Who's Heard of Billy Graham?

In order to enjoy the relationship with God He desires for us to have with Him through Christ, and to really see the power of God expressed through our lives, it's important that we develop a sense of
humility. Jeremiah 9 issues the warning and portrays a life without that important characteristic:
12 Who is the wise man who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it? Why does the land perish and burn up like a wilderness, so that no one can pass through?
13 And the Lord said, "Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked according to it,
14 but they have walked according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them..."

There is a Biblical premise of sowing and reaping.  If we are humble before God, as He instructs, then He will manifest Himself through our lives - we will know Him and can follow His will. However, if we "forsake" His ways, if we believe that our ways are best and do not humble ourselves and put Him first, then we will discover the fruit of doing things our own way, which is far inferior to what God has in store.  He calls us to lay down our selfish pride and humble ourselves before Him.

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In Proverbs chapter 18, we read a passage of Scripture that is concentrated on humility, which was an attribute of the late Billy Graham.  Picking up at verse 12, we can see:
12 Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.
13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?
15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man's gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.

Today the world continues to mourn the loss of Billy Graham, and during the next few days, his life and legacy will be explored and highlighted.  I just think that the idea of a motorcade from Asheville to Charlotte is a moving tribute to someone who touched millions.

As I shared yesterday, according to a fact sheet from the DeMoss PR group: "More than 22 million people have made a commitment to Jesus Christ through a Billy Graham or Billy Graham Evangelistic Association outreach effort."

The webpage also notes that:

Billy Graham was regularly listed by the Gallup organization as one of the "Ten Most Admired Men in the World." Since 1955, Graham was chosen a record 61 times (55 consecutive years, except when the question was not asked in 1976)—more than any other individual in history.

It reports that a 2005 Gallup poll reported that "35 million Americans—one in six adults—had heard Billy Graham preach in person."

More than 400 crusades in 53 countries on 6 continents.  215 million people reached in live audiences.

This is impact - the power of a life humbled to God, dedicated to doing His will preaching the gospel.

LifeWay Research did a survey on the impact of Billy Graham.  It was released on his birthday last year.  The survey summary says:

The survey of 1,000 churchgoers—those who attend a Protestant or nondenominational church at least once a month—found Graham has had widespread influence.

Two-thirds of those surveyed had some contact with Graham’s ministry, according to LifeWay Research:

• 48 percent watched a Billy Graham sermon on television.
• 18 percent listened to one of his sermons on the radio.
• 15 percent read one of his books.
• 14 percent read a Billy Graham newspaper column.
• 11 percent attended a Billy Graham crusade.
• 8 percent watched a Billy Graham sermon online.

The article also states:

If you go to a Protestant church, chances are you know of Billy Graham, said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research.

“We’d be hard-pressed to find another American Christian leader who has that kind of name recognition,” said McConnell.

There are three concepts that I want to draw attention to.  One is the concept of heaven. The BillyGraham.org website published this quote from this great preacher:

“Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”

Billy Graham was convinced that his true home was in heaven.  He was also passionate about telling people how to get there through a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

You could also say that a key to Graham's effectiveness was that he truly desired to honor God.  His life was lived in a manner to bring glory to Him.  He said:

“If you are a true Christian, you will not give way at home to bad temper, impatience, fault-finding, sarcasm, unkindness, suspicion, selfishness, or laziness.”

His life reflected not a hint of scandal - as it has been publicized, he took precautions to avoid the appearance of inappropriate relationships with women.  He was devoted to personal holiness.

And, he demonstrated a spirit of humility.  According to the BillyGraham.org website, when he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he said:

“My primary desire today in having my name inscribed upon this Walk of Fame is that God would receive the glory,” he said. “I hope someday somebody will come and say, ‘Who is Billy Graham? What did he stand for?’ Perhaps a child will ask his parents or grandparents, and they will tell him that he was not a celebrity, not a star, but a simple preacher of the Gospel. And that they might explain the Gospel to him, and that many might find Christ in that.”