First Things First

 I Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Usually when we are doing something with the people of God - be it Bible study, worship, or fellowship - we "open in prayer." When Paul wrote, after some brief introduction, he would reveal what he was praying for his recipients. Here in his letter to Timothy, he jumped right into his main concern about false teaching, then found himself giving thanks to God, which now transitions to a reminder to him and to us: before we do anything else, let's pray.  Pray for everyone who is a part of your life, including and maybe especially those who are in positions of leadership and influence.  They can make life wonderful or bitterly hard, and they especially can make sharing the Gospel an open door or an uphill battle, and God wants all to hear it. We need to be praying that God will remove all roadblocks, open all doors, and not let us get in the way of them hearing the Good News and coming to Christ.