How to Read the Bible Like Billy Graham

My latest book has been published. How to Pray Like David: A Bible Study on Psalms 42-72 is now available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback formats. (The Kindle version is on sale this week at the introductory price of 99 cents.)

While writing it, I did some research on Billy Graham. (The following is an excerpt from the new book.)

How Billy Graham Read the Bible

Many years ago, someone told me that Billy Graham read five psalms every day.

I thought, “Wow! Really?” So I decided to check it out.

According to biographer John Pollock, here’s how Billy Graham read the Bible.

“Every day he reads five Psalms, covering the psalter in a month, and one chapter of Proverbs . . . He reads through a Gospel each week, using commentaries and modern translations, and constantly returns to the Acts of the Apostles. He annotates throughout the Bible.”

Whoa! He read the books of Psalms and Proverbs (in their entirety) every month.

Why would he do that? Graham explains why: “The Psalms will tell you how you get along with God, and the Proverbs will tell you how to get along with your fellowman.”

Oh, and he also read all four gospels (in their entirety) every month.

And he didn’t just read the Bible. He also studied it, using commentaries and different translations, taking notes, and writing down his thoughts.

We also know the effect Scripture had on him. In Graham’s own words: “Sometimes His word makes such an impact on me that I have to put the Bible down and walk around for a few moments to catch my breath.”

Does that ever happen to you? Do you find the Bible breathtaking?

Billy Graham and His God

May we learn from Billy Graham the importance of spending time alone with God — in the Word, prayer, and meditation. This was the foundation of his life and ministry.

John Akers elaborates on the answer to the age-old question, “What was the secret of his success?” Look no further than “Graham’s deep commitment to a consistent, thoughtful devotional life. Without it, Graham never would have become the person he was, nor would he have had the worldwide impact he did. It kept him humble, reinforced his integrity, expanded his vision, and enabled him to keep his focus. Most of all, as he often said, it kept him close to the One he sought to serve.

“The elements of Graham’s devotional life were simple: the Bible, prayer, and reflection. In his view, each was essential and bound to the others. Graham learned early on the value of setting aside a definite time each day (preferably in the early morning) to be alone with God, a practice he sought to maintain even in the midst of overwhelming pressures, disruptions, and frequent travel. To the end of his life, Graham maintained the practice of setting aside a daily time for Bible study and prayer, which was not restricted to once a day.”
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/billy-graham/

If you have a desire, like Billy Graham, to reach people with the gospel of Christ – to see your friends and loved ones repent of their sin and trust Jesus for salvation – the key is to cultivate an intimate relationship with God through quality time in the Word, prayer, and meditation.

Such an intentional intimacy with God will kindle your love and compassion for people. The deeper you grow in your knowledge of God (from the Word of God), the more you will become like Jesus. And according to Scripture, Christ-like holiness is the evidence of true saving faith: “By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:5-6). Or, as Paul wrote, “we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18). To become increasingly like Jesus requires the life-changing power of God, and this transformation occurs while we are “beholding the glory of the Lord.” And where do we go to see the glory of God? The Word of God.

Billy Graham read five psalms a day because he wanted to see God and be sanctified by God. His ministry was the overflow of that supernatural transformation. May that be our experience, too. And may that be the reason I wrote How to Pray Like David: A Bible Study on Psalms 42-72 (Volume 2).

You can read more excerpts from the book here:
https://godwrotethebook.com/31-reasons-to-study-the-psalms/