President Jerry Prevo gives Convocation message on building lives with biblical values

As the featured speaker for Wednesday’s Convocation, Liberty University President Jerry Prevo used a simple children’s tale to remind the thousands of students in the Vines Center to build their lives to withstand the blows and temptations of the devil.

The morning began with a brief speech by Wendell Walker, a 1984 Liberty graduate who serves in the Virginia House of Delegates for the 23^rd District, which includes part of Lynchburg. Along with Virginia State Senator Mark Peake, Walker presented a resolution that was passed by the General Assembly to President Prevo in recognition of Liberty’s 50^th Anniversary.

“As I look across this audience, this is nothing short of a miracle because I was one of those pioneers once who arrived here in the early ’70s to help build this university,” Walker said. “(Liberty founder) Dr. Jerry Falwell trusted God and obeyed Him, and look at the miracle that we are experiencing today.”

Before the main portion of his message, Prevo announced the speaker for Liberty’s 49^th Commencement: Dr. John Maxwell, a world-renowned leadership expert and bestselling author who Prevo said will offer helpful direction to graduates on becoming Champions for Christ and leaders in their future workplaces.

Prevo also shared about a new university effort to support the growing number of refugees from Ukraine, which he said is currently over 4 million. In the coming months, Liberty will be opening avenues for many of these children and adults to continue their education through the university’s robust online programs, ranging from elementary education up to the college level.

Prevo began his message with the story of The Three Little Pigs, making a disclaimer that it is a simple tale, but “there is a lot of spiritual truth in this little story because it matters how you build your life.”

He cited Matthew 7:26, when Jesus says those who hear His words but don’t put them into practice are like a foolish man who builds his house on sand and the house falls in the storm.

“It’ll be a great fall for you if you don’t build your house in the right way, and the right way, of course, is according to God’s Word.”

Prevo said just like the first two pigs that used weak materials the wolf easily blew down, those who build their lives with things that are not of God, pleasing only their sinful nature, are vulnerable to the devil’s attacks. The pigs chose the easier materials, but they were not strong enough.

“Blocks are heavy, and it takes a little more effort and a little more work (to use them),” Prevo said. “It takes more work to build a Christian life that will stand against the (tools) of the devil. That means being faithful in church, it means reading the Bible, it means praying.”

Prevo gave a similar illustration in the way he built his former church in Alaska, Anchorage Baptist Temple, where he pastored for 47 years before coming to Liberty. Located in an area with earthquakes that can level buildings, the church had a safety code for construction, but Prevo said he chose to surpass the minimum requirements.

“God has a code for your life, and it is found right here in the Bible, but some people follow the code and stay on the edge,” Prevo explained. “I tell people all the time: ‘Never let yourself get into a position where you could do wrong, even if you wanted to.’ Build your life stronger, back up from that edge, so that when the devil comes to tempt you … you’re not (in danger) of going over the edge. Stay in church, keep your prayer life going, and keep studying the Bible.”

Another biblical truth Prevo took from the tale was that each pig locked their doors to keep the bad wolf outside, and he encouraged the students in attendance to keep the doors of their lives locked to the evils of the world. However, the doors of our lives should remain open to Christ, he said, who is waiting on the doorsteps of those who have not yet let him in.

“Have you opened the door of your life and asked Jesus to come in? He wants in — not to destroy you, but to save you,” Prevo said. “How do you let Him in? You can call upon the Lord. Romans 10:13 says, ‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Regardless of how much you’ve sinned, regardless of what you’ve done, I know that ‘whosoever’ means you. It means any of you.”

In closing, Prevo led the students in a prayer, asking God to come into the lives of those who have not already surrendered to Him as their Savior.