give His only son, to make a wretch His treasure!"
Thank you Abba Father!! Thank you Jesus!!
Thursday, March 3, 2016
His Grace is Sufficient
Sometimes, no matter how hard we pray for a change in our story, God simply says, "My grace is sufficient." God is the author of our story - a story that was written long before we were born.
After meeting with my doctor yesterday, the decision was made to discontinue the Avastin treatments. The small reward possibility of the drug was not worth the potential risks it carried.
This was the most difficult decision I have ever had to make. I have now exhausted all treatment options. For now, I will continue to see my oncologist and have scans to monitor the progression of the cancer. I will also begin working with a palliative care doctor to manage pain and symptoms.
This new reality has me in a realm of fear and sadness that I've never known before. In a word, I'm heartbroken. The doctor explained what the cancer will eventually do and it's painful and ugly. I know the enemy wants me to dwell in this place and allow fear to paralyze me. I am determined not to let that happen. I pray for God's peace and grace. I pray that He will deal with me mercifully. I want to focus on loving and living.
Jay and I have several things planned for the next couple of months. Next week, my family from Texas will be with us for their spring break. We are looking forward to spending time with them and having time to be together.
In early April, Jay and I are getting away to the beach...in Maui. We are so excited about this trip. Please pray that I will feel well and have good energy for these events.
We are grateful to all of you for praying over us and we ask that you pray us through this next chapter in our story.
Blessings,
Mandy
After meeting with my doctor yesterday, the decision was made to discontinue the Avastin treatments. The small reward possibility of the drug was not worth the potential risks it carried.
This was the most difficult decision I have ever had to make. I have now exhausted all treatment options. For now, I will continue to see my oncologist and have scans to monitor the progression of the cancer. I will also begin working with a palliative care doctor to manage pain and symptoms.
This new reality has me in a realm of fear and sadness that I've never known before. In a word, I'm heartbroken. The doctor explained what the cancer will eventually do and it's painful and ugly. I know the enemy wants me to dwell in this place and allow fear to paralyze me. I am determined not to let that happen. I pray for God's peace and grace. I pray that He will deal with me mercifully. I want to focus on loving and living.
Jay and I have several things planned for the next couple of months. Next week, my family from Texas will be with us for their spring break. We are looking forward to spending time with them and having time to be together.
In early April, Jay and I are getting away to the beach...in Maui. We are so excited about this trip. Please pray that I will feel well and have good energy for these events.
We are grateful to all of you for praying over us and we ask that you pray us through this next chapter in our story.
Blessings,
Mandy
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