Billy Graham Friday, May 16, 2008

From his first small town ministering position in Illinois, to his bustling evangelical crusades in Los Angeles, London, Madison Square Gardens, and locations circling the globe, Rev. Billy Graham’s life has been one of service and dedication to the Gospel of Jesus Christ to millions around the world.

Over the past 60 plus years, it is said that Brother Billy Graham has preached the Gospel in live audiences to over 215 million people in more than 185 countries, not to mention the millions he has reached through his radio and television ministries. Countless lives accepted Christ through his preaching of the Gospel. He has become one of the most renowned and influential evangelists of the past century and has been an icon and a true Christian example to the United States and many nations around the world.

Since the 1950’s, Rev. Billy Graham has given Spiritual guidance and prayed with nearly every U.S. president up to present, and has had contact with numerous spiritual and political leaders in other countries. His life has been a witness in such a way that it's gained him both national and international recognition as a spiritual leader. Since 1948, Brother Billy Graham has been voted on the “Gallup Organization” 51 times as one of the top ten most admired men in the world. In 1996 he and his wife, Ruth Graham, were awarded the “Congressional Gold Medal,” the highest honor that Congress can bestow upon a citizen, for their service to humanity. But his purpose in life was not to gain fame. It was to point people to Christ.

While in his eighties and battling Parkinson’s disease, Brother Billy Graham was still attending crusades on the battle field. He once said during his ministry, "My one purpose in life is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which, I believe, comes through knowing Christ."

God used the life of Brother Graham in a great and mighty way to reach out to the lost and introduce them to Christ. He was a true servant of God and a witness for Jesus Christ.

As an ending statement, Brother Branham said of Rev. Billy Graham,

“…Billy Graham, well known, world-wide known. Our cause has crossed many times overseas. Just recently in Zurich, Switzerland, he ended up in the stadium in Saturday afternoon. I begin Sunday morning. A modern miracle of the day, a wonderful man, a real Christian... And I love the man and pray for him, for he doesn't appear to me to be some stuck-up theologian who just knows it all, but he's really frank and flat on the Word, as far as he's permitted to preach.

Now, I'm noticing in his work... And not long ago I had the privilege of talking to him. But I was in a meeting where I heard him make a statement something like this. It was at the breakfast, it was, in Louisville, Kentucky, a few months ago. And something about he said, "The Bible is the standard of God." Oh, how true. He said, "But I'll go into a city." And he said, "There's no one in the country knows any better than I do, that I'm not a forceful preacher." He said, "But God called me to do this work, and I'm trying to do it the best I know how for God." Wonderful. God could raise the man up like that, and he stay that humble.”

The Impersonation Of Christianity 57-0127A