Today the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, made a very interesting proclamation to the people of his state. He set aside the dates of April 22 – 24, 2011 as days of prayer for rain in the state of Texas. {READ THE PROCLAMATION HERE}  Apparently, Texas is not receiving  rain and other than the negative effect that this has had on agriculture, the state is currently burning due to wild fires resulting from the dry conditions.

While Rick Perry has proudly discussed his faith, his Christian faith to be more specific, and has seemed to be a positive voice in the realm of Christian leadership, I have to wonder why he recoiled in his proclamation today.  Living in a state, Alabama, where I have recently seen Governor Robert Bentley back off his statement backed by Biblical authority considering who his true brothers and sisters are, it is depressing to me to see yet another Christian leader with a national voice allow secular pressures push them off their convictions.

I understand what Perry is attempting to do in his proclamation.  I even believe, based on Perry’s track record, that he knows there is no other God than the Lord Jesus Christ.  Yet, for some reason, Perry felt the need to alienate this God in order to include other false gods.  The proclamation states:

“I urge Texans of all faiths and traditions to offer prayers on that day for the healing of our land, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of our normal way of life.”

What?  If Perry truly believes that Jesus Christ is the only way of truth, then why would he ask the people of his state, the people he has been given to lead, to pray to whatever God they have faith in?  To whom do they pray?

I can’t help but think of the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18:25-46.  After God had sent the prophet Elijah to the King of Israel Ahab in order to convince Ahab and the people of Israel of their folly for worshiping the false god Baal, God allowed a great drought of three years to fall upon the people of Israel.  After three years,  Elijah returned to the people of Israel and in a show of great might by the true God, convinced the people that the god Baal they prayed to was indeed false.  When Elijah prayed to his God to show His power, this is the prayer that Elijah offered in verse 37:

“Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou [art] the LORD God, and [that] thou hast turned their heart back again.”

Now, if like Elijah, Rick Perry believes for some reason that the drought in his state is a judgment from God, then perhaps there are some things he can glean from looking back at Elijah’s prayer.  First off, the prayer is singular.  There is no multitude of faiths, no “god as you know him,” no guessing as to who Elijah is praying to.  Secondly, the prayer’s purpose, its true purpose is stated.  I don’t think Elijah was that concerned about the agricultural effects of the drought on Israel.  No, from the beginning, Elijah understood what he was sent by God to do but one thing; hold high the one true God and proclaim Him to the people of Israel.  Finally, Elijah’s prayer did not keep from calling the sins of the people of Israel sins.  The people had turned their backs on God and God’s judgment had come.  Elijah is making clear that only prayer and repentance will once again make God’s favor and blessing shine on Israel.

In comparison, Rick Perry’s proclamation falls very short.  While I do not doubt that Perry himself will be praying to the Lord God, what of the other people of his state who are praying to false gods?  Let’s presume that at the end of Perry’s set dates that the heavens open up and the rains do come.  Which god or faith tradition gets to take credit?  This could so easily lead to a footing for those who believe in universalism.

Imagine if you will that Elijah, before praying to the true God to end the drought and send his sign of might would have encouraged even the one other faith group there to simultaneously pray to their god Baal as well.  Once the sign of God came, what reason would the people who worshiped Baal have to believe that Elijah’s God had answered the prayer.  No reason would exist and sadly, the faith of these people would be strengthened in their false god.  For this reason, I consider Rick Perry’s proclamation a practice of folly and a tool of something other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

In closing, this point must be made.  Much is made over the “fruit” of such teachers as John Hagee, Rod Parsley (intimately linked to Damon Thompson), and other charismatic leaders.  Perry’s proclamation is the fruit of a man endorsed and taught by men such as Lou Engle and praised by New Apostolic Reformation darling Sarah Palin.  As the NAR continues to gain political power in our nation under the guise of revival, I must ask how this sort of leadership, leadership