Billy Graham: “Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant”

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BillyGraham-Tallahasee-Florida

Having grown up Catholic, I was aware of Billy Graham, but I always thought it was one of those “born again” people and it wasn’t for me. How wrong I was!

It took his death on Feb. 21, 2018, for me to really get to know him. I’ve watched several of his biographical movies and even watched the movie that Kathie Lee Gifford watched that led her to Jesus. (It’s embedded below).

I can’t claim that I came to Jesus through a Billy Graham Crusade, but I know someone who did. For me, it was reading “Left Behind(ad)”.

However, in recent years, with the outbreak of social media in the world, I use the medium to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Follow me on Twitter). I know there’s only one way into Heaven and that’s through believing in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

I can’t imagine what it’s like for a believer and a servant like Billy Graham the moment he died, he entered Heaven and was greeted by Jesus himself as well as his wife Ruth, his parents and many of the people that he helped lead to Christ. He used to say that,

“Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”

I love how his children spoke of him and especially the vow of Anne Graham Lotz to keep preaching the Gospel.

I guess watching all this has inspired me to come back to blogging here. It’s been a while. I’ve thought about it, but then good intentions are fine, but if action doesn’t happen, then nothing gets done.

I was blown away by Kathie Lee Gifford’s amazing response to Billy Graham’s death.

I pray that I and all Born Again Christians will be so bold and have the courage to proclaim the Good News of the salvation that only comes through Jesus Christ. That when it’s our turn to meet Jesus in person, that He will say,

Well done, good and faithful servant! (Matthew 25:21)

This is the movie, The Restless Ones, that Kathie Lee Gifford watched that convinced her to turn to Jesus.

If you want to have peace and joy in your life, click here.

And I do recommend reading Billy Graham’s Biography, “Just As I Am(ad)”. What an amazing life!

Top picture by “Florida Memory” of Billy Graham at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, February 11, 1961.

 

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Thoughts & Notes on Donald Trump in Phoenix

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At the Donald Trump Rally in Phoenix 7/11

Me at the Donald Trump Rally in Phoenix 7/11

I went to see Donald Trump in Phoenix live at the Phoenix Convention Center today. I took the LightRail down and walked over, stood in the line that wrapped around the building for about an hour then stood through the whole thing – no seating. The only seating was for the “VIPs” – probably members of the The Republican Party of Maricopa County. (I’d put a link to their website, but sadly, it’s not a very good website. Maybe I should offer them my services – for a fee.)

My interest in seeing what Mr. Trump had to stay stems from my own Latina background (I’m Puerto Rican – my “immigrant” story is yet to come) and my experience in getting to know a few illegal Mexicans while living here in Phoenix for 10 years. (That’s another story.) I wanted to hear what Mr. Trump plan is to fix the problem of immigration as a whole.

Donald Trump in Phoenix 7.11.15 courtesy of Fox 10 Phoenix

Donald Trump in Phoenix 7.11.15 courtesy of Fox 10 Phoenix

The only “answer” I heard was that he would charge Mexico $100,000 for every illegal person they sent over. Now that’s assuming that the Mexican government is really “sending them over” and these people aren’t coming over on their own.

He did say he would make immigration “easier and faster”. How is yet to be determined.

He mentioned that he was tied in the polls for first place with Jeb Bush. Then he said that while Jeb was governor of Florida, there were 5 sanctuary cities. (Related article: Forget Sanctuary Cities, Florida has 7 Sanctuary Counties).

To make our country great again we have to create borders otherwise we don’t have a country.

Here’s his full speech courtesy of Fox 10 Phoenix.


Here are some of my notes:

The American Dream is dead but I’m going to make it bigger, better, stronger.

Ford is building a plant in Mexico rather than in Tennessee. “President Trump” would charge Ford…

35% for every car, truck and part you send over.

On the Iran “negotiations” he’d get our hostages back from Iran before making a deal with them. (I agree.)

He’s disappointment in the Republican Party – they “talk and talk and do nothing”. (I agree.)

I want jobs in the United States.

We have to take care of our Veterans. Our Veterans are being treated as 3rd class citizens.

We have to get rid of Obamacare. We’ve got to repeal it and replace it with something good.

In 2004, Trump said not to invade Iraq. (I was against that.)

We want a military so strong that we’d never have to use it. …Don’t mess with the U.S.
ISIS would be ins such trouble!… I would take them out so fast!
These people [ISIS] make Saddam Hussain look like a choir boy!

People started cutting up their Macy’s credit cards when Macy’s dropped the Donald Trump line.

The Silent Majority is back and we are going to make America great again!

I like him. He doesn’t hold back. He will be respected. He won’t back down. He knows how to negotiate. He can definitely fix the economy and bring jobs back home. I still want to see HOW he’s going to fix the immigration problem.

However, I’m not going to support him fully yet. I want to hear Ben Carson and Ted Cruz next. Talking to some folks on line and in the train we discussed a Trump/Carson ticket. Now that would be a first! Neither are politicians. What do you think? Comment below, but keep it clean and be nice.

 

Why Pray for our Nation?

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This is from the 2010 National Day of Prayer booklet.

Pray for our nationPrayer is an important part of America’s history, reflecting the faith of our founding fathers. In fact, America’s first national call to prayer predates the Constitution. In 1776, the Continental Congress called for a day of prayer. Their expression of humility and dependence on God provided a bedrock of faith on which the United States was founded and still operates today.

We can wait till the official National Day of Prayer, but our country needs prayer right now.

How to Pray

Being raised Catholic, I learned 3 prayers, the “Our Father”, “Hail Mary” and the “Act of Contrition”. I was never encouraged or taught to pray otherwise.

Since becoming a born-again Christian, my spiritual journey has lead me closer to God, His Word, but I still struggle with finding time to pray.

Prayer is simply:

  • Talking with God
  • Listening to God
  • Enjoying the presence of God

Remember the components of prayer: P.R.A.Y.

Praise God for what He has already accomplished through Jesus.

Repent personally and on behalf of our nation.

Ask God to reveal truth and turn our hearts back to God.

Yield to the Lord and recognize He has heard our prayers and will answer according to His will.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

 

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Pray that Government will Value the Lives of the Voiceless

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Republican Elephant & Democratic Donkey - Icons

It’s unfortunate that government leaders put political gain and power ahead of the people’s true needs, and it’s the voiceless and poor that suffer.

Leadership gains authority and respect
when the voiceless poor are treated fairly. ~Proverbs 29:14

Pray that our leaders with put the needs and wants of the people first and their political ambitions aside.

Pray for those being affected by the shutdown, those on furlough and those whose have indirectly lost work because of the shutdown.

 

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

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Pray for our Leaders to be like Solomon

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King Solomon is known as one of the wisest people of the Bible. And it’s interesting how he got all the wisdom. In a dream, God spoke to Solomon (1 Kings 3: 5-14 NIV):

“…God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Now, put yourself in Solomon’s shoes. If you had one wish, what would you wish for? Power? A long life? Wealth? Solomon’s response is not what you would have expected…

“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

“A discerning heart?” What is discernment? It’s the ability to judge well. To know the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong. “To govern your people.” He put the people first. Wow. Totally unselfish.

English: Solomon's Wealth and Wisdom, as in 1 ...

Solomon’s Wealth and Wisdom, as in 1 Kings 3:12-13, illustration from a Bible card published 1896 by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

So God gave him wisdom AND what he didn’t ask for – wealth, honor and a long life! But he also said that “…there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be… And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands…” 

So, can we expect our leaders to be like Solomon? No, but we can pray that they strive to be. We can pray that they govern with “a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”

And Solomon was kind enough to share all the wisdom that God gave him in the Book of Proverbs. It’s a gift from God through Solomon. Making foolish decisions is easy for people when they don’t consult God or the Bible. That’s another thing we can pray for.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

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God Chose our Leaders

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White House Front
Romans 13:1 reads:

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (NIV)

“The authorities that exist have been established by God.” What?

Our first thought may be, “God, what were you thinking!?” That may be one of the first questions I ask Him when I get to heaven. God has a purpose. It is not for us to know or even try to figure it out. All we can do is pray and keep praying and trust that God knows what He’s doing.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

 

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Pray for Honest and Sensible Leaders

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Read the Book of Proverbs to gain Wisdom

Read the Book of Proverbs to gain Wisdom

Have you ever read through the book of Proverbs? It’s full of wisdom. And it’s interesting to see the same Proverb in the various translations and versions. Take Proverbs 28:2 – here are a few different versions…

The Message:

When the country is in chaos,
everybody has a plan to fix it—
But it takes a leader of real understanding
to straighten things out.

New International Version:

When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

The Living Bible:

When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily; but with honest, sensible leaders there is stability.

The Amplified Bible:

When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but when the ruler is a man of discernment, understanding, and knowledge, its stability will long continue.

I pray that the members of Congress and the President sit and read through the Book of Proverbs and that they all get a dose of common sense and honesty.

 

Soli Deo Gloria!
Giselle Aguiar

 

 

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