I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 1 Timothy 2: 1-6, NIV.
Gracious God, we ask that You draw very close to us, and make the light of Your Word shine clearly upon our path as we study today. In the name of Jesus we humbly pray. Amen.
Yesterday, the emphasis in our study was on intercessory prayer for all, and with special mention of, “all those in authority.” We highlighted the fact that all people are important to God. Today we are going to spend some time observing how the prayers we pray for others, have an impact on our own lives. We will be paying close attention to the following portion of our Scripture: “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” This portion of Scripture brings two views to our attention. 1) The peace, or lack of peace, in the land, affects the life of the Christian. 2) Peace and quietness in the land enhances godly and holy living. Please note that I used the words affects, and enhances, not determines.
The reason for my choice of words is based on the words of Jesus in John 14: 27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” You see my friends, the world really has no peace to offer us. Peace is something from within. Because of this, it is not dependent on what is going on on the outside. The truly peaceful person, even though he or she is in touch with reality (that is, they do not exist in a bubble), their reality cannot touch their inner-most being; it neither makes nor breaks them. They do not feel a need to keep up with the Joneses. They aspire for the best, and at the same time are contented with what they have. While they are affected by what goes on in the world, what goes on around them does not have a negative effect on them. Instead, it leads them to do something to make a positive difference. What determines the peace in the life of the Christian, is Jesus within.
Yesterday we noticed the similitude between what God told the Israelites who were going into Babylonian captivity, and Paul’s advice to the the believers at Philippi: God’s advice: “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29: 7). Paul’s advice: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
The question is: who affects who, the Christian their community? Or, the community the Christian? Let us hear what God’s Word has to say on the subject: ” ‘ “You are (the Christian) the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are (the Christian) the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light (the Christian’s) shine before [everyone], that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. . .” ‘ ” I believe it works both ways. We keep the community salted (preserved) – there is peace in the land, making it easier for the gospel to be preached. We shed light upon the paths of the people (instruct them) – the morals of the community is heightened, making it a safe place to dwell, while we work for the Master. These complimentary conditions are enabled by intercessory prayer.
It is pretty clear that the life of the Christian affects the life of the community where he or she lives, and vice versa. May God help us to love the people of our community as Jesus loved those in His. May this love lead us to become living sacrifices, in commemoration of our Savior’s sacrifice on the cross for all people. We may not all be able to preach, or go as missionaries to a foreign land, or plant a church in a community, but all of us can pray for souls inside and outside of the church. The security of our community is intimately linked to our security. Jesus’ advice is that we pray for the peace and safety of our communities. Intercessory prayer blesses the one who prays as well as the one who is prayed for!
We will continue!