1 Timothy 2:1–7
1First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. 7For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
Focused Thinking:
What is first of all?
I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, and for kings and all who are in authority,
What should we pray for?
We should pray for the choices and circumstances that will enable us to live and “lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”
Personal Application:
- I need to be more disciplined in praying for the leaders of our city, our country and our world.
- The lies of selfishness and the lies of the liberal agenda are so ungodly.
- The liberal views of this country are so contrary to the Word of God.
We must be biblically educated believers.
We must be full of grace and truth.
We must quit being the invisible church; the church was never intended to be invisible.
We must be a “compassion without compromise” version of the conservative right.
Focused Thinking:
What is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior?
Praying on behalf of all men is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.
Praying for our leaders is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.
Praying for the choices and circumstances that enable us to lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity is good and acceptable.
What is the desire of our God?
…who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
What does this say about the heart of our God?
The best way for us to understand the heart of God is to understand the heart He gives us for our children.
The heart of God always knows what’s best, wants what’s best and gives what’s best.
The heart of God not only gives us what’s best; the heart of God gives us what’s costly.
What did it cost God to give us what we needed and what was best?
For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.
Jesus rebuilds the bridge that sin destroyed between God and man.
Personal Application:
- Others need to hear the testimony of Jesus through us at the proper time.
- If we live out our testimony then people will have the opportunity to experience and hear it at the proper time in their life.
- The unique thing about evangelism is that it’s hard to manipulate it.
- Don’t get me wrong, you can definitely do evangelism poorly.
- Even worse than doing it poorly is doing it without respect and sensitivity.
What do I mean that it is hard to manipulate?
Evangelism isn’t a truth equation.
Evangelism is a lifestyle.
- In order for evangelism to truly be affective, your life has to be attractive.
- You are inviting people into a relationship.
- You are inviting people into a lifestyle.
- In many respects it will be difficult for the evangelism of Highpoint to outpace the holiness of Highpoint.
- People should be attracted to Christ in us, the hope of glory.
- Style can only take the church so far.
- Style needs to compliment substance, not replace substance.
*Note–I need to pick up with verse 7 tomorrow to give it the time it deserves and not rush through it.
Interactive Prayer:
Father, increase my prayer life. Increase the staff’s prayer life. Increase the church’s prayer life. Raise up prayer leaders in our church. Cause our people to become people of prayer. Cause our church to become a church of prayer. Father, help me to know what that looks like and how to cast vision for that. Father, show me what You want me to teach in regards to prayer. Increase my faith in prayer. Give me the faith and confidence to ask, seek and knock.
Father, bring my close friend to salvation. Free those of my friends whom face legal consequences and fines. Strengthen our discipleship group and friendships within that group. Help me move us past our comfort zones and into the next level. Help people own their problems, confess them, repent of them and overcome them. Father, give us Your Spirit in abundance. We can’t live this life without the fullness of Your Spirit.
Father, cause Your Spirit move in and through our congregation. Give us the ability to see what You are doing and to follow you faithfully. Father, I pray that this church will continue to be passionate and strong in evangelism. Give us the heart and obedience to reach people daily and weekly. I pray that the people we reach will be faithful to follow You in baptism. Father, give us over 200 baptisms this year. I pray that number will turn into a small number. Give us so many baptisms that we have to have picnics throughout the year to do baptisms. Father, give us the leaders we need to grow this congregation. Grow our church through the process of worship, connect, equip and serve. Father, give our staff the wisdom and resources needed to lead people through the Roadmap.
Father, give us our staff the energy and encouragement to press on. Father, meet the needs of this church by growing us spiritually, numerically and financially. Father, give us favor with potential givers. Father, I know I’m impatient, but people are hurting and running sprints straight toward hell. Give this church the leaders and resources needed to meet the needs of our people and our city.
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