We are headed to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota again this week. On Thursday, Barbara will have a stint installed in her portal vein to the liver to correct the narrowing of the vein so that a proper blood flow will be maintained into the liver. Her liver is otherwise doing great.
They will also take a biopsy of the gray matter causing the narrowing of that vein. It can be one of two things: cancer or simply some scar tissue. We are gathering prayer warriors from around to glob to join us in praying that it is only scar tissue. Please join us in this prayer. We will let you know the results as soon as we know. This leads us to today's Bible Insight.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7). This advice on prayer was given by Paul to the church in Philippi to encourage them to pray about anything and everything that troubled them. It sets a pattern for straight forward praying where we are encouraged to present our requests to God with thankful hearts.
We all too often let circumstances get us down. We become "anxious" (v. 6a), or even depressed. Paul tells us not to let that happen. Instead, we need to trust God and lay all our burdens down at the foot of the cross. Give them over to Jesus. Let Him carry your burdens. They are to much for you to carry, but not for Jesus.
To do that, we need to learn to pray. "By prayer and supplication" (v. 6b) we give it over to Jesus. "Supplication" means to ask for something earnestly. When it is of utmost importance to us, we go to our knees in humility and make our requests "known to God" (v. 6d).
But do this "with thanksgiving" (v. 6c). Thank God in advance for His answer. He understands everything better than we do and He even answers before we ask: "It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24). First John 5:14-15 adds, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."
When you take everything to God in prayer, He will give you "peace" (v. 7a) in you heart; peace that His answer will be exactly as He wills. You can trust that His answer will be His very best for you.
That is why the "peace of God" (v. 7a) He gives you "surpasses all understanding" (v. 7b). It is beyond our finite ability to understand the peace we feel because it is given to us by the infinite God of the universe. His ways are beyond our ways, as God says, "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isa. 55:8-9).
It is that peace that God gives you that "will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (v. 7c). You can trust God to handle everything just as He wills. He knows what is best for you, and He will always answer your prayers accordingly. Amen.
But do this "with thanksgiving" (v. 6c). Thank God in advance for His answer. He understands everything better than we do and He even answers before we ask: "It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24). First John 5:14-15 adds, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."
When you take everything to God in prayer, He will give you "peace" (v. 7a) in you heart; peace that His answer will be exactly as He wills. You can trust that His answer will be His very best for you.
That is why the "peace of God" (v. 7a) He gives you "surpasses all understanding" (v. 7b). It is beyond our finite ability to understand the peace we feel because it is given to us by the infinite God of the universe. His ways are beyond our ways, as God says, "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isa. 55:8-9).
It is that peace that God gives you that "will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (v. 7c). You can trust God to handle everything just as He wills. He knows what is best for you, and He will always answer your prayers accordingly. Amen.
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