Mornings Matter: Because More Happens Than You Think

When you change your mornings, you will change your faith.

Faith is lost or gained in the morning.

Frank Lee Obvious

Mornings Shape Life

Which of these do you relate to more?

Priority

[35] Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. [36] Simon and his companions went to look for him, [37] and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

Mark 1:35-37 (NIV)

Jesus made times with God in the morning a priority. Some if us just never get up.

It’s not about having strong willpower…it matters when we go to bed. Nighttime usually doesn’t make us proud, and certainly will make our mornings hard if we’re not careful. Have you ever spent 30 days in a row waking up and reading your Bible?

We all need alone time. Jesus didn’t tell people where he was going, and he didn’t need people to tell him where to go. He had a relationship with God that was personal. People are distracting. We all need time where we turn people off, and listen to God instead.

Clarity

[38] Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” [39] So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Mark 1:38-39 (NIV)

We need to make the mornings mater. Spending time with God gives us clarity for our day, our week, and our life. God tells us what’s important and what’s not important.

Every day, we each have so many decisions to make, and decision making is one of the most stressful things in the world. God gives us clarity, and clarity reduces anxiety.

Activity

[20] While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill— [21] while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.

Daniel 9:20-21 (NIV)

What happens when we pray? God moves.

When we don’t understand how God is moving when we pray, we will lose motivation. All the great things that happen are through prayer, and we might not even notice. Heaven gets active the moment we start praying.

The moment we stop praying, it’s not that we are too busy. It’s that we’ve begun to lose our faith and move further away from God.

Impact

[22] He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. [23] As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision…

Daniel 9:22-23 (NIV)

Are we praying like Daniel? I doubt it… Prayer is how we make a difference.

Do you realize that no matter how terrible you are or how terrible you feel, the blood of Jesus lets you have the same level of impact on God that Daniel had? That’s amazing! So why are we not getting up in the mornings to pray? Why do we go through hard times and avoid prayer?

Remember: faith is lost and gained in the morning.

So how should you approach the morning? First, stop complaining. We complain too often about too many things, but we don’t work at getting up in the morning and spending time with God. Be honest: if you’re in a pit right not, it’s because that’s where you want to be and where you chose to be. Self-pity is all about self. You aren’t stuck; you are stubborn.

Expectation

[1] Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. [2] Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. [3] In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

Psalm 5:1-3 (NIV)

When you pray, expect for God to say Yes. When we’re proud, we don’t expect anything. Be greedy with God! Stop thinking so small!

Celebration

[4] Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name. [5] For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 30:4-5 (NIV)

Celebration should be part of the morning… every morning. Why does God want us to praise him? It’s because we spend so much time thinking about people, and that’s what’s messing us up!

Are you guilty? If you had the right kind of morning, your wouldn’t be.

Anticipation

[5] I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. [6] My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Psalm 130:5-6 (NIV)

Watch and see God answer your prayers.