The Pilgrim Path---The Gospel of Mark 1: 35--39 / PART TWO

Sorry for very late posting. Started with a migraine at around 5:30 ---but it reminded me of my mortality---and it had me ask the Lord's help for some others---I knew to be in pain---so all was not lost!

---Some thoughts from author David Mathis (his fine work,Disciplines of Grace---Crossway) about "private prayer: I need all the help I can get...

---we "hear" the Lord in the Holy Scriptures as we read---and he "hears" us through prayer (God actually listens to us because of the redemptive endeavors of Jesus on our behalf---we're in the family now)

---This conversation began with God---making the world (Gen. 1:3)---and touches us personally when we're enabled by Him "to see" the light of the glory of Christ (II Cor. 4:4)

---"Prayer doesn't begin with our needs, but His bounty" (Mathis).

---John Piper: It is not wrong to want God's gifts and ask for them. Most prayers in the Bible are for the gifts of God. But ultimately every gift should be desired because it shows us and brings us more of him...When this world totally fails, the ground for joy remains. God. Therefore, surely every prayer for life and health and home and family and job and ministry in this world is secondary. And the great purpose of prayer is to ask that---in and through all his gifts---God would be our joy.

Here are some Age-Old Pointers from Mathis (and a few others to "support" private prayer---such as Jesus practiced in our text):

---Closet "space"---have a place to go---You'll have to be creative in a house with a lot of folks / up early / stay up later / the key is a spot to focus on the Lord & His Word without many distractions for while---hope you can get 15 minutes to start (In my second church, I'd drive to the edge of a grocery store parking lot---sit in a van for about 30 minutes---before I went to the office)

---Cling to the Book---the Bible / you may have it on your phone / that would distract me---of course, you're a lot more spiritual than me too! START with Scripture. Ask the Lord to use it in your life. Consider what you are reading. What does it say about: God / Man / you--come last...what does it "reveal" about who God "is" and how He operates in the world? I've been "struck" lately reading 10-15 verses at a time in Second Chronicles and "thinking" about them ---and then about 5--10 verses in the gospel of John...

---Consider a "form"---like "ACTS" ---as in "adore" God's name in prayer / "confess" sin / "thank" God for mercy and favor / "supplicate"-speak to God on behalf of others

---"Call out" those cares & burdens that press you down---tell the Lord about them! He wants you to be strengthened by His Spirit and grow to understand His love for you...he wants you to roll those burdens to the foot of the cross and not try to carry them (Ephesians 3:16-19; I Peter 5: 7).

---Change up your prayer time as needed---Keep it fresh! write out prayers / add the component of fasting when necessary / consider more use of a journal / more use of a hymnal / Use of A Prayer Resource Like the Valley Of Vision---Banner of Truth

Martin Luther: None can believe how powerful prayer is, and what it is able to effect, but those who have learned it by experience...

Jesus, Lord God from all eternity,

Whom love of us brought down to shame,

I plead Thy life with Thee,

I plead Thy death, I plead Thy name.

Jesus, Lord God of every living soul,

Thy love exceeds its uttered fame

Thy will can make us whole,

I plead Thyself. I plead Thy name. ----Christina Rossetti

Grace & Peace in Jesus Our Lord, Pastor Jason