In America today, college is increasingly important. And after college, many people are going on to get their Master's degrees, or Doctorates. And, you know, education can be a very good thing—but it is important to remember that only one teacher can offer us eternal life—and that is Jesus Christ Himself.

Other than prayer, one of the main ways Jesus teaches us is through the Book, that is, the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” And Hebrews 4:12 says that the word of God is “living and active.” These are powerful truths. Through the Bible, Jesus teaches His very will. Just like a class in school which tests our knowledge, life can sometimes test our faith, our patience, our strength, or our trust in God. In these times, my friend, I encourage you to look to God as your teacher. Read the Bible, and study it. Follow the wisdom God has placed within it.

Think of someone in your life who does not yet look to God as their teacher, or Savior. Perhaps this person is in a class of yours, or perhaps they are a neighbor. Pray for this person a lot, then look for an opportunity to share with them the Good News. Jesus is the only teacher who offers eternal hope.

This is Luis Palau.

Recently, my friend John asked me, “Is this world getting darker? Or has it always been this way and we just see more darkness because of the news and social media?” To be honest, I’m not sure. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, this world has been riddled with sin, but is it getting darker? I don’t know, but one thing I do know is that in the midst of the hard events in this life, we have a light. And not just any light: we have an eternal, constant source of hope and light—in Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”. In Jesus, there is no darkness. When we walk with Jesus, we do not need to be afraid of the darkness we see on TV or in events that happen around us.  And with Jesus, we can be a light. Matthew 5:16 commands us, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.”

This week, think of a person in your life who may be living in darkness. It may be guilt from something they’ve done in the past.  It may be a lie that they’re living, or they may be involved in the occult. Then, talk to them about Jesus—the light of the world.                      

This is Luis Palau.

The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. If you need proof that we are sinners—look around. In this world, we don’t have to look far to see greed, corruption, and violence. But if this is where the verse ended—if we simply fall short, and that’s it, our futures would look pretty grim. Don’t you think? We would have no hope of heaven, and no true purpose for living here on earth.

But, thankfully, God sent his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. Romans 3:24 says that by His grace, we have redemption, which is in Christ Jesus. Through Jesus’ death, the penalty was paid for our sins. Through His death, we are rescued, we are saved.

Wherever you are today, I want to remind you that Jesus came to be your Savior. It does not matter where you come from, or what kind of baggage you bring. It does not matter what you’ve done, or where you have fallen short. Jesus loves you, and He created you to have a meaningful relationship with Him. Repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you are saved – rescued.

Today, I urge you to think about people in your corner of the world who need this life-changing good news. Tell them about the Savior we have in Jesus. Pray with them to accept Jesus into their hearts. It will be the best thing you ever do. 

This is Luis Palau.

When I was a little boy, age 10, my father passed away. Thankfully, I received Jesus as my personal Savior at age 12, and God’s role as a father in my life became very real. Like most boys who look up to their dad, I looked up to my Heavenly Father for wisdom, encouragement, and direction. And you know what? He has never given me bad advice. Through the years, my friends’ fathers have also passed away—but God, our Father up in Heaven, will always remain.

The Bible says in Matthew 23:9, “for you have one Father, who is in heaven.” In this world, many people live without a dad for some reason or another. There are sad situations where dads leave their children, or where relationships are strained. But God promises to always be there. He is always available. He is always by our side. “Though my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will pick me up,” Psalm 27 says.

Who in your life needs the good news of Jesus, our Father, this week? Think about it. It may be a fatherless child, or someone whose dad hasn’t shared with them the good news of Jesus. Then, pray for that person, and look for an opportunity to share with them about our Heavenly Father—who will never leave us or forsake us.                        

This is Luis Palau.

A person can spend a lot of time watching videos on the internet, but one particular kind of internet video can really make you feel good. In one of these videos, a young woman gives her father a present. After he unwraps the box, he finds some papers inside – adoption papers. The young woman explains that while he has acted as her father for many years, she would like him to officially become her father. The man breaks down in tears and grabs his daughter, hugging her tight. You can find other videos where children find out they are being adopted by their foster families, and videos where young men say they want to change their last name to match the man who fathered them in the absence of their biological father. In each of these videos, the surprised party begins to sob in gratefulness and joy. We see the creation of a new family, a family that has already been in process but now will be recognized officially.

God wants to adopt us into His family, as Ephesians 1:5 says. We have biological fathers, but He wants to be our heavenly father. He wants to give us His name, His identity, His family. Then we belong to Him, because He has chosen us. What joy comes with accepting God as our Father and being welcomed into His family! God wants to adopt everyone into His family--let’s spread the news so we can gain brothers and sisters in Christ.                 

This is Andrew Palau.

What are your holiday traditions? Do you make crafts with your kids and decorate the house? Do you take a trip to visit family? Or maybe you host everybody and spend hours preparing a special meal. I’ve got 12 grandkids so I know these traditions can be fun, building memories and helping us focus on all the blessings of life.

But sometimes, especially as adults, it’s difficult to list what we are thankful for. If you’re struggling this Thanksgiving, I want to encourage you. You don’t have to be outwardly smiling all the time to be celebrating this Thanksgiving with gratitude. I understand how that can feel. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. I was given months to live and I truly didn’t think I’d be alive today to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family here on earth this year. Some days the update from the doctor is encouraging, and some days I’m honestly amazed I wake up in the morning. But I understand that some days can be hard for you, and being thankful isn’t always easy.

A heart of gratitude means more than just saying “thank you.” It means believing God is who He says He is. Believing that He is good. That God is love. That He is on our side – protecting us, blessing us, and comforting us even on the hardest of days in this fallen world.       

This is Luis Palau.

Do you have a family member whose personality clashes with yours? Are you anxious about spending time with them this holiday season? Conflict in relationships is not something that should surprise us—or make us feel ashamed. 

The question is not whether conflicts will come, but how we will handle them. Prepare yourself this week as you approach any stresses or conflict during your holiday events. How will you respond when you’re insulted? When you feel unappreciated or unloved?

Proverbs 15:18 reminds us “Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace.” Continue being patient and offer grace whenever you can. Seek peace where you can by addressing any tension you have with other people. And remember that this is where God does his deepest work in our lives. In the tough times. In the hard conversations. The painful relationships. This is when the light of grace shines brightest and makes us more like Jesus.

I want to leave you with this verse from Ephesians, chapter 4 (verses 31-32). It says: “Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort. Instead, be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you.”

This is Luis Palau.

At Thanksgiving, we celebrate the harvest of fruits, vegetables, and other good things that God has provided. The early American pilgrims and pioneers were very thankful for God’s goodness—and we should be too.

But did you know about the special kind of fruit we’re given as children of God? “The fruits of the Spirit” as they’re called are the characteristics of the Holy Spirit. If you’re a believer, the Spirit is living inside of you, eager to make you a better person every moment. These fruits are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

We don’t often see these characteristics playing a significant role in our society today. Even though the Holy Spirit lives inside of us, it takes an active cooperation with the indwelling Holy Spirit to let these characteristics lead us in decision making and how we treat others. 

The Gospel reminds us that we can never have love, joy, peace, patience, or any fruit - apart from the Holy Spirit at work in us. God doesn’t want you to work hard to be all these things to be loved—but rather to display the love that He has freely given to you and share that love with others.

Seek the fruits of the Spirit in your life today.  You and I will reach our world as we are more like Jesus.  You will leave a legacy of love.                   

This is Luis Palau.

During this Thanksgiving week and as we approach the holiday season, there’s one gift that everybody would love: a sincere compliment.  Proverbs 18:21 tells us “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Have you ever been on the receiving end of life-giving words? Then, at other times, has something cruel or unkind been spoken to you, where the words lodged in your brain, bringing you sorrow each time you recalled them? A study by Harvard University claims it actually takes more than five positive comments to outweigh a negative comment.

In a world of so much negativity, I hope you will do all you can to bring life with your words today. I’ll never forget one of the first mentors I had who encouraged me as a teen saying to me one afternoon, “I know God has great plans for you; worldwide plans. I believe in Christ’s power in you.” His confidence in me gave me the courage to do scary things that I knew God was calling me to do.

Just recently, I wrote a book titled A Life on Fire, honoring some of the most influential people in my life—the ones who believed in me and spoke encouraging words to me that truly changed the course of my life.

You have the ability to make a big impact on somebody’s life with your words. Be an encourager today.     

This is Luis Palau.

My father-in-law is on the board of an organization called “Back to the Bible." In a recent study, 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 your first 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 Second Timothy that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).  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.