He Will Be My President
This week is a watershed moment in history. The most powerful and wealthy nation in the world will have its first African-American President. Harvard educated, brilliant, and young he moves into the Oval Office to lead our nation and be a world leader.
He will have the daunting task of bringing correction to an economy that went amuck with a Democratic Congress and Republican President. Capitalism showed its greedy side taking us into the ditch. How we will get out and how long it will take will largely depend on the genius of the President and his ability to coalition divergent forces. He will also have the challenge of rallying world leaders in a cooperative spirit.
We are naïve to assume that greed is the only culprit having brought current pain. Terrorism has arrived as a constant that may not be contained until the Anti-christ sets up his kingdom. The Anti-christ will evolve a system of numbering allies (Revelation 13...mark of the beast #666-which is probably a computational variation of the digit 6). My hunch is that accepting the number will be tantamount to selling one's soul to the devil. The Bible makes clear that those who take the "mark" in their foreheads or hands will lose all hope of salvation. The Anti-christ, who will sell his soul to the Devil, will convince many nations that he is God and that he can bring peace. His peace will be brought temporarily by ruthlessly killing those he can find that do not receive the "mark".
For the present, terrorism has cost orderly governments trillions of dollars that could have been spent on humanitarian and infrastructure projects. My conclusion is that terrorism is here to stay.
The Anti-christ will bring a measure of peace, but not total. Yes, it is true: In such times as this we must understand that every president, premier, dictator, leader of whatever title and description is knowingly or unknowingly fulfilling the plan of God. The game plan is unfolding according to Bible prophecy.
The Bible prophesies that after Israel goes home nations will turn against Israel. To the world there is no counting of missiles launched into Israel. However, if Israel responds, it is seen as the aggressor. We have to ask if missiles from another country landed in New York City or our town what would be our response. Would we simply say: "The enemy means well. Let's be nice. Don't hurt the enemy"?
Careful. Please understand that I have Christian brothers in Palestine. We support ministers of the gospel in Palestine. We have wonderful churches of precious brothers and sisters in Gaza. I have been prayerful for their safety with the Israeli invasion.
The answers are not easy. The President's job is not easy. It has never been easy. These are difficult days. Are these days more difficult than other times past, e.g., Revolutionary War, Civil War, Great Depression, World Wars I and II? I cannot say.
What we can say is that perhaps there has been no other time in history when the risk of bad decisions has been greater. In 1900 about 90% of Americans lived on farms. Today more than 80% live in urban areas, without the potential to grow their own food. A crisis of fuel and food could be devastating to millions.
Here is my prayer: As surely as Tuesday comes. As surely as Barack Obama assumes office, we shall pray for him. The day he becomes President of the United States he is no longer a black man who is President, he will be the President who is a black man. His advisors will not study all of his history to be able to give him advice. They will advise him based on the facts and urgency of the moment.
As President He will be Commander-in-Chief of all military forces. He will always have within his reach the box for nuclear weapons. He will never have a day as President but that men and women of every race and color in America will wear military uniforms to follow his commands. He will lead hundreds of thousands of federal workers. He will work with Congress.
Whatever our different perspectives he is the President. The only President. He will be my President.
For all these reasons we pray that he will be God-driven. We pray that he will lean on the Bible as a trusted resource, the most trusted. We pray that he will lead his family in finding a church in Washington, D.C. that preaches and teaches the Bible as a real Book about a real God for all people.
We pray that he will promote life. We pray that he will recognize that life begins in the womb of a mother...that creation of life is holy and sacred and eternal. We pray that he will espouse family values that are consistent with God's Word.
Let us pray that our nation will awaken to fresh revival. Let us pray to come together in unity of faith to proclaim the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
As surely as we recognize the wonder of this historic moment let us remember that the Sovereign God is the one who gives wisdom to leaders. When righteousness prevails then is sin rebuked in a nation. Let us pray for godly leaders in our Congress and across our nation. Let us pray for leaders who will work with and encourage our President to lead by anointing from God as his first mandate.
Absolutely it is a historic moment! Let us pray.
Pastor Bare
I Timothy 2:1-2 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness...