“Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing” (1 Timothy 2:8).

Jews believed that prayer expressed in the Temple was more effective than prayer prayed elsewhere. Some individuals still regard prayer as producing more consistent results when we pray in some sacred place—like a church building. The thrust of this Scripture isn’t just that all men pray; it is a reminder that we can pray everywhere.

The obstacle to prayer for many of us is the requirement that our hands be holy. How do we meet that condition? Our hands are holy because we have been cleansed from sin by the blood of Jesus. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7). Our hands aren’t holy because we’ve washed them in some sacred water. They are holy because our sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus.

When we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus we don’t pray with personal agendas of anger and hostility. We come in prayer to see that God’s will is done and people find salvation. Prayer is a powerful tool for opening the hearts of others to the good news about Jesus. All of us are to pray for God to change the hearts of others and we can pray that way anywhere.