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  • My Answer

    Dr. Billy Graham|Apr 25, 2018

    Q: I know I ought to read the Bible, and I’ve tried, but I’ve always been a poor reader, and finally I just gave up. Does God think I’m a bad person? A: God knows both what you can do and what you can’t do—and He doesn’t get angry with you or look down on you because of this. We aren’t all the same; God created us with different abilities. The Bible says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (Romans 12:6). Don’t misunderstand me, however. The Bible is God’s Word, and if we ignore it, our lives will be morally...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Apr 18, 2018

    During Easter weekend, my wife planned a short trip away for our family. We traveled out to a hot springs resort, with the intent of staying for a day. Our stay was pleasant, but when it came time to drive home, we only got a few miles down the road before breaking down. Fortunately, we were able to limp the car along to the next town. Once we arrived, there was a handful of considerations to deal with, starting with getting the car fixed. In addition, we had to worry about renting a car, finding a hotel, entertaining the kids, arranging our...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Apr 4, 2018

    Like many others around the country, I have spent the last week complaining about the time change and the havoc it wreaks on my natural living rhythms. I tend to wake up at the same time every day, and I get tired about the same time regardless of what the clock actually says. The clock impacts my daily planning and my commitments, but it can’t change certain aspects of life. I get tired when I get tired. I get hungry when I get hungry. Reflecting on this brought to mind Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 3, which most folks are familiar with bec...

  • My Answer

    Dr. Billy Graham|Apr 4, 2018

    Q: My faith today is probably about where it was 10 years ago—not much stronger, not much weaker. I know I ought to be a better Christian, but I don’t know how. What would you say to me? A: Just as children are meant to grow and become adults, so we are meant to grow and become “spiritual adults”. Only then will we be able to resist wrong and do what’s right. The Bible says, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). The key is to understand that when we come to Christ and commit our lives to Him,...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Mar 28, 2018

    A few weeks ago, I made a peanut butter sandwich for my son for lunch. He took his sandwich with him to his room, where he ate and played. Because he’s a typical four year old, it didn’t take long before he forgot about the sandwich and wandered off to do something else. When he remembered his lunch, he returned to it and found that the dog had eaten his lunch, which he had left on the floor in his room. Frustrated, he came to me crying over his lost meal. I made another sandwich, which he took with him to his room. Sure enough, 30 minutes lat...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Mar 21, 2018

    Parenting two small children has afforded me a terrific opportunity to watch them and learn about human nature. I have noticed that my kids are happiest in their time together when they play without regard for who gets what, who has to clean up what, etc. When they both enjoy themselves and contribute 100 percent without concern for what the other is or isn’t doing, they tend to be much happier. However, when they begin to bicker over who has to do more or what belongs to who, the result is misery. I think this tendency can be attributed to t...

  • My Answer

    Dr. Billy Graham|Mar 21, 2018

    Q: Where do evil thoughts and ideas come from? Does the devil put them in our minds? I’d hate for anyone to know what’s actually going through my mind sometimes. A: One of the Bible’s greatest truths is that God knows all about us—including even the bad things that are going through our minds. And yet He still loves us, and wants us to cleanse us and make us part of His family forever! The Bible says, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Yes, ultimately Satan is responsi...

  • My Answer

    Dr. Billy Graham|Mar 7, 2018

    Q: Mr. Graham, how would you like to be remembered? A: Editor’s note: Before his death, Billy Graham approved the following response as his final My Answer column. Mr. Graham’s column will continue in some form. I hope I will be remembered as someone who was faithful—faithful to God, faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and faithful to the calling God gave me not only as an evangelist, but as a husband, father and friend. I’m sure I’ve failed in many ways, but I take comfort in Christ’s promise of forgiveness, and I take comfort also in God...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Feb 28, 2018

    Third John is the shortest book in the New Testament. It is also one of the least appreciated. John’s short letter (only 129 words) written to a church leader somewhere in Greece. Though we don’t know the exact situation being addressed in the note, clues in the book give us a pretty good idea of what’s going on. John is writing to a church leader named Gaius, announcing his plans to visit the churches in the region for the purpose of dealing with a conflict that has arisen between him and another leader, a fellow named Diotrephes. He sent...

  • My Answer

    Dr. Billy Graham|Feb 28, 2018

    Q: I’ve done it again—I’ve already broken every New Year’s resolution I made for this year. Every year I start out determined to keep my resolutions, but before I know it I’ve failed. Maybe I shouldn’t bother. Why do I do this? What’s wrong with me? A: I suspect you’re not alone; every year countless people start out resolving to change their lives—but end up failing. Sometimes it’s because their goals weren’t realistic, or because they didn’t plan exactly how they were going to reach them. But usually it’s simply because we don’t have the...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Feb 21, 2018

    One of the most frequent complaints I encounter in pastoral counseling settings is the feeling that folks just don’t have their lives together. They aren’t doing well as a spouse, parent, homeowner, employee, etc. It’s typically the case that this applies to multiple areas of life and there is almost always at least one person they compare themselves to, saying something like: “Their life is perfect and they have everything going so well. I am struggling to get through each day, but they are perfect.” Ironically, I have talked to people wh...

  • My Answer

    Dr. Billy Graham|Feb 21, 2018

    Q: I don’t see how anyone can be a scientist and still believe in God. Why believe in God, when science can explain everything that happens? I’m in high school, and I hope to major in medical research when I get to college. A: Your interest in science shouldn’t keep you from believing in God—not at all. Over the years some of the most gifted people I’ve ever met were not only brilliant scientists, but also had a strong faith in God. When I asked them about this, almost without exception they said that their scientific research actually...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Feb 14, 2018

    While I was in Jerusalem, I had the opportunity to visit the Mount of Olives. Many folks will recognize the name from the story of Jesus’ final week in Jerusalem and his arrest. During his very busy week of teaching in the capital city, he was almost constantly surrounded by crowds of people. The Mount of Olives is the spot Jesus retreated to for quiet. This is a habit we see throughout his lifetime. He walked away from the crowds that followed him for times of peace, silence, and solitude. The Mount of Olives is right across from the city. J...

  • My Answer

    Dr. Billy Graham|Feb 14, 2018

    Q: My faith today is probably about where it was 10 years ago—not much stronger, not much weaker. I know I ought to be a better Christian, but I don’t know how. What would you say to me? A: Just as children are meant to grow and become adults, so we are meant to grow and become “spiritual adults”. Only then will we be able to resist wrong and do what’s right. The Bible says, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). The key is to understand that when we come to Christ and commit our lives to Him,...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Jan 31, 2018

    This morning, I ate my breakfast on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. I’ve been in Israel and Jordan for 2 weeks and the most impressive site I’ve visited thus far is a rocky stretch of beach a few hundred yards from the ruins of the ancient city of Capernaum. To understand why the stretch of beach was more impressive than every cathedral, ruin, monument, and mountain, it’s important to have a little context. The apostle Peter was the apostle who stood out. The man was at the center of every big event in the ministry of Jesus and was the most...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Jan 17, 2018

    I am sitting in a hotel in Jerusalem this morning, day 4 of a two-week educational tour of Israel and the surrounding country. Yesterday, we toured the original city of Jerusalem, when it was first conquered by David. I hand always envisioned a small, flat town. In particular, this made the story of David’s infidelity with Bathsheba an odd story to comprehend. In the original account, David spots Bathsheba in the bath and decides he’d like to get to know her better. Before long, he has impregnated his neighbor’s wife and murdered her husba...

  • My Answer

    Dr. Billy Graham|Jan 17, 2018

    Q: A new family just moved in near us, and they apparently have a physically handicapped son who requires much care. We’ve barely met them, but should we offer to help them somehow? We don’t want to embarrass them or be nosey, but we want to be good neighbors. A: I’m thankful you want to be good neighbors; all too often today we become so wrapped up in our own lives that we forget those around us. But Jesus gave us a much higher standard: “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:33). Do you remember Jesus’ story about the good Samaritan?...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Jan 10, 2018

    With the new year upon us, it’s time to decide if setting goals for the new year is a worthwhile effort. Many people I know see the new calendar year as an opportunity to start over or remake themselves or an area of their life that they’re dissatisfied with, but then struggle to accomplish total life change. This shouldn’t be surprising. Change is hard, especially major change. Last year, I set a handful of New Year’s resolutions, and I managed to accomplish a few of my goals. More importantly, I learned a few things about goal setting...

  • Bear Paw Meanderings

    Robert Lucke|Jan 3, 2018

    I have given this recipe for scalloped potatoes to many people. Most of them have raved about it. I cooked it for Christmas Day and proclaimed it to be the best scalloped potatoes I have ever eaten. Part of it is the fact that it has plenty of ham in it. It also has plenty of whipping cream in it, lots of onions, lots of cheese and just plain old dry mustard. But the single most important ingredient of all is the brown sugar and while the recipe calls for a cup and a half, I think that two cups is not too much. Anyway here is what you will...

  • My Answer

    Dr. Billy Graham|Jan 3, 2018

    Q: I’ve decided I’m not going to make any New Year’s resolutions this year. I’ve always made a long list of changes I plan to make in my life, but then I never keep them, and I just end up feeling guilty. So why bother?. A: I suspect many readers have had the same experience; it’s much easier to make a list of things we wish would happen to us—and much harder to actually do them. Even the Apostle Paul admitted that “I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19). What is the problem—es...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Dec 27, 2017

    Every morning, while I walk the 2 blocks from my house to my office, I try to make it a point to stop and take a moment to look at the Bears Paw Mountains from the end of my driveway. They never fail to impress me. One of the things I fell in love with about Big Sandy when I interviewed here 6 years ago was how beautiful Montana is. An odd thing has happened in the last few years: there are quite a few mornings when I am in a rush or am stressed out and I simply step over my morning ritual because taking a moment to appreciate the scenery is a...

  • My Answer

    Dr. Billy Graham|Dec 27, 2017

    Q: Where did the wise men come from, and how did they know that the star they were following would lead them to Jesus? And did they ride camels? I am 10 years old, and I’ve always wondered about them. A: The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly where they came from; it only tells us that they were from a country to the east of Israel (where Jesus was born). Nor does it tell us if they rode camels—although they probably did, since they would have had to cross long sections of desert to reach their destination. Many Bible scholars believe they proba...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Dec 20, 2017

    When I was in school, I was a poor student all the way up until I went to seminary, where I was a straight ‘A’ student for the first 3 years. It started as a point of pride for me, then it became a challenge to maintain it, and finally it made me miserable. I had done so well that I was afraid of messing it up. I reached a point where I obsessed over grades and put in excessive hours on papers just trying to maintain my perfect record. I eventually encountered a class that I struggled with, and, after several difficult tests, finished with a ‘B...

  • My Answer

    Dr. Billy Graham|Dec 20, 2017

    Q: I have an aggressive form of cancer, and the doctors have told me this will be my last Christmas. I feel so sad, especially when I think about not seeing my grandchildren grow up. What would you say to someone in my situation? A: The most important thing I can say to you is that God knows all about your situation, and He loves you and will always be with you—even when your way seems dark. God’s promise is true: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you. … Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8). How do I...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Dec 13, 2017

    This week, as a homework assignment for a class my wife and I are taking at church, we have had to spend time talking on the couch every day and go out on a date. I alluded to the challenges associated with the assignment in an earlier column, but I think it’s worth pointing out the seemingly counterintuitive reasoning behind the assignment. The class that we are doing the conversation time for is a parenting class. The first few weeks of the course focused on an unlikely topic: marriage health. I call it unlikely because I fully expected t...

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