Praying for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Posted August 24th @ 10:38 am by James Print This Post

I do hope this is not a) a Freudian slip or b) the true beliefs of the Presidential Prayer Team, but in a recent email:

    The Presidential Prayer Team: is a nationwide, non-partisan, non-profit prayer team dedicated to following the Scriptural mandate in I Timothy 2:1-2 to pray for America’s President and National Leaders. We intercede for those in office, regardless of their views, policies or political party, because God entreats us to pray for them.

I haven’t checked the original Greek, but I’m reasonably certain Paul had a wider audience in mind than simply America. Unfortunately, that may be the extent of American Christians prayers. (I know I haven’t prayed for Kofi Annan or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Shame on me.)

Filed in: Prayer, The Church

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4 Comments

  1. christiane li
    August 24, 2006 at 11:59

    James, I’m reading “National Leaders,” since it’s in caps,as other nations’ leaders.
    And, no shame on you, brother: I can’t believe that you don’t pray for other Christians or particular mission fields. So lift Kofi up by name if it’ll make you feel better, but my guess is you have prayed for his salvation, and the Iranian leader’s, already.

  2. Joe
    August 24, 2006 at 13:11

    That is the problem, it is easy to pray for the ones we love…but how about for the ones we at odds with?

    “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. – Matthew 5:43-44 (New International Version)

  3. Sats
    August 24, 2006 at 13:58

    We must pray for all those in authority (including those we dislike, and don’t care too much) “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (NIV).

    I guess what is equally important here is that this prayer is so that we might live peaceful lives to pursue godliness.

    Praying for leaders (for their salvation and wisdom and so forth) is quite a common thing in countries like India – where nearly every leader is a non-christian, and often run for elections on platforms that quite against the church and Christ.

    So, my good american friends, join your hands in prayer with fellow christians from around the world, as they pray for their leaders, much as you would pray for the leaders right here.

  4. Bob K
    August 24, 2006 at 15:22

    Hmm .. I thought Kofi Annan was already a believer :)

    And yep .. I agree .. we gotta pray for everyone, even for those who hate us .. or harder still … those that we would love to hate.

    “But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,” – Matthew 5:44

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