Living as Exiles: Faithful Witness in Babylon

Devotional

Day 1: Living as Faithful Exiles in a Foreign Culture

We no longer live in a nation that supports or encourages faith in Christ. This cultural shift can be disorienting and disappointing if we expect the world to align with our values. Yet, this is not a new situation for the people of God. We find ourselves in a modern-day Babylon, called to be faithful witnesses within a culture that often opposes the gospel. Our calling is not to retreat but to engage as missionaries right where we are. [35:45]

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:11-12 NIV)

Reflection: In what specific area of your daily life (work, neighborhood, social media) do you feel the most tension between your faith and the surrounding culture? How can you live as a faithful witness in that specific context this week?

Day 2: God’s Plans for Your Future and Hope

It is easy to lose hope when we look at the brokenness of the world and the challenges in our own lives. Many feel that a prosperous future or a stable life is out of reach. Yet, God’s word speaks directly into this despair with a powerful promise. He has good plans for His children, plans that are for our welfare and not for calamity. This is a future filled with hope, ordained by a God who is always working for our good. [55:08]

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

Reflection: Where in your life have you begun to lose hope, and what would it look like to actively trust that God still has a good plan for you in that specific area?

Day 3: Taking Responsibility for What Fills Your Life

We are constantly discipled by the things we allow into our hearts and minds. Every piece of media, every influence, carries an agenda that shapes our thoughts and desires. What we fill ourselves with will inevitably come out when life applies pressure. Therefore, we must be intentional and responsible for what we watch, listen to, and dwell upon. We are called to fill our lives with what is true, noble, and praiseworthy. [48:37]

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8 NIV)

Reflection: What is one source of input (a social media account, a news outlet, a entertainment show) that you feel does not align with Philippians 4:8? What is one step you could take to limit its influence on your heart and mind?

Day 4: Walking Through Trials with God’s Presence

When we ask God for help with our problems, He often leads us directly through them rather than around them. He does not promise a life without difficulty, but He does promise His presence in the midst of it. Just as He was with the Hebrew men in the fiery furnace, Christ walks with us through our most challenging seasons. Our faith is refined and proven genuine as we depend on Him in the midst of the fire. [44:42]

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2 NIV)

Reflection: What is a current challenge you are facing that you have been praying for God to simply remove? How might your perspective change if you began to pray for His presence to walk with you through it instead?

Day 5: The Importance of Spiritual Family and Mentorship

In a world that can be isolating and lonely, God provides a new family through the church. We are called to build deep, meaningful relationships that foster growth and provide support. Older believers have a responsibility to mentor and coach younger ones, sharing the wisdom gained from experience. Younger believers are encouraged to seek out those they respect and ask for guidance. Together, we form a community that reflects God’s love and care. [58:04]

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10 NIV)

Reflection: Who is one person in your spiritual community that you could either learn from as a mentor or intentionally encourage as a spiritual brother or sister? What is one practical way you can initiate or deepen that connection this week?

Sermon Summary

North American culture no longer functions as a Christian nation, and that shift changes how followers of Christ must live. The culture now often discourages and competes with faith—monetary motives and addictive technology shape attention and values—so faithful presence requires intentionality. Believers now serve as missionaries in their own neighborhoods, learning to build ministry amid a society that will not naturally support the church.

The biblical exiles model a realistic spirituality for life in Babylon. Daniel and his friends show disciplined refusal to adopt pagan practices, steadfast obedience under pressure, and confidence that God walks with his people through fire and lions. The symbolic “three and a half” years signals that darkness has limits; opposition attacks but cannot finally prevail against God’s purposes.

Prayer does not aim to bypass trouble; prayer trains people to walk through hardship with God at their side. Trials refine and reveal what is really inside, producing outcomes shaped by what believers have allowed into their minds and hearts. Attention becomes discipleship: whatever fills eyes, ears, and imagination ultimately forms desires and actions. Therefore guarding inputs—scripture, prayer, community, and choiceful media consumption—matters as spiritual formation.

Community and mentoring provide practical scaffolding. The exiles were told to plant, marry, work, and pray for the welfare of their city; faithful exiles invest in ordinary life and civic flourishing rather than retreat. Intentional cross-generational friendships, mentoring, and small groups cultivate wisdom, correct bad patterns, and offer belonging when biological families fracture. Finally, God redeems failure; no past sin can outdo the redeeming power of the cross, and God can turn broken moments into the first line of a testimony. Hope remains active: God holds plans for prosperity, future, and hope for those who trust and live faithfully in exile.

Key Takeaways

1. America no longer supports Christian life The public square no longer guarantees a faith-friendly environment. Expect resistance, indifference, and competing priorities; adjust strategy from entitlement to intentional witness. Living as missional exiles invites realistic courage and creative faithfulness in ordinary places. [35:14]
2. God leads through, not around Prayer usually brings the believer into the struggle rather than removing it. God’s presence in the middle of hardship trains faith and forges character; deliverance often comes by passage, not escape. Trust that God walks through the furnace and the den. [44:42]
3. Protect what fills the mind Attention disciplines identity: what a person watches, reads, and listens to becomes the soil of desire and action. Curate inputs deliberately to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit; small, repeated exposures form habits that surface under pressure. Guard eyes and ears as acts of discipleship. [47:13]
4. Adopt and mentor younger believers Wisdom transmits through relationship, not merely information. Older believers gain joy and younger ones gain guidance when intentional mentorship shapes choices, vocation, and character. Investing time prevents avoidable failures and builds resilient, intergenerational churches. [58:04]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[33:51] - Introductions and Connections
[35:14] - Not a Christian Nation
[36:15] - Money, Media, and Babylon
[39:01] - Missionaries in Our Culture
[41:09] - Daniel: Living in Exile
[44:42] - Walking Through Trouble
[47:13] - Guarding Mind and Eyes
[56:56] - Teaching Manners and Mentors
[1:01:20] - Redemption and Hope
[1:03:05] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Daniel 12:8-10, 13 (ESV)
8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

Jeremiah 29:4-7, 11 (ESV)
4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But 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 find your welfare. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Observation questions

In Daniel 12:10, what two different responses are described among people during a time of refining?
According to Jeremiah 29:5-7, what specific, practical instructions does God give the exiles for how to live in Babylon?
What does the phrase “three and a half years” symbolize according to the sermon? [42:05]
What happens when you begin to pray for God’s help with a problem, according to the sermon? [44:42]

Interpretation questions

Why do you think God instructs the exiles to seek the welfare of the city that has taken them captive, rather than to withdraw or rebel?
The sermon states that “you are discipled by whatever you pay attention to.” [48:37] How does this idea connect to the biblical command to be refined and purified (Daniel 12:10)?
How does the promise in Jeremiah 29:11 provide a foundation for hope when someone feels their life is broken or they have made significant mistakes? [01:00:55]
What does it mean that darkness has a “limited amount of time” to rule, and how should that reality shape a believer’s perspective on current cultural challenges? [42:46]

Application questions

The culture often discourages and competes with faith. What is one area in your daily routine (e.g., commute, lunch break, evening schedule) where you could be more intentional about living as a missionary?
Prayer usually brings the believer into the struggle rather than removing it. [44:42] Is there a specific problem you’ve been asking God to remove? What would it look like to ask Him to walk with you through it instead?
Attention disciplines identity. [47:13] What is one type of media or entertainment you regularly consume that might be forming desires contrary to the fruit of the Spirit? What is one practical step you could take this week to guard what goes into your mind?
Wisdom transmits through relationship, not merely information. [58:04] Is there an older believer you respect that you could ask to mentor you? Or, if you are older, is there a younger person you could intentionally invest in?
Our God is so good, he can make the worst moment of your life the first line of your testimony. [01:01:20] Is there a past failure or brokenness that you’ve been keeping in the dark? What would it look to trust that God can redeem it and use it for His glory?

Sermon Clips

66s

“Now, if you can get to understand that we are now missionaries in our own culture. Okay? Several years ago, I had several of my my team pastors who were working with me. I said, I want you to I want you to skip church. I want you to drive around the community, and I want you to find out what people are doing when they don't come to church. It's part of your research. Monday morning, they come into me and they say, park. Whatever we build next has gotta have a dog park because everybody walks their dogs dogs on Sunday morning. Okay? Now, if you take a survey, you will probably find out I'm sure Spartanburg is a lot like national in its demographics. You will find out that 60% of the people will tell you that they are active members of the church. What do we know about religious surveys? People lie. Okay? They'll say, hey, I go to church every week. If we put a tracker on you, we find out they may go once.”

67s

“This is an exciting time for the church in North America and for a lot of different reasons that we wanna walk into later. I was senior pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church for thirty two years, and then stepped down a few years ago to work with coaching and working with churches and that kind of stuff. We're finding out a lot of different things about church in North America. Here's the first thing you need to know. We no longer live in a Christian nation. Now, we will argue about whether or not we were founded on Judeo Christian principles and whether or not we were a Christian nation at one time or another. But hear me, right now, all the studies show that we are no longer a Christian nation. It's important that you understand that because you'll be constantly disappointed expecting the culture of our country to encourage and support the faith in Jesus Christ. They're not.”

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