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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: I dread nighttime because going to sleep is not pleasant—it is a chore. Why can’t I turn my mind off and rest? A: Many people have trouble falling asleep at night. Some take over-the-counter drugs or sleeping pills; others require prescription medication to sleep. Often sleeplessness is a restless spirit and not a chemical imbalance that keeps us from what our bodies and minds need. It is good for us to remember that the Bible instructs us to lay down in sleep and dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8). One of...
Before ships had engines to power their forward movement, they relied on sails and wind to move across the large bodies of water. Occasionally, they would hit stretches where no wind blew to help them move. When this happened, they would employ a ‘kedge’ to move to windier stretches of water. A kedge is an anchor. Sailors would carry the kedge ahead of the ship, drop the anchor, then the sailors aboard the ship would pull it to the anchor. The process would be repeated over and over until they reached areas where the wind blew. Last fall, I r...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: I have been a Christian most of my life but I do not feel like one. What is my problem? A: The Bible says to examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5). God will show us where we are wrong and what is blocking the joy we should experience as Christians. It may be malice, spite, jealousy, or hatred. We may carry a grudge against someone and have unforgiving attitudes. Perhaps we are too easily offended or may be puffed up with pride. Dishonesty, gossiping, criticism, worry, lustful thoughts, unbelief,...
Over the last few weeks, I have read about several prominent pastors who lost their jobs after accusations of abuse of power and improper behavior were made and verified. As a guy who works in ministry, these sorts of things are disheartening to me. For starters, one of the pastors is a guy I really respect. Seeing fellow believers fall is heart-breaking as well because I believe it when the scriptures describe fellow believers as God’s family. If my brother ruined his life with a pattern of bad behavior, I’d be heartbroken as well. Fin...
Aesop, the great storyteller of ancient Greece, was once mocked by a fellow Athenian because he spent his life telling stories to children, which he called a waste of time. Aesop’s response was to un-string a bow, lay the bowstring at the man’s feet, and ask what the significance of unstrung bow was. The man considered it and couldn’t figure out the message. Aesop explained that the wooden bow would eventually wear out and break if it was strung tight for too long a time. Resting the wood was necessary to preserve the weapon. The same is true...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: I read a lot of books and many Christian authors write about the fact that we should not be fearful. I know the Bible says over and over again, “Fear not,” but it also says to “fear God.” Isn’t this a contradiction? A: The Bible certainly does not contradict itself. There can be many different meanings to one word. In the case of the word “fear” it can mean “to be afraid, have a feeling of terror,” etc. But there is also a wonderful definition to this word and that is “to have reverence or respec...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham The human soul transcends earthly value Q: Why is it that Christians say we have to believe their way or miss Heaven? Isn’t this a little narrow, maybe even arrogant? A: Christians do make up a religion—Christians believe God’s every word. Jesus said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Who doesn’t want to be saved? Some years ago a man’s plane crashed into the ocean. He survived the crash, but had blood on his forehead which attracted the sharks, and he...
Mark Twain once said: “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” The reason being that no-one wants to eat a frog. Putting off eating it until later in the day may seem tempting, but it will give you opportunity to put it off again and again until you don’t do it altogether. This is essentially the heart of all procrastination. We look at a task that we don’t want to do and come up with reasons to avoid it or we just don’t thin...
A few weeks ago, my 5-year old son was playing with a girl from his class. I gave them snacks, a plate of chips each. My boy eyed up the plates and went to grab the one that appeared to be larger. I stopped him and asked if he was forgetting something. He smiled sheepishly and replied: “Oh yeah, ladies first.” When I asked him why he was going to let his lady friend pick first he replied with a line we say every day: “Because that’s what gentlemen do.” We repeat that line several times a day as a part of him learning to hold doors for ladie...
The human soul transcends earthly value Q: Our friends have two teenagers with severe behavioral problems and claim that it is due to mental illness, but neither child has been diagnosed with any particular disorder. Having been close with this family through the years, the problem to me seems simple—the parents don’t discipline them and lets them have their own way. Doesn’t this seem dangerous that their children will never be able to appropriately assimilate into society? A: Mental illness is a general term used to cover a wide range of psych...
On Monday, I had an early doctor’s appointment that required me to be in town early. As a result, I wasn’t able to get to the gym first thing in the morning. It’s the first time in 2 months that I haven’t exercised first thing in the morning. It is a habit that I have maintained most days of the week for nearly 18 months. Missing my morning gym time felt weird, like skipping my morning coffee or shower. It’s become a normal part of my routine. It’s a habit. Missing it felt awkward. I have been talking with my brother this month about his e...
Dr. Martin Luther King is one of my heroes! And we need his wisdom these days. He of course is most known for his “I Have a Dream” speech. “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” But here are a few more quotes by Dr. King “Let no man pull you low enough to hate him.” “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” “People fail to get along because they fear each other; They fear each other b...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: I am determined to turn over a new leaf this year. But I am afraid it will be like all the years before. How can I make my New Year’s resolution stick? A: Slogans have been around a long time, perhaps as early as the Middle Ages. Slogans were passwords used to help identify individuals in the heat of battle. Today they are used in advertising to “distinguish a short, striking or memorable phrase.” Various presidents have used slogans to dramatize their philosophy of government. Roosevelt had the ...
Recently, I have been very focused on my health and have been working hard to lose weight, eat better, and exercise regularly. I’ve done well with the eating better and the daily exercise, but I am discovering that losing weight is very difficult. The reason for this is simple: Eating healthy is a good step, but how much you actually eat makes an enormous difference. I like to eat, and I do it way more than I should. I do pretty well for the majority of the day. My trouble comes when dinner arrives, and I eat 3 or 4 plates of whatever is a...
Happy New Year! I bought myself a Craig Edwards art photograph. I saw wings of creativity and new directions. I just wanted to know more about the picture so I asked Craig Edwards to tell me about his photograph. Glen and Anita Cook were eating lunch with me and when she saw it she said, "I see a seed pods exploding." Craig said, "It's pigeon wing impressions in the dust of the ceiling in a grain bin." I wanted to know if he actually knew it would turn out to be such an awesome picture. He...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: Some people think Heaven will be like living a fairy tale. Others think it will be boring. What is the right answer? A: Heaven captures the imagination, but it is not an imaginary place. It is not a fantasyland in which to dwell. It is not a place one can travel to and come back again—at least not in our earthbound life. Heaven is a literal place. The wonderful book of Proverbs is deep and wide because it is the voice of wisdom speaking to our hearts. It is the Lord Jesus Himself gathering up His e...
Last weekend, I hosted a book sale/reading/signing for a book I wrote and published myself. In the days leading up to the event, I found myself losing sleep and worrying at length as to how the whole thing would go. This isn’t all that unusual for me. In the weeks leading up to publishing the book in the first place, I found myself very nervous and worried about how the whole thing would go. In both instances, my younger brother told me something wise that assuaged my worries. He pointed out that no matter how the book sold or how the event w...
Q: I lost my wife to cancer. She was a wonderful Christian lady and I find my anger and resentment toward God unbearable. Why would He allow this to happen? A: From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham The Bible tells us to be thankful to God in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It is not that we thank God that loved ones have been taken from us, but that our loved ones are in Heaven where pain and death will never touch them again. Be thankful that God is with us in our own grief. God is still in control—even when we do not understand all t...
This morning is the first time I have sat at my desk, in my office, in a little more than a week. My wife and I just got back from a vacation week in Hawaii a celebration of our 20th wedding anniversary (which was technically back in July). Every morning while we were there, we got up early and went to the beach to exercise and watch the sunrise. One morning, while I was out running, I realized that the sunrise on the islands is pretty, but I actually think the sunrise over the Bear Paw Mountains is a bit more impressive. Our sunrise covers...
In 1934, an American theologian wrote a prayer for a sermon he was delivering. Reinhold Niebuhr’s short prayer has grown fairly well known over the years: God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Though it is generally presented with slightly different wording and has a second stanza, most people recognize it as the Serenity Prayer. The prayer is most famous for its association with Alcoholics A...
Q: My husband is having an affair and I am devastated and have no one I can trust to turn to for counsel. What is a wife to do? A: From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Scripture documents many accounts of the weary-hearted and declares: “But they did not ask counsel of the Lord” (Joshua 9:14). We all have the right to pray and ask the Lord for wisdom and discernment in making all of our decisions. Often the Lord puts someone in our pathway that we can trust to share our burdens, but ultimately we must hold to God’s promise that He will ne...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: Someone on the radio spoke about God putting a value on the human soul. How can this be since no one can see or touch the soul? A: From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham It was reported several years ago that it would take a hundred billion dollars to get one man safely to Mars. That is a staggering amount of money. It is interesting how people place great value on things and even experiences. But God, in His outpouring of love for mankind, placed the value of one human soul at an incalculable...
This Christmas give yourself and others a gift of thinking before you speak. This is a recent poem I wrote for the Variety Show recently held in Big Sandy. It’s called The Power of Words. I’d love to write a poem where the words have power Power to help people to sing and dance Or the power to crawl out of a hole Or move them to action and stir them to service I’d love to use words to help people to find peace and tranquility allowing them to breath deep and finally to rest Words can bring sweetness to the soul By giving healing power to pain...
This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham. Q: I am not necessarily against Jesus but I think people throughout history have embellished his story and made him bigger than life. Show me where I might be wrong. A: From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Jesus Christ is bigger than life! He breathed life into the first man, Adam, and He gives life to every human being. He is so much bigger than life that He speaks it into existence. “He gives to all life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25). “You alone are t...
Years ago, I learned a format for praying that I continue to use in my personal devotions. It’s very simple: ACTS. It’s an acronym meaning Adoration (adoring God for His grandeur and awesomeness) , Confession (confessing my sins and asking for forgiveness), Thanksgiving (saying thank you for the blessings I have received), and Supplication (asking God for stuff). When I take a large block of time to talk to God, I usually follow this simple formula. The thing that I have discovered praying this way is that spending time praising God, con...
