How Can I Get Faith Like My Friend? By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services Q: I believe in God, and…

[janet walker]

How Can I Get Faith Like My Friend?
By Billy Graham, Tribune Media Services
Q: I believe in God, and I guess I believe in Jesus. But I have a friend who says she talks with Jesus every day, and she says she knows she'll go to heaven when she dies. I wish I had her kind of faith, but how can I get it? - Mrs. B.T.

A: The most important thing I can tell you is that God loves you and wants you to have the same kind of close relationship to Him that your friend has. More than that, He has done everything necessary to make it possible.

Let me answer your question by posing three questions. First, who are we? The Bible says we aren't here by chance; we are here because God created us, and He put us here for a purpose - to live for Him. But the Bible also tells us that something went wrong - and that "something" was sin. We have rebelled against God and chosen to go our own way, and because of this we have become separated from Him. As the Bible says, we are "without hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12).

The second question is this: Who was Jesus Christ? The Bible tells us something very wonderful: Jesus Christ was God in human flesh. He wasn't just a great man; He was God! And He came into the world for one reason: to become the complete sacrifice for our sins. By His death and resurrection we can have hope - hope of forgiveness and new life today, and hope of life in heaven.

But one question remains: What must we do? The Bible tells us that salvation is a free gift, purchased for us with the blood of Jesus Christ. But like any gift, we must receive it - and that is what you must do with Christ. By a simple prayer of faith turn to Christ and ask Him to come into your life today - and He will.

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I received this as my early morning devotion today and although we all have knowledge of content. Here is a thought on the last question. Is salvation so hard to receive because it is a gift and when we receive a gift we usually have something to give in return? And what gift can we give that will equal what God has given us? He gave us Himself in human form, He gave us salvation through His suffering, and He gave us Grace to get us through this life. So what do we do with these gifts and what can we do in return? His gifts are free for the taking, can you accept them?

[PoemiaDei]

If at all a gift makes us feel obligated to return a favour, it is not accepted as a gift. Salvation is given by grace unconditionally. This is why the gift of salvation itself is in a package of grace whereby God by grace saves, and creates us His workmanship to walk in good works He prepares for us to walk in, and by grace operates in us both to will and do what pleases Him. It is grace from beginning to end of our Christian walk with God.
Ephesians 2:4-7 NLT
4: But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much,
5: that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)
6: For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
7: So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

[Rodney]

That was a very good devotion Janet, And I like what you added at the end with a very thought provoking question. Will need tpo do some thinking on that one.