I was listening to a wonderful talk by one of my favorite British ministers the other day, Rico Tice (I mentioned him yesterday).  He is a former Senior Minister at All Souls, Langham Place in London and Co-Founder of Christianity Explored Ministries.  In the talk he gave on the topic of evangelism he noted one of the things he has incorporated into his life to prepare himself for walking daily with the Lord and to help him in the work of evangelism is to focus his morning thoughts around four questions. I thought this was a fantastic daily routine to incorporate and fantastic enough for me to share with you!

So, to get the full picture, Rico said that most mornings as he sets his heart and mind in Christ for the day through prayer and reading, he turns to the front of his yearly Bible where he reads through these important questions and the Scriptures which accompany them to ground himself for the day:

1. When were you converted? Ephesians 1:4-5 says, …even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,… Here he is simply but profoundly reminding himself that he has been called and saved by Christ the redeemer, that he is indeed “in Christ.”
2. How does God feel about you? Romans 1:17 says, For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” This reminds Rico that God has given him Christ’s righteousness so that when God looks upon him, he is pleased.
3. What sort of day is today going to be? Romans 8:28 says, And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  If God was in charge on Good Friday, he is in charge of all days, he is in charge of all things. So, Rico can trust him with the day and all its goodness, trouble, joys, and sadness. He can face the reception as well as the rejection of others.
4. Why is today better than yesterday? 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.”This reminds him that no matter what the day brings we are all a step closer to our best days ever and that is something hopeful to keep before us.

As you live in this difficult and unpredictable world and as you face the things you face, even perhaps being rejected for sharing your faith, may these questions be at least a regular help, if not daily help, to keep you grounded in the sovereign and deep love of our Lord.

Peace of Christ,

Patrick