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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Dear Rev. Graham: I’m a pretty good person and people seem to like me, but I feel like I am deceiving them because my true thoughts are not what I reveal outwardly. Why does this bother me? — D.T.

Dear D.T.: When we face our thoughts and our motives honestly, we have to admit we are not as good as we would like other people to believe. Our thoughts are the most reliable indication of what we are really like.
Jesus said that out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks, and the evil man brings evil things out of evil stored up inside of him (Matthew 12:34-35). If we will ask the Lord to wash us clean of our sins, He will. One of the great truths in the Bible is that God wants to change us — not only our outward actions, but also our innermost thoughts because He knows that when we do wrong it’s because we have first allowed evil thoughts to control us.
Imagine transforming a bucket of stagnant water. The only solution is to empty it and clean it, and then fill it with fresh water. That’s what Christ will do if we commit our lives to Him and let His Word, the Bible, fill our hearts with His truth.
“Let us draw near [to God] with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).
Two conflicting forces cannot exist in one human heart. When doubt reigns, faith cannot abide. Where hatred rules, love is crowded out. Where selfishness rules, there love cannot dwell. People’s hearts, though small, are big enough for Christ to live in, if we will only make room for Him.
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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)