Following Christ English

“Christ’s anointing teaches you the truth on everything you need to know about yourself and him.” 1Jn 2:27    When you pray diligently and believe you have heard from God, but then you start asking other people what they think, you’re honoring their opinions above God’s. That kind of mindset will prevent you from developing a relationship where you constantly hear from Him. You need to trust Him. If you have made bad decisions in the past, this can be difficult. But you must learn to listen to God without constantly needing reassurance from others. The Bible says: “The anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so]…you have no need that anyone should instruct you…His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true…so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him” . That doesn’t mean you don’t need teaching and instruction when it comes to understanding God’s Word; it means you have God’s Spirit livi

Question I constantly hear about how people should love one another but when I look at the world, the evidence is overwhelming—there is more hate than love. Even in my own life I find that I stay upset and angry and find it difficult to show love, especially to those who do wrong. I’ve asked the Lord to help me be more loving but it seems many times that I exhibit just the opposite and it discourages me. I’m sure God prefers that we exhibit love rather than hate. Answer From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham For those who belong to Jesus Christ, God’s priority is that His love would become the hallmark of life—because it is the hallmark of Christ’s life. How does this become a reality? It doesn’t happen by accident or by gritting our teeth and hoping that somehow we can make ourselves love others. It happens only as we grow closer to Christ and submit our lives to Him, allowing His Holy Spirit to cleanse and change us. The Bible says that “the fruit of the Spirit is lov

Every year I make a long list of New Year's resolutions, and every year I forget every one of them. Is it just a waste of time to make a list of New Year's resolutions? A: No, it’s not a waste of time to examine our lives and admit that we need to make some changes—if we’re honest about actually doing it. Unfortunately, most lists of resolutions aren’t really resolutions at all; they’re only a series of wishes, without any plan for making them happen. But let me suggest you ask yourself two questions as you think about your list. First, what is God’s goal for you during the coming year? What does He want to see happen in your life in the new year? In other words, don’t just write down anything that happens to come to mind; seek instead God’s priority for your life. Perhaps you have never given your life to Jesus Christ—and if not, make this your first step. And if you do know Christ, make it your goal to draw closer to Him during the coming year. Jesus said, “But se

Question   I am trying to teach my children about the true meaning of Christmas and it’s hard to do when the holiday has been turned into a commercial event about all the wrong things. Shouldn’t it be more about the infant Jesus and the sweet story of that first Christmas night? Answer  From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham In the midst of all upheaval, crisis, difficulty, problems, and fear comes the true message of Christmas with all of its hope, goodwill, and cheer. The message of Christmas has been terribly misapplied and misunderstood for many years. Some think of business profits, shopping, gifts, tinsel, toys, and celebration. Others think only of Bethlehem, of the star in the sky, shepherds in the field, and angels singing. Still others cynically ask, “Where is this Prince of Peace in a world filled with so much trouble?” The real Christmas message goes far deeper. It heralds the entrance of God into human history. It is Heaven descending to Earth. It is as though a trumpe

We moved last year and got involved in a new church that's more formal in its worship than our old church. Now they are preparing for what they call the "advent" season, and I'm too embarrassed to admit my ignorance and ask someone what it is. Maybe you can explain it to me. The “Advent season” consists of the weeks leading up to Christmas (in most churches the four Sundays before Christmas). The word “advent” comes from an old word that means the coming or arrival of something—in this case, the coming of Jesus into the world. Even churches that don’t use this term usually begin focusing on the meaning of Christmas during these weeks—and this is what I hope you and your family will do also. After all, for Christians no event in all history was more significant (along with Jesus’ death and resurrection). Christ is the center and foundation of our faith, and there is no better time of the year to renew our faith and remember all He has done for us. Why was J

“See how good the Lord is. Happy is the person who trusts him.” Psalms 34:8    What you believe about God is crucial to the quality of your life, especially in difficult times. So, starting today, tell yourself, “God is good—all the time,” and keep saying it until it gets down into your spirit. What does it mean to be “good?” It means living up to the best and highest one knows. And since God always knows what’s best and highest, His goodness is beyond question. If God is good—genuinely, practically, consistently good—then your cup of well-being, security, peace, confidence, and joy should be overflowing! A good God can’t break His promise, abandon His children, or fail to love and provide for them. In every trial and circumstance, you can be sure He will treat you in the best possible way. When things seem to be falling apart, when you stumble confused in the dark, it’s hard to see God’s goodness or feel that things will get better. That’s when you must draw on the faith G

  To be “right” with God, we must first understand what is “wrong.” The answer is sin. “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:3). We have rebelled against God's commands; We “like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6). The bad news is that the penalty for sin is death. "The soul that sins shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4). The good news is that a loving God has inspired us to bring us to salvation. Jesus declared His purpose to be that He “came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10), and He declared that His purpose had been achieved when He was “finished” on the cross. !” Died with words (John 19:30). Having a right relationship with God begins with confessing your sins. Next comes a humble confession of one's sins before God (Isaiah 57:15) and a determination to give up sins. "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:10). This repentance must be accompanied by faith –