"FRANKLIN GRAHAM CITES GOD-FACTOR IN THE RESULTS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION" - By Jennifer Harper - The Washington Times - November 11, 2016; http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/nov/11/franklin-graham-cites-a-god-factor-in-the-outcome-/ [AS I SEE IT: I have been blogging HERE the past 4 years to inform people about the issues of the day and have prayed daily for the leadership of our country. Only God knows how much of a factor the prayers of millions of believers were in the results of this election. But as I reflect on watching the returns this past Tuesday night, no matter what outcome you hoped for, you could sense there was something very special going on. In my view, what happened was another evidence in my life that "all things are possible with God" - Mark 10:27 - Stan]
While pollsters and the news media are still wondering how President-elect Donald Trump won the White House, evangelist Franklin Graham now cites the influence of faith and prayer in the outcome of a historic election.
“Did God show up? In watching the news after the election, the secular media keep asking ‘How did this happen?’ ‘What went wrong?’ ‘How did we miss this? Some are in shock. Political pundits are stunned. Many thought the Trump/Pence ticket didn’t have a chance. None of them understand the God-factor,” Mr. Graham wrote in a new Facebook post on Thursday.
“Hundreds of thousands of Christians from across the United States have been praying. This year they came out to every state capitol to pray for this election and for the future of America. Prayer groups were started. Families prayed. Churches prayed. Then Christians went to the polls, and God showed up,” he continued.
“While the media scratches their heads and tries to understand how this happened, I believe that God’s hand intervened Tuesday night to stop the godless, atheistic progressive agenda from taking control of our country,” Mr. Graham said.
In the days leading up to the election, the pastor asked Americans to pray for the nation and for the candidates and other elected officials. On election eve Monday night, Mr. Graham himself prayed in a live online broadcast viewed by and estimated 1.5 million people.
“President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence are going to need a lot of help and they will continue to need a lot of prayer,” Mr. Graham added. “I pray that President-elect Trump will surround himself with godly men and women to help advise and counsel him as he leads the nation. My prayer is that God will bless America again!”
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"DOES OUR NATION HAVE A PRAYER?" - Jerry Newcombe | Nov 10, 2016; http://townhall.com/columnists/jerrynewcombe/2016/11/10/does-our-nation-have-a-prayer-n2243654 [AS I SEE IT: You could interpret that title of this article (and its closing sentence) to somehow refer to our nation having had elected Donald Trump as it's next President. Knowing the author of this article from work he has done, I don't believe he meant it in that regard. I for one am hopeful of our country having a chance to head in the right direction with our President-elect more than I would have been with Mrs. Clinton, in light of her dangerous worldview. You, of course, are free to disagree with me, but as Christians, we can truly be hopeful for good things to result, if only because we serve a sovereign God who WILL accomplish His GOOD purposes no matter what earthly person leads us. May this election cause all believers to recommit to praying for all our leaders, that they will serve us with integrity, accountability, Godly wisdom, and they will DO NO HARM to us or to future generations by their actions. Truly, may AMERICA BLESS GOD through its leaders in the years ahead. - Stan]
David Barton, a walking encyclopedia on America’s Christian roots, once told me that between 1633 and 1812, there were over 1400 official “government-issued” prayer proclamations---calling for fasting, prayer, or thanksgiving to God. (W. De Loss Love,The Fast and Thanksgiving Days of New England (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, and Company, 1895), pp. 464-514, "Calendar.") Many of these were in the New England colonies, with their Puritan influence---but not exclusively.
For example, our Continental Congress called on Americans to pray on March 16, 1776---months before we even declared independence----for God’s help because of the danger in the brewing conflict with Mother England. This wasn’t some sort of “To Whom It May Concern” watered-down, mamby-pamby prayer---like what we’re used to in our politically correct age.
In that proclamation, the founding fathers wrote: “The Congress…do earnestly recommend, that Friday, the Seventeenth day of May next, be observed by the said colonies as a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer; that we may, with united hearts, confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and, by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous displeasure, and, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness; humbly imploring his assistance to frustrate the cruel purposes of our unnatural enemies; and by inclining their hearts to justice and benevolence, prevent the further effusion of kindred blood.”
Those prayers were answered. Who could have predicted that 13 colonies with a ragtag army of farmers and mechanics could take on the empire with the most powerful army and navy in the world at that time…and prevail?
After the Constitution was written, Congress asked the new president to declare a day of prayer and thanksgiving to thank God for this opportunity to create our new government.
So on 10/3/1789, George Washington wrote up a proclamation of prayer and thanksgiving:
“…it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor….And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions…” His hearers, being biblically literate, knew that the “Ruler of Nations” referred to Jesus (Rev. 12:5).
As one of the early governors of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson issued a “Proclamation for a Public Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer” (11/11/1779). In that proclamation, he quoted from an announcement from the Continental Congress (10/20/1779), which included these words (talking about Almighty God): “…he hath diffused the glorious light of the gospel, whereby, through the merits of our gracious Redeemer, we may become the heirs of his eternal glory…that he would grant to his church the plentiful effusions of divine grace, and pour out his holy spirit on all ministers of the gospel…”
... Later, President James Madison issued a prayer proclamation as our nation’s chief executive officer “in the present time of public calamity and war.” This was shortly after the British had attacked our nation’s capital. They even burned down the Capitol building and the White House.
President Lincoln called for prayer during the dark days of the Civil War, wherein he lamented that because of our success as a nation, “we have forgotten God.”
Author and speaker William J. Federer compiled a book on Prayers & Presidents. He noted in that book, “Days of Prayer have a long history in America. Colonists declared Days of Prayer during droughts, Indian attacks and threats from other nations.” He reproduced in his book (dated 2010) prayers from Presidents Washington through George W. Bush.
As President Reagan said of the American people at a prayer breakfast (8/23/1984): “We command no worship. We mandate no belief. But we poison our society when we remove its theological underpinnings. We court corruption when we leave it bereft of belief.”
America needs our prayers now, perhaps more than ever.
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"Anne Graham Lotz on How the Church Can Help the Nation Heal" - CBN News, 11-10-2016; http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2016/november/anne-graham-lotz-on-how-the-church-can-help-the-nation-heal?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM
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