Franklin Graham tweeted two days ago....two days ago....a picture of he and Donald Trump....and added...."I miss him." Why on God's green earth would he do that? I wonder if the Reverend Graham has read one single solitary book....or possibly one article....on who Donald Trump really is. I've posted a few times....and in the post below this....on how Franklin tweeted after the 2020 State of the Union address...."After watching the State of the Union address tonight, my reaction is-Thank you Mr. President for reminding Americans why they voted for you in the last election." This was a man....Donald Trump....who led evangelicals and Christians astray for four years....brought great division within the church....set us to war against masks instead of"the passions at war within [us]"....and "following the course of the world"....telling us how glorious our future here in America would be....if this isn't a false prophet then what would be? This is a man who the Apostle Paul's words on whom to avoid could serve as a resume for Donald Trump....(please see the Bible verses below)....as right up to this morning....seven months after being out of office....Donald Trump continues to tear this nation apart in his quest of only thing only....his own personal glory.
Yet Franklin Graham continues to bring the politics of Donald Trump into the church. I just listened once again to the eulogy that he gave for his father at the Billy Graham Library. At the time.....early 2018....when I read that he would speak....and that Donald Trump and so many other government and world leaders would be present....I was so filled with excited expectation that I posted on the upcoming funeral....and advertised the Sirius channel on my truck....purposely taking a drive....as the funeral was going on! When that eulogy was over I was disappointed. I posted that Trump had at least heard the gospel....but the message was a typical modern....'Jesus loves you....won't you trust in Him'....type of message. It was salvation by choice without any mortification. The gospel was there....but there was no real immediacy....and no warning that God would not be mocked....and no rebuke. It was an invitation to believe....but not a command to believe. It would be easy for the listener.....no matter who they might be....to just say.....'yeah....that's me....I believe in Jesus'....and then glance at their watch as if to wonder....'how much longer?'.
The charismatics are still going to be there....preaching Trump crucified....but I wonder what John MacArthur thinks of Donald Trump today? I wonder what Robert Jeffress thinks about him? I probably know what Jonathan Cahn still thinks about him. Franklin Graham added in his tweet of two days ago....'pray for him'....(Trump). I prayed for Trump often....and wrote a whole post that was nothing but a prayer for him.....but I then decided to read about him....for none of us evangelicals really knew who he was prior to the 2016 election other than he built towers and golfed and had a TV show. Eighty five books later....and I still pray about Trump....I pray that God might open our eyes to this man....and humble us for having been so gullible.
"And Jesus answered and said unto them. Take heed that no man deceive you..." Matthew 24:4 (Donald Trump deceived us....but you will never see that if you refuse to read about him)
"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." Matthew 24:11 (Donald Trump prophesies the opposite of what does God's Word tells us)
"Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, that they may believe what is false." 1 Thessalonians 2:11 (would not Trump's MAGA be such a delusion)
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self (DJT), lovers of money, (DJT) proud, (DJT) arrogant, (DJT) abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, (DJT) unappeasable, (DJT) slanderous, (DJT) without self-control, (DJT) brutal, (DJT) not loving good, (DJT) swollen with conceit, (DJT) lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, (DJT) having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." (2 Tim 3:1-5)
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:15-16a) (would this not refer to Donald Trump)
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world..." 1 John 4:1 (Would not Donald Trump be one)
"For there shall be false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect." Matthew 24:24 (was not "the greatest economy in the history of our country" just such a great sign and great wonder)
"....for by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Romans 16:18 (This is what we have experienced on a daily basis through Tweets and rallies and talk radio)
"....but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears..." 2 Timothy 4:3 (that's what we have done)
"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace..." 1 Corinthians 14:33 ("fear is power"..."I bring out rage. I always have" DJT)
"...they are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and delusions of their own minds." Jeremiah 14:14 ("Our best days are yet to come")
"...they fill you with false hopes..." Jeremiah 23:16 ("winning winning winning")
"Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets." Luke 6:26 (whatever state Trump is in today will be "the great state of" and whatever congressman that will be on the dais with him will "your great representative" and whatever people he gives a speech to will be "the great people of...")
"in their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories." 2 Peter 2
"Thus says the Lord GOD, woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing. Your prophets have been like jackals among the ruins..." Ezekiel 13 (Paula White et al)
"For when they say 'Peace and safety' then sudden destruction comes upon them..." 1 Thessalonians 5:3 (and we're gonna make America....(as everyone at the rally repeats)....SAFE again.)
Addendum: Franklin Graham is a good man....a better man than I am....he is an evangelist....and his Samaritan's Purse is a wonderful ministry to the needy....but his weaknesses on these issues have always been astounding....especially after his father made similar mistakes early in his ministry....and ruefully acknowledged them the rest of his life. I wrote a post back in the summer of 2017....while watching a Trump rally in Phoenix, Franklin Graham had taken the podium and gave a wonderful prayer....a prayer that he should have given at his father's funeral. I was so excited that I was trying to type his words while I listened to them....for this is what we needed to hear. He finished....and walked slowly off the stage.....followed by Vice President Pence....and within a minute the crowd was back to roaring.....USA....USA....USA! I thought for sure that Rev. Graham would pick up on what had happened....that a prayer was just talisman at Trump rallies....a good luck chant....that the real hope was in the power of the USA....but he never did....and missed everything about who Donald Trump really is....and what America really needs....and who our whole trust....and our whole hope is to be in....and is missing it to this day.
Update....October 22, 2021
Note: Franklin Graham tweeted twice recently some good advice about Facebook and Twitter.....asking them if it would not be better...."to encourage debate rather than censor it"....and to...."just let the people debate their points....?" Some good thoughts....but does he not realize that Donald Trump has continuously censored us by purging any and all republicans who dare not to bow down to him....and has tried to regulate all of our information by calling everything that does not praise him....Fake News? The Republican Party....in defense of Trump....has consistently attempted to censor information on Trump....through what is going on right now by not letting people testify....and attempting to sabotage the whole congressional investigation of the violent insurrection of January 6....and by letting Trump over the years get rid of watchdogs and inspector generals when they were speaking out....and by labeling whistleblowers who testify against Trump as traitors....but whistleblowers who testify against the other side.....heroes....and by limiting primaries! Of course Franklin Graham does not know of these these things....for he brought politics into his wonderful ministry....and was devoured by this wolf in sheep's clothing.
