First of all—pray | Ariel Blumenthal

About this sermon

Before worship, before building community, before discipleship or good works, Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2 that the very first thing believers must do when we gather is pray. If we don’t pray first, we miss God’s mind and risk doing Kingdom work in our own strength. Prayer connects us to the Head of the Church, reminds us that everything is by His Spirit—not by our power—and positions us to hear His plan. In this week’s Global Broadcast, Ariel unpacks Paul’s exhortation to make prayer the foundation of our lives and congregations. He highlights the four different kinds of prayer named in 1 Timothy 2—each with a unique emphasis yet overlapping in practice: •⁠ ⁠Entreaties – urgent, heartfelt cries when needs press in. •⁠ ⁠Prayers – regular, intentional, disciplined times of seeking God even when there’s no crisis; steady intercession for friends, nations, and ongoing concerns. •⁠ ⁠Petitions – interceding on behalf of others, shifting the focus from ourselves to people, communities, and nations. •⁠ ⁠Thanksgivings (Eucharist) – worship and gratitude, honoring God with praise for who He is and what He has done. These words remind us there isn’t just one way to pray. There are layers of urgency, discipline, intercession, and worship—and we can always grow in all of them. 📖 “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men…” (1 Timothy 2:1) Let this message stir you to put prayer first—in your day, your family, and your community. WATCH the Global Broadcast and be reminded of the power of praying before everything else!

Topics

• Prayer