>>ANNOUNCER: TODAY ON
THE JOHN ANKERBERG SHOW: EVERY PARENT KNOWS THAT
NEWBORN CHILDREN ARE BEAUTIFUL, AND A JOY TO THEIR HEARTS. BUT MANY PARENTS AND
GRANDPARENTS STRUGGLE TO KNOW HOW TO INSPIRE GENUINE CHRISTIAN
FAITH IN THEIR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN AS THEY
GROW UP. GOD TELLS US, "TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL THEIR HEART, WITH ALL THEIR SOUL, AND WITH ALL THEIR STRENGTH. AND TEACH THIS TO YOUR CHILDREN WHEN YOU SIT IN YOUR HOUSE, WHEN WALK BY THE WAY, WHEN YOU LIE
DOWN, AND WHEN YOU RISE UP." MOM AND DAD ARE THE MAIN MODELS OF HOW THEIR CHILDREN WILL
LEARN TO LIVE THEIR LIVES. A LIFEWAY RESEARCH STUDY FOUND 43 PERCENT OF CHURCH-ATTENDING TEENAGERS SAID THE REASON THEY WANTED TO KEEP ON LIVING FOR CHRIST AND REGULARLY ATTENDING CHURCH WAS BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO FOLLOW A PARENT OR FAMILY MEMBER’S EXAMPLE. BUT HOW ELSE CAN YOU MODEL
YOUR OWN CHRISTIAN FAITH EACH DAY SO THAT IT WILL
IMPACT YOUR CHILDREN, AND THEY WILL WANT TO FOLLOW
JESUS WHEN THEY ARE OLDER?
TODAY, MY TWO GUESTS ARE BILLY GRAHAM’S DAUGHTER, ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ, A WELL-KNOWN INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER AND BESTSELLING AUTHOR; AND HER DAUGHTER, RACHEL-RUTH LOTZ WRIGHT, WHO TEACHES AN ONLINE WEEKLY BIBLE STUDY. THEY WILL SHARE PRACTICAL IDEAS AND REAL-LIFE STORIES FROM THE GRAHAM AND LOTZ FAMILIES
TO SHOW YOU HOW YOU CAN DAILY PASS ON GOD’S TRUTH TO
YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. JOIN US FOR THIS SPECIAL EDITION
OF THE JOHN ANKERBERG SHOW. ♪ >>DR. JOHN ANKERBERG:
WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM. I’M
JOHN ANKERBERG, AND
I HAVE TWO WONDERFUL GUESTS WITH ME TODAY: ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ, AND WE’VE GOT RACHEL-RUTH LOTZ WRIGHT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I’M SO HONORED THAT THEY WOULD BE WITH US TODAY. AND THEY’VE WRITTEN A NEW BOOK THAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT, ALRIGHT, IT’S CALLED JESUS FOLLOWERS. THIS IS A TERRIFIC BOOK. IT’S ONE OF THOSE BOOKS THAT YOU CAN PICK UP AND YOU CAN LAUGH IN ONE CHAPTER AND YOU CAN CRY IN THE NEXT ONE. AND I LIKE THAT. I MEAN,
THEY MAKE YOU REALLY GET INTO THE STORIES. AND
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT
GETTING INTO THE STORIES. THE FIRST THING I WANT TO
TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT IS WITNESSING. HERE’S WHAT I FEEL
ABOUT CHRISTIANS. CHRISTIANS, WE ARE NOT
TALKING ABOUT JESUS; WE’RE THE SILENT GENERATION
RIGHT NOW. YOU WALK AROUND, AND PEOPLE DON’T KNOW
THAT YOU’RE A CHRISTIAN. THEY DON’T KNOW IT JUST
BECAUSE YOUR SHOES ARE SHINED; THE FACT IS, YOU HAVE
TO OPEN YOUR MOUTH, AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
YOU GOT TO TALK ABOUT JESUS. AND WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT
STORIES ABOUT HOW ANN
E’S MOM AND DAD THAT, YOU KNOW, WERE
BILLY GRAHAM AND RUTH GRAHAM, AND HOW SHE INFLUENCED
RACHEL-RUTH, AND HOW SHE SAW — DIDN’T HEAR, BUT SAW — IN HER
EXAMPLE HOW SHE COULD WITNESS, AND HOW SHE’S PASSED
IT ON TO HER KIDS. AND HER KIDS ARE A BLAST
IN TALKING ABOUT HOW JESUS CAN SAVE THEM AND FORGIVE
THEM OF THEIR SINS AND SO ON. YOU’VE GOT TO HEAR
THAT STORY IN A MOMENT. BUT THE BOOK IS BASED ON
GENESIS, AND IT’S TALKING ABOUT THE GENERATIONS, THE TEN
GENERATIONS THAT WERE FROM ADAM ALL THE WAY U
P TO NOAH. AND GOD PICKED OUT CERTAIN
PEOPLE THAT WERE WITNESSES, WERE SPECIAL PEOPLE. AND I’D LIKE ANNE TO
TALK ABOUT TWO THINGS. ONE IS, YOU USE AN ILLUSTRATION
FROM SCRIPTURE TO BASE THE BOOK ON, BUT THEN YOU GO
BACK TO A FOUR-MAN RELAY RACE, AND I WANT TO KNOW WHY
AND WHERE THAT CAME FROM. SO, START WITH THE BIBLE,
AND THEN GO TO THE FOUR-MAN RELAY RACE OF PASSING THE BATON,
HOW THAT ENTERS INTO WHAT WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT. >>LOTZ: THANK YOU, JOHN. AND
IT’S SUCH AN HONOR TO BE BACK WITH Y
OU. SO,
WE FEEL VERY BLESSED AND PRIVILEGED TO BE HERE, AND IT’S SO FUN TO HAVE RACHEL-RUTH BY MY SIDE. >>ANKERBERG: OH, YES, THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN. >>LOTZ: THANK YOU FOR INVITING US. AND I LOVE SCRIPTURE, AS YOU KNOW. AND SOMETIMES
THE GENEALOGIES IN SCRIPTURE WE SKIP OVER, BECAUSE IT’S, "AND HE BEGET AND THEN
HE DIED," "AND HE BEGAT." AND YOU KNOW, SO WE JUST
SORT OF SKIP OVER THAT PART. BUT GENESIS 5 LISTS TEN MEN WHO EACH LIVED IN A DIFFERENT GENERATION. AND THEY GRASPED THE BATON OF TRUTH
, AND THEY EFFECTIVELY, SUCCESSFULLY PASSED IT TO THE NEXT GENERATION. AND THE NEXT GENERATION PICKED IT UP, PASSED IT TO THE NEXT GENERATION, UNTIL IT ENDED IN NOAH. AND HE LIVED IN A CULTURE THAT WAS SO WICKED, A CIVILIZATION THAT WAS SO WICKED, THAT GOD
SAID ALL THEY THOUGHT WAS EVIL ALL THE TIME, AND IT PROVOKED
HIS JUDGMENT IN THE FLOOD. SO WHAT WE’RE LIVING IN TODAY IS INCREASINGLY DARK, EVIL, WICKED. BUT IT’S POSSIBLE TO PASS THE TRUTH THAT LEADS TO FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST FROM ONE GENERATI
ON TO THE NEXT. SO, IN THAT CHAPTER I PULLED OUT FOUR MEN WHO DID THIS EFFECTIVELY AND SUCCESSFULLY,
AND THAT’S THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE BOOK. SO, I PUT THE BIBLICAL
FRAMEWORK IN THE BOOK, AND THEN RACHEL-RUTH ADDS THE STORIES
THAT ILLUSTRATE THAT PARTICULAR SECTION. BUT I ILLUSTRATE
IT WITH THE RELAY RACE THAT YOU MENTIONED, THE 4X100. >>ANKERBERG: RIGHT. YOU’VE
GONE TO A LOT OF SPORTS EVENTS. >>LOTZ: YES. >>ALL: [LAUGHTER] >>LOTZ: WELL, MY HUSBAND WAS
A GREAT ATHLETE, AND MY CHILDREN ARE ATHLETES
. AND ONE
OF OUR FAVORITE EVENTS IN THE SUMMER OLYMPICS
IS THAT 4X100 RELAY RACE. AND I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY TEAMS
YOU MIGHT HAVE, BUT EACH TEAM HAS FOUR RUNNERS. AND THE FIRST RUNNER GRIPS
THE BATON; HE RUNS AS FAST AS HE CAN; HE PASSES IT
TO THE SECOND RUNNER, WHO’S ALREADY IN FULL SPEED. THE SECOND RUNNER GRABS IT,
HE PASSES IT AND RUNS HIS LAP. HE HANDS IT TO A THIRD
RUNNER, AND SO ON, UNTIL THE FOURTH RUNNER
FINISHES THE RACE. AND THE RACE IS WON, NOT ONLY
BY THOSE WHO PASS THE BATON THE SMO
OTHEST, BUT THOSE
WHO RUN THE RACE THE FASTEST. AND SO, I FEEL LIKE THAT GENESIS 5 IS SORT OF A BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATION OF THE RELAY RACES. THESE MEN GRASPED THAT BATON OF TRUTH, THEY PASSED IT EFFECTIVELY TO THE NEXT GENERATION ALL THE WAY DOWN. AND IF THEY HADN’T, JOHN, WE WOULDN’T BE HERE. BECAUSE NOAH,...AND I THINK NOAH IS A GOOD EXAMPLE: WHAT CAN ONE PERSON DO WHEN IT COMES TO PASSING THE TRUTH ON IN A GENERATION THAT’S VERY WICKED? AND HE DID IT SO EFFECTIVELY THAT AS A RESULT, HIS FAMILY W
AS SAVED. SO THAT’S WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO
DO. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GRASP THE BATON OF TRUTH FOR
OURSELVES, AND THEN WE PASS IT TO THE NEXT GENERATION EFFECTIVELY AND SUCCESSFULLY. BECAUSE IF WE DON’T, THINK ABOUT THIS, IF WE DON’T, WHO WILL? AND IS IT POSSIBLE FOR TRUTH TO BE LOST IN ONE GENERATION? >>ANKERBERG: THAT’S RIGHT. >>LOTZ: SO THAT’S
A VERY SOLEMN THOUGHT. >>ANKERBERG: YES. FOLKS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR
YOUR KIDS IN TERMS OF PASSING THE BATON ALONG,
ESPECIALLY IN WITNESSING? HAV
E THEY SEEN YOU WITNESSING?
ARE YOU AN EXAMPLE TO THEM IN THAT? BECAUSE WE’RE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT. BUT, RACHEL-RUTH,
LET ME START WITH YOU. LET’S GET EVERYBODY’S
BACKGROUND STRAIGHT HERE. THIS LADY HERE IS THE DAUGHTER
OF BILLY GRAHAM; YOU ARE HER DAUGHTER;
THAT MAKES BILLY GRAHAM YOUR GRANDFATHER, ALRIGHT? >>ALL: [LAUGHTER] >>ANKERBERG: AND WE’LL GO DOWN THE OTHER GRANDFATHERS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE HERE. BUT FIRST OF ALL, HOW WAS YOUR GRANDFATHER, WHO WAS GONE 60 PERCENT OF THE TI
ME
WHEN SHE WAS GROWING UP, WHERE WAS THE EXAMPLE WHEN HE’S
GONE 60 PERCENT OF THE TIME? HE WAS HOME A FEW TIMES,
AND THE FACT IS WHEN HE WAS HOME, HE
INFLUENCED YOU BY EXAMPLE. HOW DID HE DO IT? >>WRIGHT: THERE ARE
SO MANY, SO MANY WAYS. BUT I THINK WITH MY GRANDFATHER, I KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. I SAW HIM ON TV. WE’D BE, YOU KNOW, MY MOM WOULD CALL US DOWN WHEN THE CRUSADES WERE ON, AND I’D LAY DOWN AND WATCH, YOU KNOW, HIM COME UP ON THE SCREEN. AND I SAW ALL THE PEOPLE COMING
FORWARD AND GIVI
NG THEIR LIVES TO JESUS. BUT THEN WHEN I,
HOW I KNEW HIM PERSONALLY, HE WAS THAT SAME MAN. HE STILL, BEHIND CLOSED
DOORS, HE STILL LOVED JESUS; HE TALKED ABOUT
THE LORD ALL THE TIME. IT WAS IN HIS FACE; IT WAS
IN THE WAY HE TREATED US. AND HE ALWAYS WAS TALKING ABOUT
THE LORD AND LOVED THE LORD. AND SO, I SAW THAT IT WASN’T
FAKE; IT WAS FOR REAL; IT WAS IN HIS HEART. AND I THINK THAT IS
THE BOTTOM-LINE BIG THING, IS THAT YOU HAVE
TO BE AUTHENTIC. LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART, AND IT JUST
OVERFLOWS. IT JUST OVERFLOWS. AND I SAW THAT WITH MY GRANDFATHER, WITH MY GRANDMOTHER. >>ANKERBERG: WHO YOU CALLED...? >>WRIGHT: WHO, I CALLED HER
TAI TAI, WHICH MEANS - SHE TOLD US TO CALL HER THAT — IT MEANS "OLD LADY" IN CHINESE. SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED
IN CHINA; HER PARENTS WERE MEDICAL MISSIONARIES THERE. >>ANKERBERG: WHY WAS SHE
SUCH AN EXAMPLE TO YOU? >>WRIGHT: SHE WAS,...
IN EVERY WAY LOVED THE LORD. SO SHE WAS IN A LOT OF PAIN
A LOT OF TIMES, AND BECAUSE SHE HAD PHYSICAL PAIN. BUT IT N
EVER MADE A DIFFERENCE
IN THE WAY THAT SHE LIVED. SHE WASN’T GROUCHY, SHE WASN’T
COMPLAINING, ALL THAT STUFF. SHE JUST LOVED THE LORD AND
HAD A JOY THAT CAME ONLY FROM HER TIME, YOU KNOW, IN THE WORD. AND SO I SAW THAT. I SAW HER STUDYING HER BIBLE
AND WE DISCUSSED SCRIPTURE. WE DISCUSSED WHAT WAS GOING ON
IN MY LIFE OR IN MY MARRIAGE. AND SHE WAS SUCH AN EXAMPLE
TO ME OF A GODLY WOMAN. AND I WANTED TO BE LIKE HER.
>>ANKERBERG: YES. ♪ ♪ >>ANKERBERG: ANNE, YOU WERE
HOME, BUT HE WAS GONE 60 PERCE
NT OF THE TIME. SO HOW WAS RUTH, AND HOW WAS
BILLY STILL — WHO YOU CALLED DADDY BILL — HOW WERE THEY
AN EXAMPLE IN EVERYDAY LIFE? NOW, I KNOW, JERRY JENKINS IS
ONE OF MY BUDDIES THAT GREW UP WITH ME IN HIGH SCHOOL. AND
HE WROTE YOUR DAD’S BIOGRAPHY. I ASKED HIM ONE TIME
I SAID, YOU KNOW, "WHAT IMPRESSED YOU
ABOUT BILLY?" AND HE SAID, "I ASKED HIM ONE TIME,
'HOW DO YOU DO YOUR DEVOTIONS?' HE SAYS, 'ALL DAY LONG.'"
HE SAYS, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN ALL DAY LONG?" HE SAYS,
"LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE." AND,...
YOU TELL THE STORY. >>LOTZ: WELL, HE HAD BIBLES ALL OVER THE HOUSE: BY THE PHONE, BY HIS CHAIR, BY HIS BED, IN THE LIVING ROOM. AND MY MOTHER WOULD LEAD DEVOTIONS IN THE MORNING BEFORE I WENT TO SCHOOL. SHE’D CALL EVERYBODY TOGETHER,
WE’D PRAY, HAVE BIBLE READING. I NEVER LIKED IT, BECAUSE I WAS
ALWAYS IN A RUSH TO GET OUT THE DOOR. BUT SHE TAUGHT ME BY HER EXAMPLE THAT BIBLE READING AND PRAYER ON A DAILY BASIS IS NECESSITY. AND THEN AT NIGHT, WHEN MY FATHER WAS THERE, HE WOULD LEAD DEVOTIONS.
AND HE WOULD READ A PASSAGE AND DISCUSS IT. SO HE TAUGHT ME BY HIS EXAMPLE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT I WAS READING. AND BOTH OF THEM TAUGHT ME TO LOOK TO GOD’S WORD FOR MY ANSWERS. IN FACT, THEY WROTE IN MY FIRST REAL BIBLE THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME AT MY BAPTISM, THAT "THIS IS YOUR ONE SURE GUIDE IN AN UNSURE WORLD. I’M TO READ IT, STUDY IT, LOVE IT, LIVE BY IT." IN IT, MOTHER SAID, YOU’LL FIND A VERSE FOR EVERY OCCASION. SO THEY BOTH DREW ME TO THE WORD BY THEIR EXAMPLE. BUT I WANT TO COME BACK
TO SOMETH
ING ELSE. BECAUSE THE CHARACTER I BROUGHT
OUT TO BASE WITNESSING ON WAS ABEL IN CHAPTER 5 OF GENESIS. AND ABEL WAS SOMEBODY IN
CHAPTER 4 WHO HAD WORSHIPPED GOD ACCORDING, APPARENTLY, THE WAY
GOD HAD SAID, WHICH WAS THROUGH A BLOOD SACRIFICE. HIS BROTHER CAIN JUST TOOK
THE FRUIT OF HIS LABOR. AND SO, CAIN BECAME JEALOUS. AND ABEL WAS STILL
SACRIFICING AS GOD SAID, AND CAIN KILLED ABEL. AND HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 SAYS
THAT ABEL’S BLOOD STILL SPEAKS. AND I THINK WHAT HE SAYS IS THAT
HE TOOK A STAND FOR
THE GOSPEL, IN AN OLD TESTAMENT WAY,
APPROACHING GOD THROUGH A BLOOD SACRIFICE. HE TOOK A STAND IN FRONT OF
SOMEONE HE KNEW WAS HOSTILE AND THAT DIDN’T BELIEVE,
AND IT COST HIM HIS LIFE. AND I’VE SEEN MY FATHER SHARE
THE GOSPEL NOT ONLY ON A STAGE, BUT IN PRIVATE, IN PERSON.
HIS HEART BURNED FOR THE GOSPEL. AND I’VE SEEN HIM TAKE QUESTIONS
IN FRONT OF A, YOU KNOW, GROUP IN RUSSIA WHEN THEY’RE
ALL HOSTILE, OR AT HARVARD WHEN HE WENT UP THERE
AND THEY WERE OUT TO GET HIM. OR IN OXFORD. AND HE NEV
ER VEERED FROM THE GOSPEL. IN FACT, IF YOU EVER WANT TO SEE MY FATHER IN ACTION, JOHN, YOU CAN GO ON YOUTUBE, AND HE HAS THE MOST INCREDIBLE INTERVIEW OR DIALOGUE WITH WOODY ALLEN. AND THE QUESTIONS ARE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY WOULD BE
IF WOODY ALLEN WAS ASKING THEM. BUT MY FATHER NEVER VEERED FROM
THE GOSPEL, AND HE DID IT WITH HUMOR AND WARMTH, AND IT JUST
ENGAGED, YOU COULD FEEL THE AUDIENCE WAS WITH HIM. IN FACT, AFTERWARDS, I ASKED
MY FATHER ABOUT THAT INTERVIEW, AND HE SAID THE FIRST T
IME
THE AUDIENCE WAS SO FRIENDLY THAT WOODY ALLEN
WANTED TO REDO IT. SO DADDY HAD TO GO BACK,
AND THEY GOT SORT OF A HOSTILE AUDIENCE. BUT
AT THE END, THE AUDIENCE WAS RIGHT WITH DADDY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HE PRESENTED
THE GOSPEL WITHOUT APOLOGY. HE WASN’T PUSHING IT DOWN WOODY
ALLEN’S THROAT, HE WAS JUST SPEAKING THE TRUTH. AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE
FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO LOOK IT UP. SO I SAW THAT,
WHAT RACHEL-RUTH IS SAYING, HE PERSONALLY LIVED OUT
HIS FAITH. HE ALSO LIVED OUT HIS ABSOLUT
E COMMITMENT
AND FOCUS ON THE GOSPEL. AND SO, WHEN WE’RE TALKING
ABOUT PASSING TRUTH ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION, WE HAVE TO GRASP THAT BATON
OF TRUTH FOR OURSELVES. AND THEN WE NEED TO SHARE THE GOSPEL, NOT JUST TALK ABOUT JESUS, BUT HOW YOU CAN KNOW JESUS, HOW YOU CAN HAVE YOUR SINS FORGIVEN, HOW YOU
CAN RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE, HOW YOU CAN KNOW YOU’RE
GOING TO HEAVEN WHEN YOU DIE. AND IN THIS CULTURE TODAY,
JOHN, THAT’S MELTING DOWN, PEOPLE ARE SO AFRAID. AND THIS IS WORLDWIDE, IT’S NOT
JUST IN AM
ERICA, BUT WORLDWIDE, PEOPLE ARE AFRAID.
THEY’RE LOSING HOPE. BUT WE HAVE THAT IN JESUS. SO WE HAVE WONDERFUL GOOD NEWS
TO SHARE, AND IT’S A JOY AND A PRIVILEGE. WHETHER
PEOPLE RECEIVE IT OR NOT, WE GET TO TELL IT. >>ANNOUNCER: IF YOU WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THIS SERIES ON DVD, PLEASE CALL THE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE. >>ANKERBERG: WE’VE GOT A FUNNY STORY ABOUT HOW YOU GOT MARRIED, BUT WE’RE NOT GOING TO TELL THAT RIGHT NOW. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR GRANDPARENTS, THE LOTZ SIDE OF
THE FENCE. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND’S DAD. WHAT KIND OF A WITNESS WAS HE,
AND HOW DID HE INFLUENCE YOU? >>LOTZ: YOU KNOW, HE WAS
AN INCREDIBLE MAN. HE WAS ABOUT 6’2 OR ’3. HE PROBABLY WEIGHED 300 POUNDS. HE USED TO BE A WRESTLER,
WAS A GREAT BIG MAN, A STREET CORNER PREACHER
FROM NEW YORK. HE TOOK ON LITTLE CHURCHES IN
THE CITY THAT COULDN’T AFFORD TO PAY HIM, AND SO HE WORKED AT
THE NEW YORK TELEPHONE COMPANY FOR 40 YEARS TO SUPPORT
HIMSELF AND HIS FOUR BOYS — MY HUSBAND WAS ONE. AND H
E, BECAUSE IN NEW YORK
WHEN YOU PASS SOMEBODY, YOU MAY NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN,
SO HE WITNESSED INCREDIBLY. I’LL LET RACHEL-RUTH TELL
SOME OF THOSE STORIES BECAUSE HE WAS AN AMAZING MAN. SO MY HUSBAND WAS RAISED
IN A FAMILY WHERE THE GOSPEL WAS SHARED. SO, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT
THE GOSPEL ALPHABET, OR YOU CAN TALK ABOUT
THE TIME WHEN HE CAME DOWN FOR THANKSGIVING AND
WAS EIGHT HOURS LATE. >>ANKERBERG: YES, TALK ABOUT
THAT THANKSGIVING DINNER THAT HE MISSED. >>ALL: [LAUGHTER] >>WRIGHT: GRANDPA HAD SUCH
A HEART FOR EVANGELISM, BUT IT WAS NOT IN THE BIG STADIUMS AND EVERYTHING. HE WAS THE GUY THAT WAS PREACHING ON THE STREET CORNERS IN NEW YORK CITY. AND HE WOULD ALWAYS
GIVE OUT GOSPEL TRACTS. AND THEN HE WOULD
GET ON THE SUBWAY. >>ANKERBERG: RIGHT. >>WRIGHT: AND WITH THAT TRACT,
HE WOULD SIT THERE AND ASK, YOU KNOW, HAND IT TO THE GUY
SITTING NEXT TO HIM AND SAY, "I’M TRYING TO MEMORIZE THIS.
CAN YOU GO OVER IT WITH ME?" AND THEN GRANDPA WOULD
JUST SHARE THE GOSPEL GOING THROUGH THE ALPHABET.
"ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN
SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD;" "BEHOLD, THE LAMB
OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD;" YOU KNOW, BUT JUST SUCH
A HEART TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS. >>ANKERBERG: ALRIGHT. THERE WAS A THANKSGIVING DINNER,
AND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME ON DOWN FOR THANKSGIVING, BUT,...
AND YOU GUYS WERE SITTING THERE, WAITING, WAITING, WAITING.
AND WHAT HAPPENED? >>WRIGHT: WELL, HE WOULD PICK UP
HITCHHIKERS ALL THE TIME, AND HE’D,... TO SHARE THE GOSPEL
WITH THEM. AND SO, HE PICKED UP
THIS HITCHHIKER AND DROVE
HIM, I THINK, TO THE BEACH. >>LOTZ: TO THE COAST, YES. >>WRIGHT: AND THEN
DROVE TO OUR HOUSE. >>ANKERBERG: IT WAS SIX HOURS
AWAY, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. >>WRIGHT: SIX HOURS AWAY! YES. AND SO, I MEAN, DINNER
HAD COME AND GONE, AND .... >>ANKERBERG: AND HE SAID, "I NEVER CARED ABOUT WHAT
PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT ME. I ONLY CARED ABOUT WHAT
THEY THOUGHT ABOUT JESUS." SO HE SAYS, "I’LL TAKE
THAT GUY SIX HOURS AWAY SO I CAN TALK ABOUT HIM." >>WRIGHT: YES. I LOVED IT. I MEAN, A
ND WE SAW THAT. AND... >>ANKERBERG: WHAT I LOVE
IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IN YOUR GRANDPARENTS. ANNE, TELL ME ABOUT RUTH
AND HER PRAYER LIFE. >>LOTZ: MY MOTHER WAS
AN AMAZING PERSON. IF I CAN PUT IT THIS WAY,
SHE WAS IN LOVE WITH JESUS. AND RACHEL-RUTH IS NAMED FOR
HER, BY THE WAY, SO RACHEL-RUTH IS RACHEL-RUTH BELL. BUT MY MOTHER HAD A CRAZY
SENSE OF HUMOR, AND JUST VERY, VERY FUN, BUT DEEPLY,
DEEPLY SPIRITUAL. AND SO MY MOTHER, WHEN SHE
WOULD GET UP IN THE MORNING, SHE WOULD BE AT HER BIG FLAT
TOP
DESK, AND HAD 14 DIFFERENT TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE. SO IT DIDN’T MATTER WHAT TIME
I WENT DOWN; AS EARLY AS I DID IN THE MORNING, SHE WOULD
BE THERE READING HER BIBLE. AT NIGHT I WOULD SLIP DOWN
INTO HER ROOM, AND SHE’D BE ON HER KNEES IN PRAYER. AND I MIGHT AS WELL LEAVE,
BECAUSE SHE WASN’T GOING TO INTERRUPT HER PRAYER
TIME FOR ME, YOU KNOW. SO I SAW HER ROOTED,
HER RELATIONSHIP ROOTED IN PRAYER AND GOD’S WORD.
AND, JOHN, THIS IS THE TRUTH. I NEVER, EVER SAW MY MOTHER LOSE
HER TEMPER; I NEVE
R, EVER HEARD HER LIFT HER VOICE AND YELL. AND FRANKLIN WAS ONE OF
HER CHILDREN, SO, I MEAN, I CAN TELL YOU. >>ANKERBERG: YES. >>LOTZ: IT WAS A, YOU KNOW,
IT WAS A SUPERNATURAL THING I SAW IN HER. AND THAT’S WHAT
I WANTED. IT’S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAUSED ME TO REALLY
GRASP THAT BATON FOR MYSELF. I WANTED TO HAVE THAT KIND
OF STRENGTH AND THAT KIND OF VIBRANT FAITH THAT
I SAW IN MY MOTHER. >>ANKERBERG: RACHEL-RUTH,
TELL A BEAUTIFUL STORY OF, AT CHRISTMAS TIME, YOUR
MOTHER CAME UP WITH ONE OF T
HE CLEVEREST WAYS TO TELL
THE CHRISTMAS STORY WHEN SHE WASN’T SUPPOSED TO BRING
A BIBLE INTO THE CLASSROOM. HOW DID SHE DO IT? >>WRIGHT: SHE, WELL, IT WAS NEAT
BECAUSE IT WAS A PUBLIC SCHOOL, SO THEY DIDN’T LET HER
READ THE BIBLE IN THERE. AND SO, SHE GOT
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA AND LOOKED UP THE WHOLE
CHRISTMAS STORY USING THE DIFFERENT NAMES, JOSEPH, MARY, JESUS, AND
THE MANGER, AND ALL THAT. AND SHE JUST READ FROM
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA AND SHARED THE GOSPEL JUST FROM READING
THROUGH THE ENCYCLOPEDIA. AND
I JUST LOVE THAT! AND I EVEN LOOKED UP,
IF YOU CAN STILL DO THAT, LIKE WITH THE DICTIONARY,
EVEN JUST A DICTIONARY, AND IT’S ALL THERE. AND SO YOU CAN GO INTO
YOUR KIDS’ SCHOOLS AND SAY, "I’M JUST GOING TO READ OUT OF THE DICTIONARY," AND SHARE THE GOSPEL. AND GOD CAN GIVE US CREATIVITY LIKE THAT. WE’VE GOT TO REACH THIS NEXT GENERATION AND BE AS CREATIVE AS WE CAN, BECAUSE THE WORLD IS TRYING TO SHUT US DOWN SO WE CAN’T DO IT. >>ANKERBERG: YES, AND THE KIDS
LISTENED. AND WHAT’S MORE IS THE PAR
ENTS CAME, AND
THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL CAME TO FIND OUT WHAT SHE
WAS DOING, AND TEACHERS WERE THERE. SO, THEY HEARD THE WHOLE
CHRISTMAS STORY JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS TAKING IT OUT OF
THE DICTIONARY AND OUT OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIA.
AND I LOVE THAT. >>WRIGHT: I DO TOO. >>ANKERBERG: I WONDER HOW MANY
OF OUR PARENTS HAVE THAT KIND OF GUTS TO DO THAT IN
FRONT OF A WHOLE SCHOOL. ANNE, WE’VE ONLY GOT
A FEW MINUTES LEFT, AND I WANT YOU TO PRAY. THERE’S PARENTS OUT THERE
THAT LOVE THE LORD, OKAY, BUT THEY D
ON’T TALK ABOUT
HIM IN FRONT OF THEIR KIDS. THEY DON’T PRAY IN
FRONT OF THEIR KIDS. THEY DON’T READ THEIR BIBLE
IN FRONT OF THEIR KIDS. WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT ALL
THOSE TOPICS AS WE GO ALONG. BUT I’D LIKE FOR YOU TO START
US OFF, THAT YOU COULD PRAY A PRAYER WITH THEM WHERE THEY
COULD AT LEAST START AND SAY, "GOD, I KNOW I’M SUPPOSED TO
DO THIS. PUT THE SPARK IN ME; PUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ME THAT
I WILL START TO SHOW MY KIDS, MAYBE PRAY WITH THEM AT BEDTIME,
READ THE BIBLE WITH THEM AT DINNER
TIME. SHOW THEM THAT I PRAY AT ALL
OF THE MEALS AND I MEAN IT, AND EVEN TIMES WHEN THEY DON’T SEE." START US OFF TODAY, BECAUSE
I THINK PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD, THEY NEED TO SHOW
THAT THEY LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL THEIR HEART AND
AREN’T AFRAID TO SHOW IT. WOULD YOU PRAY FOR THEM? >>LOTZ: YES, I WOULD LOVE TO. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
A WORD FIRST, THAT BEFORE YOU CAN REALLY EFFECTIVELY PASS THAT BATON OF TRUTH TO THE NEXT GENERATION, YOU NEED TO GRASP IT FOR YOURSELF. SO BEFORE YOU CAN BE A WIT
NESS FOR THE GOSPEL, YOU NEED YOURSELF TO HAVE GRASPED AND EMBRACED THE GOSPEL. SO I JUST WANT TO BEGIN WITH A PRAYER, JOHN, IF THAT’S OKAY, AND JUST A PRAYER THAT YOU CAN
PRAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE GRASPED THE BATON OF TRUTH
FOR YOURSELF. AND THEN YOU RUN YOUR RACE, AND THEN YOU CAN
PASS IT TO THE NEXT GENERATION. AND WE’RE GOING TO TALK IN
THE NEXT SEGMENT, I THINK, ABOUT DOING IT SCARED, BECAUSE
YOU DON’T ALWAYS FEEL CONFIDENT WHEN YOU SHARE THE GOSPEL. AND YOUR KNEES CAN BE KNOCKING,
AN
D YOUR HANDS CAN BE SHAKING, AND VOICE,... IT DOESN’T MATTER;
YOU JUST DO IT SCARED. BUT YOU DO IT BECAUSE THE BIBLE
SAYS THAT WHAT’S IN YOUR HEART COMES OUT IN YOUR MOUTH. AND IF JESUS IS
FILLING YOUR HEART, IF YOU KNOW YOU’VE BEEN SAVED, IF YOU KNOW YOU’VE
BEEN FORGIVEN, IF YOU KNOW HE LIVES
WITHIN YOU IN THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, IF YOU KNOW THAT HE DIED
TO GIVE YOU ETERNAL LIFE, THAT HE’S GOING TO OPEN
HEAVEN FOR YOU ONE DAY, HOW CAN YOU NOT TALK ABOUT HIM?
HOW CAN YOU NOT SHARE HIM? SO
, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT YOU KNOW HIM FOR YOURSELF AND YOU’VE GRASPED THAT BATON. SO, LET ME JUST PRAY A PRAYER
FOR YOU, AND YOU CAN PRAY AFTER ME. I’LL TRY TO REMEMBER TO PRAY SLOWLY. BUT,.... DEAR JESUS, WE COME TO YOU
NOW FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, ALL WALKS OF LIFE, DIFFERENT STAGES IN
OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS. AND AT THIS MOMENT, WE JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH ONE LISTENING HAS GRASPED
THAT BATON FOR THEMSELVES. AND SO RIGHT NOW, IF THERE’S SOMEBODY
WHO’S NOT SURE YOU HAVE, THEN YOU
CAN
PRAY A SIMPLE PRAYER, SOMETHING LIKE THIS: DEAR GOD, I CONFESS
TO YOU THAT I’M A SINNER. AND I KNOW THAT’S TRUE; I FEEL
I’VE DONE MANY BAD THINGS, WRONG THINGS. AND I’M SO SORRY. AND I’M WILLING TO TURN AWAY
FROM THOSE WRONG THINGS, BUT I NEED YOUR HELP. AND I BELIEVE JESUS DIED ON
THE CROSS TO TAKE AWAY MY SIN. IF NOBODY ELSE NEEDED A SAVIOR,
I DID. SO, I PUT MY TRUST IN JESUS ALONE TO BE MY SAVIOR. I ASK YOU, IN JESUS’ NAME,
TO CLEANSE ME OF MY SIN WITH HIS BLOOD. AND I OPEN UP MY HEART
A
ND I ASK JESUS TO COME IN. I BELIEVE HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD;
I BELIEVE HE’S ALIVE. I BELIEVE YOU’VE GIVEN
HIM AUTHORITY TO GIVE ME ETERNAL LIFE. SO I RECEIVE
THE ETERNAL LIFE HE OFFERS AND SURRENDER MY HEART TO HIM, INVITING HIM TO COME IN
THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO I KNOW YOU SAID WILL NEVER
LEAVE ME, NEVER FORSAKE ME. AND SO NOW I WANT
TO RUN MY RACE. AND I WANT TO FOLLOW YOU,
JESUS, ALL THE WAY TO HEAVEN. SO, THANK YOU FOR
HEARING MY PRAYER. THANK YOU FOR THE TRUTH. THANK YOU THAT NOW
I’VE GRASPED
THE BATON, AND I’M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP AS I SEEK TO
PASS IT TO THE NEXT GENERATION. AND I PRAY THIS IN JESUS’ NAME
AND FOR HIS GLORY, AMEN. >>ANKERBERG: PUT A P.S. ON
THERE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CHRISTIANS, BUT NEED TO START
BEING A WITNESS IN FRONT OF THEIR CHILDREN, THEIR FRIENDS,
THEIR RELATIVES, AND THE WHOLE THING. >>LOTZ: AND SO, FATHER, WE ALSO
WANT TO PRAY FOR THOSE WHO KNOW THEY’VE GRASPED THE BATON OF
TRUTH; THEY KNOW THEY’RE RUNNING THEIR RACE; BUT THEY’RE BOBBLING
THE
BATON. THEY’RE NOT, WHETHER IT’S THROUGH FEAR OR,
YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE REASON IS, UNCERTAINTY, THEY’RE
NOT PASSING IT ON TO THAT NEXT GENERATION. AND SO, I ASK NOW THAT YOUR
HOLY SPIRIT WOULD RISE UP WITHIN THEM, THAT THEIR HEARTS WOULD BE SO FILLED WITH
THEIR LOVE FOR JESUS, AND THEIR GRATITUDE TO YOU
FOR WHAT YOU’VE DONE FOR THEM IN JESUS’ NAME,
THAT THEY COULDN’T HELP BUT SHARE THE GOSPEL. AND SO, WHEN IT’S IN THE HOME,
LORD, IT’S ALMOST EASY BECAUSE WE CAN TELL OUR CHILDREN, WE CAN
SHOW T
HEM AS THEY CATCH US IN PRAYER, THEY CATCH US
READING OUR BIBLES. AND THEN WHEN WE’RE OUTSIDE
WITH OUR FRIENDS, OUR NEIGHBORS, CLERKS, COWORKERS, LORD, WE WANT
TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES. OPEN OUR EYES TO SEE
OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE MIGHT SHARE A WORD OF HOPE,
AND HOW PEOPLE CAN HAVE PEACE IN THEIR HEARTS AND
SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR WHEN THEY PUT THEIR FAITH
IN JESUS. AND JUST TO SHARE OUR TESTIMONY, WHAT YOU’VE MEANT TO US, LORD. NOBODY’S OFFENDED BY SOMEBODY’S
PERSONAL TESTIMONY. SO JUST HELP US B
E EFFECTIVE
AS WE RUN OUR RACE AND SEEK TO PASS THAT BATON.
AND WE NEED YOUR HELP FOR IT. AND WE ASK THIS
IN JESUS’ NAME, AMEN. >>ANKERBERG: AMEN. NOW, FOLKS, THIS WEEK I REALIZE THAT I’VE
GOT BILLY GRAHAM’S DAUGHTER AND I GOT HIS GRANDDAUGHTER
HERE. AND YOU SAY, "WELL, YOU KNOW, FOR
SURE THEY’RE GOING TO WITNESS FOR JESUS." I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TIME
WHEN THEY WERE TOO SCARED TO TALK ABOUT JESUS. THAT’S NEXT WEEK. THAT’S
WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT: DO IT SCARED. ♪ IT’S SOME OF THE FUNNIEST
STO
RIES YOU’RE EVER GOING TO HEAR. AND I’M JUST SAYING, DON’T MISS NEXT WEEK,
OKAY. BUT STAY TUNED, I’VE GOT A PERSONAL WORD
FOR YOU IN JUST A MOMENT. ♪ ♪ ♪
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Finish strong.