Franklin Graham: Obama Needs God's Guidance Over North Korea Decisions
As President Barack Obama deliberates how to respond to the growing threat of a North Korea attack, evangelist Franklin Graham says people need to pray for God to give wisdom to the U.S. leader during this critical time.
"First of all, I think we need to pray," Graham said in an interview with CNN's "Starting Point." "We need to pray for our president, we need to pray that God will give him wisdom as he makes decisions at this point. This is a very critical time, right now, for our country and we need to come behind our president and support him with prayer."
CEO of Samaritan's Purse, a Christian humanitarian organization, and son of famous evangelist Billy Graham, Graham has traveled to North Korea a number of times to speak with foreign embassy and church leaders. The Kim Jong-un led country has been classified as the most oppressive nation in the world by watchdog Open Doors USA for its persecution of Christians.
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North Korea has also been increasing the pressure on world leaders to respond to its growing threats of war. For the past few months it has warned both South Korea and the U.S. that war is imminent, which would end the 1954 armistice agreement that halted the Korean War.
"For 60 years, we've had our armies there on the border and nothing has changed. We need to find a way forward that would somehow bring peace to the peninsula. The North wants that, I believe, and the South wants that very much. But how we get there, we just need God to give wisdom," Graham offered.
A CNN poll showed that Americans are worried about a nuclear threat now more than ever, with 41 percent of respondents to a survey categorizing North Korea an immediate threat.
The evangelist insisted that one of the most important steps for peace would be convincing the North Korean people that Americans are not their enemy, that they are their friends and that together they can work to end the hostile relations.
"I want them to know there is a God who loves them and cares for them, who sent a savior whose name is Jesus Christ, who came to Earth to die for their sins and we can be forgiven," Graham stated. "We want the leadership in the North to know that God does love them. And they need His help at this time, just like we need His help."
