Couldn't sleep this morning ... the sweet soft sounds of slumber so near my ears woke me and then it wouldn't let me go back.
So to have something to do I thought I'd share with you a little thing I've developed; a habit of talking to the Lord the moment I wake in order to spiritually kick-start my day.
Oh, it's nothing fancy; just some soul talk before I do any sole walk.
But this morning it didn't quite work. I tried, but my restlessness was disturbing my main (and only) squeeze, and you don't want to mess with the lady of the house when she's got better things to do.
At any rate, I got up with a mental promise to finish what I had started as soon as I was out at the keyboard, coffee in hand.
About ten windows into my morning surf I realized I hadn't kept my word; Satan had quickly distracted me with the things of this world and drawn me away into the daily grind.
I’ve learned the hard way that this is not a good way to begin the day. I quickly corrected the wrong and instantly felt it had been the right thing to do.
So to have something to do I thought I'd share with you a little thing I've developed; a habit of talking to the Lord the moment I wake in order to spiritually kick-start my day.
Oh, it's nothing fancy; just some soul talk before I do any sole walk.
But this morning it didn't quite work. I tried, but my restlessness was disturbing my main (and only) squeeze, and you don't want to mess with the lady of the house when she's got better things to do.
At any rate, I got up with a mental promise to finish what I had started as soon as I was out at the keyboard, coffee in hand.
About ten windows into my morning surf I realized I hadn't kept my word; Satan had quickly distracted me with the things of this world and drawn me away into the daily grind.
I’ve learned the hard way that this is not a good way to begin the day. I quickly corrected the wrong and instantly felt it had been the right thing to do.
Perhaps one of you has a hard time starting the day with the Almighty like I used to; perhaps my brief morning ritual will give one of you a spiritual lift like it does me?
Most of my days used to begin with good intentions, immediately followed by intense fire fights … along about four in the afternoon I’d realize I’d not spent any quality time with the Lord. This bothered me to no end.
I really wanted that time alone with God but there just seemed like so many things to do … and they all needed MY attention and they needed it RIGHT NOW!
Well, anytime you unite pride with the wooing of Satan you can predict the outcome with great certainty.
Then God gave me the answer to my problem, and I’ve been blessed every since I submitted to His morning plan for me.
A little over a year ago, the Lord made me aware of how serious He was when He said. “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness,” This began a search for other Scripture with the same serious but practical quality about them.
Later God confirmed He was just as serious about “take up your cross daily and follow Me”; this, added to the realization that the Great Commandment was called great for a reason, stirred something simple in my spirit.
If no one has told you yet, let me: due to personal sin, we can't keep the Great Commandment!
I really wanted that time alone with God but there just seemed like so many things to do … and they all needed MY attention and they needed it RIGHT NOW!
Well, anytime you unite pride with the wooing of Satan you can predict the outcome with great certainty.
Then God gave me the answer to my problem, and I’ve been blessed every since I submitted to His morning plan for me.
A little over a year ago, the Lord made me aware of how serious He was when He said. “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness,” This began a search for other Scripture with the same serious but practical quality about them.
Later God confirmed He was just as serious about “take up your cross daily and follow Me”; this, added to the realization that the Great Commandment was called great for a reason, stirred something simple in my spirit.
If no one has told you yet, let me: due to personal sin, we can't keep the Great Commandment!
All we can do is have an heart-attitude of desire to keep this commandment. Because we cannot keep the first and greatest command, we likewise have no chance of keeping the others. This was and is both a troubling and refreshing revelation.
At that point my quandary was: how do I get the "attitude of desire" God expects of me? By faith was the obvious answer, but what was the practical side? "Simple," God said. "Take up your Cross daily and follow after Me." This unsettled me because I didn't know what my daily cross was ... then God spoke to me and said, "John, I do!"
So, I began to begin each day, upon awaking, with those two scriptures. I prayed something liked this, "Lord, reveal to me this day my cross and help me understand its purpose that I might follow you today; and, Lord, anoint me to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness."
As other key verses have been brought to my attention, the prayer has evolved into something like this:
At that point my quandary was: how do I get the "attitude of desire" God expects of me? By faith was the obvious answer, but what was the practical side? "Simple," God said. "Take up your Cross daily and follow after Me." This unsettled me because I didn't know what my daily cross was ... then God spoke to me and said, "John, I do!"
So, I began to begin each day, upon awaking, with those two scriptures. I prayed something liked this, "Lord, reveal to me this day my cross and help me understand its purpose that I might follow you today; and, Lord, anoint me to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness."
As other key verses have been brought to my attention, the prayer has evolved into something like this:
"Lord, You alone are worthy of all praise and honor and glory, let Your name be known to the whole earth; reveal to me, O Lord this day, my cross and help me understand its purpose that I might follow you today, and if I stumble under its burden, Lord, undergird me to finish the day; and, Lord, please anoint me to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness, not fretting about tomorrow and considering others as more important than myself; and Lord help me to love You with all my heart, my mind, my soul, my body, and my strength."
As God, by His own counsel, gives me fresh morsels from His Word, I am sure the prayer will evolve even more. One thing is certain, I am so grateful for His patience with me through all of the years I went without this connection to start my day.
My prayer is that someone will be awakened to the simple and practical use of Scripture in their morning talks with the Lord.
HE ALONE IS WORTHY
My prayer is that someone will be awakened to the simple and practical use of Scripture in their morning talks with the Lord.
HE ALONE IS WORTHY
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