Pray everywhere

I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; - 1 Timothy 2:8

I would that men pray everywhere would pray lifting up holy hands.
Without fear and without doubting.

Paul gives three simple conditions for prayer here:
Holiness
No anger
No doubts

That’s a pretty good standard for praying isn’t it? Obviously, if I ma not living a holy life I can’t expect God to answer my prayers. If I am full of anger my prayers need not be answered. If I am full of doubt I am not really trusting.

I don’t think this is a legalistic requirement for prayer, but something that we need to hear for us.

If I am walking in sin when I pray my thoughts are going to be more on my sin than on talking to God. When I try to talk to God those niggling thoughts about my sine are going to overwhelm my desire to talk to Him.

If I am angry those thoughts of anger will not allow me to think about God. I can’t focus on the goodness of God while I am focused on anger and what I am going to do about it or how badly I’ve been treated.

If I am doubting I am not trusting. Why pray if I am full of doubts that God can or will hear me? Doubts and prayer don’t go well together.

Pray requires the right focus – holiness, no anger, and no doubts.