Franklin Graham: "Time for the Church to be Heard!" The Important Message from His 50-State Tour Stop in Oregon
Aimee
Herd (June 29, 2016) www.breakingchristiannews.com/
"We won the Cold War ... And as we were celebrating the fall of
Communism, secularism has come into our government. It infected Washington. It
came from Washington and it has come into our state capitals. From our state
capitals it has gone into our local municipalities. It is taking control of our
schools. And secularism and Communism are exactly the same thing. They are both
atheistic, godless systems of government. "That is what has now taken
over our country. It didn't happen overnight, ladies and gentlemen. This
happened over 40 years of just quietly maneuvering and getting their politicians
in power, and getting their politicians in place. And I say, 'Enough. It's time
for the Church to be heard.'" -Franklin Graham
(Salem,
OR)—Yesterday, Elijah List editor, Julie Smith and I heard Franklin
Graham speak on his 50-state Decision America Tour. It was both inspiring and
motivating as hundreds filled the street and park in front of Oregon's capitol
building—all there because they want to intercede for their country. (Photo:
Aimee Herd/BCN)
Franklin Graham spoke clearly, passionately and prophetically about his
reason for rallying Christians in every state in the USA: to call Believers to
prayer and action for their states and country; to encourage them to vote with
God's direction in the upcoming, and every election; and to preach the
Gospel. Below are excerpts from Rev. Graham's message on Tuesday, and
similarly in every state capital he's visited thus far. He told us after the
rally that Oregon was state number 30 and he has 20 more to go. Please
join me in praying for Franklin Graham's protection, spiritually, physically and
emotionally as he continues his tour. I believe this is truly a mission that the
Lord has given him, and he has faithfully answered God's
call. Excerpts from Franklin Graham's message in
Oregon: I believe God honors people in high places who
honor Him. And ladies and gentlemen, we need men and women in high places who
are willing to honor God. [applause] America is being stripped of our Biblical
heritage and our God-inspired foundations. [My father, Billy Graham said], "I
feel that we're going to have to meet our political obligations as Christians
and make our voice known if America is going to be preserved with the type of
Christian heritage which has given us the liberties and the freedoms which we
now enjoy. For unless America turns back to God, repents of its sin and
experiences a spiritual revival, we will fail as a nation."
Growing up,
my generation, we were afraid of the Red threat. Remember the 'commies'? ...
Well, you know what? We built up our military, we built up our Army, our Navy,
our Air Force and we were ready. And we not only did that, but we had all across
this country, we had civil defense shelters. We practiced. In my school in
western North Carolina, up there in the mountains, they had a civil defense sign
on the building, and they had water, they had crackers, they had food stored in
there that could last for years. Now let me tell you something. Rats won't even
eat that stuff [laughter]. But we had that stuff stored up. We were ready.
(Photo: Aimee Herd/BCN)
Then the Berlin wall came down. Remember? Everybody just shouted, we all
high-fived each other. We won the Cold War, we won that one. And as we were
celebrating the fall of Communism, secularism has come into our government. It
infected Washington. It came from Washington and it has come into our state
capitals. From our state capitals it has gone into our local municipalities. It
is taking control of our schools. And secularism and Communism are exactly the
same thing. They are both atheistic, godless systems of
government. [applause]
That is what has now taken over our country. It didn't happen overnight,
ladies and gentlemen. This happened over 40 years of just quietly maneuvering
and getting their politicians in power, and getting their politicians in place.
And I say, "Enough. It's time for the Church to be heard. [applause] It's the
time for the Church to be heard, okay?" My father said in 1976, he said, "Get
involved in the political process." He said this coming year is an election
year. He said, "I'd like to challenge every deeply committed American who is
qualified to think about running for political office." He said, "I don't
believe we as Christians should withdraw. We need men and women of integrity,
Christian commitment, who will run for political office this coming year, no
matter to which political party they belong." Now I have people say to me,
"Franklin, how about separation of Church and state?" Well, how about it? How
about that? Our founding fathers never intended for Christians, when they get
elected to office, to leave their Christian faith out here on the steps.
[applause]
And that's
what's happened. Politicians have left their faith out here on the steps and
they go in there and make decisions that screw up everybody's life. [applause]
Because it's godlessness, this atheistic godlessness, this is what it is and
that's what's happening to our country, ladies and gentlemen. So this separation
of Church and state, we need to [elect] men and women who are not afraid to go
in there and to stand for God's truth and his principles. [applause]
(Photo: Aimee Herd/BCN)
See I believe that it's the duty of Christian men and women to offer
themselves for public office. One more reason we've had such bad political
leaders, because in some places it's only the bad ones that offer themselves for
office. There are many places in which Christian men and women could get the
vote if only they offered themselves. Daniel in the Bible, he lived in one of
the most heathen countries in the world, but he was Prime Minister under seven
different kings and two different empires. We need Daniels today. [applause] Now
the choice may not always be clear, okay? It may not always be clear. But you
have to ask yourself, which of the candidates, at least, is going to listen to
us Christians? Which of the candidates are going to at least invite us to the
table to get our opinion? That's going to be important. You might have to hold
your nose when you go to the polls [laughter].
Now we talk a lot about the national election, and this has been very
interesting this year, okay? It's been a lot of fun to watch all this stuff take
place, but I'm not talking right now about the national elections, that's
important, you've got to go vote, I'm not going to tell you who to go vote for.
God will tell you who to vote for, okay? God will do that. But when I think
about your state, what can make a difference? The Mayor's races, you know how
important the Mayor races are? We need Christian men and women running for
Mayors. Could you imagine if every municipality across this great state of
Oregon was controlled by a Bible believing Christian? The impact that that would
have? [applause] City Council, we need Christian City Council people—the county
commissioner, school boards. [applause] Could you imagine if the majority of the
school boards across this state were controlled by Evangelical Christians? The
impact that that would have on this state and the education of this state for
the next 20 years. It could happen. It can happen.
I want you
to vote. Vote. Say, "But, Franklin, what do you want us to do? We're all here
today, we prayed. What do you want us to do?" I want you to go back home. When
you get back home—listen up pastors, you can do this too —look for people in
your community that you think might be a good mayor. A good, strong Christian
who could be a mayor. Pastors, start looking in your Churches. You think you got
somebody who's smart and sharp and who's willing to run, talk to some of the
other pastors and get behind them and organize for them. Everyone one of you
here, listen, every one of you could run for something and win. You say, "But
Franklin, come on, be realistic. We don't have time for this [chuckles]."
Really? School boards, you think they meet every day? No, they meet sometimes
once a month. Maybe it's once every two months. And they meet for a few hours in
the evening. You think you could do that for your state, for your community? You
think you could offer yourself to sit on a school board, you better believe it.
Yes, you could... (Photo: Aimee Herd/BCN)
School Boards, County Commissioner. Listen, Mayors, every pastor, look
for somebody in your community that would make a great mayor. Let's get behind
them, and you can organize them. Now have you ever heard—now this may be a new
term for you folks out here in Oregon, have you ever heard this term 'community
organizer' [laughter]? You could become a community organizer for God. Or how
about the term a political activist? How about that one? You say, "Well, those
are just the people on the left." Well, let's take that back. All right? Let's
become political activists. Why not? Christians, the Church of Jesus Christ,
taking a stand for truth and righteousness, taking a stand for God's truth and
His Word. It can be done, but we've got to organize. Now I want you to go back
to your communities and form a prayer group. Just a handful of you begin to pray
for your community and looking for people you can get behind, going to pastors,
getting their help, getting their support, and if we can take your communities
back, if we can take your schools back, then we can take capitals like this
back, if then we can take capitals like this back, we can take Washington back.
It can be done, it can be done.
You see, it's estimated that over 20 million Christians stayed home at
the last presidential election. Unbelievable. Elections are not won or lost by
millions of votes. Sometimes it comes down to a handful and if Christians turn
out it makes a difference. If you take New Hampshire race, 1974, John Durkin was
a Democrat and he was running against a Republican, Louis Wyman. On election
day, Wyman wins by 355 votes. They have a recount, Durkin won by 10 votes. They
had another recount, Wyman won by 2 votes [laughter]. So they called the seat
empty, they had a special election and finally Durkin won the election.
Elections are not won by necessarily huge numbers, sometimes it just comes down
to like this, just a handful of votes. Minnesota race, 2008; Al Franken, a
Democrat was running against Norm Coleman, a Republican—an incumbent—and
Franken won by 225 votes.
Now if 226
Christians had shown up, it would have made a difference, right? Or if 500
Christians had showed up, it would have made a difference. So Christians listen
to me. I'm not here to tell you who to vote for. I'm not here to do that. But
I'm telling you to vote, because if we don't vote, we're going to lose, and
we're going to lose big time. The next President is going to appoint,
immediately, a Supreme Court judge. During their term - if they have eight years
in office—they could possibly appoint up to five justices. And if those are the
wrong justices, let me warn you, the game is over fine friends. The game is
over. (Photo: Aimee Herd/BCN)
So we need to pray. Thank God. Bless this country again. I'll pray
that He would bless it again. But for you the Church, Christians, I want you to
vote. Get involved and come back to organize it. Vote. You see, every vote
counts. It's not that the enemy is at the gate, they've come through the gate,
because we've left the gates wide open, and we've allowed our moral walls to
deteriorate and to fall down. And I'd like to ask you today if you'd like
to do something. I'd like to ask you to join me in signing a pledge, all right?
Now this is a pledge to God and country, and I'm going to read it to you. If you
want ... you can go to our website [decisionamericatour.com] and read it
there...
Listen... Remember this. God has blessed this nation more than any other
nation in history. But we've turned our back as a nation. We've turned our back
on God. I believe that the judgement is just around the corner, but we've got a
chance, we've got an opportunity. And that's why I'm going to all 50 state
capitals. People ask me, "Franklin, are you running for office?" No, but I'm
running a campaign for God. That's what I'm doing.
And I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ, I believe that the Church
can make a difference in this election. I believe it can make a difference. They
could possibly, maybe turn this nation around, possibly. But the Church, if we
continue to pray and vote, let me tell you something, it will make a difference,
I promise you. You see, our job as Christians is to make the impact of Christ
felt in every phase of life—religious, social, economic and political. But we
must not do it on our own strength of wisdom. We can only do it as we surrender
ourselves completely to God, allowing Him to work in and through us. [applause]
Go back home. Go back to your communities and be an advocate for God's truth,
for His righteousness and let's elect men and women to office who will lead this
nation back to really being one nation under God that truthfully could say once
again, "In God We Trust." Source: www.breakingchristiannews.com/
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