VERSE: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,  for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

EQUATION: Prayer + Supplication + Thanksgiving = Peaceful Living

ACTION: Imagine what a shock this was when the Apostle Paul, speaking for Christ, told the people under persecution from the Romans and under threat from both those people AND the religious Pharisees, that God now wants them to pray for their nemeses! Today, God is still telling ALL His people, in this age of dispensational Grace, that we must pray for prominent people “In authority” whether we like them or not…at all times! So how do we pray for them?

First of all, we pray for them to first obey God and to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Secondly, we pray for them to govern under Godly principles. Even if they are the most pro-abortion, anti-Bible state or national leader, we pray for them to have a heart change, while praying their leadership into the Hands of the Lord for His direction. Finally, we pray that their lives will go well, even if we can see evidence of the opposite, so that they will come to realization that God is in charge and the One Who has blessed them, in so many ways.

PRAYER: Father, in the Mighty and Powerful Name of Jesus we pray today for all leaders. We pray for the new American president and vice president that their steps will be ordered by  You, since You are the One Who ordained them. We pray that they govern as they say they are – Christians and follows of the Good Book- the Bible. We pray for their protection, their safety, their families..….. READ MORE HERE

THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE MESSAGE BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ILLINOIS BAPTIST STATE ASSOCIATION AND ROCHESTER FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH PASTOR KEVIN CAROTHERS AT THE FIRST SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS MEETING OF BUSINESS MEN IN CHRIST. DUE TO A MAJOR MIDWESTERN ICE STORM, MANY MEN WERE UNABLE TO JOIN THE FEW OF US WHO COULD. THIS OUTLINE, FROM TODAY’S MESSAGE AT THE CITYWIDE CHRISTIAN MEN’S BREAKFAST, SHOULD SPUR US TO GET THE YEAR OFF RIGHT IN OUR COMMUNITIES:

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: PASTOR KEVIN CAROTHERS (seen here)

SCRIPTURE EXPOUNDED: JEREMIAH 29: 1-11; GENESIS 19:10-30; 2 Peter 2:7

THREE MAJOR POINTS FROM JEREMIAH 29:1-11:

1. BE VISIBLE IN THE CULTURE (Verses 5-6)
2. PRAY FOR THE CITY/REGION & CULTURE AROUND US (Verses 7-8)
3. FOCUS ON GOD’S VISION (Verse 11)

In a fallen corrupt culture, how do we as Christian men, as the Church and community of Christ live in and influence this world around us, so they can see God in us? God’s Word – the Bible, gave us the exact formula for Christian Living in a Culture gone sideways. The gist of Pastor Kevin’s message is that we can make it if we just have the “long view of things like God” does. From the passage above, we see exactly what occurred.

God had punished His people Israelites and sent then into 70 years of exile in Babylon. But He also told them to “DO LIFE”! This is a great lesson for those who want to just give the culture and community over to the pagans, by withdrawing completely and letting them drive our surroundings even deeper into the sewer. To this God says a LOUD “NO”!

God says in verses 5 and 6 to “build houses….live in them…grow food…get married and have children and families”. God says live like I told told you. He is saying the same today for us to have jobs, work with people, let your child play in the youth symphony or the football team; raise Godly families. But live like Christ!

God also says to while we are “doing life NOW”, pray! What a concept! We MUST pray not just for our city, state, province, country and our leaders, but we pray for the culture around us so our homes and churches do not become mini- Babylons. We do this, even WHILE living in Babylon!  But the wonderful thing about our awesome God, Who allows His elect to live in modern day Babylons like those in Jeremiah 29, is that He has a plan all along! We all know the great verse on t shirts, mugs and bumper stickers from Jeremiah 29:11….but Jesus Himself summarizes it all when He says “He who perseveres to the end will be saved/preserved/delivered safely/kept well..” (Matthew 24:13 “sōthēsetai”).

This exhortation from Pastor Kevin this morning, has a really deadly caveat when we look at the example of Lot. Read Genesis 19:10-30 and see how reluctant he was to LEAVE SODOM!! Lot is called a righteous man in 2 Peter 2:7 but he was a greedy man (chose the best land when his uncle Abraham offered) and apparently had too much connection with the culture of Sodom of all places. This is as if (my words) Billy Graham were to pal around with Madonna and those types….contradictions galore. We have to guard against this, my friends. it is possible for Christians to fall prey to sin like Lot, but it is better to not do this thing.  The new year was kicked off in the right spirit by this great Pastor and men’s leader, as the men present and those who will read this, resolve to do exactly as God says in Jeremiah 29:1-11!

– Bernie Lutchman (Business Men In Christ, President)