Many Bible heroes experienced homelessness. Moses. Ruth. Even Jesus. David too was homeless for years while on the run from King Saul. Yet in every psalm David penned during those trying times, he reaffirmed his faith in the Lord. Later David penned more psalms saying God delights in raising up the humble and righteous to positions of honor.

First, God will cause them to inherit the land and enjoy great peace [Psalm 37:11]. Likewise, the Lord will grant them blessings and prosperity (Psalm 65:9-13].

Second, God’s people may have to go through much adversity, but eventually they will enjoy great abundance [Psalm 66:10-12]. He withholds no good thing from those whose walk is blameless [Psalm 84:11]. He bestows honor upon them [Psalm 113:7-9] and crowns them with salvation [Psalm 149:4]. David himself experienced this. At one point, he asked the Lord, “Give me a sign of your goodness” [Psalm 86:17]. Then at just the right moment God made David the nation’s new king, and he and his people enjoyed unprecedented prosperity and peace.

No matter what, let’s never forget that God delights in honoring the humble and righteous. See people the way God sees them.

This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever unexpectedly come across someone who’s dirty, dingy, and desolate? If so, how did you feel? Uncomfortable? Not sure what to do? Or perhaps at a loss for words? Thankfully, the Bible has plenty to say about the homeless.

Like the Lord Jesus, Paul experienced homelessness while serving as an itinerant evangelist, church planter, and apostle to the Gentiles [1 Corinthians 4:11]. There is no indication in Acts or in his letters that Paul owned a house in Jerusalem, Tarsus, Antioch, or any other city for that matter. Like Jesus, Paul didn’t see the lack of possessions, assets and wealth as a problem. Instead, he was passionate about giving financial aid to the truly poor and needy [Galatians 2:10].

Here’s why. The Old Testament teaches us that the Lord blesses the righteous. Righteous individuals compassionately care for the homeless. And, with amazing generosity, “they freely scatter abroad their gifts to the poor,” as Psalm 112, verse 9 says.

Those in positions of authority have special responsibility to save the children of the needy, take pity on the weak, and defend the homeless, and care for widows and orphans. Psalm 72:14 says, “He will rescue them from oppression and violence.”  May we do the same in Jesus’ name.

This is Luis Palau.

Does the Bible have anything to say about homelessness? The answer might surprise you. First of all, Jesus knew what it was like to be homeless, and He routinely gave to those in need.

What’s more, Moses was homeless also after fleeing Egypt, and never forgot that terrible experience. Forty years later, Moses cried out in prayer on behalf of God’s people [Psalm 90:13-16]. There in the desert, God called Moses and told him to return to Egypt [Exodus 3:1-10]. The Lord then used Moses to bring about a great deliverance of God’s people from their oppressors.

Afterward, Moses said loving your neighbor means giving to the homeless and poor on a regular basis. He also gave practical instructions on how to do that. First, by inviting the poor and needy to join your family for every holiday feast [Deut. 10:18-19]. Second, by sharing some of your wealth with the destitute as part of your tithes and offerings [Deut. 14:28-29].

The next time you see a homeless person, or discover that a neighbor is in need, or suspect someone at church requires help, think of Moses. Think of Moses, and then help someone who is in need, and bless them in the name of the Lord. You will be blessed too, as you reach out a helping hand in Jesus’ name.

This is Luis Palau.

We can’t help it. We wince when we first see someone who’s dirty, dingy, and destitute. Does Jesus have anything to say about the homeless? The answer is a resounding “Yes!”

First, Jesus knew what it was like to be homeless. He spent the better part of three years depending on the charity of others [Luke 8:1-2]. In turn, He and His disciples preached the Gospel to the poor [John 12:5] and gave regularly and generously to many of them [Mark 14:5].

Of course, Jesus didn’t just say the words of the Gospel. In 2 Corinthians 8:9, the apostle Paul reminds us, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

So, it’s no wonder that Jesus promised eternal blessings for those who care for the homeless and destitute [Matthew 25:31-40]. He also served the severest of warnings to those who spurn the needs of the desolate [Matthew 25:41-46]. Again, Jesus knew what it was like to be homeless, and He routinely gave to those in need. May we do the same. His love compels us to do it.

This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever felt afraid that somehow, God would stop loving you? Or, perhaps, that you weren’t “good enough” for His promises? Well I’ve got good news for you. There is nothing that can ever separate you from the love of Jesus. Nothing! Isn’t that amazing news?

The Bible says in Romans 8:35-39, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

So, friend, as you encounter fears or feelings of unworthiness, I encourage you to put your trust in God. Trust that He has a great plan for you, and that nothing will ever separate you from His love. As you experience the joy and confidence of living in that love, recognize that love is for you, for sure, but also for you to share with others in your world.

This is Andrew Palau.

I have been to amazing churches all over the world. Huge cathedrals in Europe, with stained glass windows and massive pipe organs. Chapels out in the country, with beautiful views of God’s creation. And churches right smack in the middle of the city that offer quiet in the middle of the busyness. I’ve also been to some tiny churches, churches in huts or temporary shelters, or in homes. The truth is that Church is everywhere, and it is always beautiful — because the Church is not a building. It is people. It is US.

When we receive Christ and become a new creation, one major way that we are transformed is that the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. This means our bodies become temples of the Holy Spirit, as it says in 1 Corinthians 6. God doesn’t dwell in buildings made by human hands, but rather in the creations He loves most: His people.

On the surface, this can seem a little frightening. What does it mean, to have the Holy Spirit in us? We are still ourselves, but God lives in us. This means He is always with us, in every situation, guiding and comforting us. It also means that we have purpose: we are to glorify God in whatever we do, because we are walking homes of His. We need to serve Him with our bodies, and His Spirit will guide us in making right decisions. He will also empower us to share His Good News with the people around us. Isn’t that exciting?

This is Luis Palau.

There are many ways that we change from our old selves to our new selves when Christ becomes the focus of our lives. The biggest thing is that our sins are forgiven. 100%. Forever. Any sin we have ever done or ever will do has been completely erased by the blood of Jesus. As it says in 1 John, “the blood of Jesus, [God’s] Son, cleanses us from all sin.” All of it!

We don’t necessarily think of blood being all that clean, right? If a child falls and gets a bloody knee, moms and dads are quick to clean off the blood. We think of blood as dirty, messy, and a sign of injury. But that’s the glorious thing about the blood of Christ. When His blood spilled on that cross, He cleansed us from all of our bad deeds, once and for all, and forever.

There is a Scottish theologian who interprets the verse from 1 John by saying that Jesus’ blood disinfects us. What I like about this interpretation is that something that is cleaned can become dirty again, but something that is disinfected? That means that all germs on it have been killed, and all future germs are likely killed as well. It’s past, present, and future cleanliness. This is what Jesus’s blood provides us.

That means that whatever anyone has done, large or small, or whatever they will do in the future is cleaned by the blood of God. Praise Jesus! Spread this good news. It’s the best gift you can give.

This is Luis Palau.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 17. It says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” What a great image! The old is gone, and a brand new person is here. Sometimes the change after someone accepts Christ is that visible. When my friend Stephen Baldwin accepted Christ, his old Hollywood persona of partying passed away. He became a man fully devoted to Christ.

But what about those of us who accepted Christ at young ages? I accepted Jesus into my life when I was 12 years old; I wrote down the date in my Bible. It was in 1947! Another godly woman I knew, Ruth Graham, said that she knew Christ her entire life; there was no time she did not love Jesus. What about those of us that did not have an abrupt change?

The change still occurs. Even children, even good people, need to start over. They feel the stain of sin on them, and they want the purity that Jesus can bring. He can free us from pain, loneliness, fear, and anger. The biggest changes that occur are at the deepest level of our soul and spirit. With Christ, we have forgiveness, purpose, and the promise of life after death. Everyone deserves to have the chance at a new life, so isn’t this good news worth sharing with everyone around you that you possibly can?                       

This is Luis Palau.

I was once reading a magazine for teens that described becoming a Christian as a “staggering event.” What a great way to describe the life-changing moment of accepting Christ! It has always stuck with me. I mean, just think about it. What if you were in your house and you heard a knock at the door? It’s right before dinnertime, and you’re not expecting anyone. So you put down the paper, or your iPad, or whatever you’re doing, and you stand up to go to the door. You open it, and there is Jesus. Jesus is standing outside your house. He looks into your eyes, and He says, “I’m coming over for dinner tonight.” Wouldn’t you just be staggered? Wouldn’t it feel like all time stops and your mind just goes blank? Jesus! At your house! For dinner!

And yet, this is what Jesus does on a spiritual level. He knocks at the door to our hearts and asks to be let into our lives. Jesus says in the Bible, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” It’s a staggering moment of decision that leads to a new life. Person after person has heard that knock and opened the door, and their lives have been changed forever. Let us pray for those around us to be listening, hear the knock, and invite Jesus in. Then, they too will become new people, fully in love with Christ.

This is Luis Palau.

So many in the world believe you must earn your way to Heaven. They say that you must work hard and live perfectly, in order to have eternity in Heaven. Jesus’ message was much different. The Bible says in Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. In other words, in Christianity, if you believe and receive Jesus as your Savior then you’re saved. That’s it! Eternity in Heaven is promised you.

When we follow Jesus, our hearts should naturally want to please Him. But Jesus does not expect us to be perfect. In fact, only God Himself is perfect. The Bible does not say that we must earn salvation through good works. Salvation is a free gift we receive when we accept Jesus into our hearts by faith.

Consider who you know that hasn’t heard this promise. Who needs to be reassured of God’s promise of eternal salvation? Who hasn’t yet accepted Jesus as their personal Savior? Pray about whom God wants you to talk to – then spend some time sharing this message with that person this week.

This is Andrew Palau.