 From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: I have been given a scholarship to a state university, but my parents don’t like the idea of me getting a secular education. I don’t want to go against their advice, but I don’t have the same financial opportunity at a Christian college. Is it wrong for a Christian to attend a secular college? – C.S.
A: Some young people feel they should go to a secular college in order to have opportunities to witness for the Lord. In many cases, however, others feel the need to receive Biblical training and have a strong Christian support group. Regardless, it is important to attend a fully accredited school. Choices are often difficult to make.
Research is a good place to start. Talk to others who have already been through this process. Talk to friends who have had experiences in both settings. Talk with family members and people at church, perhaps even school counselors and teachers, and share with them your thoughts, your apprehensions, and your goals.
Most important, is to commit decisions to the Lord. He has a plan and purpose for our lives and it pleases Him when we take our cares to Him and ask Him to direct our decisions. Once God leads us to make a decision, and we know we’ve sincerely opened our hearts to Him, we must not draw back, but trust His leading, and believe He goes before us – because He does.
The most important decision we will ever make is the decision to follow Jesus Christ. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
========
(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)
©2021 Billy Graham Literary Trust. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(c)2021 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
Education Up Close:
 
Pictured above is 88 year old Cowboy Deacon Charles McCargish of the First Baptist Church in Reserve. Charles loves teaching the children! I also have learned much in the 9 years I have known this awesome man of God! I am a very blessed man and now I am trying to pay it forward with everything people of God have taught me. It started when I was just a tike, the people of my hometown taught me much! Biblical principles from my folks, grandparents, aunts and uncles, store keepers, Sunday school teachers, school teachers, police officers, coaches, my bosses, and many more. I have been super blessed by growing up in the wonderful town of Windom, Minnesota and I pray that all children, even here in 2021 get the same opportunities that I have had. I want all children to grow up in a Christian home, with the love and care of JESUS. I will do all I can to spread the word of JESUs until my dying days.
From Adrian Rogers….I love ‘old time preaching”
“And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
If we’re living for the world, we’re painting the decks of a sinking ship. This world is passing away and the fashion thereof, and soon the mossy fingers and the foul breath of decay are going to take away all those toys and prized possessions we have. Satan sails a sinking ship. He rules a doomed domain. Long after this world is passed away, and long after this world as we know it is turned to rust and dust and mold and corruption, all those things that people have dreamed for and schemed for and sold their souls for will be junk, if they exist at all. But those who know the Lord will be sitting in the Kingdom, praising Him.
- Are there things of this world you value too highly?
- How might you move your focus from the temporal things of the world to the eternal things of Christ?
This is such a powerful message from Amy Parks of National Day of Prayer!
Friend —
“REMEMBER YOUR LEADERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN GOD’S WORD TO YOU” AS YOU CAREFULLY OBSERVE THE OUTCOME OF THEIR LIVES, IMITATE THEIR FAITH.” HEBREWS 13:7
THE SPHERE OF EDUCATION REACHES FAR BEYOND THE WALLS OF SCHOOLS OR THE PAGES OF TEXTBOOKS AND INTO THE MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL FORMATION OF A YOUNG PERSON. SCRIPTURE CALLS THIS DISCIPLESHIP.
IN ACTS, WE SEE THE BELIEVERS TOGETHER “ALL IN ONE ACCORD” AND LATER WE SEE PAUL MENTORING TIMOTHY. PAUL EVEN INSTRUCTS IN THE BOOK OF TIMOTHY ON HOW TO STRUCTURE DISCIPLESHIP, FOR OLDER MEN TO INSTRUCT YOUNGER MEN AND OLDER WOMEN TO SET AN EXAMPLE AND TEACH YOUNGER WOMEN.
MY LIFE HAS BEEN PROFOUNDLY SHAPED BY THE EDUCATION IN PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP.
WHEN I WAS A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, AN OLDER WOMAN IN THE CHURCH, MARY, ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO MEET HER FOR BREAKFAST ONCE A WEEK FOR A WHILE. WE STARTED MEETING BEFORE SCHOOL EVERY THURSDAY AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT. AND MARY JUST… LISTENED TO ME. I SHARED WHAT WAS GOING ON IN MY LIFE—THE TENSION OF GROWING INDEPENDENCE AS A TEENAGER ALONG WITH THE GROWING NEED FOR DEPENDENCE ON THE LORD. BY THE END OF BREAKFAST EACH WEEK, SHEWOULD ASK A FEW POINTED QUESTIONS, SUCH AS HOW I COULD APPLY SCRIPTURE TO THE SITUATION I’VE DISCUSSED, HOW AM I PRAYING FOR THE PERSON WHO IS FRUSTRATING ME, AND DO I FEEL LIKE MY ACTIONS DO OR DO NOT ALIGN WITH THE BIBLICALPRINCIPLES OF RIGHTEOUS LIVING.
I HAD TO GET REALLY HONEST REALLY QUICK. MARY NEVER ACCEPTED ANY HALFHEARTED ANSWERS, AND SHE WAS QUICK TO CALL ME OUT IF SHE FELT I WAS COVERING SOMETHING UP. IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE. BUT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL—THE CHALLENGE TO LET THE SPIRIT SEARCH MY HEART AND LEAN INTO CHRIST SHAPED MY SPIRITUAL HABITS FOR LIFE.
FROM THOSE TIMES I CAN HONESTLY SAY I’VE EXPERIENCED THE HOLY SPIRIT JUST AS MUCH WHILE SITTING IN A VINYL BOOTH AS I HAVE IN A CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE. THAT’S NOT A FLUKE—THE CHURCH ISN’T A BUILDING, IT’S THE BODY. EVERY THURSDAY MORNING AT 7:30 WE LIVED OUT THE VERSE “WHERE TWO OR MORE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME, SO I WILL ALSO BE THERE ALSO.” WE GOT INTO THE NITTY GRITTY OF LIFE: WHEN I HAD A BIG SIN REVEALED IN MY LIFE, SHE WAS THE ONE I CONFESSED TO, AND SHE HELPED ME WALK THROUGH BIBLICAL REPENTANCE AND RESTORATION. SHE WAS THE PERSON I TALKED TO AND PRAYED THROUGH THE FIRST FEELINGS I HAD FOR THE MAN WHO IS NOW MY HUSBAND.
OUR WEEKLY MEETINGS CONTINUED EVERY WEEK FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN EVERY TIME I CAME HOME FROM COLLEGE.
FROM A NON-CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE, WHY WOULD A WOMAN WITH A FULL-TIME JOB AND FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES SPEND YEARS OF HER LIFE HEARING ABOUT TEENAGE DRAMA? BECAUSE MARY, A CHRISTIAN, DIDN’T SUBSCRIBE TO SUCH A PERSPECTIVE: SHE BOLDLY FOLLOWED GOD’S DESIGN FOR DISCIPLESHIP. SHE DILIGENTLY POURED INTO ME EVERY WEEK TO SHOW THERE IS NO ‘JUNIOR’ HOLY SPIRIT AND TAUGHT ME THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR BEING OBEDIENT TO THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS. I LEARNED TO EXAMINE MY EXPERIENCES, FEELINGS AND ISSUES IN THE WORLD TO SEE WHERE GOD WAS AT WORK GROWING ME OR PRUNING ME. SHE SHOWED ME HOW TO MOLD MY HEART TO SCRIPTURE, INSTEAD OF BENDING SCRIPTURE TO MY OWN WILL.
THIS DEEP LEARNING AND MOLDING IS ONLY POSSIBLE THROUGH PERSONAL AND RELATIONAL DISCIPLESHIP.
MY TIME WITH MARY PREPARED ME TO RECEIVE MENTORSHIP FROM OTHER WOMEN THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, AND WHEN I WAS PAIRED UP WITH A YOUNGER WOMAN TO MENTOR IN A COLLEGE PROGRAM, I ALREADY KNEW HOW TO LISTEN, ASK QUESTIONS, AND PRAY WITH HER. I’VE GOTTEN TO GIVE HER INSIGHT INTO BEING ENGAGED, GETTING MARRIED, AND TRANSITIONING FROM COLLEGE INTO THE WORKFORCE. WE HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR THREE YEARS NOW, AND THE LORD HAS GROWN US BOTH IMMENSELY THROUGH THE RELATIONSHIP.
GOD DIDN’T DESIGN OUR LIVES TO BE LIVED IN SEPARATE COHORTS. THE BODY OF CHRIST IS ALL ONE SYSTEM, WITH EACH PART NEEDING TO BE LINKED TO THE OTHERS FOR SUPPORT, GROWTH, AND DIRECTION.
LET’S PRAY TOGETHER.
LORD,
YOU ARE THE GOD WHO SENT THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UPON THE BELIEVERS WHO WERE ALL IN ONE ACCORD AT PENTECOST. THEY WERE NOT SEPARATED BY AGE OR VOCATION—THEY WERE UNIFIED IN THEIR FAITH. GIVE US THE HEART OF PAUL, WHO LOVED ENOUGH TO MENTOR, WHO LISTENED INTENTLY TO THE JOYS, THE STRUGGLES AND THE NEEDS, AND SHARED WISDOM FROM THE SPIRIT. GIVE US THE HEART OF TIMOTHY, WHO BOLDLY BARED HIS HEART TO HIS MENTOR AND WHO SUBMITTED TO THE CALL TO LAY ASIDE EARTHLY PASSIONS AND DRAW NEARER TO CHRIST. OPEN OUR HEARTS TO THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP, TO IN TURN OPEN UP OUR SCHEDULES AND OUR LIVES TO THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE BODY.
IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.
PEACE AND BLESSINGS,
AMY PARKS
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER TASK FORCE
Upcoming Events
2021 NATIONAL LEADERS SUMMIT
 WE ARE WELCOMING NDP VOLUNTEERS AND EVENT COORDINATORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL LEADERS SUMMIT IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI SEPTEMBER 9-12. THESE FOUR DAYS WILL BE FULL OF PRAYER, PRAISE, MENTORSHIP FROM SEASONED VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS, AND EQUIPPING FOR THE WORK OF MOBILIZING UNIFIED PUBLIC PRAYER FOR AMERICA. THERE IS STILL TIME TO REGISTER IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND! CLICK THIS LINK TO REGISTER HTTPS://INTRE.ORG?535
DEADLINE IS AUGUST 16TH TO SECURE YOUR SPOT FOR A POWERFUL WEEKEND OF PRAYER!
About the National Day of Prayer
The National Day of Prayer tradition predates the founding of the United States of America, evidenced by the Continental Congress’ proclamation in 1775 setting aside a day of prayer. In 1952, Congress established an annual day of prayer and, in 1988, that law was amended, designating the National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May.
To learn more, or to find a National Day of Prayer event in your community, visit www.NationalDayofPrayer.org.
|
