LIFTING HOLY HANDS

LIFTING HOLY HANDS

1 Tim. 2:8 “I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A PERSON SITTING TO THE FRONT OF YOU DISTRACT YOU BY HANDS FLYING UP INTO THE AIR? DID THAT AID YOU IN YOUR WORSHIP EXPERIENCE TO THE THRICE HOLY GOD? DID YOU HAVE THOUGHTS APPROPRIATE FOR WORSHIP AT THAT POINT?

IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE ATTEMPTING TO FULFILL THIS SCRIPTURE PLEASE READ AND THEN RECONSIDER BEFORE YOU CAUSE A BROTHER TO FAIL IN HIS WORSHIP.

This is not a prescription for a certain physical posture in prayer, but rather of heart attitude. The “hands” are to be holy hands, clean hands, open hands, exhibiting neither wrath nor doubting. Can your hands exhibit at the state? No, only your heart can exhibit that state.

People have taken this from the context on prayer and while the sermons are being preached or the songs being sung, hands are raising and not necessarily men as directed here but great liberty has happened in the worship services today.

Paul was instructing Timothy as a young pastor that since God our Savior desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth he should therefore preach and teach men in every place to pray by lifting up holy hands. Only in America can the thought be turned to bring attention to a person sitting in the pew instead of their life after leaving the pew which is to be holy.

He had spoken of the 4 types of prayer being entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings to be made on behalf of all men, especially those ruling over you, set in place by God Himself, which leads to a quiet and tranquil life.

If your life doesn't measure up then either your hands aren't holy or you’re not lifting them as according to scripture. God is the One who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

If you think men can figure these things out without a preacher and prayer, then leave your hands at your side. If you think that God needs to participate in their comprehension of this great gospel then you should begin by lifting holy hands to prayer as both Paul and Timothy suggest, preach, and teach.

 Cf. Psa. 134:2. Again this is a man who serves.