Food for ThoughtMark 1:35 Pray
Food for Thought
An all-creatures.org Guide to Kingdom Living. True Christian living requires us to live according to Kingdom standards which bring Heaven to earth

By Marni Montanez

Mark 1:35 New International Version

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.

It took an active participation on Jesus’ part to spend time with His Father.  He woke up very early, He walked out of the house and looked for a place where He could pray alone. Jesus understood the importance of spending quiet alone time with God.

He knew that while on earth He would need these moments to strengthen and encourage Himself.

Matthew 14:23

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.

There is no excuse for our lack of discipline or desire to spend time with our God.  We do not understand the great importance there is in keeping ourselves aligned with God so that we remain in the center of His will. The only way for this to occur is time with Him.

As we dwell in God’s presence things change within us.  We find healing and growth.  We are given instruction and revelation, but most importantly we have intimacy with God.

Because of His relationship with Father God and the ongoing time He spent with Him, Jesus had the strength to go through the incredible suffering He went through and was able to fulfill His purpose on earth which touched lives throughout the ages into eternity. He was continually showered in God’s love and empowered with God’s wisdom and insight.  It is in these moments of deep intimacy with His Father where He was immersed in such discernment that He knew how to handle every situation. His time with God bathed Jesus in wisdom.

Jesus is our model of what pursuing God looks like.   His passion for God was more than feelings and emotions; it was truth and this truth that God must be our all, must inspire us to move toward God.  There should be no other reason but that we just want to know Him.  

There is nothing better or that will give you the peace you need on earth than practicing the presence of God.   The more you sit at His feet as Mary did with Jesus, the more you will know peace, rest, and joy intimately.

Luke 10:39 (NIV)

39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.

Challenge:  Seek God throughout your day.  Devote special time with Him.  It is so easy. It doesn’t have to be in the morning or at night.  Pursue Him throughout the day and find those moments of just seeking His face. Praise Him, thank Him and desire Him.

God bless

Marni

Go on to: Mark 8:24-25 Jesus Heals
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lamb-rightThe purpose of this series is to encourage people to live as loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God: Jesus tells us to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) God tells us through Micah (6:8), "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God." And we know from Revelation 21:4 that there will be no more mourning, or crying, or pain, or death. Thus, Christian living requires us to set the standards of these conditions here on earth for our fellow human beings, and for the other animals, as a witness to the rest of the world. To do otherwise is not Christian.