Journey with Franklin Graham and his daughter Cissie, to the land of the Bible. Enjoy this special tour of God’s Word in Israel, as they share some of the greatest stories ever told. BillyGraham.tv
explore the beauty and history of the
holy land from Jerusalem to the Sea of
Galilee and from the Jericho Road to the
Mount of Olives
Franklin Graham shares the scriptures
where they come to life in the places
Jesus walked and taught this is the Sea
of Galilee right here
open the Bible and begin this
fascinating devotional journey next I
was eight years old when I visited
Israel for the first time that was 53
years ago and over the years I’ve had an
opportunity to return a number of times
and most recently is with my daughter
and I wanted her to see the land
and I wanted her to understand the Bible
in the land of the Bible
I always knew a trip like this would be
special
but actually being here walk in the
stone streets and seeing this dark
hillsides of Jerusalem it exceeds every
expectation the Bible stories I’ve heard
and the verses I’ve memorized they all
come to life here in the Holy Land
my dad brought my brothers here years
ago but I was too young to come along
I’ve always wanted to see Israel and I
kept begging my dad to bring me now that
I’m expecting my first child I think my
dad realized this might be the last
chance for just the two of us to be able
to share this time together
this is drusen what do you think ceci it
is incredible how much history is here
about how much history is to come
there’s just so much to see here when
you think of Jerusalem is one corner
here for the Herod’s gate over here is a
dung gate this is the eastern gate of
the Golden Gate you have the Temple
Mount and the whole city is that right
there
I think of the blood that has been shed
the wars that have been thought the
Babylonians the Persians the Syrians the
Egyptians and those that have come
against the city and have marched
against the city and a times has been
destroyed and the children of Israel
would turn to God it didn’t AUVs
and they had peace and prosperity and
they would forget God and then they
would get in trouble they’d have enemies
come against them they would have
plagues they would have famines they
would have armies march against them and
then they would call upon the name of
the Lord
you know it’s not much different with us
today
you know people when they get sick they
call old pray for us but when they’re
doing well they don’t want God and then
they call on him when they get in
trouble and so with the children of
Israel did we just look at ourselves
that’s what we do today many people
don’t don’t ever call in the name of God
unless they’re in trouble I’m so
grateful to be here with my dad he knows
so much about the history of this chosen
land and I’m looking forward to reading
and studying the scriptures with him in
the very places where these amazing
events happen
I love traveling with my dad because you
have to understand he’s like a walking
encyclopedia he’s visited Israel over
thirty five times since he was eight
years old and even as a young man he
worked with tour groups here in this
region
sometimes in this part of the world the
most unassuming site can be a place of
great significance in Israel there are
not a lot of places you can say this is
the exact spot but this is the exact
spot where Gideon chose his men Israel
was impoverished the Bible says because
of the Midianites and Amalekites and it
looked absolutely hopeless these people
had no hope none and they cried out to
God and God heard him and the angel Lord
appeared to him and said you are mighty
warrior and you’re going to deliver
Israel from the hands of the Midianites
and Amalekites
and he had about 32,000 men that came
with him and they came to these Springs
but God said there’s too many men who
ever got down on their knees and drank
the water with their mouths he sent them
away but those that took their hand and
actually brought the water to their
mouths those are the ones that kept 300
bought the water to the mouth with her
hand and God said that’s enough
Gideon didn’t think he could do it
because he came from the weakest and his
family was the least of his tribe but he
went out in obedience and sometimes you
know we think well we’re too small how
can God use me you’ll see God working a
mite away just like right here with you
get in and how God used getting in those
300 men to have to create a great
victory for the Lord the Lord just asked
for obedience once you’re still BAE
when Jesus journey throughout Israel it
was by foot by donkey or by boat
standing here on the shore of the Sea of
Galilee I can almost see him stepping
into a small fishing boat looking
forward to some peace and quiet on the
beautiful water
here we are assisting gallantly behind
us back over here that’s the head of the
lake that’s the toward Kryptonian this
way is towards Nazareth she would have
gone to that Valley right there Jesus
would have walked through that Valley on
his way to imagine this is to the south
this is towards the outflow of and the
jordan river goes out along the Jordan
Valley but this is the Sea of Galilee
right here here you are
Jesus was here on the sea and the storm
comes now remember these are experienced
sailors these fishermen they they they
are not novice they knew exactly what
they’re doing and the wind and the waves
were so bad and the waves were coming
over the boat and they were now afraid
for their life they were afraid they
weren’t going to make it
and Jesus was in the back of the boat
asleep and they went and they walked
Jesus and they probably Jesus was
drowning don’t you even care that we’re
about to die and I think for those guys
out here and that boat that day it was
pretty dark they had lost all hope they
didn’t they didn’t see a way out
they knew that they were going to perish
and they awake Jesus oh don’t you care
aren’t you concerned we’re about to die
in here you are sleeping and Jesus said
you have little faith
Bible says he got up and he rebuked the
winds and the waves and it was
completely calm he spoke and as soon as
he spoke it was just
it was exactly like it is right now
completely calm and then the Bible says
the men were amazed what kind of man is
this even the wind and the waves obey
Him and for all of us we put our faith
and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ he’s
in our vote and when those storms come
and those waves come and love life we
all go through those storms in life he’s
in the boat with us
sissie right now we’re at Capernaum but
pretty sure because of the ruins here in
the synagogue and what they have found
that this is Capernaum that this was
Jesus’s headquarters and this is where
he lived during much of his ministry
and prompted whether the best-known
stories is the the crippled man who came
to Jesus his friends carried him on his
bed and Jesus is in a home he’s teaching
and there’s so many people you can’t
even get to the door and right somewhere
in this area
these men were so frustrated they
couldn’t get in but you know it didn’t
stop him these are pretty smart guys
they climb up on the roof and they just
start taking the roof off and they stood
over top of Jesus and they took their
friend on their mattress and they just
led him down right smack dab in front of
Jesus and Jesus saw that faith and
that’s what he wants to see he wants to
see faith
he said to the crippled man I tell you
get up take your mat and go home
he got up and took his mat and he walked
out in full view of all this amazed
everyone and they praised God and they
said we’ve never seen anything like this
before as I reflect on where we are and
what we’re seeing I’m moved by the
bigger picture yes it’s exciting to
physically walk where Jesus walked but
it’s even more thrilling to follow his
example and answer his call on our lives
to be set apart to be a light in the
darkness and to make a difference in
this world we’re here on the hills above
Galilee and this is the traditional
place where many people say the Sermon
on the Mount was given on the CIRM of
the mountain chapter 5 of Matthew and
verse 13 jesus said you’re the salt of
the earth but if salt loses its
saltiness how can it be made salty again
it is no longer good for anything except
to be thrown out and be trampled by men
he goes on to say you’re the light of
the world a city on a hill cannot be
hidden neither do people light a lamp
and put it under a bowl instead they put
it on a stand and it gives light to
everyone in the house in the same way
let your light shine before men that
they may see your good deeds and praise
your father in heaven
think about salt salt is used for
preserving and Jesus is saying that the
assault loses its saltiness what good is
it
we’re to let our light shine before men
so people see that we’re not conforming
we’re not trying just to be like the
culture be like the one we’re different
and they see our good works to see our
good deeds and they praise our Father in
Heaven and so Christians need to take a
stand we’re not just to hide and put our
light under a bushel you can own this
journey through the Holy Land on DVD as
a thank you for any gift of ministry
support in Israel there are about a lot
of places you can say this is the exact
spot but this is the exact spot where
Gideon chose his men go to Billy Graham
TV to get involved this exclusive DVD
also contains bonus materials from Billy
Graham including the film Jerusalem go
online to Billy Graham TV and begin this
fascinating devotional journey one
purpose motivates this preacher to
travel to the far reaches of the globe
his wife and shed his blood for you and
for me
the purpose the simple message of
salvation through Jesus Christ we are
the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association and our mission is to do
everything we can to reach each life
with the good news of Jesus Christ
through my home the Rapid Response Team
internet evangelism and crusade
ministries we are reaching countless
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join with us help us take the good news
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member
I love him I want a camel
this particular road would have been the
way people would have traveled back and
forth over to Moab down to the Jordan
Valley down to Jericho but they’d also
go to Galilee this way so this is a
well-traveled road and so Jesus has an
encounter with a lawyer and I love this
because this lawyer is trying to trap
him and try and trick you
so he asked Jesus who is my neighbor
read the story there sis eg reread Jesus
reply in reply Jesus said a man was
going down from Jerusalem to Jericho
when he fell into the hands of robbers
they stripped him of his clothes beat
him and went away leaving him half dead
they beat him to where the point he was
the guy they thought he was dead they
left him for dead and here comes a
priest down the road and he sees the guy
but then he just kind of turned his back
and looks the other way and with so many
times in life that’s what happened so
people just look the other way then here
comes a Levite Wow of course it’s going
to be the Levite he’s got to be the hero
the Levites are always the good guys and
Jesus said the Levite looked the other
way
and then jesus said a Samaritan a
Samaritan came and when he said that
this guy just his face must have just
fell because Samaritans were despised
they were looked down upon they were the
second-class citizens the Jews had
nothing to do with this America’s it and
associate with them or anything and and
it’s the Samaritan that took pity on
this guy had compassion on him and he
picked him up and he a bandage sheet his
will he put wine kill the germs oil to
soothe that where he had been beaten and
then he put him on his own animal and he
carried him to an end
and then Jesus then asked this lawyer
who do you think was the neighbor and
the lawyer had to say the man who had
compassion who took pity on it and then
Jesus said go and do likewise
this is what I love about the Bible it
shows us how to live it’s not just a
bunch of stories or fables it’s truth
it’s a solid roadmap for living our
lives today it’s real it’s powerful and
I’m so thankful for God’s Word
this is Al and I seen it share of pain
and tragedy much of it forgotten in the
passing of years but one place we
visited serves as a reminder of the
greatest agony of all time the place
where Christ was crucified
sissie we’re outside of the Damascus
Gate and this is the area that many
Protestants believe is where Jesus was
crucified right here this would be
Golgotha
I want us to think about it for just a
moment remember Jesus was betrayed
by Judas and remember that Jesus said
that told his disciples he warned them
that I’m going to be betrayed I’m going
to be handed over to sinful men but what
Jesus was doing he was taking your sins
and my sins upon himself and so he was
falsely accused he was betrayed he had
never sinned once in his life never
sinned he was sinless that he became sin
for you and mate and they stretched him
out on that cross and they nailed him to
that cross they cursed him they were
mocking him
you could save others but you can’t save
yourself
and Jesus hung on that cross willingly
and he took that pain he took that shame
of a cross for each one of us
one of the places that had the most
impact on me was the garden – for a
brief moment in history it was the
darkest saddest place on earth but then
something miraculous something glorious
changed everything
on the first day of the week very early
in the morning the women took spices
they had prepared and went to the tomb
they found the stone had been rolled
away from the tomb but when they entered
they did not find the body of the Lord
Jesus while they were wondering about
this suddenly two men and clothes
appeared gleaming like lightning stood
beside them in their fright the women
bowed down with their faces to the
ground but the men said to them why do
you look for the living among the dead
he is not here
he is risen
but Mary stood out here shield weeping
and then Jesus appeared to her and she
thought he was the gardener and then
Jesus said Mary
she recognized his voice
and how important it is for all
believers to recognize his voice that’s
what we need to remember his voice
this is our hope right here that tomb is
is empty Lord Jesus Christ is not there
he’s risen he’s he’s gone to be with his
father in heaven and he’s coming back
and he’s going to come back someday I
believe so but this this tomb is empty
my question to you that are watching do
you believe that Jesus Christ is the son
of God do you believe that he took your
sins and that he died on the cross for
you do you believe that he was buried
for your sins and that Christ rose from
the grave have you ever asked Christ
into your heart have you ever trusted
him as your Savior
if you would like to pray that prayer
just say right now god I’m a sinner and
I’m sorry forgive me and I believe that
Jesus Christ is your son and I want to
invite him into my heart and trusting as
my Savior and I want to follow him as my
lord if you’re willing to do that right
now God will hear that prayer and he’ll
forgive you of your sins he’ll cleanse
your heart and you can have that hope of
eternal life he’s alive and he can come
into your heart today if you’re willing
to trust him
the night is always darkest before the
dawn never was this truer than the
morning when Jesus’s tomb was found
empty
Jesus is alive today and he continues to
change lives bringing people from
darkness into light
I think a special memory for me that
I’ll always remember
happened this morning as we were getting
off the bus in the Mount of Olives got
off the bus and my dad turn around said
that’s the hotel I dedicated my life to
Christ
you know you hear the stories but to
really make it real are just incredible
to see a place that really changed his
life and to be able to share this with
him has just been incredible
after Christ’s resurrection and before
he sent it into heaven he gave one last
charge to his followers and his command
should drive us all still today when
they had taken him out of the vicinity
of Bethany he lifted up his hands he
blessed them and while he was blessing
them he left them and was taken up into
heaven then they worshiped him been
returned to Jerusalem with great joy and
he stayed continually in the temple
praising God
so here’s a disciples our Lord was here
in the vicinity of Bethany so it’s this
part of the Mount of Olives he lifted up
his hands and he was taken up into
heaven
jesus told his disciples here this is
where the Great Commission comes from go
into the world and where to to take this
gospel starting here in Judea Jerusalem
and then to the ends of their that’s
what he told his disciples
and that’s really the mandate for every
believer today that we are to take this
gospel Jesus set it right here on this
mountain that we’re to take this message
to the ends of the earth
we still have that command he hasn’t
changed where to go into the world and
to preach the good news
I’ll never forget these days in the Holy
Land with my dad this time has been so
special to me together we’ve walked
where Jesus walked we’ve stood where he
performed miracles and we’ve seen where
he gave the Great Commission to his
disciples with all of my heart I want to
be faithful on this mission
may we the followers of Jesus Christ
take this good news to the ends of the
earth
wherever you turn people need Christ our
world is in trouble
it’s in big trouble and at the Billy
Graham Evangelistic Association we’re
taking the gospel to the ends of the
earth we use the internet you know with
the internet we can go across political
boundaries we can go cross borders into
homes places where we would never be
able to go ourselves but we can do it
through the internet and go right into a
computer and present the gospel of Jesus
Christ we still use radio we use
television we use films we use Crusades
we still go to big stadiums but we can
only do this because we have partners
and friends like you that support us
financially so please help us uh
continue to take the gospel to the ends
of the earth to fulfill the Great
Commission that our Lord Jesus Christ
gave us thank you thank you for watching
thank you for your help share this
program and watch it again with your
family and friends this part of the
mount of olives he lifted up his hands
and he was taken up into heaven as a
thank you for any gift of ministry
support you’ll receive a copy of this
journey through the Holy Land on DVD go
to Billy Graham TV this exclusive
devotional DVD also contains bonus
materials from Billy Graham including
the film Jerusalem
go online to Billy Graham TV right now
and begin this fascinating devotional
journey