Isaiah  50 : 4—5  NKJV

(4)    “The Lord God has given Me
         The tongue of the learned,
         That I should know how to speak
         A word in season to him who is weary.
         He awakens Me morning by morning.
         He awakens My ear
         To hear as the learned.

(5)    The Lord God has opened My ear;
         And I was not rebellious
         Nor did I turn away.”

“Do you have a standing appointment with God every morning?  Is God your first priority, or do you talk to Him less frequently than that?  If you’re wise, you’ll talk to God first thing every day, without exception. 

Warren Wiersbe writes, “Surrender your mind to the Lord at the beginning of each day.”  And that’s sound advice.  When you begin each day with your head bowed and your heart lifted, you are reminded of God’s love, His protection, and His commandments.  Then, you can align your priorities for the coming day with the teachings and commandments that God placed upon your heart.

So if you’ve acquired the unfortunate habit of trying to “squeeze” God into the corners of your life, it’s time to reshuffle the items on your to-do list by placing God first.  And if you haven’t already done so, form the habit of spending quality time each morning with your Creator.  He deserves it…and so, for that matter, do you.

                                                                        Parable
                                                            First Thing Every Day

Each day provides opportunities to put God where He belongs—in first place.  Wake up a little earlier every morning and give God some very special private uninterrupted time.  Learn to commune with Him, to pray to Him, to listen to His responses to your prayers, and to meditate on His Word.  In other words, be obedient to His instruction to abide in Him and Him in you.

 The Bible tells us in The Book of Isaiah, Chapter 50, verses 4-5, TLB:

(4)   “The Lord God has given me his words of wisdom so that I may
        know what I should say to all these weary ones.  Morning by
       morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.

(5)   The Lord God has spoken to me and I have listened; I do not rebel
        nor turn away.”

We are to obey our Godly instruction and start each day as believers with our regular, un-rushed and uninterrupted time with our God, that very same God who is The Creator of The Universe and all that is in it. 

Every morning for the remainder of your time on this earth, the sun will rise upon a world filled with God’s presence and His love.  You owe it to yourself and your Creator to honor Him first with a regularly scheduled, early-morning time of prayer, meditation, and praise.

The fabric of daily life is woven together with the threads of habit, and no habit is more important than that of consistent prayer and daily devotion to your Heavenly Father.

The simple act of giving your God a few extra minutes each and every morning will change the entire direction, course, and quality of your blessed life here on the earth.  All that it takes for you to accomplish this special activity is for you to get up 15 minutes earlier each morning.  Before turning on the radio or television or any other electrical appliance….you put first things first.   Spend that extra15 minutes in private personal  spiritual commune with your Heavenly Father.  Talk with Him.  Enjoy your time together.  Let Him help you plan your day. 

Give Him praise, honor, and glory.  Give Him the “reins” to your life and ask Him to guide you through this day.

In the Holy Bible in The Book of Joshua, Chapter 1, verses 7-8, NKJV God gives us the secret for good prosperity and success to come into our life.  All that is required for us to secure these things is that we be totally obedient and do what we are told to do. 

(7)   “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do
        according to all the law which Moses, My servant commanded you;
        do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may
        prosper wherever you go.

(8)   This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth , but you
        shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do 
        according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your 
        way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

There are far too few people,…. yes, even “Spiritual Believers,” who simply do not know and understand the power of prayer and the vital role that it plays  in the life of a person who has accepted Jesus Christ into their own heart and mind.  The Power of Prayer and The Power of Praise are two of the greatest and most powerful forces on the face of the earth.  Both, however, must be put into action first by the believer, himself.  The believer starts the power working, and then God finishes using it up in accomplishing the desired tasks or situations being prayed for or given praise.

So many people, regardless of their personal level of faith, miss so many wonderful blessings and rewards from their Creator out of total ignorance of the Word of God.  Listen carefully to the instructions of the Lord as recorded in The Holy Bible in The Book of Matthew, Chapter 7, verses 7-8, NKJV:

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

(7)   “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, 
        and it will be opened to you.

(8)   For anyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him
       who knocks it will be opened.”

Sadly, the ancient saying remains true to this day…….which is exactly why,…
You Have Not….because….You Ask Not. 

As I write these words, my mind wonders back to a great poem I once read that really puts this message into the proper prospective. The poem is entitled The Difference.  I do not know the author.

                                  The Difference:

I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day.
   I had so much to accomplish that I didn’t have time to pray.
Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task.

   “Why doesn’t God help me?” I wondered…
                                                                   He answered, “You didn’t ask.”

I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on gray and bleak.
    I wondered why God didn’t show me…
                                                                   He said, “But you didn’t seek.”

I tried to come into God’s presence; I used all my keys at the lock……
     God gently and lovingly chided…….   “My child, you didn’t knock.”

I got up early this morning and paused before entering the day.
      I had so much to accomplish…that I had to take time to pray!

Permit me to encourage you one more time.  Begin a new habit.  

Get up earlier starting tomorrow morning.  Set aside at least 15 minutes

of uninterrupted quiet time all by yourself so that you can be with your God.  Shut the world off just for 15 minutes.  Give all of your time and attention to your Heavenly Father, read His Word, and watch the good things that begin to come into your own life and those around you.

Commit to this new habit.  Do it every day….no breaks….total commitment!  You, for sure, will reap what you sow.

God’s Greatest Blessings To All Of You………….