Why & How Did Jesus Pray? | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

Mark chapter 1. Please meet me there mark one.

Mark 1 · chapter mention

I'm not sure how long this sermon is going to be maybe

short, maybe long. Let's just trust that.

However, long it is, it'll be exactly what the Lord has for

us. Mark 1:35.

Mark 1:35

And Rising very early in the morning while it was still dark.

He departed. And went out to a desolate place

and there he prayed and Simon and those who are with Him,

search for him and they found him and said to him, everyone is

looking for you and he said to them.

Let us go on to the next towns that I may preach there.

Also. So for that is why I came out

and he went through all Galilee preaching in their synagogues

and casting out demons. Lord, it's in moments like this.

Or you must manifest your power. As this word is delivered Lord,

may be delivered in the strength of the spirit.

And we ask. Oh God.

That the intention of these verses would be known the goal

of what you have here in. Holy writ would melt into our

hearts and that it would translate into the way you want

us to be. We ask Lord that the voice of

condemnation would be canceled. We ask Lord instead that as we

speak about the person of Jesus and the value he placed on

prayer that it would Inspire us. That it would truly stir Us in

the innermost parts of who we are to engage, in this thing,

called prayer for ourselves. Lord, again, let inspiration be

the motive. Let that be the fuel to the

spiritual discipline. We submit ourselves to you as we

hear what you have to say. In Jesus name, we pray.

Amen. You've heard this many times

before, but it's good to be reminded.

Especially when we come to something that will be as

instructive as this, The Wider context, helps us understand how

we apply these things more specifically in precisely.

It will benefit us if we if we're reminded again that marks

intent in writing about Jesus life and his ministry was to

depict him as the perfect servant of God.

Isaiah prophesied about this true Israel, who is Jesus, who

came to do what the nation of Israel failed to do over

centuries and centuries and centuries and that was to know

God's Will. And then to obey it,

consistently constantly Faithfully perfectly.

That's what Jesus came to do. He came to do what Israel failed

to do. He came to do what all men

cannot do, and that is to submit to God and His instruction.

His will perfectly. And so, as he comes to this

point, we see something interesting with that theme in

the Forefront of our minds, because we just read here.

Something that Jesus is doing that.

We haven't really seen him do in Mark before, we've seen, Jesus

ministering with Miracles, being compassionate and healing.

We see him in his powered, delivering people from the

Demonic captivity of evil spirits.

We see him going into synagogue, Hugs and teaching all these

wonderful things. But all four sudden as we enter

into this verse, we realize that Jesus is not doing anything

necessarily with his hands. Instead we see him praying.

We see him on his knees. So to speak, though, it's not

explicitly clear how he pushed himself.

And what's incredible about that, it's as though Marcus

doing this with great intention and other words, it's as though

after you and I have just seen a highlight reel of the authority

of Jesus Christ in different ways.

All of that is put on pause and marked by the spirit, puts his

hand on a certain curtain and pulls it back to a certain

degree so that you and I as the readers of God's word can peek

in and see the very source of Is power on the Earth.

After all the demonstration of glory, after all that radiated

from him, that shook the world around and wherever he stepped

foot in things and people knew there was something unusual.

Now, we come to the very thing that is connected to all of that

and it's, it's in the posture of Prayer.

Before Jesus did anything with his hands.

You find him on his knees. And before there is any public

display of power. There was first, a private

posture of humility and dependency upon upon God, and

that is exactly what we see here.

My question is, why does Mark wanted to see Jesus?

Praying, he could have skipped over that.

We could have just continued with the theme of him doing

miraculous, glorious things. And I believe one reason is

because that if we seek to imitate the master That's your

heartbeat. If you're Christian in this

place, one of the signs that you are born again.

Is that you want to imitate him? That's what John says that we

ought to walk in the way. He walked.

That's your desire. I want to be like him and I

believe Marcus is showing something about Jesus for the

reader who seeks to imitate him so that by seeing the value that

Christ put on private, not just prayer but private prayer.

You and I would say, I want to be like him and then by seeing

the value that Jesus put on private prayer, we'd be honest

with ourselves and examine and see, do we have the same

estimation as my lord does? Now I am fully aware, I am fully

aware that a message about something like private prayer

can be easily a guilt-ridden thing and I will not come fold

this, Bible and whack you over the head with it, and try to

make you feel guilty enough to make sure that you have a form

of Prayer in your life, apart from meetings.

And before your meals and said, my prayer though, it was

difficult to do much this week. My simple prayer to the Lord,

was to say, Lord, just let the people be genuinely inspired to

have this in their lives. Let there be a sweet sense of

invitation into this. Let It Be by the end of this,

this message though, it may not be eloquent and though it may be

delivered in a raspy voice met by the spirit.

Cause people to say, I really want this, I really want this

all I'm really going to offer you today according to the word

of God. It's hopefully two things

inspiration and instruction inspiration and instruction.

And it's going to be based on three simple observations about

these texts. These verses that we have before

us. The reason why Jesus prayed the

remoteness of his praying And the reward of his praying.

The reason for his praying, the remoteness the isolation of his

praying and then the reward of his praying we read it.

Did we not and Rising very early in the morning while it was

still dark he departed and went to a desolate place.

I mean the spirit of God so detailed Paints the scene.

It's almost hard to imagine how you can't visualize.

Is, you can't visualize it. Every time I come to this in my

reading of Mark, I cannot help. But think there is Jesus in his

warm bed in Peter's house as a guest And he gets up so

graciously and his feet touched the ground, and he makes his way

towards the front door. While there are snoring

disciples around him and he comes through that front door

and opens it. And closes it softly only to

turn around and tiptoe around bodies that have laid their

overnight intense and maybe even in the open field, hoping to get

a front-row seat to a new day of Miracles that took Place last

night then there's Jesus strategically making his way

through the crowd and finally comes to a certain field that is

distant enough from the people. And he makes way into the mouth

of some kind of area that is filled with the sound of

crickets echoing into the night. And then within seconds, he just

disappears and he gets deep enough into this desolate place

where no one can see him or hear him without investigating for

him. So that this Jesus can freely

speak to his father without any fear of interruption or people

demanding for his presence and this Havior.

I'm telling you is very strange for someone who just spent hours

upon hours the night before casting out devils and Healing

The Sick, doesn't it? He does.

And there's only one conclusion to make about this.

Jesus had a revelation of prayer that made an appointment with

it. Absolutely necessary.

Jesus had an understanding of prayer that made a premeditated

schedule. Necessary for him to keep it was

more important to him than a little bit of extra time in a

warm bed to him. He had to do this.

And this time of Fellowship is not spontaneous, don't get it

twisted, it's not spontaneous. It was planned and Christ knew

that to leave a set time alone with the Lord.

Up to chance or spontaneity is really a recipe for disaster?

This is something that has to be intentionally set and he does

that. And it's important to note that

a verse like this in no way suggests an unhealthy or an

unbalanced neglect of the needs of the body instead.

What it is saying is that we need to be intentional in

organizing and organizing our day around Round the

prioritization of prayer and our day-to-day affairs.

He woke up very early knowing knowing what was ahead of them,

knowing that demands that were prepared.

And he said, I have to do this, I must do this.

And the application of daily private prayer is going to look

different for all of us. Now, let me remind you.

As Believers prayer, is not a suggestion.

Jesus on the sermon of the mount says, when you pray remember he

said that he says he didn't say if you pray If you pray, you

know, do it like this. You gotta When you pray in other

words, I'm expecting you to pray.

I'm expecting you to have a personal communion with the

father and when you do it, whenever that is, let me tell

you how to do it. And God is gracious enough.

We're not like those religions that have set times of prayer We

have a certain Liberty in a freedom depending upon the

responsibilities and the duties that we are each given to and

God understands that. And that is so encouraging to

know. So.

So we can be blessed to know that.

It's not about the earliest in the day makes my prayer more

valuable. That's not the case.

What's Happening Here? Is that Jesus in his day in his

ministry, new at the earliest time was the most profitable

time. This was this is the time where

Can get the most out of this. And so he protected that and

he's surrounded that day around that being the foundation of his

beginnings of a new day. And if we don't do this, here's

the same. I'm trying to give you very

practical instruction, if you and I are not intentional, if we

just leave it up to the the spirit of God making me want to

do it, you're never going to do it.

It's not going to happen. If you're waiting for a

conference once a year to propel you into that direction, you're

just you're going to be very anemic in this.

Instead, there has to be, there has to be a plan.

There has to be an intentional plan.

If not we risk, we risk those blessings that are reserved in

this area being evaporated by the busyness of our day.

And one of the illustrations of that is in the Exodus story.

When God had given his people daily Manna.

He reigned bread from Heaven, it would come upon the do and it

would materialize into some kind of a way.

Fur and day by day. The people would expect that in

the morning as the do rested upon the fields that they would

gather that mana and be nourished for that day.

But what's incredible is now only was the Mana there, every

day in the morning, they were instructed to gather it in the

morning in the morning. And if they didn't gather it in

the morning, this is what happened.

I want you to just hear this in. Exodus 16 21 more.

Earning by morning, they gathered it each as much as he

could eat. But when the sun grew hot it

melted What an amazing Insight when the sun grew hot, if that

bread was not gathered on time, it would, it would evaporate it

would disappear and they would not be able to gather.

And what was truth physically for the Israelites with their

Mana is true for the believer today with their spiritual

nourishment daily. And here's what it is, if you

are not, I are not careful to gather it at a time where it Our

first ambition, in our schedule, then we run the risk of the heat

of our activities that day to melt away, the opportunity to

gather any of it at all. Can I prove it to you?

How many of us when we woke up maybe snooze the little bit

longer than we want or something happened?

Where we just stayed in bed and we assured us I'll do it later

on. I spent time in God's word later

on I'll pray later on only to find ourselves what exhausted

Coming back to that same bed dead tired and trying but we

fail and that's the picture the heat of that day melted.

The very thing that needed to be gathered with our first strength

and our first ambition. And our first goal of the day,

if not, then like the Mana, you just have to wait for the next

day and just give it another go. But the problem is people who

don't have that intentional mindset live days and weeks and

months without this and then they wonder why is my faith so

weak? Why am I so give in to

Temptation? You know?

Listen whenever somebody comes up to me and struggles with a

specific sin and he habitual sin.

Your pastors, your elders are never here to condemn anybody

who comes in that weakness, but we will probe and ask questions

so that we can, we can try to figure out what it is that's

causing this. And one of the main things, I

always ask anybody who struggles.

I says, when was the last time be honest, when was the last

time that you had adequate time with the Lord by yourself 100%

of the time? Anybody who is struggling?

Tells me it's been quite a bit of time.

Every never fails over the years, it never never fails.

And so, we have to understand that each of us in this place.

Each of us in this place, has a particular window of time where

we have the blessing prepared for us.

And it is in that time where we must gather it, because if not,

then we will most likely have to wait till the next day to have a

chance at it again, but you have many good hearted Believers.

I mean, I'm telling you something, you already know,

right? All of us know this.

But the problem is at the same time, there are many people who

just can't get themselves to do it.

I just can't. I get it.

You're telling me I know it. I mean if I were to ask right

now who in here wants to improve in their prayer life everyone

would lift their hand. It's it's not like it's not a

mystery. It's common, but what's also

common? As you have, many people who

could just never kick start, they can ever get themselves to

actually do it and they can never even remember a time where

it was consistent. And I think the reason why is

because we don't have the right motivation for.

I believe, the main reason why there is little to no

understanding of what is there prepared for us that if we just

engage with it with faith, you can actually come to a point

that you can't live without it. I believe, Daniel, the Prophet

came to that point because when there was a law given that if

you pray to any other deity, except for the king, then you

were to be killed. You were to be punished.

And Daniel the very same day goes to his room opens the

window and he does what he was doing all along and that was to

seek the face of God three times a day.

And here's the conclusion that I make out of that that Daniel was

willing to die as a praying man that the live as a prayerless

man. He had such an understanding of

what happened and how can you, how can you deny it?

You look at the Book of Daniel and I challenge, you look at the

times when God brings Revelation to him, when he was praying,

when he was fasting, when he was seeking the Lord, that's when

these amazing Revelations came to him.

I'm not going to live without this might as well kill me

because to live with our prayers, not to really live at

all. And now I say that and we think

well that's a nice way of phrasing it but It really true

how we tapped into that, where we actually believe that for

myself that if you were to take prayer away from me, that's to

take oxygen away from me. Nah, it's a humbling thought and

I think the reason is, we don't know why we need to do it.

We know we need to do it. We just don't know.

Why, can I ask you a question? We know Jesus prayed.

Why did he pray? Don't answer in your heart, you

can, but why did he pray? Why did the Son of God need to

pray? Why did he do it like this?

Why did he spend so much time in its such a small amount of

ministry ears? You see in so many occasions?

That he goes into this place. He goes into that place.

He spends this much time. Prayer and prayer.

Lord. You have three years.

There's only so many towns to preach and you'll have so little

time. What are you doing?

He had a revelation. Jesus had an insight and he

wants us to have the same insight and though there are

many answers. Well, he was a man.

He had to be dependent upon God all true.

But I have one Holy Spirit revealed reason why according to

the Bible, why Jesus prayed? And here's what's interesting

it's found in the book of Isaiah turn there with me to chapter

15. Isaiah Isaiah did not just

prophesy about the sufferings of the Christ.

Isaiah even prophesied about the fellowship that he had with the

father. Isaiah chapter 50.

Isaiah 50 · chapter mention

Look at verse 4 quickly. This is the Messiah.

Speaking, this is the Lord himself speaking.

And this is, now here's what's interesting.

This chapter is actually about the suffering servant the

servant of Jehovah. And here's an insight into how

the servant of God in the person of Jesus Christ related to God,

as the status of a servant in verse 4, the Lord God has given

me the tongue of those who are taught that.

I may know how to sustain with a word.

Him who is weary morning by morning.

He awakens. He awakens my ear to hear as

those who are taught. And that incredible.

Notice that in humility the servant of Jehovah says that the

Lord has given him a certain ability, he did not say that he

independently worked up a certain gift.

He says, here that he was given and what was given the ability

to communicate precise words that would actually lift up the

weary soul. The Lord God has given me the

tongue, the ability to communicate verbalize speak in

such a way that it would Infuse, a Grace that would lift.

The burden off those who are heavy laden, that's what the

Lord God has given me. And what's amazing is that

though he was given, it was something that needed to be

maintained. It was something that was not

just dependent upon one time of a gift.

No, it was something that needed to be.

Print and there need to be fresh insight and what that's what we

see morning by morning. He awakens morning by morning.

It was a Perpetual practice of the Christ to come before the

Lord and depend on him for a daily deposit of wisdom.

So that as he went out into the world, with the people that he

so loved, he would be able to precisely minister to their

needs with his tongue. And according to Mark, 138, we

realized you heard it. That Jesus was ready.

Go to these towns and Galilee to preach there was a new preaching

campaign that he was ready to embark on.

And knowing that I believe based on Isaiah 50, he comes before

the father. Father.

What am I to say? What am I to speak?

What am I to deliver to these people?

A new audience, father, give me the words.

Give me your wisdom. Give me your instruction.

And there he was in that desolate Place.

Seeking him while people were sleeping.

And that's a touching scene morning by morning, and here's a

point to consider. God is prepared to give us what

we need to be effective servants, but that can only be

found in the place of holy secret prayer.

And according to Isaiah, Jesus had a daily appointment with the

father. With the frame of mind of

believing that he was to receive the necessary.

Revelation has a result of remaining and being in his

presence. Do you believe that God wants to

equip you? And deposit truths in you and

open your eyes to certain things as you come before him, and give

him that time of focus attention.

I believe in. I've seen it.

I can tell you, I am the weakest, not in the frame of my

body. I am the weakest in my ability

to serve others when I am the weakest in prayer.

I know it. I know it.

I can sense. It call me mystical, all you

want, I don't care. When you serve the Lord in any

capacity, there's almost a sense of in which virtue leaves you.

And Jesus prayed not just to receive for for further service.

There was a refreshment there, a replenishment that can only come

from God himself. And I think that is something

that we have to believe as we come before the Lord.

Lord, I believe you have something for me.

That if I moved to go out there and to be effective, Lord, if

you do not equip me, I can't do what you've called me to do. the

problem is you have way too many people who are too dependent

upon their gifting and their minds and their cleverness, and

their books even It doesn't have the ability that only God can

provide where it actually affects the weary soul and

brings about some kind of an aide brings about some kind of

an Effectiveness. This is available, but it's only

in that appointment with God. I'm not trying to speak to you

as preachers. I'm trying to speak to you in

any capacity in which we serve the Lord as witnesses as we go

out into the world. I'm telling you, we need the

same source of Grace from the father has Jesus had And I can

only come from that. You can't buy this thing.

You can't, you can't get a degree in it.

You can't get a PhD and I praise God for that.

It has it requires, sacrifice, it requires cost.

You have to set time apart, turn your back on the community at

times. Turn your back on the Comfort.

Say, Lord, I'm so hungry for this.

I'm so aware of my neediness of this that I'm here before you,

that is where you get the hand of Not on your life, that is

where you get it. That is where his Spirit rests

upon whatever gift in the case of Jesus as a preacher as a

teacher, it was upon his tongue and it's true for any part of

the ministry. The reason why Jesus prayed

among many reasons never forget, Isaiah chapter 50 verse 4.

Isaiah 50:4

Let me give you a couple of practical instructions here.

Remind yourself. Build your faith.

Create an awareness in your heart that apart from God,

supplying something in you. You will not be effective for

his kingdom. You got to believe that you

really got to believe that. I believe it was Spurgeon who

said somewhere along one of his writings, or That when he would

sit in the front Pew before he would preach, he would whisper

underneath his breath every step.

Before he came to the pulpit. I believe, in the Holy Spirit, I

believe in the Holy Spirit, I believe in the Holy Spirit,

Despite the oratory ability this man was fully aware that he

needed God, and that he could not come to this thing without

god with him. Build your faith in that area.

Really, I don't care what you do where you work.

You need his help to be a witness to be a servant.

Secondly, Prepare in your mind, make a mental note ahead of time

of how you will spend time with God In Prayer.

The next day, I make a mental note of that.

You saying, brother, this is legalistic rules are not

legalistic, okay? I'm trying to give you some help

to know how you can. If you leave this up to chance,

it's not going to work. It's not going to work.

Look at your week. Do you have something coming up?

That's unusual. I have these appointments.

I have these events. I have to help so-and-so.

Look at that in advance. And say this is where I'm going

to spend time with the Lord. This that this time, I'm going

to do this. That will greatly help.

I'm trying to make sure that you protect the sacred thing that

will bring about so much blessing in your life.

I have much more to say in this area but let me move on the

reason for Jesus praying. That's clear.

We have one, there's many, but let me give you to the

remoteness of his praying. It's so clear is a not of the

spirit of God does not just highlight the priority that

Jesus placed on prayer and his day-to-day activities but also

the Strategic location of where he would pray.

He went out to a desolate place. He went out to a desolate place

that's not to say he went out necessarily to desert but it was

a place that was separated from population from any distraction.

And there are many reasons why he did this But let me tell you

one thing. If we can pray anywhere in any

place at any time with anybody around us, why is it necessary

for us to do what Jesus did in two separate ourselves from from

others? I believe, one main reason

beyond the obvious distractions and this and that one main

reason is, because secret prayer testifies to God, that we long

for intimate communion with him. Secret prayer, testifies to God,

that we long for intimate communion with him.

It says, I take all the attention off of others, I even

take attention off of myself and I give it all to you.

That's what it says. It's very hard.

To be a hypocrite in secret prayer.

It's easy to be a hypocrite and public prayer.

Now, public prayer is important but it's much easier to

temptation is much stronger to be in a room with other people

and to pray, didn't Jesus say that in Matthew 6, When you

pray, go into your room, shut the door, don't be like those

who go into the corner of the streets, and who make a display

of the prayers later on in Mark. Don't be like those who would

sake of pretense, they make long prayers so that they can be

seen. And heard when we are in public

that temptation to be hypocritical.

On our praying is heightened when you are in private, it's

very difficult to try to show off.

Very difficult now. It's still possible.

We're very creative in our weakness.

It is, I can pray really loud in my room, so that my brother is

here me that I'm praying. I can pray a certain amount of

time and record my time. So that anybody asked me how

long you pick, I pray for two hours.

But it's much more difficult. And maybe that's why people

don't like private prayers so much because you can't show off.

Because there's nothing of for the flash, their public prayer.

Yeah, I can. I'd love to come to public

prayer. Lord.

And then let me speak King James even on top of it, Foulest

right. But that's why he says he sees

in secret the father not that he doesn't see him public.

Is that when you and I choose to pray privately goggles.

Okay, I see you. I see you.

I see what you're doing there. I see that you are after me as

your primary and sole audience and that's why the reward isn't

secret prayer because he sees that you are detaching yourself.

That you are eliminating all other things and solely coming

before him and saying Lord, the eyes of my heart.

I wanted to be set on you alone, you are my only audience.

So here's my heart, I bring it before you, and it's not so much

about the location. As much as it is about the inner

attitude because that Sanctuary can be in your Honda Civic.

That Sanctuary can be on the the subway.

That's Sanctuary. Can be in your kitchen can be

anywhere for me. It's give me a park.

And that place will become the holy of holies to me.

It looks different for all of us, but it's more about that

inner attitude. And when he sees that when he

sees that you're willing to separate yourself and actually,

stop all the busyness to give him your praise and to pour out

your heart, that's where the reward is.

That's where the reward is, you know, this very well why, you

know, people say I love to praying, but it helps me helps

me stay focused. That's fine, you can know.

To a certain capacity with your brothers and sisters in the same

room calling upon him. God will bless that and he will

honor that. But, you know, very well that if

you want to get to know anybody on a personal basis, you can go

on all the group dates that you want, but there's nothing like

that one-on-one time. There's nothing like that

face-to-face. No other voices.

No, other interruptions. Just you and him.

That's what God is asking of each of us.

He really is. And I get it.

I can almost hear the thoughts easy for you to say preacher,

your full-time job. Going to pray all you want, not

really. Actually you'd be shocked to

know how many pastors don't pray at all.

The prayerlessness among pastors is scary.

But I know what it's like, I personally know what it's like.

I was not a pastor from my mother's womb.

Okay. I know what it's like, I

remember doing an internship in school where I had to wake up

six in the morning and then I had to take three different

forms of transportation to get back to my apartment.

And I would walk back in The Frigid cold of that Toronto

weather and the month of February, bone, tired, bone

tired. How Lord?

I don't know if I can do this, I mean 626 on average, sometimes

and Lord you won't. I don't know when I'm going to

spend time with you, the way you call me to spend time with you,

I'm exhausted. I'll be so frustrated when I was

a student before my internship. Haha, it was like heaven on

Earth. But then when this came about, I

got it, I understand. And I believe the lord gave me a

taste of that. Whenever it came to this point

in my life, I can look out to a crowd of people and I said,

well, you better pray. No excuses, I get it.

In the Lord through that in many ways but mainly through the

scriptures comforted me and I want to use the same scriptures

that comforted me to comfort. You In Mark, 14.

Turn with me there. In Mark 14 verse 6.

Mark 14:6

This is when Mary of Bethany anointed the feet of Jesus.

A beautiful sacrificial act of worship.

But she was criticized. There are some people who have

the gift of criticism. It's amazing.

No matter what you do. You give a little.

They criticize you. Give everything they criticize.

A mark 14:6. Jesus defends her.

Mark 14:6

I love this story because Mary of Bethany never defends

herself. She doesn't try to make a case

for why she did what she did Jesus defends her, and look what

he says in verse 6. But Jesus said, leave her alone.

Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing

to me. Keep that in mind.

She has done a beautiful thing to me.

Oftentimes, what is beautiful to the Lord is criticized by other

people. She's done a beautiful thing to

me for you always have the poor with you and whenever you want

you can do good for them but you will not always have me.

And I look what he says here in verse 8 she has done what she

could She has done what she could.

She has anointed my body beforehand for burial that

phrase. Mother of those baby's father

who makes long commutes. Person is working two jobs a

week. She has done what she could do.

Whatever, Mary did she did to the best of her ability?

And you know what Jesus said of that?

It's a beautiful thing to me. That is a beautiful thing to me.

And the Lord brought that to my heart, give me what you can give

me. And I will see you as beautiful

and I did. Lord in this season.

This is all I can give you. Now, somebody can take that

verse and say, I don't like going to give got anything and

that's what I can do. It's better to give God

something than nothing. Always remember that.

Lord, you know. And I know my heart, testifies

before you the honesty of my context, this is all I can offer

you and I wish I could have more.

I wish you can blow the walls off of my schedule so I can have

this sweet time with you but this is all I can give you and

that has a fragrance to him. Be free from legalism.

Be free from legalism. And realize the richness of his

Mercy. That he considers and he is

mindful of your responsibilities and everything else not to

excuse things that we consider busyness, when it's really

silliness. But to say Lord, just like this

guy. And his college Years, very

frustrated with the context of my situation and wanting to give

more just do what you can do. And I'll bless you.

That sacrifice of a pigeon, according to Leviticus one, was

the same values. The sacrifice of the bull

different sizes, different sizes.

But why did God give those instructions?

If you can't give a bowl, give a goat.

If you can't give a, go give a pigeon.

What was he saying? Give what you can afford, and no

matter what size. It was, no matter how much it

cost you if it was all that, you can give it was the same

offering in God's eyes. Give what you can't give up.

The remoteness of his of his praying, he separated himself.

And he sought the father, let me end with the reward of his

praying. Let's go back to Mark 1 and

we're going to end it here. Mark 1 verse 36.

Mark 1:36

And Simon and those who are with Him, search for him and they

found him and they set them, everyone is looking for you.

You go to Luke and it's told that the people came after him,

so it wasn't just Simon and the disciples, you had a crowd

chasing after, they was there on a hunt for Jesus, which gives me

the hint that that's how long he was praying for.

I mean, he was praying it before the sun rose and he must have

been praying until the sun came up.

When everybody woke up, that's incredible.

That people realize Jesus is not here and they opened the door.

They open the room, so they go on this, Chase for Jesus and

they find him. And Simon Says, everyone is

looking for you. And I looked at that and I

thought to myself what an inside and here it is.

Be aware that when you set yourself to pray, things will be

looking for you. Sin is not the only thing that's

going to keep you from praying, that's easy, good things will

try to find you to keep you from praying.

Okay? Remember that these are the

needs of the people. These are demands, there's a

schedule to be kept and all of this Found Jesus.

But here's what I love the Lord already knew that the Lord

already knew what was coming that day, the Lord already knew

what situation he was in and ministry.

That's why we're told earlier he woke up very early, right?

Very early, so that The time the needs and The Persuasions and

all these things came to him, he was already prayed up.

He's already saturated and the presence of God.

And he comes with the crowd and I want you to see Luke's

description of it, go to Luke very quickly and 4:42 the same

incident with a different perspective.

And it's in Luke where we see what they were trying to do with

Jesus. Luke 4:42.

Luke 4:42

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place,

and the people sought him and came to him and would have kept

him from leaving them. So there is a just trying to

find his whereabouts to make sure he was safe.

They were trying to find him so that they can keep him in

Capernaum. This was a persuasion.

This was, this was popular demand.

This was an attempt to keep him in one place when as we read

earlier he says let us go to the next towns. and when the

opportunity presented itself for Jesus to stay, The context is

prayer. Jesus was already.

So in tune with the will of God. His know, I have to move on.

Here's the first reward that you can expect when you prioritize

prayer as Jesus did. You will know a protection from

The Persuasions of daily temptation.

You will know a protection, you will know a strength to be able

to look at things that are trying to steer you away from

the will of God and say God said something else.

I must obey. God Watch and Pray lest you fall

into temptation. Now what's incredible is that

this happened on more than one occasion with Jesus after he fed

the 5000 in John chapter 6 you don't have to turn there but

John 6 · chapter mention

listen to these words and John Verse 15, it says perceiving,

Jesus, perceiving them that they were about to come and take him

by force to make him King. Jesus withdrew, again to the

mountain by himself. So he perceived that the people

were trying to make him be a king that would overthrow Rome

and be this miraculous King, who can supply their needs.

They don't have to work again. They have to do this again and

perceiving that realizing that this multitude of people are

going to turn and try to force him, he Retreats.

And he goes to the mountain. It doesn't say it in John, but

in Mark, with the same account it says, he went to the mountain

to pray. Lord, this is not your will.

And we don't know what he said, but he knew as a man, I have to

get along with God because I know what is coming and because

I know what is coming. I need his strength.

If you just knew what was coming every single day, I'm fully

convinced not just when I step out of the front door of my

house, when I get out of my bed. There are things waiting to

persuade me away from the will of God.

I need to meet with him. Lord, I know there are things

coming my way. I may not know the nature of it.

I know may not know the intensity of it, but God

Almighty prepare me. Strengthen me.

That is the reward that we see here, but let me give you the

second one. He says that, as I said earlier

in verse 38 of Mark 1 and he said to them, let us go on to

the next towns that I may preach there.

Also, that is why I came out prayer.

Not only keeps you on course, in the will of God, but it

clarifies the will of God for tomorrow.

It clears the air. And I am not going to stand here

and tell you that every single time.

You pray, you're going to get an audible Voice or an automatic

response to some need for Direction.

But what I can tell you based on the authority of the word of God

is that when he sees a man or a woman who's so take, seriously,

the will of God for their life. Serious enough to say, Lord, I

want to make sure that I'm in step with you.

God will ensure that you will never step outside of his will.

Oh, he will open. He will shut, he'll protect,

you'll prevent your provide, he will supply, he was subtract.

You would be amazed to know how God will work on behalf of a

praying man. Praying Woman.

The man on his knees has no fear in life.

The woman on her knees, has no concern in this life of where

they're headed tomorrow. There's a phrase.

I just finished reading the book of Daniel.

And there's a phrase there when Gabriel appears to Daniel to

give him a revelation based on his praying Daniel.

Greatly beloved. Greatly beloved.

Greatly loved by heaven. Why was he so loved?

As many reasons. Who was the Beloved disciple of

out of all the 12? John what was so unique about

John? He put his head on the bosom of

Jesus, he was so intimate with the Lord.

And you have Daniel and John both recognized as the Beloved

of the Lord. And interestingly enough,

Daniel. John receive apocalyptic

revelation of the end times. But these two men were intimate

with the Lord. They prioritize his presence.

And God honored that and he guided them and he revealed

things to them. I'm done.

I have only one prayer for us tonight.

Rather this afternoon as a congregation.

Got with touch our prayer lives. That's it.

And you would have. you know, you can get to the point, you

can get to the point With this thing called prayer is so real.

And so enjoyable. but when you miss it, there's an ache in your

heart not condemnation, not which you haven't prayed the

past 3 days. What?

She were distracted, none of that.

None of that stuff. Lord, I miss you.

I miss you, Lord. I haven't had the time that I

would want to pour my heart out to you and worship you.

I miss your presence. You want God to do that in your

life? You know what will happen.

Things won't be so entertaining as they used to be.

The color of this world becomes Gray.

And then there's something that's deeper than the flesh

deeper than the senses, that brings a joy and Delight to you.

And it's the knowledge of God. most of the problem with sin and

Christians lives is not because you have a computer in your room

or an iPhone or this or trauma. There's a lack of satisfaction

in God. It's as simple as that.

There's a place where you can get to in God, where you so

receive a satisfaction taste and see that the Lord is good.

That it fills you to the degree that even Temptation loses its

grip on you. And doesn't have the pull that

it used to have. And telling you can come to a

place in your prayer life where when it is not met it doesn't

make you feel condemned, it makes you miss the person.

That's what I want for you. That's what I want for you or we

thank you. We have all fallen short, Lord

of this. And we have heard that you are

jealous jealous for that time alone with you.

Lord, this speaks of your heart for us.

We thank you for that. Or we just simply ask that you

would enlarge our hearts so that we can call upon you quick and

us that we can call upon you. Hello to all we ask is that you

would you would do our hearts to the degree, that prayers of the

light, not just a duty and that we enjoy your presence and that

our prayer lives are not just a grocery list of things that we

need. Help us.

Lord help the father's help the mothers, help the students.

Help. The ones who are working

paycheck to paycheck. And teach us how to give you

what we can and to believe that that is beautiful in your eyes.

Lord, if somehow condemnation was able to sneak into our

hearts through a message like this.

By the end of the service. Would you replace it?

With a passion for intimacy with Christ.

And then we just trust that these verses would be implanted

deeply in US. And that they would meet us day

by day. We trust you, we trust you.

We've done what we can and we trust you in Jesus name.

We pray. Amen.

And we stand and Worship the Lord.