Having been loved by a devoted Father, Savior, and Comforter, may we respond with devotion to the Same - to the One who loves us with such compassion and grace - as to rest in the truth of that love and seek His face, the One who is faithful and true: 1Timothy 2:1-7 a truly beautiful expression of the life of the believer to the world around us - being, truly, good neighbors - children of our Heavenly Father reflecting His grace as we live and work among a people loved so, that He would send His one and only Son, now, through those who believe…
Today, I want us to take into account the beauty of our God, and the beauty of a life that is lived well by the power of God, when that life is lived in cooperation with God - then we will see the glory of God that comes through our lives and the blessing to mankind that glory is - as it is displayed in all its splendor in and through the lives of His children… this is the testimony of God's grace to man in and through, Jesus.
1Timothy 2:1-7
1I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher
1Tim 2:1 “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all…”
AAAHHHH!!!
Petitions - the most visceral, guttural, natural of prayers - heartfelt need, specific felt need, arising out of a deep personal need due to lack, want
Taking it a little deeper…
What happens if we ignore the Holy Spirit prompting…?
What happens if we hear, understand, and refuse…?
Indulging the flesh will always result in greater frustration, deepening anger, and the potential for bitterness
But if we will yield to the spirits prompting, it opens the door to seeing God and his will in a way we might have otherwise missed
OOOhhh...
Prayers - an exchange of wishes - working with God to see His will, converting our will to His - as we exchange wishes with one another - almost like getting reacquainted - this really important now - if we truly want to intercede… as it is easy to only see our will
Taking it all deeper…
We have petitioned, and now God wants to reason with us, are we willing?
Will we quiet ourselves and linger long enough and quietly enough to hear God’s questions, truths, and Will?
If not, we stand to miss out on what God would actually have us understand, no, and do Dash pray and serve. And this, according to his will, not ours, And we will continue to go on thinking that I will it’s his well and unnecessarily project that will add him and others to our frustration and growing disillusionment.
But if we will linger, and allow God to reason with us, a peace that transcends understanding will begin to guard our hearts and minds, with wisdom and grace and agape love for God, Self, and others… And enable us to rest in the truth of God's loving wisdom (Phil 4:4-8; 2Tim 2:21)
Aaaaaahhh.....
Intercessions - having worked out the will - this is now intervention, coming on behalf of, learning God’s will and praying God’s will, as one falls in line with God’s will
AFTER drawing near to God and agreeing with His revealed will - word and Spirit
TRUE INTERCESSION: seeks to act only as the Lord directs: following His will to act as His hand extended THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!
“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: in this world, we are like Jesus - extending His hand. There is no fear in love. But perfect fear drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
19We love because he first loved us. 20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. YES!
Taking it a little deeper…
Do we know God‘s will? According to his truth? I have a prompting of his spirit? Or…
Are we clinging to and praying our will? Whether it be for our benefit, or what we believe to be the benefit of the one for whom we pray, without having truly sight God's intentions in this person’s life.
This can lead us to
unwise or even destructive advice,
frustration in our prayers, manipulation of relationships to see our will, or what we think God’s will is - whether for our benefit or what we believe to be the benefit of others, and
continued ineffectiveness in prayer and service as we might be meeting a need, but not according to that person’s need as God would have it
But if we have waited on God, lingered there, and yielded to Him, we now gain insight into His will - as our hearts now are filled with God’s love, by the insight and discernment of His Spirit, according to his Truth, we can now pray prayers of agape love for the sake of the one being prayed for and be OK with whatever the answer our trusted Father gives - knowing and rejoicing in God‘s most wise and best and best-timed provision. (Ps 23)
Psalm 27
1The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2When the wicked advance against me
to devour a me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
4One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
5For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
6Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
7Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
9Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Savior.
10Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
11Teach me your way, Lord;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
13I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
Yaaaaay!!!
Thanksgivings - this is the converted heart, the heart that has worked and moved from self, to God’s will, to the welfare of others - now straight to God in - gratitude, giving thanks - the giving of thanks for God’s grace, for God’s blessings
Taking it a little deeper… in all of this...
Are we cultivating a grateful heart?
Can we see God‘s hand and ever and all circumstances?
Are we willing to see God‘s hand in every and all circumstances?
And trust that even in the worst of times, he is not looking necessarily to immediately relieve us of the suffering or the tension or even our minds confusion,
but instead, can we be grateful that he is causing us to linger in it,
to wait on him, to rely on him, to run to him, and to trust his faithfulness and grow us in faith and character?
But if we will linger with God and allow him to reason with us, massaging our heart and replacing our way with His, and as we pray in accordance with His will, we will begin to rejoice and be grateful with the full knowledge of God’s promises, coming to trust and being persuaded that He does work all things out for the good of those who love him and been called according to his purposes…
This is a matter of…
Submission to God, His Spirit, and truth, His will in our lives - as opposed to mine
Devotion and commitment to a deeper devotion to God and his will and purpose is
Further and deeper cooperation with God and His Spirit according to his truth
As one submits, commits to deeper devotion, and a heart that desires to cooperate more and more, that heart, that person becomes that much more effective in all things Jesus
And here is the glorious and fruitful outcome…
We are now imitators of God, even in our prayer (Eph 4:1-3; 5:1-21)
The Holy Spirit intercedes for us - Rom 8:26
Jesus prays for and intercedes for us - John 15-17; Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25; 1John 2:1-2
Both, always, prays for the best of the one for whom they pray - according to God's all-wise, all-loving, will
And, according to the need is the one for whom they pray - prayed and answered perfectly and…
Always for the glory of the Father and His kingdom
...and now - we can truly pray (God’s will) for EVERYBODY, Those who frustrate and agitate, our family’s being the “enemy” of our own selfish and fleshly desires, even our enemies, and our leaders, those who are in authority
1Tim 2:1 “...be made for all people, everyone”
loved ones and enemies alike (Matthew 5; Luke 6)
the whole of mankind
for all you know
1Tim 2:2 For kings and all those in authority...
Established by God (Rom 13:1-7), in obedience to God, keeping a clear conscience, remaining free
And what is it that we can pray for ourselves and those in authority? Practice praying, do it!
Daniel 4:27
Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity."
And with this praying, how is it that we should live? Entrusting ourselves to God, living out the very prayers we are praying - an example of the grace we have received and the trusting hope to which we have entrusted ourselves...
Jeremiah 29:4-7
4This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
May we live in such a way that gives God every opportunity to bless us, that we, in turn, might be blessings… THIS IS “THE WAY”. This is what it means to be Christlike!
1Tim 2:2 “So that… We may lead a tranquil and quiet life.”
Tranquil - undisturbed, quiet; free from outward disturbance, without needless commotion - composed, discreet, avoiding what needlessly draws attention to self
Only time used in scripture
Quiet - tranquil, peaceful; stillness - due to a divinely-inspired inner calmness - by not doing or saying anything that would stir up needless friction or commotion
1Tim 2:2 “...in all godliness and holiness, or, dignity”
Godliness
Devotion to God, bearing the fruit of that devotion
Reverence, respect for God - lives that reflect an inner peace with and reverence for God and things of God
Holiness or Dignity - live in a way that honors God, that which is honorable - with a dignity that invites reverence from others. This is a…
Testimony to the world of God’s presence in me - witnessed by peace and living peaceably
Marked by an inner peace - a trusting confidence (in whom I trust and have entrusted myself for safekeeping) (1Peter 2)
That expresses itself in an outward bearing - attitude, calm, dignity
1Tim 2:3 “This is good and pleases the Lord, God, our Savior”
Good -
Beautiful, as an outward sign of the inward good - honorable character - seen to be so
Attractively good, good that inspires and motivates others to embrace what is lovely, beautiful, praiseworthy - well done, appealing
Consciousness of good deeds, having a good and sensitive conscience, alert to what is good
Pleases the Lord - the only time in scripture
Worthy to be received (welcomed) by God,
Acceptable, pleasant or pleasing to God, which
God receives gladly: it is gladly welcomed
And this, as we live here as strangers, yet engaged in and with those with whom we live, is an expression of God’s purpose for us - that we would be a living testimony of Him and His grace
1Tim 2:4 “Who wants, wills, (that all men) everyone, be saved” (Ez 18:23, 32; 33:11; Jn 3:17; Titus 2:11; 2Peter 3:9)
2Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
1Tim 2:4 “...And come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Knowledge - epignosis
Gained through first-hand experience, first hand “I know Him”
Precise and correct, certain - and that of God’s will - what He desires for us from us
A recognition of the truth - that is Jesus, this is good, He is life
True knowledge of Jesus’ nature, dignity, benefits
And what is that truth? HERE IS THE TESTIMONY:
1Tim 2:5-6 “There is one God and one mediator between God and man, humanity,
Jesus, Himself a man, human...who gave Himself - a ransom for all…
...a testimony at the proper time”
Jesus a testimony of God, the word of God
John 1:14 “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”
Heb 1:1-3 “God has spoken to us by His Son, whom he appointed hear of all things… the Son is the radiance of God’s glory”
Col 1:19 “for God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things… by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross”
Jesus, our testimony at the proper time
Matt 5
Eph 2:8
1Peter 3
1Tim 2:7 “And for this purpose, I was appointed a herald…”
It is for this that...
Paul was made an apostle, a herald, a teacher
It is why we remain here after having been saved - this is our
Witness to
God’s grace
God’s peace
God’s faithfulness
God’s hope and our hope in God
As we entrust ourselves to God
Setting apart Jesus as Lord of our hearts and its affection and devotion, its refuge and dwelling place
Being prepared to give the reason for our hope…
When we are asked
And do so, confidently, with gentleness and respect - keeping peace with God and man - a clear conscience and ongoing opportunity to speak of Jesus, again and again - 1Peter 3
