Sometimes I think we, as Christians, forget how urgent the Gospel message really is. We think, “Once I’m comfortable with so-and-so, then I’ll share the Good News…” or “I’ll only share the Good News if they bring it up!” I think people have this idea that we’ll always have more time to share Jesus with the lost. But let me tell you: this couldn’t be further from the truth. The Gospel message is an urgent one. Life is fragile, and in the blink of an eye—we could be gone. Whether people have or haven’t received Jesus will affect them for all eternity. The Bible says in Proverbs 24:11, “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.” So let’s share the Good News – the Gospel - boldly, honestly, and clearly today.

Who in your life needs to hear that Jesus Christ came to earth to die on a cross so they could be saved? Who needs to hear of His love and redemption? Who needs “rescuing” by the Gospel? Pray about these things—then start conversations. This is Luis Palau.

For the first 27 years of my life, as a boy and then a young man, I completely turned my back on God. Like so many, I was consuming alcohol and partying in an attempt to fill the emptiness I felt inside.  I hardened my heart to Christianity. But even then, I could not deny that there was something different about my friends and family who were walking with Jesus, compared to what I saw all around in my life of partying. But recognizing those differences alone wasn’t enough to change me. Thankfully, my mother and father and others who knew me, didn’t give up talking to me about the greatness of Jesus whenever they had the chance. They lovingly counseled me time and time again, until I was finally able to clearly see God’s love. In Romans 15:18 Paul says, “I don’t speak about anything except what Christ has done through me to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done.”

The point is clear - to direct people to Jesus by our actions, in combination with our words. We must actually talk about the Good News in order for people to really hear and respond! If nobody had ever talked to me about God’s love and redemption, then how could I have ever responded to Him and had my life turned around? Mark 16:15 says, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” So let’s do just that! Let’s share the life-changing Good News of Jesus with someone today.                                   This is Andrew Palau.

​When I was a boy, growing up in Argentina, I wanted to be a lawyer. My dream was to study at Cambridge, become a lawyer, and support my family. I was well on my way to that dream when I began to feel God pulling me in another direction… instead of going into law, or business, or finance—as I had once dreamed, I felt God urging me to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible everywhere. The thing was, there was no clear-cut career path for me to follow. I was nervous at times, because it seemed like a huge task. Who was I, a teenager from Argentina, to share the Good News around the world?

I decided to trust God, as He continued to reveal His plan for my life. My heart was filled with a new purpose. Suddenly, I was less concerned about money, or prestige; instead, the only thing I began to care about was telling everyone what God had done in my life. The Bible says in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” Maybe you’re able to travel as a missionary, or perhaps you work a 9 to 5 desk job. Whatever the circumstances are, I pray that your faith in God gives you a new purpose for what you’re doing. Don’t spend all of your years working for the buck; instead, consider how you might spread the Good News to your coworkers, neighbors, friends, and family. That makes life worth living.This is Luis Palau.

In my many years as an evangelist, I have witnessed God transform people time and time again. I have seen unfaithful husbands give their lives to the Lord, repent of their sins, turn from their ways, and their marriages healed. I have seen criminals accept Jesus as their Savior, and experience a peace unlike anything they had ever felt before. I have seen world leaders and business owners become totally different people after accepting Jesus into their hearts. Some have asked me, “How can this be? How can people change so drastically?” But with God, nothing is impossible. In fact, when we receive Jesus into our hearts, we have the creator of the universe on our side, and on the inside. He is there to empower us, to uplift us, to forgive us, to cleanse us, and to make us new. We must first make the choice to receive Jesus, and then we experience the miracle of newness in Christ

The Bible says in Ephesians 4:22-24, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self…to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on your new self, created like God in true righteousness and holiness”. Wherever you are in your faith journey, I cannot urge you enough to receive Jesus into your heart if you have not yet done so. Do it now.  Open your heart and let Him take over. Put on the newness of Christ. This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever felt afraid of change? Afraid of newness? The new year is a great time because so many people actually welcome change. But often, I’ve noticed, we only welcome change when it’s change we want. For example, a friend of mine wanted to lose ten pounds to be healthier, so he made that his new year’s resolution. He knew this would require changing his diet, but he welcomed these changes because he wanted the ultimate happiness of knowing he was 10-pounds happier and healthier. However, if change comes in the form of something unexpected—such as being laid off, or getting diagnosed with a disease, or seeing a politician we don’t agree with elected to office, it can be tempting to go into panic mode. We think, “Oh no! What am I going to do?”

The thing is, change is inevitable. Sometimes we expect it, and sometimes we don’t, but one thing we know for certain is regardless of the changes we experience: God is with us!

Whatever changes that come your way in this new year, whether they are planned or unexpected, take heart in knowing that Jesus is always with you. Deuteronomy 31:6 says not to fear, “for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will never leave you or forsake you”. This year, trust Jesus with the changes you encounter. And encourage others to do the same. Because it was Jesus who repeated that promise: “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.”  What a way to live!                                                                        This is Luis Palau.

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on life. Many people make new year’s resolutions in hopes of accomplishing something that they did not achieve the previous year. Sometimes people take on a new habit, or vow to try something new. There is a lot of newness in the Bible as well, by the way. God is constantly doing new things from changing seasons to the rise and fall of nations. When we accept Jesus into our hearts, He makes us new. And as we walk with Him, He constantly works new things in our lives.

The Bible says in Isaiah 43:19, “Behold, I am doing a new thing” and 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away, and behold, all things have become new.” Where are you in your faith journey? Have you accepted Jesus, and allowed Him to transform you? Have you been walking with Him, but feel tired and need renewal? Wherever you are, lean on Him today. Rest in Him! Let Jesus refresh and renew you for this new year. Share His good news with others.  That’s a good New Year’s resolution.  The Bible says, “Christ lives in me,” and “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.”  What a promise for the new year!This is Luis Palau.

As a kid, I was wild, rebellious, and far from God. And yet, on the outside I looked pretty good. I even remember a friend’s mom once saying, “Andrew is such a good boy. Don’t worry about him. He’s just sowing his wild oats. He’s not a bad kid.” And yet, my mother was wise. She knew that, though my good works might appear to outweigh my bad works, my heart was not in the right place. Though she was proud of me and loved me deeply, my little façade never fooled her. She knew I was far from God. Her response to our friend?  "The Bible says, ‘You will know them by their fruit,’ and Andrew’s fruit is bad fruit so I’m praying for his salvation.” And so, she prayed and prayed and prayed. And I’m so thankful that she did.

Parents, you have a unique relationship with your children. You see into their lives in ways that others never will. When people say, “Oh, your kids are great,” it can be tempting to rest in their comments. But, the Lord says that He does not look at the outward appearance. He looks at the heart. As parents, let’s pray for our children’s hearts. Let’s pray that they not just “look good” on the outside but that they truly know and love Jesus – that they are clean and filled with Him on the inside. Praying for our kids, for their very soul, and sharing with them the good news, is the best way that we can reach our world. This is Andrew Palau.

A new mom once said, “I have had a hard enough time trying to navigate the growing secularism in the world. How on earth will I raise my children to know and love Jesus?” Her question took me aback. Since my kids are now adults, I hadn’t thought about what it must be like to have young children in this day and age, when there are blurred lines about so many moral issues.

Honestly, I don’t have a magic formula, but I can encourage you first to talk to your children about Jesus. Second, really, really help them memorize Bible verses, such as John 3:16, which says, “God so loved the world that he sent his only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not parish, but will have eternal life.” These verses will stick with them when they encounter tricky situations. But third, don’t just talk about Jesus; you must also own your faith. Fourth, be prepared to answer questions your kids may have about why you believe. Be honest with them. And when you don’t know the answer to a question they may have, simply say, “I will search for an answer in the Bible and let you know.” And perhaps you might reach out to a pastor or mentor for extra advice or counsel if you need it. Fifth, keep an open dialogue with your children about Jesus, and about all of life, so they feel comfortable talking to you about Him. And finally, pray for your children. And, pray with your children.                                                                                                              This is Luis Palau.

Any parent listening to this program will understand me when I say, “Children are mirrors.” They often reflect our own behavior. In fact, I once heard a story of a man whose young son said a naughty word in class. When the little boy was asked how he learned that word, he innocently said, “I heard my dad say it when we were stuck in traffic.”

This type of thing is actually quite common. Our kids do and say what they see at home. As parents, we can’t always be perfect—and God doesn’t expect it of us—but we should make an effort to remember that little ears are always listening. One way to raise godly kids is to monitor what our kids hear and see from us. What kind of music do you play on the radio? What kind of shows do your kids watch on TV? What kinds of books do they read? Do you monitor their access to the Internet? How do your kids hear you talk to your spouse? How do your kids hear you talk about Jesus? These are all questions to help you consider what your children might be observing. As the Bible says in Proverbs 22:6, if you “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

So, prayer in the morning, Bible reading as a family or as individuals, going to church – these are all examples for the good of our children.This is Luis Palau.

When it comes to parenting, there’s all sorts of free advice out there. From bloggers to celebrities to news outlets, everyone wants to tell you how to raise your kids. The thing is, none of these so-called “experts” actually created the family unit. But God did. He created you, your children, and your family—and He knows what’s best. What I mean is, when it comes to raising up children who know and love Jesus, the best wisdom and advice can be found in God’s word: the Bible. The Bible should be our standard for loving, discipling, and compassionately disciplining our children. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” And it’s true! If you raise your kids by the standards laid out in the Bible, they are likely to pass on those same standards to their children. Your work in raising Godly kids could impact generations to come.

Consider the importance of your job as a parent. This week, reach your world by talking to your kids about Jesus, and by living out Proverbs 22:6. Now I want to pray with you for your family.  Lord, I pray for every person and every family that is listening to these words.  May they know You, Lord Jesus, obey You, relish Your holy word, and live for Your glory as a family.  I ask it is Jesus’ name.  Amen. God bless you!This is Luis Palau.