PRAYING IN A PERISHING WORLD
1 Tim. 2:1-
Introduction. 1st Timothy is the first of three letters written by Paul to young preachers. These letters are called the Pastoral Epistles, and are Paul’s attempt at instructing and encouraging these young men of God.
In these letters, we can find a great amount of material related to behaviour in the church and also governing worship.
Paul felt compelled to write these letters, because Timothy and Titus were serving the Lord in a society that was very secular and openly opposed to the preaching of salvation through Jesus Christ. And to the lifestyle of separation and holiness that accompanies that salvation. He gives these young men some rules, by which they can operate their ministries.
It seems to me that we live in a society that is growing more and more anti-
We no longer live in a Christian nation; we live in a nation that has become a pagan nation, where men live as if God were dead or irrelevant.
We can complain all we want about the situation, but this is where we are, and we have been placed here by the providence of Almighty God. Therefore, we need to know how to live for God in a pagan world.
Paul, in these verses, deals with one area where we can all impact.
It’s an area of Christian activity that has the power to change society and demonstrate Christ to a lost world. I am talking about the area of prayer.
I want us to consider together the matter of praying in a pagan world. Notice three important divisions in these verses.
I. The Demand that God Makes v.1-
A. The Elevation Of Prayer v.1a –"First of all" –
This literally means, first in order, in rank and importance. Paul tells us that our first priority in the church is that of prayer.
In recent years there has been a steady decline of the importance of prayer. It seems that Christians have time for every pursuit and activity, except that which is deemed most important. Prayer is often the orphan of the church!
1. Yet, consider the power of prayer –God has promised to hear prayer. . Jer 33:3
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
2. – God has promised to answer prayer. John 16:23
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Prayer is the privilege and power of every saint. No one stands higher than another in the area of prayer! Heb. 4:16 – Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
In these dark days, when men and women are doing that which seems right in their own eyes and are rejecting the way of God, which leads to eternal life, prayer needs to be exalted in our churches more than ever!
Illustration. One old Pastor said—If he announced a fellowship meal, people would come out of the woodwork to attend—
If he announced a Prayer meeting, he would count himself lucky if the deacons turned up.
Friends—let us remember that, when a local church ceases to depend on prayer, God ceases to bless its ministry. Be not forgetful of prayer.
Every time you pray, if your prayer is sincere, there will be new feeling and new meaning in it, which will give you fresh courage, and you will understand that prayer is an education from elevation.
A. The Elevation Of Prayer v.1a –"First of all" –
B. The Elements Of Prayer – v. 1b
Paul lists four elements that ought to be included in our praying. They are:
1. Supplications – This carries the idea of making requests. Sharing our felt needs with God –It implies the feeling of our great need of the gifts and the blessing of God. Phil 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
2. Prayers – This word refers to the act of worship that should accompany prayer. When we pray, we are literally in the presence of God. Therefore, we are to pray with reverence in our hearts, for our prayers are directed towards Deity.
3. Intercessions – The basic meaning for this word is to draw near to a person and to converse confidently with him. It refers to Christians taking the needs of others before the Lord. Our praying should not be selfish.
Hannah Hurnard -
4. Giving Of Thanks – When we draw near to God in prayer, our hearts should be filled with gratitude for all He is, all He has done, all He is doing and all He will do. Thanksgiving should not be tacked on to the end of our praying, but it should be a major ingredient in every prayer we pray.
Eph 5:18-
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Archbishop Trench-
A. The Elevation Of Prayer v.1a
B. The Elements Of Prayer – v. 1b
C. The Extent Of Prayer – v.1c-
We are to pray for "all men."
This tells us that there is no one on the face of the earth that should not be prayed for, and that there is no man beyond the influence of godly praying.
This tells me that we are to pray for the lost and we are to pray for the saved. We are to pray for those who live near us and for those who are far from us.
We are to pray for our friends and for our enemies; we are to have a universal outlook on prayer. The Pharisees did not have this universal outlook on prayer; they centred their attention primarily on Israel. The Church is to centre her attention on "all men " on the whole world.
Paul tells the church to especially pray for Kings and those in authority. The leadership in Paul’s day was in the hands of the godless Emperor – Nero! And yet the believers were supposed to pray for him.
Friends, even, when we cannot respect men who are in authority, we must respect their office, and pray for them.
Now, more than ever, Christians need to pray for their leaders! We do not have to agree with them, but we should pray for them, for it is God Himself who has given human rulers their authority.
Rom 13:1-
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God:
Christian love and grace should prevail in all that we do!
For it is only Christians, who have this vital contact with God.
C. The Extent Of Prayer – v.1c-
We are to pray for "all men."
D. The Ends Of Prayer – v. 2b
That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty
When we pray as we should, the product will be a quietness externally and peacefulness
internally. This should produce in us lives of godliness and purity. Our praying
ought to be for ourselves-
I. The Demand that God Makes v.1-
2. The Delight That God Takes v. 3
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
When we pray after this manner, it pleases the Lord and is a good thing in His sight.
Between the humble and contrite heart and the majesty of heaven, there are no barriers; the only password is prayer.
God is honoured when His people pray, as they should. It reveals faith on our part and it affords God an opportunity to demonstrate His power..
God is more honoured by our prayers than He is by our protests. Often, protesters
display an openly anti-
It pleases the Father when His children Pray as He has commanded. The Pharisees prayed to be praised by men or to impress the other worshipers.
True Christians pray because they want to please the Lord, who saved them.
Surely this would suggest that we must pray in the will of God, because it does not please our heavenly Father when we pray selfishly.
It has rightly been said – That Prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but
to get God’s will done on earth. Matt 6-
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven
I. The Demand that God Makes v.1-
2. The Delight that God Takes v. 3
3. The Desire that God States v.4
God’s ultimate will and desire is to see all men saved!
2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-
We can pray for all men, for it is God’s will that all men should come to a knowledge of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ His Son.
God loves the whole world—Christ died on the cross for the whole world and we, who are saved, are to pray for the whole world.
This does not mean that all, without exception are going to be saved, for the whole world is not going to be saved. It does mean that all people, without distinction can be saved—Jews and Gentiles. Religious and Pagan—Rich and Poor, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
We cannot fully explain the mystery of God’s Sovereignty and man’s Responsibility, but both are taught in the Bible and are harmonised in God’s great Plan of salvation.
This we do know, that Prayer is an important part of God’s Program for reaching a lost world
God’s means of reaching those, whom He wants to save, is by using those, whom He has already saved.
The world is more likely to respond to Christians who love them and pray for them that they are to Christians who attack them and consign as beyond redemption. We are to hate sin, but always love the sinner. That is what Jesus did –.
We love them best by praying for them and lovingly sharing Christ with them.
In verse 5 Paul underscore the basis for all Prayer
1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
True Prayer is based on the work of Jesus Christ as Saviour and Mediator. The grounds for Universal Prayer centres on the Gospel.
As the God man, Jesus Christ is the perfect Mediator between a Holy God and His failing children.
1. Paul speaks in v5 of -
there is one God. This was the central truth highlighted in the Old Testament.
If there were more than one God then men could choose their own God. But there is only one God and He is the God so all men and all men are responsible to Him.
2. Paul speaks of -
For there is one God, and one mediator.-
Some would try to tell us that Christ is just one among many mediators, and have included Angels, saints, and the Virgin Mary.
Our Mediator, although equal with God, became man. No other person can qualify to be a mediator. It is only the God Man who can mediate between a Holy God and sinful humanity.
For in His perfect life and substitutionary death—he met the demands of God’s Holy Law.
3. Paul speaks of—The Availability of the Sacrifice
V 6 Who gave Himself for all, to be testified in due time.
Before the Lord ascended to heaven, He commissioned His followers to evangelize and make disciples. During this age of grace, the testimony must be given out that, God Loves all, Christ died for all, giving His life a ransom for many
Not to Pray is to slight the Cross! Not to pray is to ignore souls who are lost—Not to pray is to deny us of God’s very best.
Of all the weapons we have at our disposal, prayer is the most effective in changing the world around us. The challenge to you and I is that we become effective prayer warriors for the Lord Jesus Christ – James 5:16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon,
There are many locks in my house and all with different keys, but I have one master key, which opens them all.
The Lord has many treasures and secrets all shut up with locks, which they cannot open.
But he who walks in fellowship with Jesus possesses the master key that will open to him all the blessings of the covenant and even the very heart of God.
Prayer is that Key
Through Jesus, the well beloved, we have access to God, to heaven, and to every secret of the Lord.