From the Archives: Greg Laurie on the 100th Birthday of Billy Graham

Everybody Greg Laurie here.

You're listening to the Grigori podcast and my objective is to deliver hopefully compelling practical insights and faith culture and current events. From a biblical perspective to find out more about our ministry. Just go to our website harvest.org so thanks for joining me for this podcast. You know it's rude and a man comes along that impacts a generation like Billy Graham and it was my privilege to get to know him personally and spent a lot of time with him.

I heard all of his jokes. Many many times and he had some good one. So I'm in the store with the Billy Graham Joe.

This is how he would often start. I will do it in his voice, but he would come up and say I heard a story about a man he was asked to say a few words at a meeting in the moderator introduced him and said you had five minutes and so the man told us five minutes quickly and he kept speaking in the moderator cleared his throat and still the man continued to speak in the moderator pounded his gavel lightly and the man continued to drone on 25 minutes later the man is still speaking.

Finally, in frustration, the moderator takes his gavel and throws it at the speaker. He barely misses them and hits an elderly man who fell asleep in the front row. The old man woke up and saw the man was still speaking and said to the moderator hit me again. I can still hear us a classic Billy Graham Joe and got really awful when he would be in a room full of important people. Of course we all knew he was the most important but always deferred to others, would always start with this joke about the farmer that entered his mule in the Kentucky Derby and they said no farmer you don't think your mule can win that race to you and he said no but the Association will do them some good and you know they would laugh like that. These are Billy Graham, Joe, that he would often start with but time you know the amazing thing about his life. Is it almost reads like a Bible story, doesn't it, young Billy Frank working on a farm, a dairy farm in Charlotte North Carolina was we only heard invited to a meeting to hear the evangelist Mordechai him Billy gives his life to Christ, who could've ever imagined that that young farmboy would go on to change the world.

Billy would often say I'm just a country preacher and he would say oh no Mr. Graham. Your great preacher and he would again say I'm just a country preacher and in his heart.

That's who we always was.

I first became exposed to Billy Graham when I was a young boy living with my grandparents and whenever he was in television we would watch on our black and white television set that was in the days of gun smoke and Bonanza. Remember that I we saw the Billy Graham looked a little bit like Marshall Dillon actually and little that I ever imagined that I would meet him one day, but now fast forward many years. I I came to Christ at the age of 17 in 1970 and so II heard the Billy Graham was preaching in San Diego, which is in far from work I wasn't. So I decided to go see him in person. So as I sat there in the stadium with thousands of other people and listen to my thought that's what I want to do when I grow up, never thinking that speaking the stadium, but I thought I want to present the gospel to people and invite people to Christ effect that even one forwarded the invitation not to get St. Gordy was a Christian, I just wanted a closer look at the sky. So now fast forward on many years a 1985 Billy comes to a California to Angel Stadium to do one of his Crusades, and so I was a pastor and I was asked to participate in the event and they said we want you to do a prayer on the stage before Mr. Graham speaks is that okay. I was very nervous very excited. So I'm sitting on the stage and Cliff Barrow says to me in a listen when when I when that person is done singing, you go right up there and you lead the prayers of yes Earl do it and so the person finished singing I was so's I was just in awe of everything sitting on this date of the Billy Graham Crusade and I miss my queue and Cliff yells over get up there walked up I was so nervous, praying in front of Billy Graham. You know, because of that he's listening to me right now and so then when I got to know him and that happened through my friendship with the son Franklin and I know and very well, and the whole family there to such a great family there really are. But as I got to know him personally and I begin my crusade ministry actually and 90, 1990, Billy was sort of in the last decade of his ministry and he became aware of what I was doing and he asked if I would help him with his sermons specifically in the area of illustrations he wanted current illustrations so I would comb through newspapers and magazines and and I would take his notes in his font sizes like 24 I think there's like eight words on the page and then flip the page and so I would write my illustrations and and then the secretary Stephanie would type them that I would go to Billy's hotel room sort of rehearse the lines, almost like how you would preach them and Billy.

Toward the end of his life was struggling with Parkinson's disease. As you may recall, and so his movements were a bit slow, but as it turns out he was misdiagnosed and the medication was affecting them as we move very slowly, but I tell you what I would sit there in his hotel room going over these illustrations and he would just sit there looking at me and if you like 20 and call his secretary is a Stephanie type this into the message but then then I when he walked into the pulpit. It's like 40 years fell off of him and is that power and that energy came through as he would preach the gospel and no matter despite the fact that I was with them. In many occasions. I was always nervous around him because he was still Billy Graham. You know, and you couldn't get over that one time I was at a board meeting and do after we were done I said to Mr. Graham and it's a just, Billy, and I say okay Mr. Graham. I was never comfortable calling them Billy though I did occasionally do that but I said if you need any help with your upcoming crusade messages.

Call me and I'll help. He says okay and so I went to my room was very late like 1030 and I got a phone call from my hotel room and I thought it was my friend Dennis and Eugenia who plays guitar and his son with Billy Graham and many of his Crusades because Dennis would often call me after I've been with Mr. Graham is a how to go tonight and Dennis did a flawless Billy Graham imitation so Dennis calls me with the voice of Billy Graham and says hello this is Billy Graham and I said well hello Billy I know it's Dennis and I'm flipping the channels of the diva said what hello Billy how you doing click click click and I've been thinking a great deal click click click and could really use your help with my messages, click, click, then it dawns on me way. Only Billy would know that because I said that I'm talking to Billy Graham and I'm blowing him off right now.

I snapped to think. Yes sir, Mr. Graham got, I guess I'd be happy to. So you know that was the impact of the men. One time I was at his home for lunch and I'll tell you what Billy was the godliness man I ever met and I met a lot of godly men and I would say Ruth was the godliness woman I ever met. She was the perfect match for Billy. Just watching them together was classic because they were a real husband and wife. They had little disagreements but I tell you they loved each other so much and Billy's face just lit up whenever Ruth walked into the room what were at their home, it's me Franklin Billy and Ruth and Ruth made us a little lunch fried chicken and some black-eyed peas and the shuttle Lazy Susan. You know the Lazy Susan is over when you turn around, so reading the food and in Billy is looking at me. Mrs. Greg would you like a Coke and I just no one said Coke like Billy Graham. Would you like a Coke and I said yes. I don't even one woman. I just like the way you say it. Please Billy Graham gave me this Coke I'm drinking it. I was always thinking of questions to ask him. I turned to Billy and I said, Billy, let me ask you this. If an older Billy Graham could speak to a younger Billy Graham after all these years of being in the ministry, what with the older version of you say that the younger verse in the view without missing a beat. He says I would tell myself to preach more on the cross of Christ in the blood because that's where the power is. You know I never forgot that and that he was just an incredible guy and he is left a wonderful legacy knows Corrie 10 boom.

That said, quote the miserable life is not its duration. But it's donation.

A lot of people live long lives, but he lived a long and godly life and I can tell you what he would see if you were here right now. He probably wouldn't be all that happy, to be honest with you.

He did like it when people talk about them too much and he would remind this talk about Christ and I saw that happened on more than one occasion because whenever people were gathered and Billy was there. Everybody wanted to tell their Billy Graham stories to and he was very sweet love to hear the but he always one of the glory to go to God I was with them at a crusade in Portland, Oregon, and I tell you it was almost like a revival broke out and I have to tell you, Portland, Oregon needs a revival badly. Okay you receive that TV show Portlandia. It's at the Crazy Pl., Portland but it was a great work of the spirit happening thousands of people coming to Christ.

And so as we were leaving the meeting there were people lined up on both sides as Billy walked through the middle and it was like Moses was walking through so much admiration and so we get in the car and does so. TW Wilson is longtime a brother to Grady Wilson and I were in the front I was riding shotgun.

Billy's in the back seated next to Franklin's were driving out of the stadium.

I wanted to complement him on a sermon.

I turned around facing him over the sea. They said Mr. Graham. That was a great message tonight. He looked at me with those steely blue eyes and he said well it's just gospel was like. I know she's trying to complement you turn back around.

I thought about some say this, I turned back I said Mr. Graham.

I loved your point when you said Christ can re-sensitize your conscience, and he looked back to me as it will be can I know so it's a point about he didn't really like to be complemented all that much was sort of like water off of a ducks back in a way is that not one of the secrets of his effectiveness that he wanted the glory to go to God, so I know that Billy would want me to give a sermon on him. I know you'd want to give a meeting talk about Jesus, someone read a passage of Scripture, but I think as I read these words it really sum up his life. These are the final words of the apostle Paul to a group of leaders there in Ephesus and he sort of summing up what matters to him and he said to them and ask chapter 20.

None of these things move me. There were threats against Paul's life nor do I come I like dear to myself, but I want to finish my race with joy in the ministry, which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God, and now I know that none of you whom I have preach the kingdom to will ever see me again but I declare today I been faithful if anyone suffers eternal death. It's not my fault, for I didn't shrink from declaring all that God wanted you to know some of these statements, Paul compares himself to a runner in a race, a steward, a witness I Harold and a watchman. First he says he's a runner in a race. He says none of these things move me, but I want to finish my race with joy.

You know were all in the spiritual race there's a beginning there's a middle there's an we don't know in the end necessarily. Yes and maybe sooner than we think. That's why we want to run this race. Well, and the key to running the race of life is to do it for Jesus. You know the Bible says and were surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, so let's run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking for Jesus the author and finisher of our faith and know that Billy ran his race for Christ. He rented for the glory of God.

He wanted to be faithful to the very end he was when I was doing track and field. When I was a kid I hated the practice and I would run around the track of my high school campus and I remember I always rent better when a pretty girl was watching the right always helped a little bit. I think we need to remember that in the race of life, and I'm running it to impress you. You don't run your race to impress me were doing it for the Lord and that's a very important thing about will keep you gone.

That'll keep you going and also Paul says I finish my race. You know later. Paul wrote in second Timothy, I fought the good fight, I kept the faith. I finish the course. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give to me in that day, not to me only, but to all who love his appearing. So Billy didn't just start his race. Well he ran it welded the end he reminds of the old Bible character Caleb who at the age of 85 held up his arm and said give me this mountain putting a lot of the younger guys to say you hold Billy was when he preaches last crusade in New York City, 86, and he wanted to keep going. By the way he wanted to go to England after he completed New York, but he wasn't able to do that but actually live many hours after that, but he finished his race. Will you know some people start the Christian life with a lot of excitement and passion. But then they crash and burn or get off track where they break the rules. You don't you run a race you need to play by the rules, you can't just make up your own rules as you go first Corinthians 9 Paul says I am a runner in a race and I discipline my body. Last when I preach to others. I would be disqualified. Billy lived moral life.

He was a godly man he had something that you probably heard of called the Modesto manifesto and when he was just starting this ministry out after the youth for Christ days and the LA crusade. There was a lot of controversy about preachers in a lot of more scene is going after people's money and being sensational and exaggerating so Billy came up with this set of rules that he and his team agreed to and it became known as the Modesto manifesto and one of them was they would be accountable with money that there crusade to be audited, you would know where the money was spent, number two, there would be moral purity. You would never be alone with any woman. Besides your wife number three you would work with local churches and never, never criticize a fellow pastor or spiritual leader, which I think is a good rule. A lot of people would have to give up Twitter if they didn't do that anymore. Another a while that principles of the Modesto manifesto was never exaggerate your numbers and you know I with all the Crusades.

There would always be very exact and how many people came to the event. How many people can't afford any live by those things and he was a very humble kind of guy one time we were at a crusade and afterwards we're leaving that someone didn't believe these roast beef sandwiches and we were told these are very good, so we get to the hotel and there cold at this point so we called.

He invites us up to his room. He always got free rooms at the Marriott Hotel and they gave him a nice sweet and so he we're usually the Marriott. In fact, Ruth said heaven doesn't look like a Marriott hotel.

Billy won't know were yes right at Billy's funeral service back in Charlotte. I got in an elevator and a Marriott hotel and who's in the hotel elevator.

Mr. Marriott himself and so I chatted with him a little bit. As you know, he's a Mormon man and die, but I think them for all that you done for Billy over the years, in any way sore in the Marriott hotel suite and so Billy disappears and he comes back and he's wearing pajamas in his dress shoes right he's surrounded by people he is comfortable with. He doesn't want to talk about that night he just wants to talk some of would tell jokes and we ate cold roast beef sandwiches and other this is it. This is the key to the whole thing up like don't take yourself too seriously.

You did the job God called you to do you deliver the message God called you good will ever get back to a normal life and give God the glory. Billy certainly was that Paul also likens himself to a steward steward is someone that guards something he protects something Billy could have done a lot of things with his life when he first started out, he was offered roles in films. They wanted him to be a movie star, then a little bit later on he was offered opportunities to run for office. He probably could become the president if you wanted to be but his response was I have a higher calling and need it but yet despite that fact he could go to both sides of the aisle and minister to people. He was a friend of presidents going back to Harry Truman and he was close to Lyndon Johnson and he was close to course Ronald Reagan and Pres. Bush and George W. Bush and with President Clinton and even Pres. Obama met Billy at his home in Montreat, North Carolina and died at Billy's 95th birthday party Donald Trump. Our present president set at Billy's table. He knew all these presidents, but he was always there to minister to them. He was not pastor to presidents and he was a pastor to America. He really was a steward of the message that God gave him he would not get to polarize from people over political issues because he never wanted to lose an opportunity for the gospel to share Jesus Christ with people. That's always what is focus and objective was, as it has been said Billy was a bridge builder and I think a lot of times we burn bridges more than we build them and I think one of the qualities at Billy's life as it was a winsome nuts even if he disagreed. He would share what the Bible said, but he did it in the sort of friendly way and I thought you know if you want to win some you win some, being nice about it and Billy was a master at that, of course, and also Paul compares himself to a Harold uses icon preaching the kingdom of God. I sat on the platform many times and watch Billy Graham preach. I was learning I was absorbing I was in the finest evangelistic university on the planet.

Learning from the greatest modern evangelist and so I would observe him in different situations and no Billy actually said on more than one occasion, I don't think I'm really a very good preacher, but I think God has given me the ability to give the invitation. Well, actually he was a very good preacher as well know, but he was also very gifted in giving the invitation. I asked him once Billy what do you feel physically when you invite people to Christ and his response was, I feel like power is going out of me and I think what he was describing was that element of spiritual warfare that takes place when you're inviting people to Christ.

It's not an easy thing to do and something must one must be called to do, and that he once said in an interview with David Frost I study to be simple and I think you know it's not hard to preach over people's heads is not hard for people. Billy always wanted to connect with people he wanted to be understood by people and he always wanted to be a simple message that anyone could respond to, and of course many people did young and old. He really was like a prophet to America in the world and I don't think anyone will ever take his place and anyone who says they will is local man that I've been inspired by him and I'm one of many that want to keep preaching the gospel as long as we can.

Because really the Christian life and signal relay race or can we just have this baton over to the next generation. Then they run with them for a while and they handed off to the next generation we've all been given this sacred trust of proclaiming the gospel and you know one person will not take Billy's place, but thousands need to need to be the Billy Graham so to speak in your family in your neighborhood in your sphere of influence and gone to all of your world and preach the gospel shortly before he went to be with the Lord ability approve this statement, which really sums up his life, he said and I quote I hope to be remembered as someone who is faithful faithful to God faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ in full to the calling.

God gave me not only as an evangelist, but also as a husband, father and friend. I'm sure I feel in many ways, but I take comfort in God's promise of forgiveness and I take comfort also in knowing God's ability to take even the most imperfect efforts and use them for his glory. By the time you hear this or read this I'll be in heaven. As I'm writing as I write them. Looking forward with great anticipation to the day when I will be with God.

Now Billy typical fashion always brings it to the gospel but I will be in heaven because I preach large crowds or because I tried to live a good life. I'll be in heaven for one reason many years ago I put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ who died on the cross to make her forgiveness possible and rose again from the dead to give us eternal life.

Do you know you will go to heaven when you die, you can by committing your life to Christ today. I love that even in a summation of his life. He makes of the gospel presentation that's filling and that should be you and that should be me. Let me say this. In closing, you know, we can admire a man like this today and it's it's good but the ultimate thing that he would want if you were here with us is for us all to know Jesus Christ personally and I'm glad to come here and taking time out of your schedule to join this today, but you know even as it was said a little bit earlier, you know, just because you're in a Christian event doesn't make you a Christian you know Billy was in the choir and he heard Mordechai Hamm and Billy would often see in this crusade, you may be in the choir but you was come to Christ right so he always knew that there were people who went to church or Christian, and so there has to be the moment when you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sin, because one day your race will be run in your life will come to a close.

My life will come to a close and I don't know that will be celebrated like Billy Graham but I hope I'll be remembered as someone who was a follower of Jesus Christ, and most importantly, I hope that we can all know that people realize that we love the Lord and follow the Lord.

And if you don't know Jesus in a personal way. Let me invite you to come to him today because he can forgive you of all of your sentence, no matter what you've done wrong. He can transform you from the inside out is a all know why I've gone too far in my life.

Greg you know you can't teach an old dog new tricks. We are not a dog and these are tricks. This is called conversion.

It doesn't take years. It doesn't take months. It doesn't take weeks. It doesn't take days, it doesn't even take hours. It just happens like that this quickly. You believe in you can believe in Jesus and have all of your sins forgiven me think about everything you've ever committed removed and when God forgives our sins, he forgets our sin. The Bible says, that doesn't mean that God has a no lapse of memory, but it means he chooses not to remember them. So I should not choose to remember what God's chosen to forget to forgive you will forget your sins push them away as far as as the east is from the west to see what how to set up by saying to him. I know I'm a sinner.

I believe Christ died on the cross for me. I turn from my sin and I want Jesus to come in the my life have you done that yet the greatest tribute or gift if you will that you give give on the celebration of the birthday of Billy Graham is to receive the gift of eternal life. You know, when you give a gift to people. It's interesting how folks react to gifts in different ways. When you give a gift to a woman. Let's see it's beautifully wrapped a woman will first of all take the car and read the card she might even be touched by what the card says then shall carefully undo the ribbon and the paper and say I might use this later. Right then she opens the gift and enjoys it.

That's all woman receives a get give a gift to a man to look at the card but he's not reading it. The only reason he opened it to see if there was money in their or a gift card in their he doesn't care about your car, my right guys, we don't care then he chairs the paper is just an obstacle, get the paper off. He wants to get. I don't care if you open this like a lady or you open it like a man just open the gift is called the gift of eternal life. It's the only gift that keeps on giving. No batteries required no assembly required. All done he just say Lord I want that gift and I want to be forgiven. I want to close in prayer right now and I'm in to extend an opportunity for you to receive this gift of eternal life and be forgiven of all of your sin. If you need to do this if you need Jesus in your life.

Respond now, as we pray okay let's all bow our heads everybody praying please father, thank you for this time together together and remember the life of a remarkable man, but now our thoughts are turned toward Jesus who died on the cross for our sin and rose again from the dead, and I pray not for any Lord that are here in this place, or watching wherever they may be.

If they do not know you, Lord, help them to come to you now believe in you number the hands of God and her eyes are closed and were praying. Maybe some of you would say today.

I need Jesus. I'm not sure of my sin is forgiven. I don't have the confidence that I will go to heaven. I wanted Christ to come in your line you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven.

Would you raise your hand up and let me pray for your right reverie are seen as not handling this pricing when you raise your hand.

Pray for you to read. He also went one more moment not sure if your sin is forgiven you don't know that you go to heaven when you die, let me pray for you raise your hand you the research and pray this prayer Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the same time in the cross for my sin and rose again. I choose to follow you, Jesus. From this moment, my Savior and Lord my God and my friend Jesus name.

Now father let us all go now. The boldness of the Billy Graham possible and proclaim the gospel wherever we are looking to be the bridge builder said bridge runners seeking to be a stepping stone instead of a stumbling block. Use us more to bring other people in your thank you for this day.

We ask your blessing on each of us. We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ everybody Greg Laurie here. Thanks for listening to our podcast and to learn more about harvest ministries. Please subscribe and consider supporting this show.

Just go to harvest.org and by the way, if you want to find out how to come into a personal relationship with God. Go to know God.org that's key NOW GLD.org