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Mark 1:35 - An Important Lesson on Prayer.

Mark 1:35 - An Important Lesson on Prayer.

Mark 1:35 (NIV) Very early in the morning, while it was still 
dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, 
where he prayed.  

Jesus never got too busy to pray. If He had to get up a long 
time before sunrise to pray, that's what He did. He valued His time 
alone with His Father and pursued it His whole life. [Life Principles 
SB By Charles Stanley re Mark 1:35] 

Where did the Jesus get His power? He depended on the Holy 
Spirit (v. 12) and prayer (v. 35). He did not allow the demands of the 
work to rob Him of the time He needed to renew His strength. If the 
holy Son of God needed to pray, how much more do you need to pray! In 
the Lord's service, you cannot "run on empty." (See Isa. 40:28-31.) 
[Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe] 

Jesus got up while it was still dark and went off alone into the 
wilderness to pray. He knew the importance of having "quiet time" with God. 
You also should have a time and a place that is quiet enough for you 
to pour your heart out to God and also to hear his response to you. 
Prayer is your vital link to God, like a long-distance phone line to a 
loved one. Outside distractions make it difficult to clearly 
communicate. It's difficult to focus your attention on God when the kids are 
yelling, the oven timer is beeping, and your cat is nimbly walking across 
the piano keyboard. Like the example set by Jesus, you must break 
away from the noise and distractions in order to talk with God. Make 
a point of doing this, even if it means you have to get up early 
in the morning. [The One Year Bible for New Believers re Mark 
1:35] 

  It was common knowledge among the disciples that they would 
find Jesus praying during the early morning hours. When they needed 
Him, they knew to go to the place of prayer. When Judas betrayed 
Jesus, he led his cohorts to Jesus' place of prayer. 
  Every time the Lord Jesus faced an important decision, He 
prayed. When He was being tempted to do things by the world's methods 
instead of the Father's, He prayed (Mt 4). When it was time to choose 
His disciples, He prayed the entire night (Lu 6:12). If the Son of 
God required a night of prayer in order to determine the Father's 
mind, how long might it take us in prayer to clearly determine our 
Father's will? 
  Because Jesus was so often surrounded by crowds, He knew He 
must find a quiet place so He could clearly hear His Father's voice. 
Jesus had many people seeking to influence the direction of His life. 
His disciples wanted Him to go where the crowds were (Mk 1:37). The 
crowds wanted to crown Him king (John 6:15). Satan tempted Him to make 
compromises in order to draw a following (Mt 4:3, 6, 9). Jesus knew that His 
mission was not to attract a crowd, but to remain obedient to His 
Father. It was prayer that set the agenda for Jesus' ministry (Lu 6:12). 
Prayer preceded the miracles (John 11:42-43); prayer brought Him 
encouragement at critical moments (Lu 9:28-31); prayer enabled Him to go to 
the cross (Lu 22:41-42); and prayer kept Him there despite 
excruciating pain (Lu 23:46). Follow the Savior's example, and let your time 
alone with God, in prayer, set the agenda for your life. [Experiencing 
God Day by Day by Henry and Richard Blackaby re Mar.1:35] 

EXCELLENT SERMON ON PRAYER:

Talking Things Over with God (Psalm 4) by Randy Roberts

http://lluc.org/site/1/podcast/1002-06csermon_1-2.mp3