The filter of first

"I can't think in the morning. My body gets up, but my brain doesn't wake up until noon."

"I am SO not a morning person."

"My mornings are chaotic. No way can I connect with God."

"I'm a young mom. I haven't slept through the night in forever. I have to drag myself out of bed way too early as it is. I simply cannot connect with God in the mornings."

"I already get up at 5:00 a.m. to go to work. And now you are saying I have to get up earlier than that? That's legalistic and extreme. I can talk to God anytime during the day and He hears me."

We have all heard it.  We have probably all said it in one form or another at one time or another.  But regardless of our personal opinions and preferences, there is no denying the compelling case that the Word makes for meeting God in the mornings.

Whatever you do first in the day is the filter through which everything else in the day passes.

• If you start with texting, you are beginning your day through the filter of earthly relationships.
• If you start with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you are beginning your day through the filter of the thoughts and activities of other people.
• If you start your day with internet, you are beginning your day through the filter of earthly events, crises, and situations.
• If you start your day with conversation, you are beginning your day through the filter of the needs of your home.

Let your first thoughts be thoughts of Him.

Let your first words be words to Him.

Let your first communication be from Him through His Word.

But if your day begins through the filter of His Word and communication with Him, everything else that happens in the day takes on a totally different hue.

The filter of first.

Keep reading.  These are not my words, they are His…

Psalm 108:2-"Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early."

Psalm 143:8-"Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee."

Proverbs 8:17-"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."

Mark 1:37-" And in the morning rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."

Isaiah 50:4-"The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned."

Psalm 5:3-"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Psalm 55:17-"Evening, morning, and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice."

Psalm 57:8-" Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early."

Psalm 63:1-"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee:"



© 2014 by Melani Brady Shock