Work Instead of Worry
Think of the ravens. They do not sow or reap . . . yet God feeds them. And how much more are you worth than the birds! . . . think of the flowers; they never spin nor weave; yet, I assure you not even Solomon . . . was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field . . . how much more will he look after you, you men of little faith!
Luke 12:24–28 JB
Jesus did not say that we were not to be industrious, for birds are very industrious. They arise early in the morning and go out to collect the provisions that God has supplied. The flowers flourish and are beautifully clothed, but their roots reach down deep to tap the resources that God has put into the ground for their enrichment.
The birds remind us that food should not be our chief concern and the lilies show us that worrying over appearance does not make us beautiful. Domestic fowls and flowers are protected by human hands, but wild ones such as those described here are cared for by God Himself.
Two conflicting forces cannot exist in one human heart. When doubt reigns, faith cannot abide. Where hatred rules, love is crowded out. Where selfishness rules, there love cannot dwell. When worry is present, trust cannot crowd its way in.
The very best prescription for banishing worry is found in Psalm 37:5: “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” The word commit means to turn over to, to entrust completely.
Think of the things you do not worry about. Perhaps you never worry about whether you will be able to get water out of the faucet in your kitchen, or maybe you do not worry about a tree falling on your house.
Now ask yourself why you do not worry about such things. Is it because, in the case of running water, that it has always been there every time you wanted it, or that a tree has never fallen on your house before? Certainty breeds trust, doesn’t it?
We can be just as certain and just as worry-free about God’s love, protection, and provision because He has never gone back on a single one of His promises. He never changes. Great is His faithfulness.
Our Father and our God, I trust You to provide for me and to protect me. I commit my life, my heart, and my work to You. Please use then in whatever way You see fit to glorify You. Great is Your faithfulness toward us, O Lord. Increase my faith, and help me to let go of my worries and frustrations. Through Christ, the One who gives peace. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
Dare To Be Different
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luke 9:23
Some years ago it was my privilege to speak in the beautiful gothic chapel at West Point. The chapel was filled, and those young people listened earnestly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As I looked out upon those determined, dedicated young faces, who are the cream of American youth, I could not help but think of Jesus’ disciples—He made it tough, hard, and rugged to follow Him. He talked about self-denial, cross-bearing, persecution, and even death. He said, “If you are not willing to endure these things, then you are not worthy to be My follower.”
While our nation is involved with an increase of crime, immorality, adultery, drunkenness, irreverence, infidelity, and open apostasy, millions of professing Christians have forgotten the Word of Scripture that says, “If any man would follow me, let him take up his cross daily.”
Our Lord regarded His followers as a select company who belonged to a different world from other men. Many of the religious people of His day were worldlings, dressed in religious garb that belonged to this world—a world ruled by the prince of darkness, a world dominated by pride, ambition, hate, jealousy, greed, and falsehood. He warned the disciples to be loyal to His teachings and principles. He told them that they were to set their affection on things above.
He also warned them that they would find things exceedingly difficult. Refusing to conform to worldly principles and practices, and living under the lordship of Christ, they would soon become marked men. He told them that the world would hate them.
They could not make their light shine by sinking to the world’s low level. It was only by abiding in Christ and living under the ruling power of His Holy Spirit that they could elevate the world. The power and progress of the Christian society would depend on its unlikeness to the world and its likeness to Jesus Christ. It was this very reason that the distinction between the lives of those who lived for this world and those who lived for Christ was so clear that a very deep impression was made on the pagan society of the first century in which the early Christians lived. They influenced thousands to embrace the Christian faith because they outthought, outlived, and outloved their neighbors. We Christians should dare to be different!
Our Father and our God, bless me with the ability to live a distinct lifestyle in my world. Help me to stand out as morally chaste, truthful, honest, fair, compassionate, and caring. And if I must face ridicule for being like Jesus, then so be it. I would rather suffer with Him, than live without Him. In His name. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
The Importance of Prayer
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Luke 5:16 NIV
Jesus considered prayer more important than food, for the Bible says that hours before breakfast, “very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35 NIV).
To the Son of God, prayer was more important than the assembling and the healing of great throngs. The Bible says, “Crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:15–16 NIV).
The precious hours of fellowship with His Heavenly Father meant much more to our Savior than sleep, for the Bible says, “Jesus went out into the hills to pray, and spent the night praying to God” (Luke 6:12 NIV).
He prayed at funerals, and the dead were raised. He prayed over the five loaves and two fishes, and fed a multitude with a little boy’s lunch. In the contemplation of His imminent suffering on Calvary’s cross He prayed, “Not my will, but yours” (Luke 22:42 NIV) and a way was made whereby sinful man might approach a holy God.
Prayer, in the true sense, is not a futile cry of desperation born of fear and frustration. Many people pray only when they are under great stress, or in danger, or facing some crisis. I have been in airplanes when an engine died, then people started praying. I have flown through bad thunderstorms when people who may never have thought to pray before were praying all around me. I have talked to soldiers who told me that they never prayed until they were in the midst of battle. There seems to be an instinct in man to pray in times of danger.
We know “there are few atheists in foxholes,” but that kind of Christianity fails to reach into our everyday lives, and it is too shallow to be genuine.
Christian teachers down through the ages have urged the prominence that prayer should have in the lives of believers. Some anonymous wise man has said, “If Christians spent as much time praying as they do grumbling, they would soon have nothing to grumble about.”
Our Father and our God, thank You for the precious avenue of prayer. I take great comfort in being able to talk to You continually. It is my joy to know that You are ever-present and attentive to my needs and concerns. Help me to be vigilant in prayer and praise to You and Your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
Answers to Prayers
What things soever ye desire, when ye prayer, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Mark 11:24
One lesson that Jesus would teach us is the victorious assurance that God answers every true petition. Skeptics may question it, humanists may deny it, and intellectuals ridicule it. Yet here is Christ’s own promise: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7). Trust that promise with all your soul.
Your Father possesses everything. He “shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Let His Holy Spirit help you in your prayer life just as He promised in Romans 8:27: “he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
With God nothing is impossible. No task is too arduous, no problem is too difficult, no burden is too heavy for His love. The future, with its tears and uncertainties, is fully revealed to Him.
He understands how much affliction and sorrow you need in order that your soul may be purified and preserved for eternity. Turn to Him, and you can say with Job, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). No, we are not the masters of our own souls. We must not put our will above God’s will. We must not insist on our own way or dictate to God. Rather, we must learn the difficult lesson of praying as the sinless Son of God Himself prayed, “Not my will, but thine, be done.”
The Scripture says that the one mediator between God and man is Jesus Christ. We must know Him, and we must pray in His name. Our prayers must be directed according to the will of God, and the Holy Spirit will do that for us.
Our Father and our God, I praise Your mighty name for these things You have done for me . . . I know that nothing is too difficult for You. You can save the lost, raise the dead, and heal the hurting. Now, in the name of Jesus, I claim Your promise that You will do these things I ask. Amen
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
Sensitive to the Suffering
For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45 RSV
Years ago our son Franklin spent some days on a boat in the South China Sea searching for boats of people fleeing the oppressive regime on Vietnam. On board, Ha Jimmy, the first mate, told him that only a week before they had rescued such a boat. It had been boarded by pirates, the passengers robbed, women raped, others wounded. The pirate ship was ramming the smaller boat to destroy all evidence when the rescue ship appeared and they fled.
First the wounded had to be tended to. Then the rescued needed to be fed, bathed, and allowed to rest. Later they were told of Jesus and His love.
One mother on board with several small children saw her baby die. There was nothing to do but put the tiny body overboard and watch it float away. A few days later the next child died. Once more the mother had to watch the little body floating away into the sea.
Ha Jimmy looked at Franklin, his eyes dark with fatigue, and asked, “Franklin, after all she had been through, if I hadn’t given her Jesus, what had I really done for her?”
God can use a sensitive Christian to be a rich blessing in the life of one who knows pain and sorrow. Scripture provides guidelines for those who are in a position to help someone suffering.
Someone has said, “To have suffered much is like knowing many languages: It gives the sufferer access to many more people.” Lord, help me to use any suffering I might be called upon to endure in that positive fashion.
Our Father and our God, when I think of Your Son’s horrible suffering on the cross, I know my own pain is so small. Help me to endure my trials with faith and hope because of the suffering He endured for me. And help me to give the comfort I have received from You to others in pain. In Christ. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
Surrender Self
[Jesus said,] Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
Mark 8:34–35
A police sergeant once asked me the secret of victorious Christian living. I told him there is no magic formula. But if any one word could describe it, it would be surrender.
You may ask, “Billy, how can I surrender my life?” It is surrendered in the same way that salvation comes to the sinner. There needs to be a confession of sin and a complete yielding of every area of life, personality, and will to Jesus Christ—plus faith that Christ will accept that commitment. It is not enough for us to have been confirmed or to have made a decision for Christ at an altar. We cannot walk successfully in the glow of that experience for the rest of our lives. Being human, we need to return and renew those vows and covenants with the Lord. We need to take inventory and have spiritual checkups.
Today Christ is calling Christians to cleansing—to dedication—to consecration—to full surrender. Your response will make the difference between success and failure in your spiritual life. It will make the difference between your needing help and being able to help others.
It will revolutionize your habits, your prayer life, your Bible reading, your giving, your testimony, and your church relationship. This is the Christian’s hour of decision!
If you are a Christian and have been suffering defeat, or have been outside the will of God, or do not know the power and thrill and joy that Christ can bring, I beg of you to surrender every area of your life. Give yourself wholly to Christ.
Our Father and our God, I surrender my heart and my life to You. For I know You can accept nothing less than a full surrender in order to save me from my sins, which I confess to You now. Redeem me, Father, so that I can help lead others to Your redemption as well. In the name of Christ, the great Redeemer. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
The Cross for Christians
For from within, out of the heart . . . come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man.
Mark 7:21–23 RSV
Jesus indicated that our problem is heart trouble. The greatest need of our great cities at this moment is evangelism. The apostle Paul stood in the heart of pagan, secular, immoral, and violent Corinth and said, “We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks [Gentiles] foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23–24).
The proclamation of the Gospel is still the desperate need of men today. We are never going to reverse the moral trends without a spiritual awakening, and we are never going to have a spiritual awakening until the cross of Jesus Christ is central in all our teaching, preaching, and practice.
David Brainerd, in the journal of his life and work among the American Indians, said, “I never got away from Jesus and Him crucified. And I found that when my people were gripped by this great evangelical doctrine of Christ and Him crucified, I had no need to give them instructions about morality. I found that one followed as the sure and inevitable fruit of the other.”
Dorothy Sayers says, “We have been trying for several centuries to uphold a particular standard of ethical values which derives from Christian dogma, while gradually dispensing with the very dogma which is the sole foundation for those values. If we want Christian behavior, then we must realize that Christian behavior is rooted in Christian belief.”
As Spurgeon points out, “There are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross-bearers here below.”
Our Father and our God, I bow in shame at the foot of the cross, knowing my sins and shortcomings are many. And yet I hold my head up boldly because of Christ crucified and His blotting out my sins on that cross. Your loving-kindness and great mercy give me unwarranted peace and comfort. Thank You, Father, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
Christ’s Example
And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
Mark 6:46
One of the most amazing things in all the Scriptures is how much time Jesus spent in prayer. He had only three years of public ministry, yet Jesus was never too hurried to spend hours in prayer. He prayed before every difficult task confronting Him. He prayed with regularity—not a day began or closed on which He did not unfold His soul before His Father.
How quickly and carelessly, by contrast, we pray. Snatches of memorized verses are hastily spoken in the morning; then we say good-bye to God for the rest of the day, until we rush through a few closing petitions at night.
This is not the prayer program that Jesus outlined. Jesus pleaded long and repeatedly. It is recorded that He spent entire nights in fervent appeal.
How little perseverance and pleading we show. Some time ago the newspapers told of a man in Washington who spent seventeen years securing favorable action on a claim of $81,000 against the government. Yet many people will not pray seventeen minutes for the welfare of their own immortal souls or the salvation of other people.
The Scripture says, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This should be the motto of every true follower of Jesus Christ. Never stop praying, no matter how dark and hopeless your case may seem. Some years ago, a woman wrote me that she had pleaded for ten years for the conversion of her husband, but that he was more hardened than ever. I advised her to continue to plead.
Some time later I heard from her again. She said her husband was gloriously and miraculously converted in the eleventh year of her prayer vigil. That’s what it means to “pray without ceasing.”
Who have you prayed for lately?
Our Father and our God, hear my prayer. I have prayed often to You about my problems, and I come again comitting them to You. And I will continue to do so, because I believe that You will hear me and grant my plea—in Your perfect time and in Your perfect way. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
The Crucible of Suffering
I will not leave you comfortless.
John 14:18
Nowhere has God promised anyone, even His children, immunity from sorrow, suffering, and pain. This world is a “vale of tears,” and disappointment and heartache are as inevitable as clouds and shadows. Suffering is often the crucible in which our faith is tested. Those who successfully come through the “furnace of affliction” are the ones who emerge “like gold tried in the fire.”
The Bible teaches unmistakably that we can triumph over bereavement. The Psalmist said, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
Self-pity can bring no enduring comfort. This fact is, it will only add to our misery. And unremitting grief will give us little consolation in itself, for grief begets grief. Ceaseless grieving will only magnify our sorrow. We should not peddle our sorrows and bewail our bad fortune—that will only depress others. Sorrow, or mourning, when it is borne in a Christian way, contains a built-in comfort. “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
There is comfort in mourning because we know that Christ is with us. He has said, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). Suffering is endurable if we do not have to bear it alone; and the more compassionate the Presence, the less acute the pain.
Our Father and our God, through faith I feel Your arms around me, holding me, comforting me in my times of sorrow and trial. Thank You, Father, for always being here with me, in good times and in bad. I love You and I want to reflect Your glory to my family, my friends, my community, and the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
The Crucible of Suffering
I will not leave you comfortless.
John 14:18
Nowhere has God promised anyone, even His children, immunity from sorrow, suffering, and pain. This world is a “vale of tears,” and disappointment and heartache are as inevitable as clouds and shadows. Suffering is often the crucible in which our faith is tested. Those who successfully come through the “furnace of affliction” are the ones who emerge “like gold tried in the fire.”
The Bible teaches unmistakably that we can triumph over bereavement. The Psalmist said, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
Self-pity can bring no enduring comfort. This fact is, it will only add to our misery. And unremitting grief will give us little consolation in itself, for grief begets grief. Ceaseless grieving will only magnify our sorrow. We should not peddle our sorrows and bewail our bad fortune—that will only depress others. Sorrow, or mourning, when it is borne in a Christian way, contains a built-in comfort. “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
There is comfort in mourning because we know that Christ is with us. He has said, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). Suffering is endurable if we do not have to bear it alone; and the more compassionate the Presence, the less acute the pain.
Our Father and our God, through faith I feel Your arms around me, holding me, comforting me in my times of sorrow and trial. Thank You, Father, for always being here with me, in good times and in bad. I love You and I want to reflect Your glory to my family, my friends, my community, and the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
God’s Overarching Love
[Jesus said:] I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:20 NIV
This is a promise for obedient disciples, and it is marvelously inclusive. Dr. Handley Moule, sometime Anglican bishop of Durham, England, and a noted Greek scholar, maintained that the always could be paraphrased to mean, “I am with you all the days, all day long.” That means we can count on Christ’s presence not only every day, but every moment of every day. Of the fact of His presence there can be no doubt, for His Word cannot fail. What we need is to cultivate the sense of His presence, every day, every hour, every moment.
Some years ago my wife, Ruth, had a terrible fall. She suffered a concussion, was unconscious for nearly a week, broke her foot in five places, and injured her hip. When she regained consciousness she found she had lost a great deal of her memory. What disturbed her most was that she had forgotten so many of the Scriptures she had learned throughout the years. The verses of a whole lifetime were more precious to her than all earthly possessions.
One night when she was praying, because she was so distressed, out of nowhere came the verse, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” She had no recollection of ever memorizing this verse, but the Lord brought it back to her. Gradually, other verses began to come back. But interestingly, while she was still trying to recover her memory, she memorized Romans 8:31–39 and repeated those verses over and over again.
I urge you to memorize this passage. Hide it away in your heart. When persecution, trouble, and adversity arise, these verses will come back to you a thousand times and remind you of God’s overarching love personified in His Son, our Savior.
Our Father and our God, thank You for always being with me—every moment of every hour of every day. And thank You for the comfort and encouragement of Your Word. It speaks to my heart when my heart is hurting. It cries with me and laughs with me. Your Word is my dearest friend, Lord. Let me share it with others. Because of Christ. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
It’s Not Too Late
Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations . . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Matthew 28:20
I sometimes think our world is on the threshold of a mighty, world-wide spiritual awakening and harvest. This is a glorious time to be alive.
I I have found that people everywhere, all over the world, will respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ if we present it simply, with Christian compassion. Yet there are some who are in deep despair. I receive letters daily from people who are discouraged, depressed, and ready to give up. They are yielding to the pessimism of our times, to the mood and spirit of our day. A man in England wrote, “It’s too late to do anything about the world.”
That isn’t true. All is not lost. We still have the Bible, and “the word of God is not bound” (2 Timothy 2:9). We still have the Holy Spirit. We still have the fellowship of believers. We still have the prayers of God’s people. We still have an open door to most of the world for proclaiming the gospel.
Our Father and our God, You have sent Your precious Son to save us. What glorious news! Please help me to share that Good News with people around me and around the world. Tune my heart, Lord, to the beauty of Your truth. And let my life be a song of praise to You and Your Son. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
The Sin of Omission
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Matthew 25:41-46
Jesus gave this clear, strong warning against the blighting, murderous sin of omission.
He called those who failed to do good as unto Him, “cursed.” He called those who did good as unto Him, “righteous.”
It is very significant that in every one of Jesus’ parables of condemnation the sin condemned is the sin of omission.
For example, the guest at the wedding supper was cast out because he did not wear the wedding garment. The five foolish virgins did not bring oil with their lamps. The man with one talent did not trade with it to his master’s profit. The rich man did not minister to the poor man, Lazarus, lying at this gate. The unmerciful servant did not forgive his fellow servant who owed him a paltry hundred pence.
In the account of the last judgment people were not asked questions of theology. As important as doctrine is, they were not asked about their doctrinal beliefs. Neither were they asked what sins they had committed. They neglected to do good, and their sin was grave enough to send them into everlasting punishment.
There must be a practical outworking of our faith here in this present world, or it will never endure in the world to come. We need fewer words and more charitable works; less palaver and more pity; less repetition of creed and more compassion.
What are your omissions? And what do you intend to do about them?
Our Father and our God, thank You for Your kindness and charity toward me. You have never omitted Your blessings from my life. I pray that I will not omit the blessings I can give to others because of Your Spirit living in me. Give me insight into what others need, and help me to fulfill those needs in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
Hope For His Hour
Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Matthew 24:44 RSV
Have you ever had something unexpected happen to you? Surprises can be fun or they can be disastrous, depending on where we are and what we are doing. An unexpected check may arrive in the mail just in time to pay a financial obligation. A relative or friend we may love very much might call or visit. Unpleasant surprises might include a traffic accident or word from the bank that our account is overdrawn.
The return of Jesus Christ is going to be a surprise too. It will be the most glorious and wonderful surprise of all for those who know Him and have committed their lives to Him. For those who are alive, their bodies will be transformed “in the twinkling of an eye” and they will meet Christ in the air! Imagine what a surprise that will be. You are going about your daily routine when, suddenly and without warning, your body is completely transformed into the likeness of Christ’s resurrected body, and you “take off ” to meet Christ in the air.
For those who do not know Christ, His return will also be a surprise—but a very unpleasant one. For the judgment will soon follow, and those without Christ will spend eternity in hell.
We should use every opportunity we have to tell others of our glorious Savior, who wants all of us to meet Him in the air and to live with Him forever.
Our Father and our God, I wait with anticipation for Your coming again. Your triumphant return will be a day of joy and celebration for me because I am Your child. Prepare me, Master, for that great day so I am ready to meet You in the air. In the name of Christ the Lord. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
Signs of His Coming
The disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?”
Matthew 24:3 RSV
There are three Greek words used in the New Testament to describe the coming again of Christ. The first one is parousia, which carries with it the idea of the personal presence of Christ. In other words, when Christ returns, He will come in person.
The second Greek word is epiphaneia, which carries with it the idea of appearing. It is like a star, not seen in the daylight, that suddenly appears in the darkness of night. From it we get our word epiphany.
The third Greek word is apokalupsis, which carries with it the idea of unveiling. It is the unveiling of one who has been hidden.
At Christmas we celebrate the first appearing, which was quiet—the shepherds, the star, and the manger. His Second Coming will be with His dazzling warriors from heaven to cope with any situation and to defeat the enemies of God until He has subdued the entire world.
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ will be a series of events transpiring over a rather long period. There are many debates among theologians as to what some of these passages mean, but one thing almost everyone who loves Jesus Christ agrees on—Jesus Christ is coming back.
When Christ came the first time, He dealt with evil as individual and hereditary. When He comes again, Christ will deal with the practice of evil. He will institute an age of such benevolence that evil cannot reign; and cruelty, oppression, and slavery will no longer exist. All of this will come to pass as a result of the person reign of Christ, following His return.
For the true believer in Jesus Christ, the future is assured. Tomorrow belongs to you. We await the distant trumpet announcing the coming of Jesus Christ. The Christian looks to that tomorrow when the Kingdom of God shall reign.
Our Father and our God, I know that every knee will bow to You when You come again with Your mighty angels. But I bow to You right now, humbly, gratefully, and in repentance for my every sin. You are the mighty God, and I am Your lowly servant. Help me to be ready when You come again. In Christ. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
God’s Kingdom
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Matthew 19:24
God’s Kingdom is not built on the profit motive. The world’s favorite verb is get. The verb of the Christian is give. Self-interest is basic in modern society. Everyone asks, “What’s in it for me?” In a world founded on materialism, this is natural and normal.
But in God’s Kingdom self-interest is not basic—selflessness is. The Founder, Jesus Christ, was rich, and yet He became poor that we “through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). His disciples followed Him, and it was said of them, “Neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own” (Acts 4:32). Peter, rich in heavenly goods but poor in worldly goods, said to the lame man on the Temple steps, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have I give to thee” (Acts 3:6). The apostles realized that there is no permanent value in worldly goods and cherished the abiding values of the Spirit. They lived with eternity in view.
Today we too often hold spiritual things in contempt and lust after the things of this world. Little wonder that the world is in a state of turmoil! Mammon is worshipped, and God is disdained. Pleasure takes precedence over purity, and gain is considered greater than God.
But in God’s Kingdom he that is greatest among you is the servant of all (Matthew 23:11). Service to God and mankind are put above self-interest. Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Christ proved His words by doing exactly that for us.
Our Father and our God, let me walk with You through this life. Let me learn to be selfless and generous to my family, to my friends, to Your church, and to every creature I meet. Give me a heart of compassion, Father, like the heart of Jesus Christ on the cross. Make me rich in love and poor in pride. In Jesus’ blessed name. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
Is This The Day?
For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.
Matthew 16:27 RSV
Today the person of Christ is hidden from view though His presence through the Holy Spirit is in our hearts. Today is the day of faith. In that day of His coming it will no longer be faith, but sight.
His first appearing was quiet—the shepherds, the star, and the manger. His second appearing will be with His dazzling warriors from heaven, able to cope with any situation and to defeat the enemies of God until He has subdued the entire earth.
Thus no Christian has cause to go around wringing his hands, wondering what we are to do in the face of the present world situation. The Scripture says that in the midst of persecution, confusion, wars, and rumors of wars, we are to comfort one another with a knowledge that Jesus Christ is coming back in triumph, glory, and majesty.
Many times when I go to bed at night I think that before I awaken Christ may come. Sometimes when I get up and look at the dawn I think that perhaps this is the day He will come.
The Bible teaches that the coming again of Jesus Christ will be sudden, unexpected, and dramatic. It will come as a surprise and take most people unaware. “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2).
Our Father and our God, help me to be ready when You come in Your glory. Protect me from the fiery judgment You will inflict on the evil of this world. See me through the purifying blood of Jesus, who died to rescue me from death. And keep me in His love. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
The Glory of the Father
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Matthew 16:27
If you do not know Christ, these words should strike terror in your heart.
Why? Think first of all of being confronted with God in all His glory and majesty and power—and not just with God, but with thousands upon thousands of His holy angels. You and I can barely imagine this awesome event, but in that instant all pride and disbelief will wither and die in the blazing light of His glory. Then sin will be revealed for what it truly is, and you will stand without excuse before the Judge of all the earth. When confronted with God’s glory Isaiah cried, “Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). When an angel announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds outside Bethlehem, “they were terrified” (Luke 2:9 NIV). Think how much greater their terror would have been if all God’s angels had appeared to them that night! And yet this is what God has promised for the future.
But think, too, of the finality of this event. One of Satan’s oldest tricks is to make us believe we can come to Christ some other day . . . some later time. But when the Father comes with His angels in glory, it will be too late to repent and escape God’s judgment. There will be no second chance. The Bible warns, “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27 NIV).
Yes, if you don’t know Christ, these words should strike terror in your heart. But not if you do know Christ!
Why? Simply this: If you have trusted Him for your salvation, your sins have been forgiven and you are now part of His family forever. In fact, the Bible says, “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:4 NIV). Your day of judgment has already passed—because Jesus Christ endured it for you. Is your hope and trust in Him? Don’t delay, but make certain of your salvation by giving yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ today.
Our Father and Our God, Don’t let me ignore Your coming judgment or delay giving my life to Jesus Christ, but help me to turn to Him and by faith receive Him into my heart today. Then I will look forward with joy to that day when all evil will be destroyed and I will be safely in Your presence forever. With thanksgiving, and in Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
Self-Denial
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Matthew 16:24–25
Jesus Christ spoke frankly to His disciples concerning the future. He hid nothing from them. No one could ever accuse Him of deception. No one could ever accuse Him of securing allegiances by making false promises.
In unmistakable language He told them that discipleship meant a life of self-denial, and the bearing of a cross. He asked them to count the cost carefully, lest they should turn back when they met with suffering and privation.
Jesus told His men and the world would hate them. They would be “as sheep in the midst of wolves.” They would be arrested, scourged, and brought before governors and kings. Even their loved ones would persecute them. As the world hated and persecuted Him, so it would treat His servants. He warned further, “They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God” (John 16:2 RSV).
Many of Christ’s followers were disappointed in Him, for in spite of His warnings they expected Him to subdue their enemies and to set up a world political kingdom. When they came face-to-face with reality, they “drew back and no longer went about with him” (John 6:66 RSV). But the true disciples of Jesus all suffered for their faith.
I think the great pioneer missionary to Africa, David Livingstone, had a handle on what it means to deny self in service to Christ when he said, “People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply paid back as a small part of a great debt owed to God, which we can never repay? Is that a sacrifice which brings its own best reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and the bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? I never made a sacrifice!”
Are you known primarily for self-denial or self-indulgence?
Our Father and our God, I am so selfish and self-serving sometimes. And I hate being that way. Please guide me to self-denial and service to others. Help me to become selfless, giving, and loving. Teach me the empathy and compassion Jesus had for me. Give me His heart and mercy. In His name. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).
God’s Formula For Peace
Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
Psalm 119:165
Psalm 119:165 says that peace is the gift of God. He has a formula for peace. His formula is in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ, whom He has designated as Prince of Peace. The nations of this world have rejected the peace that God offers. They plan and build for war. Yet there are millions of people around the world who do have peace at this moment because they have found the secret of peace. They have peace in their hearts, as the Bible teaches: “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The real war in which men are engaged is a war of rebellion against God. This rebellion has brought about destruction, suffering, misery, frustration, and a thousand and one ills to the population of the world. God longs to see this rebellion cease. He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the cross as a demonstration of His love and mercy. He asks us to come to that cross in a repentance of our sins and submission of our will to Him. He promises a peace treaty for all who will come by faith.
Wise old Spurgeon described the peace of God this way:
In the resurrection our nature will be full of peace. Jesus Christ would not have said, “Peace be unto you” (Luke 24:36) if there had not been a deep peace within Himself. He was calm and undisturbed. There was much peace about His whole life; but after the resurrection His peace becomes very conspicuous. There is no striving with scribes and Pharisees, there is no battling with anyone after our Lord is risen.
Do you have Christ’s peace in your life?
Our Father and our God, I come seeking Your peace. I give up my rebellious ways, and I surrender my heart to You. I repent of my many sins and lay them at the feet of Jesus on the cross. Forgive me, Lord; let me rest in Your peace, knowing I am saved eternally through Your Son Jesus. Amen.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).