Quiet Places

Intro:

Recap:

Last week: We looked at what spiritual revival looks like in physical form. When Ezekiel speaks of his vision of the Valley, if we remember it was a picture of the nation of Israel coming alive again to be freed from bondage and captivity.

This Week: We will look at Mark Ch 1 to look at possibly the most important foundation part of revival, prayer.

Next Week: We’ll take a look at the Apostle Paul as he walks through his calling to go and preach to a people who are hungry for the Word of God.

Quiet times are important to different people mostly for the same reason.

Personally, I need a personal time with Jesus so I know who He is, and so I don’t kill somebody.

Coffee and Jesus is what my mornings consist of, so don’t talk to me until I have had both.

I love reading through the Gospel of Mark because I can relate to him:

The way He writes is exactly the way that I write: short, sweet, and to the point.

He uses the word Immediately 39 times in his book.

He always takes time to pause and notice that Jesus withdraws to spend time with Jesus.

23 times Mark writes of Jesus retreating to spend time with His Abba, or Father.

Read

1. Gets Your Mind Right

After a very busy Sabbath day that went well into the night, Jesus woke up before the sun came up, to retreat to a deserted place.

He realized where the source of His strength came from. He needed to get with the creator of the world so that He would soon be able to save it.

“If we would pray aright, the first thing we should do is to see to it that we really get an audience with God, that we really get into His very presence. Before a word of petition is offered, we should have the definite consciousness that we are talking to God, and should believe that He is listening and is going to grant the thing that we ask of Him.” R. A. Torrey

We are severely misinformed if at any point in time we convince ourselves that by having a daily time with God, that we bring any sort of value to Him

Instead it He that brings value to us.

It’s funny that when you start understanding more about God and His Kingdom, the less that you think about yourself and the more that you are burdened for the Holy Spirit.

2. Equips You for YOUR Calling

Many of you know my story about how I thought I was going pro in baseball, But I thought that was my calling.

2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 HCSB

And in view of this, we always pray for you that our God will consider you worthy of His calling, and will, by His power, fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus was called to preach because He was tasked with the burden of shifting the paradime of an entire belief system.

You are called to the same thing, yet our tendencies are to rely on ourselves, fail, then blame God when we never trusted in him in the first place.

There can never be a better you. You are powerfully, wonderfully, and fearfully made.

Quit submitting the demands of this world and start giving in the the pleas of your God!

Matthew 6:6 HCSB

But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Psalm 46:10 HCSB

“Stop your fighting—and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”

Psalm 119:9 HCSB

How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping Your word.

Matthew 6:33 HCSB

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.