Dr. Billy Graham, a Man of Inspiration

On February 21, 2018, Heaven gained a champion, Dr. Billy Graham. For me personally, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I am inspired as I consider his life. I love this quote, from the man himself, that I have seen and read countless times in the last 48 hours, "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."

Twenty four years ago, I had the privilege of being a part of the counseling team for one of Dr. Graham's crusades here in Atlanta. I was still in high school, but God led me to be a part of the counselor training a month before the crusade, and then to be prepared each night of the crusade to meet teens at the alter who were ready to meet Jesus. I remember thinking, "What is so great about this man that he is able to draw thousands of people, to fill our Georgia Dome, to hear him preach?" Throughout this crusade, I realized that this man was simply being used by God. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit. He had a firm but sincere way of communicating the gospel. Every night of that crusade, the Scripture and the stories were different, but the gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed clearly, and many rushed to the front to surrender their lives to Jesus. I remember praying with several teens that week, who went down to the alter, and were weeping in conviction and ready to follow Jesus.

Dr. Graham is inspiring. There are many things that personally inspire me as I remember the life of this champion. I want to share with you three that stand out to me above the rest.

First of all, I am inspired by Dr. Graham's integrity. He was the same man in private as he was in public. He is the most recognizable preacher in all of history, but his biggest accomplishment, in my opinion, was his outstanding Christ-like character. People who knew him the best describe him as humble and genuine. In the words of his long time song leader, Cliff Barrows, "He practiced what he preached."

One mark of a man of integrity is the willingness to admit when he has done wrong. Over the years, Dr. Graham made his share of mistakes, and some of them were in the public eye. Instead of shrinking back or covering them up, he owned up to them and made public confession. This is godliness.

Dr. Graham sought every day to pursue purity. Back in the 1940's, he and other Christian leaders gathered in Modesto, California to lay out what is known as the "Billy Graham Rule". He shares in his book, Just As I Am, “We all knew of evangelists who had fallen into immorality while separated from their families by travel. We pledged among ourselves to avoid any situation that would have even the appearance of compromise or suspicion. From that day on, I did not travel, meet or eat alone with a woman other than my wife.”

Over the years, this passion for purity served Dr. Graham well in avoiding major pitfalls that would have derailed his life and ministry. In 1943, he married Ruth and they enjoyed 64 years of faithful marriage. They raised 5 children together. Dr. Graham has said that his ministry would be impossible without Ruth. What a beautiful example of integrity, character and faithfulness.

Secondly, I am inspired by Dr. Graham's passion for the gospel. He preached Jesus Christ without reservation to millions. So many Christians buckle at the knees at the thought of sharing their faith. It is reported that Dr. Graham preached to over 215 million people in 185 different countries. I have read recently that approximately 1 million people were born again in Jesus Christ because of his proclamation of the gospel. That is significant kingdom ministry.

Dr. Graham had a way of explaining the truth of the gospel in a way that engaged everyone. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. His messages were so convicting that even atheists would be found running to the alter to be saved. I cannot imagine the scores of people in Heaven because of Dr. Billy Graham. I have a feeling he is bombarded with people coming to him in Heaven saying, "Thank you".

His life verse, that could be found pinned on the walls of his home, is Galatians 6:14. It says, "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

Lastly, I am inspired by Dr. Graham's love for all people. He worked hard to end segregation. He fought for civil rights. In the 1950's, Dr. Graham was scheduled to lead a crusade in the South, and when he got inside the stadium, he noticed that there were sections roped off based on the color of skin. He said, "No more of this!", and then went to the head usher and told him to take down the ropes. The usher refused and so Dr. Graham took down the ropes himself.

This stance that Dr. Graham took in taking down the ropes led to a friendship with the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They developed such a close friendship that Dr. Graham would call Dr. King by his nickname, Mike. At one point during their relationship, Dr. Graham would bail Dr. King out of jail following protests in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Graham lived by the position that he preached many times, “There is no excuse ever for hatred. There is no excuse, ever, for bigotry and intolerance and prejudice. We are to love as God loves us.” Dr. Graham spoke clearly that the Bible has no truth that promotes segregation. Graham helped tear down the walls of segregation. What an example for us today.

Dr. Billy Graham was an incredible example for each of us. His legacy will continue to inspire those who know him. These are the areas of his life that inspire me. What is it about him that inspires you? I would love to read your thoughts in the section below. My prayer is that Jesus will continue to shine His light and pour out His love, to bring salvation to the lost, as we remember the life of Dr. Billy Graham.

Quoted Book: Just As I Am, Billy Graham, Harper Collins Publishing, New York, 1997.

Overcoming the Fear of Man

The fear of man will cripple a person. Trust me, I know. It is far too easy to get caught in the trap of trying to please everyone on the face of the earth. All too often, we compromise our personal convictions for the sake of the approval of others.

For much of my adult life, I tried to win the approval of everyone within my sphere of influence. There were many factors that led to this, details of which I don't have time to explain in this post. I would go out of my way to make sure that everyone was pleased with me. If I knew that one person didn't approve of something that I did, I would lose sleep over it, and then I would take steps to improve my image in the eyes of that person. These efforts wore me out ragged. It was tearing my soul apart. This mentality is ultimately what led me to burn-out in ministry, which I experienced five years ago. The fear of man was a shackle around my neck that tied me up in a dungeon of despair.

What I needed was a proper understanding of my position in Christ. God led me through a season of healing, and ultimately, Jesus set me free from the fear of man. It all started with my admitting, before God, that I needed help. Let me share a couple insights I learned through this process.

Pleasing God is more important than pleasing man. If God has given you a conviction, hold to it. If it is a conviction that matches up with the very Word of God, then don't do anything to change. The fear of man goes away when our complete trust, faith, and reliance is in Jesus Christ. The reality is that there will always people who disagree with us. Don't allow the opinions of people keep you from obeying the voice of God. This leads to a healthy fear of God. 

Fearing God is not about worrying that He'll strike us dead if we sin, it is living with the utmost respect and honor of God in our lives. That we seek to honor Him in all we do, and that His name and renown be the desire of our heart. May our fear of God be what drives us. Paul says in Galatians 1:10, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."

At the heart of living with a fear of man is the sin of pride. When pride creeps into our lives, we become more concerned with our reputation than with God's reputation and our position in Christ. When we put our faith in Jesus, we are given a new life. We are adopted as His children. He lives in us by the Holy Spirit. If our concern is our reputation, we elevate ourselves to a higher place which leads to selfishness. God calls us to be humble. James 4:6 says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." When our lives are marked with humility, we become more concerned with God's place in our lives, which translates to a proper understanding of our place. 

Defeating the fear of man requires courage. It is not easy to get past the negativity of people, or even to lose friends by standing up for our convictions. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." The Holy Spirit will give us the strength to deal with the negativity and rejection that may come as a result of taking our stand.

When properly dealt with, it is freeing to overcome the fear of man. It frees you to become who God intended you to be: A worshiper and servant of Christ. It leads you to become less self-reliant and more God-reliant. It empowers you to have a healthy fear of God.

Below are the verses God used to help me overcome my fear of man and develop a healthy fear of God.

Psalm 2:11 “Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.”
Psalm 9:10 “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord have never forsaken those who seek you.”
Psalm 15:1-4 “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, ... who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord.”
Psalm 19:9 “The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.”
Psalm 22:23 “You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!”
Psalm 25:12-14 “Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.”
Psalm 31:19 “How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.”
Psalm 33:8-9 “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.”
Psalm 33:18-19 “But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.”
Psalm 34:7-9 “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Fear the Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing.”
Psalm 103:11 “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;”
Psalm 103:13 “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;”
Psalm 118:8 “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on our own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 14:26-27 “He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.”
Proverbs 15:16 “Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.”
Proverbs 15:33 “The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”
Proverbs 16:6 “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.”
Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the Lord leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”
Proverbs 22:4 “Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.”
Proverbs 23:17-18 “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."
Proverbs 29:25 “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”

The Importance of Integrity

I have learned many lessons in my life. One thing that has been clear to me as I have sat and listened to countless stories of heartache and pain, is that it is so important to be a person of integrity. Integrity will either make or break a person. I want to be a man of integrity because I believe God calls us to that.

If you do a Google search on the word integrity, you will read things like: the quality of being honest, having strong moral principles or moral uprightness. I believe integrity to be the way someone is when no one is watching. If you are one way in public but are different in private, no one will trust you. Integrity is when your public life matches up with your private life.

As you read through the Bible, we come to understand the importance of telling and living the truth. In the book of Proverbs 6, we read a list of what the Lord hates. Each example that is listed in this passage has to do with integrity. The reason for this is because truth is one of God's attributes. He is the Truth. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth and the life." God and dishonesty do not operate in the same room. Also, we read in John 8:44 that the devil, is the "father of all lies".  Therefore, if a person is living in dishonesty, they are in a sense giving birth to death and giving ground to the enemy. If a person is not walking in integrity, then they are probably not walking with the Lord.

Integrity is something that takes a person a lifetime to achieve, but only takes a moment to destroy. Integrity is built over a lifetime of living in and walking with the truth. It is claiming what David said in Psalm 101:2, "I will walk in my house with a blameless heart."  God desires for us to be the same person in public and in private.

Imagine with me. Imagine if I were to fall into a sin that would severely damage my reputation as a follower of Christ, as a husband and dad and as a leader in the church. The affects of one fleeting moment would have a ripple affect that would throw away years of service and integrity. It would take me a long time to rebuild the trust of my family, friends and our community.  It would be as if I were to take a pillow outside on a windy day, cut it in half and let the feathers blow all over town. Then, go out later and try to gather up all the feathers to put my pillow back together. There is no way. The damage would already be done.

In conclusion, how does a person walk in integrity and avoid driving in a ditch? It takes tenacity. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit at work in a person's life. It also takes accountability. It is important to have people in your life who will ask you the tough questions. People who love you enough to point out your blind spots. Even in this setting of accountability, honesty is the key. If you can't be honest with yourself and close friends, then you will surely wind up in a place of failure. In a world that is becoming increasingly dishonest, may our lives be marked with the Truth. May our private lives match our public, to the honor and glory of God.