Shabbat Shalom. We are studying together the book of 1 Timothy. And so please turn with me to the first letter that Shaul Paul wrote to Timothy. And at this time, we begin with 1 Timothy 2, to remind you that Paul wrote this letter to Timothy in order to help him to know how to keep order in the house of God, which is the assembly of the living God. And he wrote these letters, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus, specifically to help him and also to help you and I to know how to conduct ourselves in the house of the Lord. And the house of God is more than just a building.

The house of God is all those that accepted Yeshua the Messiah. We are all making together that house of God, the assembly of the living God. So I'm going to read the first eight verses of 1 Timothy chapter 2, so please follow up with me. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for Kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, whereunto I am ordained a preacher and an apostle. I speak the truth in Messiah, and lie not a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. I'm going to stop here with this verse because I want to keep today in this ministry meeting the focus on the importance of prayer in the lives of God's people. Let me just tell you right here off the beginning of the ministry meeting today that one of the things that believers like you and I have a problem with is to take the time to pray.

In Hebrew we call it tefillah or lehitpalel. We often neglect this one important issue in the lives of the assembly, of the congregation, of the people of God. Most of the time, people will go to a Sunday meeting or Saturday meeting or once a week, but when you raise up the importance of prayer time or prayer meeting, we find out that we neglect the prayer meeting. I've been over the years in various congregations and when we meet together, we find most of the time when it comes to midweek meeting and prayer meeting that we often neglect to be there. And why is it? Because it seems to be that we don't think that prayer is important.

And I don't say it to you, I'm speaking for myself. Many times we neglect to see and to understand the importance of prayer. Individual prayer, family prayer, assembly prayer, public prayer. There's all sorts of prayers that are important for the people of God. And at times we do neglect to take the time to pray with and for the Lord's people. Now, it is important again to realize that when Paul wrote to Timothy, and I'm again emphasizing this every time we're going to study the book of 1 Timothy, he said to him in verse 15 of chapter 3, If I tarry long, that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God.

Then he explained to him what is the house of God, which is the church or the ecclesia of the living God, the pillar and the ground of the truth. Timothy, I'm leaving you in the city of Ephesus. And if I'm going to delay my return to you, Timothy, I'm teaching you, I'm writing to you this letter to instruct you that you will know how you and others will know how to behave in the house of God, which is the pillar, the amud in Hebrew, and the ground of the truth. You want to know the word of God and the truth of the word of God?

You learn it from the people of God who follow his instruction. The believers, the house of God is the called out ones, which is the pillar and the ground of the truth. So in the first chapter, which we have covered, he have already given him a warning that there will be doors that will rise up among the people of God who will begin to teach some false teaching. Timothy, he says, I have left you there to be teaching sound teaching and to be careful not to allow false teaching to enter among the people of God and then you remember he said in this first chapter he gave this beautiful history.

How he became a child of God how Paul Shaul have accepted Yeshua the Messiah the one that was a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious he was the one that was a violent man but God had mercy God had grace towards him and God have saved him if you remember on the way to Damascus when he was going to take those Jewish believers out of Damascus and bring them to Jerusalem in order to be in prison Paul told Timothy this in order to show him look at the grace of God how he brought me to become a servant of his and all of us can say today imagine the grace of God who are you and I that deserve to be saved and forgiven and to have an assurance that we're going to be in heaven because of what Yeshua has done for us it is nothing but pure mercy and grace from the Lord and that's why Paul said here I am the chief of sinners not only I was the chief of sinners I know my heart Paul is saying in chapter 1.

Where he was saying I was the one that have done all this and that's why he said I am the chief of sinners and how the Lord saved me and brought me to himself and so now in the second chapter he want Timothy to exhort the believers you and I as well today to see the importance of prayer beloved brothers and sisters I can tell you that it is essential for us to spend some time in prayer I remember one said just recently I take the time to pray individually when I'm at home but also when I drive or wherever I am I take the time to talk to my Savior to talk to Yeshua the Messiah it was something that our forefathers the Jewish people historically have always those who were godly from among our Jewish people always have prayed always have talked to the God of our fathers the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob the psalmist of Israel said in Psalm 55 morning and evening and at noon will i lift up my voice unto the Lord.

That was a custom, you remember Daniel every time that he rose, every morning that he rose he opened the windows towards the city of Jerusalem and he prayed to the God of his fathers the God of Israel, Daniel had been a man of God and it is something that we all need in our own personal life to develop a time to pray together in Romans 12 and verse 12 Paul says continue in prayer in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 18 Paul said praying always in Colossians chapter 4 and verse 2 Paul said continue on in prayer always in 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 17 Paul said pray without ceasing prayer is essential in the life of the believer you show me a brother or a sister that sincerely take the time to talk to Yeshua, the Messiah, to talk to the God of our fathers, then I'm going to show you a spiritual man and a spiritual woman who are able to be a blessing among the people of God.

And if you're going to show me someone who doesn't take the time to spend with the Lord in prayer, I'm going to show you that we're going to be evident in his life that he's not as much blessing to the people of God because how could he or she be a blessing to the people of God if they don't take the time to talk to the God of the people that belong to him. And you and I exhorted to take the time to pray. And so here, look at this, the apostle here in those eight verses giving us the importance of men praying in the local assembly, in the local congregation.

There's a few things that you want to notice about the importance of prayer in our study as we study these verses. But you know, before I'm going to read those verses one by one and make a few comments, I want you to turn to 1 Samuel chapter 12. Look what Shmuel, the prophet of Israel, said to our forefathers when they have rejected God from being their king and they have chosen Shaul to become the king of Israel, he said in 1 Samuel 12, verse 23, Moreover, as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord, in ceasing to pray for you. Samuel sensed the importance of praying for the people of God, and he said to Israel, His people, he says, God forbid that I should sin against Jehovah, against Yehovah, against the Lord, in ceasing to pray for you, Israel.

In other words, Samuel was so much impressed upon the importance of speaking to God about his people, Israel, that he said, if I am going to stop praying, I am going to sin against the Lord. By ceasing from praying for the people of Israel, the people of God. So what we really learn from this, that for us as believers, we might have friction among one another. We might have trouble with each other. We might have views that are different among the people of God. Nevertheless, we are exhorted to pray for the people of God and for all humanity. Because prayer is presenting the need before the living God.

And God is pleased to see and to hear his people praying and interceding on behalf of others. So back to 1 Timothy chapter 2, in verses 1 to 8, I want you to notice there are six things that we want to point out today in this ministry meeting about prayer. The first thing that we notice here in that verse 1, that Paul says this, verse 1a, I exhort therefore that first of all. The first thing we notice here is the priority of prayer. We see that expression, first of all, the most important thing that Pastor Paul, by sharing this with younger brother Timothy, is saying really I'm exhorting therefore and you Timothy exhort others that first of all the first thing a priority for the believer ought to be a time of prayer with the Lord whether it is individually of course the context here is when the congregation with the assembly have gathered together he says listen make it a priority in the life of the local assembly why?

Because prayer is an expression of dependence. You see, when we are coming to the meeting, it is so essential for us to begin the meeting by prayer. It's not a club. We are not coming here to play games. We are coming here to hear the Word of God. We are coming here to be encouraged by the Word of God. We are coming here to minister to one another. And it is sad if you don't begin the meeting and take the time during the meeting to take a time to pray the priority of prayer is very clear not this is like early the first thing we do is to take the time to pray that's why when those of us who are responsible in some form and shape we take the time to pray before the meeting starts.

That's why when the brother who come and opened the meeting, he began by asking the Lord to bless the meeting. Why? Because we don't want to come here not to be blessed. After all, beloved brothers and sisters, the purpose of gathering the believers together is so we will be edified, that we will be blessed, that we will worship the Lord, that we will have Yeshua as the center in the midst of the people of God. It would be a shame for us to say, well, listen, let's just go straight and carry on with whatever we need to do so we can get it over with, without to take the time to ask the Lord to bless.

Now let me show you something, if you turn to the book of Mark, chapter 1, in verse 35, we see how Yeshua himself, Israel Mashiach, the Savior of this world, in his life, look what we find out, and in the morning rising up great while before day he went out and he departed into a solitary place and there he prayed it's interesting it says it's in the morning but then it says rising up a great while before the day began you know it is amazing when everybody was sleeping Yeshua our Mashiach got up in the morning went to the Mount Of Olives or wherever he was and he took the time to pray and to talk to his father in heaven I remember years ago when in Jerusalem when my grandfather his name was Yosef when they were knocking on the window every morning at about 4 o'clock he said Yosef morning prayer and my grandfather would get up in the morning, tired, carry on work later on, he would leave the house, and he would go to the.

Synagogue, to Beit HaKneset, and he would, right there in Jerusalem, the Yemenite community there in the city of Jerusalem, and he would take the time to pray. I mean, I was fascinated with him, and I remember other brother that we know here, he's with the Lord today, that when I drove with him one time, we spent some time to speak with him, and I remember, I asked him, what time do you get up in the morning to read your Bible and to pray, and he was telling us, I get up at four o'clock in the morning at four o'clock in the morning we just think of dream number 17 you mean you are getting up at four o'clock in the morning to spend the time to pray to talk to the Lord it's amazing beloved brothers and sisters this show us this particular person meant to be in relationship with the Lord because he knew on his own he's gonna fail we're gonna fail on our unless the Lord helps us.

When we used to meet in the Willowdale Assembly in another location, I remember one time I went to the meeting hall to start our meeting and I came at 10 o'clock. The meeting used to be earlier. And I remember that there was a brother that went to the meeting in the basement and he was alone, on his knees, praying. I was so overwhelmed. I heard him pray. Oh Lord, pray for the brothers and sisters, pray for the assembly. And I was so impressed with this because it shows that the person is really sincere about the people of God. And he realized there is a need to take the time to pray.

And that's why Paul began, he's saying, listen, I exhort therefore that first of all, before you even come and say hallelujah to the Lord, First of all, recognize that you and I are in dependence upon Him. We need His help. Help locally. Help for the family. Help for our individual life. Help for the brothers and sisters. Many, many needs among the people of God. First of all, he says, Paul to Timothy, that it is such an important thing that you need to pray. This has got to be a priority in the life of the believer. There is a verse in Psalm 63 and verse 1. David wrote that Psalm when he was in the wilderness of Judea.

David said, O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee. My soul thirsts for thee. My flesh longs after thee. In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. See, David saw the need early to seek the Lord. Whether it is early before the meeting starts, or whether it is early in the morning, or whether it is early in light of a problem or a situation that rises up, The believers are exhorted by Paul that first of all, it ought to be the first thing that we have on our mind. Beautiful to see that as Paul is sharing this with Timothy.

Secondly, notice now the second thing. In 1 Timothy 2, verse 1b, not only that prayer should be a priority in the life of God's people, but also prayer should be for different situation in the life of God's people. Look at this. Paul continues and he says to Timothy that first of all, supplication and prayer and intercession and giving of thanks be made for all men. Here we find out now, not only that it should be a priority in the life of the believer, but there is a diversity of expression as we ask the Lord in prayer for the things that the people of God have a need of.

For example, notice he used the word supplications. And then he continued, and prayers. And then intercessions. And then giving of thanks. Be made for all men. We find out those expressions here and the thought of supplication is to supplicate the Lord, to beseech the Lord. To ask Him, Lord, help this situation. Lord, come in, a problem that we are experiencing right now. Supplication in Hebrew, the word is, lehitchanen, tachnunim, where we really beseech the Lord, we beg Him on behalf of someone or whatever need that exists among the people of God. Secondly, he used the word here in prayers. The Hebrew word for that is tefilot, simply general prayer that we can pray for.

And we can definitely say, I know most of the time we make a little list of a few things that come to mind and sometimes we repeat the same thing. But I can assure you that if I can ask you to put your name and the needs that you have in your life on that list, you will fill up a whole page with the needs that you have and I have. And so we need to realize that we need to pray for the people of God notice the third thing that he mentioned here he says intercession to intercede is in Hebrew levakesh bakashod to ask God on behalf of certain situation to ask him whether it is jobs need whether it is family need whether it is relationships need whatever we are to beseech the Lord and to ask from him and not to forget fourthly giving of thanks to say to that to say thank you to the Lord in Hebrew the word to dot to give thanks there are so many reasons for us to give thanks to the Lord because he blessed us in so many ways he ministered to our hearts in so many ways and we don't want to neglect to simply say thank you to say thank you very much for what you have provided for me you know we don't want to get up and leave without to say to the Lord thank you for what you have done for us.

And so there is a priority first of all prayer should be a priority but secondly in verse 1 still we have the fact that prayer should be for different situation in the lives of the people of God we just prayed earlier for a few that were sick and we can pray for others that move to another location and we can pray for maybe people who are getting married or pray for people who are away from the Lord's things and to pray for those who need to be saved to turn their hearts to Yeshua the Messiah and acknowledge him as their Lord and Savior these are things that we can pray for so it's not only a matter of priority in our life and in the life of the congregation of the assembly.

It is also there are various areas and various types of prayers, different prayers, different situations in our lives for which we can ask the Lord to help us. Supplications and prayers and then the giving of the thanks and of course not to forget intercession to pray on behalf of. Our brothers and sisters. This is essential beloved brothers and sisters in our life as well today. So number one priority number two different needs and different situation and different types of requests that we have from the Lord thirdly in our chapter also in verse 1c and then verse 2 prayer should be for all people Paul is saying to Timothy and i'm reading verse 1c and verse 2 supplications and prayers and intercession and giving thanks should be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Paul is saying to the believers at that time in the city of Ephesus can you imagine at that time who was the ruler was Nero the persecution of the believers was tremendous at the time of Neal he was a wicked man very well known like in all these men that have caused so much havoc in the world like Hitlers and like Hamans and like all these that have caused so much problems in the world at that time Paul told Timothy I want you to understand that prayer must be for all men.

For Kings, verse 2 and for all that are in authority over us this is the government and in order that we will lead quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty now you might say today well how is it possible that we are going to pray for a government that is such a wicked government like the government the Romans who had this Nero this emperor who was wicked and the believers the Christians were persecuted the believers in Yeshua were persecuted by nero to such an extent that it was terrible what he have done for the believers those that believe that caesar is not God but Yeshua is the living God the Messiah and therefore because of their faith they were persecuted and yet Paul is saying that they are to pray for all men number one for Kings number two and for all that are in authority that means for us here locally we can pray for the local government for the city of toronto for the mayor.

For the premier of ontario and for the leader of canada and we can pray for the leaders of Israel and elsewhere we can pray we aren't to pray and to pray for their salvation that they will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and get saved and become part of a redeemed company that when they're going to stand one day before God they can stand and be assured that their sins are forgiven and so Paul is saying prayer should be for all people and for all the ones that are in authority why so and notice the thing that he said in verse 2 so in order that what that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

In other words, pray for those Kings and people who are in authority so that they will allow us to live quietly as believers and to be a testimony in godliness and honesty before them so we can lead them to come to know who Yeshua is. That is the desire of the Apostle Paul from the brothers and sisters in the city of Ephesus. Now, about authority, you know, if you just turn with me to 1 Peter for a moment, Peter wrote about authority, and we sometimes say, well, we don't have a good government, then why should we pray for this evil government? Well, we learn from the Scripture that all governments were allowed by the Lord, allowed by God.

Notice in 1 Peter 2, verse 13, Peter was writing to Hebrew Christians, to Messianic Jewish people, he said to them, submit yourselves unto every ordinance of men for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king as supreme, or to the governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of them that do well. Notice that Peter is saying, the Kings, to submit to them as supreme. The governments to them that were sent by him, by God, for punishment of evildoers. A government that be our ordain of God. Also Romans chapter 13 teaches us that. Now, we might not like the government.

And I can assure you that Nero, in those days where Paul wrote to the Ephesians, was a terrible person to be in charge. You might say as a ruler in those days, and you would say, what an evil man, and yet we are exhorted to pray for such as this one as well. So, again, verse 2, prayer should be for all people, for all men, those that are in authority, including the Kings, including all men, that are in charge wherever we live in today. In our case, we need to pray for the government, And we have to be, brothers and sisters, so thankful that we still have some measure of liberty.

You never know how long time these liberties we will have. There may be a time that we will not be able to gather together in a way that we gather today. We will not be able to enjoy the Word of God without fear. We will not be able to pray and read our Bible, read the Scriptures without to be afraid. You never know, some of our brethren here who came from the former Soviet Union, Before the Iron Curtain had fallen down, many of them had no liberty to pray and to gather together as believers. They were underground. They were hiding just to take the time to read the Scripture.

It's amazing when you think about it. And it's still happening in many countries today, whether it is communist countries, maybe China and other places, and also in a Muslim country, Where you don't have the liberty as a believer in Yeshua the Messiah to simply take the time and gather together. You'll have to do everything in secret. And so Paul told the believers at Ephesus through Timothy that prayer should be a priority. And there are various types of prayer in a different type, different situation to pray for. And also that prayer should be made for all men. Notice that word. By the way, the word here, all men, it's come from the Greek word anthropos, which speaks about all humanity, male and female together, for all people.

It speaks about all people to pray for. And so, this is the third thing that our pastor Paul points out to Timothy in connection with prayer. Now notice the fourth thing in verses 3 and 4 is the next thing that Paul is now mentioning and encouraging to pray. Prayer has a purpose. It is good and it is acceptable before God. It has its purpose. Let me read verse 3 and 4. For this is good and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. There's a purpose in prayer, specifically in connection with this text and with the local saints gathered together.

And the purpose of prayer in this context is for the salvation of the human race. You see, beloved brothers and sisters, it says here it is good, It is acceptable in the sight of God. Notice, interesting, it says, God our Savior. Elohim Moshe'enu, God is a Savior. God desires that all men will be saved. And the reason that he desires all men to be saved, because man is lost by nature. When we have inherited the sin nature of Adam and Eve, we were born in sin into this world a baby that you hold in your hand today that was born just a few minutes ago he have inherited a sin nature and he or she need to be saved if they pass away under the age of responsibility God will take them to be with him but if he or she have grown up to be during the age of the responsibility they will need to turn to the Lord and accept him as their Lord and Savior and that's why all of us here have to realize that we all have sinned and we all have come short of the glory of God and unless we know the Lord Yeshua the Messiah as our Lord and Savior we are lost and here he said to us in verse 3 and 4 the purpose is simply God will that all men be saved brothers and sisters think about it many of us have family members who don't know the Lord maybe they are religious.

Maybe they keep religion in their lives they go to the church meeting or they go to the synagogue meeting but they never, never made the Lord Yeshua the Messiah as the Lord of their lives they never embraced Him as their Savior and they are lost in trespasses and sins because they have inherited that sin nature So God desired that all men should be saved. He's a saving God. You see, when God raised our people Israel to be a nation in this world, a unique nation, He didn't raise our people Israel to be a separated nation without having a desire to see the nations of the world becoming believers.

The purpose of Israel to become a unique nation in order that they would be a light to the Gentiles Israel was called to be a light to the nations of the world and when the Messiah came and Israel did not accept him and God is building the ecclesia the assembly you and I are called to be a light to the nation of this world so we in return will share the message of the gospel pray for the salvation of the nations of the world of people because God desires notice this expression for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior verse 4 who have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth let me read to you a couple of verses in the Gospel of Luke turn to Luke 19 you remember the story of Zacchaeus in English it says Zacchaeus in Hebrew we call him zakai in Luke chapter 19 we find out this expression that the Lord mentioned in chapter 19 verses 9 and 10 zakias or zakai in Hebrew.

Wanted to hear about Yeshua the Messiah wanted to see him so he climbed on a sycamore tree when Yeshua passed by and then Yeshua called him and he said to him notice that in verse 5 Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus in Hebrew Pew, the word Zach means Pew, Zacchaeus Zacchaeus, make haste, come down for today I must abide in thine house so he made haste and he came down and he received Yeshua joyfully and when Yeshua went to the house of Zacchaeus, the house of Zacchaeus look what he said in verse 9 and he said unto him this day is salvation come into this house for so much as he also is the son of Abraham verse 10 for the son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost you see beloved brothers and sisters mankind is lost and we as part of the body of Messiah the body of Christ are responsible to make it a priority in our life to pray for the salvation of lost men this is the reason why the Lord Yeshua the Messiah came from heaven.

He is the one of whom we read that God is a Savior he wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth the son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost notice he said the son of man this is the Hebrew title of the Messiah Ben Adam which had been taken from Daniel chapter 7 Ben Adam the son of man then he says to seek this is his mission he came to seek Levakesh in Hebrew then secondly and to save this is his work he came to die to be penalized to save this world he must pay the punishment on the cross when he died on the cross and then what was his object to save that which was lost I remember brother said many times in ministry meeting he says one thing I'm going to ask the Lord when I'm going to stand in His presence I'm going to ask Him Lord what am I doing here?

Why did you save me? Why am I here? I don't deserve to be here but it is only because you came down from heaven to seek and to save me a sinner that was lost in trespasses and sin and you know brothers and sisters we're going to rejoice and praise Yeshua throughout eternity for what He has done for us, undeserved people as you and I are. And that's why Paul is saying, listen, it is not only a priority, it's not only different types of prayer and different need we can pray for, it's not only that we are to pray for all men, including Kings, but also there is a purpose in prayer.

The purpose is that others will come to know the Lord. Can you imagine what it means for someone to be lost eternally? When somebody is going to be in hell or in the lake of fire when God will judge men because of sin none of us need to be there if we turn our hearts to him and accept him because it is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior Elohim Moshe'inu why? Because he will have all men to be saved and then come to the knowledge of the truth, you know somebody told me years ago Brother Gideon, I don't understand about salvation until I will know better, then I will accept Yeshua and I had to tell him look, read this verse it says God is not willing that any should be lost who will have all men to be saved first and then come to the knowledge of all the truths that we go to understand the Bible a little bit better every time don't wait to know all things before you come to accept Yeshua the Messiah it's too late you have to be saved first and then come to know more truths and to understand better.

The things that we have in the word of God this is very very precious beloved brothers and sisters turn again to 2 Peter chapter 3 see Paul wrote to some group Peter wrote to Jewish believers and both of them were ministering the word of God Peter said in verse 9 the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men counted as slackness but he is long suffering to us word not willing that any should perish you know maybe the Lord has delayed his coming and he may come today but he's not slack, he's promised to come but he's long suffering not willing that another person will be lost and it is a sad thing when a person reject the offer of the Messiah of whom we read in 1 Timothy chapter 2 that God is our Savior who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth beautiful thought to be engaged with now here is something that I think I would like to mention here on the one hand we teach men's responsibility.

On the other hand we teach God's sovereignty we are teaching from Ephesians chapter 1 verses 1, 2 and 3 that men have been chosen in Christ in a Mashiach before the foundation of the world. On the other hand, we teach that God wants all men to be saved. He's long-suffering, waiting for them to turn to Him and accept Yeshua as the Messiah. So how do we understand God's sovereignty, man's responsibility? Well, while we have a problem, a time to fit them together, but both of these truths are taught in the Bible. Ephesians tells us in chapter 1, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, who had blessed us with every spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, in the Messiah Yeshua, according as he hath chosen us in Christ, in the Messiah, before the foundation of the world.

I cannot grasp that. I cannot understand it. But yet it is taught in the Word of God. On the other hand, we have the Lord's invitation. For example, in Matthew chapter 11, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you life. Just come to me, repent, and turn to me, and I'm going to give you forgiveness of sins. I'm going to save you. I'm going to give you life. Both of them are taught in the Scripture. And how do we put it together? It may be our problem, but God knows his own. And he wants us to understand that somehow they merge together.

Somehow they fit together God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. There is one verse that put them very nicely together, John chapter 6 and verse 37. This is a very interesting verse that often is being used to teach us the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. Notice that, brothers and sisters. It says in verse 37, All that the Father given me shall come to me. That's sovereignty of God. Then the responsibility of man, Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. This is man's responsibility. In one verse, we have the sovereignty of God, all that the Father hath given unto me, they will come to me in due time.

But now he that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. This is man's responsibility. You and I might have an issue or a problem to kind of fit it together in our own mind and our own thoughts, yet the Bible does teach us that God is the one who has chosen us in the Messiah before the foundation of the world, but yet he is a God and Savior God who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Well, how come not all men are saved? You and I might say. There are so many individuals who died in their sins, even today as we speak.

And they will be assured to eternal separation from God. Well, the will of God and the responsibility of men, we can see that God will, but men reject God's message. And by rejecting God's message, they are really, what they are saying is that I do not want to accept what God is offering unto me and I'm going to do it my way. And when they're going to stand before the Lord, the Lord will say, I provided everything for you. I have sent my son. I have judged him on the tree and it was for you and you still rejected me and therefore that person will lose out from eternal relationship to the Lord.

I read this remark that was written by someone. I want to mention this to you. A prayer is not that man's will be done in heaven, but prayer is that God's will be done on earth. I'm not praying to God that my will be done there in heaven. No, I'm praying and you are exhorted to pray that God's will be done here on earth. That's why we pray and that's why we read here in that verse 3 and 4 God will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth so if somebody is here does not know all truth well don't wait until you know all truth first of all be saved make sure that you have accepted Yeshua as your Mashiach as your Messiah and Savior and Lord later on as time goes by the Holy Spirit of God will help you to understand many truths that are found in the Word of God.

So, brothers and sisters, so far we talked about four things about prayer. Prayer must be a priority in our life. Prayer should be for different situations in our life. Prayer should be for all men. And prayer should be for all authorities. And the purpose of it is for a person to come to know Yeshua the Messiah. Because God is desiring to have all men to be saved. Now, number five. We have a few more points here to mention. Number five, this is verses five, six, and seven. Prayer for salvation should be done on the basis of Yeshua's sacrifice. How can we pray to God for someone to be saved if it is not only on the basis of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah?

You know, we cannot be like others who, they may believe in God, and they may want God to take them to heaven, and they may want God to bless them, but on what basis? The basis of our prayer should be on the finished work of our Lord Jesus, Yeshua, the Messiah. That's how I can ask God to save another person because someone paid for sin. And that's why notice it says in verse 5, for there is one God and one mediator between God and men. The men, Mashiach Yeshua, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all. To be testified in due time, whereunto I am ordained a preacher and an apostle, Paul is saying, I speak the truth in a Messiah, I lie not, a teacher of the goyim, of the Gentiles, in faith and verity.

You see what Paul is saying? There is only one God, and there is only one mediator. You don't go to God your way and he goes his way and every religious system have their ways to go to God. Years ago I visited Jewish missionaries in India and I was riding in one of those little mopeds or something that you sit in the back and the driver there and right in front he had this little idol moving as we were riding on the bumps. And there were gods that they were believing in. I was astonished. And I remember walking on the streets of India, and there was those cows.

We have this expression, holy cow, right? Because some believe that the cow is holy. And it's all sort of religious system, whether it is in India or Islam, or even our own people, Israel, don't recognize that the mediator is Yeshua the Mashiach. And here Paul is saying, listen, there is only one God. This is the famous verse that we recite. Every Shabbat. Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad. Hear, O Israel. The Lord our God, the Lord is one. There is no more than one single God. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God of Israel. The God of the universe. There is only one God.

We cannot, everyone have his or her own way to go to God. No, as far as God's concerned, He provided only one mediator. There are various verses that I have marked for myself in connection with that one single God of the Bible. I want you to turn with me to Isaiah chapter 43. One of the reasons why Jewish people oftentimes find it extremely difficult to believe that Yeshua is the Messiah is because we have always been taught that we have only one single God and those so-called Christians believe in three gods. One of them called the Father, the other one called the Son, the other one called the Spirit.

But we Jews believe only in one single God. That is one of the excuses that we use for not accepting that Yeshua was the Messiah. Well, look at chapter 43 of Isaiah. It's the Lord through Isaiah proclaiming to Israel In verse 1, but now, thus says the Lord, that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. Then look a little bit further in Isaiah 43, now verse 10. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant, whom I have chosen, that ye may know and believe me and understand that I am he.

Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. See, God is saying to our people Israel that he is the only one. Look at verse 11 I even I am the Lord and beside me there is no Savior this is chapter 43 look at chapter 44 and verse 6 says thus saith the Lord the king of Israel he is speaking to our own nation Israel and his Redeemer the Lord of hosts I am the first and I am the last and beside me there is no God see Paul, Shaul understood that being a Jew among our own people he knew very well that there is only one God and that's the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob the God of Israel look at chapter 45 and verse 5 I am Jehovah, Jehovah I am the Lord and there is none else there is no God beside me God is saying to our forefathers the people of Israel there is no other God beside the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and as we read already and we spoke about Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse 4 where God says to our people of all the people of Israel he or Israel the Lord our God the Lord is one.

There are not many gods there is only one God And what Paul does here, when he's writing to Timothy, he says in these verses, verse 5, For there is only one God. But not only that there is only one God, beloved brothers and sisters, according to this verse, verse 5, there is also only one mediator. There is only one mediator between God and between men. Someone to hold the hands of God and to hold the hands of men and to bring them together. Who can do that? Job, asking Job chapter 9, he's looking for a dazed man to put one in the hand of God and one in the hand of men and to bring them together.

There is only one mediator and that mediator, beloved brothers and sisters, is none else as we have here in this verse 5. There is only one mediator between God and man. And notice what he says here. The man, Christ, Jesus. His name is Yeshua. And he is the Mashiach, the Messiah. And then he says in verse 6. Who gave himself a ransom for all. You see what Paul is saying? Paul is saying the Mashiach, the Messiah, had to become a man. And as a man, he offered himself as a payment, as a ransom for all. The value of the work of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, on the tree was sufficient and is sufficient enough to save all men.

The value in the precious, precious blood of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah is sufficient. Now, you see, brothers and sisters, God has a dispute with all humanity. And what is that dispute? Is that men have inherited a sin nature. And because we have inherited a sin nature, we are considered to be by nature sinners. Chotim. And how can a holy God take a sinner and bring him into his presence? It's not possible unless sin was judged. And instead of judging us, he judged the Messiah Yeshua, his very own son. He gave Himself a surrender. You know, if there's any love to experience in our own hearts, when you think of what Yeshua did, nobody forced Him, but He gave Himself.

Therefore, does my Father love me, He said in John chapter 10, because I lay down my life. I lay it down of myself that I may take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. That's what Yeshua said in John chapter 10. So God has a dispute with humanity and the dispute is in connection with the sin nature that we all possess when we were born as descendants of Adam, Adam and Eve. And throughout the whole generations God always gave us a mediation so man could be drawn back to him. And if you remember in a time when Adam sinned In Genesis chapter 3, verse 21, he closed them with a garment of skin.

He had to kill an animal that was innocent in order to cover the skin, the nakedness of Adam and Eve. And the blood made atonement, gave forgiveness for Adam and Eve. It didn't start now, it was already throughout the ages. In Genesis chapter 4 and verse 4, when Hevel, Abel, approached God, he approached him on the basis of the sacrifice where the blood was shed, and God had accepted Abel. When Noah came out of the ark in Genesis chapter 8 and verse 20 and 21, he offered the sacrifice unto the Lord, and he was accepted the sacrifice to remind the Lord of Yeshua, the Messiah. And we can go on in chapter 12 and verse 7, Abraham offered and sacrificed.

The blood had to be shed for Abraham to be accepted by the God of Abraham. In Exodus chapter 12, when our people Israel came out of Egypt, God said to them, the blood will make an atonement for you. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. That's how we get the word Pesach. Throughout the generation, there is a promise that God can have a mediator, but the mediator was always the blood of the animal that was temporarily typified the coming of the Messiah. Until we read in Galatians chapter 4 and verse 4, In the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law.

We needed redemption and forgiveness of sins. And the climax was when Yeshua was on the cross. And where he says, it is finished, John 19. Where he said in Matthew 27, my God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? There on the cross, Yeshua, on a Roman cross, He laid down His life, and He was forsaken, that you and I will never be forsaken. That's why it's so beautiful to see here, the way it says here, for there is only one God, and only one mediator between God and man, and this is the man, and His name is Yeshua. He was the Mashiach Yeshua, the Messiah Jesus.

And then he says, who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. You know what's going to happen in due time? In due time, and we're going to stand before the Lord. And we're going to realize that the ground of our acceptance was the very fact that he was willing to give himself a ransom for us all. We will not claim any good deeds that we have done. We will not claim any goodness that is found in us because God is going to show us the reality of our hearts. But there is one ground upon which God will accept us. And the question would be what have you done with my son Yeshua the Messiah?

What do you think about the Mashiach? And the only way where God is going to accept us into his presence is when we are going to tell him he is my Savior he is my Lord he is the one who gave himself for me a sinner and I am thankful that he came to this world so verse 7 Paul says I have been called to be a preacher Paul says listen God called me to preach that message I am an apostle I was a messenger I was sent by Yeshua the Messiah Shaliyah in Hebrew and I speak the truth in a Messiah he says in verse 7 I do not lie I am a teacher of the nations in faith and in variety in other words I am teaching the message of the gospel Paul said to the Romans in Romans 1.16 I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes now finally beloved brothers and sisters I am going to close with verse 8 here's a verse that's going to close that encouragement to pray.

Men have a privilege and responsibility to pray so notice what he says in verse 8 prayer to God should be done with the right attitude we have to have the right attitude when we pray I will therefore that men pray everywhere lifting up holy hands without wrath and without doubting this is interesting and i know sometime we have to understand that in the book of Timothy here he is instructing the local church the local assembly here the word men is masculine in contrast to feminine you see in the earlier verse i will that all men shall be saved there is anthropos. This anthropos, it has to do with all humanity.

But here in verse 8, the word for men is A-N-E-R, is aner, which is really specifically speak of the masculine in contrast to feminine. Why? Because God had given order in the local assembly. It's not that we all should not pray, But in a public prayer, God had given the responsibility of the man to take leadership in public place. That's the order of God. And it is interesting that the Spirit of God used a different Greek word here than in the previous verses, where it said all men in verse 1 and men in verse 8. But when the man takes his responsibility to pray here, he wants man to have a right condition.

And there are three things and I'm going to stop. Number one, those who pray should have what he calls here holy hands, lifting up holy hands. He doesn't speak that we're going to have our hands holy here. What he has a reference to, that there should be a right condition in the life of the person who is praying in public. You know, sometimes we are not right with the Lord. And we don't have liberty even in prayer. And so we should confess it and repent and be restored. And then the Lord can use us in a public way so we can be a blessing to the people of God.

So you notice he says, first of all, to lift up holy hands. Now, when I became a believer in Yeshua, I was taught by many. You've got to fold your hands, you've got to close your eyes and the things that we are being taught. But in biblical time, the lifting up of the hands is an expression of dependence upon the Lord. The Old Testament Hebrew saints, even the early church, early assembly, they were praying with their hands lifted up. But the thought of holy hands speaks of a life that is pleasing to the Lord. Number two, those that pray should pray without any wrath. In other words, there should be no anger in our hearts against one another.

We should be tender and not to be angry with one another. We should not be upset and angry and have wrath. It should be out of tenderness of heart as we pray for the people of God. And finally, in the same verse 8, those that pray should not doubt. Simply believing that God is able to give an answer to the requests of the prayers of the saints. And so, brothers and sisters, I want to conclude here with this remark. Six things Paul mentioned to Timothy here in verses 1 to 8. Prayer should be a priority. Prayer should be for different situation. Prayer should be for all people, including Kings and all that are in authority.

A purpose in prayer should be for the salvation of all mankind. It is good and it is acceptable with God. Then, fifthly, prayer should be done on the basis of Yeshua's sacrifice. The Messiah died for our sins. And prayer should be done with a righteous attitude and righteous spiritual condition in the life of God's people. May the Lord help us to pray.