Sept 15

Hallelujah! We are so thankful that Dan's exam yesterday showed continued improvement in his condition. The doctor was palpating his liver deeply and could not detect the tumors as she had before nor did Dan have any tenderness. In two weeks Dan will have another PET/CT scan to reveal what his liver and pancreas look like on the inside. Labs are good; energy level good (in fact he drove all the way to Sunnyvale the night before). Chemo #4 ( again the half dose) went well and he and Ashley are on their way back to school as I write. The doctor plans to continue this course of treatment for at least two more treatments.
From there only the Lord knows. We watch and pray and are thankful for every step forward and every day of life.

Thursday I gathered with my Bible study for a celebration of "The Feast of Trumpets". Here are some thoughts from that day:

Wake Up!

On Wednesday evening the Feast of Trumpets began, commonly known as Rosh Hashanah, or the New Year. The trumpet blast is typically a call to wake up from our “slumber” and turn to the King of the Universe, our Creator, the LORD God. The tenth day after the Feast of Trumpets is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Traditionally the in-between days are a time to forgive, seek forgiveness and do good deeds (something we should be doing every day of every month). Before 70 A.D. on the Day of Atonement sacrifices were made in the Temple for the sins of the nation of Israel. How is atonement for sin made today?

Leviticus 17:11
'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.'

Isaiah 53:10-12:
Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

So let’s wake up and receive forgiveness and atonement the only way God has provided – through the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus the promised Messiah, and our names will be inscribed, not just for a year, but for eternity in the Lamb’s Book of Life!
Speaking of “Books”:

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
“As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool.
His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was seated, and the books were opened.

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Revelation 20:11-15
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Rev 21:22-27
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Time for us to "wake up" and know God, His love and His forgiveness. He calls us to be in a right relationship with Him and share this good news with all who will listen.