The Rev. Billy Graham wears sunglasses Saturday night to shield his eyes from the setting sun. (He had just undergone 3 recent eye surgeries.....83 years old!)
Posted on 07/01/2002 3:02:49 PM PDT by xzins
Graham reveals weakened health : Physical limitations weighing on evangelist
By Richelle Thompson rthompson@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Rev. Billy Graham says he feels weaker during this mission than ever, that he almost fainted here Friday night, and that he has no plans for missions after a four-day event in Dallas-Fort Worth in October.
In his first extensive interview in nine months, the 83-year-old evangelist spoke Saturday about his ailing health, the struggle of good and evil in Cincinnati, the spiritual impacts of Sept. 11, and the duty of Christians to convert Muslims and others to Jesus Christ.
“I have felt within me a battle that Satan is opposing these meetings, as he always opposes the Gospel, and I've sensed it a little more here than I have in other places,” the Rev. Mr. Graham said.
“It may be something within me, my physical condition, which is the weakest it's ever been in holding meetings. It could be the problems that have been here, and the devil doesn't want us to make a positive contribution. I just don't know.”
But the Rev. Mr. Graham was both upbeat and philosophical in the 30-minute interview, saying Cincinnati would be a good place for his mortal life to end.
Suffering from the neurological disorder of Parkinson's disease and other problems, the Rev. Mr. Graham said his failing health poses a major obstacle to future ministry. Often in the afternoons, numbness sweeps through his body, he said.
But he said he eagerly awaits the eternal reward of heaven. When Christians die, their spirits leave the body and go straight into a new body that Christ has prepared, he said.
“All glory lies ahead. And I'm looking forward to it with great anticipation. I wish it would happen while I was here. It's going to be a tremendous and glorious experience.”
The Rev. Mr. Graham said he felt a pull to Cincinnati even before April 2001, when three days of race riots erupted and a citywide curfew was declared. The Rev. Mr. Graham has touched on racism and urged racial unity in sermons that have focused on the message of salvation through Jesus Christ that he has preached for more than five decades.
Like so many around the world, the Rev. Mr. Graham was deeply shaken by the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 and believes they caused a “radical change” in society. The attacks have spurred a spiritual awakening and interest in the second coming of Christ, he said.
The evangelist said he considered preaching about the end times, but decided his final message to Cincinnati this evening will focus on the Biblical story of the prodigal son — “how the father waited for him and loved him and welcomed him.”
In the wake of interfaith efforts since Sept. 11, the Rev. Mr. Graham said Christians should spread the Gospel and convert Muslims.
“As a Christian, we are to present the Gospel to every group,” he said. “But I never target a group like Jews or Muslims. They're all welcome to come to our meetings. I hope that many of them will come. But I never target them. That's up to God, the Holy Spirit.”
The Rev. Mr. Graham made a public apology a week ago to local Jewish leaders for negative remarks he made 30 years ago to President Richard Nixon.
“We need to do everything we can to be friends and neighbors to those chosen by God to be his people,” the Rev. Mr. Graham said in his sermon Friday.
The Rev. Mr. Graham said he appreciated the reception he's received in Cincinnati and the efforts of so many volunteers and community leaders to prepare for the mission. Attendance has been lower than local and national mission organizers expected, but the Rev. Mr. Graham said he's pleased overall.
“I think Rick (Marshall, the head of missions) and some of them felt there would be more, but my experience is that with the population you have, we have a very large attendance,” he said. “When you look at that big stadi um and they said it was going to be filled, I knew it was not going to be filled. I've been in too many stadiums.”
He didn't expect the heat.
“I need an air-conditioned pulpit,” the evangelist said. “I didn't know it was going to be this hot, and heat takes it out of you, you know, when you're speaking.”
The Rev. Mr. Graham said he prays that the spirit of cooperation continues after the mission ends. He's heard of many people who commited their lives to Jesus at his last crusade in Cincinnati in 1977 and have become community leaders.
“It will be five years I think before you can see the real results of these meetings.”
He knows his legacy will live on in the thousands who were saved on the field of Paul Brown Stadium and through the more than 210 million people worldwide who have heard him preach.
“Many people have come to Christ as a result of my participation in presenting the Gospel to them,” the Rev. Mr. Graham said. “It's all the work of the Holy Spirit.”
At the invitation to receive Christ THOUSANDS rose from their seats. I estimate the field before the stage filled with 15-20 thousand people. They listed that as a minimum of 2000 inquirers, so many must have come in support of them, or perhaps for rededication.
I confess that there was nothing "oratorically perfect" about the sermon. It was very simple. Billy Graham did, however, have throughout the sermon direct statements to those in the congregation who might be lost or backslidden. They were brief statements of fact that sinners/backsliders would take to heart or encouragements to receive Christ and forsake sin that apparently spoke to many hearts.
The response was miraculous. I testify that I witnessed a miracle last night. God used that average sermon, a year of preparatory prayer, a community focused on bringing "friends ripe for Jesus" to the crusade, and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to result in a response like I have never before witnessed!!
The angels in heaven are singing.
Graham had just had eye surgery and could not look at bright lights for the first part of the service (he was facing the Sun) and at the very end when the stage lights were turned on.
There sermon, a very simple rendering of The Prodigal Son, highlighted the father's love for his son. The father wasn't looking to condemn the boy or to judge the boy....he just wanted him found out of his lostness.
God is in an accepting time, a time of grace, rather than in a time of condemnation.
Hallelujah for the thousands saved.
The Rev. Billy Graham wears sunglasses Saturday night to shield his eyes from the setting sun. (He had just undergone 3 recent eye surgeries.....83 years old!)
article in cincy enquirer --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Excerpts from Billy Graham's Sunday night sermon, which focused on the New Testament parable of the prodigal son found in the gospel of Luke:
The Rev. Mr. Graham waves as he leaves the stage Sunday night.
“Do you want to sing with me,” said Grammy winner George Beverly Shea. “Maybe later,” Graham said.
“We're going to advertise ourselves as "older men for Christ.”'
“Tonight, there are so many things I'd like to say on this closing night in Cincinnati. I don't know when we'll be back. We haven't been invited yet. (applause) I want to thank all those people who worked behind the scenes .. and Anthony Munoz ...”
“But I want to thank my son, Franklin, whose been standing here ready to preach. One night, they told me it was over 100 degrees in here.”
“Once, there were all these bugs flying around. Some of them even flew in my mouth. One was a special bug -- he tasted pretty good. ... But that's just one of hundreds of storie
s I could tell.” “I want to thank all of you. I wish I could come to all of your homes and drink tea with you . Or call you. Even if you don't like tea, you would like a call.”
“It's been too much to come here on the heels of the National Underground Freedom Center. ... As long as I live, I want to make it back for the opening of that.”
“There's one story that I want to tell. It's a story of a son who wanted to leave home. ... Many people ask me what God is like. I think that this story says what God is like more than any other story in the Bible. ... There is a son who wanted to get lost. ... He wanted to live his life as he pleased and he didn't want anyone to see. ... He didn't want to wait for his father to die.”
“You go to church. You've been baptized. ... But deep down inside you don't really belong to Christ. This boy was running from himself. All around here, there are people who do the same.”
“Sex. Greed. Fraud. ... He was involved in all of it.”
“His physical hunger is a picture of our spiritual hunger. There are millions of people in the world who are physically hungry. There are millions more who are spiritually hungry. Maybe you don't have the peace and the satisfaction you want.”
“Jesus said there's two roads. One is broad ... and it leads to disaster. There the narrow ... and it leads to eternal life.”
“(The story) is also a picture of a young man's repentance. ... He realized he had sinned and he wanted to confess and cast his sin.”
“To repent means that you change. You turn around. You change direction. You take another road. ... That's why we give this invitation.”
“It gives people (the chance) to take a step to repentance. Many of you need to take that step.”
“The day is coming when God will judge the world. But today is a day is grace.”
“Not because we deserve it, but because of what Christ did on the cross. ... You don't have to do anything for it. God gives it to you.”
“If you were the only person in the world that needed him, he would have died for you. ... On the third day, he rose again. And tonight, he's a living God.”
“The longer you travel along that road away from God, the less you will think you need him. ... Cincinnati may never have another moment like this again.”
“If you feel a tug in your heart at all, then it's not too late.”
“Do come tonight. God is waiting to receive you with open arms..”
“(The father) didn't condemn his son. He just hugged him and welcomed him home.”
“The Bible says there's joy in heaven over one person's repentance.”
“He has a gift for you. He's waiting to welcome you. ... There may never be another moment like this. Don't let this moment pass for you.”
This should be proof to you of the PREPARING-YOUR-HEART GRACE OF GOD at work in your life!!
The Holy Spirit works to convict us of sin, righteousness, and judgement! His love prepares us to receive Christ by making our consciences sense guilt! Hallelujah for the grace of God.
You have that right. What a wonderful implement of God! That's for sharing the wonderful account.
As I mentioned, Rn. The bible says that the preacher is an important part of the conviction/salvation event. The bible also says there is such a thing as the gift of evangelism.
That's not me saying anything other than what the bible teaches. Of course, I don't think men do the saving. That's a silly thought.
To: RnMomof7
See that is the trouble with the souls Billy Graham saves.. He provides the emotional conditions. the right music , the right message..now we add the power of mans will and then some of Gods grace and maybe you have someone saved..But because mans will trumps the grace of God you can not be sure of the will of those that came forward.. Was repentance preached? Were there men weeping at the altar? Those rallys are smoke and mirrors nothing more
And what about the shills planted in the audience to swell the numbers of those "walking the aisle"? One wonders if even half the "converts" are doing anything other than a psychological maneuver for the sake of Graham's "success".
Graham's little carnival does fool a lot of gullible rubes, even Baptists sensible enough to know what Graham really is. Naturally, even such a weak vessel can be used by God to bring men to salvation. But I tend to think that it is despite Graham's preaching, not because of it.
526 posted on 7/1/02 9:41 PM Eastern by George W. Bush [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 510 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]
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To: xzins
Less than were. The conviction event includes exposure to the Living Word of God. ALSO, one of the gifts of the spirit is EVANGELISM. I take that to mean that some are divinely guided in that particular gift.....which Dr Graham has in spades.
So it was not the grace of God that saved...without Billy Graham they would have burned in hell...so is Billy god then?
I was saved by the grace Of God...
God does not need 5 years to find out if His work has been effective..it never fails..
God is so lucky to have Billy ..what would He do without him? God could NEVER arrange circumstances to save without Billy...
Salvation flows from good luck..mans work and then a little bit of Gods grace......to bad that Gods is not able to save with His grace..
He looks more like Roy Orbison.
Don't miss the second statement in disecting the first. Also, the sunglasses jokes I think are in very bad taste.
Jean
thought you'd like to read the posts of these folks on the Billy Graham thread I posted.
In the article and in other places it's mentioned that Graham had eye surgery (3 of them) in recent weeks and had to wear glasses to protect his eyes from bright lights. They had the stage facing the setting sun so it was directly in his eyes. Also, when the stage lights came on, he again had to put the glasses on.
He's 83 years old, infirm, still preaching for Jesus and they make fun of him.
Perhaps they didn't read the comments, though. In Jude we read of similar things, though: Jude 8In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. 9But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals--these are the very things that destroy them.
Marlowe, the men make fun of an 83 year old evangelist who's poured his heart out for Jesus to the extent that NO OTHER CHRISTIAN in all of history has preached directly to more people the words of life....210 million.
They must not even trust the Lord's word...My Word will not return unto me void...
You are correct.
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