Chapter 3: The God Habit - Put First Things First

DAY 2

I chose this topic (just like last week’s) because it is an area I struggle with.  I say every evening that tomorrow I will get up at 5:45 so that I can have 15 or 20 minutes alone with God before my husband gets up.  But the procrastinator in me knows that I can hit the snooze up to 3X and still have time to drink my coffee before I have to wake up my daughter.   I do normally sit for 15-20 minutes with my bible, my current bible study & my coffee but often find myself distracted – sometimes by facebook, emails, the TV my husband turned on, etc.   This is something I need to work on – a very important part of my day.   I so desire to hear God’s ever quiet whisper and know without a doubt it is God speaking directly to my heart.   In order for this to happen, I have to grow in my relationship with him.   I am an infant on milk and desire to mature to solid food. (Hebrews 5:14)  I can only grow my relationship with the Lord by spending time with Him.  Although my normal “quiet time” usually works best on my lunch hour, spending time with Jesus first thing in the morning is critical in how my day will go.

How you start your day is how you are going to live your day.  And how you live your day is the way you will live your life.    Author Unknown

As I was preparing for today’s blog, this quote hit home and stepped on my toes – big time!! 

We all have heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  There are health benefits to starting our day with a good breakfast.

Starting our day with Jesus feeds our soul. 

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.  John 6:35 (NIV)

Spending a few moments in God’s word each morning gives us instructions for our day.

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.   Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.  Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)

Offering prayer in the morning opens the lines of communication for conversation with God throughout the day.

Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament.   Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.   In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.  Psalm 5:1-3 (NIV)

In order to conquer sin, we must learn to live by the promptings & power of the Holy Spirit.  (Read Galatians 5:16-17)   As we walk in the Spirit, we are given the fruit of the Spirit. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

As I read this I thought of Joyce’s view on good habits – if we develop enough good habits, there will be no room for bad habits.  By walking in the Spirit full of the fruit only He can provide we have no room for the acts of our sinful nature.   If we are not in Christ and walking daily, hourly, minute by minute with Him our sinful nature will rear its ugly head.  

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Galatians 5:25 (NIV)

As Joyce mentioned in this chapter, she does not believe God counts the minutes or hours we spend with Him.  I think He rejoices in every moment we spend with Him and waits patiently for us to come back when we wonder off.

If this is an area you struggle with as well, start by spending a few minutes with God each morning.   Before getting out of bed, say this simple prayer from Charles Stanley:

Father, I thank you for awakening me to this new morning!  Please help me to begin this day rejoicing, and with praise to You on my heart and lips for keeping me through another night.

I also praise You for the promise of Your Word in Lamentations 3:22-23 that your loving kindnesses never cease, and Your compassions never fail, but they are new every morning.

I commit this day to You.  Help me to keep You uppermost in my thoughts, and help me to magnify & glorify Your great name in all that I do and say.  I pray this in the powerful name of Jesus.  Amen

You can also leave scripture cards & prayer requests on your bathroom mirror, the coffee pot, your morning cereal box, etc. so they can serve as reminders to stop and offer prayer & thanksgiving to God.

My daughter & I have started reading Lynn Cowell’s Devotion for a Revolutionary Year on the way to school each day.   She keeps it in the glove box of my car and reads a verse & devotion each morning.   This give us time to pray together as well as open discussions of what is going on at school and her life.

However you do it, developing the habit of starting our day with God & spending time with Him throughout our day is the best thing we can do for ourselves, our families, our friends and all those who we may cross our paths.

Please pray with me:

Father, thank you for loving me and being so very patient with me.  It is exciting to think that You, the God of the Universe want a relationship with me.  Help me to start each day thanking You for the many blessings You have provided me and opening the lines of communication so that no matter what comes my way, I know You are with me and that there is nothing too big for You to handle.  Father, I pray for each wonderful Jesus girl doing this study or reading this blog.  I pray that they will decide to start every day with you and will put You first in all that they do.  Be with each one us and provide us with the peace that only You can give.  May everything we do & say bring honor & glory to You.  It is in Jesus name I pray.  Amen

Love you ladies so very much,
Melanie