Unfinished business ?
TwoSides2aCoin
Posts: 44,294 ✭✭✭✭✭
In keeping with the rules, I just could not post this in the U.S. Coin Forum, but it has to be told.
Subject: Billy Graham in New Orleans
>
>
> Billy Graham in New Orleans - 2007
>
>
> In what might prove to be the crowning achievement of an illustrious
> career in ministry, the 87-year-old evangelist, Billy Graham, shocked
> the 16,300 in attendance at the Celebration of Hope crusade in New Orleans
> Arena on Sunday Night. Touted in advance as possibly his last evangelistic
> crusade, Graham invited the packed house of evangelical Christians and the
> hundreds of new converts to join him on the one mile walk from the arena to
New Orleans' infamous Bourbon Street.
>
>
> "While we have seen God do tremendous things here the past couple of
> evenings. Yes, it is true that a great healing and a great many
> salvations have occurred within the confines of this auditorium. Still
> yet, there lies a great mountain in this city which needs to be conquered."
>
>
> Then taking from the Biblical Book of Joshua Chapter 14 he read, "I am
> this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as st rong this Day as on
> the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my
> strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me
this
> mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day," his voice suddenly
> sounding more forceful than during his 22 minute sermon.
>
> "I last preached in the City of New Orleans in 1954 and I felt then
> that there was some unfinished business. Tonight, in what very well
> might be my last evangelistic service, I aim to finish that business and lead
as
> many of you that would follow me to the multitude of lost souls that fill
> Bourbon Street tonight. That is my mountain! That is where we shall see the
harvest!" said Graham as the stadium erupted in cheers that lasted the next
several minutes.
>
> Utilizing a waiting mobility scooter, the elder Graham joined his son and heir
to the
> ministry, Franklin across the Arena floor and through the opened doors leading
> towards the French Quarter. In a show of solidarity and determination
> reminiscent of civil rights marches of the 1960's, nearly the entire capacity
crowd joined
> in the 20 minute trek while singing, "When the Saints Go Marching In".
>
>
> As the march crossed Canal Street and headed northward towards Bourbon
> Street, many onlookers stood in stunned silence as the massive crowd of
> people began singing in unison the Christian hymn, Amazing Grace. Upon
> entering the west end of Bourbon Street, Billy Graham was soon recognized by
partiers.
>
> Soon those joining in the march began to approach those partying on
> Bourbon Street with the Gospel message that they had heard preached just a
half
> hour before. Graham himself joined with a group of local street evangelist
> in ministering to a man who had survived Hurricane Katrina in the lower
> 9th Ward.
>
> Within 30 minutes the entirety of Bourbon Street was packed with
> Christians and the once blaring music of nightclubs and strip joints
> had been replaced by weeping and worship as people poured out their drinks and
> sought prayer from the Christians who were now reaching out to them.
>
>
> "I have never seen anything like this in my life," said 20 years New Orleans
Police Department
>
> veteran, Tom Phillips. "This is unbelievable! We thought a riot was going to
break out, but this looks more like a revival than a riot!"
>
> Two hours later, a glowing Graham sat back down on his scooter and
> smiled. "Now I know how the Apostle Paul must have felt at the end of
> his ministry. Do the work of an evangelist; make full proof of thy
> ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at
hand. I
> have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the
> faith."
>
> Hours later hundreds of Christians remained on the street ministering
> to the many people eagerly waiting to receive prayer and ministry. New
> Orleans will never be the same.
>
>
> And the press remained mute on this "news item?" Did anyone see it on TV/hear
it
>
> on radio/read it in the paper? Why are we not surprised? Well, just on a whim,
>
> spread the news, anyway. It cost our elder brother, Billy Graham, more than
any of us
>
> know to make that effort. The least we can do is publicize it.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> ---
>
> "I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out
>
> there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and find out there
> is."
Subject: Billy Graham in New Orleans
>
>
> Billy Graham in New Orleans - 2007
>
>
> In what might prove to be the crowning achievement of an illustrious
> career in ministry, the 87-year-old evangelist, Billy Graham, shocked
> the 16,300 in attendance at the Celebration of Hope crusade in New Orleans
> Arena on Sunday Night. Touted in advance as possibly his last evangelistic
> crusade, Graham invited the packed house of evangelical Christians and the
> hundreds of new converts to join him on the one mile walk from the arena to
New Orleans' infamous Bourbon Street.
>
>
> "While we have seen God do tremendous things here the past couple of
> evenings. Yes, it is true that a great healing and a great many
> salvations have occurred within the confines of this auditorium. Still
> yet, there lies a great mountain in this city which needs to be conquered."
>
>
> Then taking from the Biblical Book of Joshua Chapter 14 he read, "I am
> this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as st rong this Day as on
> the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my
> strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me
this
> mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day," his voice suddenly
> sounding more forceful than during his 22 minute sermon.
>
> "I last preached in the City of New Orleans in 1954 and I felt then
> that there was some unfinished business. Tonight, in what very well
> might be my last evangelistic service, I aim to finish that business and lead
as
> many of you that would follow me to the multitude of lost souls that fill
> Bourbon Street tonight. That is my mountain! That is where we shall see the
harvest!" said Graham as the stadium erupted in cheers that lasted the next
several minutes.
>
> Utilizing a waiting mobility scooter, the elder Graham joined his son and heir
to the
> ministry, Franklin across the Arena floor and through the opened doors leading
> towards the French Quarter. In a show of solidarity and determination
> reminiscent of civil rights marches of the 1960's, nearly the entire capacity
crowd joined
> in the 20 minute trek while singing, "When the Saints Go Marching In".
>
>
> As the march crossed Canal Street and headed northward towards Bourbon
> Street, many onlookers stood in stunned silence as the massive crowd of
> people began singing in unison the Christian hymn, Amazing Grace. Upon
> entering the west end of Bourbon Street, Billy Graham was soon recognized by
partiers.
>
> Soon those joining in the march began to approach those partying on
> Bourbon Street with the Gospel message that they had heard preached just a
half
> hour before. Graham himself joined with a group of local street evangelist
> in ministering to a man who had survived Hurricane Katrina in the lower
> 9th Ward.
>
> Within 30 minutes the entirety of Bourbon Street was packed with
> Christians and the once blaring music of nightclubs and strip joints
> had been replaced by weeping and worship as people poured out their drinks and
> sought prayer from the Christians who were now reaching out to them.
>
>
> "I have never seen anything like this in my life," said 20 years New Orleans
Police Department
>
> veteran, Tom Phillips. "This is unbelievable! We thought a riot was going to
break out, but this looks more like a revival than a riot!"
>
> Two hours later, a glowing Graham sat back down on his scooter and
> smiled. "Now I know how the Apostle Paul must have felt at the end of
> his ministry. Do the work of an evangelist; make full proof of thy
> ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at
hand. I
> have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the
> faith."
>
> Hours later hundreds of Christians remained on the street ministering
> to the many people eagerly waiting to receive prayer and ministry. New
> Orleans will never be the same.
>
>
> And the press remained mute on this "news item?" Did anyone see it on TV/hear
it
>
> on radio/read it in the paper? Why are we not surprised? Well, just on a whim,
>
> spread the news, anyway. It cost our elder brother, Billy Graham, more than
any of us
>
> know to make that effort. The least we can do is publicize it.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> ---
>
> "I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out
>
> there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and find out there
> is."
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