To some people, Christmas preparations can be a very big deal. In Oregon, where I live, many families go to tree farms and cut down their own Christmas trees. It is a whole day affair – you go and choose your tree, then use a saw to cut it down. At this point you warm up with a mug of hot spiced cider. Then you tie the tree on top of your car to get it home.

The tree is just the beginning. There are decorations to put up, parties to plan, and presents to buy. The stores want to make us believe that we need to buy more and more to be ready for Christmas. If only we could buy enough, we would be really ready for Christmas to come. But that’s not true: the only way to be truly ready is to prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate the birth of Messiah. That’s what Advent is all about.

Christmas is a big deal. It is when “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” as the Apostle John says. God Himself came down and became man to live with us. Galatians says, he was “born of woman, born under the law,” so that we might know eternal life. Because of this, we need to get ready to celebrate Messiah-Savior, the Lord Jesus; not by buying more but by considering how to be more Christ-like. These preparations will show the world why Christmas matters so much.This is Luis Palau.

Delaying something can make it better and more meaningful in the long run, don’t you think? Having to work for a long period of time to earn something makes it more meaningful when you finally get it. Or, have you been in a long distance relationship? Waiting to see that person can make it that much more joyful when you are finally reunited.

I sometimes wonder if joyful anticipation is a lost art in our culture. It seems as though we’re more about instant gratification. But I think anticipation can be helpful this time of year.

Are you familiar with Advent? Advent comes from the Latin word for “coming.” Advent has historically been a more serious time of reflection and anticipation of Christ coming to us. If you spend the weeks before Christmas reflecting on our need for a Savior, Christmas becomes an even greater celebration because it is very Good News. As the Angel said in the Gospel of St. Luke, “I bring you good news of great joy.”

Rather than being a part of the frenzied schedule that many experience every December, take time for reflection, worship and serving others. Look for opportunities to share with others in your world the real reason Christmas is such good news. This is Luis Palau.

In the Christmas carol, Joy to the World we sing, “Let every heart prepare Him room…” What can we do to “prepare Him room” each Christmas? One helpful idea is to observe the season of Advent. Historically, on the church calendar, Advent is the four weeks before Christmas. Advent is a time of anticipating Christ coming to us. Most people are familiar with Advent calendars that count down to Christmas day.

Another idea is the Advent wreath. There are four candles in the wreath: three purple – symbolizing the royalty of the coming King. And one rose colored candle for rejoicing. Four candles for four weeks. And some light a white candle in the center - a Christmas candle - on Christmas Day. Each week as you light a new candle you can read Scriptures about our Lord’s coming. Some families do this each night at dinner, and some churches do this on the Sundays leading up to Christmas. Most people host friends, neighbors, and relatives during the holidays. If the Advent wreath is a part of your celebration this could be a great conversation starter with those in your world who don’t know Jesus.

In Zephaniah we read, “Fear not… The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save.” What glorious Good News we celebrate every Christmas! Who can you share it with this year?  This is Luis Palau.

A friend of mine works as a preschool teacher. She told me that one of the things she tells her young children is, “sharing is caring!” It’s such a simple concept: if you care about someone, you’ll want to share with them. It’s human nature!

The “sharing is caring” principle can also be applied to the sharing of the Good News. If you love someone, or care about them in the slightest, you’ll certainly care about where they’ll spend eternity. While people don’t often talk about it, hell is a very real place. And so is Heaven. The basis of the Good News is that when people develop a relationship with Christ, they are guaranteed eternity with Him in paradise – that is, in heaven. Isn’t’ that something you want to share with everyone you know in your world? Of course it is! After all, that’s called Good News.

The Bible says in Psalm 96:3, “Declare His glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!” so let me ask you: are you doing this? Are you declaring the glory of God? Are you sharing His Good News? His great works?

Join me in spreading the Good News to those in your world and in your life who don’t know Him. You will never regret it! This is Luis Palau.

I have noticed that believers can fall into two categories. There are some believers who tend to forget about God when they don’t think they need Him. In other words, they forget about God when things are going good in their life. When life is going their way, these people tend to wander from God’s Word. They only turn to Him when they are in desperate need of His help.

The other type of believer tends to be the opposite. When things are good, they trust in God. But when things are difficult, they waver, get worried, and question everything.  Now, none of us is perfect, so we all probably lean one way or the other. But part of loving God is making the decision to remain devoted to Him in the good times and in the bad.

Psalm 40:8 says, “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart”. So we must ask ourselves: are we remaining obedient and rooted in God, or have we begun to wander away? I encourage you to be faithful in the easy times of life, as well as the difficult times. Understand that God sees you, and He knows exactly what you are going through. Trust in Him today. Be an example in your world of a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.This is Luis Palau.

Someone once said to me, “Luis, I believe in God, but I don’t want to follow His rules. Can’t I just do my ‘own thing’ and still love Him?” I was perplexed by this question, so I thought for a moment before answering. “Sure, you can love God. But isn’t a part of love wanting to please the person who has your affection?” I asked. The man was quiet.

I mean, think about it. Consider your spouse, or your best friend. If you’re anything like me, you want to bring joy to the person or people you love most. You wouldn’t want to disobey or disrespect them—at least not intentionally, right?

The point is, none of us are perfect, but we are all called to love God, and part of loving God is obeying His word. The Bible says in John 14:23-24, “Jesus replied, ‘if anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.”

This week, spend some time in prayer. Are there areas of your life where God is asking for obedience? Be open to hearing Him – then do what God is calling you to do. Remember that he calls all of us to share His Good news of salvation with our world.             

This is Luis Palau.

Someone once said to me, “Luis, I believe in God, but I don’t want to follow His rules. Can’t I just do my ‘own thing’ and still love Him?” I was perplexed by this question, so I thought for a moment before answering. “Sure, you can love God. But isn’t a part of love wanting to please the person who has your affection?” I asked. The man was quiet.

I mean, think about it. Consider your spouse, or your best friend. If you’re anything like me, you want to bring joy to the person or people you love most. You wouldn’t want to disobey or disrespect them—at least not intentionally, right?

The point is, none of us are perfect, but we are all called to love God, and part of loving God is obeying His word. The Bible says in John 14:23-24, “Jesus replied, ‘if anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.”

This week, spend some time in prayer. Are there areas of your life where God is asking for obedience? Be open to hearing Him – then do what God is calling you to do. Remember that he calls all of us to share His Good news of salvation with our world.             

This is Luis Palau.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Don’t put God into a box.” What it means is, don’t create God in your image. Don’t put limitations on God. Instead, let God be God. Let Him work the way He works—and don’t try to quantify or limit His capabilities.

In my own life, I get caught up in planning. I consider What do I want to do? What’s best for me? Or What’s best for my family? And if anything other than my initial preferences occurs, I get frustrated. I complain, wondering why things get so hard.

What I have to remember – and what we all have to remember – is that God is all about bringing glory to Himself and to the Kingdom. And often, that means His mighty plan is going to be bigger than I can ever comprehend. God’s plan may include a few obstacles that I don’t want or that I don’t understand. But God’s plan is still purposeful. God is not limited to my likes and dislikes, my timeframe, or my personal goals. God does not fit into my box.

Remember that God loves you—but sometimes His plan may look a lot different than yours. The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5 to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” – so do it! Trust God; He is bigger than we can ever comprehend. That will help you so much as you reach your world.This is Andrew Palau.

By God’s grace, I have been able to share the Good News Gospel all over the world, and in that time, I have witnessed literally hundreds of thousands of people come to Jesus Christ. It has been extraordinary to be used by God in this way! But one of the most amazing things about God is that He can use anybody to further His message! You don’t have to have ‘Evangelist’, ‘Pastor’, or ‘Missionary’ as your job title to effectively share the Good News. In fact, God says that we—His followers—are all His witnesses, regardless of what we do for a living, or where we live, or how big our circle of influence is!

Consider your life right now. Are there people in your world that God has called you to talk to about His Good News within your place of work, your school, your circle of friends, or your neighborhood? Pray diligently and ask God to set up the right time and place for you to share His Good News. Mark 16:15 in the Bible says, “…Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation”, so consider how you can reach ‘the world’ from your own front door. God does not call the qualified to share His Good News, He simply qualifies the called. And He has called you. And me too.This is Luis Palau.

I know a man who has worked as a paramedic and firefighter for over two decades. Recently, he shared that he feels haunted by the things he has seen on the job. His memories of horrific things he has seen as a first responder at times makes him feel alone in life. But as a follower of Jesus, this man has made it a mission to continue seeking help and support.

One tool the enemy uses to pull us away from Jesus and bring us into a place of darkness is the sense of isolation, where some bad memory makes you want to go and hide. Maybe he’s telling you you’re alone after a relationship failure, or alone in a battle with addiction, or alone because you lost a loved one, or have a serious illness. Whatever the situation may be, I can promise you one thing: you are never really alone because God is with you at all times. He is with you right now. And He is with you in the most painful moments, when you feel like nobody understands your struggle.

Isaiah 41:10 in the Bible says, “so do not fear, for I am with you…” I urge you to resist the feeling of loneliness and trust in God’s presence. Finding a community of supportive believers can be a big help, but first and foremost – have you believed in Jesus and surrendered your life to Him? That’s step number one.   

This is Luis Palau.