Slugabed (Mark 1.35)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “slugabed.”  What an awesome word!  I remember playing sports and doing a ton of extracurricular activities while I was in high school.  It seems that I never had enough time in the day.  And then something happened.  I accepted Jesus somewhere around my sophomore year.  I was pretty new in the faith and had a lot of good mentorship, pointing me in the right direction in a relationship with God.  Part of this was adding prayer to my routine.  It did not seem tough at first, but when I realized that I had to actually set some time aside to now and again, it caused me to have to rethink my schedule.  It’s taken me several years, and even now sometimes I struggle with getting away to spend some time with God.  I always lean on today’s verse in my quest to fit that time in, along with a busy schedule. 

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. ~Mark 1:35

My question is: how do you fit prayer into your routine?  JC was no slugabed by any means… he made sure to sneak away before the day started on this occasion to make sure he got some good time with his Father.  It’s not necessarily even that you have to get up early in the morning or stay up late at the end of the day to do so.  Spending time in prayer, and investing in your relationship with Jesus, must be a proactive piece of your life.  And, even though we are supposed to pray always, we do need to find time to set aside to allow God to speak to us.  My prayer is that you do just that; carve out a little bit of time for God today and allow him to speak to you.  You will be amazed with what he might have to say.

Praying for you,

MO

Incunabula (Mark 1.29-39)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “incunabula.”  The New Year is always fun and exciting.  There is a freshness of spirit and understanding that you have the chance to be better.  Resolutions, decisions, and all that comes with each year puts you in a position to do the unexpected.  I think that is one of my favorite parts about having a relationship with God.  There is always something to challenge me, to be a better person and

In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” ~Mark 1:35

My question is: What are your goals for this year? When you take this first day of the New Year, are you ready and willing to make JC a part of your year-long commitments?  My prayer is that you take the time to use this first day with God and give him the best of your year, right from the start.  Do it today.  When you add God to this beginning equation, the incunabula, I can confidently say that you will have a great year.  Not saying it is going to be easy… but worth the time and effort it will take to live according to God’s will.

Praying for you,

MO

Vespertide (Psalm 113:1-9)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “vespertide.”  Most of us lead pretty crazy lives. We get up early and go to bed late. There is always something to be done and work to be finished. At times we can even become consumed with the tasks that are in front of us. But how many peeps take the time to sit and reflect on the things of God? I am not saying that we need to shut life down, although sometimes i believe that is appropriate. I do know that we need to give God his due and realize what is important.

“From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the LORD is to be praised.”

~Psalm 113:3

ANd that is about it… so here is the question: Are you praising God on a continual basis? I know that stuff needs to get done. THere is always something pressing that cannot wait.  But there is always a way to incorporate God into whatever is going on in your life. My prayer is that you take a moment to praise God.  And, whether you're going through good times or bad, day or nite, morning or vespertide, you realize that you have been given this life, which is the best gift God could give. And it’s a simple way to give back to God through a bit of simple praise.

Paying for you,

MO