Catch the fire might actually catch fire

I read this a few weeks ago via email, and just shook my head.  It is from Pastor Danny Nalliah of Catch the Fire Ministries

Dear Family in Christ,

A few weeks ago while I was seeking the Lord in prayer, He told me that I must meet personally with the Honorable Prime Minister John Howard and the Honorable Federal Treasurer Peter Costello.

In obedience to the voice of the Lord, I set out to arrange a personal meeting with both national government leaders. The Lord spoke clearly to me about how Prophet Samuel in the Word of God was sent to anoint David as the future King of Israel. When David’s father Jesse presented all his sons (except David) to the Prophet of God, Samuel could not find the Lord’s leading to anoint any of these sons, so he asked Jesse if he had any other sons and he brought his youngest son David to be anointed by the Prophet as the future King of Israel. Although this was controversial, Prophet Samuel had to obey the voice of God! (not man’s political correctness)

The Lord told me to spend some personal time with Prime Minister John Howard and to prophetically prepare Federal Treasurer Peter Costello as the future Prime Minister of Australia. (I don’t know the exact timing, but I was obedient to the voice of God).

I thank the Lord that I just had a one to one meeting with Peter Costello on Thursday 9th August and John Howard on Friday 10th August. The Lord had given me a clear prophetic Word for both of them and I thank Him I was able to deliver His Word in addition to praying with both of these Federal Government Leaders.

Unfortunately, I’m not at liberty to share the details of these private encounters, but I will boldly declare that Prime Minister John Howard will be re-elected in the November election (if the Body of Christ unites in prayer and action) and pass the leadership onto Peter Costello sometime after.

I know this prophetic declaration is very controversial, but at this critical crossroad in our nation’s destiny, it’s not time to tickle the ears of man, but to please the Father in Heaven, by boldly proclaiming His Authoritative Word of Righteousness, Justice, and Truth to the Church and Nation!

Both of these national political leaders demonstrated sincere humility, honesty and openness with me and the Lord. I thanked Prime Minister John Howard for calling the nation to pray for rain and we discussed about calling a Christian Thanksgiving Service in Federal Parliament to thank the Lord for sending the rain in response to the nationwide call to prayer. This was well received by the PM and he expressed his willingness to personally attend. Please pray for the Lord to lead us as we continue to prepare for this historic Christian Thanksgiving Service in Federal Parliament!

Truly, I give all the praise, honor, and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ for what he has done, is doing, and will continue to do by His Holy Spirit!

This is just strange to me!  It is a big call to nail your colours so publicly to the flag pole.  It has an Old Testament kind of feel to it, the whole anointing of a king kind of thing.  This is so odd when you consider the two parties are so similar in almost every way, even Kevin Rudd is a Labor Party clone of Howard.

I was wondering how to comment, but I think I don't need to it has been done!  This is Glen O'Brien's response over at the Bat Cave

Danny Nalliah of Catch the Fire Ministries has recently released a "prophecy" claiming that God told him to go and anoint Peter Costello as Australia's future prime Minister. I kid thee not. Read the "prophecy" at Crikey.com. Last time I looked we went to Holy Scripture for guidance and not to extra-biblical revelation. Danny Nalliah likens himself to the biblical Samuel anointing the next king of Israel. Give me a break! He claims, "I will boldly declare that Prime Minister John Howard will be re-elected in the November election (if the Body of Christ unites in prayer and action) and pass the leadership onto Peter Costello sometime after." Notice the way he worms out of the implications of his prophecy NOT coming to pass (which by Old Testament standards would be his being stoned to death). It is only "if the Body of Christ unites in prayer and action" that the prophecy will come to pass! So in the end it is all about Pelagian self effort. Apparently we must "be willing to pay the price to see Australia come back to Jesus." Come on folks, we can do it if we just get together, pray hard enough and vote Liberal!
Is it the supposedly "Judeo-Christian values" of the Liberal Party that are behind our involvement in the war in Iraq which has seen conservatively 70-80,000 innocent civilians killed? We certainly should support the right to life of unborn children but what about the right to life of living children in Iraq and Afghanistan? Are they of less value? More die every day and the coalition government refuses to withdraw the involvement of our troops. Why do we persist in thinking that "Judeo-Christian values" only relate to matters of personal morality? To state that 60-70% of Labor Party members hold to "totally anti-Christian, extreme left wing ideologies" is outrageous. What planet does this guy live on? Is he saying they're all Communists? The Labor Party is about as centre-right as any party can be without being the Liberal Party!
As for Labor "supporting homosexuals" what are we supposed to do? Hate them? Marginalise them? Why shouldn't gay people have the same civil rights as other people? Perhaps we should put them all in special enclosures or make them wear a little symbol so we can identify them and single them out for special treatment. Rudd has made it clear that under a Labor government there will be no change to the Marriage Act that defines legal marriage as a union between one man and one woman for life. The Christian community does not believe that homosexual practice is in keeping with Christian moral and ethical teaching. That is our affair, and we have our own house to keep in order, but we can't enforce that teaching on the general population, any more than we can make it a law that all Australian citizens must attend church! Let's face it friends, we live in a liberal democracy, not a theocracy or a Puritan commonwealth!
I'm prepared to go on record to say that, in spite of Pastor Nalliah's "prophetic word," I for one will not be voting Liberal in the federal election and I certainly will not be spiritually blackmailed into doing so by a self appointed prophet. I cannot vote for a government that supports an unjust war, that refuses to engage in a genuine act of reconciliation with indigenous Australians, that places economic prosperity ahead of justice, and imprisons refugees in contravention of international law, all of which are contrary to "Judeo-Christian values."

That says it all really!  Not sure I can say I know who I will (Hurry up and name the date Mr. Howard!) vote for, but other than that it outlines how I feel!