⏱ 10 min read

• Day 30 of 50 and we are going strong! 1 Timothy 2 today and you’ll be blessed by this! 📖🔥🤗
• Maybe you missed Galatians, Ephesians, and Philippians, Colossians, and 1&2 Thessalonians, but hey, you can join in and let’s “tattoo” God’s Word in our hearts! 📖🤍
• God bless you, and looking forward to your lessons, insights, and comments.

Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

• From Google, to “exhort” means to strongly encourage or urge someone to do something, often through earnest advice, warnings, or arguments.
• So Paul was passionately and strongly urging that four things should be done by Timothy and the Church he was leading:

Supplication:

This is the action of asking or begging for something (help or favor) earnestly or humbly. I believe this depicts the image of kneeling and clasping your hands together (e.g. in image below).

Prayers: Prayer is basically communicating with God and it takes various forms.

All three words listed in this verse (supplication, intercession, thanksgiving), and others not listed (confession, petition, adoration, etc.) fall into various types of prayer. I believe Paul did this to mean, "don't pray just the types I've listed, but include all the types of prayer also."

Intercessions are prayers made on behalf of others:

In this type of prayer, you are selflessly standing in the gap for other people. It is sort of using your position, standing, or influence to plead for someone in authority (God, in our case) to show mercy or forgiveness or grace. This is what Jesus is doing for us currently (Hebrews 7:24-25).

But He (Jesus), because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. ~ Hebrews 7:24-25

Giving of thanks:

This is acknowledging God as our source and that He is sovereign in all circumstances. With this comes the act of giving thanks (saying thank you) and praise to Him for His blessings, faithfulness, and provision, etc. This also takes various forms and can include singing, dancing, giving offerings, etc.

Paul strongly encourages us to do these four things for all men (everyone or all people), for kings (political or government leadership), and for all who are in authority (all leaders in authority over you: husbands, fathers, bosses, pastors, etc.).

• Dearly beloved, if we desire to live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence, then we have to do the above.
• This means that a peaceable, Godly life can elude us if we do not pray these four prayers for these three classes of people.
• Perhaps now we will appreciate the words of Jesus that we always ought to pray and not lose heart, and Paul’s instruction to pray without ceasing.

 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, ~ Luke 18:1

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~ 1 Thess 5:16-18

For example: If you do not pray for those who have authority over you, your life may become frustrated. The more we pray Timothy’s prayer, the more favourable the thoughts of people in authority (parents, bosses, etc.) will be towards us.

• Young people must pray for their parents and leaders in order to have the favour of God.
• Some of you have parents, guardians, and bosses that can change your life significantly if God will turn their hearts in your favour.
• Wives that pray for their husbands will experience this blessing of quietness, peace and a Godly, reverent life!

You will be shocked that your unbelieving or difficult parent or spouse will allow you to go to church and serve God! They will not oppose your Christian life anymore just because you are praying for them! 

Dear friend, God can bless you through those who are in authority over you. As you pray for them, God will give you favour before them!

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. ~ Proverbs 21:1

• May God turn the heart of every king in your life! I see many blessings rising up to embrace you!
• As you pray for fathers, bosses and presidents, you will experience only godliness, peace and quietness. Start your day with these blessings!!

God wants everyone / all people to be saved!

This [kind of praying] is good and acceptable and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wishes all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge and recognition of the [divine] truth. 

• God’s heart is beating for all men; everyone connected to you (beautiful and ugly, white and black, rich and poor, etc.) to be saved!
• Why?? Because all we like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way (Isaiah 53:6)
• Many people have gone their own way! We’ve missed the door and gone a different way in search of God, peace, joy, success, marriage, etc.

The Bible says that every single person is lost without God. Without God, you’re directionless. Your potential eternal impact upon the world is unrealized. You’re without real joy. Your eternity in heaven isn’t secure.

God Sent a Saviour (JESUS) to Save ALL mankind!

"For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah)." ~ Luke 2:11 AMP

•  Jesus came to rescue you:

We can’t solve all our problems on our own. Without Jesus we’re trapped in the expectations of others. We’re trapped in living for the approval of your peers. You’re trapped in addictions. You might try to change over and over again, but you don’t have the needed power to escape. Jesus came to give you that power.

• Jesus came to recover you:

You may long to recover parts of your life that have been lost. Without Christ, your lost strength, health, confidence, reputation, innocence, relationship with God, etc., cannot be recovered! But only Jesus can recover those things.

• Jesus came to reconnect you: God isn’t mad at you. He’s mad about you (madly in love with you)!

Many people think that God will scold them if they come back to him. But God isn’t mad at you. He’s mad about you. Jesus came to Earth to reconcile you to God—to give you harmony with Him again.

For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all [people, a fact that was] attested to at the right and proper time. ~ 1 Tim 2:5-6

God is sending YOU as a saviour to all men!

…And He has committed to US the message of reconciliation [that is, restoration to favor with God].” ~ 2 Cor 5:19b

So Jesus now leaves the earth and ascends into Heaven. And He has given the baton of saving people to you and I. When we are saved, Jesus enters into us, and He is asking us to save others (2 Cor 5:19-20).

• There is a power or a mechanism in Christians to save all men! There is a command from Jesus to reach out to others! (Matthew 28:18-20).
• All you have to do is talk to people about God and share your faith and testimony.
• If you don’t talk to them, they cannot be saved!

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15

Dear friend, God is reminding you of this precious commission today and about His precious offer of salvation to all mankind.

Are you ready to start a new relationship with God through Jesus? If you’re ready to do that today, please pray this prayer with me:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I hear you knocking at the door of my heart, and I want to open it up to you. I confess that I have sinned and that I need your forgiveness and mercy. Thank you for loving me so much that you sent Jesus to die for my sins, so that I can be forgiven.

“Jesus, you promised that anyone who believes in you will not perish but have everlasting life and eternity with you in heaven. I believe in you and accept you as my Lord and Savior. I want to allow you into all the rooms of my heart and to spend the rest of my life serving you. Amen.”

Congratulations! If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please use the form and let me know. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.

Hey, you're blessed and highly favoured and dearly loved! Do share your lessons from 1 Timothy 2. Remember to tag us and your friends on 📲:
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Disclaimer: this post contains portions of messages and text originally shared by Ps Rick Warren and Bishop Dag Heward-Mills (both of whom are my mentors in the faith).