There is a man in the Bible who shares our president’s name. Barak was chosen by God to lead Israel at a time of serious military and economic crisis. (Hmmm, I see some similarities here!) The Canaanites were plotting an invasion, so Deborah—the prophet of the Lord at that time—called on Barak to defend Israel even though Jabin’s iron chariots far outnumbered Israel’s ragtag army.
Barak had an unusual response to Deborah’s request. He told her: “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go” (Judg. 4:8, NASB). This may sound like an admission of weakness, but Barak was no mama’s boy. He is actually listed as a hero of faith in the book of Hebrews (see Heb. 11:32). So why did he insist that Deborah accompany him?
Barak knew he could not be a successful leader without the Lord’s prophet by his side. He needed the counsel of God. He wanted the supernatural wisdom and favor that comes from honoring the Lord and His word.
Every leader in the Bible was measured by his or her reliance upon the one true God. The Bible gives us a long list of the kings of Israel, and each one either stood or fell depending on how he aligned himself with God and His true messengers. Those who honored God and listened to His prophets experienced economic prosperity and military victory; those who turned to idols and listened to false prophets failed miserably.
(taken from an article by J. Lee Grady of Charisma Magazine)
"If President Obama truly wants to make the most positive mark on American history, he cannot simply position a few token Christians on his stage while the prophets of Baal surround him."
We must pray that our new president will honor the God of our fathers and seek counsel from His prophets.
1 comment:
this is good.
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