03.17.2007

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Matthew 6:26, 34
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Psalm 105:4
Look to the LORD and seek His strength; seek His face always.

Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.


Hello everyone,

Sorry that this week’s Weekly is late. I hope that each of you is doing well and that the Lord spoke to, encouraged, or challenged your heart somehow this week.
In recent weeks, it’s become more and more evident to me how much of an impatient person I am when it comes to waiting for something to happen or change or develop. Unfortunately, patience seems to be intimately tied to trusting God. He is so good to reveal this to me, and even more amazing in how He chose to speak to my heart this morning. I’m one of those people that processes information best through speaking and writing, and as I was writing in my journal a prayer to the Lord came out that I wasn’t expecting. I’d like to share it with you:

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How good you are to me! Why do I so easily forget what has come from your hand? I ask for forgiveness in this, and I ask for you to build up my faith. I know you are able to provide and your word says to not worry – it came out of Jesus mouth. You ask me to not be anxious about ANYthing, but by prayer and petition, to present my requests before your throne.
Help me to be faithful in what I ought to be doing, Lord, and trust that you have it under control. Help me to trust and be patient. I worry about how things will turn out, but why? You have told me that as much as you have provided for birds and lilies you will provide for me. Why? Because I am more valuable to you than birds or lilies, which are here today and gone tomorrow… because I am your child, and sister to the one who has given His life for mine and who intercedes on my behalf before your throne.

This is how I know you will provide for me, now and always. By the blood of Christ and for your glory, you maintain your promises.
“Lord, write this in my heart! Do not let me forget it. This is how I know I can trust you.
And who am I to be concerned? You have fed me, clothed me, and provided a roof over my head. What I have now has come from your hand, Lord. Why must I dare to have an ungrateful attitude by looking beyond my present condition? Tomorrow may not even come for me and you ask me to seek your face TODAY, and be thankful TODAY.
Today has enough trouble of its own. Unlike you, I can only handle what goes on in the present. You have given me today and have not yet given me tomorrow… While I can pray for tomorrow and make plans, those plans only happen if you are willing to have them happen. But today is what you have for me to focus on. ‘Give us this day our daily bread…’ I am to ask daily for you to provide.
I am to honor you today; seek you today; be a light today; be faithful today. I am to act justly, to love mercy, and walk in your ways TODAY.
I can’t say, “Oh, I can do those things tomorrow,” because you haven’t given me tomorrow.

If I really look at each day in this fashion, would I trust you more and worry less? How can I remind myself to look at each day in this way so I don’t forget again? Somehow I feel this to be true, but I don’t know how to be reminded each day… Perhaps a memorization of Matthew 6, about worry, would remind me more readily. Truly, though, I can do all I want but it is you who changes my heart. Holy Spirit, change my heart. Show me how to be grateful for the things the Father provides each day and to present my plans and requests at His throne.
I don’t have to be anxious about anything because you want me to be focused on today, and you ask me to be faithful today. I don’t have to worry because I am your child.
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Maybe we could all do with a similar prayer? Pray for me that the Lord of our salvation would write these things in my heart, as I will pray the same for you.

In love and in Him,
Your sister,
Yvonne