Prepare for Persecution: A Message From Billy Graham - CHARISMA NEWS

Billy Graham gives five ways to fortify yourself in the days ahead. (Courtesy/BGEA)

Prepare for Persecution: 

A Message From Billy Graham

10/27/2015 BILLY GRAHAM CHARISMA NEWS

In the event of a national catastrophe, much confusion, terror and consternation would reign. What would the Christian do? What should our attitude be? Which way would we turn if the country in which we live were suddenly wrecked and all the props gone?

As a whole, our nation does not know what privation is. We do not know what sacrifice is. We do not know what suffering is. Suppose persecution were to come to the church in America, as it has come in other countries.

The immunity to persecution that Christians in our country have experienced in the past two or three centuries is unusual. Christ strongly warned Christians that to follow Him would not be popular, and that in most circumstances it would mean cross-bearing and persecution.

The Bible says that all who "desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus said that as the time of His return draws nigh, "They will seize you and persecute you" (Luke 21:12). We have no scriptural foundation for believing that we can forever escape being persecuted for Christ's sake. The normal condition for Christians is that we should suffer persecution. Are you willing to face persecution and death for Christ's sake?

What Would You Do?

Since we have experienced little religious persecution in this country, it is likely that under pressure many would deny Christ. Those who shout the loudest about their faith may surrender soonest. Many who boast of being courageous would be cowardly. Many who say, "Though all others deny Christ, yet I will never deny Him," would be the first to warm their hands at the campfires of the enemy.

Jesus, in speaking of the last times, warned, "Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake" (Matthew 24:9). The Scripture says, "because iniquity will abound, the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12).

The apostle Paul, referring to the coming evil day, said, "Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13).

Here are five ways to fortify yourself so that you will be able to stand in that day.

1. Make Sure

First, make sure of your relationship to God. Amos the prophet saw the Day of Judgment fast approaching for Israel. He warned the people to prepare to meet God. The word preparedness should be a key word for everyone.

It is strange that we prepare for everything except meeting God. We prepare for marriage. We prepare for a career. We prepare for education.

But we do not prepare to meet God. Even though most Americans see the storm clouds gathering on the horizon, by and large we are making few preparations to meet God. This is a time for repentance and faith. It is a time for soul-searching, to see if our anchor holds.

Have you been to the cross where Christ shed His blood for your sins? Have you had the past forgiven? Have you come by faith, confessing that you are a sinner and receiving Christ as your Savior? I tell you that this cross is the only place of refuge in the midst of the storm of judgment that is fast approaching. Make sure of your relationship with God.

2. Walk With God

Second, learn now to walk with God in your daily life. Abraham walked with God and was called a friend of God. Walk with God as Moses did on the back side of the desert; when the hour of judgment fell upon Egypt, Moses was the one who led his people to freedom. Walk with God as David did as a shepherd boy; when the time of crisis came, David was prepared to meet it. Daniel and his three young friends walked with God in Babylon, and when trouble came, God was beside them—whether it was in the lions' den or in the fiery furnace.

However, God does not always deliver His saints from adversity. God says in Hebrews 11 that others were just as faithful as Abraham, Moses, Daniel or David. They, too, walked with God—but they perished. God has not promised to deliver us from trouble. 

But He has promised to go with us through the trouble. Stephen was a young man "full of faith and of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:5). They stoned him to death, but his was a triumphal entry into heaven. If you are not strengthening the inner man or woman by daily walking with God now, when a crisis comes you will quake with fear and give in, having no strength to stand up for Christ.

---

3. Assimilate Scripture

Third, we should fortify ourselves with the Word of God. Begin reading, studying and memorizing Scripture as never before. The Bible says, "Stand therefore, having your waist girded with truth" (Ephesians 6:14). The truth is the Word of God. We are to be girded and undergirded with the Word. Read it, assimilate it, feed on it; let it be your staff and strength. It is quick and powerful. It is the bulwark of the soul. Too many Christians today are entangled with the affairs of this world, caught in a net of material interest and diversion. Scripture, to many, is little more than a reference book for biblical facts. It is seldom opened and rarely relished as the spiritual staff of life that it is.

Many souls are anemic and starved for the things of God. They are totally unprepared for a time of crisis. Store these Scriptures away so that if your Bible is ever taken from you, you will have the Word of God written on the tablet of your heart. Many stories have come out of prison camps, of Christians who had no Bibles but had committed to memory great portions of Scripture. What a comfort, blessing and strength these Scriptures were as they repeated them over and over again to themselves. One missionary who was in a concentration camp for three years in China told me that during that time his greatest regret was that he had not memorized more of the Bible.

4. Pray Always

Fourth, fortify yourself with prayer. The Bible, referring to "the evil day," says, "Pray in the Spirit always with all kinds of prayer and supplication" (Ephesians 6:18). If we are to stand uncompromisingly for Christ when a national crisis comes, we must rediscover the power of prayer.

The early church knew the value and necessity of prayer. Earnest, fervent prayer preceded every major triumph. Prayer preceded Pentecost. Peter and John were en route to the temple to pray when they witnessed for Christ, and thousands were converted. Paul and Silas prayed in prison, the Philippian jailer found Christ, and Paul and Silas were delivered.

If Christianity is to survive in a world filled with materialism, the church must have a revival of prayer. As individuals, we must repent of prayerlessness. The prayer meeting must become the vital institution it was when evangelical Christianity was the mightiest force in the world.

5. Meditate on Christ

Fifth, we must fortify ourselves by meditating upon the person of Christ. Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said, "There have never been 15 minutes in my life when I did not sense the presence of Christ." We must learn again to practice the presence of God. We must say with David, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14). Christ must be vitally real to us if we are to prove loyal to Him in the hours of crisis.

Will You Stand?

Today our nation ranks as the greatest power on the face of the earth. But if we put our trust in armed might instead of Almighty God, the coming conflict could conceivably go against us. History and the Bible indicate that mechanical and material might are insufficient in times of great crisis. We need the inner strength that comes from a personal, vital relationship with God's Son, Jesus Christ.

The wheels of God's judgment can be heard by discerning souls across the length and breadth of nations. Things are happening fast! The need for a return to God has never been more urgent.

The words of Isaiah are appropriate for us today: "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call you upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:6-7).

God needs men and women who will "stand in the evil day." Will you be one of them? Will you come to the cross and in humility confess your sins to God and receive Jesus Christ as Savior? Will you become one of God's warriors in this crisis hour? You can enlist today in the army of God by giving your life to His Son Jesus Christ and letting Him become the Captain of your soul. "Yet to all who received Him, He gave the power to become sons of God, to those who believed in His name" (John 1:12). ©1957 BGEA

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!

NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!

Franklin Graham on Why God Is Keeping Billy Graham on This Earth

 6/12/2015 KRISTY ETHERIDGE/BGEA  charisma news 

Franklin Graham (right) with his father, Billy Graham (BGEA)

Franklin Graham recently returned from Jacksonville, Florida, where he preached the gospel to more than 18,000 people in person and more than 40,000 others watching the live stream online.

While in Jacksonville, Franklin was interviewed by local media outlet First Coast News. The subject turned to his father, Billy Graham, who is 96 1/2 years old.

"He's proud of that half," Franklin laughed.

Franklin told First Coast News that his father still enjoys some of his favorite foods, including BBQ and hamburgers. He said Mr. Graham doesn't talk much, but he knows what's going on.

"He's kind of quiet," Franklin said. "His mind is still clear."

With his father approaching 97 and hoping to live to 100, Franklin spoke about why he thinks God is continuing to keep the "Evangelist to the World" and "Pastor to Presidents" on this earth.

"Especially now that we see Christians under attack in this country—and this is something; we're going to see more and more of this—my father is still present," Franklin said. "Even though he's not able to speak as much as he used to, he's still present, and I think that is a great encouragement to many people to know that Billy Graham is still with us."

Billy Graham's continuing influence on people around the world can be seen through some of the active social media accounts in his name. The official Billy Graham Facebook page, which is managed by a team at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Charlotte, North Carolina, has more than 2.5 million "likes." His Twitter account, also operated by the BGEA team, has more than 200,000 followers.

More importantly, the ministry that bears Mr. Graham's name is continuing his legacy of reaching the world with the hope of Jesus Christ. The recent Festival of Hope that brought Franklin Graham to Florida was one of many evangelistic events that take place in the U.S. and abroad each year. In 2016, Franklin plans to take the gospel to every state in the country.

Another of BGEA's ministries, known as Internet Evangelism, has led to more than 6 million decisions for Christ around the world, and countless individuals around the globe are discovering Jesus through the ministry each day.

Why should Christians support Israel? And more... Joel Rosenberg

Why should Christians support Israel? How should the Church approach the Arab-Israeli conflict? My interview with Billy Graham’s “Decision” magazine.” by joelcrosenberg My interview with "Decision" magazine on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Recently, I was interviewed by Bob Paulson, the editor of Decision, the monthly magazine of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Bob wanted to discuss our family's move to Israel in 2014 and my perspective on the Arab-Israeli conflict as a follower of Christ who has become a new citizen of Israel. I greatly enjoyed my conversation with Bob, a thoughtful and careful interviewer and writer. I also greatly appreciated the opportunity to share with the readers ofDecision some thoughts on such highly controversial matters as Bible prophecy, the tensions related to Jewish-Arab relations, and the role of the Church in the Middle East. The interview appeared in last month's edition. Please forgive me for not posting it sooner, but here it is. Hope you find it both thought-provoking and encouraging. Joel Rosenberg on Following Jesus In A Land Of Conflict Bob Paulson • Decision Magazine • April 2015 Joel Rosenberg knows the Middle East better than most. Born to a Jewish father and a Gentile mother, the evangelical author, filmmaker and speaker once worked for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is now Israel’s prime minister. He holds dual U.S.-Israel citizenship and lives with his wife and children in Israel. His nonprofit organization, The Joshua Fund, provides food, clothing, medical supplies and other aid to people on both sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict. He has appeared hundreds of times on television and radio and has spoken at the White House and the Pentagon. Decision recently caught up with Rosenberg at The Cove as he was preparing to co-lead a biblical prophecy seminar with Anne Graham Lotz titled “Blowing the Trumpet.” Here is a portion of that conversation. Q: Why should Christians support Israel? A: The Lord laid out the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 12, and He begins to lay the groundwork for the Hebrew nation, what becomes the nation and state of Israel. God said, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you” (Genesis 12:3). So this lays the foundational premise that God was choosing the Hebrew people—sovereignly, uniquely, supernaturally and eternally. That doesn’t mean that every Jewish person is going to go to Heaven. Just because God has chosen us is not enough. We have to choose God back, and we can only do it through the Messiah, Jesus. But because God has chosen the Jewish people, it’s important that the church not lose sight of that eternal covenant. It was an unconditional covenant. Abraham (Abram at the time) didn’t ask for it, didn’t do anything for it and was unable to keep it on his own. God just decided sovereignly to do this. That’s the first reason. The second reason is shorter: We are supposed to make disciples of all nations, and Israel is one of those nations. When we decide to separate ourselves from one people group and one geopolitical state, we are going in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. But the church has become, at times and in portions, quite hostile to the Jewish people. And of course, this was prophesied through the Apostle Paul in Romans 9-11, when he warned the Gentile church: Don’t become arrogant and think that God is done with the Jewish people. He is not. Q: When we talk about Christians supporting Israel, people often suppose this means we should act like the government of Israel can do no wrong. A: The Bible is filled with Israel doing wrong, making terrible mistakes, sometimes quite catastrophic ones. I think it’s critical the church understands that we are supposed to bless Israel. But then we have to dig into the Word of God to discover what it means to bless. Sometimes that means to speak the truth in love. Unfortunately, many Christians who love Israel have let it become a solely political endeavor, and they act as though it is an either/or proposition: You either love Israel and hate the Arabs, or you love the Arabs and hate the Jews. Jesus is not either/or. He is both/and. In Matthew 4, Jesus’ message is going not just to Israel but to Syria. A few chapters later, Jesus is going into Lebanon. Jesus crosses the Jordan and spends time sharing the message with those on the other side of the river. And of course, He is spending time up and down the Jordan River Valley, in what we now call the West Bank. The disciples at times are saying of people like the Samaritans, “Lord, should we call fire down from Heaven on them?” (Cf. Luke 9:54). No. The Son of Man has not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them. And this was happening in the exact places where the church feels like it is either/or. It’s not. It’s both/and. Q: With the current tensions, what are the implications of the biblical command to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem”? A: In Psalm 122:6 we are commanded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. And Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount reaffirmed the importance of making peace when we can by telling us, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). The Apostle Paul later says, “Be at peace with all men if possible” (Romans 12:18). So pray first for geopolitical peace. People are suffering, and war is horrible. But most important, pray for spiritual peace: that people, Jews and Arabs and others, would have their eyes opened to the Prince of Peace, who died in Jerusalem, rose in Jerusalem and is coming back to Jerusalem. If a person looks at Israeli policy in the West Bank and sees it as occupation, how did Jesus tell His disciples to respond to occupying soldiers? By carrying their luggage the extra mile. By loving them, caring for them, serving them and seeing them as people also in need of the Gospel, in need of the Father’s unconditional love. There are others who say, “This isn’t occupation; this is just security designed to protect us from suicide bombers and terrorists and rockets.” So how are we to care for people whom we think are the enemy? Well, Jesus says: “Love your enemy.” Jesus didn’t tell us not to define someone as an enemy. He says, “If you see them as a neighbor, love them. If you see them as an enemy, love them. And let Me show you how.” Q: How are believers in the Holy Land showing love to both sides in the conflict? A: My wife and I started a ministry in 2006 called The Joshua Fund. It is designed to educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, according to Genesis 12:1-3, the Abrahamic covenant. We have a warehouse in central Israel, and we provide food and other humanitarian relief supplies through 14 different distribution centers. They are all run by believers in Jesus—some by Jewish believers, others by Arab believers. They are caring for the poor and needy, widows and orphans, victims of war and terror. We also do pastors’ conferences. We have one for Israeli pastors and their wives—both Jewish and Arab pastors who are Israeli citizens. Then we do the same conference a few days later in the West Bank with Palestinian pastors and their wives. Last year, I think 95 percent of all the pastors and ministry leaders among the Palestinians attended the conference. For the Palestinian believers to welcome me as a Jew, an Israeli, someone who worked for then-former Prime Minister Netanyahu, I’m sort of a poster child of the person you shouldn’t spend time with. But God is bringing us as believers together. I love the Palestinian people, and I want to serve the church there and help them be strong so they can serve their people. How are we going to show the lost people in Israel and among the Palestinians that there is true peace through the Prince of Peace, and that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, if we don’t have peace between Israeli and Palestinian followers of Jesus? Q: How many believers would you estimate are in Israel right now? Is the number growing or shrinking? A: Based on the research I’ve done, in 1948, there were about 23 known Jewish believers in Jesus in Israel. I know some of them; some of them are still alive. Today, it’s widely agreed that there are about 15,000 Jewish believers in the land of Israel, and several thousand Arab believers. And there are several thousand Palestinian believers in the West Bank and Gaza. Worldwide today, there are about 300,000 Jewish believers in Jesus. Now, in a world of 14 million Jewish people it’s not enough. But we’re heading toward a Romans 11:26world. In that verse, the Apostle Paul tells us that all Israel will be saved. Q: How exactly do you interpret that verse? A: First of all, Israel is the only nation in the Scriptures where God promises a national salvation. No other country is told, “this country is going to get saved.” Not every Jewish person, not every citizen of Israel, is going to go to Heaven. But we have unique prophecies regarding the moment of the Second Coming. The prophecies of Zechariah tell us that the Jewish people who are alive at the end of the Tribulation—who up to that point have still rejected the claims of Jesus as Messiah—as they see Jesus come back, their eyes will be opened. They will weep and mourn for the One they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10), and God will save them. Now, none of us can know who is going to make it to the end of the Tribulation. We need to be faithful to share the Word of Christ today, with every person of every nation, including Israel and the Jewish people. We dare not stand before the Jewish Messiah one day and have Him ask, “Why didn’t you share the Good News of My salvation with the Jewish people?” Q: Why is the world’s attention riveted on this little sliver of land? A: John 10:10 is an interesting verse that captures the battle for Israel. We don’t normally think of this verse in the context of Israel or anti-Semitism, but Jesus, in one sentence, gives us an understanding of the battle between Satan and Himself. He describes Satan as the thief who comes to rob, kill and destroy. Jesus says, “But I came that they might have life and have it abundantly.” Satan is the exact opposite of everything Jesus is. So if God has said, “I’m going to choose the Jewish people and make them special to me and bless them,” Satan says, “Fine; I’m going to curse them.” When God chose to give the land of Israel to the Jewish people, Satan said, “Fine. I will take it away.” When God said, “I’m going to make Jerusalem the city of peace,” Satan says, “Fine; I’ll make it the city of bloodshed.” When God said, “I’m going to make the Temple Mount holy unto My Name,” Satan said, “Fine; I will desecrate it.” If you only look at the world through geopolitical and economic lenses, and you don’t look at it through the lens of the Bible, you are going to miss the heart of this conflict. And the core reasons are not jobs, not ideology and not even religion. It’s a spiritual, cataclysmic battle that is rooted in John 10:10. Will the church understand the battle and come to love, care and serve the very people who are being hunted by Satan himself? One day we will stand before the Jewish Messiah, face to face, eyeball to eyeball, to give an account. And what do we want to have said? Reprinted with the kind permission of Decision Magazine and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ©2015 BGEA —————————– Order The Third Target today. Learn more about The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net) – educating and mobilizing Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, and caring for the poor and needy with food and other humanitarian relief – read our latest Donor Report, and make a tax deductible, secure, on-line contribution. I’m excited to announce The Joshua Fund’s 2015 “Prayer & Vision Tour of the Holy Land.” Come with me and visit Israel & Jordan. Walk where Jesus, the apostles and the prophets walked. Study the Word of God. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all the people of the epicenter. Meet and worship with local believers. Serve the poor and vulnerable. Discover the Lord afresh, and even be baptized in the Jordan River. This is a journey that could change your life! Here are the details. Follow on Twitter — @joelcrosenberg Receive every blog post automatically via the RSS feed. joelcrosenberg | June 2, 2015 at 4:54 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL:http://wp.me/piWZ7-3iL

Billy Graham: What Is This Country Coming To?

 6/2/2015 BILLY GRAHAM/BGEA   charisma news

Billy Graham (Courtesy/BGEA)

The great need in America is not for a new organization. Our great need is not for more economic prosperity. Our great need is for a real spiritual awakening, a revival in which men and women will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways to the God of our fathers.

In my opinion we've had four major crisis periods in American history. The first was the Revolutionary War. We did not even know whether we could be born as a nation or not. It was my privilege to be at Valley Forge when President Eisenhower made this statement there: "This is where they got [our independence] for us.

In the midst of that winter, General Washington was seen time and again on his knees out in the snow calling upon God for victory. Out of that winter of prayer, George Washington led that little, beaten, discouraged, tattered army to a great victory that brought about the independence of the United States from Great Britain. I believe God helped that little army as it marched all the way to Yorktown.

The next great crisis in American history came when a Constitutional Convention was called in Philadelphia to ratify a Constitution for the new country that was being born. The delegates got angry with each other; they couldn't agree on a thing. Benjamin Franklin eloquently called on the Convention to pray for God's assistance: ["We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that 'except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel."]

Out of that Convention came the Constitution of the United States.

The next great crisis came during the Civil War. Men on both sides were killing each other, brothers against brothers, and it seemed that our little country would be torn apart. It seemed that we would become two separate nations or that some European power would come and take us over because we had weakened each other. But thank God, on both sides we had some men and women who believed in God.

A man came to Abraham Lincoln one day and said, "Mr. Lincoln, don't you believe that God is with us?" Mr. Lincoln said, "I'm not interested as to whether God is with us; I'm interested as to whether we are on God's side." President Lincoln called the nation to a day of prayer, and in his call of prayer he recommended individual repentance. He called for a renewed faith in God. He said, "We are a nation of sinful people, and God has brought us to this point; let us pray to God."

The day that General Lee surrendered, President Lincoln called the Cabinet to prayer, and at the suggestion of the president the whole Cabinet dropped to its knees and offered thanks to Almighty God for the victory that preserved the Union.

Down in the South many people had also been praying. Robert E. Lee had been asked one day, "Aren't you praying for victory?" General Lee said, "No, I'm praying that the will of God be done." We believe that God's will was done. The shackles of slavery were thrown off. The Union was preserved and the nation reunited.

The fourth great crisis in American history was not World War I. We were never threatened in World War I. Nor was it World War II. We were really never threatened as a nation in World War II. The fourth great crisis in American history is the crisis of the present moment. Our nation at this moment is being threatened as it has not been threatened since the Civil War. We are being threatened by moral deterioration.

We have seen this country plunging deeper and deeper, at a rapidly gaining momentum, into moral deterioration. Honesty and truthfulness have been thrown out the window. The nation is on a mad pursuit of amusements, pleasure and immorality.

The same symptoms that were in Rome during its last days are now seen and felt in America. Walk down the streets of our cities and see the current names of today's films. Many are either psychopathic or centered on sex.

What is this country coming to?

We need a moral revival. We need a spiritual revival that will put a new moral fiber into our society, or we will have collapsed internally before any enemies even get here. We are being softened up right now by the devil for the kill.

We are also being threatened today by racial tension, strife that has at times brought us to the brink of cultural war between the great races in this country.

It is high time that we come to the foot of the cross. When you come to the foot of the cross and receive Christ as Savior, He gives you the capacity to love your neighbor.

There is no superior race in God's sight. God does not look upon the outward appearance. God looks upon the heart. God sees our pride. We are going to have to come to where we love each other as neighbors and to where we look through the eyes of Jesus at sin.

God is looking for real and genuine repentance. To whom much is given, much is required. Much is given to America, and much shall be required of America.

There are several reasons why God has spared us this long. First is the very nature of God. Psalm 130:3 says, "If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?" The Bible teaches that God is a God of mercy, long-suffering and love. And God loves you as an individual. He is a God of mercy. He gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on the cross, to shed His blood for your sins, to rise again for your justification. He loves us, and every time I look at the cross I see written over it in letters of fire, "God is love, God is love, God is love. He loves you, He loves you."

Second, He is not willing that any should perish. God does not want you to go to hell. He does not want you to be lost. He loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you. But God gave you a will of your own. You can say "no" to God or you can say "yes" to God.

Third, God has spared America because of the great number of born-again Christians in America.

Isaiah 1:9 says, "Unless the Lord of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah." If it were not for God's people in this country, it would have been destroyed long ago. Don't despise that godly Christian who lives next door to you. Don't laugh at that Christian student you go to school with. I tell you, he or she is one of the reasons that this nation has the blessings and prosperity that it has.

But unless the Lord's people discipline themselves to prayer, unless the Lord's people discipline themselves to Bible study, unless the Lord's people discipline themselves to living a Spirit-filled, Christ-honoring life, that blessing will not last very long.

There was a time when Christians would not dare to look at some of the things we are now seeing every day. We are gradually taking in the amusements and the pleasures until our spiritual life is being dulled and the Bible no longer has the glow to it. The time of prayer no longer has the desire that it used to have. You know that is true. We need to repent of our sins.

I am convinced that our nation is in peril. The handwriting is on the wall. The signs of the times are everywhere. American people cannot long continue in their moral degeneracy. A cancer is eating at the heart and core of the American way of life.

The Bible says that we are to humble ourselves. No man or woman can come to the kingdom of God proudly. You must come in humility.

The only prayer that you can pray if you have never come to Christ is, "God, be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13). Have you prayed that prayer?

I'm not asking if you have partaken of the sacraments. I'm not asking if you belong to a church. I'm asking you, have you said, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner"? Have you come to the foot of the cross in humility and received Him as your Savior and Lord, and asked Him to cover your sins with His blood? If you haven't, you can right now. Your life can be changed and transformed.

The only way that we can have our lives changed and find peace, joy and the fulfillment of life; the only way to have sin forgiven; the only way to know that you are going to heaven, is to receive Christ as your Lord, Savior and Master. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12). "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom. 10:9).

The place where we belong is at the foot of the cross. The great need in America is not for more guns or more smart bombs—it is for more men and women who have been transformed by the power of Christ and are living dedicated lives for Christ in the office, on the production line and in the school. The great need is for men and women who will take their stand for the Lord Jesus Christ, no matter what the cost may be.

Pockets of true revival are breaking out across America. Want to know more about the next great move of God? Click here to see Jennifer LeClaire's new book, featuring Dutch Sheets, Reinhard Bonnke, Jonathan Cahn, Billy Graham and others.

©1988 BGEA

Franklin Graham: Still Preaching the Gospel as the Plane Went Down

4/10/2015 JESSILYN JUSTICE  charisma news

Franklin Graham gives evangelism advice. (BGEA)

Dear Friend,

Last month I was in South Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya. South Sudan is the world's newest nation, gaining independence in 2011, and we held a large evangelistic Crusade in the capital city of Juba in 2012. Now ethnic divisions and political rivalry have led to civil war, with fighting and lawlessness across the nation. I met separately and prayed with the country's president, Salva Kiir, and the leader of the opposition, former vice president Riek Machar, and I urged them to sign a peace agreement.

I also met with about 150 South Sudan church leaders in Juba. We worshiped together and prayed for peace and unity in their nation. These pastors care passionately about the people of their nation and about sharing the gospel, and they asked us to return for another evangelistic Crusade as soon as conditions in the country make that possible. Pray that we would be able to do this and that there will be an end to the strife in South Sudan.

In a few weeks I'll be in Barcelona, Spain, for an evangelistic Festival. Spain is a country with its own political unrest as separatist movements keep the country under constant pressure to pull apart. Secularism has spread rapidly, just as it is spreading across the rest of Europe and the United States. An increasingly large part of the population, especially among young people, accepts an "anything goes" attitude toward sexual behavior, drugs and morality in general. Spain has the highest rate of cocaine use of any nation in the world. Officially a Catholic nation, Spain today has more people who say they have little or no interest in religion than it has actively committed Catholics. The country has twice as many Muslims as evangelical Christians.

Barcelona, the country's second-largest city, is the center of one of the major separatist movements. It is also the city with the highest concentration of Muslims—along with a number of small evangelical churches—and that is where we will be going May 1 to proclaim the gospel. Pray with us that God will open hearts and do a great work among the people of this city.

Later in May, I will lead a Crusade in Jacksonville, Florida, and three weeks after that in Lviv, a city in war-torn Ukraine. My son Will has just returned from the Philippines, where he led Crusade events in two cities, Tacloban and Cebu. He will lead a Crusade in Owensboro, Kentucky, this month and another in June in Tanzania.

Traveling in Ethiopia brought to mind a man I met there and got to know in the 1980s. Andy Meakins was a gentle giant of the faith, an Englishman who loved Jesus Christ and served Him in Africa for many years. In 1996 an Ethiopian Airlines flight was hijacked and crashed into the ocean just off the Comoros Islands after running out of fuel—you may have heard the story. The dramatic moment of impact was caught on home video and broadcast around the world. Only later did we learn of something even more dramatic happening in the cabin as the plane headed for disaster.

Andy Meakins and his wife were on that plane, seated together. The hijackers demanded to be flown to Australia even though there wasn't nearly enough fuel for that distance. As they neared the Comoros Islands in the Indian Ocean, one engine flamed out, and the pilot told passengers that the remaining engine would soon run out of fuel as well. Immediately, Andy's wife heard the snap of a seatbelt being unbuckled and turned to see her husband stand up.

"Many of us might die in this crash," he called out, "so there's something you need to know." Andy then began explaining the gospel simply and urgently, moving to each part of the cabin so that everyone would hear. He invited people to place their trust in Jesus Christ in repentance and faith. A flight attendant heard Andy's words, bowed her head, and asked Jesus to forgive her sins and come into her heart. She watched many more respond and, along with another survivor, later told the story. Of the 175 people on board, 125 died, including Andy, who was still on his feet preaching the gospel as the plane hit the water.

Every day tens of thousands of people slip from this world into eternity—the vast majority unprepared, "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1, NKJV). We need to take every opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ and the truth of the gospel, the only message that will make a difference to a lost soul. Just like an airplane going down, time is running out.

Andy Meakins used his life to witness every day, and he did so to his last breath. It is this same urgency that drives all we do at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association as we seek to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible. Will you be a part of this work through your prayers and your financial gifts?

Franklin Graham: Praying for the Next Great Awakening

 6/24/2014 FRANKLIN GRAHAM  CHARISMA NEWS

Franklin Graham (ABC News)

Hardly a day passes that I don't hear someone say, "We are losing our country; we are losing our churches."

While doomsday appears to be knocking at our door, let me take you back to the early 1800s. Many think of it as "the good old days," but history tells us that society, even then, was as bad as it could get at that time. John Marshall, chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, wrote to President James Madison and said, "The church is too far gone ever to be redeemed." When we examine why, we find that preachers had stopped preaching the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the people were not hearing God's Word.

What changed? Christians began to diligently pray for revival—and the result was the Second Great Awakening. When people's prayers stormed the heavens, and when the Bible was opened in the pulpits and the Word of God proclaimed by passionate preachers, the church was awakened from slumber by the Holy Spirit, who moved in hearts, spreading revival throughout the heartland of America.

There have been several Great Awakenings in our nation's history. When I read about them, I always go back to the Old Testament, to a time in which Israel had once again turned its back on God. When its people came to their senses, they gathered and asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Word of the Lord to them. The Bible tells us that Ezra stood upon a pulpit of wood, and he opened the book in the sight of all the people (see Nehemiah 8).

Our hope and desire—and our prayer—here at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is to stir up followers of Jesus Christ to pray and ask for a great awakening of the church. Through the My Hope America outreach, we have already seen the results of what happens when God's truth is proclaimed. Just last year, multiplied thousands of souls were won to Jesus Christ, and Christians across the country have asked us to continue providing more My Hope evangelistic programming and resources.

This year, as part of My Hope 2014, we are preparing a brand-new film, including a never-before-released message from my father. While he is no longer able to stand in the pulpit to proclaim the Word of God, we have captured on video God's Word that burns in his heart. Last summer as he was taping his message on The Cross, which was released on his 95th birthday in November, he also shared his thoughts on Heaven, and we are excited about bringing it to you this fall. We had no idea at that time how God would direct us to use this message on Heaven, but it is now being developed into a powerful new program that also includes compelling testimonies of changed lives. Please pray with us that the Holy Spirit will use it to transform the hearts and lives of countless people who will realize the hope of eternity in Heaven.

The new 30-minute film will be made available, at no charge, to churches for use across the country as we did last year. Please encourage your church to get involved in praying and planning so that this message can be used effectively in your community. The program will also be televised as well as available for download via the Internet.

We plan to do a new evangelistic My Hope film every year for the next several years and make it available for churches and individuals to use to win souls.

Prayer is the key to reaching lost people for Christ, and I hope you will begin praying now for neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family who do not know Jesus Christ as Savior. Make a point to pray for your church and other churches in your community, asking God to stir up an ever-increasing urgency for evangelism.

---

This article originally appeared on Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Franklin Graham: The Flood of Compromise

Franklin Graham: The Flood of Compromise

 5/1/2014 FRANKLIN GRAHAM  CHARISMANEWS

Noah, the latest Hollywood epic, splashed across the big screen last month, revealing a flood of compromise. Described as a “biblically inspired fantasy film,” reviewers bragged that “despite its compromises … it retains a sense of religious awe.” But the great compromise cannot drown the truth. To use the phrase biblically inspired and the term fantasy in the same thought adulterates a historic record.

Some say the world is not held responsible for misinterpreting God’s Word, but the Bible does not agree, as we clearly see in the story of Noah: “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ... And He was grieved in His heart. ... And God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth'” (Gen. 6:5-6, 13).

God not only holds His followers to account, but all of mankind. The human race continues gulping the bitter water in the sea of immorality, rejecting truth and trying to silence God’s people.

Because of pressure from the LGBT community, A&E tried to suppress Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame by suspending him from his television series because of his biblically based convictions. The Robertson family was willing to walk away from their wildly successful reality show rather than compromise their beliefs.

Facing the possibility of losing the Robertsons—and millions of viewers—the network reinstated the patriarch star. The family-oriented Cracker Barrel restaurant and country store that had pulled Duck Dynasty products from its shelves in the midst of the uproar also had to back up and restock the Duck Dynasty merchandise, issuing an apology for offending a large percentage of its clientele.

In both cases, the LGBT lost. While many in the liberal and progressive media have deceived the public into thinking that this group makes up a large portion of our nation’s population, surveys support the fact that this small but boisterous movement consists of less than 2 percent of society.

On the heels of these upheavals, it was particularly jolting when those who call themselves Christians departed from the clarity of God’s Word, as the leadership of World Vision U.S. did in March when they announced their employment of “gay Christians in legal same-sex marriages.”

The very day World Vision announced its great compromise on a basic truth of Scripture—that a homosexual lifestyle is sin and that marriage is between one man and one woman—the Supreme Court began hearings to determine if the Green family, owners of Hobby Lobby, should be required to provide life-terminating drugs and devices in their employee health care plan, contrary to the Christian family’s spiritual convictions.

The contrast was stunning. While the Christian-owned business stood up against a federal government bent on forcing them to compromise the right to life, a Christian charity compromised the sacredness of marriage, stating that “it’s the right thing to do for unity within the church.” Forty-eight hours after World Vision’s announcement, the organization was forced to reverse its epic decision after a flooding backlash from offended donors.

The Bible gives strong warning to those who tamper with God’s truth: “From among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away [followers] after themselves” (Acts 20:30).

The charity’s original announcement was personally shocking to me because World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse were founded by the same man, my mentor and dear friend, the late Dr. Bob Pierce. Much of my adult life has been guided by something he often said: “I want my heart to be broken by the things that break the heart of God.” I believe the heart of God was broken by the decision of the board of directors of World Vision. This is no small matter. I was as grieved by it as I have been by anything in my lifetime of ministry, because the heart of World Vision was revealed—a disregard for biblical truth.

There was a day when World Vision’s board was made up of people who believed in and stood on God’s Word, but in making this decision, they completely disregarded Scripture and made a decision based on what they perceived as public acceptance and popularity.

I do rejoice that the board of directors reversed its decision, but I pray that the fallout will cause a depth of soul-searching. True followers of Jesus Christ, whose salvation is based entirely upon God’s Word, cannot endorse same-sex marriage, regardless of what our president, the Congress, the Supreme Court, the media or the latest Gallup poll says about the matter.

This moral issue has been settled by God Himself and is not subject to man-made revisions or modifications. In the end, I would rather be on the wrong side of public opinion than on the wrong side of almighty God, who established the standard of living for the world He created. Marriage is a biblically moral issue, not a political or theological one.

This debate is ultimately about something much more important than the question of same-sex marriage. It is about the great compromise, calling into question the authority of Scripture. If Christians do not agree concerning the authority of Scripture, we will eventually disagree about all sorts of things.

The church is tied up in the red tape of compromise that is being played out in rewriting the Bible and preaching a gospel emphasizing the works of mankind.

The Bible says, “Now the Spirit [of God] expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy” (1 Tim. 4:1-2).

I agree with the late Adrian Rogers, who said, “It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to stand alone with the truth than to be wrong with a multitude.”

It is time for the discussion of unity within the church to come into alignment with God’s Word on the issue of marriage. When there is division within the church, it is because individuals are against Christ Himself, for He is the head of His church, made up of the redeemed who are called to be one with Christ.

The church is on dangerous ground when it departs from the teaching of Christ and attempts to redefine His commands and compromise His truth. There are many things in Scripture that Christians disagree on, but the Bible is crystal clear about the sanctity of life and marriage. It is also clear that homosexuality is spelled out as sin—there are no ifs, ands or buts.

The only way the church can be unified with one another is to be in unity with Jesus Christ, unified in “faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God ... to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be ... tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ” (Eph. 4:13-15).

Compromise is dangerous territory for the Christian—mixing a little truth with a lot of error, wavering between right and wrong. Jesus said, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ... Therefore ... repent” (Rev. 3:15-16, 19). I pray that the church will return to its calling to stand on God’s principles—not wavering, but steadfast, discerning the evil times in which we live. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.”

My father has always said, “From compromise to deceit is a small step.” Let’s not compromise by seeing how close we can get to right; let’s stand on God’s promise to walk so close to Him that almost right becomes evil in our sight.

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

For anyone reading this article, if you belong to the LGBT community, you may question whether God loves you and will forgive you. The answer is yes. I want to assure you from His own Word that God is eager to forgive all sinners, including the one penning this article.

The Bible says, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. ... State your case, that you may be acquitted” (Is. 43:25-26). I am a great sinner who has received forgiveness by a great Savior—the Lord Jesus Christ. He went to the cross and shed His blood to cover our sin. He extends forgiveness to all who will call on His Name, turn from sin, believe in Him, follow Him as Master and Lord, and live in obedience according to His Word. My friend, God will heal your heart and give you peace the world cannot offer. Peace of mind and soul can be yours today. 

Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, is the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse.

Click here to read the original article at BillyGraham.org.

Love For His People Editor's Note: I highly respect and appreciate Franklin Graham. Having worked at Samaritan's Purse for several years during the Christmas Shoebox time, I saw what the ministry does, as one of their major specific outreaches. It is amazing, and Franklin is such a great and honest leader. 

Thank you Franklin for your commitment to share the truth, no matter what the backlash brings. We stand with you in your proclamations and witness of the truth.

Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People