When Giants Fall

I am saying good bye to one of the greatest men God has allowed me the honor of knowing. Jerry Graham was and still is a giant in my life, He passed away approximately 24 hours ago, a void that can only be filled by the Lord Jesus Christ. He will be missed so very much.

I preached a message a couple weeks ago that I know why God had me preach that message. It was on “persevering to the end” And I made the point that It wasn't about “The First Days” in your life as much as it is about the last day. I didn't know Jerry on many of those first days of his life, although I had the high honor of spending some time with him on his last day. I want to say how grateful I am to his family for sharing his last day with me, I will cherish it.

I think life is about the last day, how you lived your life as a man, husband, father, friend and child of God. Jerry Graham lived his last day with extreme integrity, as he did in life. His thoughts and concern were with us all and mostly with his God. Jerry's greatest love was for his Savior Jesus Christ. He made Jesus a priority in his life and as I had the privilege of watching he became more like his savior as the years passed. He loved his wife Jean. My wife and I have always said that It would be great to have a marriage like Jerry and Jean have. Thank you for being a great model for young people starting out in life.

Jerry and Jean have raised two godly sons both devoting their lives to Christ.

As I have talked with many folks about Jerry, all called him one of the best teachers of God's word that they had ever heard, I agree. God blessed Jerry with incredible wisdom and understanding that many never reach.

As I flipped through some old journals that I have written over the years, I found some notes I had taken on a message Jerry had preached. His message was titled a “Turning Point” it was living a life in Christ through Grace. That was typical of Jerry's thought pattern, he loved the Gospel of Christ and taught on it any chance he got. I will keep those notes forever.

I remember the day I heard that Jerry was very sick. It shocked me. He was always a very athletic strong man, Although God had and has a plan in all of this, I know it.

Jerry was blessed with a new granddaughter. I hope she will know what a great man her grandpa was. He has two other grandchildren that will miss him tremendously, they were blessed to know him.

I say farewell for awhile to my friend Jerry. Pray for his family they loved and will miss him greatly,

Any that knew him were blessed by God and are greater people for it.

I will bring a message this Sunday on this text:

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13-14

Today Jerry has acquired possession of the great inheritance in Christ Jesus. I bet he has already seen Jesus face to face. What an awesome thought

Derrick