THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 1:35-39
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
“Let us go… to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also.” (Mark 1:38)
As a follower of Jesus, we look to Jesus for guidance in how to live.
Here we see Jesus prioritizing His time – His time with God, and with others.
How do you prioritize your time, how important is prayer in your scheduling?
How do you respond to pressure from others?
Do you let others determine what you do, when and how?
Jesus makes time with God first priority, and doing God’s will second priority.
Time with God is what clarifies what His purpose and priorities need to be.
He knows why He has come, what His calling is, and what He must do.
People will always have expectations of us.
Success isn’t doing what others want, nor what we want, but what God wants.
And we can’t know what that is unless we spend time with God finding out.
Time alone with God will anchor us in our identity and purpose in Him.
Knowing this, we will be able to say, “this is why I have come!” (v.39)
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, my priorities are out of alignment. I am becoming a slave to the expectations of others rather than a servant to You and Yours. Help me to put first things first!
Jesus spent time with His Father. This seems to be at the start of the day.
How do I start my day?
Each day must be a TGIF day – a day which says Today God Is First.
And how do I live/show that?
By the reading of His Word – spending time with God. Good morning Lord.
Each day a new I need to equip myself for the challenges of the day and I can do that by dressing myself with the armour of God.
Being SpiritLed so I can LightShine.
Others must be able to see Christ Jesus in me by my fruit.
Thank You Lord for being my Guide and Protector, Enabler and Friend.
Help me each day anew listen for the Voice that says, This is the Way. Walk in it.
Jesus is The Way.
His Way is Life and Life eternal.
He is The Light and I need to walk in the Light as I live for Him.
My pilgrim’s progress.
When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.