Blog

Read Mark 1:35-39: 

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. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. (ESV) 

1. A lot of people wanted something from Jesus.  Being the Savior of the world is a big responsibility!  Consider your own life.  What are some things you currently feel responsible for, and how do you feel about it?    
2. Even though there were always a lot of people clamoring for Jesus to heal, teach, and serve them, Jesus had a regular practice of going off alone for solitude and prayer.  What does that communicate to you about Jesus and about your own life? 
3. When we look at Jesus’s practice of solitary prayer, we see the principle that our being comes before our doing.  Jesus’s journey inward into relationship with God, led to his journey outward into intense ministry activity – not the other way around.  What happens when we jump into ministry without first getting alone with God and listening to his direction?   
4. If you have received direction from God and have a sense of what your ministry focus should be, share with the group how you came to discern that.  
5. Pastor Bobby’s mentor said there are five areas in life that are essential for us to attend to. Consider you own life – which of these areas are currently strong, and which ones need some strengthening?
   1. Your relationship with God
   2. Your relationship with your family
   3. Serving God’s purposes in the church and the world
   4. Being a good friend
   5. Staying Healthy
6. Is there anything in your life right now that you need to say “no” to, in order that you might say “yes” to what’s most essential? 
7. We often think of prayer as asking for things.  In order to make good decisions and have clear discernment in the daily demands of life, we need to create space so we can hear from God – not just talk to God.  What are some practices that help you do this? 
8. Francis de Sales said, “I’ll start giving you spiritual direction when you begin to walk more slowly, talk more slowly, and eat more slowly.”  What’s his point?  What do you think of this? 
9. God is already active in our homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods; and we get to partner with Him, if we make space in our lives to tune in to His promptings.  Pastor Bobby shared about his experiences of this with some people at a bookstore in Texas.  If you’ve experienced something similar, share about it with your group.  
10. If a friend who doesn’t know the Lord asked you what was talked about at church this week, how would you respond?