1 00:00:17,100 --> 00:00:24,300 Mark chapter 1. Please meet me there mark one. 2 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,900 I'm not sure how long this sermon is going to be maybe 3 00:00:28,900 --> 00:00:33,900 short, maybe long. Let's just trust that. 4 00:00:33,900 --> 00:00:36,300 However, long it is, it'll be exactly what the Lord has for 5 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:43,200 us. Mark 1:35. 6 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:57,300 And Rising very early in the morning while it was still dark. 7 00:00:57,300 --> 00:01:01,500 He departed. And went out to a desolate place 8 00:01:01,500 --> 00:01:07,000 and there he prayed and Simon and those who are with Him, 9 00:01:07,008 --> 00:01:11,900 search for him and they found him and said to him, everyone is 10 00:01:11,900 --> 00:01:14,500 looking for you and he said to them. 11 00:01:14,500 --> 00:01:19,200 Let us go on to the next towns that I may preach there. 12 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,500 Also. So for that is why I came out 13 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,200 and he went through all Galilee preaching in their synagogues 14 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:34,800 and casting out demons. Lord, it's in moments like this. 15 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:43,500 Or you must manifest your power. As this word is delivered Lord, 16 00:01:43,500 --> 00:01:46,100 may be delivered in the strength of the spirit. 17 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:48,400 And we ask. Oh God. 18 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:54,500 That the intention of these verses would be known the goal 19 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:59,800 of what you have here in. Holy writ would melt into our 20 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,900 hearts and that it would translate into the way you want 21 00:02:02,900 --> 00:02:07,200 us to be. We ask Lord that the voice of 22 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,700 condemnation would be canceled. We ask Lord instead that as we 23 00:02:11,700 --> 00:02:15,500 speak about the person of Jesus and the value he placed on 24 00:02:15,500 --> 00:02:21,800 prayer that it would Inspire us. That it would truly stir Us in 25 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:27,100 the innermost parts of who we are to engage, in this thing, 26 00:02:27,100 --> 00:02:35,300 called prayer for ourselves. Lord, again, let inspiration be 27 00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:38,900 the motive. Let that be the fuel to the 28 00:02:38,900 --> 00:02:43,100 spiritual discipline. We submit ourselves to you as we 29 00:02:43,100 --> 00:02:45,900 hear what you have to say. In Jesus name, we pray. 30 00:02:46,300 --> 00:02:49,700 Amen. You've heard this many times 31 00:02:49,700 --> 00:02:51,600 before, but it's good to be reminded. 32 00:02:51,700 --> 00:02:54,200 Especially when we come to something that will be as 33 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:59,100 instructive as this, The Wider context, helps us understand how 34 00:02:59,100 --> 00:03:02,500 we apply these things more specifically in precisely. 35 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,200 It will benefit us if we if we're reminded again that marks 36 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:11,100 intent in writing about Jesus life and his ministry was to 37 00:03:11,100 --> 00:03:15,000 depict him as the perfect servant of God. 38 00:03:15,500 --> 00:03:21,600 Isaiah prophesied about this true Israel, who is Jesus, who 39 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,800 came to do what the nation of Israel failed to do over 40 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,100 centuries and centuries and centuries and that was to know 41 00:03:28,100 --> 00:03:30,600 God's Will. And then to obey it, 42 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,700 consistently constantly Faithfully perfectly. 43 00:03:33,700 --> 00:03:38,100 That's what Jesus came to do. He came to do what Israel failed 44 00:03:38,100 --> 00:03:40,000 to do. He came to do what all men 45 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:45,100 cannot do, and that is to submit to God and His instruction. 46 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:49,200 His will perfectly. And so, as he comes to this 47 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,700 point, we see something interesting with that theme in 48 00:03:52,700 --> 00:03:55,800 the Forefront of our minds, because we just read here. 49 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,100 Something that Jesus is doing that. 50 00:03:58,100 --> 00:04:02,800 We haven't really seen him do in Mark before, we've seen, Jesus 51 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:07,400 ministering with Miracles, being compassionate and healing. 52 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,200 We see him in his powered, delivering people from the 53 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,300 Demonic captivity of evil spirits. 54 00:04:13,300 --> 00:04:17,600 We see him going into synagogue, Hugs and teaching all these 55 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,500 wonderful things. But all four sudden as we enter 56 00:04:20,500 --> 00:04:24,400 into this verse, we realize that Jesus is not doing anything 57 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:28,500 necessarily with his hands. Instead we see him praying. 58 00:04:30,300 --> 00:04:33,300 We see him on his knees. So to speak, though, it's not 59 00:04:33,300 --> 00:04:35,700 explicitly clear how he pushed himself. 60 00:04:36,700 --> 00:04:39,200 And what's incredible about that, it's as though Marcus 61 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,400 doing this with great intention and other words, it's as though 62 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:47,100 after you and I have just seen a highlight reel of the authority 63 00:04:47,100 --> 00:04:49,500 of Jesus Christ in different ways. 64 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:54,600 All of that is put on pause and marked by the spirit, puts his 65 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:58,800 hand on a certain curtain and pulls it back to a certain 66 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:03,100 degree so that you and I as the readers of God's word can peek 67 00:05:03,100 --> 00:05:08,100 in and see the very source of Is power on the Earth. 68 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:13,900 After all the demonstration of glory, after all that radiated 69 00:05:13,900 --> 00:05:17,100 from him, that shook the world around and wherever he stepped 70 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:21,200 foot in things and people knew there was something unusual. 71 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:25,900 Now, we come to the very thing that is connected to all of that 72 00:05:25,900 --> 00:05:29,000 and it's, it's in the posture of Prayer. 73 00:05:30,900 --> 00:05:34,000 Before Jesus did anything with his hands. 74 00:05:35,300 --> 00:05:40,000 You find him on his knees. And before there is any public 75 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,200 display of power. There was first, a private 76 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:49,600 posture of humility and dependency upon upon God, and 77 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:51,700 that is exactly what we see here. 78 00:05:52,900 --> 00:05:55,600 My question is, why does Mark wanted to see Jesus? 79 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:57,500 Praying, he could have skipped over that. 80 00:05:57,500 --> 00:06:00,400 We could have just continued with the theme of him doing 81 00:06:00,700 --> 00:06:05,200 miraculous, glorious things. And I believe one reason is 82 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:10,500 because that if we seek to imitate the master That's your 83 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:12,000 heartbeat. If you're Christian in this 84 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:15,700 place, one of the signs that you are born again. 85 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,500 Is that you want to imitate him? That's what John says that we 86 00:06:19,500 --> 00:06:21,300 ought to walk in the way. He walked. 87 00:06:21,300 --> 00:06:24,100 That's your desire. I want to be like him and I 88 00:06:24,100 --> 00:06:29,900 believe Marcus is showing something about Jesus for the 89 00:06:29,900 --> 00:06:34,400 reader who seeks to imitate him so that by seeing the value that 90 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:38,700 Christ put on private, not just prayer but private prayer. 91 00:06:39,500 --> 00:06:45,000 You and I would say, I want to be like him and then by seeing 92 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:49,400 the value that Jesus put on private prayer, we'd be honest 93 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,300 with ourselves and examine and see, do we have the same 94 00:06:52,300 --> 00:06:58,400 estimation as my lord does? Now I am fully aware, I am fully 95 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:03,000 aware that a message about something like private prayer 96 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:09,100 can be easily a guilt-ridden thing and I will not come fold 97 00:07:09,100 --> 00:07:13,500 this, Bible and whack you over the head with it, and try to 98 00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:17,600 make you feel guilty enough to make sure that you have a form 99 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,700 of Prayer in your life, apart from meetings. 100 00:07:20,700 --> 00:07:24,700 And before your meals and said, my prayer though, it was 101 00:07:24,700 --> 00:07:29,400 difficult to do much this week. My simple prayer to the Lord, 102 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:35,800 was to say, Lord, just let the people be genuinely inspired to 103 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:40,700 have this in their lives. Let there be a sweet sense of 104 00:07:40,700 --> 00:07:45,200 invitation into this. Let It Be by the end of this, 105 00:07:45,300 --> 00:07:48,600 this message though, it may not be eloquent and though it may be 106 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:52,700 delivered in a raspy voice met by the spirit. 107 00:07:52,700 --> 00:07:57,200 Cause people to say, I really want this, I really want this 108 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,200 all I'm really going to offer you today according to the word 109 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,500 of God. It's hopefully two things 110 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:07,700 inspiration and instruction inspiration and instruction. 111 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:12,000 And it's going to be based on three simple observations about 112 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,500 these texts. These verses that we have before 113 00:08:14,500 --> 00:08:18,900 us. The reason why Jesus prayed the 114 00:08:18,900 --> 00:08:25,200 remoteness of his praying And the reward of his praying. 115 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:30,800 The reason for his praying, the remoteness the isolation of his 116 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:35,700 praying and then the reward of his praying we read it. 117 00:08:35,700 --> 00:08:40,400 Did we not and Rising very early in the morning while it was 118 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:44,300 still dark he departed and went to a desolate place. 119 00:08:45,100 --> 00:08:48,500 I mean the spirit of God so detailed Paints the scene. 120 00:08:48,500 --> 00:08:52,400 It's almost hard to imagine how you can't visualize. 121 00:08:52,500 --> 00:08:57,200 Is, you can't visualize it. Every time I come to this in my 122 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:02,700 reading of Mark, I cannot help. But think there is Jesus in his 123 00:09:02,700 --> 00:09:08,700 warm bed in Peter's house as a guest And he gets up so 124 00:09:08,700 --> 00:09:13,900 graciously and his feet touched the ground, and he makes his way 125 00:09:13,900 --> 00:09:16,000 towards the front door. While there are snoring 126 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:19,500 disciples around him and he comes through that front door 127 00:09:19,500 --> 00:09:22,600 and opens it. And closes it softly only to 128 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:27,400 turn around and tiptoe around bodies that have laid their 129 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:32,600 overnight intense and maybe even in the open field, hoping to get 130 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:37,400 a front-row seat to a new day of Miracles that took Place last 131 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,600 night then there's Jesus strategically making his way 132 00:09:41,300 --> 00:09:45,800 through the crowd and finally comes to a certain field that is 133 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:52,100 distant enough from the people. And he makes way into the mouth 134 00:09:52,100 --> 00:09:56,200 of some kind of area that is filled with the sound of 135 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:00,400 crickets echoing into the night. And then within seconds, he just 136 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:05,000 disappears and he gets deep enough into this desolate place 137 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:09,000 where no one can see him or hear him without investigating for 138 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:12,200 him. So that this Jesus can freely 139 00:10:12,500 --> 00:10:17,500 speak to his father without any fear of interruption or people 140 00:10:17,500 --> 00:10:20,200 demanding for his presence and this Havior. 141 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:24,800 I'm telling you is very strange for someone who just spent hours 142 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:29,800 upon hours the night before casting out devils and Healing 143 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,500 The Sick, doesn't it? He does. 144 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,600 And there's only one conclusion to make about this. 145 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:43,200 Jesus had a revelation of prayer that made an appointment with 146 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:45,400 it. Absolutely necessary. 147 00:10:46,700 --> 00:10:51,700 Jesus had an understanding of prayer that made a premeditated 148 00:10:52,300 --> 00:10:57,100 schedule. Necessary for him to keep it was 149 00:10:57,100 --> 00:11:00,800 more important to him than a little bit of extra time in a 150 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,900 warm bed to him. He had to do this. 151 00:11:04,300 --> 00:11:07,800 And this time of Fellowship is not spontaneous, don't get it 152 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:13,300 twisted, it's not spontaneous. It was planned and Christ knew 153 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:16,300 that to leave a set time alone with the Lord. 154 00:11:16,500 --> 00:11:21,800 Up to chance or spontaneity is really a recipe for disaster? 155 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:28,300 This is something that has to be intentionally set and he does 156 00:11:28,300 --> 00:11:30,600 that. And it's important to note that 157 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:34,500 a verse like this in no way suggests an unhealthy or an 158 00:11:34,500 --> 00:11:39,200 unbalanced neglect of the needs of the body instead. 159 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:43,100 What it is saying is that we need to be intentional in 160 00:11:43,100 --> 00:11:47,300 organizing and organizing our day around Round the 161 00:11:47,300 --> 00:11:51,200 prioritization of prayer and our day-to-day affairs. 162 00:11:52,500 --> 00:11:57,100 He woke up very early knowing knowing what was ahead of them, 163 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,800 knowing that demands that were prepared. 164 00:12:00,100 --> 00:12:03,500 And he said, I have to do this, I must do this. 165 00:12:04,100 --> 00:12:07,900 And the application of daily private prayer is going to look 166 00:12:07,900 --> 00:12:11,000 different for all of us. Now, let me remind you. 167 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:15,100 As Believers prayer, is not a suggestion. 168 00:12:16,700 --> 00:12:20,200 Jesus on the sermon of the mount says, when you pray remember he 169 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:24,400 said that he says he didn't say if you pray If you pray, you 170 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,100 know, do it like this. You gotta When you pray in other 171 00:12:28,100 --> 00:12:30,600 words, I'm expecting you to pray. 172 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,800 I'm expecting you to have a personal communion with the 173 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:39,400 father and when you do it, whenever that is, let me tell 174 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,100 you how to do it. And God is gracious enough. 175 00:12:42,100 --> 00:12:46,200 We're not like those religions that have set times of prayer We 176 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:50,000 have a certain Liberty in a freedom depending upon the 177 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:53,900 responsibilities and the duties that we are each given to and 178 00:12:53,900 --> 00:12:56,300 God understands that. And that is so encouraging to 179 00:12:56,300 --> 00:12:57,500 know. So. 180 00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:59,200 So we can be blessed to know that. 181 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,800 It's not about the earliest in the day makes my prayer more 182 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:05,600 valuable. That's not the case. 183 00:13:06,300 --> 00:13:09,800 What's Happening Here? Is that Jesus in his day in his 184 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:13,300 ministry, new at the earliest time was the most profitable 185 00:13:13,300 --> 00:13:15,700 time. This was this is the time where 186 00:13:15,900 --> 00:13:20,000 Can get the most out of this. And so he protected that and 187 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:25,000 he's surrounded that day around that being the foundation of his 188 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:29,200 beginnings of a new day. And if we don't do this, here's 189 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:30,800 the same. I'm trying to give you very 190 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:35,100 practical instruction, if you and I are not intentional, if we 191 00:13:35,100 --> 00:13:39,800 just leave it up to the the spirit of God making me want to 192 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:41,700 do it, you're never going to do it. 193 00:13:41,900 --> 00:13:45,400 It's not going to happen. If you're waiting for a 194 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:49,500 conference once a year to propel you into that direction, you're 195 00:13:49,500 --> 00:13:52,000 just you're going to be very anemic in this. 196 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,900 Instead, there has to be, there has to be a plan. 197 00:13:57,500 --> 00:13:59,400 There has to be an intentional plan. 198 00:14:00,300 --> 00:14:04,500 If not we risk, we risk those blessings that are reserved in 199 00:14:04,508 --> 00:14:07,700 this area being evaporated by the busyness of our day. 200 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:12,500 And one of the illustrations of that is in the Exodus story. 201 00:14:12,500 --> 00:14:15,600 When God had given his people daily Manna. 202 00:14:16,100 --> 00:14:20,100 He reigned bread from Heaven, it would come upon the do and it 203 00:14:20,100 --> 00:14:22,500 would materialize into some kind of a way. 204 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,900 Fur and day by day. The people would expect that in 205 00:14:26,900 --> 00:14:30,600 the morning as the do rested upon the fields that they would 206 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,400 gather that mana and be nourished for that day. 207 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:38,100 But what's incredible is now only was the Mana there, every 208 00:14:38,100 --> 00:14:42,600 day in the morning, they were instructed to gather it in the 209 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:47,100 morning in the morning. And if they didn't gather it in 210 00:14:47,100 --> 00:14:48,700 the morning, this is what happened. 211 00:14:48,700 --> 00:14:52,400 I want you to just hear this in. Exodus 16 21 more. 212 00:14:52,500 --> 00:14:56,900 Earning by morning, they gathered it each as much as he 213 00:14:56,900 --> 00:15:00,700 could eat. But when the sun grew hot it 214 00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:08,000 melted What an amazing Insight when the sun grew hot, if that 215 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:12,700 bread was not gathered on time, it would, it would evaporate it 216 00:15:12,700 --> 00:15:15,100 would disappear and they would not be able to gather. 217 00:15:15,300 --> 00:15:18,800 And what was truth physically for the Israelites with their 218 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:23,200 Mana is true for the believer today with their spiritual 219 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,900 nourishment daily. And here's what it is, if you 220 00:15:26,900 --> 00:15:32,500 are not, I are not careful to gather it at a time where it Our 221 00:15:32,500 --> 00:15:37,300 first ambition, in our schedule, then we run the risk of the heat 222 00:15:37,300 --> 00:15:41,300 of our activities that day to melt away, the opportunity to 223 00:15:41,300 --> 00:15:45,700 gather any of it at all. Can I prove it to you? 224 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:51,100 How many of us when we woke up maybe snooze the little bit 225 00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:52,600 longer than we want or something happened? 226 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,600 Where we just stayed in bed and we assured us I'll do it later 227 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:58,100 on. I spent time in God's word later 228 00:15:58,100 --> 00:16:02,100 on I'll pray later on only to find ourselves what exhausted 229 00:16:03,100 --> 00:16:07,000 Coming back to that same bed dead tired and trying but we 230 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:11,700 fail and that's the picture the heat of that day melted. 231 00:16:11,700 --> 00:16:15,100 The very thing that needed to be gathered with our first strength 232 00:16:16,300 --> 00:16:20,600 and our first ambition. And our first goal of the day, 233 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:24,000 if not, then like the Mana, you just have to wait for the next 234 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:28,800 day and just give it another go. But the problem is people who 235 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:32,700 don't have that intentional mindset live days and weeks and 236 00:16:32,700 --> 00:16:36,100 months without this and then they wonder why is my faith so 237 00:16:36,100 --> 00:16:38,400 weak? Why am I so give in to 238 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:40,100 Temptation? You know? 239 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,100 Listen whenever somebody comes up to me and struggles with a 240 00:16:43,100 --> 00:16:45,900 specific sin and he habitual sin. 241 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:51,700 Your pastors, your elders are never here to condemn anybody 242 00:16:51,700 --> 00:16:55,300 who comes in that weakness, but we will probe and ask questions 243 00:16:55,500 --> 00:16:57,800 so that we can, we can try to figure out what it is that's 244 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:00,800 causing this. And one of the main things, I 245 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:02,400 always ask anybody who struggles. 246 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,900 I says, when was the last time be honest, when was the last 247 00:17:05,900 --> 00:17:14,400 time that you had adequate time with the Lord by yourself 100% 248 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,000 of the time? Anybody who is struggling? 249 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:20,000 Tells me it's been quite a bit of time. 250 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:25,800 Every never fails over the years, it never never fails. 251 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:30,000 And so, we have to understand that each of us in this place. 252 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:34,600 Each of us in this place, has a particular window of time where 253 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,400 we have the blessing prepared for us. 254 00:17:37,700 --> 00:17:41,900 And it is in that time where we must gather it, because if not, 255 00:17:42,100 --> 00:17:44,600 then we will most likely have to wait till the next day to have a 256 00:17:44,608 --> 00:17:48,100 chance at it again, but you have many good hearted Believers. 257 00:17:48,100 --> 00:17:49,700 I mean, I'm telling you something, you already know, 258 00:17:50,100 --> 00:17:52,700 right? All of us know this. 259 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:55,700 But the problem is at the same time, there are many people who 260 00:17:55,700 --> 00:17:57,900 just can't get themselves to do it. 261 00:17:57,900 --> 00:18:00,300 I just can't. I get it. 262 00:18:00,300 --> 00:18:03,100 You're telling me I know it. I mean if I were to ask right 263 00:18:03,100 --> 00:18:06,900 now who in here wants to improve in their prayer life everyone 264 00:18:06,900 --> 00:18:10,500 would lift their hand. It's it's not like it's not a 265 00:18:10,500 --> 00:18:14,200 mystery. It's common, but what's also 266 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:15,500 common? As you have, many people who 267 00:18:15,500 --> 00:18:19,500 could just never kick start, they can ever get themselves to 268 00:18:19,500 --> 00:18:22,200 actually do it and they can never even remember a time where 269 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,700 it was consistent. And I think the reason why is 270 00:18:26,700 --> 00:18:28,900 because we don't have the right motivation for. 271 00:18:28,900 --> 00:18:31,400 I believe, the main reason why there is little to no 272 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:36,900 understanding of what is there prepared for us that if we just 273 00:18:36,900 --> 00:18:41,000 engage with it with faith, you can actually come to a point 274 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,600 that you can't live without it. I believe, Daniel, the Prophet 275 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:48,200 came to that point because when there was a law given that if 276 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:52,000 you pray to any other deity, except for the king, then you 277 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:54,300 were to be killed. You were to be punished. 278 00:18:54,500 --> 00:18:58,100 And Daniel the very same day goes to his room opens the 279 00:18:58,108 --> 00:19:01,400 window and he does what he was doing all along and that was to 280 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:04,000 seek the face of God three times a day. 281 00:19:04,100 --> 00:19:07,300 And here's the conclusion that I make out of that that Daniel was 282 00:19:07,300 --> 00:19:11,400 willing to die as a praying man that the live as a prayerless 283 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:15,800 man. He had such an understanding of 284 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,600 what happened and how can you, how can you deny it? 285 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:21,300 You look at the Book of Daniel and I challenge, you look at the 286 00:19:21,308 --> 00:19:24,700 times when God brings Revelation to him, when he was praying, 287 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:29,000 when he was fasting, when he was seeking the Lord, that's when 288 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:30,900 these amazing Revelations came to him. 289 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:35,200 I'm not going to live without this might as well kill me 290 00:19:35,700 --> 00:19:38,100 because to live with our prayers, not to really live at 291 00:19:38,100 --> 00:19:41,200 all. And now I say that and we think 292 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:44,400 well that's a nice way of phrasing it but It really true 293 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:47,600 how we tapped into that, where we actually believe that for 294 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,900 myself that if you were to take prayer away from me, that's to 295 00:19:50,900 --> 00:19:56,600 take oxygen away from me. Nah, it's a humbling thought and 296 00:19:56,600 --> 00:20:00,800 I think the reason is, we don't know why we need to do it. 297 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:02,800 We know we need to do it. We just don't know. 298 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,400 Why, can I ask you a question? We know Jesus prayed. 299 00:20:06,500 --> 00:20:09,000 Why did he pray? Don't answer in your heart, you 300 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,000 can, but why did he pray? Why did the Son of God need to 301 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,200 pray? Why did he do it like this? 302 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:17,100 Why did he spend so much time in its such a small amount of 303 00:20:17,100 --> 00:20:20,000 ministry ears? You see in so many occasions? 304 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,200 That he goes into this place. He goes into that place. 305 00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:24,800 He spends this much time. Prayer and prayer. 306 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:26,500 Lord. You have three years. 307 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,100 There's only so many towns to preach and you'll have so little 308 00:20:29,100 --> 00:20:30,200 time. What are you doing? 309 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:34,200 He had a revelation. Jesus had an insight and he 310 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,700 wants us to have the same insight and though there are 311 00:20:36,708 --> 00:20:38,300 many answers. Well, he was a man. 312 00:20:38,300 --> 00:20:40,300 He had to be dependent upon God all true. 313 00:20:41,300 --> 00:20:45,100 But I have one Holy Spirit revealed reason why according to 314 00:20:45,100 --> 00:20:50,300 the Bible, why Jesus prayed? And here's what's interesting 315 00:20:50,300 --> 00:20:53,400 it's found in the book of Isaiah turn there with me to chapter 316 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:56,400 15. Isaiah Isaiah did not just 317 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:58,700 prophesy about the sufferings of the Christ. 318 00:20:59,100 --> 00:21:02,400 Isaiah even prophesied about the fellowship that he had with the 319 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:10,100 father. Isaiah chapter 50. 320 00:21:16,700 --> 00:21:19,300 Look at verse 4 quickly. This is the Messiah. 321 00:21:19,300 --> 00:21:22,900 Speaking, this is the Lord himself speaking. 322 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:26,300 And this is, now here's what's interesting. 323 00:21:26,300 --> 00:21:30,400 This chapter is actually about the suffering servant the 324 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,700 servant of Jehovah. And here's an insight into how 325 00:21:33,700 --> 00:21:37,700 the servant of God in the person of Jesus Christ related to God, 326 00:21:37,700 --> 00:21:41,800 as the status of a servant in verse 4, the Lord God has given 327 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:45,800 me the tongue of those who are taught that. 328 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:48,300 I may know how to sustain with a word. 329 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:52,700 Him who is weary morning by morning. 330 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:57,200 He awakens. He awakens my ear to hear as 331 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:02,100 those who are taught. And that incredible. 332 00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:07,500 Notice that in humility the servant of Jehovah says that the 333 00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:12,700 Lord has given him a certain ability, he did not say that he 334 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,100 independently worked up a certain gift. 335 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:20,600 He says, here that he was given and what was given the ability 336 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:26,500 to communicate precise words that would actually lift up the 337 00:22:26,500 --> 00:22:31,000 weary soul. The Lord God has given me the 338 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:35,700 tongue, the ability to communicate verbalize speak in 339 00:22:35,700 --> 00:22:40,200 such a way that it would Infuse, a Grace that would lift. 340 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:43,900 The burden off those who are heavy laden, that's what the 341 00:22:43,900 --> 00:22:48,700 Lord God has given me. And what's amazing is that 342 00:22:48,700 --> 00:22:50,900 though he was given, it was something that needed to be 343 00:22:50,900 --> 00:22:53,500 maintained. It was something that was not 344 00:22:53,500 --> 00:22:56,900 just dependent upon one time of a gift. 345 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:58,200 No, it was something that needed to be. 346 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:01,900 Print and there need to be fresh insight and what that's what we 347 00:23:01,900 --> 00:23:07,300 see morning by morning. He awakens morning by morning. 348 00:23:07,300 --> 00:23:11,600 It was a Perpetual practice of the Christ to come before the 349 00:23:11,608 --> 00:23:15,500 Lord and depend on him for a daily deposit of wisdom. 350 00:23:15,900 --> 00:23:18,800 So that as he went out into the world, with the people that he 351 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:23,300 so loved, he would be able to precisely minister to their 352 00:23:23,300 --> 00:23:29,400 needs with his tongue. And according to Mark, 138, we 353 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:31,200 realized you heard it. That Jesus was ready. 354 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:34,300 Go to these towns and Galilee to preach there was a new preaching 355 00:23:34,300 --> 00:23:36,400 campaign that he was ready to embark on. 356 00:23:36,900 --> 00:23:41,400 And knowing that I believe based on Isaiah 50, he comes before 357 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,600 the father. Father. 358 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:50,600 What am I to say? What am I to speak? 359 00:23:52,100 --> 00:23:54,800 What am I to deliver to these people? 360 00:23:55,900 --> 00:23:59,900 A new audience, father, give me the words. 361 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:04,000 Give me your wisdom. Give me your instruction. 362 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:07,200 And there he was in that desolate Place. 363 00:24:07,500 --> 00:24:09,700 Seeking him while people were sleeping. 364 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:16,500 And that's a touching scene morning by morning, and here's a 365 00:24:16,508 --> 00:24:20,800 point to consider. God is prepared to give us what 366 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:25,400 we need to be effective servants, but that can only be 367 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:29,800 found in the place of holy secret prayer. 368 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:37,100 And according to Isaiah, Jesus had a daily appointment with the 369 00:24:37,100 --> 00:24:41,500 father. With the frame of mind of 370 00:24:41,500 --> 00:24:44,100 believing that he was to receive the necessary. 371 00:24:44,100 --> 00:24:47,400 Revelation has a result of remaining and being in his 372 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:52,700 presence. Do you believe that God wants to 373 00:24:52,700 --> 00:24:57,400 equip you? And deposit truths in you and 374 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:02,100 open your eyes to certain things as you come before him, and give 375 00:25:02,100 --> 00:25:05,200 him that time of focus attention. 376 00:25:07,700 --> 00:25:11,100 I believe in. I've seen it. 377 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:17,200 I can tell you, I am the weakest, not in the frame of my 378 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:21,100 body. I am the weakest in my ability 379 00:25:21,100 --> 00:25:24,800 to serve others when I am the weakest in prayer. 380 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:28,100 I know it. I know it. 381 00:25:28,700 --> 00:25:31,300 I can sense. It call me mystical, all you 382 00:25:31,300 --> 00:25:36,600 want, I don't care. When you serve the Lord in any 383 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:40,800 capacity, there's almost a sense of in which virtue leaves you. 384 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:47,400 And Jesus prayed not just to receive for for further service. 385 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:51,600 There was a refreshment there, a replenishment that can only come 386 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:56,300 from God himself. And I think that is something 387 00:25:56,300 --> 00:25:58,700 that we have to believe as we come before the Lord. 388 00:25:58,700 --> 00:26:00,900 Lord, I believe you have something for me. 389 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,000 That if I moved to go out there and to be effective, Lord, if 390 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:10,000 you do not equip me, I can't do what you've called me to do. the 391 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,500 problem is you have way too many people who are too dependent 392 00:26:13,500 --> 00:26:19,000 upon their gifting and their minds and their cleverness, and 393 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:25,600 their books even It doesn't have the ability that only God can 394 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:29,700 provide where it actually affects the weary soul and 395 00:26:29,700 --> 00:26:34,000 brings about some kind of an aide brings about some kind of 396 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:37,600 an Effectiveness. This is available, but it's only 397 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:42,000 in that appointment with God. I'm not trying to speak to you 398 00:26:42,008 --> 00:26:43,600 as preachers. I'm trying to speak to you in 399 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,700 any capacity in which we serve the Lord as witnesses as we go 400 00:26:47,700 --> 00:26:50,500 out into the world. I'm telling you, we need the 401 00:26:50,500 --> 00:26:55,800 same source of Grace from the father has Jesus had And I can 402 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,400 only come from that. You can't buy this thing. 403 00:26:58,900 --> 00:27:00,800 You can't, you can't get a degree in it. 404 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:04,300 You can't get a PhD and I praise God for that. 405 00:27:04,900 --> 00:27:08,500 It has it requires, sacrifice, it requires cost. 406 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:13,400 You have to set time apart, turn your back on the community at 407 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:16,500 times. Turn your back on the Comfort. 408 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:18,700 Say, Lord, I'm so hungry for this. 409 00:27:19,300 --> 00:27:23,200 I'm so aware of my neediness of this that I'm here before you, 410 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:27,200 that is where you get the hand of Not on your life, that is 411 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,900 where you get it. That is where his Spirit rests 412 00:27:29,900 --> 00:27:32,900 upon whatever gift in the case of Jesus as a preacher as a 413 00:27:32,900 --> 00:27:36,700 teacher, it was upon his tongue and it's true for any part of 414 00:27:36,700 --> 00:27:41,100 the ministry. The reason why Jesus prayed 415 00:27:41,100 --> 00:27:44,900 among many reasons never forget, Isaiah chapter 50 verse 4. 416 00:27:46,300 --> 00:27:48,500 Let me give you a couple of practical instructions here. 417 00:27:49,100 --> 00:27:51,600 Remind yourself. Build your faith. 418 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:55,500 Create an awareness in your heart that apart from God, 419 00:27:55,500 --> 00:27:59,700 supplying something in you. You will not be effective for 420 00:27:59,700 --> 00:28:02,400 his kingdom. You got to believe that you 421 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:07,600 really got to believe that. I believe it was Spurgeon who 422 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:12,300 said somewhere along one of his writings, or That when he would 423 00:28:12,300 --> 00:28:16,200 sit in the front Pew before he would preach, he would whisper 424 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:17,900 underneath his breath every step. 425 00:28:17,900 --> 00:28:21,600 Before he came to the pulpit. I believe, in the Holy Spirit, I 426 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,900 believe in the Holy Spirit, I believe in the Holy Spirit, 427 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:31,700 Despite the oratory ability this man was fully aware that he 428 00:28:31,700 --> 00:28:36,600 needed God, and that he could not come to this thing without 429 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:42,800 god with him. Build your faith in that area. 430 00:28:42,900 --> 00:28:46,800 Really, I don't care what you do where you work. 431 00:28:47,100 --> 00:28:52,000 You need his help to be a witness to be a servant. 432 00:28:52,100 --> 00:28:59,300 Secondly, Prepare in your mind, make a mental note ahead of time 433 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:01,900 of how you will spend time with God In Prayer. 434 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:06,200 The next day, I make a mental note of that. 435 00:29:07,700 --> 00:29:10,700 You saying, brother, this is legalistic rules are not 436 00:29:10,700 --> 00:29:15,000 legalistic, okay? I'm trying to give you some help 437 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:17,500 to know how you can. If you leave this up to chance, 438 00:29:17,500 --> 00:29:20,900 it's not going to work. It's not going to work. 439 00:29:21,900 --> 00:29:24,200 Look at your week. Do you have something coming up? 440 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:26,800 That's unusual. I have these appointments. 441 00:29:27,100 --> 00:29:29,400 I have these events. I have to help so-and-so. 442 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:32,700 Look at that in advance. And say this is where I'm going 443 00:29:32,700 --> 00:29:35,900 to spend time with the Lord. This that this time, I'm going 444 00:29:35,900 --> 00:29:39,000 to do this. That will greatly help. 445 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,900 I'm trying to make sure that you protect the sacred thing that 446 00:29:41,900 --> 00:29:44,000 will bring about so much blessing in your life. 447 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:48,200 I have much more to say in this area but let me move on the 448 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:49,900 reason for Jesus praying. That's clear. 449 00:29:49,900 --> 00:29:52,100 We have one, there's many, but let me give you to the 450 00:29:52,100 --> 00:29:54,900 remoteness of his praying. It's so clear is a not of the 451 00:29:54,900 --> 00:29:57,200 spirit of God does not just highlight the priority that 452 00:29:57,200 --> 00:30:00,600 Jesus placed on prayer and his day-to-day activities but also 453 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:02,800 the Strategic location of where he would pray. 454 00:30:03,100 --> 00:30:08,800 He went out to a desolate place. He went out to a desolate place 455 00:30:09,100 --> 00:30:11,300 that's not to say he went out necessarily to desert but it was 456 00:30:11,300 --> 00:30:15,900 a place that was separated from population from any distraction. 457 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:21,800 And there are many reasons why he did this But let me tell you 458 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:24,700 one thing. If we can pray anywhere in any 459 00:30:24,700 --> 00:30:28,400 place at any time with anybody around us, why is it necessary 460 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:32,300 for us to do what Jesus did in two separate ourselves from from 461 00:30:32,300 --> 00:30:36,500 others? I believe, one main reason 462 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:40,900 beyond the obvious distractions and this and that one main 463 00:30:40,900 --> 00:30:46,400 reason is, because secret prayer testifies to God, that we long 464 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:52,400 for intimate communion with him. Secret prayer, testifies to God, 465 00:30:52,900 --> 00:30:56,500 that we long for intimate communion with him. 466 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:01,900 It says, I take all the attention off of others, I even 467 00:31:01,900 --> 00:31:05,700 take attention off of myself and I give it all to you. 468 00:31:06,300 --> 00:31:09,600 That's what it says. It's very hard. 469 00:31:10,700 --> 00:31:13,700 To be a hypocrite in secret prayer. 470 00:31:14,900 --> 00:31:16,900 It's easy to be a hypocrite and public prayer. 471 00:31:18,100 --> 00:31:22,000 Now, public prayer is important but it's much easier to 472 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:26,200 temptation is much stronger to be in a room with other people 473 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:29,200 and to pray, didn't Jesus say that in Matthew 6, When you 474 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:31,800 pray, go into your room, shut the door, don't be like those 475 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:34,500 who go into the corner of the streets, and who make a display 476 00:31:34,500 --> 00:31:37,400 of the prayers later on in Mark. Don't be like those who would 477 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,500 sake of pretense, they make long prayers so that they can be 478 00:31:40,500 --> 00:31:42,900 seen. And heard when we are in public 479 00:31:42,900 --> 00:31:44,600 that temptation to be hypocritical. 480 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:48,600 On our praying is heightened when you are in private, it's 481 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:52,000 very difficult to try to show off. 482 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:55,600 Very difficult now. It's still possible. 483 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:57,300 We're very creative in our weakness. 484 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:00,700 It is, I can pray really loud in my room, so that my brother is 485 00:32:00,700 --> 00:32:03,700 here me that I'm praying. I can pray a certain amount of 486 00:32:03,708 --> 00:32:05,700 time and record my time. So that anybody asked me how 487 00:32:05,700 --> 00:32:07,200 long you pick, I pray for two hours. 488 00:32:10,100 --> 00:32:14,100 But it's much more difficult. And maybe that's why people 489 00:32:14,100 --> 00:32:16,800 don't like private prayers so much because you can't show off. 490 00:32:18,300 --> 00:32:21,700 Because there's nothing of for the flash, their public prayer. 491 00:32:21,700 --> 00:32:23,400 Yeah, I can. I'd love to come to public 492 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:24,100 prayer. Lord. 493 00:32:24,100 --> 00:32:28,200 And then let me speak King James even on top of it, Foulest 494 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:35,500 right. But that's why he says he sees 495 00:32:35,500 --> 00:32:38,000 in secret the father not that he doesn't see him public. 496 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:41,700 Is that when you and I choose to pray privately goggles. 497 00:32:42,500 --> 00:32:45,600 Okay, I see you. I see you. 498 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:50,100 I see what you're doing there. I see that you are after me as 499 00:32:50,100 --> 00:32:54,400 your primary and sole audience and that's why the reward isn't 500 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:59,200 secret prayer because he sees that you are detaching yourself. 501 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:03,100 That you are eliminating all other things and solely coming 502 00:33:03,100 --> 00:33:06,700 before him and saying Lord, the eyes of my heart. 503 00:33:06,900 --> 00:33:10,500 I wanted to be set on you alone, you are my only audience. 504 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:14,800 So here's my heart, I bring it before you, and it's not so much 505 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:17,700 about the location. As much as it is about the inner 506 00:33:17,700 --> 00:33:22,100 attitude because that Sanctuary can be in your Honda Civic. 507 00:33:23,300 --> 00:33:25,900 That Sanctuary can be on the the subway. 508 00:33:27,100 --> 00:33:30,600 That's Sanctuary. Can be in your kitchen can be 509 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:34,900 anywhere for me. It's give me a park. 510 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:38,100 And that place will become the holy of holies to me. 511 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:41,800 It looks different for all of us, but it's more about that 512 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:46,200 inner attitude. And when he sees that when he 513 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:49,000 sees that you're willing to separate yourself and actually, 514 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:55,100 stop all the busyness to give him your praise and to pour out 515 00:33:55,100 --> 00:33:58,200 your heart, that's where the reward is. 516 00:33:58,900 --> 00:34:03,200 That's where the reward is, you know, this very well why, you 517 00:34:03,208 --> 00:34:06,300 know, people say I love to praying, but it helps me helps 518 00:34:06,300 --> 00:34:08,800 me stay focused. That's fine, you can know. 519 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:11,800 To a certain capacity with your brothers and sisters in the same 520 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:14,600 room calling upon him. God will bless that and he will 521 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:16,199 honor that. But, you know, very well that if 522 00:34:16,199 --> 00:34:19,300 you want to get to know anybody on a personal basis, you can go 523 00:34:19,300 --> 00:34:21,500 on all the group dates that you want, but there's nothing like 524 00:34:21,500 --> 00:34:25,100 that one-on-one time. There's nothing like that 525 00:34:25,100 --> 00:34:27,100 face-to-face. No other voices. 526 00:34:27,300 --> 00:34:29,500 No, other interruptions. Just you and him. 527 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:31,699 That's what God is asking of each of us. 528 00:34:32,100 --> 00:34:35,000 He really is. And I get it. 529 00:34:37,100 --> 00:34:41,100 I can almost hear the thoughts easy for you to say preacher, 530 00:34:42,100 --> 00:34:47,400 your full-time job. Going to pray all you want, not 531 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:49,600 really. Actually you'd be shocked to 532 00:34:49,607 --> 00:34:51,600 know how many pastors don't pray at all. 533 00:34:52,900 --> 00:34:55,900 The prayerlessness among pastors is scary. 534 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:00,500 But I know what it's like, I personally know what it's like. 535 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:02,700 I was not a pastor from my mother's womb. 536 00:35:02,700 --> 00:35:06,500 Okay. I know what it's like, I 537 00:35:06,500 --> 00:35:08,900 remember doing an internship in school where I had to wake up 538 00:35:08,900 --> 00:35:11,400 six in the morning and then I had to take three different 539 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:14,500 forms of transportation to get back to my apartment. 540 00:35:14,500 --> 00:35:17,800 And I would walk back in The Frigid cold of that Toronto 541 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:23,200 weather and the month of February, bone, tired, bone 542 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:28,100 tired. How Lord? 543 00:35:28,100 --> 00:35:33,100 I don't know if I can do this, I mean 626 on average, sometimes 544 00:35:33,500 --> 00:35:36,500 and Lord you won't. I don't know when I'm going to 545 00:35:36,500 --> 00:35:39,600 spend time with you, the way you call me to spend time with you, 546 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:43,400 I'm exhausted. I'll be so frustrated when I was 547 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:46,900 a student before my internship. Haha, it was like heaven on 548 00:35:46,900 --> 00:35:50,300 Earth. But then when this came about, I 549 00:35:50,300 --> 00:35:52,500 got it, I understand. And I believe the lord gave me a 550 00:35:52,500 --> 00:35:54,300 taste of that. Whenever it came to this point 551 00:35:54,300 --> 00:35:56,800 in my life, I can look out to a crowd of people and I said, 552 00:35:56,800 --> 00:36:00,500 well, you better pray. No excuses, I get it. 553 00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:06,600 In the Lord through that in many ways but mainly through the 554 00:36:06,607 --> 00:36:10,200 scriptures comforted me and I want to use the same scriptures 555 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:15,200 that comforted me to comfort. You In Mark, 14. 556 00:36:15,300 --> 00:36:23,300 Turn with me there. In Mark 14 verse 6. 557 00:36:23,300 --> 00:36:26,200 This is when Mary of Bethany anointed the feet of Jesus. 558 00:36:27,900 --> 00:36:30,600 A beautiful sacrificial act of worship. 559 00:36:32,300 --> 00:36:35,500 But she was criticized. There are some people who have 560 00:36:35,500 --> 00:36:37,400 the gift of criticism. It's amazing. 561 00:36:38,100 --> 00:36:39,800 No matter what you do. You give a little. 562 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:42,000 They criticize you. Give everything they criticize. 563 00:36:44,500 --> 00:36:47,100 A mark 14:6. Jesus defends her. 564 00:36:47,100 --> 00:36:49,600 I love this story because Mary of Bethany never defends 565 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:53,400 herself. She doesn't try to make a case 566 00:36:53,700 --> 00:36:57,800 for why she did what she did Jesus defends her, and look what 567 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:00,800 he says in verse 6. But Jesus said, leave her alone. 568 00:37:01,500 --> 00:37:05,700 Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing 569 00:37:05,700 --> 00:37:07,800 to me. Keep that in mind. 570 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:10,000 She has done a beautiful thing to me. 571 00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:13,700 Oftentimes, what is beautiful to the Lord is criticized by other 572 00:37:13,700 --> 00:37:17,200 people. She's done a beautiful thing to 573 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:20,600 me for you always have the poor with you and whenever you want 574 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:23,600 you can do good for them but you will not always have me. 575 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:26,500 And I look what he says here in verse 8 she has done what she 576 00:37:26,500 --> 00:37:32,100 could She has done what she could. 577 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:36,600 She has anointed my body beforehand for burial that 578 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:41,200 phrase. Mother of those baby's father 579 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:45,700 who makes long commutes. Person is working two jobs a 580 00:37:45,700 --> 00:37:52,900 week. She has done what she could do. 581 00:37:56,900 --> 00:37:59,500 Whatever, Mary did she did to the best of her ability? 582 00:38:00,700 --> 00:38:01,900 And you know what Jesus said of that? 583 00:38:02,700 --> 00:38:06,500 It's a beautiful thing to me. That is a beautiful thing to me. 584 00:38:07,900 --> 00:38:11,100 And the Lord brought that to my heart, give me what you can give 585 00:38:11,100 --> 00:38:14,300 me. And I will see you as beautiful 586 00:38:14,900 --> 00:38:17,400 and I did. Lord in this season. 587 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:21,800 This is all I can give you. Now, somebody can take that 588 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:23,800 verse and say, I don't like going to give got anything and 589 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:26,500 that's what I can do. It's better to give God 590 00:38:26,500 --> 00:38:29,700 something than nothing. Always remember that. 591 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:33,600 Lord, you know. And I know my heart, testifies 592 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:37,100 before you the honesty of my context, this is all I can offer 593 00:38:37,100 --> 00:38:38,400 you and I wish I could have more. 594 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:42,100 I wish you can blow the walls off of my schedule so I can have 595 00:38:42,100 --> 00:38:45,600 this sweet time with you but this is all I can give you and 596 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:50,000 that has a fragrance to him. Be free from legalism. 597 00:38:51,300 --> 00:38:56,600 Be free from legalism. And realize the richness of his 598 00:38:56,600 --> 00:38:59,600 Mercy. That he considers and he is 599 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:02,500 mindful of your responsibilities and everything else not to 600 00:39:02,500 --> 00:39:06,900 excuse things that we consider busyness, when it's really 601 00:39:06,900 --> 00:39:11,800 silliness. But to say Lord, just like this 602 00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:14,400 guy. And his college Years, very 603 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:18,700 frustrated with the context of my situation and wanting to give 604 00:39:18,700 --> 00:39:23,000 more just do what you can do. And I'll bless you. 605 00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:27,400 That sacrifice of a pigeon, according to Leviticus one, was 606 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:29,700 the same values. The sacrifice of the bull 607 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:32,900 different sizes, different sizes. 608 00:39:32,900 --> 00:39:34,700 But why did God give those instructions? 609 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:36,600 If you can't give a bowl, give a goat. 610 00:39:36,600 --> 00:39:38,200 If you can't give a, go give a pigeon. 611 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,600 What was he saying? Give what you can afford, and no 612 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:43,600 matter what size. It was, no matter how much it 613 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:47,000 cost you if it was all that, you can give it was the same 614 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:50,600 offering in God's eyes. Give what you can't give up. 615 00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:56,800 The remoteness of his of his praying, he separated himself. 616 00:39:57,800 --> 00:40:00,200 And he sought the father, let me end with the reward of his 617 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:01,700 praying. Let's go back to Mark 1 and 618 00:40:01,700 --> 00:40:07,700 we're going to end it here. Mark 1 verse 36. 619 00:40:11,900 --> 00:40:17,200 And Simon and those who are with Him, search for him and they 620 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:19,700 found him and they set them, everyone is looking for you. 621 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:27,000 You go to Luke and it's told that the people came after him, 622 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:29,400 so it wasn't just Simon and the disciples, you had a crowd 623 00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:33,600 chasing after, they was there on a hunt for Jesus, which gives me 624 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:35,900 the hint that that's how long he was praying for. 625 00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:41,500 I mean, he was praying it before the sun rose and he must have 626 00:40:41,508 --> 00:40:43,500 been praying until the sun came up. 627 00:40:43,500 --> 00:40:46,200 When everybody woke up, that's incredible. 628 00:40:47,700 --> 00:40:49,700 That people realize Jesus is not here and they opened the door. 629 00:40:49,700 --> 00:40:53,000 They open the room, so they go on this, Chase for Jesus and 630 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,300 they find him. And Simon Says, everyone is 631 00:40:56,300 --> 00:40:57,700 looking for you. And I looked at that and I 632 00:40:57,700 --> 00:40:59,800 thought to myself what an inside and here it is. 633 00:41:01,300 --> 00:41:04,700 Be aware that when you set yourself to pray, things will be 634 00:41:04,700 --> 00:41:08,100 looking for you. Sin is not the only thing that's 635 00:41:08,100 --> 00:41:12,000 going to keep you from praying, that's easy, good things will 636 00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:13,800 try to find you to keep you from praying. 637 00:41:14,600 --> 00:41:17,000 Okay? Remember that these are the 638 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:19,700 needs of the people. These are demands, there's a 639 00:41:19,700 --> 00:41:22,700 schedule to be kept and all of this Found Jesus. 640 00:41:22,900 --> 00:41:26,000 But here's what I love the Lord already knew that the Lord 641 00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:29,200 already knew what was coming that day, the Lord already knew 642 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:31,000 what situation he was in and ministry. 643 00:41:31,300 --> 00:41:35,200 That's why we're told earlier he woke up very early, right? 644 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:39,400 Very early, so that The time the needs and The Persuasions and 645 00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:42,100 all these things came to him, he was already prayed up. 646 00:41:43,300 --> 00:41:46,300 He's already saturated and the presence of God. 647 00:41:47,500 --> 00:41:51,100 And he comes with the crowd and I want you to see Luke's 648 00:41:51,100 --> 00:41:55,400 description of it, go to Luke very quickly and 4:42 the same 649 00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:57,500 incident with a different perspective. 650 00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:01,200 And it's in Luke where we see what they were trying to do with 651 00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:06,500 Jesus. Luke 4:42. 652 00:42:17,500 --> 00:42:23,000 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place, 653 00:42:23,300 --> 00:42:26,800 and the people sought him and came to him and would have kept 654 00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:31,200 him from leaving them. So there is a just trying to 655 00:42:31,207 --> 00:42:33,100 find his whereabouts to make sure he was safe. 656 00:42:33,100 --> 00:42:35,500 They were trying to find him so that they can keep him in 657 00:42:35,500 --> 00:42:39,300 Capernaum. This was a persuasion. 658 00:42:39,900 --> 00:42:42,800 This was, this was popular demand. 659 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:48,500 This was an attempt to keep him in one place when as we read 660 00:42:48,500 --> 00:42:54,300 earlier he says let us go to the next towns. and when the 661 00:42:54,300 --> 00:43:00,500 opportunity presented itself for Jesus to stay, The context is 662 00:43:00,500 --> 00:43:02,300 prayer. Jesus was already. 663 00:43:02,300 --> 00:43:08,000 So in tune with the will of God. His know, I have to move on. 664 00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:12,600 Here's the first reward that you can expect when you prioritize 665 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:17,500 prayer as Jesus did. You will know a protection from 666 00:43:17,500 --> 00:43:19,600 The Persuasions of daily temptation. 667 00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:25,300 You will know a protection, you will know a strength to be able 668 00:43:25,300 --> 00:43:29,400 to look at things that are trying to steer you away from 669 00:43:29,400 --> 00:43:32,700 the will of God and say God said something else. 670 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:37,700 I must obey. God Watch and Pray lest you fall 671 00:43:37,700 --> 00:43:40,200 into temptation. Now what's incredible is that 672 00:43:40,200 --> 00:43:44,300 this happened on more than one occasion with Jesus after he fed 673 00:43:44,300 --> 00:43:48,300 the 5000 in John chapter 6 you don't have to turn there but 674 00:43:48,300 --> 00:43:53,300 listen to these words and John Verse 15, it says perceiving, 675 00:43:53,300 --> 00:43:57,300 Jesus, perceiving them that they were about to come and take him 676 00:43:57,300 --> 00:44:02,200 by force to make him King. Jesus withdrew, again to the 677 00:44:02,200 --> 00:44:07,000 mountain by himself. So he perceived that the people 678 00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:10,500 were trying to make him be a king that would overthrow Rome 679 00:44:11,100 --> 00:44:14,200 and be this miraculous King, who can supply their needs. 680 00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:16,700 They don't have to work again. They have to do this again and 681 00:44:16,700 --> 00:44:20,200 perceiving that realizing that this multitude of people are 682 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:23,600 going to turn and try to force him, he Retreats. 683 00:44:23,800 --> 00:44:26,300 And he goes to the mountain. It doesn't say it in John, but 684 00:44:26,300 --> 00:44:29,400 in Mark, with the same account it says, he went to the mountain 685 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:34,500 to pray. Lord, this is not your will. 686 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:39,400 And we don't know what he said, but he knew as a man, I have to 687 00:44:39,400 --> 00:44:44,300 get along with God because I know what is coming and because 688 00:44:44,300 --> 00:44:46,800 I know what is coming. I need his strength. 689 00:44:48,200 --> 00:44:52,700 If you just knew what was coming every single day, I'm fully 690 00:44:52,700 --> 00:44:56,200 convinced not just when I step out of the front door of my 691 00:44:56,200 --> 00:45:02,500 house, when I get out of my bed. There are things waiting to 692 00:45:02,500 --> 00:45:04,500 persuade me away from the will of God. 693 00:45:07,700 --> 00:45:13,100 I need to meet with him. Lord, I know there are things 694 00:45:13,100 --> 00:45:15,700 coming my way. I may not know the nature of it. 695 00:45:15,700 --> 00:45:18,500 I know may not know the intensity of it, but God 696 00:45:18,500 --> 00:45:21,600 Almighty prepare me. Strengthen me. 697 00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:24,400 That is the reward that we see here, but let me give you the 698 00:45:24,400 --> 00:45:27,000 second one. He says that, as I said earlier 699 00:45:27,400 --> 00:45:30,900 in verse 38 of Mark 1 and he said to them, let us go on to 700 00:45:30,900 --> 00:45:32,700 the next towns that I may preach there. 701 00:45:32,700 --> 00:45:35,900 Also, that is why I came out prayer. 702 00:45:36,900 --> 00:45:41,100 Not only keeps you on course, in the will of God, but it 703 00:45:41,100 --> 00:45:43,400 clarifies the will of God for tomorrow. 704 00:45:45,200 --> 00:45:49,100 It clears the air. And I am not going to stand here 705 00:45:49,100 --> 00:45:50,400 and tell you that every single time. 706 00:45:50,400 --> 00:45:53,600 You pray, you're going to get an audible Voice or an automatic 707 00:45:53,600 --> 00:45:56,200 response to some need for Direction. 708 00:45:57,000 --> 00:45:59,900 But what I can tell you based on the authority of the word of God 709 00:46:00,700 --> 00:46:05,100 is that when he sees a man or a woman who's so take, seriously, 710 00:46:05,100 --> 00:46:09,400 the will of God for their life. Serious enough to say, Lord, I 711 00:46:09,400 --> 00:46:11,300 want to make sure that I'm in step with you. 712 00:46:12,100 --> 00:46:15,700 God will ensure that you will never step outside of his will. 713 00:46:16,300 --> 00:46:19,100 Oh, he will open. He will shut, he'll protect, 714 00:46:19,100 --> 00:46:23,700 you'll prevent your provide, he will supply, he was subtract. 715 00:46:23,700 --> 00:46:26,600 You would be amazed to know how God will work on behalf of a 716 00:46:26,600 --> 00:46:30,600 praying man. Praying Woman. 717 00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:36,600 The man on his knees has no fear in life. 718 00:46:37,600 --> 00:46:41,200 The woman on her knees, has no concern in this life of where 719 00:46:41,200 --> 00:46:44,800 they're headed tomorrow. There's a phrase. 720 00:46:44,800 --> 00:46:46,600 I just finished reading the book of Daniel. 721 00:46:48,100 --> 00:46:51,300 And there's a phrase there when Gabriel appears to Daniel to 722 00:46:51,300 --> 00:46:55,900 give him a revelation based on his praying Daniel. 723 00:46:57,000 --> 00:47:00,800 Greatly beloved. Greatly beloved. 724 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:08,300 Greatly loved by heaven. Why was he so loved? 725 00:47:10,100 --> 00:47:16,100 As many reasons. Who was the Beloved disciple of 726 00:47:16,100 --> 00:47:20,700 out of all the 12? John what was so unique about 727 00:47:20,700 --> 00:47:23,900 John? He put his head on the bosom of 728 00:47:23,900 --> 00:47:26,700 Jesus, he was so intimate with the Lord. 729 00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:31,300 And you have Daniel and John both recognized as the Beloved 730 00:47:31,300 --> 00:47:32,900 of the Lord. And interestingly enough, 731 00:47:32,900 --> 00:47:34,700 Daniel. John receive apocalyptic 732 00:47:34,700 --> 00:47:40,200 revelation of the end times. But these two men were intimate 733 00:47:40,200 --> 00:47:44,900 with the Lord. They prioritize his presence. 734 00:47:46,700 --> 00:47:51,800 And God honored that and he guided them and he revealed 735 00:47:51,800 --> 00:47:56,500 things to them. I'm done. 736 00:47:59,000 --> 00:48:00,900 I have only one prayer for us tonight. 737 00:48:00,900 --> 00:48:03,000 Rather this afternoon as a congregation. 738 00:48:06,500 --> 00:48:09,500 Got with touch our prayer lives. That's it. 739 00:48:12,100 --> 00:48:18,800 And you would have. you know, you can get to the point, you 740 00:48:18,800 --> 00:48:27,200 can get to the point With this thing called prayer is so real. 741 00:48:27,900 --> 00:48:34,000 And so enjoyable. but when you miss it, there's an ache in your 742 00:48:34,000 --> 00:48:39,300 heart not condemnation, not which you haven't prayed the 743 00:48:39,300 --> 00:48:41,500 past 3 days. What? 744 00:48:41,500 --> 00:48:43,000 She were distracted, none of that. 745 00:48:43,000 --> 00:48:47,300 None of that stuff. Lord, I miss you. 746 00:48:48,600 --> 00:48:54,400 I miss you, Lord. I haven't had the time that I 747 00:48:54,408 --> 00:48:57,100 would want to pour my heart out to you and worship you. 748 00:48:58,200 --> 00:49:06,800 I miss your presence. You want God to do that in your 749 00:49:06,800 --> 00:49:09,400 life? You know what will happen. 750 00:49:12,600 --> 00:49:15,500 Things won't be so entertaining as they used to be. 751 00:49:17,700 --> 00:49:21,200 The color of this world becomes Gray. 752 00:49:24,100 --> 00:49:26,700 And then there's something that's deeper than the flesh 753 00:49:26,700 --> 00:49:31,500 deeper than the senses, that brings a joy and Delight to you. 754 00:49:31,700 --> 00:49:37,200 And it's the knowledge of God. most of the problem with sin and 755 00:49:37,200 --> 00:49:43,400 Christians lives is not because you have a computer in your room 756 00:49:43,400 --> 00:49:50,400 or an iPhone or this or trauma. There's a lack of satisfaction 757 00:49:50,400 --> 00:49:53,800 in God. It's as simple as that. 758 00:49:54,700 --> 00:49:58,300 There's a place where you can get to in God, where you so 759 00:49:58,300 --> 00:50:01,800 receive a satisfaction taste and see that the Lord is good. 760 00:50:03,000 --> 00:50:06,900 That it fills you to the degree that even Temptation loses its 761 00:50:06,900 --> 00:50:10,100 grip on you. And doesn't have the pull that 762 00:50:10,100 --> 00:50:13,700 it used to have. And telling you can come to a 763 00:50:13,700 --> 00:50:19,200 place in your prayer life where when it is not met it doesn't 764 00:50:19,200 --> 00:50:22,900 make you feel condemned, it makes you miss the person. 765 00:50:24,000 --> 00:50:28,600 That's what I want for you. That's what I want for you or we 766 00:50:28,600 --> 00:50:46,900 thank you. We have all fallen short, Lord 767 00:50:46,900 --> 00:50:49,500 of this. And we have heard that you are 768 00:50:49,500 --> 00:50:53,200 jealous jealous for that time alone with you. 769 00:50:55,500 --> 00:50:57,400 Lord, this speaks of your heart for us. 770 00:50:57,400 --> 00:51:06,100 We thank you for that. Or we just simply ask that you 771 00:51:06,100 --> 00:51:11,100 would enlarge our hearts so that we can call upon you quick and 772 00:51:11,100 --> 00:51:21,100 us that we can call upon you. Hello to all we ask is that you 773 00:51:21,107 --> 00:51:25,300 would you would do our hearts to the degree, that prayers of the 774 00:51:25,300 --> 00:51:30,700 light, not just a duty and that we enjoy your presence and that 775 00:51:30,700 --> 00:51:33,700 our prayer lives are not just a grocery list of things that we 776 00:51:33,700 --> 00:51:42,000 need. Help us. 777 00:51:42,000 --> 00:51:45,500 Lord help the father's help the mothers, help the students. 778 00:51:47,000 --> 00:51:50,300 Help. The ones who are working 779 00:51:50,300 --> 00:51:56,000 paycheck to paycheck. And teach us how to give you 780 00:51:56,000 --> 00:52:00,100 what we can and to believe that that is beautiful in your eyes. 781 00:52:02,100 --> 00:52:06,500 Lord, if somehow condemnation was able to sneak into our 782 00:52:06,500 --> 00:52:08,500 hearts through a message like this. 783 00:52:09,800 --> 00:52:12,500 By the end of the service. Would you replace it? 784 00:52:13,900 --> 00:52:16,800 With a passion for intimacy with Christ. 785 00:52:20,600 --> 00:52:23,900 And then we just trust that these verses would be implanted 786 00:52:23,900 --> 00:52:27,500 deeply in US. And that they would meet us day 787 00:52:27,500 --> 00:52:33,800 by day. We trust you, we trust you. 788 00:52:34,100 --> 00:52:37,200 We've done what we can and we trust you in Jesus name. 789 00:52:37,200 --> 00:52:38,900 We pray. Amen. 790 00:52:39,400 --> 00:52:40,800 And we stand and Worship the Lord.