What is the secret to staying true to Christ?
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham
Q: My teenage daughter is a good girl but struggles with peer pressure. Kids constantly dare her to do things she knows are wrong. As a Christian, what is the secret to staying true to Christ? -- W.M.
A: Jesus wants to be the Lord of our lives. For those who truly belong to Him, He must be the Master of our bodies. We present Him to a lost world by telling others what Christ has done for us. He sacrificed His life to give us eternal life. Our lives should back up what we say -- that God truly makes a difference in how we live.
"Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:1-2).
Are we doing this? Do our eyes belong to Christ? Our eyes can be covetous and never satisfied. The Bible says, "I will set nothing wicked before my eyes" (Psalm 101:3). What about our ears? "Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live" (Isaiah 55:3). Our tongue can do unspeakable harm. "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psalm 141:3). Our hands can do the work of the devil. Our feet can take us where we shouldn't go. And our sexuality can get us in trouble before we know it.
When Jesus is the Master of our social life, it is reflected by the friends we keep, the relationships we nurture, and is even reflected by how we entertain ourselves. All we do should glorify the Lord.
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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)
(c)2019 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
