Big Picture Prayer | Archie Coates | HTB Livestream

If you pray, who do you pray for? What do you pray about? My own model of prayer could sometimes be characterized as what we might call concentric circles.

You know, I start by praying for the people who are nearest and dearest to me and for myself.

I pray for my loved ones, my children, my family.

And then if I've got time, I go to another circle just out from that one, which is my further relatives and my friendship circle.

And then out from that circle, if I have time for those who are facing ill health or people that I work alongside or my church community and then about, well, that's about it.

And of course, there's nothing wrong with that.

I mean, absolutely, we should be praying for those things.

Our loved ones, our nearest, our dearest, those within us.

But what I want us to do at the beginning of this prayer week is introduce us to a whole other category of prayer called what I've called big picture prayer.

And the Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, who is a younger pastor, he says to him, when you talk to the people in your church about prayer...

Tell them this.

I can read from 1 Timothy chapter 2, where Paul says this.

I urge you then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people, 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 Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.