-

 1 Timothy 2:1-8 - Pray for All People

        Ukrainians.  Yes.  Russians.  Yes.  Palestinians.  Yes.  Israelis.  Yes.  Family members.  Yes.  Neighbors.  Yes.  Friends.  Yes.  Enemies.  Yes.  You get the point.  All people.

        This is another one of those passages where we hear clearly what pleases God.  God is pleased when we pray for all people, asking Him to help them, because God loves all people.  And much like 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, we hear that we are to seek to live a quiet God-honoring life marked with hard work, godliness, and dignity.  That pleases God.  And note.  The opposite of all that displeases God.

        Only one Mediator can reconcile God and humanity - the Man Christ Jesus (2:5).  Jesus is the only way to heaven.  That is the truth we share with everyone.  Jesus gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.  Let the reality of that sink in.  Simple.  Yet sadly controversial-  inside the Church and out.  Issues of the extent of atonement and predestination, etc.  I trust and stand on Scripture here.  Jesus loves all people.  He “wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth” (2:4).  We love others because God loves them.

        So what?  What’s before us today?  Work?  A busy seasonal schedule?  Stress?  Sickness.  The Bible says first and foremost, pray.  Pray now.  Pray about everything that is going on.  From your home all the way up to Cabinet issues in Ottawa, London, issues in the Middle East, Russia, etc.  Pray.  Pray for God’s mercy for wayward organizations and those that have wandered away from the truth of Jesus Christ (James 5:19).  Pray.  Pray earnestly.  Pray for every person on the planet.  If that is too hard to fathom, start with your country, state, or city.  Start with your favorite hockey team, God knows they need help.  Pray, seriously, for the souls of those young men.  For the university you went to and its community.  Your political party and your opposing party.  Pray.

        God wants all people to know how much He loves them.  And He wants you and me, indwelled by the Spirit of Christ to join with Him in prayer.

        We ask God to help people; we intercede on their behalf.  Pray for your parents and your kids.  Pray for your grandkids.  We are sub-mediators, if you will, acting on the orders of our King and in conjunction with the only Mediator, Jesus.  Jesus says, give thanks to people and ask God to help them.  So we do this now.

        Thank you God for every person alive on this earth today and everyone in their mother’s womb.  We thank you, LORD of Heaven’s Armies for how uniquely and beautifully they are made.  We thank You for their hair and teeth, creative minds, and feet, and senses of humor, and smiles, and emotions, and their giftings, and accomplishments.  We thank you for their contributions to their families and their communities and we thank you for how each person is made in the image of God, with free will and thought and conscience.

        We thank you for each person’s unique surroundings.  Their home, trees, grass, snow, ice, oceans, rivers, birds, and the weather where they live.  Please, Lord God Almighty, help each person today to hear your voice drawing them near - hear Your command to come to you - to draw the billions to you today Lord Jesus, and help each person to know the freedom from sin, shame, and death purchased on the Cross of Calvary.  Help them we pray.

        May all kings and all those who are in authority fear and yield to Jesus Christ today  May they take no action that blasphemes God or violates the Holiness of God.

        Please help each person on earth today Lord God.  We cry out on behalf of those who do not yet know you.  We ask forgiveness for sins and we pray they will pray to You alone today to give them clean hands, and clear consciences, and that You will welcome them into the family, the people of the Most High.

        In the Mighty Name of the Only Mediator who has the power of reconciliation, Jesus Christ, we pray.  Amen.


On a road trip with my now 25-year-old son, Benjamin.  We flew to Phoenix, AZ, and bought a new Honda.  We got caught in a hailstorm somewhere in southern Utah.  I'm so proud of all our kids.  Pray for your kids.  God has great work for them ahead.





Comments

Post a Comment

I'd love to hear your comments, and if you have questions email me at dcbell1111@gmail.com.

Popular posts from this blog

-
Image
 2 Timothy 3 - Are You a Christian, Christian?           Early in my legal career (I'd been practicing about five years and about five years into my Christian walk) I had an interesting encounter with the CEO of one of our firm’s clients.  It was 2001 and technology companies were thriving.           My neighbors in S.W. Calgary were Lebanese immigrants and faithful members of their mosque.  They were some of the best neighbors we’ve ever had.  They owned a bakery that made Pita bread.  I’ll never forget the day we took possession of that house.  As they often would in the eleven years we lived there, they brought me a big bag of fresh bread.  We shared many good conversations with them over the years.  I love them and I pray God blesses them.           My neighbors had a friend from the mosque who was the CEO of Wi-LAN - a publicly listed tech company that held patents for technology that was key to the Blackberry - and later many other mobile phones.  Wi-LAN made many in the mosq
Read more
-
Image
 Hebrews 2:1-5 - Signs and Wonders - Miracles and Gifts I can shock myself at my inability to learn simple lessons.  They say just showing up is 90% of success.  Well, I’m confident inattentiveness, waffling, and ambivalence are keys to failure. In this passage, we hear yet again a warning to “listen very carefully” to God’s message or we run a real risk of total failure - drifting away from God (2:1).  With responsibility comes consequences.  Just ask any sentry, goaltender, place-kicker, or pilot.  You have a job to do - if you don’t do it well the results are clear.  So, let’s do it well. It’s the same as we develop and grow as Christians.  We have to make a decision to grow.  I've been reading about growthmindset lately and I think God is finally getting through to me.           It will not come as a shocker to any dad hooked on porn, a mom who has dabbled in an office romance, or the pastor who’s craftily swindled money from the church.  Christians can’t just casually li
Read more
-
Image
 Hebrews 6 - Faith and Endurance These next two chapters of Hebrews are incredibly encouraging for the Christian.  God gives us confidence and courage to do what we must.  When the whistle blows, be ready to go.  God in Heaven is developing your character; He’s preparing you to fight His battles.           We are responsible to grow.  We know that God repays people for the wrong they have done (Jeremiah 50:24).  And that God uses whomsoever He chooses as His instruments of justice (Jeremiah 50:20).  “For the LORD is a God who gives just punishment; he always repays in full” (Jeremiah 50:56). Thinking of God’s character is sobering, and good.  We know Jesus is the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.  In the next few chapters, we hear the truth about who Jesus is and our responsibilities to Him. Nearly 2,000 years after the death, burial, and resurrection of our King we are reminded that there are false teachers today - those leading people astray for power and greed - just as there
Read more