WEBVTT 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:03.120 Ridiculous. 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:05.120 Oh, good evening, guys. 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:06.719 Let's pray. 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:08.960 God, thank you for this night. 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:14.480 Oh, Lord, we are so grateful for everything you give us. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:18.399 Um, but it's been hot for a really long time. 00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:23.359 Um I pray that you just give us uh endurance and relief, Lord. 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:31.600 Um yeah, in this moment as we just sit and we enjoy the air conditioning, um, focus our minds and our hearts, Lord. 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:34.159 Open our ears um to your word. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:36.799 And um, yeah, we pray this in your son's name. 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:37.520 Amen. 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:49.359 All right, so we're continuing in First Timothy, and uh as First Timothy started, um, just to give you again the backstory, make sure we're on the same page, Timothy is warned, first of all, against false teachers. 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:59.679 So if you remember, Paul has sent Timothy to this new church or to this church in Ephesus because they'd been distracted and it started getting off, and they needed help and they needed leadership. 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:10.400 And so Paul commissioned Timothy, this younger man, this younger minister, to go and start at this church and begin to uh rehash things and um to do that. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:23.519 And he gives them this command in 1 Timothy in the first chapter, he says, Stay there in Ephesus, so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrine any longer, or devote themselves to myth and endless genealogies. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:30.400 And so there he's there to oppose false teachers and people that are distracting other people from the gospel. 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:35.760 So maybe there are people that may be speaking truth even, but it's like, why do we need to talk about that? 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:40.879 We need to focus on the gospel, on what is in front of us, what we need to be there. 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:52.319 And so as he goes there, and this is what Paul says confront these false teachers, and then he says also he goes in memory, switches gears, what we talked about last week, talking about what is Paul's strength. 00:01:52.480 --> 00:02:19.840 Now he gives these two things, and then he gives in the first uh explicit direction in chapter two, he says this in chapter two I urge then, um, first of all, that pr um that petitions, prayers, intercessions, 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. 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:26.879 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants all the people to be saved, to come to a knowledge of the truth. 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:36.400 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:44.400 This has now been witness to the proper time, and for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle. 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:45.680 I am telling the truth. 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:50.560 I am not lying, a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles. 00:02:50.879 --> 00:03:01.520 So, Paul, first thing he does, the explicit instructions that he gives to them, to this guy, he puts into ministry, he says, go take care of the church, and he puts them up against some very heavy things. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:07.360 He said, There are false teachers, and there are people that are distracting people from the gospel. 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:13.199 And so, in order to confront these people, the first instruction he gives them is to pray. 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:22.080 How many of us are guilty, and I mean many of us like individuals and churches, are guilty of not putting prayer as a priority? 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:23.439 I mean, I know am. 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:26.319 I mean, give me, have you ever come up against a situation? 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:31.120 Somebody presented you with present with something and you say, okay, just give me a minute to think. 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:35.680 Shouldn't it be, give me a minute to pray about this? 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:36.159 Right? 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:40.719 Or how many of us have said the things, well, I've tried everything else, I guess we'll need to pray. 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:42.400 Ouch. 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:43.120 Right? 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:50.800 Like we say it not as, oh, that's our only thing we can do, but oh, I've tried everything else, and now I'm gonna go to plan B. 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:51.439 Right? 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:55.280 Or even sometimes, is there anything you can do that I can do for you? 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:56.400 Oh, pray for me. 00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:57.919 Well, I mean, besides that. 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:10.879 Oh, I mean, how many of us have said the things where we take prayer and we say it's maybe a preposition or a preparation for a ministry, but prayer itself is a ministry. 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:17.839 And one of the priorities, and we see this in the church, in the book of Acts, the priority when they first started the church. 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:20.480 And don't forget, this is in Acts chapter 2. 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:22.800 This was right when the church first started. 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:32.800 Acts chapter 2, verse 42, it says they were devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:38.079 So there was a few things that they devoted themselves to, and prayer was one of them. 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:48.240 Now, one thing that kind of struck me as I was studying, they devoted themselves to prayer, and this was before the persecution of the church had begun. 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:58.399 Because for me, prayer is so much of the time, well, man, I'm gonna pray for relief, I'm gonna pray for safety, I'm gonna pray for these people that are going through struggles. 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:07.680 And yet, even before the struggles hit, even before Stephen was stoned by the Jews, they were dedicating themselves to prayer. 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:16.800 And in fact, in Acts chapter 6, you go a few chapters later, they have this complaint against them that some of the widows were being neglected when they were given food. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:29.199 And the disciples, they come together and the apostles say, But carefully, select among you, brothers, seven men who are well arrested or well attested, full of the spirit of wisdom, who may be put in charge of this necessary task. 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:34.240 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. 00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:39.759 See, the early church even put prayer above ministry to the widows. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:42.079 This was the first priority. 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:50.319 And in my mind, prayer is like this moment of defense, this moment that you gurge your, you know, get yourself ready with prayer and to do the things you get ready. 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:56.000 But the apostles saw prayer as the ministry, as the thing that they did this. 00:05:56.160 --> 00:06:00.879 Now, we could devote whole sermons about why we should pray and answer questions that people have. 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:03.759 If God knows everything, then why do we have to talk to him? 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:07.920 You know, or if God is, why should we um, will God act without us praying? 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:09.040 Or all these different things. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:10.800 I don't want to focus on those tonight. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:15.759 Instead, I want to focus on the fact that we are instructed to pray. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:19.439 God calls us to prioritize prayer. 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:29.839 And in fact, Paul, when he's talking later earlier to the first Thessalonians, I'm sorry, Thessalonians first book, 5717, easily remembered verse, what's it say? 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:32.319 Pray without ceasing. 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:35.360 Pray continually, some translations say. 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:39.759 See, this means that we need to be praying when we're worried, right? 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:51.680 Or when we're angry, when we're tired, but we also need to be praying when we're full of energy, when we're working or when we're resting, when we're happy, when we're nervous or excited, when we are up or when we are down. 00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:54.879 We need to be prioritizing prayer. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:56.399 This is a discipline. 00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:04.720 Prayer is something that takes work, something that we actually need to devote our mind and our body to actually doing and getting better at. 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:06.800 It's something that we can improve on. 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:09.439 And so we need to pray without ceasing. 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:12.879 Now, if you pray without ceasing, that means, of course, pray for everything. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:23.360 But Jesus set the example, who in fact was God in human flesh, set the example of setting a times aside specifically for prayer. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:30.480 I mean, if anybody was in continual prayer, it would be Jesus, and yet he still dedicated times to praying. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:35.199 Why, I mean, this example that how do we follow that, or why do we follow that? 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:39.519 Um, my wife and I, we try and get a date once a week. 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:40.399 That's our goal. 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:44.800 Now, with life, it happens not quite as often as we'd like it to, right? 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:47.920 Does that mean that we don't talk every day? 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:50.480 No, we're always talking, right? 00:07:51.439 --> 00:08:02.560 And yet, those times that we set aside where we go and spend time away from the kids, away from other people, just with one another, enhance our intimacy. 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:08.959 That time also improves those moments in the day where we're talking continually. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:12.800 See, so those times, the same thing can be said of our prayer life. 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:27.439 When we dedicate times to spend with God in dedicated prayer, it can help improve those times that we are praying throughout the day because we have more intimacy, more understanding of what God wants and what his voice sounds like. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:29.600 Now, I love this idea of doing that. 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:36.320 Now, we also are trying to prioritize prayer as a church in our small group training that we've been doing on Tuesday. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:42.799 You know, our small groups we have that we meet and we go, then some have be, or some of you guys have been asking me, when are we gonna start these small groups? 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:45.200 Some are getting started and getting the ball rolling. 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:51.440 Um, we'll be getting more information out as they come, but we're waiting for leaders to come up that are gonna lead and take charge of those small groups. 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:54.159 Uh, there should be a few that are starting in September. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:09:00.159 Um, and so if you're interested in that, you're always welcome too to come Tuesday mornings uh to that training that we have. 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:18.720 But during that time, we have been saying, okay, make sure that we prioritize prayer because there's something that happens when we pray one-on-one with God, but also when we pray communally, together with other people and for one another, there's something very amazing that happens in that time. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:22.480 Now, because there's power to praying alongside one another. 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:26.000 So, here again, back, Paul addresses his first issue. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:37.840 He says, Listen, you need to oppose these leaders and you need to set this aside, but the first thing you need to do is pray, and you need to pray all types of prayers, right? 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:39.519 Because he says this. 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:42.960 First of all, I urge you then, and he adds emphasis. 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:55.039 This is not only the first thing that he says for Timothy to do, but he adds the emphasis of I urge you to do this, I push you towards this, I almost beg or I plead with you about this. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:10:00.320 He says, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving. 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:02.399 Some people say supplications, right? 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:06.399 Uh supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:15.600 And I didn't even realize that the acronym for supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving is uh spit, which I'm not sure how I feel about that. 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:19.360 So supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgiving. 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:21.679 But it it's an easy way to remember, right? 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:25.120 But supplications, and when I first put this together, it's like, oh, this would be great. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:28.799 The Bible nerd part of me, like dug in, like, oh, this is gonna be exciting. 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:34.399 We'll get into the the how what's the difference between each of these things and why does he say it four times again? 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:35.519 And and what are these? 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:38.240 Now, the first three things, they're really similar. 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:41.039 There's actually not much difference in those first three things. 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:44.320 Uh, supplication is basically pleading. 00:10:44.480 --> 00:11:04.879 Uh, and we see Jesus and in the gospels, Luke records this a few times, um, there's a man that comes in in chapter five and goes before Jesus and he's leprous, and he says to him, he says, when Jesus saw, or when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face on the ground and he begged him, and that's the word there, he begged him out loud, Lord, if you're willing, you can make me clean. 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:07.919 And so he this idea of going before God and begging. 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:10.480 Actually, you see, Jesus do the same thing. 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:29.919 He later in Luke 22 tells Simon, Simon, Simon, Satan is asked to sift all of you as wheat, but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not, and it's that word, I've begged or pleaded supplication for you, and that you will not turn back, that you will not fall away, and when you have turned back, you will strengthen your brothers. 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:32.240 And so we see this idea of supplication. 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:35.919 Now, then it says, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving. 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:40.159 Now, prayers and intercessions are kind of, it's not so much that they're different words. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:46.960 In fact, Paul was just using a device to build the emphasis on how important this is. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:52.720 You know, if I was gonna tell my kid to hurry up, you know, as they're waddling behind me, I'd say, run. 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:54.960 But if I really wanted to go, what'd I say? 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:56.879 Run quickly now, right? 00:11:57.039 --> 00:11:58.720 Because you want to build that emphasis. 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:00.080 That's what Paul is doing. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:03.200 You need to praise supplications, prayers, intercessions. 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:04.080 He's building it. 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:11.679 And so it's not that there's necessarily differences or what are the differences in there, but it's emphasizing, yes, we need to pray. 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:16.240 Now the first three are very similar, but the fourth, do you see the difference there? 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:22.480 He turns a corner because he says supplications, prayers, intercessions, and then what's he say? 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:23.679 Thanksgiving. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:35.200 See, the first three are pleading or asking God to do something, change what's going to happen, intercede, come between, make a difference. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:46.559 But the fourth one is acknowledging goodness or things that have already we've already received or we already seen. 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:53.679 Now, honestly, this one's kind of tough in situations because who does Paul tell us to pray for? 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:56.000 Pray for all people. 00:12:56.799 --> 00:13:00.320 And then he says, for kings and those in authority. 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:05.679 I think this part makes it difficult to pray that Thanksgiving sometimes, doesn't it? 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:11.039 Because thanksgiving, like a lot of times, have you ever met somebody that uses prayer almost as a weapon? 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:13.519 Like, oh, I'm gonna pray for you, right? 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:14.639 And it's like a threat. 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:18.639 Like, it's not like, ah man, you're gonna feel this prayer so hard, right? 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:21.759 It's almost, I love that you've gotten somebody in your mind. 00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:31.600 Um but the thing is, like, and for me, thanksgiving for somebody kind of takes the self-righteous wind out of my sails, right? 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:37.519 Because sometimes I go to pray for somebody, especially if they cut me off or whatever, I'm like, oh, I'm gonna pray for that guy, right? 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:44.960 I I think almost come with it like this attitude of I, Jared the benevolent, will pray for thou, lowly person, right? 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:46.320 I will lift it. 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:52.799 And this is what I but if I'm bringing thanksgiving, I have to acknowledge something about that person. 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:58.399 It takes the wind out of my sails because it makes me realize, wait a minute, God loves that person too. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:03.120 God made that person in his image. 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:08.480 And they are in need and grace and a savior as much as I am. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:15.120 And so thanksgiving for these people, it almost takes it, it puts me where I need to be, right? 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:18.720 Honestly, it takes the wind out of my sails in a good way. 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:21.679 Now, Paul tells it for all types of people, right? 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:25.200 Pray all types of prayers for all types of people. 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:28.080 So pray generally for all types of people. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:30.799 And this is for the world, for everybody. 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:38.159 Because verse 4, as it goes on, it says, He wants all people, God wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of truth. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:41.120 And so we're supposed to pray for every person. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:51.519 We can pray for our nation, for the city, for gigantic amounts of people that they would know who God is, that they would come to a knowledge of the truth. 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:56.720 But we're also supposed to pray specifically for certain people, aren't we? 00:14:56.960 --> 00:15:07.840 See, when we learn about the needs of individuals or groups of people or churches in different cities or churches in different countries, we need to be praying specifically for them. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:12.960 We need to pray, and this is easy to do when we find the needs or when we see specific things. 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:21.039 When you see first responders at an ambulance with their lights on, it's an easy reminder to pray specifically for wherever that person is being helped. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:26.639 Or when we see police, that's a great person to pray for and needs that prayer. 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:32.799 And we can pray generally for everybody for salvation and then also specifically pray for people. 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:40.159 Now, Paul brings it down from a general prayer, pray for all types of people, and he gets very specific, doesn't he? 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:49.840 He says, pray not just for all types of people, but pray specifically for kings and all those who are in authority. 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:58.080 Now, for us, some of us, you we react with a gut reaction like, gosh, I don't want to pray for that right-wing god-da-da, right? 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:07.519 We think of politiceness and we don't want to pray for, or we use the you know, political party as almost like a dirty word, I'm gonna pray for that Democrat, you know, or whatever it may be. 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:10.080 And it almost spits out of our mouth. 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:13.919 And yet that is what God calls us to do. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:19.919 And in thanksgiving for that person, whatever it may be. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:22.559 And so God calls us in this season. 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:30.960 And he says, some of us respond with our gut like that, but it's hard for us to humble ourselves sometimes to pray for a leader that we disagree with. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:33.120 It's difficult, isn't it? 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:37.039 But remember who's Paul is writing to? 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:42.799 He's writing to the Ephesian church and telling them, pray for the king. 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:45.279 The king of that time is Nero. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:49.679 Nero spearheaded the persecution of Christians. 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:59.679 Nero would take Christians and soak them in oil and light them on fire to light his parties, to give light to these garden parties that he had. 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:10.000 One of the things that Nero was famous for is he'd take slabs of meat and put it on Christians and then throw them into the amphitheaters with lions for sport to people watch. 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:14.559 This is who God, who Paul is telling them to pray for. 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:22.799 Suddenly, maybe it's not so hard for us to pray for that person that's a different uh political party than us, is it? 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:24.000 Or shouldn't be. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:31.519 Paul doesn't call people, remember, he doesn't call people to fight against the king or to protest or to do these things or to rebel. 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:33.119 Instead, what's he telling them to do? 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:34.480 Pray. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:36.799 And it's the same thing that we are called to do. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:39.359 In Romans 13, he talks about this a great deal. 00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:42.640 In the beginning, he says how all authorities are established. 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:48.880 Even evil authorities are established by God, and that we are supposed to be praying for them. 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:51.200 And I love Proverbs 21:1. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:55.200 It says, the king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:57.599 He turns it wherever he will. 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:01.759 See, as we pray, I think something also happens. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:07.519 We pray and we start to understand and begin to understand, God is in control and sovereign. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:11.599 He can change the hearts of even the most vile leaders. 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:16.240 But we are told first for us to be praying for them. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:17.680 So why do we do this? 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:20.160 Why does Paul call us to do this? 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:30.319 And this is what he says for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all goodliness, or godliness and holiness. 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:34.640 All right, so we are to pray so that we may live at peace. 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:40.160 And he lists two different things that we may live quiet and peaceful lives, right? 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:45.920 Quiet is this idea that it refers to the situation, the circumstances that we're in. 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:50.720 God calls us to pray for our leaders so that we will have external peace. 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:54.640 In the situations we're in, we will have peaceful situations. 00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:58.640 But he also prays for us to have peaceful situations. 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:01.599 That means an inner choice, an inner idea. 00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:05.039 See, when we begin to pray for our leaders, a couple things happen. 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:10.400 God begins to act, right, and hopefully the circumstances we find ourselves in will be better. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:19.839 But I think that sovereignty, that idea, that understanding that God is in control begins to give us peace and hear. 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:38.880 Because we can understand that when that guy who's in leadership makes a decision we disagree with, when the political parties or leaderships do things that we don't agree with, we can start to understand, if we're praying for them, that yeah, God is in control, that the sun is still gonna come up tomorrow, right? 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:41.119 And that God is still God. 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:44.720 So we need to pray these things to live at peace. 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:50.079 Now, we always think, or I my mind goes directly towards political leaders, right? 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:51.839 But what about other leaders? 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:56.480 These days, leaders of corporations have huge impact on our world. 00:19:56.640 --> 00:19:59.680 And I think those are people that we need to be praying for also. 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:06.400 Because, of course, they need God, they need a savior, they need grace, but they have a huge influence on things happening in our world. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:10.720 I mean, Amazon is such a giant that it impacts things so huge. 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:16.000 And so we need to be praying for those political leaders, but also I'd say for corporate leaders. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:19.359 And of course, we need to be praying for spiritual leaders. 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:23.920 We need to be praying for our spiritual leaders, and I would covet your prayers, absolutely. 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:28.480 But I think we need to be praying for all church leaders in our city and across the nation. 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:33.680 Um, Charles Spurgeon, he's a well-known British preacher who's at lived in the last century. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:38.240 Uh, he was touring around Europe, and over his preaching, he was just renowned. 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:45.599 And he saw thousands and thousands of people come to Christ as meetings that he held, that he would deliver these speeches. 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:53.599 And he was in Europe at one point and he met this American pastor, and this American uh minister asked him, he said, I have long wished to see you, Mr. 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:57.440 Spurgeon, and put to you one or two simple questions. 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.000 And I see what you have to say. 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:07.839 In our country, many opinions are uh there's a lot of people that have opinions about what your secret is of your great influence. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:10.880 Would you be good enough to give me your point of view? 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:12.960 So why is it you have such influence? 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:14.480 Why are you such a good speaker? 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:21.359 And after a moment's pause, and Spurgeon thought about this, he says, My people pray for me. 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:29.119 See, Spurgeon didn't even credit, yes, that I have this great talent or God just blesses me. 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:32.960 Instead, he said, No, my people pray for me. 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:38.400 And so it just emphasizes we need to be praying for our church leaders. 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:49.200 Now, Paul, he moves on from saying, okay, we need to be praying for specifically, you know, but he also says, or for from general, we need to be praying for general people to specific people. 00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:59.680 In the same way, he stops going general, just pray in general for these things, but he goes specifically, and he says, We need to start praying specifically for evangelistic. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:02.480 Souls, for the evangelism of souls. 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:06.720 Verse 4, it says this, or actually, verse 3, this is good. 00:22:06.880 --> 00:22:12.079 It pleases God, our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:20.960 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:25.200 This is how it has now been witnessed, to be the proper time. 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:28.640 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle. 00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:33.599 I am telling the truth, I am not lying, true and faithful teacher to the Gentiles. 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:41.599 See, we are to pray that there may so that we may live at peace and advance the kingdom of God. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:46.079 Because our peace is not the reason that we pray. 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:57.440 We gain the benefit of the peace, but the reason God wants there to be peace is that his kingdom will advance. 00:22:57.680 --> 00:23:03.759 See, Paul says, this pleases God that everyone should be hearing the word of God. 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:13.599 And so as we pray, not just for our church or for our town or for our friends, we also need to be praying specifically that those that don't know Jesus will come to know him. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:24.079 If we have somebody specific in our life, praying for that person, absolutely, and praying for this in general that more people will come to know who he is. 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:34.000 And this understanding of what Paul says, that there is one God and one mediator between God and man, that's Jesus Christ. 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:38.880 This idea, this understanding should prompt us even more to prayer. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:49.119 Because there are so many confused and lost people that they think there are multiple ways to God, or they have a misunderstanding, and they need to know the truth. 00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:51.759 And we need to be praying for those people. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:24:01.359 So Tom Paul tells us that we need to pray all types of prayers for all types of people so that we can live at peace and advance the kingdom of God. 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:05.680 As I was planning this sermon out, I was like, okay, well, how are we going to close this down? 00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:08.319 What's a good illustration to bring it back together? 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:16.640 And it came to my head, James 1.22, be doers of the word, not simply hearers of the word. 00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:20.400 And so I want to close us in a time of prayer. 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:24.319 Instead of, I'm I'm going to take a longer chunk here, but this is a chance. 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:26.799 I'm just going to lead us all in prayer. 00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:33.839 And so I'm going to open us and then I'm just going to kind of give you guidelines for you personally to be praying in this moment. 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:46.960 Um, I'm going to ask the worship band actually to come now, and that way we can pray and not be distracted as we're praying, but you guys can pray from up here, and uh that way we can just be focused on what God is doing. 00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:51.039 So if you would bow your heads with me and let's pray together. 00:24:52.480 --> 00:25:03.680 Lord, we are called into your family, and the first thing Paul says for us to prioritize is prayer. 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:07.920 So in this moment, we come before you humbly. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:16.720 Lord, you are so good, and I'm so grateful for your salvation that you've given us. 00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:26.559 Right now, Lord, I pray, and I want to take a moment that all of us can just pray for those who are sick and hurting in our congregation, Lord. 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:49.839 Pray for those, Lord, um, that have physical illnesses that you heal them. 00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:53.839 In the midst of being sick, let them lean on you. 00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:59.359 Um pray for those that are in pain, that are hurting, maybe not physically, but emotionally. 00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:06.880 Whether it be mental health or whether it be just a situation, we lift them up and let your peace break through the darkness, Lord. 00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:13.440 Lord, we want to take a moment to pray for leaders. 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:15.839 First of all, we want to pray for foreign leaders. 00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:19.279 There are so many churches around the nation that are being persecuted. 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:22.960 Pray for the leaders of those countries that they come to know you. 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:48.240 Lord, in this moment we also pray for those leaders throughout the world that do know you, Lord. 00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:55.839 Give them the strength to stand up, to have integrity, to stay faithful to you, and to influence those people around him. 00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:57.759 We pray for those people right now. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:22.799 Lord, we take a peck and a moment to to pray for our own leaders. 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:32.880 To pray for those that are highest level of government right now, the the executive and judicial branch and the legislative branches, Lord. 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:35.039 Congress and the Senate. 00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:09.039 Pray for our state leaders here. 00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:31.599 Lord, I just want to take a moment to pray for judges at all levels that you give them wisdom and guidance. 00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:35.519 For those that know you, let their ears hear what you have. 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:42.720 For those that don't, um, surround them with people that give them influence and give them godly advice, Lord. 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:14.079 Lord, I pray for for church leaders of churches here in Bullhead, uh, ones that are going through transitions, ones that are that are building, Lord, churches and that are that are starting them. 00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:28.000 Lord, I pray for the ministers who are well established that you give them a fresh breath, Lord, a new energy to lead their people, Lord. 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:42.240 Lord, I want to take a moment to pray for our sister churches and Needles and Havasu and Kingdom. 00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:45.599 For Brian and John and Tony. 00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:12.240 Lord, I want to take a moment for each of us just to picture a neighbor that maybe doesn't know you, Lord. 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:16.960 I just ask that we can pray faithfully for them. 00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:19.279 That they come to know you. 00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:36.799 Lord, you are so good. 00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:44.319 And you are at work, whether we see it or we don't, Lord, you are always moving. 00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:51.599 Lord, I would ask that you open our eyes of our heart just to see how you are moving in the world around us, Lord. 00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:59.680 Excite us, ignite within us a passion and excitement for prayer, for connection with you. 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:02.160 Thank you for each one of these guys. 00:31:02.400 --> 00:31:07.839 I look out and I just, I see so many hearts that I just love dearly, Lord. 00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:15.839 In this moment, again, let us just come before you and just and know that you are God. 00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:22.720 As we continue to worship, let our minds be focused on how good you are, Lord. 00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:24.480 Pray this in your son's name. 00:31:24.720 --> 00:31:25.359 Amen.