Five and a Half Questions Everyone Must Answer预览

Introduction

There he was, at odds with his dear friend and with himself, but in actuality - with his own beloved faith. Who could expect such a thing to happen, especially for a godly, committed Christian man? Was it some type of unwitting betrayal? As the dialogue between good friends who were now philosophically discordant continued, words from one’s mouth to the other’s ears pierced like daggers. Each challenging word cut deeper into the heart of the listener. At what point would Billy say “I’ve had enough!” But these kinds of words would never leave his proper and well-guarded mouth.

People of the time said that it was Charles who was to be the world’s leading evangelist. They lauded him as being more eloquent, intelligent, charismatic, and (to the view of some) even more handsome than Billy. Although he was often seen by so many as one that was in the shadow of Charles Templeton, the world is far more familiar with the name Billy Graham. But why?

Here they were - two friends, now at odds over the truth of Scripture. Charles had been plagued for some time with spiritual doubt, some perhaps wondered whether Billy picked up on it during their evangelistic crusades. Either way, the same questions that plagued Charles began to gnaw at Billy. “I certainly was disturbed”, Graham said of their conversations.

After contemplation, Charles went on to publicly denounce Christianity. How did he come to such a conclusion? Templeton was plagued to the point of spiritual defeat, while a once disturbed Billy would go on to say, “In my heart and mind, I knew the spiritual battle which took place in my soul had been fought and won.”

Was it possible for the great Billy Graham to doubt the authority of God’s word? He said himself, “If I was not exactly doubtful, I was certainly disturbed.” What Billy experienced here is what many of us have or will face in our lives and that is a battle with the Identity Thief. Billy was about to step into the limelight, a calling, one in which God knew that his chosen servant would need clear convictions in order to succeed in his mission. Did Billy truly believe what he preached? “At last, the Holy Spirit freed me…Not all my questions were answered, but a major bridge had been crossed.”

This 7-day devotional is designed to be a bridge for you to discover your Purposeful Identity. Here we have presented two close friends, two evangelists, both plagued by questions. One had his beliefs gnawed at, to the point of spiritual destruction, while the other searched diligently for answers, and because of doing this, his legacy is cemented for all time.

If you are a man building a Christ-centered legacy, you need to know who you are (your Identity), why you are (your purpose) and most importantly whose you are (your Master). These five and a half simple, yet powerful questions will help prepare you for the battle with the Identity Thief, in hopes that you too will be able to say, “the battle in my soul has been fought and won.”