I remember a letter I received years ago from a man named Jim. He wrote, “A few years ago, I was diagnosed as having melanoma cancer and had it removed. A year later, the cancer returned and again, surgery was required. Then recently, another malignancy was found.” Jim admitted that until his battle with cancer, he was a self-reliant man. But faced with his own mortality, Jim said, “I realized that help was needed, but I wasn’t sure where to go.”

Fortunately, Jim had a Christian friend who had walked with him through all of those uncertain times with his cancer. This friend invited Jim to hear me speak at a festival my team was putting on in his city. Jim and his wife both came, and both of them accepted the invitation to commit their lives to Jesus Christ.

Jim’s journey to Christ began because a relationship had been established between him and his Christian friend. So when his friend invited Jim to an evangelistic outreach, Jim agreed, and now his life is forever changed. The point is, it’s through relationships that most people hear about and respond to the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ. As you establish authentic friendships with non-Christians, they will be much more likely to respond to the call of Jesus Christ.                 

This is Luis Palau.

Michael was raised in Ireland. Born deaf, he grew up without any knowledge of the Savior who loved him. When he was telling his story, Michael said “Although I felt an emptiness inside, I was content to fill my life with football and visiting the pubs.” When Michael was a teenager, a friend of his, named Ann, began to tell him about Jesus. Michael said that even though he wasn’t interested, Ann continued sharing the Good News with him.

One day, Ann invited Michael to an event in Dublin where I was speaking. Michael agreed to go. Michael said, “God, by His Holy Spirit, touched my emptiness that night, and I gave my life to Jesus Christ.” Today, Michael and his wife live in Ireland, where they actively share the Good News with the deaf community.

I wonder where Michael would be today, if Ann hadn’t taken a risk, and shared the Good News of Jesus with him? What if she hadn’t invited Michael to the event that night? I am thankful that Ann persevered in her efforts to win Michael to Christ. Galatians 6:9 tells us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Let that be motivation for you to continue reaching the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ.               

This is Luis Palau.

I recently received an email from a middle-aged man named Alex. Alex wrote, “Dear Luis, I was saved at one of your festivals in North Wales, UK, at the age of 17. I had no interest in God, the Gospel, or His church until I attended the festival.” Alex went on to explain that now, he lives in Romania with his family as a missionary. He wrote, “We work with teenagers in prison, and those in danger of winding up in prison.” Alex and his family have been there for several years now, and their ministry is continuing to grow. 

And just think… this all started because one person invited Alex to a festival. Because of that one courageous individual, hundreds, if not thousands, of teenagers’ lives are being changed today. It reminds me of Frank Chandler, my camp counselor who shared the Good News with me when I was 12 years old. It took courage, but because he was brave enough to share his faith, I have been able to share the Good News all around the world. 

Mark 16:15 in the Bible says, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” I encourage you to do just that yourself. Think of the impact you could have, just by sharing your testimony – your story - with one person. A child even!      

This is Luis Palau.

Madison was just 20 years old when she died in a bicycle accident. She was a sophomore in college at the time. In her obituary, her family wrote something that struck a chord with me. They said, “Madison’s circle of friends was the least exclusive club in the world, but her best friend was Jesus.” Wow! Reading this made me wonder: what if we all lived so intentionally for Jesus that this is how people remembered us? What would your obituary say about you?

In her short life, Madison had already gone on mission trips to Mexico and Latvia. Her summer job was as a counselor at a Christian summer camp. It was clear to everyone around her that the center of Madison’s life was Jesus. I can’t help but think that even in her short time on this earth, Madison made a huge impact on people’s lives.

Madison is in Heaven today. But she remains an example of how to live here on earth. Madison embodied Psalm 119:105, which says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light to my path.” This week let God be the light of your life. Live with Him in mind daily. Live like Madison – on mission in your everyday life.

This is Luis Palau.

If you walk into a church around Christmastime, you’ll probably hear a reference to Luke 2:10 in the Bible, when the angel says to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid; for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people.” – But this good news isn’t just for Christmastime. It’s for all the time. It’s for everyone. This verse is relevant to you and me right here and now.

This verse reminds us that Christ banishes fear in human hearts. The angel clearly says, “Do not be afraid.” I grab hold of verses like this constantly because I get afraid.  I get nervous about many things and I have to come back to scripture and the word of God where He says, “Do not be afraid.” This verse is also a reminder that Jesus is for everyone. He doesn’t want anyone left out, or left behind.

As you hear Luke 2:10 in the Bible, consider: are you living without fear? Are you living with the joy of Jesus in your heart? Pray for wisdom and opportunities to share the message of Christ today. It’ll be the best thing you ever do.

This is Andrew Palau.

Following Jesus is always a journey, and some of us have been on that journey for many years. I have found that my spiritual life changes as I get older. I continue to learn about Jesus in new ways the more I spend time with Him and the more challenges and joys life throws my way. My life as a Christ follower looks different than it did 40 years ago, but it is just as rich and beautiful. Maybe even more so.

For some of us older folks who have been following Jesus a long time, we can sometimes forget that the job of evangelism falls to us too. Perhaps we find ourselves constantly surrounded by fellow believers, our friends and family. Maybe we find ourselves very invested in one particular faith community. These are great things. But at the same time, Christ calls us to reach those who do not yet know Him. They live in darkness.

We can take our example from Anna, the old prophetess who fasted and prayed in the temple. She was waiting for the Messiah. Once she met the child Jesus, the Bible sys “She began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” She couldn’t help herself.

There are countless stories of missionaries who served in the mission field until they were 70, 80, or even 90 years old. Their work wasn’t finished. Our work is never finished either. Continue spreading the love of God that has blessed you for so long.

This is Luis Palau.

People have said to me before, “Luis, I could never be an evangelist. I’m too shy.” Maybe this sounds likes you.

God makes us all different. Some of us are loud talkers, and others are quiet. Some are quick to speak, and others are more cautious. Some of us like to mingle in a crowd, and others would like to be in the back of the room, serving the cake. That’s wonderful! God’s kingdom needs all sorts of people.

But just because some of Christ’s followers don’t talk much doesn’t mean that they are not meant to evangelize; that is, share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We share God’s love in many more ways than just our words. In fact, our words will mean little if we do not back them up with the testimony of how we live our lives and treat other people. First John says, “Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” This isn’t saying that talk is bad. It’s just saying that actions speak as loud as words, especially if we are the type of people to use action to communicate more often than we do words.

So, if you’re quiet and shy, God still needs you to spread His Good News. You can do this by serving the people in your world, and loving those who need His love. Then, when someone asks why you are different, God will give you the words and courage to share the Gospel with both your words and your deeds.

This is Luis Palau.

My father set a great example for me by sharing God’s love anywhere he could: on street corners, at work, with friends and strangers alike. I inherited his caring for people and his passion for proclaiming the Good News of God, whether that is in my living room or on a stage in front of thousands of people. There is nothing like the energy of being around so many people, talking about the love of God.

God called me personally to be an evangelist. He made me a person who loves to travel and gets energy from talking to people. Not everyone is built like me, but those who are, often are pastors and teachers, and worship leaders. We are often the ones who get excited about evangelism, sharing our stories with anyone who will listen.

We are all called to be witnesses. First Peter says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” Sometimes it is easy for us to do the first part — tell our story — but hard for us to remember to do it with gentleness and respect. We sometimes become overbearing and overexcited, and we forget that God’s love doesn’t need to be pushed on people. It just needs to be presented to them. God, the Holy Spirit, lives in you and me.  He will work in the listeners and they will realize how much they need Christ in their lives.

This is Luis Palau.

I loved taking my kids, and then my grandkids, to the playground at the local park. But I couldn’t help but notice all of the different kids and their personalities. Some kids would go up to anyone and play with them. A stranger was just a friend they’d never met before. Other kids preferred following the more rambunctious kids. They would go down the big slide, but they liked to see someone else do it first. And then there were the kids happily playing by themselves in the sand, making designs and singing to themselves. They would stop singing anytime someone else came near them. 

A playground is just a miniature version of adult social situations. We can see the same personalities in any workplace or coffee shop. God has made us all different. He’s done that for a reason. We can’t all be leaders; otherwise, who would follow? We can’t all be followers, either. God has given us special gifts that we can and should use for His glory to build His kingdom. As it says in Romans, “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.”

We need to be the people God has created us to be, to the best of our ability, in order to bring others to Christ. All of us! Leaders and followers, bold and shy, new believers and older disciples: we all need to find ways to reach our world by spreading the Good News Gospel to those around us.   

This is Luis Palau.

When I think back on my life before I accepted Christ, one thing that comes to mind is a feeling of unworthiness. On some level, I felt like I wasn’t good enough – or like I had sinned too much – to be loved by God. During my years in ministry, I’ve seen this type of thinking time and time again. People believe they’ve fallen too far to get back up, or people think they’re too sinful to ever be accepted by God.

The truth is, God loved me at my worst the same as He loves me at my best. I can see now that He pursued me relentlessly, even when I had completely turned my back on Him. And God will do the same for you.

The Bible says in Romans 5:8 that “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Think about that for a moment, would you? Even when you and I were in our darkest places, God loved us enough to die for us. I don’t know about you, but this reminds me that God loves us more deeply than we could even imagine.

So, take confidence from knowing that God loves you – and because God loves you, you are worthy.

This is Andrew Palau.