Please join us in praying for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. If your heart is heavy and you wonder how you would react in the face of tragedy, please read this timeless article from Billy Graham.

By Billy Graham

What would you do if the cities in your country were leveled by missiles or enemy bombers?

How would you react if an earthquake or tornado cut off all communication, water and electrical sources?

What would you do if a group of terrorists held you hostage?

The need for turning to God has never been more urgent!

If we want to have resources in our possession for a day of disaster, we need to have a spiritual survival kit: God's storehouse of supplies for us.

But we must meet some requirements before we can receive the abundance:

First, we need to make sure of our relationship to God. We must be prepared to meet God at any moment. Isn't it strange how we prepare for so many things except meeting God? Getting to know God and being able to call on Him is the first step in storing up for the storms. Getting to know God is more than treating Him as a casual acquaintance—it is developing a deeper relationship with Him every day.

Second, we need to learn how to walk with God in our daily lives. Have you ever been asked, "How is your walk?" Some Christians will know immediately that you are asking about their walk with God, but others may say, "Well, I do about two miles a day."

I know people who seem to be holding the hand of God throughout life's journey. I also know people who are lagging far behind.

In the Old Testament there are vivid examples of people who walked with God. Abraham walked with God and was called a friend of God. Noah walked with God, and when the Flood came, Noah was saved. Moses walked with God, and when the hour of judgment fell upon Egypt, Moses led his people to victory. Daniel walked with God, and he was saved from the lions' den.

God does not always pull His children out of deep water. Peter was crucified upside down; Andrew was tied to a cross for three days before he died; John was a prisoner on a desolate island; Bartholomew was beaten; Thomas was murdered. These men walked with God. And today we too have access to that same strength that the apostles did.

Third, we need to read and memorize Scripture. We have heard many stories about Christians who, while in prison camps, had no Bibles but who had portions of Scripture committed to memory. One Christian in a prison camp for three years said that during his imprisonment, his greatest regret was not having memorized more of the Bible.

People have told me that in their suffering, they sometimes could only remember small parts of Scripture. Several years ago my wife, Ruth, had a terrible fall. She suffered a concussion and was unconscious for nearly a week. When she regained consciousness, she had lost a great deal of her memory. Most disturbing to her was that she was unable to recall the Scriptures that she had learned throughout the years.

The Bible verses of a lifetime were more precious to her than any of her material possessions. One night, when she was praying, she said, "Lord God, take anything that I have, but please bring back my Bible verses."

Immediately this verse came to her mind: "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."(4) She did not remember having memorized that verse, but God brought it back to her.

She has continued to memorize, and one of those passages is Romans 8:31-39. I urge you too to memorize it and hide it away in your heart. When persecution, trouble and adversity arise, these verses will give you hope and strength.

What a great storehouse we will have when those thoughts are in our hearts!

What verses have you stored up for the future?

Fourth, we need to make prayer our priority. We live in a materialistic world, but it seems as if we pray only during a crisis, and then between crises we neglect to pray. But we have so many battles going on that we should be a people of prayer. Our government needs our prayers. Our leaders need our prayers. Our schools need our prayers. Our youth need our prayers. Our families need our prayers.

Are we prepared spiritually as individuals, as a nation, for the increasing attacks upon us? We have "spiritual forces of evil"(5) at work in our world. Depravity seems to be increasing every year. We need to be in prayer against those "powers of darkness."(6)

In the Bible is an account of prayer being used as a weapon against a wicked ruler. Sennacherib, an Assyrian leader, had boasted that he would defeat God's people and would take over their land. His propaganda machine was powerful. He sent messages to Israel, taunting the people about their weakness and boasting of his strength. In the arms race of their day, the Assyrians were definitely ahead.

But Israel's king, Hezekiah, was a man of faith. He knew that on a purely human level the Assyrians could destroy Israel. But Hezekiah had a secret weapon. He fell to his knees in prayer.

Look what happened: "The Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. [Sennacherib] withdrew to his own land in disgrace. ... The Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem. ... He took care of them on every side."(7)

Miracles have happened when God's people have turned to Him in prayer. God does not always deliver us out of catastrophe, but He promises to be with us throughout.

Are we preparing for the storms of suffering? Or will we be caught without resources? The best way to prepare is to deepen our spiritual lives, to deepen our life in the Holy Spirit.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is an ongoing experience. When Paul wrote, "Be filled with the Spirit,"(8) he conveyed the idea that we keep on being filled with the Spirit, like an ever-flowing spring. We have God's storehouses available to us at all times. When the resources are needed, they are there for us.

So be prepared. When the "day of evil"(9) comes, we will not be controlled by the circumstances around us; rather, we will depend on the resources of God.

(1) 2 Timothy 3:12, NIV. (2) Cf. Matthew 26:34-35. (3) 2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV. (4) Jeremiah 31:3, KJV. (5) Ephesians 6:12, NIV. (6) Cf. Ephesians 6:12. (7) 2 Chronicles 32:21-22, NIV. (8) Ephesians 5:18, NIV. (9) Ephesians 6:13, NIV. Bible verses marked NIV are taken by permission from The Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, Colorado Springs, Colorado

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Jesus’ resurrection changes everything. Faith in Christ’s work on the cross brings forgiveness of sin and imputes God’s righteousness to us.

by Franklin Graham

On the Saturday after Jesus was crucified, His followers must have felt utterly defeated. Meanwhile, the Pharisees felt they had silenced a critic, the Romans felt they had quashed a rebellion, and the governor had washed his hands of the whole affair.

Then Sunday morning dawned, the gravestone was rolled away, and history was turned inside out. The news—Jesus is alive!—was almost too good to be true. Yet it was undeniably true. So true that His disciples dedicated the rest of their lives to telling the whole world the Good News about Jesus Christ.

On the cross, He died for our sins.

In the tomb, He defeated death.

Nowhere else in this sin-sick world can we find such everlasting hope.

Modern medicine is wonderful—almost miraculous sometimes—but doctors will never defeat death. Now, some of us may live to be a hundred or more.

Every day we have on this earth is a gift from God, but ultimately everyone has to be prepared to face death and judgment. Through the triumph of the cross and resurrection, Jesus has already dealt with both of those.

Unfortunately, multitudes of people who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior are putting their hopes in the wrong places. In the secular West, we put our confidence in government and science. We define security in terms of money in the bank.

Globally, billions of people blindly follow religions that will never lead them to eternal life. In Egypt, a powerful group called the Muslim Brotherhood has a creed that says, “Islam is the solution.” Muslims believe Jesus was a great prophet, but they do not believe He was crucified or resurrected.

Without that faith, their solution is completely futile. Apart from Christ, men everywhere are separated and alienated from God, without hope in this world or the next. The Apostle Paul wrote, “there is none righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). Jesus’ resurrection changes everything. Faith in Christ’s work on the cross brings forgiveness of sin and imputes God’s righteousness to us. Lost, sinful man is reconciled to God.

Just listen to Paul, who was brutally opposed to the Gospel until he encountered the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. “If Christ has not been raised,” he wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

The resurrection assures Christians that we don’t have to fear the grave. “When you were dead in your sins … God made you alive with Christ” (Colossians 2:13). ©BGEA

Scripture Quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

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On St. Patrick's Day, the line to get inside the Irish Times Bar in Washington, D.C., forms at 7 a.m. Partiers down green beer, Guinness and shots of Jameson Irish Whiskey at breakneck speed, often throwing up or passing out by noon.

by Janet Chismar

The scene is fairly common in pubs and taverns across America. March 17 has turned into one of the most alcohol-fueled days of the year, but pales in comparison with the weeklong rite of passage known as Spring Break.

When colleges and universities across the country give students a week off in March, many head off on booze cruises or to beach cities in search of outstanding parties and cheap beer. Close to 80,000 students are expected to show up in Cancun where the focus is on drinking to the point of collapse.

According to the Journal of American College Health, during Spring Break, the average male reported drinking 18 drinks per day and the average woman reported 10 drinks per day. More than half of all men and more than 40 percent of all women drank until they became sick or passed out at least once.

St. Patrick's Day and Spring Break can be blamed for some of the booziest blow-outs, but binge drinking is a growing problem across the United States all through the year, especially among the young. It's linked to 1,400 college student deaths annually, according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and the CDC.

Statistics also show that the average American adult goes on a booze binge about 7.5 times a year. About one in three people who drink alcohol report at least one episode of binge drinking in the prior month.

A binge occurs when a male consumes five or more drinks or a female consumes four or more drinks in a short period of time. Most bingers do not drink heavily on a consistent basis. It’s just that when they do drink, they overdo it.

So What?
As someone who is exploring what it means to live the Christian life, you may wonder why it matters if you get drunk once in a while. Or, you may already know Jesus as the Lord of your life, but continue to struggle with this issue. Maybe you are a parent and see this pattern in your kids.

“Some [people] who are not abusive drinkers and party too much on just one occasion can get alcohol poisoning and die," says Dr. Peter M. Monti, director of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University in Providence, R.I.

In addition to the obvious medical consequences, binge drinking is a dangerous pattern that can lead to full-fledged addiction. Even if it doesn’t, the “morning after” will often bring regret and shame.

“I didn’t think drinking was so bad until it put a wedge between me and God,” says Stacy Finnerty, a college sophomore. “I’m not sure that the Bible prohibits alcohol entirely, but I do know that guilt and hangovers kept me out of church. It just doesn’t seem to be God’s best.”

What Does God Say?
Billy Graham often addresses questions about drinking in his “My Answer” columns and his responses contain great wisdom:

“God does not want you to be destroyed by alcohol. Instead, God loves you, and He wants you to be free—free of alcohol's deadly grip, and free to live for Christ. Jesus promised, ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’ (John 8:36). Your life may have been filled with broken promises—but Christ never breaks His promises to us.

“That is why I urge you to turn your life over to Christ. When He comes into our lives, He not only forgives the past, but He also gives us hope for the future. As I often say, it is far better to face our problems with Christ than to face them alone.”

Mr. Graham points out that alcohol abuse “destroys the health and well-being of countless individuals and causes untold grief among families and friends. The words of the Bible have been proved time and time again: 'Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise' (Proverbs 20:1).

"But you know this through bitter experience, I suspect. And yet your problem is that you seem to be powerless to do anything about it. Does that mean there is no hope? No! There is hope—hope in Christ. The Bible says, 'Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through his name' (Acts 10:43). That is a wonderful truth and you can know it in your life if you have truly repented and turned to Christ.

How other people overcame alcohol abuse with God’s help:
A Conversation With Pat Summerall
Jesus Turned My Life Around
When You Need to Change
A New Life

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How many of us understand the day's true Christian origin? Following is a synopsis, drawn from a variety of sources, of Saint Patrick's life and testimony.

by Janet Chismar

Poor Patrick. Over the centuries, this devout man became forever associated with guzzling green beer and banishing snakes from Ireland. Few party goers know or care about his godly legacy. But even among some Christians, Patrick earns little respect. A few American Protestants tend to dismiss him merely as a Catholic Church leader.

The truth about his life – what can be traced – is much more interesting. So, sit back, put aside your preconceptions, and take a little web tour of all things “Patrick.”

First off, most sources note that Patrick was not born in Ireland but either in Wales or Scotland, the son of a Roman-British army officer during the decline of the Roman Empire. According to one school of opinion, he was born about 390 A.D., while the other school says it is about 373 A.D. His real name was probably Maewyn Succat. Though Patricius was his Roman name, he later came to be known as Patrick.

At 16, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. It was there that the young man began to seek God.

In a 2006 Breakpoint commentary, Chuck Colson, the late chairman of Prison Fellowship Ministries, picked up the story: “Patrick had been raised in a Christian home, but he didn’t really believe in God. But now—hungry, lonely, frightened, and bitterly cold—Patrick began seeking out a relationship with his heavenly Father.

“As he wrote in his Confessions, ‘I would pray constantly during the daylight hours’ and ‘the love of God surrounded me more and more.’ Six years after his capture, God spoke to Patrick in a dream, saying, ‘Your hungers are rewarded. You are going home. Look—your ship is ready.’”

According to the History Channel website, "Patrick then walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation — an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary."

Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than 15 years. After his ordination as a priest, he returned to Ireland to spread the Gospel to pagans and Druids who were still practicing human sacrifice and slavery.

William J. Federer, an author and historian, writes: “Wherever he went, Patrick left ministers. He founded 300 churches, baptizing over 120,000 converts. It was said that Patrick found Ireland heathen and left it Christian, resulting in Irish missionaries re-evangelizing Europe in later centuries.”

Chuck Colson added, "Irish monks considered it part of their Christian duty to copy all books in danger of being lost as the Roman Empire crumbled. Everywhere they went, they carried on their tradition of copying and preserving the Bible and every other book they could get their hands on."

Rooted in Scripture
In a web article, Irish Church Missions (ICM), an Anglican Evangelical mission agency working in Ireland since 1849, showed how much Scripture meant to Patrick personally: "Nobody can read the works of Patrick and fail to notice how deeply his mind was immersed in the teaching of Scripture. He was a man of the Bible and knew his Bible."

Especially important to Patrick were the words of the prophet Hosea, Those who are not my people I will call my people, and those not beloved I will call my beloved, and in the very place it was said to them, You are not My People, they will be called Sons of God.

"It is estimated that his works include about 180 quotations from the Bible," says ICM. "This is not surprising since his ‘Confession’ was not about confessing his sins, but about the Gospel message he preached.

Patrick’s message centered on Jesus Christ, crucified, risen and ascended, reigning as Lord over heaven and earth. This, he determined to preach throughout Ireland, so that "…through me many people would be reborn in God."

According to ICM, "Denominational claims on Patrick mean little when what is important is that the man be seen for what he was — a pattern Christian whose life and work should be a persuasion on Christians everywhere to be as he was in his commitment and witness to Christ and in his service for people. If that thought is not lost in the festivities of St. Patrick’s Day, there is gain for those who participate in them."

Oh, and about those snakes? Because they were a symbol for paganism in Ireland, Patrick really did “banish” snakes in a figurative way. Literally, however, Patrick gets too much credit. According to Smithsonian.com and National Geographic, the emerald isle’s climate and geography are too hostile for snakes!

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In some things Christ was the most tolerant, broad-minded Man who ever lived, but in other things He was one of the most intolerant

by Billy Graham

At home and abroad, the American people plead for broad-mindedness, tolerance and charity. Abroad, our ambassadors use all of their powers to influence warring parties to come to the conference table in a spirit of give-and-take. There is a sense in which the world needs broad-mindedness and tolerance.

However, in the realm of Christian experience there is a need for intolerance. In some things Christ was the most tolerant, broad-minded Man who ever lived, but in other things He was one of the most intolerant.

Tolerance Can Become Too Stretched

One of the pet words of this age is tolerance. It is a good word, but we have tried to stretch it over too great an area. We have applied it, too often, where it does not belong. The word tolerant means liberal and broad-minded. In one sense, it implies the compromise of one’s convictions, a yielding of ground upon important issues.
 
We have become tolerant about divorce, the use of alcohol, delinquency, wickedness in high places, immorality, crime and godlessness. We have been sapped of conviction, drained of our beliefs, and we are bereft of our faith.
 
The sciences, however, are narrow-minded. There is no room for careless broad-mindedness in the laboratory. Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit at sea level; it is never 100 degrees nor 189 degrees, nor 211. Fresh water freezes at 32 degrees; it is never 23 degrees nor 31.
 
Mathematics is also narrow-minded. The sum of two plus two is four, never three-and-a-half. Geometry is narrow-minded. It says that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points on a plane.  A compass is narrow-minded; it always points to the magnetic north. If it were broad-minded, ships at sea and planes in the air would be in danger.
 
If you should ask a man the directions to New York City and he said, “Oh, just take any road you wish, they all lead to New York,” you would question both his sanity and his truthfulness.  Nevertheless, we have somehow gotten it into our minds that “all roads lead to Heaven.”
 
But Jesus Christ, who journeyed from Heaven to Earth and back to Heaven again, who knew the way better than anyone who ever lived, said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

Jesus Was Narrow About the Way of Salvation

Jesus plainly pointed out that there are two roads in life. One is broad, lacking in faith, convictions and morals. It is the easy, popular, careless way. Jesus said, “There are many who go in by it.” But He pointed out that this road, heavily traveled though it is, leads to destruction. And in loving, compassionate intolerance, He says: “Enter by the narrow gate … because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life.”
 
His was the intolerance of a pilot who maneuvers his plane through the storm, realizing that a single error, just one flash of broad-mindedness, might bring disaster to all his passengers.
 
Once when we were flying from Korea to Japan, we ran through a rough snowstorm. When we arrived over the airport in Tokyo, the ceiling and visibility were almost zero. The pilot had to make an instrument landing. I sat up in the cockpit and watched him sweat it out as a man in the tower at the airport talked us in.
 
I did not want this man to be broad-minded. I wanted him to be narrow-minded. I knew that our lives depended on it. Just so, when we come in for the landing in the great airport in Heaven, I don’t want any broad-mindedness. I want to come in on the beam, and even though I may be considered narrow here, I want to be sure of a safe landing there.
 
Christ was so intolerant of our lost estate that He left His lofty throne in the heavenlies, took on Himself the form of man, suffered at the hands of evil men and died on a cruel cross of shame to purchase our redemption. So serious was our plight that He could not look upon it lightly. He could not be broad-minded about a world held captive by its lusts.
 
Christ spoke of two roads, two kingdoms, two masters, two rewards and two eternities. And He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). We have the power to choose whom we will serve, but the alternative to choosing Christ brings certain destruction. The broad, easy, popular way leads to death and destruction. Only the way of the cross leads home.
 
Peter was reflecting Christ’s teaching when he said, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name [than Jesus Christ] under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
 
The popular, tolerant attitude toward the Gospel of Christ is like a person going to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves play a baseball game and rooting for both sides. Baseball fans are very intolerant. If you were to cheer for both sides in Los Angeles or in Atlanta, someone would yell, “Hey, you, make up your mind who you’re rooting for.”
 
Christ said, “You cannot serve God and mammon … no one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). We need more people who will step out and say unashamedly: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

Jesus Was Intolerant Toward Hypocrisy

He pronounced more woes on the Pharisees than on any other sect because they were given to outward piety, but inside they were a sham. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” He said, “For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:25).
 
A counterfeit Christian, single-handedly, can do more to retard the progress of the church than a dozen saints can do to forward it. That is why Jesus was so intolerant of sham! A great church leader said that the greatest need in the church today is for church members to live what they profess.
 
The hypocrite has nothing but the contempt of his or her neighbors and the judgment of God hereafter. That is why Jesus said, “Do not be like the hypocrites” (Matthew 6:16).

Jesus Was Intolerant Toward Selfishness

He said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself” (Luke 9:23). Self-centeredness is the basic cause of much of our distress in life. Hypochondria, a mental disorder that is accompanied by melancholy and depression, is often caused by self-pity and self-centeredness.
 
Jesus was intolerant of selfishness. To the rich young ruler He said, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven ...” (Matthew 19:21). It wasn’t the giving of his goods that Jesus demanded, but his release from selfishness and its devastating effects on his personality and life.
 
Jesus was intolerant of selfishness when He said, “For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25). The life that Jesus urges us to lose is the selfishness that lives within us, the old nature of sin that is in conflict with God.  Peter, James and John left their nets, but Jesus did not object to nets as such; it was the selfish living they symbolized that He wanted them to forsake. Matthew left the “custom seat,” a political job, to follow Christ. But Jesus did not object to a political career. It was the selfish quality of living that it represented that He wanted Matthew to forsake.

Jesus Was Intolerant Toward Sin

He was tolerant toward the sinner, but intolerant toward the evil that enslaves the sinner. To the adulteress He said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (John 8:11).  He forgave her because He loved her; but He condemned her sin because He loathed it with a holy hatred.
God has always been intolerant toward sin! His Word says: “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil ...” (Isaiah 1:16).
 
“Awake to righteousness, and do not sin” (1 Corinthians 15:34).
 
Christ was so intolerant toward sin that He died on the cross to free men and women from its power. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Sin lies at the root of most of society’s difficulties today. Whatever separates a person from God disunites that person from others. The world’s problems will never be solved until the question of sin is settled.
 
The cross is God’s answer to sin. To all who will receive the blessed news of salvation through Christ, it crosses out—cancels forever—sin’s power.
 
Forest rangers know the value of the “burn-back” in fighting forest fires. To save an area from uncontrolled fire, they carefully burn away the trees and shrubs to create a safety barrier. When the forest fire reaches that burned-out spot, plants and animals standing inside the area protected by the burn-back are safe from the flames. Fire is thus fought by fire.
 
Calvary was a colossal fighting of fire by fire. Christ, taking on Himself all of our sins, allowed the fire of sin’s judgment to fall upon Him. The area around the cross has become a place of refuge for all who would escape the judgment of sin. Take your place with Him at the cross; stand by the cross; yield your life to Him who redeemed you on the cross, and the fire of sin’s judgment can never touch you.
 
God is intolerant toward sin. That intolerance sent His Son to die for us. He has said “that whoever believes in Him shall not perish.” The clear implication is that those who refuse to believe in Him will be eternally lost. Come to Christ today, while His Spirit is speaking to your heart!

© BGEA
 
Scripture Quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version.

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As one of the oldest observations in Christendom, Lenten tradition has changed over the years, but its purpose has always been the same: self-examination and penitence, demonstrated by self-denial, in preparation for Easter.

By Joy Allmond

Lent, which comes from an Anglo-Saxon word for “spring,” can be viewed as a spiritual spring cleaning: a time for taking spiritual inventory and then cleaning out everything which hinders a relationship with Christ.

Traditionally, the season of Lent begins with a sign of repentance: placing ashes mixed with oil on one's head or forehead. This day is known as Ash Wednesday.

However, we must realize that any Lenten disciplines/denials we demonstrate before God should be practiced to help us become closer to Christ and become more like Him, not to wallow in our repentance or try to gain favor or earn more love from God.

How Are You Preparing?

For Christians in the early centuries, this sacred season before Easter was usually a time of training for new disciples. However, the Bible tells us that whether someone is a new believer or a seasoned one, intense spiritual training is always in season.

2 Timothy 2:20-22 gives us a healthy example of what spiritual preparation looks like:

Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

This passage is part of Paul’s warning to Timothy about false teachers. In our culture’s bent toward what many call a “prosperity gospel,” (the claim that if we commit ourselves to God and live in a way that pleases Him, we will have little or no troubles in life) it is particularly important to heed Paul’s warning ourselves.

For spiritual preparation, it is important to get under sound, biblical teaching. How will we know the difference between sound doctrine and words spoken to make us “feel” better? By studying and knowing the Bible and praying for wisdom and discernment.

In verse 20, Paul uses the example of the vessels. The gold and silver vessels to which he refers are those used for noble purposes. Those represent the things in our lives that are agents to make us more holy and which can be used to glorify God.

The latter vessels he mentioned, “wood and earthenware,” were more than likely examples of vessels used for garbage or excrement. These vessels are representative of the things we need to get rid of in our lives…anything the prevents us from growing closer to Christ and becoming more like him.

What are these vessels – both examples – in your life? It’s time to take inventory and become “useful to the Master.”

Let’s look at one other principle of spiritual preparation in verse 22:

Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

Paul was reminding Timothy of his responsibilities as a young leader, in light of the false teaching that was around them. When we give way to the corruption around us (“youthful lusts”), we make ourselves more susceptible to believe lies, whether directly from the enemy or from false teaching.

Furthermore, we should strive for a pure heart through the pursuit of righteousness (adherence to God’s moral law), faith (trust in God and faithfulness to Him), love (attitude and action of commitment to God and others) and peace (harmonious relationship with God and others).

The best way to grow as disciples of Christ is to not limit our spiritual preparation to the Lenten season, but to pursue these things daily throughout the rest of our time here on earth.

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Kay Arthur, an international Bible teacher, award-winning author and frequent Cove speaker, has a lot to say about today’s marriage based on Biblical truth. Read below as she explains why she is passionate about marriages done God’s way.

Interview by Joy Allmond

BGEA: A long time ago, you wrote a book called A Marriage Without Regrets. What inspired you to write that book?

Arthur: I realized that people did not know what God’s Word had to say about marriage, communication, sex, and our relationship with God. He laid it on my heart to write a book on it. So, I wrote it, and God has blessed it incredibly. I think the reason He has is because it’s based on his Word, which never alters with the culture. It shows you how to live in the world according to God’s precepts, rather than to the pressures of the culture.

We also have an inductive Bible study course that goes along with this book. God has used it so mightily. I wrote it for singles and for married people. God used this study to stop people from getting married. And, He used it to stop couples in the divorce process. God even used it to make some people very content in their singleness. There was even one for teens, which turned out to be very successful.

BGEA: Do you draw experience from your first marriage when ministering to people about marriage?

Arthur: In my first marriage, I did not know the Lord. If I had known Him, and the precepts of His Word, I never would have divorced my first husband. I would have known how to live through the situation. It shaped how the book begins – with the fact that the most important relationship in a marriage without regrets is a relationship with the Lord.

BGEA: How is Biblical literacy crucial to a successful marriage?

Arthur: Biblical literacy is imperative. When I talk about a “marriage with no regrets,” I’m not talking about a marriage that is everything you dreamed it would be. I’m talking about the end of your life when you stand before God. Who wants to regrets the way they lived as a husband or a wife?

The very foundation has to be your relationship with the Lord. I’m talking about an intimate relationship that is growing because of your knowledge of Him. Once you are equipped with His Word, you will be able to resolve questions about your marriage within your heart. Questions like: what if my husband is abusing me? What if he wants a divorce? If he does divorce me, am I allowed to be remarried in the eyes of God?

If questions like these are not resolved in your heart, you are going to be tossed around. You will feel insecure and unstable. It’s going to affect your marriage. Guilt and a lack of confidence affect your marriage. It affects you In turn, it affects the way you respond. This is one reason why there are so many divorces.

The statistics at one time told us that 50% of Christian marriages end in divorce. This church is not immune to this, but it should be. If people knew the Word, it would make a huge difference in the way they lived.

BGEA: You had two sons when you married Jack. There are so many people who are in blended family situations. What advice do you have for these blended families?

Arthur: In blended families, there is tension. The children, being sinners just like the rest of us, will often try to put a wedge between husband and wife. The minute they start to manipulate, your marriage is in trouble. My advice would be to keep your marriage close – it will bring the children greater security.

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It happens all the time: well-known couples terminate marriages. The reason?

By Ruth Bell Graham

Incompatibility. It’s an all too familiar legal umbrella under which an assortment of excuses finds shelter.

I looked up the definition of incompatibility: “incapable of coexisting harmoniously…”

Incapable of coexisting harmoniously? “With God, all things are possible,” I remembered.

The definition continued: disagreeing in nature. Great! One can disagree without being disagreeable.

Before we married, someone gave me a gem of wisdom: “Where two people agree on everything, one of them is unnecessary.”

Irreconcilable. I doubt it! When two draw near to God, they find themselves closer to one another.

Conflicting. Terrific! When someone gets into a position of political or social power or one of fame or fortune and no one dares to disagree with him or her, look out! This person is in danger. At times, we all need to be disagreed with.

Our daughter’s Swiss in-laws once gave my husband a Swiss watch. Eventually, it stopped working, but no local watchmaker could fix it.

The next time we were in Switzerland, we sent it directly to the company that made it. They had no problem; the ones who made it knew how to make it work again.

Who invented marriage? He is the One to whom we must go. His Book of Instructions has the answers.

More Questions About Marriage:

What Does it Take to Make a Marriage Last?

Want to Cultivate a Christ-Centered Marriage?

Is Your Spouse Imperfect?

Do You Have a Strong Foundation?

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A week into 2013 many will say their New Year’s resolution is already “so last year.” How about you? Have you made one (or many) resolutions in the past? Have you abandoned them after a week of trying?

A quick glance at social media shows that some Christians wonder if they even should be making resolutions. Are you one of them?

If so, take comfort in the words and wisdom of Billy Graham who has responded to a number of questions about that annual ritual in his My Answer columns through the years.

Questions about New Year's Resolutions

If you could make just one New Year's resolution for the coming year, what would it be? I used to make a long list of New Year's resolutions every year, but I only got discouraged because I never kept them so I've decided to concentrate on just one this year.
Read Billy Graham's Answer »

Does the Bible say anything about making New Year's resolutions? I quit making them years ago because I never could keep them, but now that I'm more serious about my faith I wondered if I ought to give it a try again.
Read Billy Graham's Answer »

The other day, a friend asked me how many of my New Year's resolutions I'd managed to keep, and I had to admit that I'd forgotten all about them. He admitted that this had been his experience, as well. Why do we have so much trouble changing our behavior?
Read Billy Graham's Answer »

One of my New Year's resolutions this year was to read some of the Bible every day. But like most of my resolutions, I've failed to keep it. I found some of it interesting, but I didn't really understand most of it, so I stopped. Was I doing something wrong?
Read Billy Graham's Answer »

I've about decided I'm not going to make any New Year's resolutions this year. I've always done it, but I don't think I've ever managed to keep a single one more than a few weeks. Why should I bother?
Read Billy Graham's Answer »

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This prayer from Billy Graham, written for "The Saturday Evening Post" in 2008, is just as relevant this year.

Our Father and our God, as we stand at the beginning of this new year we confess our need of Your presence and Your guidance as we face the future.

We each have our hopes and expectations for the year that is ahead of us—but You alone know what it holds for us, and only You can give us the strength and the wisdom we will need to meet its challenges. So help us to humbly put our hands into Your hand, and to trust You and to seek Your will for our lives during this coming year. 

In the midst of life’s uncertainties in the days ahead, assure us of the certainty of Your unchanging love. 

In the midst of life’s inevitable disappointments and heartaches, help us to turn to You for the stability and comfort we will need. 

In the midst of life’s temptations and the pull of our stubborn self-will, help us not to lose our way but to have the courage to do what is right in Your sight, regardless of the cost. 

And in the midst of our daily preoccupations and pursuits, open our eyes to the sorrows and injustices of our hurting world, and help us to respond with compassion and sacrifice to those who are friendless and in need. May our constant prayer be that of the ancient Psalmist: “Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end” (Psalm 119:33).

We pray for our nation and its leaders during these difficult times, and for all those who are seeking to bring peace and justice to our dangerous and troubled world. We pray especially for Your protection on all those who serve in our armed forces, and we thank You for their commitment to defend our freedoms, even at the cost of their own lives. Be with their families also, and assure them of Your love and concern for them. 

Bring our divided nation together, and give us a greater vision of what You would have us to be. Your Word reminds us that “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).

As we look back over this past year we thank You for Your goodness to us—far beyond what we have deserved. May we never presume on Your past goodness or forget all Your mercies to us, but may they instead lead us to repentance, and to a new commitment to make You the foundation and center of our lives this year. 

And so, our Father, we thank You for the promise and hope of this new year, and we look forward to it with expectancy and faith. This I ask in the name of our Lord and Savior, who by His death and resurrection has given us hope both for this world and the world to come. 

Amen

© 2008 Saturday Evening Post Society. Reprinted with permission.

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