Faithful to Pray in the Name of the Lord

Faithful Praying

1 Timothy 2:1-15

The truth is, most all people in church and many outside the church think they know how to use the wonderful gift of prayer!

Prayer in its simplest form is just talking to God, through the Holy Spirit, by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Believe it or not, we can just talk to God without asking Him for a thing!

We are to end our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ because He is not only our Savior but also our Intercessor.

Those who believe they can lose their salvation are saying that the Lord Jesus Christ is a failure, which is impossible!

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

And for those who are still confused, The Lord Jesus Christ is the God of the Bible and there is no other God!

Knowing this, our own prayer life is the most important tool in our arsenal when it comes to dealing with everyday life in this world or anything else!

Prayer is so important, that the Lord Jesus taught us to pray with the model prayer.

We know that the Lord Jesus Christ prayed constantly and everything He did was an example for us!

The subject of is this lesson is more about public prayer rather than closet prayer, even though both type prayers can be very similar in content at times.

Another thing, in fact a major part of our prayer life, is that God expects us to put aside our own needs, which He already knows, and pray for others, so that can show that we are not just about self.

It should also be clear to us in this quarter, God is teaching us about the organization of the Church, that has Jesus Christ as the foundation.

The Church is formed from all those who are faithful in following the lead of the Lord Jesus Christ which was the message of Chapter 1.

It is only the "faithful" who can truly expect to get the help of God!

There are people praying all around this world, some many times each day, but they are wasting their time if they do not know the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and the only God, and they are yet sinners in need of this Savior!

This may hurt but it is still the truth!

Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

Chapter 2 Verse 1

*****1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty".

As we ended last week’s lesson, we know that Paul had delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan, because they were still his children and had no part in the Church at Ephesus other than cause problems.

Immediately after this Paul begins his instruction for public prayer or some would say corporate prayer.

Supplications, are those prayers imploring the help of God in a time of need.

Intercessory prayers, are when believing people pray for others including those who do not know our Savior.

The giving of thanks, is a prayer directly to our Heavenly Father, to thank Him for the things He has already done and for the things He is about to do, if you pray in a heart of faith!

That phrase "for all men" does not leave any one out!

In fact, "it is our duty" to pray for the Church and the lost, no matter who they are!

It is our duty to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

It is our duty to pray for our national leaders and our nation!

We cannot refuse to do the things that Jesus Christ did on earth and now in Heaven, if we are to be like Him!

That word "exhort" can mean "to encourage" but it can also mean a "desire" that, as Christians and the Church, that we do not neglect, do not ignore, and do not bypass any living human being when we pray.

It is sin to bypass anyone in our prayers!

When we pray for the helping the hand of God, we are acknowledging that God is the source of all power!

If we do not have faith that God is able fulfill our request, then we are wasting our time praying!

Every person needs prayer and those who are lost cannot reach into the throne room of God, unless they are praying for their own salvation first, which He will hear and answer immediately, if prayed in faith!

There are many people who humble themselves before some false deity many times a day, but if they all knew the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior they would be heard.

Even if just God's people would get serious about prayer, this world would take notice of the power behind our prayers!

We should certainly pray for those who are in authority, that they would make the right decisions and they would have good councilors.

It would certainly be hard to pray for evil rulers but even they can be saved!

We must consider that when the Holy Spirit gave these words to Paul, it was Nero, a most evil Roman ruler who ruled much of the world at that time and the Christians were to pray for even him.

Why should we pray for rulers? That we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty.

We should pray that we would always have the freedom to worship our God, the Lord Jesus Christ

1Pe 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

We could ask ourselves why would be pray for evil rulers? The answer is that God said so, Jesus Christ died for every human being who has ever lived and because it is good and acceptable in the sight of our God, our Savior.

*****1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

We should pray for our nation and its rulers because we know who sits on the throne in Heaven and it is He that moves this world according to His own will!

We should pray for all people to be saved!

God would have all mankind to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth of the Gospel".

If they all do not want to be saved, then they would have least had the choice to be saved!

The most wonderful thing we know as Christians is that we have a God who saves because He is a God of "Mercy"!

This most amazing plan of God is that His will for all the world to be saved is the motive behind all His actions in this world!

Therefore, God will never change His actions because it would go against His will.

Anything that God did against His plans for this world would be sin and God simply cannot sin.

God can never go against His written Word!

We may never understand why God does the things He does, but we should understand that He has our best interest in mind at all times!

God not only loves those who come to the knowledge of His saving "Grace”, but we must be aware that our Lord died for His enemies which we all were before we understood the "Mercy" and the "Grace" of our God, The Lord Jesus Christ!

Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Isa 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

The thing that religions hate the most is not that there is a God, but the fact that our God, is the Lord Jesus Christ!

This truth that is rejected by this world, but it is the only truth that you can reach if you study the Word of God!

*****1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

If there were in fact many Gods as the world chooses to believe, then there would be many ways to get to Heaven but in fact this to goes against the Word of the true God!

In Christianity when we speak of God we speak of the Supreme Majesty of this universe, the Creator, the Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ.

When we come to know the Lord Jesus Christ then we will know His plan of salvation!

Jesus Christ is God our Savior who gave Himself, a ransom for all, to physical death therefore we are redeemed by His blood!

Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

The key then to salvation is not only be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ but also to be wash in the "Word" of God!

1Jn_5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, "the Word", and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh_1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

And this means we are washed in the blood of Jesus.

Since all these things are true and there is only one God, then there is only one way to reach Him and only one way to be saved!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1Co 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and "that there is none other God but one".

Since all these things are true and they are, then it is only those who are ordained by the calling of the Lord Jesus Christ that we should listen to in this world and not any other who would all be false!

*****1Ti 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

The Apostle Paul was called specifically to reach out to the Gentiles with this amazing plan of God and there were others who helped him.

Most of the other Apostles were sent to the Jews with this same message of Jesus Christ they were all martyred early except the Apostle John who died of old age, still preaching the "Gospel" on his death bed.

There are no truer words than the Word of God!

Ecc 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

Ecc 12:10 "The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth".

Eph 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

The truth is as humans who need God just to live in this world, then because of our sin we needed a Mediator if we are to be saved when we approach God and be acceptable to God.

Since not one of us were perfect then we needed someone of perfection to reach out to our Holy God who can only know those who are also holy!

The only way to be acceptable of God is then for us to reach that perfection and be just and righteous. God will reject all imperfect beings!

To solve this problem then a perfect God had to become man in order for those who could believe such a thing could be saved!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who solved that sin problem for us all!

God takes the faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and credits this faith as righteousness and therefore acceptable to Him!

Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Jesus Christ gave Himself a ransom for all! Jesus Christ exchanged His life for the life of all mankind!

Jesus arose from that death to the astonishment of the world!

It is this same message that we as Christians are to take into the world.

Not only this but we are to pray that those who hear the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ will believe and be saved!

God instructs all those He calls to carry the message of Christ to the world, but God also instructs us to pray for good results, fruit for their labor!

*****1Ti 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Praying is just having a conversation with God. The one most important thing in our prayer life is to pray without doubting! We must pray in faith!

We can also say that we do not have to have every word to be perfect because God looks into the heart of the believer.

Sometimes we have a hard time putting into words, what we really want to say.

Thank God for the Holy Spirit who prayed for me!

As believers we can pray everywhere, in any posture. In fact, as Christians we are be like Jesus Christ, so let’s look at the prayer life of Christ.

**Jesus prayed while He was being baptized:

Luk 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

Luk 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

**Jesus prayed in public:

Joh 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

Joh 11:42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

**Jesus prayed in private:

Joh 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

**Jesus Prayed on the mountain:

Mat 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

**Jesus prayed in the wilderness:

Luk 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

**Jesus got up early to pray:

Mar 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

**Jesus prayed all night:

Luk 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Jesus prayed for children:

Mat 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

Mat 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

**Jesus prayed for Peter's faith and He is no respecter of people:

Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

**Jesus prayed for every believer:

Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

**Jesus had a favorite place to pray:

Luk 22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

Luk 22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

Luk 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

**Jesus prayed even while He was on the cross:

Luk 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

**Jesus is praying for us every day:

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

If the Lord Jesus Christ is our example, then we can see that our prayer life is the most important thing we must build upon!

We need to be in constant contact with our God!

1Th_5:17 Pray without ceasing.

The Lord is teaching us that we should never stop praying!

The phrase "lifting up holy hands means we must always come before God with a clean heart!

As I have already said, there is no need to pray if we do not think God will hear us and answer our prayer!

Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

The fact is, God will give us anything that corresponds to His will if we ask in faith!

Were these things written just for men? No but also to the women.

*****1Ti 2:9 "In like manner" also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

1Ti 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

In a like manner the women were to also pray without ceasing!

Another Scripture we must also be clear on is this one:

Gal_3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: "for ye are all one in Christ Jesus".

And we must keep in mind that Paul is writing to Timothy and Timothy is pass these instructions to the church.

Christian women are to dress modestly which means clean, neat, and decent, and that word adorn means to add to this modesty, behavior, and demeanor, that is, the way a woman is to carry herself.

We could simply say for a woman to be dressed in simple elegance.

When this same woman was outside the church, no one would interpret her to be in any sinful way by the way she dressed or the way she acted.

All men and the women are to bring honor and glory to the Lord at all times, inside and outside the church!

1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

1Pe 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

We all agree that true beauty is on the inside and not on the outside!

The truth is, God takes a godly woman and floods her with a beauty that is far beyond any such beauty of just flesh and clothing!

*****1Ti 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

Just like the men, the women are to be silent during the preaching of the Word of God!

Once she gets home with her husband who is the head of the house and she, subject to him, then they can discuss the message that God gave them on that day.

We already know that God is no respecter of persons, but He is a God of order.

1Co 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

In a greater sense, every woman who is a child of God and a true believer, must learn all she can about Jesus Christ just as the men!

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

This Scripture was written for all men, all women, and all children!

Since God is a God of order, then there are some things a woman must not do in the church and we must use the home as the example.

The man is to be the head of the home, "if he is following the Lord"!

*****1Ti 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

1Ti 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

1Ti 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Christ is the head of the home and Christ is the head of the Church.

The Christian man is the head of the wife at home and at church, because God is still a God of order in the Church.

So, a woman is not to teach a man, and this would include the job of the Pastor not being available to the woman.

The woman is to never usurp the authority of the godly man!

Just as in the home, the woman should always be involved with the teaching of the children, but this does not relieve the same responsibility for the man, who is also to help with the teaching and the discipling of the children in the church.

We must always remember, it is God's love that is, passed down to the man and the woman, who are also to live in the love for each other in every instance!

God simply says that Adam was first formed before Eve and this settles the order of the godly home and the true church!

God then says, remember that it was Eve who was deceived and not the man, and that it did led to the sin of Adam's disobedience, because of the love he had for his wife, he forsook the commands of the Lord.

This is what God demands.

This is what Paul preached.

This is what Timothy was to teach this church!

We cannot allow the love of another human being to come between us and God, period!

Order is then based on the facts. The man is more subject to forsake God, if the woman becomes the head of man!

Again, we must never forget that God is no respecter of persons, but the woman is to never usurp the authority of the man, who is dedicated himself to the Lord!

The woman is never to be in competition with the man, because she is the counterpart of man and together they are "to be one" just as in the marriage!

1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

The world does what the world does, but we as Christians are told to come out from the world and be subject to the law of God!

This is what we agreed to, when we asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into our heart!

Women have always played a great part in the close nit family.

Women have always played a great part in the church.

Women will have to play a great part in both as long as we are in this world!

There is one more thing that may be considered. If a man is made to sit before a woman for a long period of time, then the man may take his mind off the message and place His eyes upon that woman and temptation may overcome the man!

God knows us better than we know ourselves!

Mat_5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Remember our lesson is about faithful prayer and when things are out of the order of God, it will seriously hinder our prayers!

*****1Ti 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

We should remember the curse of Eve.

Gen 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

I believe we can say that the woman’s primary intention has never been about teaching in the church but primarily about bearing children and teaching them in the home and then teaching in the church if they are called of God to do so, just as the man who is called of God!

We can be sure that the Holy Ghost placed that Holy seed in Mary, but it was Mary who bore that child for those 9 months and then mothered the Lord Jesus Christ until He reached the Jewish age of maturity!

The woman will always have a special place in the family and in the church.

Our own prayer life will guide us in all these things!

Amen

Let's Pray