WORD From The Woods
1 Timothy 2:1-7
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”
In this passage, Paul was giving Timothy some instructions for what life as a follower of Christ should look like. I think it’s very important to see here that the first thing he talks about is prayer! He urges that prayers, supplications, intersessions and thanksgivings be made for all people. Intersessions and thanksgiving are things that we really tend to neglect when we come to God in prayer. Intersessions are when we go to God on behalf of someone else. Now it may be about a trial or physical need that someone has, but I think what he has in mind here is on a deeper spiritual level. This is a huge part of discipleship! As we are engaged in shepherding and discipling others we should always be in prayer for them, asking God to guide and direct their hearts into a deeper relationship with Him. We should also have a heart of thanksgiving, not only for the many blessings that God has given us, but for the people He has used to pour into us and that He has called us to pour into as well. A heart of thankfulness is such an important part of the Christian life! Paul also says in the first part of the passage that we should pray for kings and all those in high positions. It’s easy to pray for our leaders that we agree with, but we can get pretty caught up in tearing apart those that we don’t agree with. There are plenty of evil leaders who we should disagree with, but when you study the history of the world Paul was living in when he wrote this letter, it makes our political leaders seem pretty good! But, Paul still says to pray for them. He also tells us here that Christ is the mediator between God and man. Not only did Christ lay down His life as a ransom for all, but He is going to the Father on our behalf. Christ knows our heart better than we can know it ourselves and He is going to the Father for us about every spiritual need we have, with the desire to have a deeper, growing relationship with us! So much more can be said on this passage…. I hope that this is great reminder to spend more time in prayer this week!
God bless and have a great week! -Terry-
1 Timothy 2:1-7
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”
In this passage, Paul was giving Timothy some instructions for what life as a follower of Christ should look like. I think it’s very important to see here that the first thing he talks about is prayer! He urges that prayers, supplications, intersessions and thanksgivings be made for all people. Intersessions and thanksgiving are things that we really tend to neglect when we come to God in prayer. Intersessions are when we go to God on behalf of someone else. Now it may be about a trial or physical need that someone has, but I think what he has in mind here is on a deeper spiritual level. This is a huge part of discipleship! As we are engaged in shepherding and discipling others we should always be in prayer for them, asking God to guide and direct their hearts into a deeper relationship with Him. We should also have a heart of thanksgiving, not only for the many blessings that God has given us, but for the people He has used to pour into us and that He has called us to pour into as well. A heart of thankfulness is such an important part of the Christian life! Paul also says in the first part of the passage that we should pray for kings and all those in high positions. It’s easy to pray for our leaders that we agree with, but we can get pretty caught up in tearing apart those that we don’t agree with. There are plenty of evil leaders who we should disagree with, but when you study the history of the world Paul was living in when he wrote this letter, it makes our political leaders seem pretty good! But, Paul still says to pray for them. He also tells us here that Christ is the mediator between God and man. Not only did Christ lay down His life as a ransom for all, but He is going to the Father on our behalf. Christ knows our heart better than we can know it ourselves and He is going to the Father for us about every spiritual need we have, with the desire to have a deeper, growing relationship with us! So much more can be said on this passage…. I hope that this is great reminder to spend more time in prayer this week!
God bless and have a great week! -Terry-