From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Jokes about the devil are no laughing matter. Some people make light of the devil, thinking that he is some figment of imagination that runs around with a tail dragging behind him. But with the state of the world and the godless society that permeates the culture, this should be taken as a serious subject because there are those who are drawn to Satan (the devil). They want to learn more about evil, demons, witchcraft, the occult, etc. In many cases, these people do not fully realize they are inviting Satan to come into their thinking and into their very lives. They are deluded.

Satan is the father of lies. The Bible makes this clear. He is the most successful liar of all because he persuades millions of people to follow him. He is called a deceiver. In order to accomplish his purpose, the devil blinds people to their need for Christ. Two forces are at work in our world—the forces of Christ and the forces of Satan.

People—especially young people—are impressionable, and parents should know what their children are being exposed to and teach them what is good and what is evil. Parents can tap the wisdom of the Lord, praying for strength and understanding to live according to Scripture. We must be diligent in protecting our children and nurturing them in the things of the Lord. Scripture tells us plainly not to give Satan a foothold in our lives (Ephesians 4:27).

We must not be deceived by Satan and his lies and tricked into thinking it is all just a joke. The closer we are to Jesus, the further away we are from the devil.

(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

Do you want to be close to Jesus? Ask Him to live in your heart.