One of our specific obligations in prayer is to pray for those in positions of civil authority. Paul makes this clear in his first letter to the young evangelist Timothy:

“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. 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” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Not only does Paul teach that Christians are to pray for their leaders, he tells us why we are to pray for them. There is a specific desire for which we should pray that is according to the will of God. Before we consider this, we should first be reminded of the purpose for which God ordained civil authorities.

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Joel Osteen, the popular mega-church preacher known for proclaiming the gospel of prosperity, was interviewed recently by Oprah and asked if he believed homosexuals would be in heaven. Osteen stated his belief that they would. He then explained that while he believed homosexuality was described as a sin in the Bible, he did not believe it was any worse than any other sin. Therefore, his conclusion was that since those who commit other sins will be in heaven, then homosexuals must be there as well.

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Idolatry is condemned in both the Old and New Testaments (Exodus 20:3-6; 1 Corinthians 6:9). There are a number of things that have the potential of becoming idols for us if we allow them. They are not limited to graven images, but could include things like money, possessions, careers, and even people. The warning issued by John at the end of his first epistle – “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21) – remains an important reminder for Christians today.

With the danger of idolatry being a reality and having the divinely given warning in mind, let us notice a few facts about idols.

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It is an inescapable reality that we are involved in a war — not the type of war that nations wage for wealth, resources, or territory, but a spiritual war for the souls of men (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). But while the final outcome of a physical war is always unknown, the result of this spiritual war is certain. Notice what the book of Revelation says about the victory of Christ:

“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful” (Revelation 17:14).

Jesus will lead His army to victory. There is no uncertainty to this. What is uncertain is which side we will join. Will we choose to be on the Lord’s side, or will we choose to fight against Him?

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It is interesting to go back and see what articles struck a chord with visitors. Below are the top five articles that received the most page views in 2011. A couple of these are from previous years and are still getting a lot traffic.

1. Are the Jews Still God’s Chosen People Today? (02.11.11)
2. Some Reflections on the 2011 Florida College Chorus Tour (03.26.11)
3. The Fields Are White for Harvest (08.09.09)
4. A Leap of Faith (03.05.10)
5. Some Thoughts on Easter (04.23.11)

Thanks for your continued interest in Plain Bible Teaching. There will be plenty more in 2012. If you haven’t done so already, sign up for the PBT Weekly Newsletter to stay up to date on all the new content and more.

As the beginning of another year rapidly approaches, Christians can use this time in three ways: as a reminder, as an opportunity, and as a warning.

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Shortly before His death, Jesus spoke to His disciples about love – the love He had for them and the love they were to have for Him.

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:13-14).

Jesus would soon demonstrate His love for His disciples and all mankind. Even though He had the authority to call down twelve legions of angels to prevent Him from going to the cross (Matthew 26:52-53), He willingly surrendered His life to make that sacrifice for us (John 10:18). Paul reminds us that Jesus did this “while we were yet sinners” (Romans 5:8). Jesus did not just say that He loved us, He showed it clearly for all to see.

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