In today’s culture, there’s a popular mantra that says, “Love is all you need.” Hollywood movies urge people to find their “soul mate”. They advertise passionate romance, and then often depict fiery breakups.

I recently shared a message at a wedding of a young couple I have known for quite some time. One thing that stood out to me was that this couple had a genuine understanding that even though they loved each other very much, they were not getting married because they felt they needed each other’s love. Rather, they were entering into a holy union with Jesus Christ, where their first goal was to serve Him and share His love with others together.  There’s a special pleasure when a husband and wife work for the kingdom and lead people to Jesus Christ as a couple.

The truth is, no amount of love from another person can replace the significance of God’s love. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." So, whether you are single and looking, or married for years, or somewhere in between — I urge you to put your focus on God’s love today. Tell others about it!

This is Luis Palau.

When hard times come, it can sadly lead us to ask the question, “Where is God in all of this?” It’s in these times of difficulty and doubt that we must look to God’s promises. Jesus said, “Never will I leave you never will I forsake you.” That is a fact. So, even in the face of all kinds of trouble, we can live our lives as more than conquerors.  In the face of all kinds of trouble, we’re not separated from His love. Hunger, poverty, divorce, depression, adultery, and cancer can’t separate us. Impending dangers, harsh situations, physical attacks and even death can’t separate us. 

Confidence in God’s promises of His faithful love, especially in the face of the inevitable problems in life, is the testimony that will lead others to say, “I want that, I need that.” Proving that your life is perfect is not the testimony that draws people.  Proving, through Christ, that we live in victorious confidence, draws people. 

God’s love in trials is an attractive faith.  With that you can reach your world.  That’s the kind of love that’s worth sharing.

This is Andrew Palau.

Have you ever got into an argument with someone over something petty? Or perhaps you looked at a decision someone made and thought, “I could never be friends with that person!”  It’s our human nature to experience conflict from time to time, but one thing I’ve noticed in my years of evangelism is that if we keep our eyes fixed on our goal of sharing Jesus, we are less likely to have conflict over small, inconsequential matters, or what I like to call “non-issues.”

As believers, our goal should be, “how can I imitate Christ? How can I share about Jesus to the people who have not heard of Him?” Mark 16:15 says, “And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News Gospel to the whole creation.'" This means we’re called to share the Good News—not bicker with our neighbors over small matters.

Today, I challenge you to put aside differences you may feel and talk to someone you ordinarily wouldn’t about Jesus Christ. Remember that Jesus opened His arms to everyone. As you go about your day, keep yourself focused on this eternal goal.

This is Luis Palau.

A few years ago, I wrote a book called High Definition Life. I also wrote a version for youth. In the book, I talked a lot about joy; especially the difference between joy and pleasure. In our culture, there are a lot of things that bring us pleasure; and these aren’t always bad. Maybe it’s grandma’s famous pumpkin pie that brings you pleasure, or receiving flowers from your husband, or perhaps it’s getting an “A” on a report you worked hard on. But true joy is different from pleasure. Genuine joy comes from within, not from outside us.

In John 7:38 in the Bible, Jesus said, “If you believe in me, come and drink. For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow from within.” Did you catch that? Rivers of living water don’t flow from outside of us, meaning we can’t derive true joy from things in this world. Rather, from within.

The difference between joy and pleasure should give you hope, because it means that regardless of what you’re facing right now, it’s possible to have joy if you rely on Christ, because His spirit is within you. Share this Good News with someone today; tell someone how he or she can have the same joy through Christ.

This is Luis Palau.

Are you the type of person that just moves from one thing to the next? It seems like being “busy” or over-booked is normal these days. And I’ll be honest; at times I’ve been guilty of over-booking my schedule, too. I’d think to myself, “There’s just too much work to be done! How can I rest when there are so many souls who need to hear of Jesus Christ?” But, the truth is, sometimes when we create space in our schedules; we have more time to devote to God. And I’m not necessarily talking about spending hours praying or at church, though those are certainly important. Instead, I’m talking about time we can devote to sharing the Good News with people around us.

This might look like grabbing coffee with a friend who does not know Jesus, or maybe it means inviting your neighbor over for dinner and sharing with them about God’s presence in your life. Whether it’s a friend, a family member, or a stranger you just met, people tend to respond positively when you talk from experience. So this week, I challenge you to clear time in your schedule, and make a moment to talk to someone about your experience with Jesus. After all, sharing the Good News is the best way you can spend your time.

This is Luis Palau.

I’m a grandfather and a dad, and one thing I know is that parents usually want their kids to be happy. They want them to play and laugh and have a contented life. And according to Jesus, God wants this for us even more than parents want it for their kids. It is not God’s will that we shuffle through life, miserable. Instead, God wants His people to celebrate and enjoy life. Psalm 68:3 says, “But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence.. Let them be filled with joy.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says, “Always be joyful.” And John 16:24 says, “Ask and you will receive, that your joy will be complete.”

So, this holiday season, whether you are talking with family over Thanksgiving dinner, or whether you strike up a conversation with a stranger at the grocery store, remember to show them the joy of Christ in your life. Chances are, people will notice your joy, and they’ll ask about it. This will be an excellent opportunity to share about the Good News of Jesus Christ. Tell them how Jesus has changed your life and how, even when things aren’t perfect, Jesus is your source of joy.         

This is Luis Palau.

When I was young in my walk with Christ, my wife Wendy and I were pretty poor. We had just begun our life together, and much about our lives was uncertain. During that time, I remember reading the words of Proverbs 21:21. It says, “Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” Life, prosperity and honor – we all want that! And yet, this verse says that the way to receive these is to pursue righteousness and love. That can be a bit counterintuitive in today’s world.

As Wendy and I explored what it meant to follow Christ in our marriage, we discovered that His words are absolutely true. Although we have had trials, God has always provided for our family and blessed us with the opportunity to share the Gospel with others. We’ve experienced peace and fulfillment that money and success could never bring.

What choice are you facing today? Will your decision encourage you to pursue “righteousness and love?” Turning down a profitable opportunity or exciting venture because it isn’t righteous may be difficult. But, God’s Word assures us that His purpose for each of us will satisfy more than anything the world has to offer.

This is Andrew Palau.

“Gentleness” is not always talked about as one of the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in the Bible. It is near the end of the list, so it is easy to overlook it. But it is an important virtue for a Christ-follower to have. Some people think that being gentle means being weak. People might take advantage of you, or stomp on you. Gentleness does not seem to be a strong position to take when you are trying to convince someone of something.

Because of this, gentleness takes more bravery than being aggressive. It requires listening, kindness, and consideration of others. It requires putting someone else’s needs before your own. Who does that sound like? To me, it sounds like Jesus. Jesus was strong, but he was also gentle. The Bible commands us to be gentle, particularly in how we speak to others. We should always treat others with respect, even if we disagree with them. What a difference this is from how many people engage with others! If we treat others with gentleness, they will take notice. They will see that we are different.

1 Peter says to “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. We must always share the hope we have in Christ with gentleness. Then others will want to know more about Christ’s love for them,             

This is Luis Palau.

“Great is Thy Faithfulness” is a hymn that George Beverly Shea sang often at Billy Graham crusades. Before that, it was largely unknown. The song was written by Thomas Chisholm in 1923, a man who was very ill during his adult life. He found comfort in verses from the book of Lamentations that read, “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.” This man often woke up in the morning feeling ill, but he had faith every morning that God would be present.

Faithfulness is mentioned in the Bible among the fruits of the spirit, because it does not come easily to us humans. We can be flighty, not keeping our promises and changing our minds at the last minute. To be faithful is to commit, to be steadfast, and to stand strong, though it may be hard. Like the hymn says, “There is no shadow of turning” with God. “All I have needed, Thy hand has provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.”

Because of God’s faithfulness to us, we as Jesus-followers must be faithful to those around us. We must display the steadfastness of God’s love and kindness, even when we would rather give up. It is then that others will see God’s faithfulness, and want to have that solid foundation in their own lives.                

This is Luis Palau.

“Goodness” is noted in the Bible as a fruit of the Spirit. When you were a little kid, did your mom and dad tell you to “be good?” Maybe when you went out to play with the neighbor kids, your parents would remind you to be good. They know that it is easy for kids to be bad, especially in a large group. How many times have you been around a group of kids and they get really quiet? You know that they are probably getting into trouble!

It is easy for humans to be bad and to see badness in the world. There are wars and sickness and suffering all around us. This world can be a bad place, a hard place to live. But there is always something in us that longs for goodness. Billy Graham once wrote, “Man has two great spiritual needs. One is for forgiveness. The other is for goodness.” We want to be surrounded by good things. We want to be surrounded by beauty, love, mercy, and joy – everything chock-full of goodness!

When people desire goodness, they desire God, for God is good. The Bible proclaims over and over the goodness of God: His provision, His kindness, and His patience. Psalm 116:5 says, “How kind the Lord is!  How good he is!  So merciful, this God of ours!”

As followers of Jesus, we need to spread the goodness God the Father has given to us. We need to share it with everyone who needs goodness. Then they will know the power of God, and the world will become a little more good – and peaceful too.This is Luis Palau.