First Things First: A Call to Prayer

As a new year begins, Scripture calls for a reset of priorities that puts prayer in first place. From 1 Timothy 2:1–4, the charge is clear: “first of all” signals urgency and order. Prayer is not a last resort or a religious accessory; it is the church’s first work and the believer’s lifeline. When prayer is moved to the front of the line—before planning, before worrying, before phoning a friend—God reshapes people to face whatever comes with faith, wisdom, and humility.

The text also widens prayer beyond self-interest. Prayer is to be offered “for all people,” including “kings and all who are in authority.” Even under unjust rulers, the early church was instructed to pray for those in power, trusting that God holds the hearts of leaders in his hand. Such prayer is not passive withdrawal from the world; it seeks conditions that permit a peaceful, quiet, godly life, so that witness can flourish and the gospel can run without hindrance. This is the posture of exiles who seek the welfare of the city and resist the urge to mirror the outrage of the age.

Paul names multiple forms of prayer—petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving—offering a rich, living vocabulary for communion with God. Petitions admit our need; general prayer keeps the conversation going; intercession bears the burdens of others; thanksgiving names God’s goodness in all circumstances. Together, these practices keep hearts soft, communities connected, and hope anchored in Christ, who even now lives to intercede for his people.

Finally, prayer has a holy purpose: it pleases God, and it aligns us with God’s saving desire for “all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” This is not universalism; it is a universal invitation. The church prays because God delights in obedient prayer, because incense rises from faithful lips, and because God uses praying people to advance his redeeming work. Prayers do not expire. They outlive the moment, and in God’s timing, they bear fruit in salvation, growth, and mission. For those far from Christ, the first step is repentance and faith. For those who have drifted, the first step is to put prayer back where it belongs: first of all.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Make prayer your first work Prayer is not a fallback plan; it is the starting line of obedience. Beginning with prayer reorders desires, slows reactive impulses, and invites heaven’s perspective into earthly pressures. Even when circumstances do not change quickly, prayer changes the one who prays, making faith resilient and love active. [38:53]
• 2. Pray in all its biblical forms Petitions, general prayer, intercession, and thanksgiving form a balanced life before God. Each mode trains the heart—dependence, ongoing communion, burden-bearing, and gratitude. A varied prayer life keeps us from ritualism and opens space for the Spirit to meet specific needs with specific grace. [44:16]
• 3. Intercede for all, including leaders The scope of Christian prayer is universal—friends and enemies, neighbors and nations, rulers and managers. Praying for authorities, even unjust ones, honors God’s sovereignty and seeks conditions for gospel witness to thrive. This is not silence but Spirit-led citizenship marked by peace, integrity, and courage. [49:17]
• 4. Pray toward God’s saving purposes Prayer pleases God and participates in his desire for people to be saved and to know the truth. This universal invitation calls the church to persist—no fatalism, no favoritism, no giving up. As the gospel is shared and prayers rise, God gathers people from every kind and place to himself. [59:54]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [33:23] - New Year focus and invitation
• [33:57] - One commitment above all goals
• [36:04] - 1 Timothy 2:1–4 read aloud
• [37:49] - Three emphases: priority, people, purpose
• [38:12] - Not a formula; a call to prioritize prayer
• [38:53] - “First of all”: prayer as first work
• [41:42] - Before planning or panic—pray
• [44:16] - Forms of prayer: petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgiving
• [46:47] - Christ our intercessor and grateful thanksgiving
• [49:17] - Pray for all people and leaders
• [51:44] - Praying under unjust rule; respect the office
• [55:02] - Peace that advances witness, not withdrawal
• [57:50] - Purpose: prayer pleases God
• [59:54] - God desires all to be saved
• [61:11] - Not universalism; universal invitation
• [62:57] - Coming to the knowledge of the truth
• [65:30] - Call to respond: repent, believe, recommit
• [66:23] - Next steps for believers and seekers

1. In verse 1, what does the phrase “first of all” communicate about the order and urgency of prayer in the church and in personal life?
2. What four expressions of prayer are listed in verse 1, and how are they distinct from one another?
3. Who falls within the scope of “all people” in verses 1–2, and which group is singled out specifically?
4. According to verses 2–4, what outcomes and purposes are connected to praying this way? Name the near-term result and the God-ward purpose.

1. If prayer is to be “first of all,” what kinds of things commonly take first place in many believers’ lives, and how would reordering look in real time when someone is tempted to plan or panic first? [41:42]
2. The call to pray “for kings and all who are in authority” was given during the reign of Nero. What does this teach about God’s sovereignty and the believer’s posture toward unjust rulers? [51:44]
3. Petitions, general prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving each train the heart in different ways. What unique formation does each mode offer, and how might a varied practice protect from empty or rote words? [44:16]
4. God “desires all people to be saved,” yet this is not universalism but a universal invitation. How can both truths be held together, and how should that shape intercession for those far from Christ? [01:01:11]

1. “Before planning or panic—pray.” Where this week are you most likely to plan, Google, or text first? Choose one moment and describe how you will put prayer in first place when it hits. [41:42]
2. Look at the four expressions of prayer. Which one is most underdeveloped for you right now—petition, general prayer, intercession, or thanksgiving—and what would one simple daily practice look like to grow it over the next two weeks? [44:16]
3. Name one authority you find hardest to pray for (local, national, workplace, school). What would a short, obedient prayer for that person sound like today, asking for peace that advances gospel witness? [52:15]
4. In what settings do you tend to mirror the outrage of the age? What would it look like to seek a “peaceful and quiet” posture that is not withdrawal but faithful presence this month? Be concrete about a place, time, and tone. [54:47]
5. Who are the three people far from Jesus you will intercede for by name this season? Share their first names with the group and ask for prayer; remember, “prayers do not expire.” [01:03:45]
6. If prayer has slipped to the back of the line, what do you need to repent of and rearrange so that prayer becomes your first response, not your last resort? Be honest about one habit you will change this week. [43:46]
7. When have you seen God smile through obedience in prayer recently? What fresh step of obedience in prayer will you take that aligns with God’s saving purpose for all kinds of people? [59:33]