A CHOSEN LIFESTYLE!
Thank you Jesus for this HOT cup of coffee! It so helps to start my day! Like so many, we get up and head to the kitchen and our coffee pot when we wake up. Over time, we have chosen a lifestyle of enjoying our first cup of coffee or tea, and when we don’t, our day is just not the same!
Let me ask you, how is YOUR CHOSEN LIFESTYLE OF HEARING AND SPEAKING WITH JESUS GOING? Is it being incorporated already with your first cup of coffee? Does if flow so easy in your mornings BECAUSE you made a choice months ago, years ago now, to start your day with a discussion with Jesus, guided perhaps by a devotion or music or just prayer? IS HIS Word being chewed on, in such a way, early in morning, that it continues to vibrate in your mind, your thoughts, as you drive to work?
AH, THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE JUST TO HAVE A LIFESTYLE OF INCORPORATING THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE MORNING, BEFORE WE ENCOUNTER THE REALITY OF THE WORLD BEFORE US!
WHY DO WE STRUGGLE? Well if you google this question, you will get tons of information as to why we struggle in doing this, so I will pass on copying and pasting their responses.
However, I will share two things that I hear and see, as well as having an experience that can derail even my current chosen lifestyle of spending time with Jesus, as I begin the day with my first cup of coffee.
First, there is the subtle but powerful mental thought that I JUST DO NOT HAVE THE TIME TODAY! Now, this may occur on some days, but if one is not careful, this excuse becomes more of a lifestyle, of heading on into the world on your own, without the equipping of the power of Holy Spirit before you!
And this leads to the second reason that more deeply concerns me for you—IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL, YOU MAY HAVE FORMED A LIFESTYLE WITH JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHERE YOU CONVEY WITHOUT REALISING IT, THAT I DO NOT NEED THEIR HELP!
To our Heavenly Fathers perspective, this is exactly what HE would easily hear and see! I wonder if His heart so grieves as HE says, “Well, there goes another one of our children, heading into the world without any time with me, thinking they are strong enough to continue to achieve their life dreams and NOT realizing what is before them.
Yes, they just get in their car and go through their mind, with the key items before their day, feeling good about their chances….until….their day does not occur how they thought it would!
Then what? Is their spiritual tank full enough, doubtful? Is there a peace, or hope, or joy present to sustain them when that storm hits? That is a profound question! HE sure hopes so, BUT when was the last time we sought HIS activity, within our activity, as we started our day?
Ponder this TRUTH— THE SON OF GOD SPENT TIME EARLY IN THE MORNING TALKING AND PRAYING WITH HIS FATHER! LET THIS SINK IN!
ON THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN, THE SON OF GOD DEVELOPED A LIFESTYLE OF SPENDING TIME WITH GOD. AND AS BUSY AND BURDENED AS HE WAS, Jesus relied on a lifestyle of dependency, on His Father, through PRAYER!
QUESTION: Are we really so busy, so much in a hurry, that we have developed a habit of just rolling out of bed, getting quickly dressed, hearing a little news, gripping the coffee and just heading out the door? I suppose this will continue to work for you…Until those things happen on this side of Heaven, in our lives on earth, that I do not even want to speak about for you!!
Yes, it is too painful for me to even consider for you ALL I have experienced since July, dealing with the day of 30 July, when the pain of the tumors brought me to the ground….and I had no idea they were there. AND THAT IS MY ULTIMATE CONCERN FOR YOU! There is so much bad that can occur in our lives, in a matter of seconds. It would be so much better for us IF we already had a CHOSEN LIFESTYLE of beginning our days with the KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS! HE LOVES US SO and HE KNOWS WHAT IS BEFORE US AND HE SO WANTS TO PREPARE YOU and SUSTAIN YOU!
“Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there.”
Mark 1:35
