CADENCE Part 4: The Value Of Solitude

Matthew 11:28-30 MSG
28 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” 29 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” 30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day.
~Dallas Willard

WHAT CAUSES MOST OF OUR DISTRACTIONS
1. Pursuit of productivity so we can have more ____________.
2. Our Technology

Mark 1:21-22 NIV
21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

Mark 1:25-26 NIV
25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

Mark 1:27 NIV
27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.”

Mark 1:28 NIV
28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

Mark 1:32-34 NIV
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Mark 1:35 NIV
35 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.

Mark 6:31 NIV
31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Mark 6:31-32 NIV
31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

Luke 22:39 NIV
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.

JESUS MODELED FOR US
The remedy for our hurried, distracted lives is a daily solitude with God.

SOLITUDE IS RELATIONAL
You are spending time with God. Being filled up.
ISOLATION IS LONELY
You fill your time with everything but God.

The reason most people don’t have solitude with God is that they don’t have the right habits.

Daily Solitude With God
1. TIME
2. PLACE
3. PLAN
4. PRAYER

1. Pick the same time every day.

2. Pick the same place every day.

3. Have a Bible reading plan.

3. Have a Bible reading plan.
1 Year Bible (lwfc.org/1YearBible)
YouVersion Bible App
NIV -New International Version
NLT -New Living Translation
ESV -English Standard Version

4. Prayer is simply talking to and listening to God.

The noise of our modern world is making us deaf to the voice of God.

Daily Solitude With God
1. TIME
2. PLACE
3. PLAN
4. PRAYER

Matthew 11:28-30 MSG
28 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” 29 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” 30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”