Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications , prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men (2) for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. (3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, (4) who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (5) For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (6) who gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time, (7) for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle – I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying – a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (8) I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting

The first letter to Timothy was written by the apostle Paul to his faithful and beloved Timothy who would be following in Paul’s footsteps preaching the gospel. Paul wrote this letter in prison in Rome and knows his remaining life time is short. Our verses today concern prayer and especially prayer for those who are perishing without knowing Christ Jesus. We might laugh at or dismiss prayer but prayer will make a tremendous difference, certainly in the person praying. Paul puts prayer as a priority – not just a need for prayer in general but prayer as it relates to the salvation of the lost and ALL MEN. This prayer should pervade the church, and our life. That all can be reached with the gospel in line with God’s plan. Prayer here is not a nicety but a necessity.

There are different facets of God’s plan in these verses. God’s plan involves all kinds of prayer for all kinds of people with different needs. Sensing our lack and God’s sufficiency, our impotence and God’s omnipotence should move us to pray. God’s plan involves holiness and harmony among His people – it involves taking God’s plan for salvation seriously. Prayer that all can be reached with the gospel in line with God’s good pleasure is Paul’s focus. That one way of salvation involves a mediator between God and man – the man, Christ Jesus. Paul is not denying the deity of Christ. Prayer that all can be reached with the gospel is in line with God’s procedure which is using people to reach people.

Prayer is regarded as of primary importance in the total ministry of the church. It is the most dynamic and important service that the church of Christ can engage in. It is also the most neglected ministry open to believers.

555)

(5)Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (6) who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God (7) but made Himself of no reputation,taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men. (8) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death even the death of the cross. (9) Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.

The letter was to the Philippians was written by the apostle Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome for preaching the gospel. Some people think that doctrine is divisive and we need unity, often built by common experience. We tend to think of theology as impractical accademic stuff that we like to debate. But we forget it doesn’t have everything to do with how we live.

We must grow in humility – not a single verse in the Bible is telling us we need to grow in self esteem. To grow in humility we must understand Christ’s incarnation. That the Son of God left His glory to take on human flesh. The form of God refers to that which is intrinsic divine and essential. Jesus existed in intrinsic divine form as human. He left the highest priority in the universe and went to grow in humility. We must understand the incarnation and death of Jesus. The crucified, risen Christ is now the place of supremacy. His deity was not diminished or laid aside as man. Jesus willing aside the glory that He had with the Father before the foundation of the world.

We will never begin to know what glory Jesus, gave up or suffered on our behalf until we are with Him in glory