In the Bible, Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." In the New Testament, Jesus repeats this command and even points it out as the most important commandment of all—along with loving your neighbor as yourself.So, how do we actually show our love for God? Is it by telling Him “I love you”? Is it by singing praises to Him? These are certainly good things, but they only scratch the surface.

We demonstrate our love for God by gratefully receiving Jesus into our hearts first of all, and walking with Him. And just as you want to please someone you love, like a spouse or parent, we do our best to love God by following His commands. This doesn’t mean we have to be legalistic, and it doesn’t mean we’ll be perfect. But by trusting and obeying God our Father, we show Him our love is genuine and true.

This week, consider showing God you love Him by demonstrating His love for others, His kindness, His gentleness, and His faithfulness, and His words. Others will see your life and wonder what’s different about you, and that will be a wonderful opportunity for you to share Jesus Christ with them.This is Luis Palau.

My father-in-law is on the board of an organization called “Back to the Bible”. Recently, Back to the Bible found that Christians who spend time in the Word at least four times a week are 228% more likely to share their faith with others than people who do not engage with the Bible.  These same people were 407% more likely to memorize Scripture, and 30% less likely to struggle with loneliness than people who do not engage in the Bible. Wow! These numbers prove what we already know: God’s Word has power.

This week, I encourage you to make spending time in God’s Word a priority. That will help you in every other priority as well, that’s underneath it. If it helps, mark your calendar with a sticky note that reminds you “Read the Bible”. Or, you could set a reminder on your phone or tablet. However you do it, when you make time for God, you will be blessed with His wisdom, truth, and comfort.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness”.  As you make a habit of spending time in God’s Word, you will be better equipped to spread His Good News to the people in your life.            This is Andrew Palau.

When we talk about things that distract us from God, it’s easy to think of things external to ourselves. What I mean is, it’s easy to say bad relationships are a distraction or work can be a distraction.  It is much harder to acknowledge that we, ourselves, and our own sin can be the biggest distraction from God.

The Bible says in Galatians 5:19-21, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” And of course, as believers, we know it’s not necessarily about committing these exact acts, but about where our heart is, too.

If you’re struggling with sin, first of all, confess to God and be forgiven. Then, talk to a pastor or someone you trust, if you need help breaking with your sinful habits. Third, trust that God wants more for you than a life of shame and guilt, and give yourself completely to Him.

We will never be perfect, but we can work to eliminate sin from our lives. When we are walking with God, we are renewed and cleansed. And then, God can use us to reach our world.                                                                     This is Luis Palau.

In my free time, I love to read the newspaper, visit with my grown kids and grandkids, and spend time with my wife. One of my favorite hobbies is reading, especially books on Church history. And because I worked at an international bank, I read about finances, investments, and the economy. Hobbies are a great way to unwind and relax, but when they become more important than our faith, or if our hobbies aren’t God-honoring, they can become a real danger.

I knew a man named Josh who was consumed with weightlifting. So much so, that it seemed to take over his life. He began skipping time with the Lord in order to get another workout in. Thankfully, Josh realized he was neglecting what truly matters – Jesus - and he turned things around. He kept up with his workouts, but he became more balanced.

Another person, a woman named Sara, spent nearly all of her free time shopping. She enjoyed going to the mall and buying new things. But in time, her shopping habit became a liability to her family. She wasn’t saving money—just spending it. This, of course, isn’t what the Bible calls being a “good steward” of resources. Eventually, Sara realized her habit was destructive, and she replaced spending money with spending time with the Lord, and saving the cash.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” As you consider your hobbies, look at them through this lens. This is Luis Palau.

When it comes to things that can be distractions from God, work is at the top of the list. And I’m not just talking about your job. I’m talking about everything that feels like work, that involves being busy, even good things like volunteering, leading worship, or simply being “on call” for friends or family. We certainly want to be good stewards of what God has given us by working and giving to others, but it’s crucial also that we rest in God Himself. And that we don’t let work become an idol.

I love the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 in the Bible, because it gives insight to how Jesus felt about the balance between the two. In the story, Mary sat listening at Jesus’ feet, but Martha was distracted by the preparations for lunch, and work that had to be done. When Martha complained to the Lord about Mary, He said, “Martha, Martha…you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is really needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

It’s not that we become lazy or despise work, as if it was inferior.  It’s simply a matter of balance.  Give the Lord His time, and give work its time.This is Luis Palau.

In this busy world, many people have set routines to get them through the week. For example, I wake up at the same time each day, pretty much. I pray, read my Bible, then read the paper while I have some coffee.  This is my morning routine. But on occasion, I wake up late. I have to make a decision to either spend time in prayer and read the word of God, or read the newspaper.

We all have these choices on occasion – do we make time for God, or time for something else?  Often, I find, God is the one who gets pushed out. We think to ourselves,"‘I can read in my Bible later," or "I’ll go to church on Sunday."

So many of us are busy with meetings, volunteering, work, and school that we hardly have enough time to eat and sleep. But making time in our routine for Jesus is vital for a relentless pursuit of perfection. The Bible says in Matthew 6:33 to seek FIRST the kingdom of God… not second, or third, or fifth. Seek first the kingdom of God.

As you consider your routine, make time for God. Pray, read the word of God - the Bible, or journal. Make time to talk to Him, and notice how His peace covers you. Then you’ll be ready to reach your world, with excitement.This is Luis Palau.

It’s good to have hobbies, but they can consume you. People are what matter. In fact, people matter so much that God sent His only Son to make a way so that we, people, could be with Him. God’s heart beats for people. His passion is people. Souls are what matter to Him.

For me, there are a number of activities that I enjoy. But, people matter far more than our favorite sports team or television show. Even fishing- hard to say it, but it’s got to be true.

And the good news is that no matter where you live, you can reach people. Do you live in a city? Good! You are surrounded by people who do not know Jesus. Do you live in a small town? Great! Build relationships in your community and share Christ’s love. Do you live with your family? Super! Many people come to the Lord because of a family member. Do you live with roommates? Fabulous! Tell them of Christ and they may share His Good News with their circles.

The Bible tells us to not be “of the world” but to be “in it.” Be salt and light. Be full of faith as you look at the people God has put in your life. There is a reason they are there. God wants to use you to reach them. Engage people with the expectation that God will channel His passion and love for them through you, as you reach your world.                                                          This is Andrew Palau.

A couple of years ago, Jefferson Bethke, an author and evangelist, released a YouTube video called “Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus”. The video gained instant popularity. Today, it’s been watched by over 30 million people. The video shows Bethke separating what it means to have a relationship with Jesus, from what it means to follow a specific religion’s rules. As Bethke puts it, “Religion says ‘do’; Jesus says ‘done’”. “Religion says ‘slave’; Jesus says ‘son’”.

The Bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” While God calls us to live like Jesus, His message is one of grace. It’s not about following rules, or earning our way to salvation. When we receive Jesus into our hearts, we are saved. That is that! It’s an astonishing free gift, and yet so many people are still caught up in trying to earn their way to Heaven.

So share the Good News with someone in your world. Tell them how Jesus is different from religion. And I suggest you use John 3:16 in the New Testament to do it.This is Luis Palau.

I hope I’m not dating myself here, but when I was growing up, there wasn’t much media to distract me from my walk with God as a teenager. Nowadays, however, mass media exists everywhere we turn, and we rely on media to get through each day. There’s social media and the internet, TV, movies, music, videogames, magazines, newspapers, and advertisements everywhere. Because popular culture glorifies media, it’s easy to get caught up in it. But when media takes away time from our walk with Jesus, it can be very harmful. I’ve seen it happen.

Think about it. Do you put more importance on watching your favorite TV show or carving out time to read the Bible or pray? Do you give more authority to what the news says, or what the Word of God says? It’s easy to get confused. These are uncomfortable questions to ask, but we have to consider them.

The Bible says in Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. To do this, we must be rooted in God’s Word and looking at life through God’s lens of eternity. When we approach life like this, we care less about what popular TV show is on, and more about the souls in our world that we can reach with the Good News of Jesus Christ.                    This is Luis Palau.

We’ve all seen movies about, or known someone motivated by, greed. Big Ponzi schemes, with people who invest their money in the hope of getting huge returns, only to lose everything in the end. It’s easy to see these things happen and think, “How could a person do that?” And yet, greed is so sneaky that we often don’t realize when it’s in our own heart. Greed can start with a few selfish thoughts; it can look like us wanting to hoard the things God has given us, or refusing to be generous with what we have.

The Bible warns against greed in Luke 12:15, which says, “And Jesus said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

This week, take inventory of your heart. Are you harboring greed? Are you placing too much important on money, or things? If so, humbly go to the Lord. Pray to God, and confess to Him. Be willing to obey Him in tithing your ten percent of income, and in generosity. Then, share with others honestly and sincerely; your humility might encourage others to also place their trust in God, and give up destructive greed. This is Luis Palau.