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  • Starting Your Day Right

Message Action Plan

Starting Your Day Right

How you start your day will determine how you feel throughout the day. Too often, though, we have no margin in the morning — waking up to an alarm clock, checking our phones, rushing out the door, and sitting in traffic to get to work on time. In this message, Pastor Buddy Owens teaches us how to enter the day calmly and with a quiet time with God. You’ll learn how to slow down, read God’s Word, and hear his voice. Find out the three ways God speaks to us, and how 15 minutes alone with God will help you relax, reflect, and respond in prayer. Don’t miss Part 3 of our series, which will teach you how to start your day the right way!

April 29, 2018 | Buddy Owens and Anthony Miller
More from this series

Action Plan:  Take CLASS 201 this weekend to learn more about habits for spiritual growth.

Click here for information on 201 and all other CLASSes being offered this weekend. 

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE: SLOW DOWN

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace."  Matthew 11:28-29 (Mes)

  • SLOW DOWN TO READ GOD'S WORD

    "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right."         2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)

     Bible reading and prayer are not two separate activities
 
     They are two parts of a conversation

"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace."  Matthew 6:6 (Mes)

Read for Depth not for Distance

"But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does."  James 1:25 (NIV)

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."  Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

Action Plan:  Use the "15 Minutes Alone with God" plan below to get yourself started on having a daily quiet time this week. Try starting in Matthew 1:18.

  • SLOW DOWN TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE

    "He awakens me morning by morning, he awakens my ear to listen as a disciple."  Isaiah 50:4 (NASB)

THREE WAYS GOD SPEAKS TO US

  • God speaks through His Word

    "The Word of God is alive and active. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires."     Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
  • God speaks through His Creation

    "What can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse" Romans 1:19-20 (NET)
  • God speaks through His Still Small Voice

    ". . . And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice." 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NKJV)

Action Plan:  Try exploring different outdoor areas as places where you can have a special quiet time. Different scenery can help you appreciate different aspects of God's character.

  • SLOW DOWN TO RESPOND IN PRAYER

    "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray."  Psalm 5:1-2 (NIV)

     The ultimate objective is not to study about Christ,  but to spend time with him

Action Plan:  During your quiet times this week, try praying out loud.

15 MINUTES ALONE WITH GOD

1. RELAX (1 Minute)
"Be still and know that I am God."  Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

2. READ (4 Minutes)
"Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word."  Psalm 119:18 (TLB)

3. REFLECT (4 Minutes)  
"Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long."  Psalm 119:97 (NIV)

4. RECORD (2 Minutes)  
"Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord."  Psalm 102:18 (NIV)

5. REQUEST (4 Minutes)   
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."  1 John 5:14 (NIV)

Doable Discipleship: This week's SPECIAL episode of continues an audience Q + A session with Pastor Tom Holladay! New episodes release every Tuesday. To watch or listen, click here. 

Talk It Over: Have you ever discussed the weekend message in your small group? Talk It Over provides weekly small group discussion questions as a way to bring the weekend message into your small group. To view this week's Talk It Over,click here.

Living with Margin
April 15 - June 10, 2018Watch Series
  • Making Space to Slow the Pace of Your Life
    April 15, 2018
  • Learning To Slow Down
    April 22, 2018
  • Starting Your Day Right
    April 29, 2018
  • Learning To Be Content
    May 6, 2018
  • Making Room For What Matters Most
    May 13, 2018
  • How To Free Myself From The Weight Of Worry
    May 20, 2018
  • Expect The Best & Plan For The Worst
    May 27, 2018
  • The Secrets Of A Productive Life
    June 3, 2018
  • Keeping Your Tank Filled Instead Of Running On Empty
    June 10, 2018
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