“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,  for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,  who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,  for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle — I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying — teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth,”   1 Timothy 2:1-7.

I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers and intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for ‘all’ men.  For Kings, and ‘all’ that are in authority.”  For a few days now, I have rested poorly; I’ve been so troubled.  There are things that are happening overseas, that I cannot understand at all.  Too many here, no longer care what is happening in the rest of the world.  We are so sure we are better than everyone else on the planet.  In this kind of age today, it’s foolish not to care what others think, or do.

This unbelievable migration from the middle east toward Europe, is beginning to shake that side of the planet.  I know that Jesus said all of these things were going to happen and not to be troubled, but the word “concerned,” doesn’t describe how I feel.  Something in my spirit, tells me, that there is much more to all of this than we know about.  Somebody, orchestrated all of this.  We still live in that mode where we think Satan is behind everything; and he certainly is behind much of the unspeakable things we see.  This is God’s world; many still think it all belongs to the dark one; but it doesn’t.

Getting back to the verses above.  Everyone in my age group, who ever had anything to do with Christianity, knows this was once a real teaching of the church.  It was written by the apostles.  Early on, we were taught that we were to pray for those in authority; it didn’t matter what their position was.  It included the leaders of the country, the state and the city and towns.  The verse says plainly, that we are to pray for “all” men; not just those we approve of or support, and “all” who are in authority. Once, we really did that.

At the moment, if it were not for trying to be obedient and to do whatever work for the Lord I can, I would not come back here.  I can’t stand it anymore.  I’ve never really seen Christians act like they have here recently.  To the point.  I’ve had to learn to pray for people I didn’t like and those I felt who did me harm.  I didn’t learn it at church; I learned it somewhere else.  Many of us learned, what it leads to, when you allow resentment to build up about people and situations; how you can carry bad feelings toward people for years.  All the while, claiming to be a Christian, and have the Holy Ghost.

A dear friend I’ve met on this site [Facebook], just confirmed what I was to try and say here now.  I’ve never heard church people talking the way they do here.  Politics.  This is one reason our elders in days gone by, told us to stay out of it.  They knew, it’s a nasty, dog eat dog kind of business; full of lies, slander, people who will do anything to get your vote, and to win.  People cannot even be honest any more; it always was so.  Even church politics, was always ugly.  The putting down of others, is often a deflection, to hide our own faults.

I can’t say the kind of things people are saying on here.  Do you know why I know Christians are not praying for other people like they should be.  I learned it the hard way.  I had to pray for people; I don’t care who they were.  I could not say awful, demeaning things about people, and pray for them at the same time.  It didn’t work.  Do we hear how bitter and violent some sound on here.  What ever witness these think they are making, is being completely lost.  We also once taught, that one day, we would stand before God, and give an account, of every idle word.  As my sister friend said, we will not win anyone to the Lord either.  People will stop this; God will see to it.  What is being meted out, will be meted back to them.

~ Robert Blackburn

Robert Blackburn