5 Things Highly Focused Kingdom People Do Before 8 AM

I recently read an article in Forbes Magazine that identified 5 Things Super Successful People Do Before 8 AM. The article got me to thinking about the morning habits of highly-focused Kingdom people. I've read many biographies of Christian men and women who've lived since the Reformation (AD 1519). From my observation there are the 5 Things Highly Focused Kingdom People Do Before 8 AM.

(1). Exercise the soul. Without fail, every highly focused Kingdom person rose early to set aside some time for personal reflection and reading from Scripture. A few spent their time reading the Bible for personal encouragement and discipline in the evening, but most set aside time early in the morning. "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (I Timothy 4:8).

(2). Engage in prayer. There is no formula for how it is done, but all seemed to do it. They followed the pattern set by their King who "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed" (Mark 1:35). How they converse with God differs, but their purpose is the same. Highly-focused Kingdom people listen and speak to their King for His instruction and counsel early in the morning.

(3). Energize with grace. "Grace to you all" (Hebrews 13:25) is the typical beginning and ending of every New Testament epistle. Resting and rejoicing in God's grace in Christ--which includes absolute forgiveness, unconditional promises of God's goodness and blessing, and eternal, personal love--recharges highly focused Kingdom people to begin each new day with fresh mercies from God. Those mercies are theirs because of the performance of Christ on behalf of His people and not because of their own work or activity.

(4). Envision the Kingdom - "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). Highly focused Kingdom people orient themselves toward the Kingdom of God. "It's never about me, but it's always about the Kingdom." What's the King's desires for me today? To whom is He sending me? Whom can I serve today? With whom can I share Christ's love by my actions and my words? What's the King's desire for me at work? What would He have me do?

(5). Expect great things. "For no word from God will ever fail" (Luke 1:37) is the New International Version way of saying, "For with God, nothing is impossible." Highly focused Kingdom people get their marching orders for the day from the King and they go out with great expectations that God will do more than they could ever even imagine for His glory and the good of His people.