Mark 1:35  And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
36  And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.
37  And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.
38  And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.
39  And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

Jesus Christ taught the truth. He healed many of their diseases. He also cast out many devils. He proved His deity in so many ways. As the Son of Man He also needed that constant communication with His Heavenly Father. He set aside His glory to become a man. He was never just a man. He never sinned. He showed us the importance of daily and constant communication with the true God, if we are saved. The Bible teaches that we need to be in God’s Word daily and we need to meditate upon His Word day and night.
Prayer is a privilege for the true child of God. There are many prayers that go no further than the sound of the voice. Those who are saved and walking in truth have the privilege of having our prayers go to the throne of grace. We do not need the internet or a satellite. God hears the prayers of those who are His children.
Of course God hears all things. The Bible warns that every idle word is recorded.

Matthew 12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

When we talk of God hearing His children, we talk of the sense that God takes those words into consideration and answers them according to His will. Those who are saved have a unique relationship with the God of Creation.
Jesus needed rest, just like other men. He also needed time with His Heavenly Father. His days were busy. I remember the president of the Bible school I attended, telling us that he got up early to have his own personal devotions because once everyone else was up his day was full dealing with others and there would be no time for that private, personal time with the Lord. That is a Biblical practice to follow. Those who are saved will cherish that private time with their God and Saviour.
In verse 36 we see that once Simon and the others woke up, they were looking for Jesus. They could not help the people. They needed to find Jesus. This is still true for us today. We cannot help people. We can point people to God and Christ. We need to know Him in order to be able to help others to know Him.
In verse 37 we read that after they found Jesus, they told Him that all men were seeking after Him. Jesus knew that. That is why He needed to withdraw Himself to a private place where He could be alone with His Father. The disciples did not know Who Jesus was yet at this time. It would take some time yet before they would understand Who He was. They knew enough to seek after Him so that He could help others.
In verse 38 we see that Jesus was not driven by numbers. That is what motivates so many religious leaders and followers today. They are so excited to know that they are needed. They glory in the spotlight. They might assume they are privileged to be able to help others, but they often get sidetracked. Seeking after numbers is just another example of the pride of man. We love to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. Jesus taught there is rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. . .
Jesus likely surprised the disciples here by His response. He did not go back to where the people were. He told His disciples that they needed to go to the next towns. He needed to preach to many more people. There was a famine in the land. It was a famine for the truth. The people did not realize there was a famine, but Jesus knew it.
The Pharisees had corrupted God’s Word and the people were caught up in their lies. There were not many true priests around at that time. The Word of God was not being taught much at all. There was much religious activity, but not much truth.
Again, this is quite similar to what we see today. There is much religious activity, but not much truth. There is a great need for the truth to be taught. We have an advantage in that we can hold the Word of God in our hands today. The purchase of a true Bible is not that expensive. It is far less than the money spent on coffee or any other thing for that matter. Few people are reading the Bible these days.
Most people are not even aware of their spiritual need. They have ignored the convicting work of the Holy Spirit for so long and they have accepted the deceptive teaching of the false teachers. They know in their soul that there is something missing, but they keep pursuing the false teachers in the hope that eventually that which is missing will be found. They like to have their itching ears tickled.
Thousands are dying, never having found that which their soul needs. Jesus came to preach the truth to all the towns and villages in Israel. He was able to cover much of that territory in 3 1/2 years. That took a concerted effort and much travel.
In verse 39 we see that He preached in their synagogues throughout Galilee. That was quite the task seeing they traveled on foot. He did not waste time on sight seeing or other things. He wanted people to know the truth. He was and is the Truth. He taught the Scriptures and showed how they spoke of Him. He helped the people to see what they had been missing. They were following the Old Testament law but did not perceive the true purpose of the law. Jesus showed them that they needed the truth and how liberating the truth is. The devils could not interfere with His work. He cast them out.
We are called to preach the Word in season and out of season. As we preach the truth, it will help those who are truly listening to turn to God in repentance and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. As we have mentioned many times, those who are saved are set free from bondage to self and sin. They have been given eternal life and a peace that passes all understanding. It is difficult to explain, but it is possible to demonstrate that peace.
Exposure to the truth is so very important. Right now, the various politicians and their type are out getting in the media and speaking in meetings. They want their message to get out to as many people as possible. People are clamouring for something. They are choosing whom they will listen to. Some have tuned out certain people because they do not like their message.
Sadly, most people have tuned out the truth today. Most people refuse to attend a true Bible-preaching church. They have grown weary of the far left religions like the United church and the Presbyterians, etc. The Catholics still have some followers. The New Evangelical crowd is an ever changing crowd as they try to keep up with the latest demands of the ungodly.
True churches do not cater to the world. True churches teach the truth and are the only true help for the world. Be sure you are in contact with a true local church that will show you the truth. You do not need a pat on the back. You need the truth.
Pastor Bartel