Serving the Lord Acceptably

1 Timothy 2 — serving the Lord acceptably with prayer and thanksgiving

Nobody should be beyond our prayers. I struggle with this: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions…be made for all men” (1 Timothy 2:1). With more than six billion people on the planet, how do I respond to this exhortation?! Even if I cut the numbers back to my church family alone (and I don’t think God wants me to limit my praying that way), I don’t see how I can pray for everyone.

That’s why I say, “Nobody should be beyond our prayers.” When I become aware of my need to pray for a particular individual, I should pray. No matter who he is. No matter what she’s said about me. No matter the state of our relationship. I must pray for that person. Period.

Nobody should be beyond our thanksgiving. Here is the missing piece from the above verse: “and giving of thanks.” Oh my! Give thanks for everyone and anyone?! That strikes me as even more impossible than praying for everyone! But that is what the Bible says, so what’s in this clause for me?

No matter who, no matter what — purposefully find something for which to give thanks. Is this a call to feel thankful? No, it seems to be more of a call to give thanks, without regard to my feelings. I do believe, though, that giving thanks can eventually lead to feeling thankfulness.

Regarding some people, this takes more than a little bit of thought and effort. But I believe it can be done. I must decide today whether to practice that or not. I was at a bruising meeting last night and came home feeling brittle and betrayed. And I’m supposed to give thanks for that person? Somehow, yes.

God’s heart should motivate us to pray. God wants “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). That is God’s vision. That is His mission. That is the yearning of His heart.

So He calls on us to supplicate, pray, intercede, and give thanks for all men and for all in authority. Knowing God’s vision, mission, and yearning should motivate us to action. If we don’t know His heart, well, therein lies a clear way in which we ought to be praying for ourselves.

(Read the full piece here: Pray for Everyone.)

Can we be serving the Lord acceptably if Is there such a thing as “clothing optional” Christianity?

“In like manner also…adorn themselves…with good works” (1 Timothy 2:8,9).

When I think of adornment, I think of a something intended to enhance eye appeal. So the idea that good works should be an adornment for Christians is interesting to me. Good works enhance the believer’s appeal to the onlooker. Which raises two related questions:

How well adorned am I?
What is my “eye appeal” to those who know me?

However, thinking of good works merely as an adornment makes them sound optional and even unnecessary. My Spanish Bible, instead of adorn, uses clothe. Hmm. When it comes to good works, Christianity is not a “clothing optional” spirituality!

Which raises a third question: How well-dressed am I?

Adapted and excerpted from Well Dressed

Serving the Lord Acceptably: Lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (1 Timothy 2:2)

Let’s be serving the Lord acceptably by Praying for Politicians; Role Modeling in the Church

Christians should pray that government leaders would have wisdom to make good decisions. Christians also pray that their government leaders would be saved. How else shall we pray for government leaders?

Protection — They (and those who guard them) need deliverance from the evil many wish upon them and their families
Good advisors — Not only should we pray that the leaders would have good advisors, but that their advisors would give good counsel. We could even pray that God would provide them with a Daniel or a Joseph!
God-awareness — Even unsaved leaders will do better at leading if they acknowledge the existence of a personal God.
Success — This has to do with God helping them be good husbands and fathers. It also has to do with wishing good on them personally. Notice Daniel’s example in this: 2:4; 3:9; 6:21.

Roles in the church

God has given men the administrative role in the church.
Men lead by their example of submission to God and the church brotherhood.
Christian women should be reserved in public and supportive of man’s leadership.
A Christian woman’s influence in church life is important, but must not put her in a leadership role.

As men should be God-aware and God-pleasing everywhere and in everything, so should the women. They should dress modestly and adorn (trim, garnish, decorate) themselves with modesty (shamefacedness) and restraint (sobriety). This is proper for women and suitable to being a woman. It is no more proper for a man to be unholy with his hands and thoughts than it is for a woman to be unholy in her appearance and demeanor.

Women like to accessorize. Well, think of verses 9 and 10 as the Christian woman’s accessories. What principles might there be for Christian men in verses 9 and 10?

Dress in a way that fits Christ . . . and complements the Christian woman.
Avoid that which is primarily for show.
Be modest and simple in both demeanor and appearance.
Be outstanding for good and godly living.
Don’t feed the flesh — not yours, not others’.

Food-for-thought questions for men

If she should be modest, why shouldn’t you?
If she should not be loud and flashy, why should you?
If she should dress simply and becomingly, why shouldn’t you?
If she shouldn’t flaunt herself and call attention to herself, why should you?
If she should be humble, why shouldn’t you?
If she shouldn’t dress to enhance her fleshly appeal, why should you?
If feeding the flesh is wrong for her, how could it be right for you?

It’s not that Christian men should follow the example of Christian women. This should be about showing the way and leading by example! Be a safe pattern of modest, simple, humble, godly, spiritual living.

Excerpted from material I submitted for the LightUnit 8 Lesson 2 Teacher Guide of CLE Bible 800.

Additional Reading about Serving the Lord Acceptably