1 Timothy 2:2

"For kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way."

After urging Timothy to pray, Paul focuses his directions by clarifying that in addition to praying for all people, we are to pray particularly for those in authority over us. The underlying motivation for praying for those in authority over you is to allow for peaceful and quiet lives, which might seem to be self-centered. But our comfort is not the end goal; the type of peaceful and quiet lives Christians are to live should be characterized by godliness and dignity.

It is possible to live godly, dignified lives during times of intense persecution. But persecution is not a necessary prerequisite to godliness. Sometimes believers in free societies assume that all believers in persecuted places are super-saints. But this is simply not so. Persecution does have the effect of purifying the church. But it also strips believers of their dignity and at times pushes them to ungodliness. Think of Peter, cursing!

My Prayer: God, thank you for allowing me to lead a peaceful, quiet life. May it always be so. The world is not your friend. There are those who hate me because they hate you. Restrain those in authority over me from demonstrating their hate in harmful ways. Give me the liberty to glorify you freely.

1 Timothy 2:1

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people"

Because of the high stakes nature of spiritual ministry dealt with in chapter one, Paul now urges Timothy toward something of great importance. He urges him to pray, but this is no casual urging. Paul uses language the conveys the idea of pleading to the point of begging that "first of all," of greatest spiritual importance, if we are to have a whole ministry, we must pray.

And Paul doesn't just stop the superlatives leading up to the call to prayer. In the call to prayer, he uses four words to describe our prayer ministry.

1. Supplication - making request
2. Prayers - general communication
3. Intercessions - prayers for others
4. Thanksgiving - expressing gratitude to God

Before we do anything, we are to talk to God about everything. Before we minister to anyone, we are to talk to God about everyone.

How often do I act alone? I make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings last of all. When all I have done fails, I ask God why He isn't working. How presumptuous! How faithless!

My prayer: God, transform my priorities. In life and ministry may I pray first of all.

1 Timothy 1:18-20

"This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme."

Christian warfare doesn't involve tanks, guns, or forceful tactics. Believers are never to advance the gospel through shedding people's blood or through threatening them with some earthly consequences. The Christian warrior wages spiritual warfare through holding fast to his faith. The gospel permeates every aspect of his life, enabling him to look at the outworking of faith in his life with a good conscience. This kind of life is infectious, but it is not easy.

Holding fast to your faith is warfare. The entirety of the world's system is pushing you away from standing true in the gospel. False teachers want you to reject Christ's substitutionary (vicarious) atonement. Worldly acquaintances want you to live faithlessly, as they do. Your flesh want you to indulge it so that it can overtake you. And we are not impervious to these things. Christians never have to fall. But they often do, and when the dulling of their conscience is severe, it leads to an all out shipwreck of faith.

Paul could name people who followed this path (and I can too). He had encouraged them to repent, but because they had gone so far and rejected his calls to repent so often, he "turned them over to Satan." This is not some pagan sacrifice but a releasing from church care, allowing the person to have their own way. When a Christian pursues ungodliness with passion, he is left feeling deplorably empty and even depressed. This turning over to Satan should lead you back to Christ.

If you are a Christian who has turned from a genuine Christian life, be honest with yourself. You are miserable. Sin is not making good on its promises. Repent and turn to God. Reject the lies that you have believed and walk with God again. If you are a Christian who is holding your faith in good conscience, continue to fight to avoid shipwreck. How? Read your Bible. Pray. Share God's truth with others. Live out what you know to be true!

My prayer: You are merciful, Father. You know what is best for me and You urge me to it. You are my strength in battle. You keep me from destroying myself. God I pray that I would always war against sin in my life. Keep me close to You and far from shipwreck.

1 Timothy 1:17

"To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."

Breaking from his personal testimony and his explanation of God's perfect grace, Paul erupts in sudden praise. Knowing God's work in his life, Paul cannot keep himself from praising this great God. After all He is worthy.

• God is the king of ages - He isn't God for us alone. He has ruled for all time. His authority is boundless.
  
• God is immortal - Not only has He always been. He will always be. He has no end and no beginning, and nothing can kill Him.
• God is invisible - God can not be put into a box or an idol. Man's attempts at limiting God are insulting! He is far more than we can understand.
  
• God is the only God - There is none like Him. Nor is there any who are almost like Him but just a little below. He far exceeds all that we can understand, and any attempt to make a God of our own choosing is setting up a god who is a no-God. Yahweh is the only God.
  

These things alone are reason enough to forever give God honor and glory. But He has given us further cause to praise Him. This transcendent, mind-numbingly big God has chosen to be intimately involved in our lives. Is He not involved in your life? Perhaps He is working in ways that you don't yet recognize. Rise up and praise Him now.

My prayer: Father, You defy my understanding. You are far beyond me. And yet you love me. Occupy my affections, my thoughts, my praise.

1 Timothy 1:15-16

"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life."

Jesus came into the world to save sinners. We must accept this! Jesus did not come for the sake of those who are perfect. He did not come for those who had things under control spiritually. There are no such people. Jesus came to save sinners.

Jesus came for the worst of sinners. Paul called himself the foremost of sinners (perhaps because of his former opposition to the gospel's advance or perhaps because he just knew his own heart they way we know our hearts). Paul wasn't saying that no sinner worse than him could get into heaven. He was saying that if God accepted him, then everyone should know that God is extremely patient, and His grace is for you too—regardless of what you have done.

Are you a sinner? Then Jesus came into the world to save you.

My prayer: Father, it is hard to understand why You sent Your Son for sinners. It is such a mystery that many people have rejected it. But You sent Jesus for the good of Your sworn enemies. You love those who hate You. And Your mercy can change their hate into love. Thank you for loving even me, and help me to show others that You love them too.