Dear Friend,
The night before Jesus was crucified, He took the time to tell Peter and the other disciples what to expect—that He would die, would be raised from the grave, and would meet them later in Galilee (see Matthew 26:31–32). He was arrested that same night by armed men and taken before the high priest. The other disciples scattered, but Peter followed behind Jesus—at a distance. When they got to the high priest’s courtyard, Peter settled down a little ways away and waited to “see the end.” But Jesus had already told Peter and the others what was going to happen and what the end would be.
The Bible says, “Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end” (Matthew 26:58, NKJV).
Many Christians in America today want to follow Jesus at a distance. They want to give themselves a little room; they want to watch which way the wind will blow and see what the end will be. When Jesus is portrayed in a good light or when it’s comfortable, they will stand up there next to Him. But if Jesus is going to be mocked or cursed or insulted, they want to stay back until they know how things will go.
But we already know what the end will be. You and I have the Word of God, and we know there will be wars and famines and earthquakes. We know that one day the Lord Jesus Christ will come back to get His church and that we will be with Him in Heaven for eternity because we have put our faith and trust in Him. We know what happens in the end to the devil and his demons, and we know what the end is for every person who rejects God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. So why would we want to follow Jesus at a distance?
As we enter the new year, it is a good time for each of us to examine the ways in which we may be trying to maintain a little space between us and our Lord. In whatever area of life it may be, don’t keep your distance.
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The Decision America Tour starts in early January. I will travel to all 50 states in 2016 to hold prayer rallies. I want to call the church and Christians to prayer and repentance and to stand boldly with Jesus Christ and His Word. This is going to make some people mad. I don’t mind.
I’m also going to ask Christians to pay attention to the election campaigns and vote at every opportunity and to become personally engaged. I’m not going to tell people who to vote for—the Republicans aren’t going to turn this country around, the Democrats aren’t, and the tea party isn’t. The only hope for this country is Almighty God and His Son, Jesus Christ. I want to challenge the church and Christians not to sit on the sidelines.
As followers of Christ, we don’t want to sit back and simply watch to see what will happen. We want the whole world to know that we stand with Jesus Christ and that as the church, we are one. This is not only about electing the next president. To turn the tide, we need Christians to run for office at every level—school boards, city councils, mayors, and county and state governments. And we need Christians to vote in every primary, every election, every referendum, every time the polls are open.
I hope you will join me at the prayer rally when I come to your state capital. Bring your Bible study group, your pastor and church leaders, your friends, and your family. Turning things around is going to be hard. It’s going to take commitment, and it’s going to take prayer. Will you be one who prays with us?
I was in Japan last month for an evangelistic Crusade in Tokyo. Japan today is a largely secular culture. Christmas is widely celebrated, and Christmas carols are popular, though few people know why a Savior was born or the true reason for Christmas joy.
In a nation that is among the 10 largest in the world, Christians make up less than 3 percent of the population. Nearly all churches are very small—most with attendance under 50—yet a number of them were praying for the past three years in preparation for the Crusade.
The arena where we met, known as the Budokan, is located near the Imperial Palace and known throughout Japan. One group of Japanese believers came and marched around the Budokan seven times each month for 12 months, praying fervently for the Crusade that would be held there—their final seven times around the arena were on the opening day of the Crusade. Christians in the U.S. and in other countries were also praying.
God answered. More than 38,000 heard the Gospel at the arena, and at least 10,000 more watched and listened at a satellite location or online. All told, more than 3,000 people let us know they made a decision for Christ as a result of what God did through the Crusade, and we give Him all the glory.
One Christian young woman was speechless with joy after seeing her aunt and cousin go forward at the invitation to receive Christ in repentance and faith. “My family and I have been praying for my aunt and also for my cousin,” she explained later. “And I have been praying for a friend who needs to find Jesus—she came too. All week before the Crusade, I was crying whenever I prayed because God spoke to me that He would do something magnificent for my life. And it actually happened! This is the best thing God can give to me, to save my family and my friend. I am so overwhelmed!”
A businessman pressed through the crowd during one of the invitations. A man of few words, he told a counselor simply, “I am convicted that I am a sinner.” The counselor asked some questions and then shared Scripture, explaining God’s offer of forgiveness for those who repent. The businessman’s wife was standing close by, listening. After her husband prayed to receive Christ as Savior and Lord, she asked if she could do the same. Afterward, the businessman stated the first change he intended to make: “We will begin now to attend church.” Pray for this man and his wife, and pray for the churches across Tokyo who are discipling new believers.
We released a new My Hope evangelistic film, Value of a Soul, just before my father’s 97th birthday last month. More than 30,000 churches, ministries, and individuals across America have obtained copies of the DVD to use in sharing the Gospel, and many began to use it immediately.
In California, one teen ministry network scheduled outreach events at 10 locations on the actual day of my father’s birthday, November 7. Each location planned a meal and encouraged their teens to invite friends and family. Staff members and teens bathed the outreach in prayer, including praying for specific people the teens had invited. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and in each place dozens of parents and other family members came.
After they ate, guests moved to a meeting area and someone stood to share how God can restore broken lives and shattered dreams and how much He values each soul. Then when the film ended, one or two teens shared their own testimony of a changed life, and an invitation was given. During the 10 My Hope showings in 10 Southern California communities that day, 113 people made decisions for Christ, including many adults. What joy there was in Heaven! We pray this is multiplied across the nation.
I hope you or your church has begun sharing this film with people who need Jesus, or that you have plans to do so soon. Be sure to bathe the plans in prayer. If you don’t yet have a DVD copy, ask for one by visiting MyHopeWithBillyGraham.org.
Secularists are gaining power and influence in American society, seeking to remove God from public view and squelch His Word wherever possible. Secularism is as godless as communism ever was. But God “rules by His might forever; His eyes keep watch on the nations” (Psalm 66:7, NASB). He is the only hope for our nation.
Thank you for your gifts and prayers as we take a stand for religious freedom and God’s truth and as we continue boldly sharing the Good News of God’s salvation.
May God richly bless you,
Franklin Graham
President
