Years ago, while preparing for a large evangelistic festival in Latin America, an illiterate, shoeless, and unshaven man attended one of our week-long biblical counseling courses. Usually, these counseling courses were attended by leaders of local churches who appeared more “put together.” But this man loved Jesus, and he wanted to lead people to Him, despite some obvious obstacles — such as not being able to read.

Anyway, after the courses were over and the evangelistic festival began, the shoeless, illiterate man ended up leading four medical doctors and their wives to Jesus Christ. The rest of the volunteers were amazed and filled with joy. This man did not look like the rest of them, but he loved Jesus, and that was enough. God used him.

Maybe you feel like you don’t fit in with a particular church crowd. Or, maybe you don’t look like the people in your small group. Let me assure you that whatever situation you’re in, if you love Jesus, you are enough.

God made us all different, but we all, as followers of Jesus Christ, have the same purpose and that is to spread His Good News in the best way we can.

This is Luis Palau.

When I think of the power of God at work in someone’s life, I often think of Gladys Aylward. She has been called one of the most effective missionaries of the twentieth century, and her story has been told in books, in a film biography starring Ingrid Bergman, and on a BBC feature called “This Is Your Life.” But Gladys wasn’t always such a change maker. In fact, she was born average—at best.

Gladys was born into a working class family in London, in 1902. She did poorly in school, and she became a maid when she was 14. But then, in her twenties, Gladys received Jesus as her personal Savior and everything changed. Gladys felt called to China. People dismissed that call, but to China she went. In her life, Gladys shared the Good News with thousands of people, especially children. Her life went from ordinary to extraordinary—not because of her own merit, but because she listened to the call that God placed on her heart.

The Bible says in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation.” This week, I encourage you to think about Gladys. Pray and ask God to reveal who He wants you to share the Good News with. Where does He want you to go? Then, listen to your calling and move boldly. God will change your life, and others through you.                    

This is Luis Palau.

When Paul, in the Bible, received Jesus as His personal Savior, his entire life changed. In fact, the change was so drastic, his very name changed from Saul to Paul. He went from persecuting Christians to devoting his whole life to Jesus. Even when he was persecuted and imprisoned for his new faith, he remained a follower of Jesus.

Whenever I read about Paul, I ask myself: “What do people see when they look at my life?” Do they see someone who has been transformed from the ways of this world to the ways of Jesus? Is my true faith on display in all areas of my life? On social media? In the way I treat people? In the choices I make behind closed doors?

It is easy to put on a façade, or a mask, with friends from church or even people on social media. But God sees the heart. He knows our intentions, our true desires, and what lies underneath the surface. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 16:7, “Do not look at the outer appearance…for the Lord sees not as man sees…the Lord looks at the heart.” This week, may I urge you to live a transformed life? Not just on the surface, but in everything you do?

This is Luis Palau.

When we respond to receive Jesus into our life, we can walk peacefully—even through difficult seasons. Proverbs 1:33 says, “But all who listen will live in peace, untroubled by fear and harm.” And John 14:27 in the Bible says, “I am leaving you a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So do not be troubled or afraid.”

As you think about your life right now, ask yourself: are you really surrendering to Jesus and experiencing His peace? Have you received Him into your heart? Are you in a relationship with Him?

When I received the Lord at age 27, I experienced God’s peace in a very real and profound way. All of the things I had been stressed about – and rightfully so – were now covered and dealt with properly once and for all by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. All of the areas of life I could not control suddenly lost their power over me. The Holy Spirit indwelling me was the new power available to me. I had surrendered to God, and in doing so a peace that passes understanding entered into my life.

Who do you know who needs to hear this message of peace today? Pray about whom God wants you to talk to. Then go out, be bold, and reach your world. Share the peace-filled message of Jesus. This is Andrew Palau.

Do you remember when you learned to read? It was probably a really long time ago for most of us. Do you remember how difficult it was? It was a whole new way of looking at the world.

Maybe you got frustrated. Maybe it didn’t seem worth it. You already knew how to speak. Who needs to know how to write and read? Hopefully you didn’t give up. Hopefully you had someone who reminded you that learning a new, important skill requires a lot of perseverance. It might feel too hard, but those things that are too hard are usually worth the difficulty.

In Philippians, Paul talks about perseverance. He says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. …One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul says that we need to continue moving toward Jesus, forgetting about what we used to be and constantly working to become more like Christ. It won’t be easy but it will be worth it. When others see us persevering toward goodness, they will want that goodness in their own lives. Then we can all persevere together.This is Luis Palau.

Many New Year’s resolutions have something to do with the body or the physical world. Some people want to exercise more or eat better. Maybe they want to learn a new skill or stop wasting money on nonessential things. These are all good goals for a healthier life. But resolutions can go beyond just trying to lose weight or eat more vegetables. We can also look inside of our hearts at our spiritual habits.

Making money is good and necessary. But in the Bible, Paul the Apostle talks at length about the love of money being a root of all kinds of evil. He says, “It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith.” But then he goes on: “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, persistence, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.” Paul gives us many spiritual qualities to desire in our own lives. These are resolutions we can make to live a more full and godly life.

These things are hard to accomplish, but with Christ’s indwelling power, and His indwelling Spirit, we can become more godly and righteous. It won’t be easy, but we have to “fight the good fight.” Everything good is from God and worth the sacrifice. When we seek these spiritual goals, others will see us pursuing a better life and want to join us in our good fight to become more godly people.              

This is Luis Palau.

When people make resolutions at the beginning of January, things usually start out pretty well. But somewhere around the beginning of February, things start going downhill. The newness wears off, the motivation is gone, and people start realizing how hard it really is to make changes in their lives. People are much more successful in their resolutions if they don’t do it alone; if they have someone to help them, whether that is a friend or a professional. When you and I are accountable to someone about changes we need to make in life, we are more likely to succeed.

When we resolve to make changes in our spiritual lives, we are not meant to do it alone. The Lord is the only one who can make these changes possible. In Psalms, the song goes, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” We need help! And who better to help us than the Creator of the whole world? He created us too. He is definitely able to help us make changes, if we ask Him.

Earlier in the Psalms, the psalmist asks for help from God. He says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” This should be our prayer, whether we are asking God to change us for the first time or the hundredth time. He will always help us change if we sincerely ask Him.

This is Luis Palau.

Can you believe it’s already 2017? It seems like 2016 just began. Time passes quickly! Many people use the start of a new year as a chance to make some New Year’s resolutions. They could use some changes in their lives, and so they say: on January 1, everything will change for me. Well, making change is often a little harder than just “resolving” something, but it’s a good start. We always have the opportunity to change. 

The first step in making resolutions is noticing something needs to change. If we don’t take a moment to reflect on who we are and what we are doing in our lives, we will never see that part of our lives may be unhealthy. This is especially true in our spiritual lives. We might be so busy volunteering or teaching Sunday school or going to events that we don’t take the time to really evaluate how well we are following Christ.

In Lamentations, it says “Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord.” Returning to the Lord means that we need to stop, look around, and see that we’ve wandered away, perhaps without intending to. The Lord always welcomes us back, but we need to make the choice to return to Him. We need to resolve to be different. Once we have, we can make a difference in our world for Christ. When we make changes in our lives, others can see that change is possible for them too.This is Luis Palau.

Good habits affect more than just our bodies and minds.I recently read an article about the importance of forming good habits of sleep. This article outlined why it’s so critical to prioritize uninterrupted rest. It also listed practical ways to help ensure quality sleep. As I read through the list of suggestions I thought, “These are great and applicable to our spiritual lives too. We should prioritize time in God’s Word and in prayer the same way we would for sleep.”

The authors of Sleep: The foundation for a healthy mind and body say that, to get a good night of sleep, establish a consistent and predictable time to go to bed. They also suggest we limit distractions when it’s time to sleep. That we go to a quiet room, away from the stress of the day, and train ourselves to recognize this place as a place of rest.

In the same way that a regular routine is beneficial for our minds and physical bodies, it can benefit our spiritual lives too. Let’s train our minds and hearts to set aside uninterrupted distraction-free time to be in God’s Word. David describes in Psalm 119 a relationship with God that reveals far more than a casual encounter with God’s Word. David made spending time with God a priority. Let’s do the same. Let’s establish a healthy spiritual habit of daily entering the presence of God, consistently and reliably coming before Him. This is a habit that will reap great rewards as we reach our world. This is Andrew Palau.

Are you young and inexperienced? Good, you may be just the kind of person God is looking to use! You may have heard the saying before, “God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.” And you know, if you have a call from God, I believe He will give you the wisdom and direction you need. But may I encourage you in one way? Don’t go it alone. The Bible says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” We are told that there is victory, safety and wisdom in a multitude of counselors. So I would encourage anyone to have many counselors- young and old. Gather a team around you.

I remember when Dr. Billy Graham gave me advice.  One day he said, “Luis, I can open a door for you, but only you can walk through it.”  And another man, Mr. Fred Renich, said to me, “Before your feet touch the ground in the morning, begin to praise God that He’s going to use you today, every single day.”  And then Ian Thomas, who said, “Luis, it’s not you serving the Lord, but Christ in you and through you, using you to bring glory to God.” 

That kind of counsel is absolutely imperative, and you need it just as much as I did.  There is wisdom in many counselors. Whose advice will you seek out today as you reach your world?         

This is Luis Palau