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While the press and progressive politicians are doing everything humanly possible to "get their hands on Trump" and destroy his presidency, a diverse group of evangelicals met with the president this week in the Oval Office, laid hands on him, and prayed for him.
This practice is seen in both the Old Testament and the New Testament---however, some secular critics see it as something conjured up by misled evangelicals in 2017.
Some evangelicals believe those who are praying for the president are misled.
President Trump returned to Washington late Saturday from his trip to Europe.
Monday, he welcomed evangelical leaders into the Oval Office for conversation and prayer.
Both the Daily Mail and CNN have published photos showing the group surrounding President Trump and laying hands on his shoulders as his head is bent in prayer.
Laying on of hands is a Judeo-Christian practice that dates back to earliest biblical times.
Acts 8:17 says, "Then they began laying hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit." Deuteronomy 34:9 describes the laying on of hands on Joshua by Moses, asking God to give Joshua strength and wisdom as a leader. Acts 6:6 says the apostles laid hands on those "who were brought before them," and Luke 4:40 says, "While the sun was setting, all those who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; [Jesus] and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them."
Pictures of the prayer gathering show a very diverse group of evangelicals---Southern Baptists, Pentecostals and Independent, non-denominational ministers.
The pictures show Vice President Mike Pence, former senior vice-president of Liberty University Johnnie Moore, Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Texas, former Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, and a number of Pentecostals and independents.
Evangelicals like Johnnie Moore believe deeply about praying for the president. He described the meeting as a "light-hearted visit among friends---ending in a prayer meeting."
Moore told CNN, "We similarly prayed for President Obama but it's different with President Trump. When we were praying for President Trump, we were praying within the context of a real relationship, of true friendship."
President Trump is well aware that 81% of white evangelicals voted for him. He has often restated his promise to support those issues that are important to us---unlike President Obama.
Initially, many evangelical leaders endorsed other presidential candidates like Carson, Huckabee, Cruz, and Rubio, however, after Trump secured the nomination and since he has taken office, his support has grown and remains steady despite the media attempt to bring him down.
Johnnie Moore says, "Evangelicals feel the door to the White House is as open as it has ever been before, even compared to Reagan according to several whose career began during the Reagan years."
Johnnie Moore also posted some of these thoughts on Twitter--social media exploded in anger.
But it is not only the secularists and the media who would like to get their hands on the president, some who claim to be evangelical strongly oppose supporting the president in prayer or otherwise.
During the election authors Max Lucado, Tim Keller, Beth Moore and a number of others publicly used their influence among Christians to defeat Trump's candidacy.
How can one who claims belief in biblical teaching, support a political candidate who champions homosexual behavior, redefining marriage, abortion and a number of other core Christian beliefs?
Hillary not only supports abortion but has been awarded the Margaret Sanger Award. Sanger was the founder of Planned Parenthood.
How does a Christian reconcile that position as they bow their head in prayer to the God who established marriage as between one man and one woman, declared homosexual behavior as an abomination and said: "Thou shalt not kill."
About a week ago, Pastor Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, TX., hosted the "Celebrate Freedom Concert" in Washington DC's Lincoln Center. President Trump was the featured speaker.
The First Baptist choir performed a song that has been written and arranged by a former minister of music at the Dallas church which is patriotic and carries the theme of the slogan "Make America Great Again."
Christians, not secularists, have now attacked Pastor Jeffress.
A blog by Erick Erickson in his Resurgent website says the song, which carries patriotic lyrics, "crosses the line into idolatry."
Cal Davenport, writing on Erickson's website says, "The church has no business putting faith in and singing songs in honor of worldly leaders."
Jonathan Aigner, who is a director of music at a PCUSA church, says the song has now been "adopted" by a good number of churches as part of their gospel.
"It's not only their candidate's campaign slogan, now it's part of their gospel," he says.
He added, "It's their mantra, their creed, their prayer, and they shout it out with nationalistic fervor...they pray a blasphemous prayer to a red, white and blue Jesus."
I would assume the Presbyterian church in which Aigner serves is a very conservative one, otherwise, he would be in a very difficult position blasting evangelicals who support Trump, while taking a paycheck from a church that is redefining marriage and ignoring explicit biblical teaching on human sexuality.
And who did Erickson, Davenport, and Aigner think should become President of the United States?
The only other real choice was Hillary.
Pastor Robert Jeffress told the Christian Post awhile back, "There has been no American president in history who has reached out to evangelicals to the extent that President Trump has done."
He said, "People would be surprised at how many believers there are in the Trump Administration. Very dedicated Christians."
And I repeat, Johnnie Moore: "Evangelicals feel the door to the White House is as open as it has ever been, even compared to Reagan..."
It has been said, "No good deed goes unpunished."
Be Informed. Be Prayerful. Pray for the President.