Decision America Tour 2016 with Franklin Graham

[Paul Cohen]

On August 9th, 2016, we (Ronnie, Sarah and I) went to the Helena state capitol building to hear Franklin Graham of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association speak on the following (from their website – https://decisionamericatour.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;):

The Tour

“America is at a crossroads, and I believe we should take every opportunity to stand up for the things of God and His Word.” – Franklin Graham

Franklin Graham is traveling to all 50 states in 2016 to hold prayer rallies, to preach the Gospel, and to challenge believers to take a stand and take action. He’ll be urging Christians to vote, to live out their faith in every part of their lives, and to pray for our nation just as Nehemiah cried out to God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and restore hope to His people.

Graham said that there was no hope for America with the Democratic Party. He then warned the Republicans not to high five each other because there was no hope in the Republican Party, either. There was only hope for America, he emphatically stated, in God.

Why then did Graham insist throughout the rally that Christians needed to seek God’s wisdom and vote in the upcoming elections? If there is no hope in men and their parties, where is the wisdom in voting for them?

The reason Graham pushes voting, however, is because he still has hopes of saving America - not in God’s image or righteousness – not as the Kingdom of God on earth, but in the fallen image of men of whom Jesus said:

“Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. However, they worship Me in vain, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men’” (Mark 7:6-7 MKJV).

And just as their nation of Israel was finished, so is America finished. It will never be the country that Graham and his followers/supporters hope to see restored, and just as Israel had to be scrapped, so will religious and sinful America be destroyed. Those who love the truth can be and are very thankful for this.

At the beginning of the “prayer rally,” Graham alluded to Nehemiah confessing the sins of his people as he prayed to the God of Israel for restoration. Ronnie brought up an excellent point: Nehemiah did these things AFTER Jerusalem and Judah fell to Babylon. That had to happen before a remnant could be saved.

Graham declared that he disagreed with those who say, “America is finished,” but the example he used of Nehemiah shows a nation that was “finished,” with any turning to God happening only coming AFTER they lost everything.

Graham and his audience are seeking to escape the consequences of their sins and the requisite humbling which needs to happen before they can be reconciled to God. At this point they’re not even aware they need to be reconciled to Him, despite the glib and superficial “confession of sins” at the rally. There is no real sorrow or repentance over sin.

When they’re chastened and repentant, they won’t be pining after the corrupt nation they’ve loved in their sins. They’ll abhor themselves for ever wanting to save it.

Graham and the people following him are the same as those in ancient Israel who responded to the Word of God spoken by Jeremiah about Israel’s sinful state and imminent destruction:

“As for the Word that you have spoken to us in the Name of the LORD, we will not listen to you. But we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our officials, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no disaster” (Jeremiah 44:16-17 ESV).

What we witnessed yesterday was a lovefest to Ashtoreth, “the queen of heaven,” prayed to as the Lord Jesus Christ. This Jerusalem must fall – it’s the same spiritual place where our Lord was crucified and it’s where the religious kill His witnesses:

“And their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified” (Revelation 11:8 MKJV).

This Jerusalem is finished, and so is America with its ungodly mixture, serving anti-Christ and his flesh-pleasing ways.

Related reading materials:

For Whom Do We Vote?
Why Do We Vote for Jesus Christ?
How Do We Vote for the Lord Jesus Christ?

[Renee Butterfield]

Hello Paul! Your message makes me think of Jesus' own statements before Pilate; "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."
At one particular point in the New Testament when they came to make Jesus a king, He escaped them because He refused to be made king of this present world. The King of the New Jerusalem came into this fallen world to save those whom He destined to be "truth seekers". It seems to me there are such people on this forum and it pleases me to be present amongst them!

[John McIntire]

We should pray for elected leaders. 1 Tim:1-4 .
If we are uncertain that they know Jesus,we should pray for their salvation.But whether or not our leaders are Christians,we should pray that God will guide them as they guide us.We know that God has placed our leaders in authority over us Rom 13:1 .So pray.

[Paul Cohen]

We should pray for elected leaders. 1 Tim:1-4 .
If we are uncertain that they know Jesus,we should pray for their salvation.But whether or not our leaders are Christians,we should pray that God will guide them as they guide us.We know that God has placed our leaders in authority over us Rom 13:1 .So pray.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 KJV
(1) I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
(2) For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
(3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
(4) Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Amen - and notice that the Scripture says "ALL MEN," whom God will save in due time.

In no way does praying for those in authority and living peaceably according to men's laws (provided they don't call for disobedience to God) equate to a directive from above to vote for men. This is thoroughly covered in the writings linked in the first post on this thread.