Tuesday, August 30, 2011

He Prayed BEFORE Day Break! WHO?


Who prayed BEFORE DAY BREAK?
Jesus did.

Some of us are in the process of doing so right now at His Life!

WHY?
  • because we are believing God for Revival.
  • because the greatest resource a church has is PRAYER (not people, pesos, programs nor practices -- all of these come in second)
  • because JESUS did so as recorded in Mark 1:35 (NOTE:  this was the day after a very hectic healing schedule ... nevertheless HE PRAYED!)

See the different Parallel Translations below of MARK 1:35:

New International Version (©1984)
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.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

English Standard Version (©2001)
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.


International Standard Version (©2008)
In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went to a deserted place and prayed there.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
In the morning, long before sunrise, Jesus went to a place where he could be alone to pray.

Bible in Basic English
And in the morning, a long time before daylight, he got up and went out to a quiet place, and there he gave himself up to prayer.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And rising very early, going out, he went into a desert place: and there he prayed.

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Today many will RISE UP LONG BEFORE DAYLIGHT for many reasons BUT PRAYER!
  • many people rise before day break FOR MARKETING PURPOSES but not to PRAY.
  • many people get up while it is still dark FOR AN EXCURSION 150 kilometers away but not to PRAY.
  • many people get out of bed very early in the morning FOR WORK in a CALL CENTER but not to PRAY.
  • many people are excited to get up while it is still dark to FETCH SOMEONE at the AIRPORT but not to PRAY.
  • many people rise up before day break FOR a SPORTS COMPETITION (running, biking, warming up, etc) but not to PRAY.
  • many people get up while it is still dawn TO TRY OUT A NEW 24 HOUR FOOD CHAIN in town but not to PRAY.
  • many people get out of bed very early in the morning FOR HEALTH (walking, jogging, biking, etc) but not to PRAY.
  • many people are excited to get up while it is still dark TO BE AT THE FRONT SEATS of a BIG TIME CONCERT but not to PRAY.
  • BUT JESUS, THE VERY SON OF GOD woke up during the FOURTH WATCH of the DAY (between 3am and 6am) to PRAY!  That was the AGENDA of HIS LIFE!  PRAYER!  Not breakfast first ... not a sport event first ... not for someone, a VIP in the flesh BUT RATHER to PRAY TO FATHER GOD first!  Wow!
THE AGENDA OF JESUS is PRAYER!
Everything sprung forth from there.
Someone said ... JESUS HAD ONLY ONE MINISTRY --- and that was PRAYER MINISTRY.  All the rest flowed from that MINISTRY of His.
HE DID NOT START A PROGRAM WITH AN ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING, A VOTATION, A DISCUSSION, A CONFERENCE, A COUNCIL MEETING, A FORUM ... but He started His Work in PRAYER ... and that was daily!

Lord teach us to PRAY.
Teach us to really DO.

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(NOTE:  18 years ago HLM started having DAWN WATCHES 5am Daily from Mondays to Fridays. Our staff, workers, pastors and volunteers would take turns in leading these DAWN Prayer Meetings.  It was a life-style. It lasted for a number of years.  It is also the reason why we have tremendous growth right now as a church.  Together with the call of Discipleship, we believe that Prayer was the foundation of it.  It was a carry over of our REACHOUT Ministries youth days of the late 1980's till early 1990s).


click below to read more about PRAYER at His Life
click below ...
PRAYING THE OUR FATHER GUIDE

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