National Prayers Series

Turn Your Bibles to 1 Timothy 2: 1-4

Title: National Prayers

Theme: Praying for Our President and America

Series: National Day of Prayer

Listen as I read 1 Timothy 2:1-4, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- 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 men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” Pray!

Introduction: The apostle Paul wrote the young pastor Timothy regarding the last days saying, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) If you have a child who is fighting our war on terrorism right now, defending this nation from those who hate America, the truth of this verse grips your heart.

The Apostle Paul is being led of the Holy Spirit to take the Body of Christ to the high level of intercession for those they love and for those in authority. The truths found in this portion of Scripture guide the children of God to a very effective form of public worship, an act of worship that comes from a heart that has learned the joy of both singing the praises of God and grasping the truths of worship in spirit and truth.

The Holy Spirit moved Paul to write “I urge” (parakaleo) to indicate the urgency of the need of prayer. This Greek word means to admonish or call someone to do something.

It is like a mother looking out and seeing her two year old out in the middle of a four lane highway. Because her hands are full, holding a baby and packages from the store, she calls out for someone to intervene.

Dr. Ralph Earle points out that Paul is giving Timothy instructions on public worship in today’s text. The Holy Spirit wants you to grasp this truth: our president and our country have great needs. Pastors are to call out for someone who has ears to hear and a heart to obey, to urgently pray.

Proposition: I would propose to you that the children of God can most certainly desire and call out to the Lord for godly leaders who walk in the fear of the Lord. The last words of King David in 2 Samuel give us this truth, “The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: `When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.’” (2 Samuel 23:3-4)

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, gave some great advice that we as Christians heed, “...select capable men from all the people--men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain--and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens… If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied." (Exodus. 18:21,23)

Our founding fathers knew the truths in these Scriptures. Noah Webster wrote, “When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public offices let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose rulers men who rule in the fear of God.

The preservation of a republican government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty; if the citizens neglect this duty and place unprincipled men in office the government will soon be corrupted.” (Taken from “Pray the Vote, What to Pray For”)

Interrogative Sentence: Just what clear instruction does God’s Word have for us as we live in these last days?

Transitional Sentence: The first step to becoming a pleasing prayer warrior is to grasp the truths of four keys words regarding to prayer in today’s key text.

The first word is “request” (deesis) giving us the application of presenting a special need or the intense needs of others by making the supplications with the sense of urgency. In keeping with our theme for today, it was the intense prayers offered up to the Lord for protection of our president when he was being flown around the USA in Air Force One, while our nation was being attacked on 9/11/2001.

The second word is “prayers” (proseuche) meaning to become a house of prayer. This is literally a house of prayer with set times to pray and involved in seasons of prayer. Compare this to a house that has everything set in place, everything being done in proper dependable order.

The third word is intercessions” (enteuxis) and as it is used in 1 Timothy 2:1 it means praying according to God’s will (Zodhiates) and standing in the gap before God on behalf of others seeking His mercy and grace for them. In keeping with our theme today, it’s praying that God would bring America to repentance, God would put His protective hand around our president as He did King David, and that the Lord would give him wisdom.