Worship
Scripture
“‘Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.’” -Matthew 6:25-33, ESV
Learning Trust Through Prayer
I had a profound moment in prayer last Sunday with a dear friend who was praying for breakthrough for me. During that time, the Lord showed me the picture of a sparrow in His hands. I have thought about it all week, in this very tumultuous season when the atmospheric winds are swirling. We are being kept and hidden and protected and provided for more than we even realize. Not only that, but the abundance of Heaven is at our disposal.
Global Perspective on Faith and Provision
Last January, I had the joy of taking a team of 18 women to Latin America. It was an incredibly large team, and I didn’t quite understand why God had me taking so many women all at once. Well, He knew the country where we visited was going to soon be closing, and He had prepared many to desire Him. I heard from my translator today that the people have endured much in this Latin American nation. She wrote these precious words, “As you said, the world has been shaken. We all have looked for new creative ways of being close to loved ones, of surviving, of working, of healing. Thank God for His merciful provision of our daily bread. About church, it is closed again these days, but some sisters and my family gather up at home to continue praying to keep our lamps full in case the Groom decides to come.”
I sense a massive shift of perspective happening in Christians all over the world. God is awakening us to greater dependence on Him than we have known.
Jesus uses the illustration of the birds of the air—they have no concern or worry. They don’t toil and spin and store up their treasures in large storehouses. In just a few verses before this passage, Jesus says, “‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21, ESV).’”
God’s Promise of Provision
Why would we store up our treasures on Earth in storehouses when God has treasures in Heaven stored up for us?
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” -Malachi 3:10 (ESV), emphasis added
As sons and daughters of the Most High God, we can trust Him for our provision. I wish I could look those of you in the eyes who have lost jobs. I would say to you: “You can trust Him for your provision!” He has a storehouse of provision, and the veil between Heaven and Earth has been lifted. We worry and fret about our lives, and Jesus is inviting us right now to live from Heaven’s perspective. He’s inviting us to live in full dependence on Him. If Jesus has more than enough, will He not be gracious to you? Will He not be abundantly good to you?
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” -Romans 8:32, emphasis added
He does not withhold from us. If He doesn’t do it for the flowers of the fields or the birds of the air, why would He withhold His goodness from you?
Living with Eternal Perspective
It’s a moment of divine invitation to begin to fill the storehouses of Heaven with our treasures laid down here on Earth. It’s our time to live for Heaven, no matter what Earth has to say! Your life is more than food or clothing or storing up earthly wealth! Your life is more than temporal things that rust and moths can destroy. You have eternal matters to engage your heart with and to pursue! In fact, there is a dying and desperate world who is waiting for you to shift your gaze from the temporal to the eternal. It’s time to speak to them and demonstrate to them the salvation and hope of Jesus. We don’t take anything to Heaven with us but people!
“Nevertheless, many Christians dread the thought of leaving this world. Why? Because so many have stored up their treasures on earth, not in heaven. Each day brings us closer to death. If your treasures are on this earth, that means each day brings you closer to losing your treasures.”
-Randy Alcorn, “The Treasure Principle”
Sisters, I have known nothing more urgent in my spirt than what God has been speaking to me for over a year. You have read it in my writings. Jesus is returning, and it’s time to get ready for that day! It’s time to live from Heaven’s perspective with our lamps filled with oil, dressed in royal robes of righteousness. His clothing for us is more glorious than anything we can purchase at Nordstrom. His food for us is a feast of goodness—manna from Heaven each day if we will just open our mouths to receive it. His storehouses of abundance are available to us. And daily there are treasures He puts before us to delight us with wonder and worship.
“Your identity is holiness unto the Lord. That is who you are. You are a saint of the Most High God. You are destined to wear a spotless and glorious gown for all of eternity. You have been set apart for the Bridegroom and for Him alone. You are His and He is yours. You are one with the Bridegroom. This is your identity. This is your calling. This is your inheritance. This is your destiny.”
-Christina McCracken, “Live For That Day”
Seek first His Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). It’s the order of our lives; it’s who we are and what we do.
“This choice—to seek first the kingdom of God—is the fundamental choice everyone makes when they first repent and are converted. Yet every day after that, our Christian life will either reinforce that decision or deny it.”
-David Guzik, Matthew 6 commentary
Worry has no space in this reality because we know who we belong to and who has us in the palms of His nail-pierced hands. You belong to Him, your reigning King of victory and triumph!
A Prayer for Trust and Provision
Lord, I pray for my sisters today as they read this. Will You do a miraculous shift in their hearts to live with eternity at the forefront of their lives. I pray that You would anoint them with faith that dissolves worry and anxiety. I pray that You would lift them above the muck and the mire, the confusion and noise of the hour to come up higher and hear what You have to say about it all. I pray that You would protect their homes and their jobs and their families and their faith. I pray that You would open over them the storehouses of Heaven and feed them like You do the birds of the air. May we be women who take You at Your word and trust You more than the temporal things of the world. Fortify us with faith and vision for what You are doing in the Earth and for the day very soon when we will see You face-to-face!
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” -Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
A Few Key Notes
- On January 28, I will be casting a vision for 70 cities over Zoom. Join me at 7:30 p.m. to hear how you can help Arise expand. RSVP by emailing me at [email protected].
- Patrice Vines will be hosting another Arise study in February about putting on the armor of God and standing our ground during turbulent times. You can join in-person or over Zoom. RSVP by emailing me at [email protected].
Time: 9:30 a.m. CST
Dates: Friday mornings beginning February 12
Location: Over Zoom or at The Hope Center (2001 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, TX 75075)
- Gather with other women in the Arise network over Zoom for a weekly prayer time this month.
2:30-3 p.m. CST every Thursday
Zoom ID: 897 429 7573
- A new five-week Arise study has begun! Christina McCracken will be teaching from her new book “Live for That Day: Garnering Rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ.” Join us at 7 p.m. CST every Tuesday over Zoom. You can purchase her book on Amazon.
