After a lifetime of faithful service to God, Billy Graham passed away on 21 Feb. 2018. To celebrate his birthday on 7 Nov., here are a few of his timeless reflections on what it means to live for Jesus Christ:
Is Change Possible?
“If you gave your life to Jesus Christ, you might not change as much as some would—at least on the surface. God is in the business of changing lives—and the more we need to change, the more we’ll actually be changed, by the power of God.
“But you’ll notice I said you might not change much ‘on the surface’—and I used that phrase deliberately, because in reality your life would change dramatically. First of all, your destiny would change. Yes, you may be a good person compared with some—but are you good enough to get into Heaven on your own? The answer is no—because God’s standard is nothing less than perfection, and none of us is perfect.
“When we come to Christ, God freely and fully forgives us all our sins, and now Heaven’s door is open to us. This is possible only because on the cross all our sins were transferred to Christ, and He became the final sacrifice for our sins. Because of Him, the Bible says, ‘This hope we have as an anchor for the soul, both sure and steadfast’ (Hebrews 6:19, NKJV).
“You’ll change in other ways also, because Christ will give you a new love for others and a new desire to help them and share Christ with them. He’ll also deepen the good things in your life and prune away the bad things (and we all have them). Don’t delay, but by faith turn to Jesus and open your heart to His transforming power.”
Growing in Faith
“God’s will is for us to grow stronger in our faith. Only then will we be able to resist the devil’s temptations; only then will God be able to use us as fully as possible. The Bible says, ‘Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 3:18, NKJV).
“Remember: When we come to Christ, the Bible says, we are like newborn babies. But birth is only the beginning for a baby; an infant isn’t meant to be a baby forever, but to grow and become strong and eventually reach adulthood. The same is true for us. When we first come to Christ, we are ‘spiritual newborns’—but we aren’t meant to remain that way. God’s plan is for us to grow strong in our faith and become more like Christ.
“How does this happen? It happens as we make use of the ‘spiritual food’ God has provided for us. What is that ‘food?’ First, God has given us the Bible; through it we learn about Him and His will for our lives. God also has given us the privilege of prayer. In addition, He has given us fellowship with other believers. If any of those—God’s Word, prayer, fellowship—is missing, our growth will be stunted.
“Make it your goal to grow in your faith. Set aside time every day to be with God, and ask Him to lead you to a church where you can hear His Word and grow through your contact with other believers.”
Daily Guidance from the Holy Spirit
“When I was younger, I had a vague desire to be a baseball player, but that was more a daydream than a realistic goal.
“All this changed when I committed my life to Jesus Christ in high school. A visiting evangelist had come to our town, and some friends and I went to hear him, although I wasn’t sure I wanted to go. Night after night, he preached about the seriousness of sin and the love that God had shown us by sending His Son into the world to die for our sins. One night, I responded to his invitation to receive Christ, and from that moment on my life would never be the same.
“What difference did Christ make? Instead of living only for myself, I now realised the most important thing in life was living for Christ—seeking His will, living according to His Word, being guided by His Spirit. The Bible’s words became my goal: ‘If then you were raised with Christ, … Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth’ (Colossians 3:1–2, NKJV).
“The most important decision you’ll ever make is your decision about Christ. God loves you, and He wants to guide you and show you His will. By a simple prayer of faith, ask Christ to come into your life to forgive your sins and make you His child forever. He changed my life, and He’ll change yours, as well. Give your life to Him today.”
Has your life been changed forever by Jesus Christ? You can find peace with God today.
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
—2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV