Billy Graham's Motorcade Procession Draws Thousands - BGEA

Billy Graham's body is moved in a processional to Charlotte, North Carolina. (BGEA)

Billy Graham's Motorcade Procession Draws Thousands

 2/24/2018 BGEA

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On Saturday morning, Billy Graham's casket left the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, North Carolina, and made its way toward the Billy Graham Library in his hometown of Charlotte. The motorcade took about three-and-a-half hours to make the 130-mile journey from the mountains to the city, traveling along I-40 East, U.S.-321 South and I-85 North.

Crowds of people lined the streets as the motorcade passed through Black Mountain shortly after departing from The Cove. The hearse traveled up State Street between Craigmont Road and I-40. It passed Town Hardware, formerly Black Mountain Drugstore, a place Billy and Ruth Graham used to frequent. Billy Graham often rode his horse there from his home in Montreat just a couple of miles away.

 Just behind Town Hardware, Cherry Street dead-ends at the railroad tracks where the Black Mountain train station used to be. In the 1950s, Billy often boarded trains to Washington or New York at the Black Mountain train station, then flew out from one of those cities to preach internationally.

Billy Graham at the Black Mountain train station, which the motorcade passed on Saturday. He often took the train to bigger cities where he would then board a plane to make a preaching engagement.

Around 2:20 p.m., the motorcade arrived in Charlotte and went through uptown before reaching the Billy Graham Library.

The motorcade passed another notable site at the intersection of South Boulevard and West Boulevard. The vehicles paused briefly in front of Grace Covenant Church, formerly Chalmers Memorial Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, which was five miles from Billy Graham's childhood home. Billy Graham and his family were members of this church during his childhood and teen years. Church bells rang out as the hearse stopped there.

Billy Graham, second from left, graduating from the beginners department of Chalmers Memorial Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Oct. 1, 1924. The motorcade will pass what's now known as Grace Covenant Church.

Other Memorial Events

Billy Graham will lie in repose at the Billy Graham Homeplace, on the grounds of the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 26-27. He will lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 28 and March 1.

A private funeral service will be held on Friday, March 2, in Charlotte. Billy Graham will be buried beside his wife, Ruth, in the Prayer Garden at the Billy Graham Library. 

© 2017 BGEA

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Billy Graham Answers 5 Common Questions About Heaven - BILLY GRAHAM/BGEA CHARISMA NEWS

Do you know where you're going when you die? (Pexels)

Billy Graham Answers 5 Common Questions About Heaven

 6/19/2017 BILLY GRAHAM/BGEA  CHARISMA NEWS

We all know this life will come to an end.

Whether you're coping with the loss of a loved one or have questions about your own mortality and the hereafter, these answers on heaven from Billy Graham may help.

Q: What happens to us in the first minute after we die? Do we enter heaven immediately, or do our souls go into some kind of a sleep?
Read Billy Graham's Answer

Q: Will we recognize our loved ones in heaven? Will they recognize us?
Read Billy Graham's Answer

Q: When we get to heaven, will we know what's happening on earth? If so, how can we be happy with all the misery in the world?
Read Billy Graham's Answer

Q: Does an angel accompany us into heaven when we die?Read Billy Graham's Answer

Q: Will there be animals in heaven?
Read Billy Graham's Answer 

©2017 BGEA

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Survivor Reveals How God 'Wrapped His Arms Around Me' - KELLIE VAN GILDER/BGEA

Mayor Ray Nagin looks over the Bible of an 85-year-old woman who was killed during a tornado in a government-provided trailer at the site of her home in the Pontchatrain Park neighborhood of New Orleans. (REUTERS/Lee Celano)

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Survivor Reveals How God 'Wrapped His Arms Around Me'

2/20/2017 KELLIE VAN GILDER/BGEA  charisma news

Tales of brushes with death aren't uncommon these days in Louisiana, where residents are trying to pick up the pieces after four tornadoes recently ripped through the New Orleans area. The storms injured 33 people and damaged hundreds of homes.

No lives were lost, but many, it seems, were impacted in a mighty way.

Al New, chaplain coordinator with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, recently met with one such gentleman personally affected by the natural disaster. Crisis-trained chaplains deployed to New Orleans East in the aftermath of the storm and are offering emotional and spiritual care alongside sister ministry Samaritan's Purse.

On that particular Thursday, New was serving in the Mobile Ministry Center and was outside when the gentleman pulled up in a new white van.

"He proceeded to tell me that he was in the tornado area in his personal van working when the tornado came and picked him up in his van, spun him around and slammed him about 15 feet away," New said. "It totaled the van, and he said, 'Bless God. I didn't have an injury nowhere.'"

The man, sharing from the driver's seat of his rental van, was thankful to be alive, and New began to help the New Orleans East resident dig deeper into that blessing. Soon, the man realized that beyond thanking God for safety, he wanted to know Him personally. When New asked if he wanted to have a relationship with the Lord, the man responded, "I sure would. Now would be a good time."

They continued the conversation inside the Mobile Ministry Center, and the man decided to accept Christ as his Savior.

Roots run deep in this community, and New soon learned this man was related to a pastor in the area.

"He said, 'I am going to go to church Sunday at my cousin's church, and I am going to testify to what happened to me in the storm and to what God has just done for me here,'" New recalled.

"I got a call from them [the church] on Sunday saying he came to church. He not only came to church, he testified, and he joined the church. Now he's got a home church where they're going to continue discipling him and mentoring him. We're praying that he'll continue to go."

Testimonies abound in this tight-knit community, particularly in a six-mile stretch where houses stand near one another and the residents draw even closer. Newcomers can give rise to suspicion, yet the residents have found a comfort with the chaplains and Samaritan's Purse volunteers. That has helped open doors for even more sharing.

One homeowner told the chaplains that on the day of the tornadoes, he had just returned home from his job of driving a truck. He just happened to look out the bathroom window when he saw the tornado. He went to the hallway and stood motionless.

"He said, 'I know God wrapped His arms around me because the whole house was up and gone, but nothing touched me,'" New said.

Many homes in the area sustained heavy damage, and these residents who climbed back from flooded homes after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 are wondering how they'll rebuild again. As of Tuesday, Samaritan's Purse had received 100 work orders for primary residences.

New said sometimes it's hard to find the right words, but his goal—as well as that of the chaplains—is to continually point to the hope that only Jesus Christ offers.

"You just try to bring them hope and comfort and tell them that they've been through this before; you know that you came through that," New said. "And with God's help and with hope in Him, they're going to come through it again.

"We encourage them to stay strong and trust in the Lord." 

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Jonathan Cahn on What It Will Take to See Revival - CHARLES CHANDLER/BGEA CHARISMA NEWS

(Ha Navi Gallery/ajmu)

Jonathan Cahn on What It Will Take to See Revival

12/29/2016 CHARLES CHANDLER/BGEA   CHARISMA NEWS

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All over the country this year at Decision America Tour events, believers said they were crying out to God for revival and a great awakening in America. With the election now past and many unknowns ahead, we need such a move of God to come quickly. Decision recently spoke with Jonathan Cahn, a Messianic Jewish rabbi, about what it will take to spiritually revive the church and the nation. Cahn is a best-selling author and was a featured speaker at the May 5 National Day of Prayer event in Washington, D.C.

Q. It has been suggested that the church is asleep. Do you believe that's true, and if so, do you see any signs of it beginning to wake up?

A. I believe much of the church is asleep—but not all. There are several things hindering the church from being the true salt it is supposed to be to the world. One is a culture of comfort and prosperity, a me-centered faith. Another is distraction, because we are so plugged into everything else and so overwhelmed by the world and media and entertainment that it doesn't leave a lot of room for spiritual growth or power. Another is fear, because the church overall is on the defensive now. Some of today's most famous pastors appear to be afraid to speak on those issues that would have been priorities for the biblical prophets.

We sing "These Are the Days of Elijah," but the days of Elijah were days of apostasy when the prophets were hunted down. They were days of great power, but it took people who would say "I don't care what happens to me or my life or my interests. I'm putting God first." And then God moved powerfully. Those are the Elijahs that God is now calling us to become. So if these are the days of Elijah, we have to be the Elijahs of this day.

Q. What are your hopes right now for revival in this country?

A. Well, that is my hope. I see the only hope as being revival. The question is, will it come? If we just look at the culture, the prospect of turning this around would look very slim. But God is never finished and is always able to do what we consider impossible. Often it looks darkest before God moves, as was the case in other revivals.

My feeling is that it's going to take a great shaking for a great revival to come to America. There are pockets and movements of revival, but for the massive revival that is needed to turn things around, I believe it's going to take something dramatic. After 9/11, people flocked to churches for three weeks. You could talk about God with anyone during those three weeks. But there was no repentance. And without repentance, there can't be revival.

When people ask me whether there will be judgment or revival in America, I answer that sometimes there can be both. Many of us came to the Lord because there was a shaking in some way. I came to Him after my vehicle was hit by a locomotive train. So it's not necessarily a bad thing to be shaken. Sometimes that's the only way we come. That's not only true for people; it's true for nations.

Q. What else needs to happen?

A. It's not a new answer, but it's a true answer: 2 Chronicles 7:14. "If my people who are called by my name ..." Humbling ourselves, praying for revival, seeking—truly seeking—His face, turning from our evil ways. That is what God has ordained, so that's still true. I've actually seen it happen in America before in my lifetime, where people took that seriously, and it literally changed the course of American history and world history. I've seen God be faithful to that.

Revival could start right now if it starts with us. There is nothing that can stop revival if it starts with us—meaning it's not merely prayer. That's not what 2 Chronicles says. It starts with not just talking about revival and praying for revival, but actually living it, walking it, breathing it—making the changes in our lives that we want to see made in America. All of us could still repent. All of us could still turn to God more than we have. All of us could become more on fire for Him. That's our choice, so revival can begin with us.

Q. Let's put some specifics to it. What is your definition of revival?

A. Turning back to God. Turning away from idols. Turning away from the world. Turning away from sin. Repentance. Renewing. Reviving. Rededicating. Re-consecrating. Putting Him first. Seeking Him first. Unplugging from all the distractions and getting re-plugged into our first love.

If we look back on our lives, when were we most on fire for God? Well, it shouldn't be back then. It should be now.

Q. Doesn't true revival also require a sense of urgency?

A. Yes. Sometimes we disparage the time we have here in view of heaven, but we'll have forever in heaven, and this life only comes around once. So whatever good we would do, we have to do it now. Whatever soul we want to see saved, we must talk with them now. Whatever act of love, whatever proclaiming of the gospel, we have to do it now, or we never will.

We have to make the most of every moment we have for the Lord—in joy, in love, in confidence, in boldness. We will never walk this way again. These are the most precious of days. These are the days of the harvest. 

©2016 BGEA

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Franklin Graham Pulls From Nehemiah in 'Message to a Troubled Nation' - FRANKLIN GRAHAM/BGEA Charisma News

Franklin Graham has spent this year holding rallies at every state capitol, praying for the nation and its leaders and challenging Christians to be involved in the political process. (BGEA)

Franklin Graham Pulls From Nehemiah in 'Message to a Troubled Nation'

 10/25/2016FRANKLIN GRAHAM/BGEA  CHARISMA NEWS

Franklin Graham has spent this year holding rallies at every state capitol, praying for the nation and its leaders and challenging Christians to be involved in the political process. With the most critical elections in decades now just days away, here are some of the key points excerpted from Franklin's messages at the Decision America Tour events.

Our country is in trouble—we're in trouble spiritually, racially, economically and politically. Washington is broken. Our state capitols are broken.

And I can tell you: There's no party and no individual that can turn this thing around. I have no hope in the Democratic Party. I have no hope in the Republican Party. The only hope for the United States of America is Almighty God and His Son, Jesus Christ. And the most important thing you and I can do is pray.

You see, the moral and political walls of our nation are crumbling. Walls are meant for protection—to keep bad people out. Gates can be opened, and when threats come, the gates can be closed. But our moral walls and gates are down. Any type of wicked thoughts, wicked teaching and activity can come and go. Our educators, big business, politicians and, sad to say, many churches, are more concerned about profits or political correctness than they are about God's truth and His righteousness.

In Nehemiah 1, the children of Israel were in captivity in Babylon. God had brought judgment against Israel for their sins and their transgressions, and Nehemiah was a Jewish slave in the Babylonian king's palace. When some men came to Babylon from Judah, they told Nehemiah that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and its gates had been burned with fire. Nehemiah said: "When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days. Then I fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven" (Neh. 1:4).

Nehemiah fasted and prayed. His prayer was to confess the sins of his people, his nation, himself and his father's family. God heard Nehemiah's prayer and gave him favor. The pagan king sent Nehemiah back to Jerusalem with the authority to rebuild the walls. He gave Nehemiah letters and a military escort, and within 52 days after returning, he rebuilt the walls of that city and rehung those gates.

Many people say, "Franklin, it's too late for America." No, it's not—not when the church begins to pray.

Our nation needs healing. But before our nation can be healed, our individual hearts must be healed. If you're not sure your sins are forgiven, I want you to know that God loves you. But we have a problem, and that problem is called sin. Sin is disobeying God's standards, and the Bible says we have all sinned. We're all guilty.

But the Bible says that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Jesus Christ came to this earth, and He willingly took our sins upon Himself. Christ died and shed His blood on the cross for our sins. And on the third day God raised His Son to life. If you will invite Him into your heart, God will forgive your sins. He'll heal your heart, and you can know that your soul is at peace with God. You can have your sins forgiven.

So we look at our country. We're in sad shape, and you say to yourself, "What can I do? It seems like we're helpless." Remember: God hears prayer.

And there's another thing you can do: Vote. I won't tell you who to vote for. God will do that, but you vote. In many countries where I work, people don't have the opportunity to vote.

We still have freedom in this country, and I want to encourage you to vote—not just for the presidential election but for every election. Look at who's running, and vote for people who have biblical faith and values.

People ask me, "What about separation of church and state?" Our forefathers never intended for us to leave our faith out on the Capitol steps if we worked in that building.

The progressives say "You have the 'freedom to worship,'" which means you are restricted to the church. You can't come out into the public with your religion, because you may offend somebody.

No. Our forefathers gave us freedom of religion, where we can live our faith 24/7 in public, wherever we are.

You say, "But Franklin, I don't like Donald Trump," or "I don't like Hillary Clinton, so I'm not going to vote."

You vote. You may have to hold your nose, but vote because this election is not about personalities. This election is not about tone. It's about the Supreme Court.

The first thing the next president is going to do is nominate a Supreme Court justice. And during their term, they may nominate three, four, maybe as many as five Supreme Court justices, and that will change the direction of our country and the courts for 50 years, maybe 100 years. So it's important that you vote.

And I would like to encourage you not only to vote, but also to offer yourself to run for public office. It's too late to run during this political season, but start thinking about two years from now. Maybe God is moving you to a different position. Maybe into the state legislature. Maybe to be a city councilmember. Maybe to be a mayor. Maybe to be on the school board.

Our job as Christians is to make the impact of Christ felt in every phase of life—religious, social, economic and political. But we cannot do it in our own strength or wisdom. We can only do it if we surrender ourselves completely to God. Be an advocate for God's truth, for His righteousness. And let's elect men and women to office who will lead this nation back to really being one nation under God—one that can truthfully say once again, "In Almighty God we trust."

©2016 BGEA

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Meet the Christians Calling Franklin Graham a Polarizing, Ungracious Bigot - JESSILYN JUSTICE CHARISMA NEWS

Franklin Graham (Facebook)

Meet the Christians Calling Franklin Graham a Polarizing, Ungracious Bigot

8/22/2016 JESSILYN JUSTICE  CHARISMA NEWS

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Evangelist Franklin Graham speaks the truth boldly but in love. He refuses to gloss over sin and the slow creep of immorality in our culture.  

But these statements have made Graham a few enemies. 

"Rev. Graham is a polarizing figure ... His ungracious and bigoted remarks have the potential to generate serious negative impact on the Christian witness in Vancouver," some Canadian church letters wrote in a letter. 

Graham is expected to lead the Festival of Hope, scheduled for next March in Vancouver. 

"God has already brought thousands of Canadians of all ages to His Son through BGEA outreach events in numerous Canadian cities. Your prayers and partnership in the Greater Vancouver Festival of Hope are tools He can use to continue His work," according to the Festival's website. 

But five major faith leaders, including the Archdiocese of Vancouver, oppose Graham's evangelistic gathering. 

"We ... denounce the frequent incendiary and intolerant statements made by Rev. Graham, which he unapologetically reiterates," the letter reads.

Some of those statements include denouncing homosexuality as a sin and calling transgender people to use the bathroom of the birth-assigned sex, not their choice. 

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Franklin Graham Makes Prophetic Call for Daniels to Arise - JOY ALLMOND/BGEA CHARISMA NEWS

Franklin Graham Makes Prophetic Call for Daniels to Arise

5/27/2016 JOY ALLMOND/BGEA  charisma news

Many young people showed up to pray at the 26th Decision America Tour stop in Bismarck, North Dakota. (Courtesy/BGEA)

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At the 26 Decision America prayer rallies to date, many have been asked, Why are you here?

The answer is often one form or another of, "I'm concerned about the next generation."

And so is Franklin Graham.

"Daniel, in the Bible, lived in one of the most heathen, pagan countries in the world, but became prime minister under seven kings and two empires," Franklin said from the steps of the North Dakota State Capitol in Bismarck on Wednesday.

"We need Daniels today."

Several teachers at Williston Trinity Christian School are doing their part in raising "Daniels"—godly people who will stand up and stand out in a secular society.

When Lois Johnson, the 7th grade Bible teacher, heard Decision America was coming to her state, she knew it would be worth the four-hour drive from Williston.

"I just see the need for prayer in our country," she said. "I thought it was a great opportunity for our students to experience this, especially since it's such a pivotal year in America."

Word got around that Johnson planned to bring her Bible class; before long, the entire middle school was planning a field trip.

Some of the parents—and even the school's principal—came to stand with roughly 3,100 other North Dakotans.

"It is very special—in our country—to have this opportunity," said principal Cory Fleck.

"We are also aware that these freedoms could be taken away from us. I think that's why I felt the importance to come here. And if the students don't understand their rights as Americans—and as Christians—we'll be overrun, eventually," Fleck said.

As a social studies teacher, Angela Nible wanted her students to exercise the freedom they have as Americans to attend a public prayer rally and remind them of the blessings of choice when it comes to education.

"It's so important to have educational options—whether it's public school, Christian school or home school," Nible said.

"And to be able to come together like this and meet with the whole family of God is a freedom I don't take for granted," she added. "I hope this freedom continues. It's really important."

Nible's colleague Traci Shirk wanted Wednesday's rally to remind the students that God is ultimately the only reason America is free and blessed.

"We talk a lot about politics, and we study the history of our country," Shirk explained. "But we as Christians need to define who we are. Our founding fathers were Christians.

"We need to speak up and remind (the students) that our country is founded on faith and that's what will keep us strong, and that's what will keep our country blessed. These students need to experience what it's like to pray for our country, represent our country and have a voice for our country and our God."

Andrea Black, a 5th and 6th grade Bible teacher, said another benefit of the Decision America Tour rally was giving students a closer look at the life and ministry of Billy Graham.

"I have talked about Billy Graham in class, and I explain to the students that he has lived an uncompromised life of ministry," Black said.

"When someone can live that long and not compromise, we should listen to what he has to say," she added. "And now, to see his son here carrying on that legacy is a wonderful thing."

Black's hope after attending the Decision America Tour is that her students will be encouraged to be more than "Daniels." She wants to see them raise believers who will carry the torch of faithfulness—just like Billy and Franklin Graham.

"I want them to understand their parents have put them in a Christian school because it's important to them," she said.

"It's up to them to carry on that legacy to the next generation." 

This story originally appeared on BillyGraham.org.

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Franklin Graham: Is the Handwriting on the Wall for America? - BGEA CHARISMA NEWS

Franklin Graham: Is the Handwriting on the Wall for America?

 5/4/2016 FRANKLIN GRAHAM/BGEA  charisma news

When we began our Decision America Tour on a bitterly cold January day in Des Moines, Iowa, I didn't know exactly what to expect as we kicked off a nine-month tour of all 50 state capitals. (Courtesy/BGEA)

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When we began our Decision America Tour on a bitterly cold January day in Des Moines, Iowa, I didn't know exactly what to expect as we kicked off a nine-month tour of all 50 state capitals.

I wasn't sure how many people would be able to come to an outdoor prayer rally in the middle of the workday. I wondered how the call to pray, vote and engage in the political process would be received across the nation.

Four months and 19 states later, I've been amazed at how the Holy Spirit is working and moving.

At every stop, thousands upon thousands have turned out at midday to stand for an hour and call on God to heal our nation. In spitting snow, shivering cold and intense heat, people have stood shoulder to shoulder on Capitol grounds and steps to worship God, confess their sins and intercede for America.

In Nevada, we had the largest crowd ever assembled at the Capitol grounds in Carson City. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, the crowd began spontaneously singing hymns a half-hour before the event. In Sacramento, a group of LGBT protesters had called for a meeting at the Capitol, only a short distance away from where our rally was to be held.

When I heard about their plans, I thought about how God shut the mouths of the lions when Daniel was thrown into the lion's den. I prayed that the Lord would quiet the mouths of the protesters as we came together to pray.

Their event was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., and our rally did not start until noon. However, thousands of people assembled hours beforehand for Decision America, so we didn't hear a thing from the protesters. Despite their very public call for people to join them, only about 100 gay activists came. Our rally drew nearly 8,000 people.

One extraordinary result of our tour across the nation has been the large number of people who have come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Through March, 2,021 people had indicated their decisions to follow Christ via text message. They come to Decision America because they are angry or dissatisfied with the way things are going in our country. Then they hear the gospel preached, they fall under conviction, repent of their sins and turn to Christ. Praise God!

There is no doubt that the tens of thousands who have attended know that America is in deep trouble and on the verge of total moral and spiritual collapse—unless God intervenes.

Like me, they have no hope in either the Democratic or Republican party. They know our only hope is in Almighty God. Unless we repent and turn quickly to Him for forgiveness and restoration, our nation will no longer be the city on the hill that has helped bring the illuminating light of biblical truth to the world.

Never before have I seen such a sharp rift in the moral and spiritual fabric of our country. The cross of Christ has become the deep divide between a growing segment of our population that no longer fears God and those who follow Christ as Lord and Savior.

In this secular age, the influence of biblical principles and values has diminishing impact on education, government and politics. More young people than ever before claim no religious affiliation at all. We Christians are not just simply tolerated—we are under constant, unrelenting assault for our beliefs and practices.

The cross of Christ is the dividing line between the righteous and the unrighteous, between the deceitfully dark powers of evil and the liberating light of the gospel, between the virtues of godly living and the unfettered lusts of corrupt, debased passions. The wisdom and power of the cross appears as more and more foolishness to those who suppress the truth and rebel against its claims.

Not long before Daniel was cast into the lion's den by the Persian King Darius, he was called into the presence of the last Babylonian king, Belshazzar, after the king witnessed the fingers of a human hand writing on the wall in his palace. This sudden, divine event occurred as the king and his court were reveling in debauchery and idolatry, drinking wine from the golden vessels that had been carried away by the Babylonians from the Jerusalem temple.

As the king saw a hand writing on the wall of plaster, he instantly was alarmed and frightened. Daniel interpreted the meaning of the strange inscription Belshazzar had seen, telling him that his kingdom was about to come to an end, that he had been weighed in God's divine balance and found wanting, and that his vast kingdom would be handed over to a new world power, the Medes and Persians.

That very night, Belshazzar was killed, and the Medes and Persians entered Babylon.

I wonder if the handwriting is now on the wall for America. Has God decided that our idolatry, immorality and godlessness have become such a stench in His nostrils that we as a people will experience a harsh form of divine judgment? Have our iniquities grown so foul and vast that we will reap the bitter harvest of our wickedness and rebellion against Almighty God?

I don't know the answer to that, but I do believe that God is able to restore and heal us if we repent of our sins—personal and corporate—and turn to Him in humility and reverence. The Bible tells us that the Lord is patient toward us, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" 
(2 Pet. 3:9).

We are a people and nation in imminent danger. We mock God, ridicule His Word and 
His ways, and flaunt gross 
immorality.

Only Almighty God can deliver us, and it is our fervent prayer as we go across America in the months to come, that He will hear our prayers and heal our land.

He is our only hope. 

This article originally appeared on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Website. ©2016 BGEA. 

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Franklin Graham Paving the Way for Religious Freedom - TIFFANY JOTHEN/BGEA CHARISMA NEWS

Franklin Graham Paving the Way for Religious Freedom

/20/2016 TIFFANY JOTHEN/BGEA  charisma news

Photo above: Some of the participants in Franklin Graham's New Hampshire stop in the Decision America tour. (Courtesy/BGeA)

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"We could be on a beach where it's nice and sunny and warm, but we want to be here."

Elaine Taylor and her husband, Leonard, could have traveled anywhere Tuesday, but chose to drive the two and a half hours north of their home in Marshfield, Massachusetts, to be part of a prayer rally in 18-degree Concord, New Hampshire, where the wind chill made it feel much colder.

But since when has a little cold kept New Englanders from staying in?

The couple joined about 1,500 others in front of the State House to be part of Franklin Graham's 50-state Decision America Tour as he encourages Christians to pray for America and live out their faith—at home, in public and at the polls.

The Taylors heard about the tour during a trip to the Charlotte-based Billy Graham Library last month. They wanted to see what it's all about and take back the excitement to Massachusetts, where Franklin Graham will visit later this year.

"We live about 10 miles from Plymouth," Leonard said, the Pilgrims' first stop when they came to America seeking religious freedom. Today, however, Leonard said the country seems to be "corroding" spiritually and wants to see it "set on a godly track again."

Gathering with other like-minded Christians may just be the first step.

"We love Jesus, and we're happy to hear Franklin Graham ... and be united as Christians," said Jennie Chisholm, a resident of Salem, New Hampshire, who came with her parents and four boys.

The boys, ages 5 to 10, stood with scarves tight around their necks, their hats covering their ears and their noses turning pink. But all four wore smiles and seemed happy to be there.

"I want them to see that there are other Christians around us, even though it doesn't always seem like it," Jennie said, adding that she also wants to teach them the importance of prayer.

Franklin Graham re-enforced her thinking when he took the stage moments later: "The best thing we can do on your Capitol steps today is pray," he said.

He spoke about America's emphasis on political correctness, in which people are afraid to stand up for their beliefs at the risk of offending someone.

But now isn't the time to be silent or ashamed of Almighty God.

What we need, Franklin Graham said, is revival now. And he's confident that it's possible.

So is Gayle Lamm, who came to the prayer rally with her 20-year-old son, Jordan.

"We need help to bring people together ... people of all denominations," Gayle said, explaining her gratefulness for the Decision America Tour. "I've been praying for the country for years."

Gayle was at the State House in Concord just a couple years ago for the National Day of Prayer. So when her husband read about Decision America in the newspaper, she cut it out and put it on the fridge as a reminder.

But why not just pray at home and avoid the freezing temperatures?

"You can pray by yourself ... but praying with others who feel the same as you and think the same as you can make a big difference," Jordan said.

Many people Jordan's age are drifting from God, distracted by their phones, media and material things, he said, and the further people get from God, the more the nation will suffer.

"Before our nation can be healed, our individual hearts must be healed," Franklin Graham said from the stage.

He led a time of prayer not only for the nation, but for each person there to ask Jesus Christ for forgiveness in their own lives. And it doesn't end when people leave the prayer rally.

Franklin Graham encouraged people to start community prayer groups and to encourage other believers to run for office at all levels.

"Let's just see what God can do," he said. "Let's become a nation that can once again say 'In God we Trust.'"

Judging by the affirming amens, the spontaneous hallelujahs and sustained applause at every mention of Christ, an out-of-towner might never know that New Hampshire has the second highest percentage of people in the country who claim no religion or faith.

But with people enveloped head to toe in blankets, ski pants, face masks and anything they could find to keep warm, all to be present for a prayer rally, it's evident that many still care about where their state stands with God.

Jim Madden of Derry, New Hampshire, stood out in the crowd with a red, white and blue USA fleece and two small American flags in hand. He said he's been praying for each stop on the tour using his Decision America prayer journal.

"I just feel like there's not much time left," he said about the country turning back to God. "How much more is God going to put up with?"

Jim accepted Jesus around 30 years old, and a tear rolled down his face as he talked about what God has done in his life. His hope is that many more will come to know Christ and live out their faith. And it all starts with prayer.

"I wish we could do this every day," he said.

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