Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion – it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ…. The cross shows us the seriousness of our sin—but it also shows us the immeasurable love of God.
~ Billy Graham
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with Him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the Light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
~ Jesus, King of The Universe, in John 3
Oh beloved, it is true.
Those who preach the gospel under the unction or anointing of The Holy Spirit, are a special breed. Billy Graham was one of those. Billy preached to nearly 215 million people in person. Let that number sink in for a moment. Billy spoke to more people than live in most countries over his career.
I was one of them.
I was May 8th, 1974. He spoke a clear message of the need for each of us to follow Jesus, and to put our trust completely in Him. At 8:35pm on that night, I nearly floated down the stairs of Sun Devil Stadium towards the area where Billy had called (actually it was the Holy Spirit) us down to pray.
I can remember almost everything. The smell of the grass on the field. The stadium lights. And the clear sense that everything was now different in my life.
It was. And the association sent me a study of the book of John to get started. Years on, I have studied the Word somewhat deeply and it has soaked into my spirit and bones. Everything has changed since that moment.
For me, i am but one fool of a writer and preacher. But, over the years, He has sent me to a number of countries myself. And, I have had the opportunity to speak the same message that Billy shared with me – and that someone named Mordecai Ham, had shared with Billy. And… a pedigree of other preachers shared with Mordecai, all the way back to Peter on the Day of Pentecost.
This blog is usually about some deeper emotional issue, or way of thinking, or resolution of a spiritual issue. However, this entry is quite simply a thank you note, to a decent, kind, and powerful preacher. Thank you Billy Graham. Your basic “κηρυξον τον λογον (preaching the Word)” has helped millions to take a deeper dive into the wide abyss of His Grace.
Can we see it?
If you are reading this, you may have heard Billy preach. But, if you haven’t, know that you are reading about the amazing Grace of our L_RD Jesus Christ because one young man from the southeastern portion of the United States, named Billy Graham, said yes to Jesus at the age of 16 – and then told this fool of a writer about Jesus 40 years later.
And maybe you haven’t met Billy’s and my Jesus. And if that is true, may I introduce you to Him?
Jesus Christ is G_d’s Son, come in the flesh.
He came that man could actually find a way back to G_d, The Father – through Himself.
Jesus Christ died on a cross to take your sin (and mine), and pay for it – and bury it in the deepest of oceans of His Love and forgiveness.
Jesus Christ was raised from the dead to eternal life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ walked the earth for 40 days, and then ascended to the near presence of the Father, and sits at His right hand, praying for you, and for me – as an eternal Priest and King of the Universe.
Jesus Christ will return One Day to establish His Kingdom forever.
Beloved, you can be part of all of this. You can be set free from your sin and failure. Jesus will do this if you ask Him to to do! Ask Him tonight. Turn from your old life and way of thinking, and turn to Jesus Christ. Ask Him to forgive your sin and to be the Lord of your life. He will most certainly save you!
And, if you need any more help. Please feel free to contact me in the comment section below. Maybe you will be the next Billy Graham, and reach out to another few hundred million people!
Tonight is your night! Trust Jesus. Follow Him. Ask Him to take over the lordship of your life!
I’ve become an old man now. And I’ve preached all over the world. And the older I get, the more I cling to that hope that I started with many years ago, and proclaimed it in many languages to many parts of the world.
The cross tells us that God understands our sin and our suffering, for he took them upon himself in the Person of Jesus Christ. From the cross God declares, ‘I love you. I know the heartaches and the sorrows and the pain that you feel. But I love you.’
The story does not end with the cross, for Easter points us beyond the tragedy of the cross to the empty tomb. It tells us that there is hope for eternal life, for Christ has conquered evil and death and hell. Yes, there is hope.”
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).”
Just as I am. All is grace.
~ Billy Graham
