[00:00:09] Welcome to Gracious Words.
[00:00:11] Gracious Words is taken from the weekly women's Bible study taught by Cheryl Brodersen at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, California.
[00:00:33] Prayer is important and powerful.
[00:00:36] It draws us closer to God as we surrender and enter into His will.
[00:00:41] On today's program, we'll see how Paul exhorts Timothy on the urgency of prayer and encourages him to teach the people how to pray.
[00:01:14] And now, here is Part 2 of Cheryl's message titled, Untapped Power.
[00:01:19] 1 Timothy 2 is all about prayer.
[00:01:24] Let me say this.
[00:01:25] It is not about the role of women.
[00:01:28] It is not.
[00:01:30] When we pull it out and we extract it and we make it about who women are and are not to be in the church, we miss the point.
[00:01:37] The whole context of 1 Timothy 2 is prayer.
[00:01:45] Paul wants Timothy to get the people in Ephesus praying because the power is in prayer.
[00:01:55] He wants to get them away from the fables, away from the genealogies, away from the arguments, away from the Hymenaeuses and the Alexanders that are shipwrecking the faith.
[00:02:10] And he wants Timothy, get the people praying.
[00:02:15] Get the men praying.
[00:02:17] Get the women praying.
[00:02:18] So he says, so in this chapter, there are four points.
[00:02:29] And these are the four points.
[00:02:32] Number one, teach men and women to pray.
[00:02:37] Teach them.
[00:02:38] Get them praying.
[00:02:39] Number two, teach them the people that they are to pray for.
[00:02:45] Teach them who they are to pray for.
[00:02:48] Thirdly, tell them why they're supposed to pray.
[00:02:52] Give them the reasons they're supposed to pray.
[00:02:58] Fourthly, show them the weapons, both men and women, that they are not to substitute for prayer.
[00:03:05] I'll go over all these.
[00:03:07] So I just wanted to get you ready for this.
[00:03:11] Paul is saying, I left you in Ephesus to get men and women praying.
[00:03:16] When men and women stop praying, the churches turn political instead of spiritual.
[00:03:23] And they get involved with trivialities and temporal things.
[00:03:27] And they lose sight of the eternal things and the eternal plan of God.
[00:03:36] Jesus taught his disciples to pray.
[00:03:39] Luke 11, 1.
[00:03:43] He taught them by example.
[00:03:45] Jesus was always praying publicly and privately.
[00:03:49] He taught them by giving an example of prayer.
[00:03:52] Jesus did all he did by the power of prayer because prayer is our connection to God.
[00:04:00] Paul exhorts Timothy.
[00:04:02] And he says, therefore.
[00:04:05] Therefore.
[00:04:06] The therefore refers to you've been left in Ephesus.
[00:04:10] You've got enemies.
[00:04:12] You've got problems.
[00:04:16] Therefore.
[00:04:17] Therefore.
[00:04:19] And then he says, I exhort.
[00:04:22] I am telling you.
[00:04:24] I am strongly beseeching you.
[00:04:28] I'm begging you.
[00:04:31] I'm encouraging you.
[00:04:34] That you make it.
[00:04:36] And he says, first of all.
[00:04:38] First of all.
[00:04:39] This phrase, first of all, that we find here.
[00:04:41] Therefore, I exhort.
[00:04:43] First of all.
[00:04:45] First of all.
[00:04:46] Of primary importance.
[00:04:48] That's the Greek rendering.
[00:04:50] Of primary importance.
[00:04:52] Or a priority.
[00:04:54] Put this at the top of the church priority list.
[00:05:00] That prayers, intercessions, giving of thanks be made for all men.
[00:05:08] Let your first response be prayer.
[00:05:13] I learned this as a child from my parents.
[00:05:17] You know, I would get hurt.
[00:05:18] And I would be like, look at my knee.
[00:05:21] It hurts so bad.
[00:05:21] And I hear, Father, you see Cheryl's knee.
[00:05:24] And I'd be like, oh, we're praying.
[00:05:26] I wanted a little more sympathy.
[00:05:28] But that's okay.
[00:05:28] We're going to go to God.
[00:05:31] You know, my mom would be driving.
[00:05:34] And I remember we were in an accident.
[00:05:38] This car hit us at Fairview and Adams.
[00:05:40] I was 12 years old.
[00:05:41] We were on our way home from church.
[00:05:44] And as the car's coming towards us, my mom's just like, Father, if this is our time,
[00:05:49] Sherry and mine, to go to heaven, hallelujah.
[00:05:52] But if not, Father, I pray that you would protect us by the blood of Jesus Christ, that
[00:05:57] you would save us, that you would give us help from on high.
[00:06:01] Boom.
[00:06:02] Boom.
[00:06:03] We got hit so hard by this girl going the opposite way on Fairview.
[00:06:07] She hit the front of the car.
[00:06:09] Then she backed up and she hit the back of the car.
[00:06:12] And it looked, I swear, like an angel stood in front of my mom's door.
[00:06:16] I'm 12.
[00:06:17] We get out.
[00:06:18] And even the police officer says, wow, it looks like an angel stood in front of your door.
[00:06:22] How did she hit the front and the back and miss your door?
[00:06:25] My mom said I was praying.
[00:06:27] My mom couldn't even open her door.
[00:06:29] We had to get out on my side.
[00:06:30] She said, Cheryl, get out on your side.
[00:06:31] Our car was rocking.
[00:06:32] It was making weird sounds.
[00:06:33] We got out.
[00:06:34] We went over to the side.
[00:06:36] She said, Father, we're stuck here.
[00:06:38] This is before cell phones.
[00:06:39] Let Chuck know.
[00:06:40] Now, the next thing you know, this couple pulls over and they're saying, we're just coming
[00:06:44] home from church.
[00:06:45] We saw you, Kay.
[00:06:46] And can we help?
[00:06:48] And she's like, go tell Chuck.
[00:06:50] And they did.
[00:06:51] They just left.
[00:06:52] And then this other couple, these other people come, some hippies come and say, are you guys
[00:06:57] okay?
[00:06:57] My mom said, Cheryl needs a ride home.
[00:06:59] She's got school tomorrow.
[00:07:00] And they just took me home.
[00:07:02] People I never knew before.
[00:07:03] It's like, okay, well, you know, God's in this.
[00:07:06] Hi, my name is Cheryl.
[00:07:07] I'm Chuck's daughter.
[00:07:09] Be good to me.
[00:07:09] Don't kidnap me.
[00:07:10] I'm not worth any money.
[00:07:16] That's sweet.
[00:07:18] Somebody said, yes, you are.
[00:07:19] Thank you.
[00:07:19] Thank you so much.
[00:07:21] Yes, thank you.
[00:07:22] But I learned this as a child.
[00:07:24] In any situation, just start praying.
[00:07:29] First of all, utter importance.
[00:07:32] This should be our response.
[00:07:35] And again, exhort is this strong word, parakaleo.
[00:07:39] Summon, beseech, encourage.
[00:07:40] And then again, supplication, requests.
[00:07:44] Giving God the laundry list.
[00:07:46] Psalm 55, 22.
[00:07:48] Cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you.
[00:07:51] He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
[00:07:55] Supplication.
[00:07:57] Prayers.
[00:07:57] This is more intimate dialogue and conversation with God.
[00:08:01] Psalm 62, 8.
[00:08:03] Trust in him at all times, you people.
[00:08:06] Pour out your heart before him.
[00:08:09] God is a refuge for us.
[00:08:11] Intercessions.
[00:08:12] This one hurts.
[00:08:15] This is praying on behalf of someone else as if you were that person.
[00:08:21] That's what the term intercession means.
[00:08:25] As if you were them.
[00:08:28] This is very hard.
[00:08:30] I remember reading Daniel 10 and Ezra 9.
[00:08:34] And both of these righteous men using plural personal pronouns.
[00:08:41] They didn't say, the people of Israel have sinned.
[00:08:45] My brothers have sinned.
[00:08:47] You know, my sisters have sinned.
[00:08:49] They have sought the idols.
[00:08:50] No, they said, we have sinned.
[00:08:52] We have sought the idols.
[00:08:55] We have prayed to pagan gods.
[00:08:58] We deserve this.
[00:08:59] And I remember a part of me was really upset.
[00:09:01] Like, Daniel, no, no.
[00:09:02] You're good.
[00:09:03] You don't deserve that.
[00:09:04] Don't associate with those people.
[00:09:07] And the Lord showed me Jesus.
[00:09:10] Who went on the cross and associated with sinners.
[00:09:14] He was numbered with the transgressors.
[00:09:17] On both sides of him were thieves and rebels.
[00:09:24] And he associated with us and our sin.
[00:09:29] Taking it upon himself.
[00:09:32] He who knew no sin became sin for us.
[00:09:35] That we might become the righteousness of God.
[00:09:38] And yet, when we pray, we're like, them.
[00:09:41] They.
[00:09:41] Pray.
[00:09:45] Intercession is to pray as if you were them.
[00:09:49] We're in the same boat together.
[00:09:51] It's called the world.
[00:09:54] We're in the same boat.
[00:09:56] It's called California.
[00:09:58] We're in the same boat.
[00:10:02] We need Jesus.
[00:10:06] We need revival.
[00:10:08] We need the spirit of God.
[00:10:11] We need revelation.
[00:10:12] We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
[00:10:19] We've missed the boat.
[00:10:21] We've refused opportunities to come to Christ and fall on our knees.
[00:10:26] We need salvation.
[00:10:28] We need revival.
[00:10:30] Pray as if you were them.
[00:10:34] I think of the man in Luke chapter 18.
[00:10:38] The Pharisee who was praying.
[00:10:39] And he said, Father, God, I thank you that I'm not like that publican over there.
[00:10:46] But I tithe regularly.
[00:10:49] I go to synagogue.
[00:10:52] I am so righteous.
[00:10:54] I'm not like him.
[00:10:57] And the tax collector was smiting his chest and saying, oh, is there any mercy for me?
[00:11:04] Is there any mercy?
[00:11:08] Jesus said it was the tax collector that was heard by God and received the answer to his prayer and not the self-righteous.
[00:11:18] I think intercession helps us to get rid of the self-righteousness and the separateness and the holier than holy attitude that we get.
[00:11:32] And to realize we're in this world together.
[00:11:36] And we need the spirit of God to come.
[00:11:44] Giving of thanks.
[00:11:45] Finding the good and the acceptable thing.
[00:11:49] Giving thanks for the miracle of even their creation.
[00:11:54] God, you knew before time began who would be the governor and who would be the president.
[00:11:59] Isn't it?
[00:12:01] You knew.
[00:12:02] You already knew 2021.
[00:12:05] You already knew this hour.
[00:12:07] You already knew this time.
[00:12:09] You knew.
[00:12:10] It was no surprise to you.
[00:12:12] Like, Trump lost?
[00:12:14] They cheated?
[00:12:16] Who let them get away with it?
[00:12:18] No, God knows everything.
[00:12:21] Ultimately, God is behind everything.
[00:12:24] All things work together for the good.
[00:12:27] All things.
[00:12:27] Is there an exclusive?
[00:12:30] Is there anything outside of all things?
[00:12:33] Is there anything?
[00:12:35] Like, all things work together.
[00:12:38] See, we don't have an eternal picture.
[00:12:41] We don't have the heavenly perspective.
[00:12:44] So we're like, they cheated you, God.
[00:12:47] They cheated you.
[00:12:49] You let the Russians or the Muslims or the who knows who get away with this.
[00:12:56] Bill Gates.
[00:12:56] We, you let him get away.
[00:12:59] No.
[00:13:01] All things work together.
[00:13:03] And so we can look at the whole situation and say, God, I know that all things work together.
[00:13:07] I know that you've got unseen purposes even in this.
[00:13:11] And I thank you that you're on the throne.
[00:13:13] You didn't get off the throne.
[00:13:16] You didn't say, well, Biden won the presidency.
[00:13:18] Go ahead and take my throne.
[00:13:21] Putin's in Russia.
[00:13:22] Go ahead.
[00:13:22] No.
[00:13:23] He said, I'm still on the throne.
[00:13:25] God even uses the wrath of man to praise him.
[00:13:29] God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.
[00:13:34] All things.
[00:13:36] So we can give thanks.
[00:13:37] Why?
[00:13:37] Because in the end, Jesus wins.
[00:13:40] Jesus always wins.
[00:13:42] You can read the end of the book, which I'm so thankful for, and find out Jesus wins.
[00:13:47] Thank God.
[00:13:48] Jesus comes and he becomes greater than the president of the United States.
[00:13:51] He becomes the king of the whole world.
[00:13:53] And that's where we're headed.
[00:13:55] To Jesus.
[00:13:57] To Jesus ruling and reigning on earth, where righteousness flows like a river.
[00:14:04] All things.
[00:14:05] So we can give thanks in all things.
[00:14:10] Leaders are to be praying.
[00:14:12] They're to be exemplifying prayer, exhorting others to pray, and exercising prayer in everything.
[00:14:19] Philippians 4, 6.
[00:14:20] Who is to be prayed for?
[00:14:22] All men.
[00:14:23] Did you get that?
[00:14:24] And that's all men and women, actually.
[00:14:26] It's an inclusive word.
[00:14:28] All men.
[00:14:29] So what person are you not to pray for?
[00:14:35] Silence.
[00:14:36] We are to be praying for all men and women.
[00:14:40] The mean neighbor.
[00:14:41] Yes.
[00:14:43] You know, the mean senator.
[00:14:45] Yes.
[00:14:46] The ungodly.
[00:14:48] Yes.
[00:14:49] We are to be praying for all men, for all people.
[00:14:54] Pray for all people.
[00:14:55] You encounter.
[00:14:57] You encounter.
[00:14:57] I used to sit on the third row here.
[00:14:59] And there was a woman I sat next to named Burl.
[00:15:01] And she was an African-American, beautiful woman.
[00:15:04] Her hat always matched her husband's tie every single Sunday.
[00:15:08] And I sat next to her.
[00:15:10] And she was very perceptive.
[00:15:13] She said, am I wrong?
[00:15:15] Or is Chuck Smith smiling just a little more at you?
[00:15:18] Because he's never smiled this much down in this area of the church before.
[00:15:23] Do you know him?
[00:15:23] And I said, yes.
[00:15:26] She said, okay.
[00:15:27] So then they gave an announcement.
[00:15:28] Cheryl Brodersen is doing something.
[00:15:30] She goes, because I had already said, she said, you know, what's your name?
[00:15:32] And I said, Cheryl.
[00:15:33] She turns to me.
[00:15:34] She goes, are you that, Cheryl?
[00:15:36] And I said, yes.
[00:15:36] And she said, well, Cheryl, I'm going to tell you this.
[00:15:39] I take a picture of everyone I sit next to on a Sunday morning.
[00:15:42] I've got my camera.
[00:15:44] This is before the cell phones took pictures.
[00:15:45] And she marches me outside there.
[00:15:48] And she takes my picture.
[00:15:50] And she puts it on her hallway wall with all the other people that she sat to, sat next to at church.
[00:15:58] And every time she would go down the hall, she would just say, Spirit, show me who to pray for.
[00:16:03] And then she would look, see the name, and pray for that person.
[00:16:08] When she had her funeral, I got to meet her son, who is a judge in California, very highly placed, passionately in love with Jesus Christ.
[00:16:22] And he said, you look really familiar.
[00:16:25] Are you on my mother's wall?
[00:16:34] For all men, for all women.
[00:16:38] This includes kings.
[00:16:39] Remember, this included Herod, the Herods, the usurpers, the violent Herods, who had been related to Herod the Great, who had no business being on the thrones of Israel.
[00:16:53] It included Nero, the despot.
[00:16:56] It included all who were in authority, all who were in the Senate in Rome.
[00:17:01] All Jewish authority, even those who had crucified Jesus.
[00:17:06] Even the Sanhedrin who worked against the church.
[00:17:10] Paul could say this because he had been on that council.
[00:17:16] And God saved him.
[00:17:19] The purpose of prayer.
[00:17:21] Paul then lists five reasons to pray.
[00:17:25] He says, number one, that believers may lead a quiet and peaceable life.
[00:17:31] That we may live as Christians with an absence of war.
[00:17:36] That we might be able to set an example of peace for the way of God and the way to God.
[00:17:42] That Christians would not need to hide, to flee, but be able to carry on the work that Jesus has given us without distraction.
[00:17:53] Secondly, he says that we might live with all godliness and reverence.
[00:17:57] That we may live lives under the authority of God's word.
[00:18:02] And freely be able to practice our faith.
[00:18:05] Which includes evangelizing, discipleship, and teaching the word of God.
[00:18:12] We need to pray.
[00:18:14] We need to pray.
[00:18:16] Thirdly, we need to pray.
[00:18:18] Because it's good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior.
[00:18:23] We pray because this is good.
[00:18:25] It is beneficial.
[00:18:27] It is healthy.
[00:18:29] It is pure.
[00:18:31] It is unimpeachable.
[00:18:34] It is what God wants.
[00:18:37] We pray because it's acceptable to God.
[00:18:40] It gives him pleasure.
[00:18:41] It gives him joy.
[00:18:44] He receives it.
[00:18:45] And he works through the venue of prayer.
[00:18:48] James 4.2.
[00:18:49] You have not because you ask not.
[00:18:53] Next, we pray.
[00:18:54] Because I lost count.
[00:18:55] Because God desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
[00:19:02] In Ezekiel 18.23, it says that God takes no delight in the death of the wicked.
[00:19:09] God wants the wicked to repent and turn from their sin.
[00:19:13] Again, Paul is no doubt thinking of himself.
[00:19:16] That he was as far from Christ as anyone could be.
[00:19:21] Chief of sinners.
[00:19:23] And Jesus met him, saved him, and put him in the ministry.
[00:19:29] 2 Peter 3.9 says that God is not willing that any should perish.
[00:19:34] But that all should come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
[00:19:39] When we ask for judgment rather than revival and salvation,
[00:19:45] we are not praying in accordance with the way and will of God.
[00:19:50] We are not praying according to that good and acceptable prayer.
[00:19:55] Paul says then that we are to pray because there is only one way that every person can be saved.
[00:20:03] It is one God and one mediator between God and man.
[00:20:06] And that is Christ Jesus.
[00:20:08] There is no other way for men to be saved but through Jesus Christ.
[00:20:15] Jesus gave himself as the penalty and price for our sins.
[00:20:19] He ransomed us.
[00:20:21] You see, men are kept by Satan.
[00:20:25] And only Jesus can pay the penalty for that sin and set the captive free.
[00:20:34] But the blood of Christ must be applied to the debt.
[00:20:38] But Jesus died and paid the penalty so that any man who wants to be saved
[00:20:45] only needs to claim the blood of Christ.
[00:20:49] Prayer causes the work of the gospel and the purposes of God to be brought to bear to the world.
[00:21:02] Next, what are we not to substitute for prayer?
[00:21:11] When we are not praying, we are not seeing the work of God.
[00:21:16] Our faith is not being strengthened.
[00:21:19] Recently, someone was dogging on Brian.
[00:21:23] Big surprise there.
[00:21:26] He's so nice.
[00:21:27] It's so easy to get to him because he's so sweet.
[00:21:31] Seriously, he really is.
[00:21:33] And this person said,
[00:21:36] Brian preaches too much grace and not enough grit.
[00:21:42] Grit.
[00:21:43] Grit is the dirty elements of dirt.
[00:21:52] Grit.
[00:21:53] Rather than enabling grace.
[00:21:57] When we're not praying, we're counterproductive.
[00:22:00] We are moving men away from God rather than revealing God to them.
[00:22:04] We are misrepresenting the God who wants every person to be saved.
[00:22:09] And we are seeing the work of men and not of God.
[00:22:13] Even the plans of the best men and women will fail.
[00:22:17] Even the hardest work and the best work of men and women has a limited sphere,
[00:22:28] a limited product,
[00:22:32] and a limited time.
[00:22:35] But the work of God is eternal.
[00:22:38] We don't want a temporary fix.
[00:22:41] We want an eternal fix.
[00:22:43] So we need to see the work of the eternal, immortal, invisible, all-wise God.
[00:22:48] And we see that when we pray.
[00:22:51] We want to make Jesus known.
[00:22:52] And to do that,
[00:22:54] we give Jesus every man in every situation through prayer.
[00:23:00] Everywhere.
[00:23:00] What does this convey to you about prayer?
[00:23:03] When he says,
[00:23:04] I wish that men everywhere,
[00:23:06] men and women everywhere.
[00:23:08] It means that wherever you are,
[00:23:11] whatever situation you're in,
[00:23:14] you need to be praying.
[00:23:15] There's no exemptions,
[00:23:16] no exclusion clause.
[00:23:18] Wherever you are,
[00:23:19] go first to God in prayer in every single situation.
[00:23:25] And he says,
[00:23:26] lifting up holy hands.
[00:23:27] You know why we lift our hands in prayer?
[00:23:31] Do you know?
[00:23:32] It's a sign of surrender.
[00:23:34] When we're singing that we surrender to God,
[00:23:36] it's saying,
[00:23:37] God,
[00:23:37] I surrender to you.
[00:23:39] You do your work.
[00:23:41] I remember being in a really awful situation.
[00:23:45] It was really hard.
[00:23:46] And I wanted to fight.
[00:23:49] I wanted to fight.
[00:23:50] And I not only wanted to fight,
[00:23:51] I wanted to fight to the death.
[00:23:53] I wanted to win this one.
[00:23:55] I knew that this group I was working with
[00:23:57] was making wrong choices
[00:23:59] and they were going the wrong way.
[00:24:01] And I was just telling God
[00:24:03] all the reasons they were wrong.
[00:24:05] And you know what God said to me?
[00:24:07] Put your weapon on the ground
[00:24:10] and put your hands in the air and back away.
[00:24:13] And I was like,
[00:24:15] what?
[00:24:16] God said,
[00:24:17] put your weapon.
[00:24:20] The people in Ephesus had stopped praying.
[00:24:22] They got distracted with trivial things,
[00:24:25] strange doctrines,
[00:24:26] and lost sight of the gospel.
[00:24:29] Paul wanted Timothy to get the people back on track
[00:24:32] and he was to start by teaching them how to pray.
[00:24:36] Prayer is powerful because it is our connection to God.
[00:24:39] It reminds us who God is
[00:24:41] and that He is still on the throne.
[00:24:44] Prayer is powerful because it is our connection to God.
[00:24:48] It reminds us who God is
[00:24:50] and that He is still on the throne.
[00:24:52] It has the ability to humble us
[00:24:54] as we realize that we're all in this world together
[00:24:57] and we desperately need the Spirit of God
[00:25:00] to lead and guide us.
[00:25:02] We hope you have been blessed by today's Bible study.
[00:25:05] For more information about the Gracious Words radio program
[00:25:08] and the teaching ministry of Cheryl Broderson,
[00:25:10] please visit our website at graciouswords.com.
[00:25:13] Coming up next time on the Gracious Words program,
[00:25:16] we'll look at the qualifications for leaders
[00:25:18] as we continue our series,
[00:25:20] Letters to Lead, Live, and Love By
[00:25:23] in the first epistle to Timothy with Cheryl Broderson.
[00:25:26] We do hope you make plans to join us.
[00:25:29] Again, for more information,
[00:25:30] please visit our website at graciouswords.com.
[00:25:39] We will fall and surrender.
[00:25:48] We surrender.
[00:25:52] This program is sponsored by
[00:25:54] Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, California.
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