The BEST morning routine...

What is your morning routine like?

Maybe even the word routine is a bit strong for what happens in your house in the morning! But I’m sure there are a few things you do every morning.Whether it is cleaning your teeth,getting some breakfast, or like many of us lifting our phones as soon as we wake to check social media. 

Interestingly, Youtube is full of vloggers and celebrities discussing their morning rituals. You can find thousands of people willing to share their life hacks on how to be more productive. Showing you how to get that morning work out in and the importance of setting your clothes out the night before!

All good advice, but sadly most of us watch these videos late at night and then wake up in a rush after hitting the snooze button 5 times!

The question we should be asking is what would Jesus’ morning routine look like. 

Although every morning of the Lord Jesus’ life is not recorded in the Bible, we do have an account of what seems to have been typical morning for the Him here on earth, in Mark 1: 34-39.

34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons

What did Jesus’ morning routine look like? 

The verses begin with an account of very busy day in the life of the Lord Jesus, one filled with service; healing and casting out devils. We read in v 38-39 that the next day for Jesus was also going to be marked by busy service. So having just completed a busy day and with a full schedule for tomorrow we might expect that the Lord Jesus would choose to take it easy in the morning. However we see even when Jesus was at His most busy, He still prioritised prayer! 

We read in V35 of the Lord Jesus’ morning routine. He began each day free from distractions in talking to his Father.

We can learn number things from our Lord’s morning routine:

He got up early…

Now this is not easy, especially for teenagers (its medically proven), but it is really important to start good habits young (Proverbs 22:6). No one expects you to get up at 4.30am every morning to pray, but what about setting your alarm just 10 minutes earlier? Waking up and committing your day to God, will mean you will have begun the day being proactive rather than reactive. Instead of hurling yourself into the days stresses and strains, how much better to begin by talking to the one who holds this world in His hands. Nothing worth doing comes easy, in fact it always involves some form of sacrifice. The Lord Jesus’ morning routine involved sacrifice and so should yours. 

He looked for a place free from distraction… 

The Lord went out form His house and away form the people he was staying with so he could have some uninterrupted time with God. 

This world is not set up to help us find silence and solitude. Distractions are all around us.

When was the last time you went for a walk without headphones?Or left your phone at home when you went shopping!? 

We are the generation who struggle to watch a film without checking our phone every 5 minutes. 

This all makes finding a time and place in your day for silent, solitary reflection in prayer is even more important. You don't have to climb the nearest mountain to do this. The Lord Jesus himself advised us to find a room, close the door and pray to God (Matthew 6:6) 

Jesus valued prayer above all else. 

Lastly we learn from the Lord Jesus’ morning routine was that He valued prayer above all else. Despite the business of His life and the many demands people put on Him, He did not use these as an excuse. Instead, He got up early and found a place without distraction so he could talk with God.

So how’s your morning going? 

Have taken sometime to talk to God?

No time in prayer is wasted.  

As we begin a new month why not commit to beginning each day in prayer and see what happens! 

Love,

Dave. 

Assurance of salvation

The question that we need to ask ourselves is what does it means to be saved?

According to the dictionary there are 4 definitions of this word:
1. To keep safe from harm or danger
2. To keep and store up
3. Keep by moving a copy to a storage location
4. Avoid the need to use up or spend
Well, the first definition is the one we have to focus on. 
God wants to keep us safe from harm and danger.

In the Garden of Eden God planted trees that were good for food; but there was one tree that God
commanded Adam not to eat of. He warned Adam that if he was to eat of the fruit of that tree he
would certainly die (Gen 2:16-17). This was a sure thing! Adam disobeyed God and as a
consequence sin and death entered the world.

We can see throughout the ages the results of one man’s sin. Adam and Eve sinned against God,
resulting in all mankind inheriting that sinful nature. The Bible tells us that we are born in sin and
shaped in iniquity (Psalms 51:5). 

So because of one man sin entered the world and because of sin death came to all (Romans 5:12). We all will die, that is if the Lord does not come before to take those that have put their trust in Him. 

God also tells us that if we die in our sin - having not trusted in the Lord Jesus, we will face the judgement that is to come. We will face the wrath of God and be eternally separated from Him. What a terrible thing this will be! The place that will be for those who haven’t excepted Christ as their Saviour is the lake of fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels.

God however offers a way out through His son the Lord Jesus. In John 3:16-17 we read:

‘For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes on him

should not perish but have everlasting life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the

world but that the world through him might be saved.’

Salvation, is the gift of God to all those that believe. If you believe in His Son you shall not perish
but have everlasting life (John 3:36). The word of God says this so we can be certain that this is
truth.

So you have accepted Christ Jesus as your Saviour, but how many of us doubt our salvation? If we
understand our salvation based on our feelings we would definitely doubt it. Our feelings change all
the time. Somedays we feel good about ourselves and feel secure in our salvation, whereas other
days we feel down and rubbish, focusing on all the negative things, thinking how could God even
love me let alone die on the cross for me? 

Instead of focusing on our feelings we must look to the only sure and firm foundation. We have to hold fast to the word of God, which never changes. His word is true and eternal (Matthew 24:25 & 1 Peter 1:25). 
Lets now look in the Bible at some verses that will help us to feel assured of our salvation.

Firstly it is God’s work not ours! 
If it was down to us and our good works it would fail. 
Nothing we do in our strength is good enough to reach God as we have all fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). In Ephesians 2: 8 & 9 we read 

‘For by grace you have been saved through faith.

And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works...’. 

Therefore in doubting our salvation we are doubting God’s work and refusing to enjoy His gift to us. Our salvation is secure because it is God’s doing not our own.

In Hebrews 10:11-12 we read : 

‘And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the

same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single

sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God’, and in v 18 we read: ‘where there is

forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.’

Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary was sufficient to take away all our sins. Whereas in the old
testament we read about animals having to be sacrificed regularly. These animals that were
sacrificed could not take away sins but were used by the Jews year by year as a covering of their
sins. Christ made one sacrifice for all sin, compared to many sacrifices needed for each sin. 

We also see that only the priest was allowed to enter the temple, but that he could not sit down,
showing that the work was not complete. Only Jesus could say, I have completed the work the
Father has left me to do, allowing Him to sit down at the right hand of God. Our salvation is secure
on the bases of a completed work!


We can gain more reassurance from 1 John 1:9: 

‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness'. 

Do you notice what is said here?
He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That means our past, present and future sins will be
washed away if we confess our sins and believe on the work of the cross. 

Furthermore, He says in Psalms 103:12 

‘as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us’. 

Have you ever wondered why it doesn't say as far as the north is from the south? There is a
north and south pole so when you begin at one point you will end at the other whereas there is no
beginning or end when going from east to west. There’s no end to God’s grace and mercy towards
us.

Then in Romans 8:35 we read: 

‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulations, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?’ 

Also in v 38 & 39 we read:

‘For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to

come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate

us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord’. 

How amazing!! God’s love is so great for us that nothing can separate us from it. Nothing we do or say, and nothing anyone or thing can do, can cause us to lose our salvation. Once we are saved, we are saved forever!

Lets look at the Prodigal son. The youngest son asked his Father if he can receive the portion of
his inheritance now. The Father kindly gave him his portion and then the son left to live in a far
country away from his family. He spent his inheritance on riotous living, leaving him with nothing
left. After exhausting all of his options he decided to go back to his Father and apologise for the
wrong that he had done. He decided that he would tell his Father to make him one of his hired
servants instead. However when he came home, and was still a way off, his Father saw him and
ran to meet him giving him a great big hug and kiss. The son began to apologise but the Father did
not allow him to say make me as one your hired servants. The Father welcomed him home as his
son! 

The son had left the Father’s home and had sinned but he never stopped being his son. 

This is the same for us, God loves us and if you are a child of God that will never change. However living a sinful life will affect the enjoyment of that relationship with God our Father.

Lastly lets look at one more verse, Philippians 1:6: 
"that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ’. 

This shows us that when a person becomes a believer they are saved forever. The Holy Spirit indwells the person, and they become a new creation, becoming God’s child. Jesus will one day soon come back to claim those that have put their trust in Him and then will we reap the full benefit of our salvation.

If you find yourself doubting your salvation turn quickly to the word of God. As we have seen from
the above verses, which are only a few of the many, you will find comfort and reassurance that
your salvation is secure! This will give you great joy and peace.

Love, Josh.