“Give God First Place in Your Day”

Fresh Manna © by Pastor Tim Burt
http://www.freshmanna.org/ “Give God First Place in Your Day”

Mat 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Yesterday as I was driving my car home, I thought, “This car is dirtier than I usually let it get. I have to clean it up.” My minivan is about four years old. When I first got it, I always kept it clean. Now I am not washing my car as often. Consequently, it looks a little dirty – inside and out. That is not me. I like my cars clean. Familiarity with my car has set in.

Throughout life we experience new and fresh and exciting things. A guy gets a new car, a new recliner chair, a new rifle or fishing pole, or some new toy. He loves the smell, the touch or feel of it. He loves the newness of it. He works to keep it’s newness by pampering and cherishing it – for a while. Women have their things they love that are new and exciting and that they pamper too!

Over time, new things become familiar. Relationships and things lose some of their newness and familiarity sets in. There is nothing abnormal about this except that in some areas of life, especially in the area of relationships, this becomes dangerous. We start to unappreciate blessings, taking them for granted and letting familiarity set in. There are some things in life that we cannot let familiarity touch. That is most true in priority relationships.

Speaking from a mans perspective concerning his wife, it would be easy for me to take Renee for granted. She is sweet and kind to me and goes a long time before complaining when I treat her more as a roommate than my wife. The other day as we were getting ready in the morning, I suddenly had this feeling that I was treating her with familiarity more than cherishing her and treating her as the jewel she is to me. I simply began to dream about how much I love her and what a blessing she is. I then began to show her a heightened tenderness and love throughout the day. In a very short time I could see how it was affecting her. She was instinctively responding back with tenderness and love. No words had been spoken about this. It was just heart and action.

I felt led this morning to say that familiarity unchecked leads to what can become days, weeks, months, even years of not doing something we know we should be doing. Putting God first and giving Him place in the beginning of our day, tops the list.

Life is busy. We are tired yet have to get up and get going in our day. We may push that sleep to the last minute. Suddenly, reading the Bible or at least a devotional about His Word and spending time with God in pray just seems to fall on the back burner. Shortly, this becomes a repeated and regular occurrence.

It was for this reason that I started to distribute Fresh Manna almost seven years ago. The average Christian surveyed and also many I talked to reluctantly but admittingly said they end up forging into their day without spending time in the Word of God or in prayer. For that reason I wanted to put out something that would help others launch their day with God.

People pass Fresh Manna along and many people begin with excitement to read Fresh Manna, but over time like anything else, it becomes familiar. In time that formally excited person writes to apologetically tell me they don’t have time to read Fresh Manna anymore. That could make me laugh. Fresh Manna is about 1,000 words. It takes about three minutes focused reading every word. The average reader will spend multiplied time reading a newspaper, watching television, or giving themselves over to something else outside of any priority list.

To put it honestly, thinking we can go through our day without God’s anointing touching our lives – without giving the “Lord,” Lordship of our day is either pride or mismanagement of our priorities. Excuses coupled with familiarity and losing sight of what is precious and valuable blinds the priorities we cannot have a blessed life without.

Don’t take this as a scolding or pitch for Fresh Manna. Take this as me sensing a prompting of the Holy Ghost to say “many of us have neglected the Lord by being careless to give Him a place to speak into our day and direct it.” It’s important that we give the Lord entrance into our lives. When and how are dependent upon you and the lifestyle you live.

Maybe you will make the decision to get up or get going earlier to spend time with God. When you do, you will sense a resistance in your flesh. That is spiritual warfare – the flesh against the spirit. Romans 8:5-6 says, “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.”

When you let the Holy Spirit reestablish your priorities and you receive His strength through prayer to walk in them, you will as today’s Fresh Manna verse says, be “seeking first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

God will direct you into a powerful and exciting Christian walk. It’s in putting Him first and cherishing your time with Him that you will see change and blessing come. Give Him place to speak into your day! Many words from many can put you to sleep. One word from God can change your life!

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt http://www.freshmanna.org/