Text: Mark 6:30-32
Memory verse:
“For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not,” Isaiah‬ ‭30‬:‭15‬ ‭

George Muller, was a Christian philanthropist who built and operated orphanages without asking for money from men but from God only! He was famous for his orphanages which were funded by prayer. At a stage when George began to have health problems, doctors prescribed more sleep for him. However, he noticed that the more he slept, the worse his condition grew! Thus, Muller self-diagnosed his problem as less physical and more spiritual as his prolonged sleeping had interrupted his Quiet Time. It was reported in his biography, that his “resumption of early rising secured long seasons of uninterrupted interviews with God, in prayer and meditation on the Scriptures before breakfast and…He found himself not worse but better physically…and, as to his spiritual life such new vitality and vigor accrued from his waiting upon God…that it continued to be the habit of his later years!”
Early morning personal devotion is a divine platform to renew your spiritual and physical life, health and strength. This is the principle which our text today teaches. “And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.”‭‭(Mark‬ ‭6‬:‭31‬‬‬).
Other versions call the ‘deserted place’, a quiet place, a secluded place, a solitary place, a place to be alone. This is an appointment with God, where all distractions are shut out.
We dispense physical and spiritual energy while serving. Every work takes something out of you. Grace and virtue are released and our fountains become drained if we don’t return to the Lord for renewal. When we don’t recharge, we soon become messengers without messages and vessels without virtues. When we don’t care to renew our vitality, we abuse our bodies and we suffer the consequence of breakdown of our health. God calls us to come apart from the world to be with Him so we can be reignited, reenergized and refreshed to serve better. We are in the world but we don’t derive our power from the world. The quiet time in the morning is a time to refuel and prepare for the day. There, His, glory overshadows us and brings something glorious out of us (MK 9:7; Lk 1:35).
Friends, you are as strong as your early morning quiet time. Don’t let anything hinder you from your source of power and renewal.

Prayer points
1. Father, please, reenergize me and let my spiritual and physical health be renewed as I commune with You every morning in Jesus name.
2. Father, please help me to be disciplined to keep away distractions during my quiet time in Jesus name.

Today’s declarations
1. I don’t get drained out because I daily renew grace and virtue during my early morning communion with God.
2. I am in the world but I don’t derive my power from the world, so I come apart from the world to be with the Lord every morning.

Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng