The Precedence Of Prayer-2

The PRECEDENCE Of PRAYER-II—1Timothy 2:1-7

Attention:

Communication is vital to every aspect of life.

Maybe you are mute, or know someone who is mute.

Maybe you are deaf, or know someone who is deaf.

The challenges you/these people face every day are mountainous because of such physical ‘hindrances.’ Yet you/they discover ways to overcome both obstacles.

Likewise, prayer(communication between God & yourself) is vital to individual Christians as well as for Christians gathered for worship.

BUT...sometimes Prayer does not hold the Precedence that it should!

Need:

Paul exhorted Timothy regarding the place of prayer in the Church.

Prayer must take precedence in the Church.

When does prayer hold authority in the church?

7 priorities for prayer in the Church.

Previously we found that Prayer takes precedence when properly...

1. COMPREHENSIVE(:1)

2. UNLIMITED(:1b)

3. RECOGNIZANT(:2)

Today we also find that

4—Prayer takes precedence when properly...

EVANGELISTIC(:3-4)

4—Prayer takes precedence when properly...

EVANGELISTIC(:3-4)

Explanation: (:3-4)

:3—“For this is good & acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,”

:4—“who desires all men to be saved & to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

A)—“For this is good & acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,”

Living “in all godliness & reverence” is God’s intention for us all. Actions which secure such behaviors are integral pleasing God.

It is God’s intention(“desire”) for us to live rightly as He is the agent effecting our salvation. His intention is that we will know Him & be able to freely lead others to Him in truth. This cannot be done unless we are given undisturbed freedom to serve Him(:1-2).

B)—“who desires all men to be saved...”

God’s primary “desire” for His creation is that “all men”(all humanity) experience salvation in Christ...That all mankind get on the same page of the playbook of which God is author.

Man has strayed from the get-go! God has prepared & does prepare, prophets & events which are ordered to return us to Him. All true Christians are God’s tools bringing salvation to all men.

2Cor. 5:18—6:1—“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, & has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, & has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.”

C)—“& to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

The truly “saved” person has placed himself/herself in a position whereby he/she is then capable of extending this to a full “knowledge of” the manifold reality of God’s “truth.” God’s truth is “THE truth!”

Without God’s salvation one cannot pretend to grasp the truth(s) of God because the lost—of any ilk, & particularly the religious-lost—are incapable of properly assessing such “truth.”

*1Cor. 2:6-14—“However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Js. 3:13-15—“Who is wise & understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy & self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast & lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.”