WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.459 Well, good morning, everyone. 00:00:06.980 --> 00:00:17.240 So today we're going to be looking at what it is to have an empowered life that's fuelled by prayer and looking at part of Mark's gospel. 00:00:18.859 --> 00:00:25.240 We're going to be looking at this question of what it means to be the church and to be empowered by the church. 00:00:26.059 --> 00:00:31.919 The church, as I'm sure most of you know here, is not this beautiful building, as beautiful as it may be. 00:00:32.539 --> 00:00:36.479 The church is not about the programmes we run or the courses that we run. 00:00:37.140 --> 00:00:38.339 It's about the people. 00:00:40.060 --> 00:00:41.039 You are the church. 00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:44.239 You're the church gathered here on a Sunday morning. 00:00:45.060 --> 00:00:47.320 You're the church gathered on a Wednesday communion. 00:00:48.219 --> 00:00:53.480 You're the church when you go out into your communities tomorrow, when you go to work during the week, 00:00:53.479 --> 00:00:56.539 and when you're in your small groups, whatever you're doing. 00:00:58.059 --> 00:01:07.140 And one of the defining features that makes us different as a community is that we are a praying community. 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:12.219 So as I start this morning, I want to ask you this question. 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:16.280 How is your prayer life? 00:01:16.280 --> 00:01:22.219 Is your prayer life your steering wheel or your spare tyre? 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:25.840 Do you turn to prayer when life gets tough? 00:01:26.980 --> 00:01:28.400 When you face challenges? 00:01:29.500 --> 00:01:30.740 What do you turn to? 00:01:32.680 --> 00:01:33.960 When you need things? 00:01:35.020 --> 00:01:38.680 When you're so desperate that all you can do is cry out to God? 00:01:40.060 --> 00:01:41.900 Maybe you don't actually believe in prayer. 00:01:43.240 --> 00:01:45.680 Maybe you don't think prayer actually makes a difference. 00:01:46.739 --> 00:01:47.739 Maybe you don't pray. 00:01:48.980 --> 00:01:53.780 Maybe you've been hurt by unanswered prayer in your life and you struggle to pray. 00:01:54.620 --> 00:02:00.200 Or maybe you're just one of those people that likes to talk to God all throughout the day and pray continuously. 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:06.159 Something that I'm really always amazed at, amazed at continually, 00:02:06.939 --> 00:02:11.120 is that through Jesus Christ, we all here have access to God. 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:14.939 It was Henry Newham, the theologian, who said, 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:21.719 Prayer is important because it's that place where you and I can hear the voice of one that calls us, 00:02:22.180 --> 00:02:24.480 your beloved daughter or your beloved son. 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:32.199 So today we're looking at the passage in Mark's Gospel and I'd recommend that you read the whole book if you've got an hour to yourself. 00:02:32.620 --> 00:02:36.500 Because it's an action-packed look at Jesus' life. 00:02:36.500 --> 00:02:43.099 Just in the first 34 verses of this first chapter, we see that Jesus has been baptised, 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:46.960 he's been tempted in the wilderness, he's gathered his disciples together, 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:51.020 he's driven out evil spirits and he's healed Simon's mother-in-law. 00:02:51.819 --> 00:02:53.420 Not bad for 34 verses. 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:55.400 His life was full. 00:02:55.400 --> 00:03:00.439 And Jesus had lots of pressure on him in lots of different ways. 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:04.759 And I'm pretty sure now, as the holidays draw to a close, 00:03:04.980 --> 00:03:09.000 we're thinking about the new term, when everybody's getting back in their old routine, 00:03:09.800 --> 00:03:15.020 maybe we're starting work again, going to school again, starting college or university, 00:03:15.520 --> 00:03:19.280 or maybe we just know that we've got various pressures going on in the next few months. 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:24.719 Maybe from work or from family, from friends, deadlines that we've got to meet. 00:03:25.400 --> 00:03:29.740 But with Jesus, rather than just relentlessly driving forward, 00:03:30.439 --> 00:03:32.580 he prioritised his time with the Father. 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:34.480 And we read in those words, 00:03:34.640 --> 00:03:37.319 very early in the morning, while it was still dark, 00:03:37.920 --> 00:03:43.200 Jesus got up, he left the house, and he went off to a solitary place where he prayed. 00:03:44.140 --> 00:03:47.300 And that is where we begin today, thinking about prayer. 00:03:48.180 --> 00:03:50.800 Because all of us here, as followers of Jesus, 00:03:51.640 --> 00:03:54.580 prayer needs to be the foundation of all that we do. 00:03:54.580 --> 00:03:57.460 It needs to fuel everything in our lives. 00:03:58.120 --> 00:04:00.360 So we're just going to look at three things this morning. 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:06.120 When to pray, where to pray, and why we've got to pray. 00:04:07.140 --> 00:04:08.660 So firstly, when to pray. 00:04:09.900 --> 00:04:12.220 Now most of you here may have heard the expression, 00:04:12.720 --> 00:04:13.700 larks and owls. 00:04:14.580 --> 00:04:16.939 Larks are those people, which I'm not one of them, 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:20.040 who jump out of bed at six o'clock when the alarm goes off, 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:23.879 get their coffee, run out into the day, and have an amazing day. 00:04:23.879 --> 00:04:27.000 But by six o'clock, they're starting to wilt. 00:04:27.620 --> 00:04:29.839 And they better be in bed by nine o'clock, because they've had it. 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:33.360 And then owls, on the other hand, a bit like myself, 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:37.620 we just quite don't speak to me before 11 o'clock in the morning. 00:04:37.800 --> 00:04:39.459 I just sort of start to wake up then. 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:42.480 And then by six o'clock, I'm feeling quite good. 00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:44.540 And then I'm like ten o'clock at night, 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:46.719 I'm raring to go when everybody else is asleep. 00:04:47.659 --> 00:04:50.100 So maybe a quick survey amongst us, there's no judgement. 00:04:50.100 --> 00:04:51.760 Who is a lark here, maybe? 00:04:52.300 --> 00:04:52.920 Put your hand up. 00:04:53.420 --> 00:04:53.760 Lovely. 00:04:54.340 --> 00:04:55.400 And who are the owls? 00:04:56.439 --> 00:04:56.840 Okay. 00:04:58.660 --> 00:05:01.860 So we don't know whether Jesus was a lark or an owl. 00:05:02.379 --> 00:05:05.320 But what we do know is that he got up early in the morning, 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:06.920 while it was still dark. 00:05:07.560 --> 00:05:08.620 Jesus got up. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:10.660 He didn't only pray in the morning. 00:05:11.220 --> 00:05:13.160 We know he prayed at night and during the day. 00:05:13.660 --> 00:05:14.640 He prayed on his own. 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:16.020 He prayed with his disciples. 00:05:16.680 --> 00:05:17.879 He prayed up the mountains. 00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:22.180 He prayed at different places, different times, and in different ways. 00:05:23.500 --> 00:05:25.439 And in Thessalonians, Paul reminds us, 00:05:25.579 --> 00:05:28.560 pray without ceasing always, at all times, 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:31.500 steadfastly, constantly, night and day. 00:05:32.300 --> 00:05:33.319 So we get the picture. 00:05:34.159 --> 00:05:37.879 Prayer is to be a continual conversation with God throughout our lives. 00:05:38.659 --> 00:05:41.800 There are times when we pray praise, we thank God for who he is. 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:43.659 There are times when we intercede, 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:45.779 when we pray for different people in the world. 00:05:45.779 --> 00:05:49.019 There are times when we just cry out our hearts to God. 00:05:49.619 --> 00:05:52.479 And also times when we are just silent and we listen. 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:54.879 There are times when we pray on our own. 00:05:55.159 --> 00:05:56.139 We pray in pairs. 00:05:56.459 --> 00:05:57.599 We pray in small groups. 00:05:58.239 --> 00:05:59.519 But however we pray, 00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:04.059 prayer should be as regular and as natural as breathing. 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:08.239 What Jesus is modelling here in Mark's Gospel 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:12.019 is the importance of you and I starting our day with God. 00:06:12.579 --> 00:06:15.120 And on three occasions in Mark's Gospel, 00:06:15.560 --> 00:06:18.860 we read about Jesus praying while others were asleep. 00:06:19.400 --> 00:06:21.939 And I think that's what he's trying to demonstrate to us here, 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:25.980 is the importance of you and I going to our Father at the beginning of the day 00:06:25.980 --> 00:06:28.939 to fuel and empower everything that we do. 00:06:28.939 --> 00:06:32.060 Because if we don't take that little bit of time, 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:36.019 we risk that we just go into the day doing everything in our own strength. 00:06:36.579 --> 00:06:38.300 We become detached from God. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:41.139 Temptation becomes harder to resist. 00:06:41.660 --> 00:06:43.699 People just generally really annoy us. 00:06:44.480 --> 00:06:45.899 Relationships become under strain. 00:06:46.379 --> 00:06:47.819 And work can seem like a battle. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:49.759 And we lose our sense of direction, 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:51.040 why we're doing what we're doing. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:06:56.319 And you and I know that this Christian life, in part, is about sacrifice. 00:06:56.620 --> 00:06:58.620 We see that most with Jesus on the cross. 00:06:59.400 --> 00:07:02.100 But what are you sacrificing to spend time with God? 00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:04.080 Is it sleep? 00:07:05.020 --> 00:07:06.960 Is it time on your phone or your computer? 00:07:07.580 --> 00:07:09.140 Or time with the family? 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:13.600 Even if you are an owl and you absolutely hate mornings, 00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:16.400 he's okay with you just spending five minutes 00:07:16.400 --> 00:07:18.180 slumped in a chair with a coffee with him. 00:07:18.820 --> 00:07:19.759 Make it a priority. 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:23.759 So I encourage you, as we're thinking about this new term starting, 00:07:24.379 --> 00:07:27.839 think about how you can improve your everyday prayer life. 00:07:28.439 --> 00:07:31.480 It may be just five minutes, or it may be just two minutes. 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:33.319 But Psalm 5 says, 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:36.000 In the morning, lay your request before God 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:37.980 and wait on him expectantly. 00:07:38.659 --> 00:07:40.379 Wait on him expectantly. 00:07:41.039 --> 00:07:44.259 And I believe that we'll see a difference in our lives 00:07:44.259 --> 00:07:46.899 and the lives of those around us, if we do. 00:07:47.740 --> 00:07:49.439 So next, where to pray? 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:52.519 So Jesus left the house, we read, 00:07:52.579 --> 00:07:54.579 and went off to a solitary place to pray. 00:07:55.339 --> 00:07:57.719 Now, in some ways, it doesn't matter where you pray. 00:07:57.819 --> 00:07:59.779 The important thing is finding somewhere 00:07:59.779 --> 00:08:02.560 that you can go each day to be with God. 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:05.500 Some people like sitting in their favourite chair. 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:07.379 Others like walking and praying. 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:11.399 Some people find it really helpful to kneel and focus on prayer. 00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:13.859 Other people like myself know that if I kneel, 00:08:13.939 --> 00:08:16.019 I'll never get back up, so I can't do it that way. 00:08:16.979 --> 00:08:19.899 But Jesus is teaching us to find somewhere that is quiet 00:08:19.899 --> 00:08:22.219 and where you can go regularly to meet with God. 00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:26.879 The Bible says Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:29.759 And it was this routine that he had in his life 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:31.239 that we are to replicate. 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:34.820 And if we really want to discern God's will in our lives, 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:37.700 if you are desperate for God in your life, 00:08:37.779 --> 00:08:39.460 then we have got to get into this routine 00:08:39.460 --> 00:08:42.120 that the very first thing we do in our day 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:43.480 is to come before God. 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:47.139 Whether we're praying to him and listening to him, 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:50.259 it means finding somewhere where your phone is not on 00:08:50.259 --> 00:08:51.680 and going to distract you. 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:54.100 Or it means somewhere, if you've got a family, 00:08:54.220 --> 00:08:55.580 where they're not going to distract you either. 00:08:55.580 --> 00:08:58.680 Jesus says these words in the message, 00:08:59.139 --> 00:09:01.280 find a quiet, secluded place 00:09:01.280 --> 00:09:04.160 so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. 00:09:04.700 --> 00:09:08.560 So just go there, quietly and simply and honestly. 00:09:09.920 --> 00:09:14.940 And gradually, your focus will shift from yourself to God 00:09:14.940 --> 00:09:18.680 and will start to sense his peace and his grace. 00:09:20.040 --> 00:09:22.560 And if you've got somewhere that you've been praying regularly for ages 00:09:22.560 --> 00:09:24.379 and it's not working, then change it up. 00:09:24.460 --> 00:09:25.420 Try something new. 00:09:26.580 --> 00:09:29.020 And finally, and most importantly, 00:09:29.520 --> 00:09:31.379 why we pray at all. 00:09:37.920 --> 00:09:40.060 So before we try and answer this question, 00:09:40.620 --> 00:09:43.460 we need to be clear that we don't just pray as Christians 00:09:43.460 --> 00:09:44.680 out of a sense of duty. 00:09:45.420 --> 00:09:47.860 We don't pray because that's what Christians do. 00:09:48.680 --> 00:09:51.360 We don't pray because we've got a massive Christmas list 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:52.900 that we want him to deliver for us. 00:09:52.899 --> 00:09:56.340 We need to understand, first of all, 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:57.399 why did Jesus pray? 00:09:57.980 --> 00:09:59.220 He was the son of God. 00:09:59.620 --> 00:10:00.699 He's God incarnate. 00:10:00.779 --> 00:10:01.779 He performs miracles. 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:03.539 Why does he need to pray? 00:10:04.340 --> 00:10:05.399 Well, we see in the scriptures 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:07.319 that there's a trend in the relationship 00:10:07.319 --> 00:10:08.840 between Jesus and his father. 00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:09.840 Jesus says, 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:10.019 Jesus says, 00:10:10.160 --> 00:10:11.899 I can do nothing on my own. 00:10:11.899 --> 00:10:16.059 And we see this connectedness between Jesus and the father. 00:10:16.220 --> 00:10:18.319 There's a level of dependency between them. 00:10:19.019 --> 00:10:21.019 Jesus could not do the life on his own. 00:10:21.139 --> 00:10:22.740 He didn't want to do it on his own. 00:10:23.179 --> 00:10:25.039 He wanted desperately to be in a relationship 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:26.879 as much as he could with his father. 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:30.220 He needed his father's power and his strength, 00:10:30.340 --> 00:10:33.340 his authority to empower him in his life. 00:10:33.700 --> 00:10:34.980 And it came from prayer. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:36.379 And to be honest, 00:10:36.899 --> 00:10:38.399 if Jesus needed it, 00:10:38.740 --> 00:10:40.059 then I think we do too. 00:10:41.419 --> 00:10:43.159 Only when you and I realise 00:10:43.159 --> 00:10:45.139 that we can't do this life on our own, 00:10:45.700 --> 00:10:47.240 prayer begins to make sense. 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:51.059 Because if we just have a life lacking in prayer, 00:10:51.299 --> 00:10:52.019 we're prayerless. 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:53.559 We're telling God we don't need him. 00:10:53.559 --> 00:10:55.519 Because we just start to live a life 00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:56.819 that's independent from God 00:10:56.819 --> 00:10:58.559 and based on our own strength, 00:10:58.699 --> 00:10:59.679 making our own decisions, 00:10:59.879 --> 00:11:00.500 what we think, 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:01.279 what we feel. 00:11:02.359 --> 00:11:03.979 Or we're dependent on God 00:11:03.979 --> 00:11:05.000 and we trust in him 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:07.359 and we lean with everything we have on him 00:11:07.359 --> 00:11:08.159 with prayer. 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:11.039 It's often, I find, 00:11:11.139 --> 00:11:12.859 when we get to the end of ourselves, 00:11:13.419 --> 00:11:14.759 and I know this from my life, 00:11:14.819 --> 00:11:16.439 when I've reached the end of myself, 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:18.739 I then have moved to God in prayer. 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:21.099 And I find that the most passionate 00:11:21.099 --> 00:11:23.119 and heartfelt prayers that I have prayed 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:25.220 and I've heard others prayed 00:11:25.220 --> 00:11:27.379 when they have reached the end of themselves. 00:11:28.419 --> 00:11:29.980 We can do this no more 00:11:29.980 --> 00:11:32.639 and we give our control over to God. 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:35.019 And these prayers aren't beautiful, 00:11:35.500 --> 00:11:37.659 long-worded, well-crafted prayers. 00:11:38.500 --> 00:11:40.440 They're roars of our heartfelt cries 00:11:40.440 --> 00:11:41.940 that come from deep within us. 00:11:42.700 --> 00:11:44.419 They reflect that true relationship 00:11:44.419 --> 00:11:45.500 between us and God. 00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:47.139 And throughout scripture, 00:11:47.299 --> 00:11:48.379 people came to Jesus 00:11:48.379 --> 00:11:49.940 who had reached the end of themselves. 00:11:50.460 --> 00:11:51.060 They were helpless. 00:11:51.059 --> 00:11:54.159 The blind man that had no sight in John. 00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:56.139 The crippled man by the pool 00:11:56.139 --> 00:11:57.599 who couldn't even get out of the water. 00:11:58.259 --> 00:12:00.379 And the official son that had poor health. 00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:03.119 All of them had reached the end of themselves. 00:12:04.919 --> 00:12:06.599 I'm going to tell you a story now. 00:12:07.500 --> 00:12:09.419 Probably most of you will be aware of this. 00:12:09.539 --> 00:12:10.659 And I vaguely was. 00:12:11.099 --> 00:12:12.459 But I've been amazed 00:12:12.459 --> 00:12:13.679 as I've read through it more. 00:12:14.299 --> 00:12:15.819 The story about something that happened 00:12:15.819 --> 00:12:17.059 during the Second World War. 00:12:17.059 --> 00:12:20.079 On the 26th of May 1940, 00:12:20.739 --> 00:12:23.519 it looked like Britain had reached its end. 00:12:24.419 --> 00:12:25.779 It was one of those moments 00:12:25.779 --> 00:12:27.679 that was the most intense period 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:29.119 during the Second World War. 00:12:29.839 --> 00:12:32.059 When the army was trapped at Dunkirk 00:12:32.059 --> 00:12:34.979 and the Germans were fighting hard against them. 00:12:35.500 --> 00:12:37.179 And it looked like we were at our worst 00:12:37.179 --> 00:12:38.239 and darkest time. 00:12:39.359 --> 00:12:40.559 King George VI 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:42.859 called the whole nation to pray. 00:12:42.860 --> 00:12:45.279 He called this country to pray 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:46.700 through a broadcast 00:12:46.700 --> 00:12:49.000 because he knew that the battle 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:50.659 was not just against flesh and blood 00:12:50.659 --> 00:12:52.379 but it was against evil. 00:12:53.180 --> 00:12:54.639 The powers in the holy realm. 00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:57.080 And so he called this nation 00:12:57.080 --> 00:12:58.340 to turn back to God 00:12:58.340 --> 00:13:01.120 and to turn to Jesus in prayer for help. 00:13:01.800 --> 00:13:03.320 And churches and cathedrals 00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:04.740 up and down this land 00:13:04.740 --> 00:13:06.840 were absolutely packed with people. 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:09.620 So just that in itself to me 00:13:09.620 --> 00:13:10.820 was amazing that people 00:13:10.820 --> 00:13:11.899 all over the country 00:13:11.899 --> 00:13:13.879 on one day all got together and prayed. 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:15.620 But actually I don't know 00:13:15.620 --> 00:13:17.240 if you know the amazing events 00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:18.919 that happened after that day. 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:20.379 The following day of prayer 00:13:20.379 --> 00:13:22.319 there were two miracles that happened. 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:24.000 The first was 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:25.659 that in the morning of the next day 00:13:25.659 --> 00:13:28.139 the Luftwaffe had got 00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:30.379 a bombing campaign planned for that day 00:13:30.379 --> 00:13:31.679 and they were going to drop a load of bombs. 00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:33.879 But there was a massive storm 00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:35.799 between Dover and Dunkirk 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:38.480 and the planes couldn't fly. 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:40.279 So they just called off 00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:42.879 their bombing flight that day. 00:13:43.779 --> 00:13:45.379 And then the second thing that happened was 00:13:45.379 --> 00:13:46.779 surely afterwards 00:13:46.779 --> 00:13:48.200 the weather cleared 00:13:48.200 --> 00:13:51.139 and that meant that thousands of boats 00:13:51.139 --> 00:13:53.220 from the Royal Navy warships 00:13:53.220 --> 00:13:55.279 right down to tiny little sailing boats 00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:56.980 could cross the English Channel 00:13:56.980 --> 00:13:58.259 and because of that 00:13:58.259 --> 00:14:00.940 they saved thousands of men 00:14:00.940 --> 00:14:02.860 and people who were trapped at Dunkirk. 00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:04.340 In fact hundreds of thousands. 00:14:04.340 --> 00:14:07.420 And it was Churchill who went on to say 00:14:07.420 --> 00:14:09.980 that this was the miracle of Dunkirk. 00:14:10.500 --> 00:14:11.620 And later on that year 00:14:11.620 --> 00:14:12.540 on the 9th of June 00:14:12.540 --> 00:14:14.220 the king appointed that day 00:14:14.220 --> 00:14:15.700 as a day of thanksgiving 00:14:15.700 --> 00:14:17.100 to say thank you to God 00:14:17.100 --> 00:14:18.600 for all he'd done 00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:19.780 in delivering the nation 00:14:19.780 --> 00:14:21.500 out of their darkest hour. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:23.220 All of those people 00:14:23.220 --> 00:14:25.280 streaming into Westminster Abbey 00:14:25.280 --> 00:14:27.040 and churches up and down this land 00:14:27.040 --> 00:14:29.360 prayed because they believed 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:31.000 that prayer changes things. 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:33.300 The course of history was changed. 00:14:33.299 --> 00:14:34.959 And for us too 00:14:34.959 --> 00:14:38.279 I believe that when we pray 00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:41.199 God acts when we intercede 00:14:41.199 --> 00:14:42.359 when we call on him. 00:14:42.939 --> 00:14:45.179 One of my favourite worship songs 00:14:45.179 --> 00:14:46.059 is Waymaker 00:14:46.059 --> 00:14:48.959 and what I love about it 00:14:48.959 --> 00:14:49.579 is when it says 00:14:49.579 --> 00:14:50.919 even when I don't see it 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:51.500 you're working 00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:53.259 even when I don't feel it 00:14:53.259 --> 00:14:53.899 you're working 00:14:53.899 --> 00:14:55.359 you never stop 00:14:55.359 --> 00:14:56.719 you never stop working. 00:14:57.979 --> 00:14:59.000 And the more we pray 00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:01.359 even when things are really tough 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:02.600 and you know 00:15:02.600 --> 00:15:03.779 we're struggling with things 00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:05.720 we become less anxious. 00:15:06.340 --> 00:15:07.460 The more we pray 00:15:07.460 --> 00:15:09.279 the less dependent we are 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:10.259 on our own strength. 00:15:10.779 --> 00:15:11.860 And the more we pray 00:15:11.860 --> 00:15:13.180 we also see things 00:15:13.180 --> 00:15:14.039 from God's view 00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:15.340 and see his priorities. 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:17.100 And this is what happened 00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:17.860 here for Jesus. 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:19.639 We read in this 00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:20.340 that the disciples 00:15:20.340 --> 00:15:21.620 hunted him down 00:15:21.620 --> 00:15:22.519 they came and found him 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:23.340 and said come on 00:15:23.340 --> 00:15:24.379 come away from praying 00:15:24.379 --> 00:15:26.000 the crowds need you. 00:15:27.080 --> 00:15:28.179 But Jesus knew 00:15:28.179 --> 00:15:29.299 what his calling was 00:15:29.299 --> 00:15:29.840 and that was 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:31.120 to share the gospel 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:32.379 and he knew 00:15:32.379 --> 00:15:33.320 how to differentiate 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:34.879 between the urgent 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:35.820 and the important. 00:15:36.580 --> 00:15:37.580 He knew that he had 00:15:37.580 --> 00:15:38.480 to spend time 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:39.379 with his father alone 00:15:39.379 --> 00:15:40.220 if he was going to do 00:15:40.220 --> 00:15:41.360 what God called him to do. 00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:44.939 So as we look 00:15:44.939 --> 00:15:45.779 to the new term 00:15:45.779 --> 00:15:47.759 when we all know 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:48.539 that we're going to start 00:15:48.539 --> 00:15:49.460 to get busy again 00:15:49.460 --> 00:15:50.600 back to work 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:51.500 back to school 00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:53.159 back to doing whatever 00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:54.399 voluntary stuff we're doing 00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:55.980 and then it will be Christmas 00:15:55.980 --> 00:15:58.860 I want to ask you again 00:15:58.860 --> 00:16:01.159 how is your prayer life? 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:03.019 Do you want to grow 00:16:03.019 --> 00:16:03.819 in your relationship 00:16:03.819 --> 00:16:04.799 with God? 00:16:05.100 --> 00:16:05.500 Sorry. 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:07.279 And are you dependent 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:08.240 on your relationship 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:08.779 with God? 00:16:09.459 --> 00:16:11.019 Or if you're really honest 00:16:11.019 --> 00:16:13.000 do you actually depend 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:13.959 on your own strength 00:16:13.959 --> 00:16:14.839 and your own ability? 00:16:15.939 --> 00:16:16.980 And what are you going to do 00:16:16.980 --> 00:16:18.639 to sacrifice some time 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:20.879 to improve your prayer life? 00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:23.360 So in order to spend 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:24.000 some more time 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:24.759 with God in prayer 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:26.159 I'm just going to suggest 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:27.299 that we take 00:16:27.299 --> 00:16:28.559 a couple of minutes now 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:29.779 to do what we've just 00:16:29.779 --> 00:16:30.620 been talking about 00:16:30.620 --> 00:16:31.159 to pray. 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:33.460 This isn't a solitary place 00:16:33.460 --> 00:16:34.080 but it's going to be 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:35.000 a quiet place 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:36.240 for a couple of minutes. 00:16:36.860 --> 00:16:37.779 And this is your opportunity 00:16:37.779 --> 00:16:38.960 to come before God. 00:16:39.580 --> 00:16:40.860 Maybe you need to praise him 00:16:40.860 --> 00:16:42.500 to cry out to him 00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:43.700 silently in your heart. 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:46.159 Maybe you need to admit 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:47.059 that you've been doing this 00:16:47.059 --> 00:16:48.059 in your own strength. 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:49.659 Or maybe you're struggling 00:16:49.659 --> 00:16:50.679 with an answered prayer 00:16:50.679 --> 00:16:51.539 and it hurts 00:16:51.539 --> 00:16:52.839 and you need to tell him that. 00:16:53.779 --> 00:16:54.860 Whatever it is 00:16:54.860 --> 00:16:56.620 let's do as Jesus said 00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:58.179 just be there 00:16:58.179 --> 00:16:58.839 as simply 00:16:58.839 --> 00:16:59.860 and honestly 00:16:59.860 --> 00:17:01.039 as you can manage. 00:17:02.379 --> 00:17:03.639 And let your focus 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:05.039 shift from you to God 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:06.220 and you'll begin 00:17:06.220 --> 00:17:07.259 to sense his grace 00:17:07.259 --> 00:17:07.960 and peace. 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:08.620 And let's do this. 00:17:08.619 --> 00:17:38.599 Thank you.