1 Timothy Series - Pray for All

 

Pray For All

1 Tim. 2:1-4

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior,  who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

Paul switches now to the heart of God, his creation, all mankind. This includes all mankind and its authorities, even those that hate Jesus and christians. They ruled over believers as overlords. “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles have absolute power and lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them [tyrannizing them].” (Matt. 20:25) So let’s look at the first portion of the text. “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

Paul was guiding Timothy and the church in Ephesus to pray first and foremost for all, good and the evil, the righteous and the wicked, the rulers and the slave and servant, petitioning God and interceding for all people. 

Paul was under the rule of Nero when he wrote this letter. Nero had a nasty dislike for christians and used them as entertainment in the coliseums and for street lights along the roads in Rome. Also, Paul knew the worshipers of Diana were still enraged over the church being established in Ephesus and around Asia minor. So Paul’s directive was similar to that of Jesus’ to the disciple and people in Israel.  “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today 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 the evil one.’” (Matt. 5:44-45a, 6:9-13)

Paul knew how bad the persecution was upon himself and the church. He knew God would hear all his prayers, petitions, supplications, and intercessions. He asked them to pray to God for a quiet peaceful life so the young churches would have times of rest and peace, not always chaos, anxiety, and strife from persecution and false doctrines that threw the church into confusion over what was truth and God’s true purpose and will. He earlier wrote a letter to the Ephesian, Phillipian and Roman churches about giving themselves wholly in prayer and worship to God, and God would make His will and purpose clear, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” ”Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” ( Eph. 6:18, Phil. 4:6-7, Romans 12:1-2)

For in the human nature of man, it was normal to fight, flight, or hide when people were persecuting them. If there was anyone who knew the power of Christ to change a rebellious prosecutor, it was Paul. Paul also knew the teaching of Jesus in the beatitudes and may have used the wisdom from Jesus’ words to give Timothy wise counsel, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matt. 5:9-12) 

This will not lessen the physical, emotional, or mental pain of persecution and imprisonment, but it would give Timothy and the churches the release from the bondage of hatred and bitterness, and fill their hearts, minds, and spirits with the peace of God and the joy of the Holy Spirit. “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (Rom. 5:3-5, 2 Cor. 4:16-18)

 Application - Praying is still the most powerful act any believer can do when suffering or in peace. And we must give all praise to our Lord God and Savior for he hears us when we pray. As both Jesus and Paul taught, We aren’t to succumb to the toleration, or indulgence of the liberalism of sinful lifestyles but to pray for their deliverance. We are called to be holy as our Father God is holy. 

We are to pray for our elected officials, even those who do not align with God’s values and morals. For God has placed them in their position for His purpose and will. Even the most despicable and vial person can be used by God. Throughout the history of the world, the pagan armies were used by God to discipline Israel for their rebellion and unbelief. Even Hitler’s atrocities against the Jewish people and others was used in the prophetic return of Israel as a nation. As God said in Rom. 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” As for living in peace, we all want to live “peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” It all comes down to prayer. Will we ask God for the peace and godly rest in the towns and cities in which we dwell. Will we intercede for those lost in degrading and sinful lifestyles. Just like when Jerimiah told the Israelites taken to Babylon, “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7) Prospering isn’t always about finances, what price can you pay for the Rest of God for your lives? But if we pray to God to intervene and give us favor with those around us, this would be of greater value like Joseph, Esther, Ezra and Nehemiah, and Daniel. 

Last, Paul now focuses on the goodness of God. So let’s look at the last portion of the text. “This is good, and pleases God our Savior,  who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

God has seen the church in Ephesus, he knows their struggles and weaknesses. He wanted the church to be overcomers and this would only happen through their focused prayers towards God’s will. For in God’s economy, people are all alike. They are sinful and they all need salvation. God's message of hope was not for a few personally selected by men and women in Ephesus, but for all. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” 

Paul wanted Timothy to make plain God’s heart, but also God’s election and predestination. For God knows who will respond to the calling of God to salvation, for many are called but few are chosen, and he has written all their names in the Lamb’s book of life. Paul had written to the church about God’s election in many of the other letters as well. Man has freedom to choose, as Eve and Adam did in the garden. God knows those who will receive his Son as Savior and Lord, who will believe in Him, die to their sins, and obey his words and yield to His Holy Spirit. For as Peter also said, “To God’s elect…who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” (1 Peter 1:2)

Application - God’s plan is that the Good News would be preached throughout the world to all nations, tribes, and people for the salvation of their souls and lives through His Son, Jesus the Christ. God is still merciful and compassionate to the lost. He loves His creation. He called it good. “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin …” (Ex. 34:6-7) But God is also just and righteous. He knows the hearts and minds of all his creations. He knows those who are broken and contrite in heart with godly sorrow because of their sins, those who have humble themselves in faith to receive the grace of God. “My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble and repentant heart.” “ For the sadness that is used by God brings a change of heart that leads to salvation—and there is no regret in that! But sadness that is merely human causes death..”(Ps. 51:17, 2 Cor. 7:10 GNT)

Because God is patient, merciful, and compassionate, he waits till the last person will genuinely repent and receive Christ as Lord and Savior before he brings judgment. “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7) As both Paul and Peter spoke, there is coming a day when God will take those he foreknew to be with him, and those who rejected or rebelled against him and his Word will face judgment. For both salvation and judgment are promised by God the Father. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” ( 2 Peter 3:9)

In our world today, many will say they are going to heaven, but not all have truly given their lives over to God in true repentance. You can’t just come to the cross and say, I believe that there is one God and that his Son died on a cross two thousand years ago. For even the devil knows and believes this. We must believe that we are sinners in need of a Savior. We must repent and have a godly sorrow for our rebellious lives and wicked actions from a sinful heart. For it is with our mouth we confess Jesus as Lord of our lives, but you also must believe in your heart. For God looks at the heart, not our acts. Jesus died that his shed blood would be the atonement for our sins, and that by believing in Him we are asking Him to cleanse our hearts and lives. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9)

This is the faith that saves by grace (Eph. 2:8-9). God wants all men to truly have the choice to seek him while he may be found. “Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people …?’” (Ezk. 33:11)

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis