Praying for the Nations Leaders

In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul said, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” Paul told Timothy that the church needed to be praying for people. Specifically the civil leaders of the place they lived - “kings and all in authority.” I can only imagine how challenging that must have been for people who watched the Romans mistreatment of Christians play out right in front of them. Yet Paul still said, “Pray for them.” Perhaps the fruit of their prayers wasn’t seen until years later when Christianity became the national religion of Rome.

It is no secret that we have been living in a challenging time with this countries leadership. We have seen leaders who have pushed for homosexuality to be legal. We have seen leaders who have pushed the transgender issues. We have seen leaders who have belittled those of the Chrisitian faith. Yet Paul said, “Pray for them.”

This past week on the news feed I saw I man named Mike Johnson, the speaker for the House of Representatives, stand up in front of this nation and appeal to the Bible as the sole authority for all things, I saw him claim that God has appointed all government authorities and that they have an obligation to Him, and I saw him get on his knees and pray for this nation. I believe many faithful Christians have been praying for this country and its leadership, and perhaps this man was answer to those prayers.

Don’t grow weary in praying for the place you find yourself living. Paul followed up his teaching in that passage by saying, “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” God wants all who live in this world to know truth and be saved by the blood of Christ. Perhaps a godly influence in our government can spark some spirituality back into this nation and persuade many to look towards God in the face of this cruel world we live in. I challenge you and your congregation to stand up and thank God for godly leaders like Mike Johnson, and pray for more like Him to rise up and lead this country.

-Kolton Ballance

How should Christians interact with culture?

In Acts 17:26, Paul said, “and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation.” This reveals alot to us about Christians and culture. It says that God has placed each person in a particular time frame in history, as well as a particular location on this earth. God chose each one of us to live in a particular time and place in this world. If that’s true (and it is according to this verse), then shouldn’t it beg the question “Why did God put me here?”

There is a revealing verse in Jeremiah 29:5-6. It details God’s desire for His people as they lived in a new culture in Babylon. It says, “Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.” Notice 3 things God told them to do in this culture, and 3 things we ought to do in our culture.

Live your life within the culture.

God expected his people to get comfortable and continue to live their normal lives within this culture. He expects us to do the same in our modern culture.

Do good within the culture.

God expected them to “seek the welfare of the city.” He wanted them to be influence for good in the culture they found themselves. He expects us to be an influence for good within our culture as well.

Pray for the culture.

God expected His people to pray for the culture they found themselves in. No matter how challenging our culture is, God wants us to pray for it as well.

The reality is that God has placed in a particular time and place for a reason. He plans to use our gifts and abilities to bear His image in the world we find ourselves in. These are 3 things that help us see how Christians should live and interact within their culture.

-Kolton Ballance