The book of I Timothy is one of the ‘Pastoral Epistles’ written by the Apostle Paul while he was in prison in Rome. It is a letter that would inspire pastoral care of the local church. It is also a letter that would define the qualifications for one in the position as a pastor. Most importantly the words in I Timothy are the inspired words of God and the Holy Spirit led Paul to write these words of instruction. Remembering these truths are a must for those who make up the local church and for those who serve in the pastoral position.

 As your pastor I want all of us to be reminded of Paul’s instructions in I Timothy 2:1-4  concerning the importance of our prayer life individually and as a church family. As you begin, in verse one of this chapter, it is well to notice that the instructions in the first three verses are for the fulfilment of God’s design presented in verse 4, “Who will have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

 So Paul begins by saying “I exhort (urge, encourage, insist), first of all that supplications (appeals, request, petitions), prayers (desires, hope, wish), intercessions (intervention, mediation), and giving if thanks, be made of all men.” So Paul is telling us that evangelistic prayers need to be presented for all men by the believers in the local church. It is important for us to pray for those in our families but we need to expand our prayers for salvation to come to all men.

 Then Paul presents some of those who are not a part of our inner circle but we must pray for especially in light of God’s expressed desire in verse four. At the time of this writing Nero was the ruler of the Roman Empire and he was most cruel and was very antichristian.

So as evil as Nero was the believers, in the local church at Ephesus, were to pray for his salvation. Then Paul expanded those to pray for by saying we are to pray for all those in positions of authority and that we pray for their salvation also.

We might say, “that’s easy for Paul to say, but it wasn’t easy for Paul to say, he is in prison at this time, held there by the very ones he is to pray for!” We should all agree that all those in positions of authority would be so changed if they were to be ‘born again’! Nothing would change the world like ‘born again leaders and people in positions of authority being born again!’ If we believe that then pray for their salvation.

If we can truly pray for someone’s salvation we will not be their enemies. It will also calm our souls and allow us to lead a more peaceful life in godliness and honesty. Paul goes on to say that this life of peace, and Godliness, is what is most acceptable to God our Savior. We should be excited about God’s desire “for all men to be saved” because we know that desire included us!

SEE YOU SOON – BRO. ED