Prayers of Intercession and Thanksgiving

Prayers intercession and thanksgiving

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.  
And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. 
I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing." 
                                                                                                   1Timothy 2:1-8.
The Apostle Paul here is living in the time of Nero. Nero was one of the most violent opponents of the church. It would be under Nero’s reign that many Christians including most of the disciple of Christ would be murdered.
This tyrant reportedly used Christians as human torches. History regards him as one of the worst despots in history. An ancient Hitler or in modern terms, ISIS.
Yet despite this Paul writes,
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
This is a call for today.
I once had a person say persecution brings out the pure believers. That may be true but Christianity is spread easiest when there is peace. So we should pray for peace in our country and in our world.
Peace allows us to get the message of Christ, which is the most important message of all time, out to the world.
Paul reminding us,
“This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 
Jesus said
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous...”
Matthew5: 43-45.
I know it’s hard to pray for such a seemingly  satanically inspired group as ISIS. But we are called to do so. We are called to pray and have them change their ways. We are called to pray that they may find the way of salvation.
That they may let we and our Christian brethren live in peace and present the gospel to those around them.
The gospel of Mark records this,
“When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” 
Mark 2:16,17
Please think about it.