The Final Round?

The Las Vegas Review-Journal opened their feature story yesterday afternoon with this:

"The final round for Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump will unfold in Las Vegas, a city known for high-stake wagers."

The paper continued, "The third of three presidential debates will be the last chance for either candidate to deliver a knockout blow in front of a prime time audience before the Nov. 8 election."


The Las Vegas Review-Journal predicted last night's debate in these terms:

"It will give Trump, the Republican nominee, a chance to try turning around his political fortunes, particularly in key battleground states such as Nevada."

"It will give Clinton, the Democratic nominee, a chance to further solidify her lead in national polls."

Michael McDonald, chairman of the Nevada State Republican Party, told the Review-Journal that he believed Chris Wallace would moderate fairly, and, "There's a lot at stake here in Nevada...I think that both candidates will be at the top of their game. I know for a fact Mr. Trump is preparing."

Roberta Lange, chairwoman of the Nevada State Democratic Party, said she expected Hillary to deliver substance and the debate will "build enthusiasm in advance of early voting, which starts Saturday in Nevada."

Today, Americans will be sorting out how they feel about what they saw and heard last night.

It has been said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

And in regard to last night's debate being the "final round"...perhaps of the public debates, but the collective national debate regarding the future of America will continue. It will not end last night, nor will it end after 8 PM Pacific Time, November 8.

Former baseball great Yoggi Berra once said, "It ain't over till its over."

It ain't gonna be over anytime soon, because the great debate in America is about a great spiritual divide over what role, if any, God will play in America.

Last night's debate did not bring a conclusion to the debate---the great debate over the future of our country will continue.

I will be talking about the debate this morning on our live radio program. You can join me from anywhere in the world on the radio, on your computer or on your phone---live at 9 AM Pacific Time. Here's how.

One thing is certain, America is a divided nation, and while the division is obvious in our politics, it's about more than politics.

It's about what we believe in our hearts to be true. And what we are willing to publicly stand for.

Yesterday afternoon, The Christian Post published an article containing some thoughts from Franklin Graham. His thoughts are my thoughts. This is the article:

Evangelical leader the Rev. Franklin Graham has said that despite all the stress and negativity of the ongoing presidential election season, he is still praying that God will give America a president that will follow Him.

"I am praying for God to give us a president, a vice president, and other leaders in this country who will acknowledge Him and look to Him for direction. But no matter who is in the Oval Office, God is still on His throne. My hope is in Him. He is what our country needs. 'And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you' (Psalm 39:7)," Graham wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.

He shared information from the American Psychological Association which revealed that the election season is a major source of stress for half of all Americans, and is being dubbed "Election Stress Disorder."

Graham, who has not endorsed either Republican nominee Donald Trump nor his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for president, remarked that it has been an "ugly campaign season with a lot of surprises."

"Yes, both candidates need God's help. Yes, this is a critical election and a lot is at stake — namely the Supreme Court. There's no question that Christians need to pray, to be involved, and to vote even in a tough election," he added.

The president of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association said that believers need to turn to the Bible for help and hope, because ultimately God is in control.

Graham toured all 50 American states on his Decision America Tour, which encouraged Christians to get involved and vote on biblical principles come November 8.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our country's in trouble. You know that. And there's no party or individual that can fix it," Graham said earlier in October at Virginia's capitol grounds during one off his last stops.

"I have no hope in the Democratic Party. Before you Republicans start doing back flips, I have zero hope in the Republican Party. The only hope for this country is God."

Graham has said on numerous occasions that the future of the Supreme Court will be one of the deciding factors in the election.

"First of all, when it comes to the presidential election, it's not about emails that are lost, it's not about crude and vulgar language. That's not what this vote is about. It's about the Supreme Court," Graham told The Christian Post in an interview.

"You have to choose for yourself, I'm not going to tell you who to vote for. But you just have to look at the two candidates and what they stand for."

In another interview on The Supreme Court, he added:

"There's no question, Trump and Clinton scandals might be news for the moment, but who they appoint to the Supreme Court will remake the fabric of our society for our children and our grandchildren, for generations to come."

I am personally grateful for leaders like Franklin and others with a national and international voice who have taken leadership on this issue, even though others have chosen to remain "silent and safe."

The well known minister of America's Second Great Awakening, Charles Finney, warned, "The Church must take ground in regards to politics...The time has come that Christians must vote...God cannot sustain this free and blessed country which we love and pray for unless the Church will take right ground. Politics are part of a religion in such a country as this and Christians must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God."

Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Bold. Be Faithful. Be Prayerful. Be Blessed.