Morning Watch Verses-2
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. (Mark 1:35
And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12)
WE MAY NEVER UNDERSTAND THE FULL RELATIONSHIP of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When Jesus took upon Himself a human body, it included taking on many limitations. He could get hungry and tired. He was the God-man: For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) Jesus needed to pray to the Father, so He prayed. He set an example for us, who need to pray at least as much as He needed to
pray.
I INCLUDE MARK 1:35 IN THE VERSES I MAY QUOTE when I pray in the morning. I want to be reminded that Jesus prayed in the morning and I need to follow His example. I also like Luke 6:12 as a prayer verse and I use it sometimes in the morning. Before Jesus chose some of his disciples, he prayed all night. We might do well to remember that when we have a serious decision to make.
WE NOTICE THAT JESUS ROSE UP TO PRAY. It is possible to pray in bed, unless you find yourself half-praying and dozing in and out. If you/we go to sleep while trying to pray in bed, we need to either go to sleep or get out of bed. On any day, there must be at least a million people who are bedfast and if they pray, they will have to pray in bed. Some of the best praying is done in hospital beds when people do some serious thinking and it’s time to pray…in bed.
ONE OF THE THIEVES ON THE CROSS PRAYED… enough to get saved. Many prayers have been prayed in foxholes (and answered). If you get into a tight place on the highway, you won’t have time to get on your knees. When Peter was walking on the water and began to sink, he didn’t have time to get on his knees. We ought to do a lot of knee praying if we can. And if we cannot get on our knees, pray anyway. I cannot get on my knees all the time. But, if I can, that’s the best way to pray.
JESUS ROSE UP AND WENT OUTSIDE INTO A PRIVATE PLACE. It’s good to know what Jesus did and to follow His example as much as possible. That’s a good thing to do.
WHEN JESUS BROUGHT HIS DISCIPLES INTO THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE before He was to be crucified, His disciples where sleepy. He left them together while he went a little farther to get alone. When He came back, they were asleep. He was doing some heavy praying and needed them to stay awake. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? (Matthew 26:40)
(Peter had just told Jesus that he would give his life for him and he was sincere about it. He meant well. But, Peter, and the others, were dog-tired. They had probably walked a long way and had been awake a long time. But, tired or no tired, Jesus said: “Could ye not watch with Me one hour?”)
I LIKE TO THINK ABOUT THESE SLEEPY DISCIPLES, when I’m trying to pray some mornings and I’m tired and sleepy. I remember how it was in the boy’s dorm at Temple when we had several young men to gather in a room at night to pray. Some had worked a full shift and were staying up to study and then to pray. Half of them would go to sleep and when their turn came to pray, they had to be shaken or nudged to take their turn at praying. I learned that if you are going to get up early to pray, you are going to have to go to bed early. Long-term, our bodies need to sleep as well as we need to pray.
BEFORE I LEARNED THAT, I had decided I would get up at 5:00 in the morning and go over to the little room upstairs beside the pipe organ. I wish I had a dollar for every time I went to sleep trying to pray in that little room. I was a farm boy. I had milked cows and goats before daylight. But, somehow, this was much different. I finally saw the futility (and the hypocrisy) of crossing the street with my Bible in hand (looking so spiritual) before daylight.
I GAVE IT UP AND DECIDED I WOULD FIND ANOTHER TIME DURING THE DAY TO PRAY. I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I was staying up late at night studying and getting up early to pray and it didn’t mix. You can do it for a while, but it will catch up with you. The spiritual thing to do is to go to bed at a decent hour and then pray in the morning.
IN THINKING ABOUT EARLY MORNING PRAYING TODAY, I recognize the problem many Americans have in maintaining a morning prayer time. Suggestion: when you get out of bed (YOU DO HAVE TO GET OUT OF BED!). Roll over onto your knees on the floor and thank God for your sleep and for a new day and ask God to take you by the hand and lead you for the day. DO IT!! Tell God you love Him and that you want to stay in touch with Him all day. You can do that. And then, stretch that time a little as you can.
JESUS DIDN'T GO OUSIDE TO READ HIS BIBLE. He went outside to pray. When I pray in the morning I may or may not read. But, I always include Bible verses in my morning praying. They give substance and strength to the payer. I quote certain verses in my prayer. That’s why we’re calling these articles: MORNING WATCH VERSES. We need 15-20 prayer verses that fit well into morning praying.
MORNING PRAYING IS FIRST AND FOREMOST, ABOUT GREETING THE LORD and making sure there’s no unfinished business between us and Him. Then, if we have time, pray for others in intercession. We can pray for people all day long, but we need this special time, first thing in the morning to connect with the Lord and “boot up our computers.” I hope this helps.
CARRY A NEW TESTAMENT WITH PSALMS AND PROVERBS WITH YOU or put a Bible app on your smart phone. Work in some Bible reading on your morning break, lunch or whenever you can.
SOME PEOPLE READ MORNING MINUTE IN THE MORNING and some wait until they come home after work or school. My intention with Morning Minute has always been as a starter and not the engine of your talking with the Lord. Only the Lord knows how much we need to pray today. Let’s do everything in our power to become solid, praying Christians who walk with God as a living reality. It can be done. We must do it.
YOU'LL NEED THOSE 20 VERSES TO HELP YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS when you’re trying to get started talking to the Lord. How did Moses do it? How did Abraham do it? How did Daniel do it? How did Jesus do it? How did James do it? How did Paul do it? Please hang in there and let’s get some verses installed into our praying that will really make a difference in how we pray. Ω
Read Through the Bible in a Year
AUGUST 8, 2018 – WEDNESDAY
A.M. Psalms 82-84 P.M. Romans 8:19-39
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)
A Good Verse to Memorize:
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. (Mark 1:35) (Write verse on scrap of paper and put in your pocket to memorize.)
Song for Today:
My Savior First of All (3:31) (The Hymn Club- Goshen College- Mennon.) (Words by Fanny Crosby)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMFM-lpzCC0&index=2&list=RDh_nIRLD_5gE
You may need to adjust your volume.
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