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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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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?...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Q: I grew up in a religious home, but I rebelled against all that, and I suppose you could say I’ve been living like the devil ever since. I know I’m on a dead-end road, but I don’t think I can do anything about it. Has God given up on me? A: No, God has not given up on you! If God had given up on you, you wouldn’t even be asking this question. But He has planted this question in your soul—and the reason is because He wants to welcome you home. Don’t turn your back on what He is trying to tell you! The devil will tell you that it’s too la...
My wife and I have been taking a class at church that includes a daily homework assignment: We are to spend 15 minutes of ‘couch time’ together. In principle, this isn’t complicated or difficult to accomplish. It involves sitting on the couch together and having a one-on-one conversation for 15 minutes, without kids or tv or any other distractions. The crazy thing we discovered is that it’s just not easy to have a focused conversation for 15 minutes. We have to work to come up with things to talk about that aren’t small talk, work, or kid re...
I got a card the other day from a farm lady who thinks a lot of my writing and especially loves to hear about the times my family and I stayed out at Clear Creek around Christmas time. I love to think about those old cherished and true stories as well. There were not four wheel drive vehicles in those days so it was a rare weekend that we could even get in. Always we had a bunch of decorations to make a Christmas tree and there was always enough wood to stay warm and always a lot of food to eat. Often we missed church services but we figured...
Q: Do people who have died and gone on to Heaven know what’s happening on earth? If so, I’d think they’d be sad to see the evil and suffering that go on here. But isn’t Heaven supposed to be a happy place? A: Yes, the Bible assures us that Heaven is a place of absolute happiness and joy and peace—far greater than anything we’ll ever experience right now. The Bible says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Do those in Hea...
I think I write this column every year around Christmas time but it means a lot to me so here I go again. I love the Christmas lights that are up all over this time of year. Just look at Big Sandy. Thanks to the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce and many joyous volunteers, the town just pops at Christmas and is lovely and gives even more meaning to the birth of the Christ Child and all that has meant for so many generations. I think I can remember the first Christmas lights to be strung in Havre. I think they were on the big brick Clack...
Q: Every year I tell myself that I’m not going to get caught up in the Christmas shopping crush—but every year I hit the stores as soon as they open the day after Thanksgiving. I’ll probably do the same this year. I know this isn’t a spiritual question, but why can’t I be more self-controlled? A: Although it may not strike you as such, in reality this is a spiritual question—because it deals with everything from the way we use our money, to what we think is really important in life. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will...
In the 5th Century, an Egyptian named Arenius set out to live a holy life by abandoning the community he lived in and living in the desert as a monk. After several years of living in the wilderness, he visited the city of Alexandria, where he spent time wandering through the markets and bazaars. A Christian in Alexandria asked him why he spent so much time wandering through the shops if he had renounced possessions and worldly comforts. He responded that he was filled with joy at the sight of so many things that he didn’t need. Arenius had l...
