For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

—James 4:14

Nothing takes God by surprise. Everything is moving according to a plan, and God wants you in that plan. The devil also has a plan for the world. God has a plan and the devil has a plan, and you will have to decide which plan you are going to fit into. Scripture says that God allows us 70 years and some beyond. The first 15 are spent in childhood and early adolescence. Twenty years are spent in bed, and in the last five, physical limitations start to curtail our activities. That gives us about 30 years in which to live as adults. We take time out for eating, and for figuring our taxes, and we are down to perhaps 15 years. Now suppose we spend seven of those years watching television. That cuts us down to seven or eight years. Our time is short! The time we can invest for God, in creative things, in reaching our fellowmen for Christ, is short!

Prayer for the day

Each hour of every day that is left of this earthly life, I would spend serving You, Lord Jesus. Forgive the time spent so often in needless endeavor.

https://billygraham.org/

I will declare thy name unto my brethren . . .

—Psalm 22:22

There are those near you in your own community who need the regenerating power of Christ. You can call them by name. I suggest that you make a list and begin by spending time in prayer for them. Ask God to show you how to witness to them and how to win them. Their lives can be transformed by the message you give them. You are to share this Gospel you have received. If Christ has done anything for you, then share it. In so doing, you are showing mercy! As you have received the mercy of God by the forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life-thus you are to show mercy! And in showing mercy you will not only receive mercy but you will find a stimulating happiness!

Read More: 3 Keys to Sharing Your Faith

Prayer for the day

As I close my eyes in prayer, let me see the faces of those who need to know You, beloved Savior.

https://billygraham.org/

. . . our Lord Jesus Christ . . . which hath loved us . . . comfort your hearts . . .

—2 Thessalonians 2:16,17

Christ is the answer to sorrow. When Harry Lauder, the great Scottish comedian, received word that his son had been killed in France, he said, “In a time like this, there are three courses open to man: He may give way to despair and become bitter. He may endeavor to drown his sorrow in drink or in a life of wickedness. Or he may turn to God.” In your sorrow, turn to God. There are thousands of people who have turned to God, but you may be still carrying your burdens. God begs of you, “Cast all your cares on me, for I care for you” (1 Peter 5:7). You who must go through the valley of the shadow of death, you who must say goodbye to those whom you have loved, you who suffer privation and misery, you who are unjustly persecuted for righteousness’ sake-take heart, take courage. Our Christ is more than adequate for sorrow.

Read more about coping with sorrow, grief and loss.

Prayer for the day

In sorrow, Jesus, Your comfort will take all the bitterness and longing away and give me courage to face the heartache. Your grace will console me and Your arms will support me. Thank You, dear Lord.

https://billygraham.org/

Bless me and my family forever!

—2 Samuel 7:29 (TLB)

Apart from religious influence, the family is the most important unit of society. It would be good if every home were Christian, but we know that it is not so. The family and the home can never exert their proper influence while ignoring the biblical standard. The Bible calls for discipline and a recognition of authority. If children do not learn this at home, they will go out into society without the proper attitude toward authority and law. There is always the exceptional child, but the average tells us that the child is largely what the home has made him. The only way to provide the right home for your children is to put the Lord above them, and fully instruct them in the ways of the Lord. You are responsible before God for the home you provide for them.

Prayer for the day

Father, keep me from any word or deed that might hinder a child from loving You.

https://billygraham.org/

Go and make disciples in all the nations . . .

—Matthew 28:19 (TLB)

Christian missions is unique in the aggressive movements of history. Christianity in its pure form has no “axe to grind,” no system to foster, and no profit motivation. Its job is simply to “seek and to save that which is lost.” Nothing more, nothing less. The words “apostle” and “missionary” mean the same thing: “One who is sent.” The word apostle is from the Greek; and the word missionary is from the Latin.

The New Testament is a book of missions. The Gospels tell of Jesus’ missionary accomplishments, and the Acts tell of the missionary endeavors of the apostles. The disciples were launched into the world by the power of the resurrection, and the Gospel made its impact upon the world’s people. Peter went to Lydda, Joppa, Antioch, Babylon, and Asia Minor. John went to Samaria, Ephesus, and to the cities on the Mediterranean. Thomas journeyed to far away India. Paul, the peer of all early missionaries, used the roads Rome had built to take the Gospel through the Empire. Today the need for missions is greater than ever before! The world is shrinking in size but expanding in population. We live in a world of conflicting, confusing beliefs! We live in a world of complex problems! But, more important, we live in a world of dire spiritual need.

Read more: Sharing Your Faith 101

Prayer for the day

Father, help me to be a light in this world of darkness, ready for each opportunity to share Your love with those whose spiritual needs are great.

https://billygraham.org/

But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth . . .

—Acts 5:19

Demonic activity and Satan worship are on the increase in all parts of the world. The devil is at work more than at any other time. The Bible says that because he realizes his time is short, Satan’s activity will increase. But his evil activities are countered for the people of God by His ministering spirits, the holy ones of the angelic order. Christians should never fail to sense the operation of angelic glory. It forever eclipses the world of demonic powers, as the sun does a candle’s light. If you are a believer, expect powerful angels to accompany you in your life experiences. And let those events dramatically illustrate the friendly presence of “the holy ones” as Daniel calls them. Certainly, the eye of faith sees many evidences of the supernatural display of God’s power and glory. God is still in business.

Prayer for the day

When I am tempted by Satan, I will remember Your angels are around me, Lord.

https://billygraham.org/

O death, where is thy sting? . . .

—1 Corinthians 15:55

Death is the most democratic experience in life for we all participate in it. We think of its happening only to other people. We don’t like to grow old and we don’t like to die. The Bible teaches that death is an enemy of man and God. But it also teaches that this enemy, death, will ultimately be destroyed forever; that in fact it has already been defeated at the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Death, for a Christian, brings permanent freedom from evil. It also means the believer will be like Jesus. We shall be like Christ in love. So much of self is involved in what we do here; but one day, in Christ, we will have perfect love. What a glorious time it will be when we get to heaven!

Prayer for the day

Jesus, Your victory over death comforts my heart and fills me with hope.

https://billygraham.org/

For he knoweth our frame . . .

—Psalm 103:14

It is significant that our first astronauts, while being trained for their moon flights, were required to give twenty answers to the query, “Who are you?” Take the same test yourself. When you have made your list and run out of things to add, ask yourself if you have truly answered. Do you really know who you are? Scientists agree that our desperate search leads all humans to seek heroes and to imitate others, to “paste bits and pieces of other people on ourselves.” We make love as some actor would. We play golf in the style of Jack Nicklaus. Part of this process is natural, for we learn by imitating others. The tragedy is that the person we assemble is not genuine. “Who am I?” you cry as you roam the world looking for yourself. Consider this: there are three of you. There is the person you think you are. There is the person others think you are. There is the person God knows you are and can be through Christ.

Prayer for the day

Lord, help me to break through the façade and know myself as You do.

https://billygraham.org/

When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
—Psalm 61:2

When you become a Christian, it doesn’t mean that you will live on a perpetual “high.” The Psalmist David went down to the very depths, and so did the Apostle Paul. But in the midst of all circumstances God’s grace, peace, and joy are there. The tears will still come, the pressures will be felt, and so will the temptations. But there is a new dimension, a new direction, and a new power in life to face the circumstances in which you live.

Listen to a one-minute message on hope in the midst of suffering.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

David and Paul have given me the example of trusting You, Lord, even in the excruciating valleys of life. Like them, I praise You.

Home

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
—John 10:14

Unless God is revealed to us through personal experience, we can never really know God. Most of us know about God, but that is quite different from knowing God. We learn about God through the agencies of the church, the Sunday school, the youth activities, the worship services. Many people stop in their quest for God at this point. It is one thing to be introduced to a person, but quite another thing to know him personally.

Read More: How to Know God’s Voice

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Lord, You are, indeed, the good Shepherd, who leads me each day. Help me to love and know You more deeply so that others may be drawn into Your fold.

Home

And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
—Psalm 39:7

The sea was beating against the rocks in huge, dashing waves. The lightning was flashing, the thunder was roaring, the wind was blowing; but the little bird was asleep in the crevice of the rock, its head serenely under its wing, sound asleep. That is peace—to be able to sleep in the storm! In Christ, we are relaxed and at peace in the midst of the confusion, bewilderments, and perplexities of life. The storm rages, but our hearts are at rest. We have found peace—at last!

You can have peace, even in life’s storms.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Thank You, dear Lord, for the hope I have in Your abiding love, which surrounds me.

Home

From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
—Psalm 90:2

Have you ever thought about the collapse of time? From the days of the Lord Jesus Christ until about 1830, man could not travel any faster than a horse. In 1960, a man went into space and traveled at a speed of 18,000 miles an hour. Look how far we have come in so short a time! Sometimes when I read the papers, I think we are trying to run the Space Age with horse-and-buggy moral and spiritual equipment. Technology, you see, has no morals; and with no moral restraints man will destroy himself ecologically, militarily, or in some other way. Only God can give a person moral restraints and spiritual strength. While our world is shaking and crumbling, we need to realize that one thing will never change, and that is God. He is the same today as He was ten million years ago, and He will be the same ten million years from today. We are like grasshoppers; we appear and hop around a bit on the earth, and then we are gone.

Got a minute? Hear about God’s unchanging wisdom in this 60-second message with Billy Graham.

Have a little more time? Listen to Billy Graham’s 16-minute message on the unchanging God.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Almighty God, to know You are unchanging gives me peace in a frighteningly changing world.

Home

Despise God’s Word and find yourself in trouble. Obey it and succeed.
—Proverbs 13:13 (TLB)

As Christians, we have the Spirit of God in us. But ours is the responsibility to keep sin out of our lives so that the Spirit can produce His fruit in us. Become grounded in the Bible. As Christians, we have only one authority, one compass: the Word of God. Abraham Lincoln in a letter to a friend said, “I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance upon faith. You will live and die a better man.” Begin the day with the Book; and as the day comes to a close, let the Word speak its wisdom to your soul. Let it be the firm foundation upon which your hope is built. Let it be the Staff of Life upon which your spirit is nourished. Let it be the Sword of the Spirit which cuts away the evil of your life and fashions you in His image and likeness.

Read Billy Graham’s message on where the Bible comes from and how to read it.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Almighty God, Your Word nourishes my whole being and I praise Your holy name!

Home

What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe . . .
—Mark 11:24

We are to pray in times of adversity, lest we become faithless and unbelieving. We are to pray in times of prosperity, lest we become boastful and proud. We are to pray in times of danger, lest we become fearful and doubting. We need to pray in times of security, lest we become self-sufficient. Sinners, pray to a merciful God for forgiveness. Christians, pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit upon a willful, evil, unrepentant world. Parents, pray that God may crown your home with grace and mercy. Children, pray for the salvation of your parents. Christians, saints of God, pray that the dew of heaven may fall on earth’s dry, thirsty ground, and that righteousness may cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.

What is prayer, and how should you pray? Read More.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Let me pour everything out to You, Lord. Thank You for the knowledge that You hear me!

Home

He is my refuge . . .
—Psalm 91:2

Modern psychiatrists say that one of the basic needs of man is security. In the 91st Psalm we are assured that in God we have the greatest of security, “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” If you read and reread this beautiful Psalm, you will discover that in Him we have a permanent abode and residence, and that all of the comfort, security, and affection which the human heart craves is found in Him. Perhaps no visible angels will appear in your life and mine, but God’s promise of security is nonetheless real and certain. Those who live in the realm of God have genuine safety and security.

“If angels are real, why can’t we see them?” Read Billy Graham’s answer.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Wherever I go this day, You and Your angels will be with me. Thank you, Lord, for the peace, love, and security You promise.

Home

Keep a sharp lookout! For you do not know when I will come. . . . Watch for my return!
—Mark 13:35, 36 (TLB)

The great Dwight L. Moody used to say, “I never preached a sermon without thinking that possibly the Lord may come before I preach another.” Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, the distinguished British clergy-man, said, “I never begin my work in the morning without thinking that perhaps he may interrupt my work and begin His own. I am not looking for death. I am looking for Him.” That is the way a Christian should live his life—in the constant anticipation of the return of Jesus Christ! If we could live every day as though it may be the very last one before the final judgment, what a difference it would make here on earth! But we don’t like to think that way. We don’t like to think that our carefully made plans, our long range schemes may be interrupted by the trumpet of God. Too many people would rather say, “Oh, well, the end of the world hasn’t come yet, so why think about it—it’s probably a thousand years away.”

Read More: 5 Answers from Billy Graham on End Times

Are You Rapture Ready? A Bible Study from Anne Graham Lotz

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Today might be the last day when Jesus returns. Cleanse me, Father.

Home

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
—John 15:9

The great Swiss theologian, Dr. Karl Barth, was probably in his generation the greatest theologian in the world, and a great philosopher as well. I did not always agree with him, but he was my friend and I respected him. While he was in this country, a student at one of the seminaries said, “Dr. Barth, what is the greatest truth that ever crossed your mind?” All the seminary students were sitting on the edge of their seats to hear some great, profound, deep, complicated answer. Dr. Barth slowly raised his great shaggy gray head and looked at the student and said, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Have you accepted this simple truth? Follow these simple steps to peace with God.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Lord Jesus, may I always keep the knowledge of Your love in true simplicity—unencumbered by much learning. Thank You for loving me.

Home

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee . . .
—Psalm 63:1

Some Christians have learned little of a daily devotional life. Some time ago a policeman asked me what the secret of victorious living was. I told him that there is no magic formula that can be pronounced. If any word could describe it, I would say surrender. The second word I would say would be devotion. Nothing can take the place of a daily devotional life with Christ. Your quiet time, your prayer time, the time you spend in the Word, is absolutely essential for a happy Christian life. You cannot possibly be a happy, dynamic, and powerful Christian apart from a daily walk with Christ. Christ is calling Christians today to cleansing, to dedication, to consecration, and to full surrender. It will make the difference between success and failure in your spiritual life. It will make the difference between being helped and helping others. It will make a difference in your habits, in your prayer life, in your Bible reading, in your giving, in your testimony, and in your church membership. This is the Christian hour of decision!

Need help getting started? Read “How to Dive Into Your Walk with God.”

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

I long for a deeper devotional life, living Lord. May I consecrate myself completely to You.

Home

We know how much God loves us because
we have felt his love . . .
—1 John 4:16 (TLB)

Never question God’s great love, for it is as unchangeable a part of God as is His holiness. Were it not for the love of God, none of us would ever have a chance in the future life. But God is love! And His love for us is everlasting.

The promises of God’s love and forgiveness are as real, as sure, as positive, as human words can make them. But, like describing the ocean, its total beauty cannot be understood until it is actually seen. It is the same with God’s love. Until you actually possess true peace with God, no one can describe its wonders to you.

Find out how much God loves you.

Lea este devocional en español en es.billygraham.org.

Prayer for the day

Home