Based on the 2nd chapter of the first letter that Paul wrote to Timothy, verses 1-7, this was first given at the Lynnville (IL) UMC on September 19, 2004, and again at the Hartford (IL) East Maple Street Chapel on January 25, 2009.

          I think most of you here this morning would be familiar with the story of Captain Miles Standish… though some of you may need a little jog to the memory to remember why. Miles was one of the leading characters in the classic poem, ‘The Courtship of Miles Standish’, written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1858, which seemed to be standard reading fare for many of us during our school years. If you recall, the story centered around the captain having a fancy for the fair Priscilla, but being too shy himself, asked his friend, John Alden, to intercede on his behalf. John has a thing for Priscilla himself, but as the captain’s friend, agrees, not knowing that Priscilla has a thing for him! As John pleads the captain’s case, Priscilla finally pops off, “Why don’t you speak for yourself, John!”

          The characters of John, Priscilla, and the captain are purely fictional, as are, for the most part, the events in the poem. However, there actually was a Cyrano de Bergerac, although the actual living person bore very little resemblance to the one many of us are also familiar with from an 1897 drama by the same name. This story centered around Cyrano’s wanting to woo the lady of his heart, but believes himself unworthy because of his overly-large nose. So instead, he assists a friend in wooing her by feeding him all of his own poems and words of love to use and win the lady.

Now, there is definitely a lot more to each of these stories, but these are the parts that I most remember, because they are the parts that I could most relate to back then. You see, I never went through that time of life that most boys do when I didn’t like girls… but I was deathly afraid of them! The word ‘shy’ doesn’t come close to describing what I used to feel whenever any girls were around… especially a pretty one! My tongue would get all tied up in my mouth, my legs would get all weak and rubbery, and my whole body just wanted to melt into whatever background was there and disappear! And I can’t begin to tell you how many times over the years I wished for someone to intercede with one or the other of them on my behalf, just as in these stories.

Indeed, I seem to recall trading off with my best friend in high-school and going to the girl he was interested in at the time and trying to find out what she thought about him, while he did the same for me. The results of those inquiries can only be attested to by the fact that I cannot recall at all either of the two that we each approached, nor would I actually state that the whole episode was fact or merely a vague memory of something I wished had happened!

Regardless of that, though, I think it safe to say that almost everyone listening here today appreciates it when someone ‘goes to bat’, if you will, for them… and that is part of what Paul is telling Timothy in these verses…

“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.”

The Life Application Commentary tells us that, “If we live in a country with a good government, our lives move along peacefully and quietly, making it difficult to remember to pray for those in authority. We take good government for granted. But we should pray for those at the top — whether we agree with them or not, whether we voted for them or not. In this way, we Christians can make a difference in the course of our nation. We should also pray for world leaders so that other cultures will be open to the gospel. Pray for your leaders, not just in times of national crisis, but every day — thousands of decisions are made daily that affect everyone. And beyond praying for those decisions that will affect you, also pray for the conversion of your leaders.”

Two-hundred-and-forty-five years ago, that wasn’t much of an issue… by most accounts, many of the founding fathers of this great nation of ours were Christian… and more than that, they believed in and professed and practiced Christian ideals and concepts. Congress would pray before each session, and sometimes before each vote, and each member paid attention to what was being prayed… George Washington would kneel and pray before going into battle… even the writers of our very Constitution based it on fundamental Christian principles, even though, in the name of ‘freedom’… in this case, so-called ‘religious freedom’… they had to couch it in such words as to make it sound more secular! But who would deny that we were a Godly country, led by Godly men? And the country prospered! We grew and became strong!

Yes, over the years we have had to deal with many trials and tests… in the late 1800’s, we had to eliminate the abominable practice of slavery from our shores, and it took a great internal struggle to do so! Yet, as Abraham Lincoln left Springfield to address that struggle, he said, “Without the assistance of the Divine Being… I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well.”  Despite our wanting to be isolated from the rest of the world, we have been drawn into two world wars, each of which were ultimately tests of good versus evil… As Roosevelt addressed congress after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he said, “With confidence in our armed forces – with the unbounded determination of our people – we will gain the inevitable triumph – so help us God.”

          My point is that, even through all of the trials and troubles… through the wars and strife… through the depressions and natural disasters… and un-natural disasters… those that are man-made… as long as we kept our faith in God and tried to live and conduct our lives and affairs in His name… we overcame each of these things and grew into a strong and vibrant nation!

          But times change… people change… and our ideas about what is considered right and wrong have changed as well! People brag about cheating on their taxes… speeding is only illegal if you get caught… shoplifting is a game of chance… and I won’t even start on current ideas about sexuality and marriage! Under the guise of modern sophistication, Satan has been transforming and degrading our morals so much that it is difficult to find and recognize a true Christian concept in this country that has not been altered in some way!

As an example, Jesus said to love everyone… so we are taught to love all people, including sinners. By expanding on that, people tell us that we should love homosexuals and unwed mothers because Jesus taught us to love everybody! And that is right and good! But do you see what happens next? Satan takes and adds a modern twist to that by pushing us to accept sinners… not so different from loving them, is it? But what’s the next step? If we love them as Jesus taught… and accept them as Satan encourages… then by default, we accept the sin! By using that train of thought, people tell us, then, that we should accept homosexuality! We should accept drunkards and drug addicts! We should accept promiscuity and gambling and all types of evil… and Satan wins!

          In the first part of the 16^th chapter of Luke, Jesus declares, “No man can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” In that instance He was referring to worshipping money, but I tell you the same thing applies to ANYTHING! And frankly, I believe we in this country have become far too attached to our ‘modern-inity’… that is, our pursuit of all things new and modern! We want to be accepted by our peers… we want to be perceived as being ‘with-it’ and ‘hip’ and ‘keeping up with the times’! And if those ‘times’ tell us that a gentle shift in our understanding of the Bible is in order, who are we to argue… after all, it is over two-thousand years old, right!

Well, yes, that is correct. But I ask you… where does it stop? Either this book contains the Word of God or it doesn’t! And if it contains the true Word of God, do you really think He hasn’t allowed for social shifts and changes over the years? If this is the Word of God… and I believe that it is… then what is in it is still just as true and relevant today as it was when Jesus actually uttered the words that are contained in it!

          So read it! Know and understand what it says! Let God talk to you and explain the true meanings and concepts that it contains! Pray for that understanding! Then, stand up for what you know to be true! Stand up for what Jesus says, and don’t be influenced by those wanting you to be ‘politically correct’! And then pray for those very people!

          Pray for those who are trying to tell you that Jesus’ teachings are two-thousand years out-of-date! Pray for those who are striving to make individual choices more important that moral ones! Pray for those who are fighting to keep religion away from our children and out of our schools and out of our lives! Pray for the scientists who seek to disprove the existence of God… for the social reformers who want equality for homosexuals and gays… for the drug pushers and bar owners and unethical employers and prostitutes and all of Satan’s minions, that they may come to see the Christ and know the God that we know… pray that they can learn to accept Him as Lord of all and to change their ways!

          And while you’re at it… pray for our leaders! Pray for the lawmakers and politicians that they may once again hear and fear and follow the Words of God and make this country and this world into the place God intended for it to be!  And then, pray for our country itself… Pray for our world! Pray for the tyrants who want to rule at any cost… Pray for those leaders who seek fame and wealth at the cost of their constituents… Pray for those who do not accept our Christianity and are fighting to destroy it by destroying us!

For, as these verses say, God wants ALL people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth! And what part of ALL do you not understand?