Often, when people use the terms “never” and “always” they are exaggerating. For example, I’m from Portland, Oregon, where it rains often. But almost daily, I hear someone exaggerate by saying “it always rains in Portland” or “we never see the sunshine.” Of course, it doesn’t always rain. And the sun does come out.  In our lives, “never” and “always” are used for expression, but with God, they’re used to explain the truth.

The Bible says that God will never leave us. Psalm 9:10 says, “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” And at the same time, God promises to always be with us. There is nothing we could do to make God love us any less. Nothing! Never!

As you think about your life, consider the constants. Is there anything that is truly an always or never? I doubt it. Jesus is the only person who offers us unconditional love, no strings attached, all the time.

If you haven’t opened your heart up to the Lord Jesus, I encourage you to do so today. And if you have, share this truth with others in your life. Talk to someone today about Jesus, who is always present, who never leaves us.                               

This is Luis Palau.

I walked past an old warehouse and all I could see was a massive, decrepit building. When it was built, surely it was attractive and functional but now it desperately needed renovation. Where would you start?  It made me think of the story of Gideon in the Bible. God had big plans for the Israelites but they disobeyed God, were taken into the hands of their enemies, and there began to deteriorate. They needed a revival! Gideon was the one called to this major refurbishing effort, but he didn’t feel qualified. Like an abandoned warehouse, his people were falling apart. And while Gideon heard the call, he questioned God multiple times before he forged ahead.

Have you been so discouraged before that your faith seems to come to a standstill and momentum just stops?  The threat is real and we can easily abandon the call of God on our lives. That’s why Paul wrote to Timothy, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self–discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord God.”

Let’s do it! Let’s allow the Word of God to renew and revive our spirits. Gideon doubted at first, but by faith went on to rescue his people. And this testimony can also be ours as we reach our world.

This is Andrew Palau.

Communism is the political system that held sway in Russia for many years. Communism ruled the entire lives of the people who lived under it, and it proclaimed that there was no God. Christianity was outlawed.  Atheism was taught in schools.

Oleg lived in Russia during Communism, and he considered himself a part of the Communist Party. One day, he accidentally heard one of my sermons that was being broadcast on the radio called “The Road to Eternal Love.” He learned that no one is born a Christian and that everyone must repent of their sins and become born again. So that very day, Oleg repented of his sins and started following Jesus.

Oleg’s whole family eventually came to Christ, and he became a pastor. Now his church has about 200 people in it, all serving God. Hearing about Christ made Oleg realize how empty Communism was without God. In Christianity, God loves and deeply cares for you. The Bible tells us that the fool says in his heart, “There is no God,” but for those who believe, God is a refuge. Oleg’s church is now a refuge for those who want to know the fullness of God. And this is all because Oleg accidentally heard a sermon on the radio … but there are no accidents with God. Will you share the Good News of God today, giving refuge to those who need it?

This is Luis Palau.

Matt Redman’s dad died when Matt was a young boy. Years later, he found out that his father had committed suicide. In the middle of this pain and confusion, Matt clung to a truth that he had discovered a few years before. When he was 10 years old, Matt’s mother took him to a football stadium where he heard me speak about God the Father’s perfect love, in contrast to the failures of human fathers. It was then that Matt knew he had a Father in heaven.

Matt began writing songs about what he was learning in his walk with God.  Then he started sharing his songs at church. Now he is one of the most influential Christian songwriters of his generation. “Blessed Be Your Name,” “You Never Let Go,” “The Heart of Worship,” and other worship songs he has written are sung all over the world in churches every Sunday. He does what the Bible commands: “Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day.” This is his God-given calling.

Matt never imagined the impact his music would have, but he used the gift the Lord gave him for God’s glory. Now through Matt’s music, people are coming to know the Lord better. All because a little boy needed a father and found one in God the Father. Use your gifts that God has given you to praise Him, and God can do great things. You can impact the world, as Matt does with God’s help.                    

This is Luis Palau.

It was a dark, cold, rainy evening in Wrexham, North Wales, when Mark came to one of our crusade meeteings. He was 17 years old with absolutely no interest whatsoever in God, the Gospel, or His Church. That all changed that evening. Mark decided to follow the Lord, and it took him surprising places.

Seventeen years later, Mark, his wife, and their four children moved to Romania as missionaries to work with teenagers in prison and those in danger of winding up in prison. The ministry continued to grow over the next years, as they challenged teenagers and exposed them to the gospel of truth.Because Mark found Christ as a teenager, he has a desire to minister to teenagers. He was willing to move from Wales to Romania to reach those teenagers who need to know Jesus. He is “proclaiming freedom for the prisoners,” as the book of Luke says, freedom that can only be found in Christ. He is making a difference for Jesus, reaching his world.

You can too. Think about who you were when you were saved. Can you reach that type of person, telling them what you know about Jesus? Whether you were saved as a child or a teenager or as an adult, you can reach those around you with the Good News of Jesus. Everyone is a prisoner to something; Jesus can set them free.

This is Luis Palau.

The Lord called me to be an evangelist, and I can see that from a young age. My father was a great Christian influence on me, taking me to hand out evangelistic Gospel tracts in neighboring towns. We were mocked and insulted, but we continued to spread the word of God — even before I was a true Christian.

After I decided to follow Jesus at age 12, I was listening to a radio program in my aunt and uncle’s home. I didn’t hear the preacher’s name but his voice was vibrant and excited. Then another man’s strong deep voice started singing, “Out of my bondage, sorrow and night, Jesus, I come, Jesus I come…” I had been listening to Billy Graham and George Beverly Shea.

Stretched out on that living-room floor, listening, I prayed: “Jesus, someday use me on the radio to bring others to You.” Little did I know that one day I would preach to millions of people over the radio, and that I would be in full-time ministry for over fifty years.

The Lord calls all of us to spread His word, to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them. If we are obedient to God’s call, He will do great things through us, spreading the Gospel all over the world.

This is Luis Palau.

We all know someone who is living in the past. The person who has the regrets they won’t stop talking about. And we’ve all been there – true? And we all know someone who is living in the future. That’s the person who is constantly worried about what’s to come. And we’ve all been there – right? But the gift of Jesus is really the gift of the present.

What I mean is, as believers, we know that Jesus died for our sins. The cross has removed the shame and guilt of our past. And because of the cross, Jesus wiped our slate clean. And we know that our future is secure, because of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Nothing that happens tomorrow will detract from our eternity in Heaven.

So, as followers of Jesus, we have the gift of today. We have only today. And our job, according to the Bible, is to live for Jesus right here, and right now. Mark 16:15 says, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation”. Our call is to share the message of salvation.  When should we do it? Today. If God opens the door today, will you share about Jesus? Don’t wait for tomorrow, or worry about the past. Reach your world today. This is Andrew Palau.

I heard a funny story from a pastor friend recently. He had a Christian sticker on the back of his car, and one day, his wife came to him and suggested he remove it. The pastor was shocked. “Why?” he asked her. His wife looked at him and paused before saying, “Well, sweetheart, you are a mean driver. You cut people off. Sometimes you yell things. And that’s not very Christian.”

  While this story is sort of funny, it brings up a good point. As followers of Jesus, we are the body of His church. Now this doesn’t mean we have to be perfect, but we should be aware of our influence. Are there areas of your life that you haven’t really turned over to God? Are there parts of you that would confuse people if they saw them? Do people at work, or at school, know that you’re a follower of Jesus by the way you act and the standards you hold yourself to? These are all important questions to consider.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” This week, remind yourself that you are a new person in Jesus. Then, as you claim your faith publicly, do your best to live like Jesus. You better believe others will see you, and this may open the door for some good conversations about Christ, and about their salvation.

This is Luis Palau.

A few years ago, Time Magazine published a list of the most influential people in history. The list included 100 people who contributed to society in a variety of ways. In first place was Jesus, and rightly so. Further down the list were people like Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and King Arthur. As I read this list, I found myself thinking, “What makes a person influential for God?” I also wondered, “What if the most influential people in society used their position to share the Good News of Jesus?”

The truth is, we all have some influence, whether we realize it or not. Maybe you have a child, or a sibling who looks up to you. You have influence on them. Or perhaps you’re a manager or supervisor at work; you better believe your coworkers are influenced by you! Whether or not your influence is recognized by standards of this world – you have it. So how will you use it?

The Bible calls us to use our position for the glory of God. Matthew 5:16 says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” So, use your influence to let the light of Christ shine in your life and through your actions. You’ll be surprised by how many people are watching. This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever considered what your mission in life is? I ask because sometimes, people get so caught up in the day-to-day motions that they forget we’re called to be living with a purpose.  A big purpose.  An exciting plan for your life.

A long time ago, when I received Jesus into my heart, my mission in life changed. Before I was walking with the Lord, I wanted to be a banker or a lawyer. I wanted to make money and be financially successful. That was it. But with Jesus, my heart shifted. My goal became more about saving the lost than building my bank account. Although, both can go together, by the way.

As followers of Christ, God calls us all to help people find and follow Jesus. In fact, Jesus outlines this mission in Mark 16:15 which reads, “And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’”

I urge you to live out God’s mission for your life. Start by considering who in your life does not yet have a relationship with Jesus. Pray for them by name, and look for opportunities to share the Good News with them. You don’t have to be a pastor or a missionary to share the Good News; you just need to have a heart for Christ, and for people’s spiritual good. This is Luis Palau.