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Transcript

Having Time Alone · First15 Devotional

• 0:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: As we continue our weeklong series, answering the most important question, why should we spend time alone with God?
• 0:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to look today simply at the value of having time alone.
• 0:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: In a world where we're inundated with media, people, stress, and work from the moment we wake up, God has a better beginning to every day, in store for us, if we'll follow Him.
• 0:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast.
• 0:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Our Scripture for today comes from Luke chapter 5 verse 16, Scripture says, Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
• 1:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Why is time alone with God so important?
• 1:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Why can't just go to church, a community group, or a Bible study, be enough?
• 1:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Those of us who have grown up in church, or have been going to church for many years, have been told that time spent alone with God is vital to our relationship with Him.
• 1:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Many of us, however, were never given a reason why.
• 1:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: and in order for us to consistently and effectively engage in this crucial practice, we must understand why it is so important.
• 1:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Here's what we learned from Scripture about having time alone with God.
• 1:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: Scripture makes it abundantly clear that Jesus spent time alone with his heavenly father.
• 2:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Luke 516 states, Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
• 2:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Mark 135 states, and rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went
• 2:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: often in Scripture, Jesus withdrew from the crowd to pray.
• 2:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: So the first reason to spend time alone with God is because Jesus did.
• 2:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: If Jesus needed time alone with His heavenly Father, we can all be sure we need it even more.
• 2:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus walked in God's presence constantly.
• 2:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus constantly responded to God's will for his life.
• 2:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is our perfect example.
• 3:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: And even still, he needed time alone with God.
• 3:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: We also see from Jesus' example that time alone with God empowers us to carry out God's purpose for our life.
• 3:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: It was after withdrawing into the wilderness in Luke 4 that he began performing miracles.
• 3:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus entered the garden of Gethsemane, filled with grief and sorrow, asking God for a way other than his own death to achieve salvation for his people.
• 3:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: After spending time alone with God, he came out of the garden empowered to endure the worst atrocity in history.
• 3:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Spending time alone with God empowers us to live a life filled with a knowledge of God's purposes and the ability to faithfully see them through.
• 3:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: But lastly, Jesus is clear in Matthew 6, verses 5 and 6, how we are to pray.
• 4:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Scripture says, and when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.
• 4:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues, and at the street corners that they may be seen by others, truly I say to you, they have received their reward.
• 4:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret.
• 4:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: And your father who sees in secret will reward you.
• 4:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: God rewards time spent alone with him in prayer.
• 4:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's by praying in secret that we clearly, intangibly, encounter God's love for us.
• 4:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's by spending time engaging in conversation with the spirit that we learn what his voice sounds like.
• 5:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's by asking God questions that we discover His will, and it's by spending time alone with Him that our lives become centered around His nearness and goodness.
• 5:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: All of the money in the world cannot buy the rewards God belongs to give you.
• 5:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: all the favor of men will not satisfy your insatiable desire to be fully known and fully loved.
• 5:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Receive right now the best gift you could be offered one-on-one communion with your heavenly Father.
• 6:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, wherever you are, find a place to get alone and pray.
• 6:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Seek out a place where you can find solitude that will be uninterrupted.
• 6:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Luke chapter 5 verse 16 says, Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
• 6:40
  [UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
• 7:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: And next, listen and pray through this scripture.
• 7:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: May God give you a revelation of His provision and love for you, as you pray Jesus model prayer.
• 7:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Matthew 6, verses 9 through 13 says,
• 7:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
• 7:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
• 8:05
  [UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
• 8:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: and last.
• 8:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Engage in conversation with God.
• 8:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Ask him how he feels about you.
• 8:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Come before him with anything that is weighing you down and lay your burdens at his feet.
• 8:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Rest in the peace that comes from his presence.
• 8:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Matthew 11 verses 28 through 30 says, Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
• 9:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly and hard, and you will find rest for your souls.
• 9:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
• 9:25
  [UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
• 9:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's desire to spend time alone with you is not meant to add stress or pressure to your life, but to relieve you from it.
• 10:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is not a God who is after you religiously checking off a quiet time box, but a good father who longs to fill your life with his grace, power, and love.
• 10:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Spend some time today, mulling over these important questions from Brennan Manning, written in his book The Furious Longing of God.
• 10:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: May your day be marked by the love of your kind, good father.
• 10:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Brennan says, is your own personal prayer life characterized by the simplicity, childlike candor, boundless trust, an easy familiarity of a little one crawling up in Daddy's
• 10:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: and assured knowing that the daddy doesn't care if the child falls asleep, starts playing with toys, or even starts chatting with little friends, because the daddy knows the child has essentially chosen to be with him for that moment.
• 11:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Is that the spirit of your interior prayer life?
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for listening to today's podcast, Having Time Alone.
• 11:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with First 15.
• 11:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: One of the most life-giving aspects of spending time in God's presence for me is simply having time away from the rush of life every day.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus needed time to Himself.
• 11:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Each one of us needs time to ourselves and the world seldom gives it to us.
• 11:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's why I'm so grateful for this space we're making for God's presence.
• 11:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: This space where we can really get away and pray.
• 11:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I hope you're finding this space as valuable to your own life as I am mine.
• 11:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'd love to hear your feedback, though, so please shoot us a note at podcast at first15.org.
• 12:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're feel free to leave a review on whichever platform you're listening to this podcast on.
• 12:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day today and may God bless you as you see Kim.