Of course those aren''t words, but they are words used by the apostle Paul when telling Timothy how he should pray for ALL men, including world leaders and those in authority.
Now relating these things to how we pray for others
#1 Supplication--Asking God for the personal needs of others
#2 Prayer--This involves worshipping God and pointing out things about Himself because of another person
#3 Intercession--Asking God's favor on behalf of others
#4 Thanksgiving--Thanking God for others and specific things about them
I am not the best at this because honestly I realized that I don't often ask people what kind of personal things I can pray for and when I do ask and when I do tell people that I will be praying for them, often, I never do. I don't write it down, I forget and then I feel foolish when I see that person and am reminded of that prayer I was supposed to pray and told them I would (yes be yes kind of thing) and then even sometimes I lie to them and tell them I have been praying for them. OUCH
I am not the best at this because honestly, sometimes I am to focussed on myself that in my prayers I forget that it is about worshipping God and when i think about people, often it is not for all people, but a select few on a list I might have written down or in my mind and I certainly do not have my mind focussed on seeing what God has put in other people for the sole purpose of not praising them but praising Him and the grace he has shown them by giving whatever gift He has to them and the grace He has shown me by allowing me to see Him in someone else which causes me to want God to show me grace and help me be like that aspect of Him I saw in someone else so that I can be conformed to the image of Him (His Son Jesus). OUCH
I am not the best at this because honestly I don't know what kind of favor people need from God. I don't slow down enough in the hallways at church, in between the weight machines at the Y, in the hallways of my own home to STOP and ask, "how can I intercede to God on behalf of you?"...well people don't quite much talk that way anymore, but you get the point. When will I stop? slow down? sincerely ask? follow through? OUCH
I am not the best at this because honestly sometimes I don't think about how God has blessed me with other people. Sometimes, I wrongly feel like I deserve others to "bless" me when in reality I deserve to be a lonely hermit with no love because before God saved me, I was an enemy of God (acc. to His words) and did not deserve Love and Grace, but God who is rich in mercy chose me to be saved and chose me to be blessed in many ways by many people so that I could bring Him glory and honor and praise. OUCH
There are two words that I would rather not say again. HONESTLY AND OUCH. But isn't that what God's Word is for? James says that looking into God's Word is like looking into a mirror. It shows you who you really are and that because of His kindness of telling us who we really are, it leads us to repentance which results in saying the word, "honestly" and then we say, "OUCH" because we know we have violated God's precious Word. So I guess I don't want to stop saying those words but maybe saying them less and less. It is only with God's strength and Holy Spirit that I am going to be able to do that. And I know that Jesus who had no sin became sin so that I might receive the righteousness of God.
How could you say "Honestly and Ouch" today and what would it be about? Maybe it means that we all need to be in the word a little more so that it drives us to repentance towards the Holy God and Faith in His Son Jesusthe sinless sacrifice who became sin for us, died on the cross and rose again defeating sin.
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