At my age, there are a lot of
things that health and strength no longer permit me to do. Sometimes when
Franklin is visiting, I jokingly offer him this advice: “Don’t get old!” But
there are still many things I can do, and one of them is pray. I’ve been
praying fervently that we might have a fresh spiritual awakening in America.
If ever there was a time this
country needed the intervention of God, it is now. We can and should pray for
America as a whole, but remember that when God sets out to change a nation, He
begins by changing people. It starts with individuals. The more I pray, the
more deeply I feel that My Hope America is the right outreach for this country
today.
 |
| Evangelist Billy Graham |
In November, the month I turn 95,
we will have a new My Hope America video/TV special available across the
country—several wonderful, real-life stories of people whose lives were
transformed by Jesus Christ interwoven with a message from my heart about the
healing power of the gospel. I’m already at work on this.
Along with all the encouraging
visits from grandchildren and great-grandchildren this summer, I’ve had a video
camera crew helping me tape, from my home, the things I feel strongly that God
is leading me to say to America. Please pray that God will work in the
completion of this program and that He will use it in a mighty way.
You can invite people you know to
watch the program with you in November. Ask God to touch their hearts as they
watch. Thousands and thousands of believers in every part of the country are
preparing to do that.
Who do you know—loved ones,
friends, co-workers—who need to understand and experience the life-changing
power of the gospel? Are you praying faithfully for them right now, specific
people you long to see transformed now and for eternity?
God longs to see them transformed
as well, and He invites you to partner with Him as He seeks to draw them to
Himself. If you want to see someone’s heart healed and eternal future secured,
you must be praying.
A Christian may feel unsure at
times of how best to do that. God understands. The Bible says, “We do not know
how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us” (Rom. 8:26,
NASB). That means when we intentionally and faithfully lift the names of our
lost friends and loved ones to the throne room of heaven, it is the Holy Spirit
who is pleading, mourning and praying through us. In this way, we become actual
partners with God—“workers together with Him” (2 Cor. 6:1, NKJV)—and our
efforts are raised from the low plane of doubt and hesitancy to the high plane
of creativity with God.
As a co-laborer with God, you
need not be anxious about how to make it all work. You cannot draw anyone to
Christ, but God can: “For thus says the Lord God: ‘Indeed I Myself will search
for My sheep and seek them out’” (Ezek. 34:11). Ask Him to do that.
Make sure your pastor knows about
My Hope America—already more than 16,000 churches in all 50 states have signed
up to participate. Meanwhile, I encourage you to sign up right now as an
individual. Plan to go through a My Hope America training session at a church
in your area, or take the easy online training at home (you’ll need about three
hours total, spread out at your own pace). There is no fee or cost.
This is a huge undertaking, but
we strongly believe the outreach and all needed materials should remain free of
charge to those who participate. We are trusting God for the financial
resources, and we are asking Him to lay it on your heart to help with a
generous and sacrificial gift for My Hope America.
Most of all, we ask for your
prayers and participation so that the hope of the gospel can touch not only
people across the nation, but people you personally know and care about. The
Bible says, “Let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water
of life freely” (Rev. 22:17). Join me in asking God to give people that thirst.
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