This week we saw the passing of one of the greatest evangelist and Christian teachers of the 20th century. Billy Graham died yesterday at the age of 99 years old.
By any worldly standards I had the strangest reaction to this news.....I laughed. I was so overflowing with joy that I couldn't stop smiling and celebrating.
God used this man to reach millions. Can you just imagine the welcome Mr. Graham received when he walked through Heaven's gates! Not only did he walk into the arms of our Savior, the risen King Jesus he served all those many years. I'm sure he was greeted by all those individuals whose lives he touched, all those that God reached through his yielded heart and life. What an amazing, enduring legacy. Everlasting joy!!
Then I heard Christian singer and songwriter Matthew West telling about how he was reached by Billy Graham when he was 13 years old. Matthew explained how at 13, he was hanging out in his basement watching TV when Billy Graham came on. For some reason, he was drawn to the program and ended up praying with his Mom that day to receive Jesus. The rest, as they say is history. Matthew West has gone on to write and perform some of the most loved, most encouraging Christian music. Ripples!
Like ripples in a pond when you toss in a stone, our lives reach out and touch those around us. And then their lives do the same to those they meet. And on and on it goes! Most of us will never be a Billy Graham, reaching the sheer numbers he did over the years, but who knows, maybe one person we point to Jesus, one person we encourage in the Lord may be the one to reach many. Maybe we will share the Gospel with only one person at a time, but the Lord will turn that into miracles. God's plans are beyond anything we can think or imagine.
The point to all this is, do what God calls you to do, yield (that is my favorite word lately) your heart and life to Him to use as He wills. And do it with excellence and love. God will determine and create the results. And be encouraged! God uses us in ways we may not even see til we reach Heaven's shores!
You know some days have the most surprising God visits. And yesterday was one of them. Who would have thought that the death of one man could spark such reflection in my heart. I am always amazed at our Father, who uses the strangest ways to speak to us. Glory be to our Father in Heaven!
Philippians 1:11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation--the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ--for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
Lord thank You for the eternal glory promised to us. Thank You that Heaven awaits Your servants at the end of this journey. Eternity begins when we step into Your presence...and it will be beyond our imaginations. Thank You!! What a wonderful future to look forward to. Lord, I thank You for the encouragement that we can be used by You and the admonishment to be more yielded and open to Your leading. Lord, I pray that each of us will have our lives in line with Your will and that Your presence and love will ripple out from them like the stone hitting the pond. You are amazing and You work in ways we cannot always see....Lord I ask, please let me persevere in following You, even if I don't see results right now. I pray this for all of us. In the beautiful Name of Jesus our Savior. Amen.
Reach out with the Gospel, reach out with God's love to someone else today. Do a good deed in His Name, extend kindness in His Name, release offense in His Name.
1 Timothy 1:12-17 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do His work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve Him, even though I used to blaspheme the Name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted His people. But God had mercy on me because I did in in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"--and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; He alone is God. Amen.
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