I wish every Christian would memorize Ephesians 3:19, which exhorts us to be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” When that happens, what’s “normal” in the Christian life?  First, growth toward maturity. Second, loyalty to the church. Third, hunger for holiness. Fourth, love for God’s Word.

And fifth, intensity in prayer. When God fills us, we get on our knees. We intercede for the needs of others and ask God to work in our own heart. We experience agony in prayer. The Holy Spirit “intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” [Romans 8:26]. Because there’s no unconfessed sin and we’re praying for God’s will to be done, we see marvelous answers to our prayers.

Sixth, service toward others. After we’re renewed, we take on the attitude of Christ, who “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” [Mark 10:45]. We’re “eager to serve” [1 Peter 5:2], looking out not only for our own interests, “but also to the interests of others” [Philippians 2:4]. A servant obviously does the disagreeable chores, and is sometimes treated spitefully. But if we’re faithful to the Lord, He promises to reward us handsomely.

What about you? Why wait? Ask God to fill you today!

This is Luis Palau.

I wish every Christian obeyed Ephesians 3:19, which commands us to be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” When that happens, what’s “normal” in the Christian life?  First, growth toward maturity. Second, loyalty to the church. 

Third, hunger for holiness. When God’s Holy Spirit fills us, we develop a sensitivity to and hatred of sin. None of us is perfect. We all stumble. We’re embarrassed to have to confess the same sin to the Lord again. But holiness becomes the hallmark of our lives. Holiness is God’s life seen through Christians like you and me.

Fourth, love for God’s Word. When God renews us, we develop a passion for Scripture. God speaks through Holy Scripture. We don’t understand it all. No one does. But we love the Bible and can’t get enough time in it. Because God indwells us, we want to hear what He has to say to us today. We long to know what He thinks about every area of life, from family problems to world missions. So we saturate ourselves with God’s Word. We read it, study it, memorize it, meditate on it, obey it. As we obey it, we experience His hand of blessing. And we can pass it on to people in our world.

What about you? Now is the time to ask God to fill you!

This is Luis Palau.

Many Christians feel flat. “Where’s the touch of God on my life?” they wonder. “Why don’t I feel His presence within me? To be fully engaged spiritually means to be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God,” we read in Ephesians 3:19. In other words, it means to be totally filled with God Himself.

When that happens, what’s “normal” in the Christian life? First, growth toward maturity. When God fills us, everything changes. It doesn’t happen all at once. Initially, we might not even notice some of the changes. That’s because maturity is a lifelong process. We’re still aware of weaknesses. We still face trials and hardships. But as we look back, we’ll notice areas of growth. Our spiritual muscles grow stronger and stronger.

Second, loyalty to the church. When God fills and renews us, we make a commitment to our local church. We speak well of it. Even though it has faults, we love it and defend it. We discover and begin to exercise our spiritual gifts “for the common good” [1 Corinthians 12:7]. We generously support our church and meet the needs of brothers and sisters in Christ who could use our help and encouragement.

Do you want a vibrant, growing, and robust faith? I hope so! Ask God to fill every fiber of your being day after day.

This is Luis Palau.

A few years ago, on my sons’ first day of school, I had each of them pick up a rock. The idea was for them to have something solid, a physical token of God’s presence on this day of new things. The first thing they told me when they got home that afternoon was, “Dad, look, I still have the rock in my pocket!” It encouraged them. Throughout the day, they had a tangible way of reminding themselves that God is their foundation.

Psalm 94:22 calls the Lord our fortress and our rock. This imagery is powerful, especially when we face times of uncertainty. The ground can shift beneath us, but through it all, our God is a fortress – sturdy, unchanging, and strong. It’s these times when we need to remind ourselves to take refuge in Him.

Consider setting up a tangible, daily reminder that God is your foundation. Maybe set a timer to remind you to take a minute to pray or post a Bible verse that encourages you somewhere you’ll see it often. Listen to praise music on your commute, and turn it into worship time. When we make God a constant part of our daily lives, His love shines through us.

This is Andrew Palau.

The Apostle Paul wrote in the Bible that “nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God.” Even the most severe pressures and the most overwhelming struggles cannot separate us from the tenderness and compassion of our Heavenly Father. When we feel that our world is falling apart, we can and must rest in God’s power. Paul is not saying that we won’t face disappointment, suffering, or conflict. But He is saying that no Christian needs to ever feel despair. Why? Because we worship the “God of all comfort”—the God who is sufficient for every pressure in life.

A missionary said, “Peace is not the absence of conflict from life, but the ability to cope with it." The God of all comfort can provide that capability in the midst of any crisis in your life or mine.

This “peace in the midst of the storm” is something that nonbelievers don’t experience because they don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They don’t have the Holy Spirit indwelling and strengthening them. That is why it’s such a powerful witness when you and I point people to the Savior of the world. He offers a living hope, healing, and forgiveness. He is a great Savior. And, he is our indwelling Lord. Share this great news with someone who is going through a storm today.

This is Luis Palau.

How do you respond to trials? Do you become angry or bitter at God? Do you ask, “why me?" What do others see when they watch you work through difficult situations? In life, we will all experience trials. There is simply no way to avoid them because we live in a fallen world. And sometimes, we must accept that the reason for our trials will not be revealed to us until we get to Heaven. But I believe part of why we experience grief is so that we can comfort those around us who may be experiencing a struggle similar to ours.

As believers in Jesus, we can take heart in knowing that God is the greatest source of comfort through all of our difficult situations. Paul says in the book of Romans that we are to “rejoice in our sufferings,” because we know suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance produces character, and character produces hope.  So if you are struggling today with something heavy in your life—whether it has to do with financial, relationship, work, or health problems—take heart in knowing that this suffering is not in vain. Lean on the Lord, then, look for people to encourage with His comforting truth.

This is Luis Palau.

Are you hurting inside? Do you feel like giving up? When crisis, heartache, or stressful situations arise, one of the worst mistakes you can make is to pretend that nothing is wrong. To find relief from our problems, we must first acknowledge them and the inner turmoil they are causing. Only then, can we embrace the “father of mercies and God of all comfort," Jesus Christ. 

Another mistake people make when experiencing a tough time is to make impulsive, un-prayed for, panicky, sudden moves. Ephesians 6:13-14 says, “..take up the whole armor of God…stand firm! Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” So stand firm in your faith, and lean on the indwelling Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember that each time we face a crisis, people are watching for our reactions and wondering how we will respond. They want to see if being a follower of Jesus really makes a difference when life gets tough. So, acknowledge the reality of your pain, but take rest in the power of the Holy Spirit, and in God’s peace—which surpasses all understanding. People will notice how you behave in difficult circumstances, and your reliance on God could open doors for conversations about Jesus.

This is Luis Palau.

Years ago, a well-known clinical psychologist committed suicide, and the news story reported that he had left a note saying he felt “tired, alone, and suddenly very old.” Sadly, this sort of thing seems to happen more and more these days. Suicides are increasing at an alarming rate. Too many people feel lost, empty, and alone. People feel overwhelmed by this world. Overpowered with the idea of “nothingness." People in this situation either take their own lives, or they seek escape through drugs, alcohol, or other distractions.

Why do some people fall into this sort of despair? There are many self-help books out there, promising that they have the key to happiness. But the true solution to despair is not found in any worldly piece of advice. Rather, it’s found in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says to His disciples, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.” As followers of the Lord, you and I have a responsibility and privilege to be faithful messengers of God’s truth and light to those in our lives. Who can you talk to today about the healing power of Jesus Christ? Who in your life needs to fill their void with the person and message of our Savior? Think about it. And pray about it, won’t you?

This is Luis Palau.

God wants to keep us safe, but that doesn’t mean you and I are never tempted to climb over His divine walls of protection. It also doesn’t mean we have to give in to temptation. The Bible promises, “God...will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” We read that in 1 Corinthians 10:13.

What’s more, we are not helpless victims of Satan’s whims. He can defeat us only if we let him. “We’re all vulnerable” isn’t true...if we’re staying in God’s Word, if we’re walking by the Spirit, if we’re obeying Jesus Christ. “If you do these things,” 2 Peter 1:10 says, “you will never fall.” What a wonderful promise!

God doesn’t want us to shipwreck our faith, shatter our home, or disgrace our church. Instead, He has given us His indwelling presence and designed the Christian life so that you and I will succeed. Let’s not go around frightened we’re going to fall away or fail. We don’t need to be afraid that the Devil is going to somehow destroy us. If we are walking and growing in Christ, the Bible says we will never fall. What a great promise, indeed!

This is Andrew Palau.

Being part of God’s grand design is a wonderful privilege. But it requires encountering differences, and so we need to have courage and humility. We can get so comfortable in our own spheres of church, work, and school, where we interact only with people who are similar to us. It’s comforting to be around familiarity, but when we reach out and communicate with those who need Christ, often we will be interacting with people who are different from us. They probably won’t agree with us. But that isn’t a cause for alarm. We shouldn’t spend time only with those we agree with; how else can we invite others into God’s kingdom and appreciate the diversity within it?

If we are to reach others for Christ, we need to practice listening actively and openly to the concerns, fears, angers, and experiences of people different from us. We need to bravely ask tough questions and be open to humbly hearing the replies. And we need to be ready to be vulnerable, to share our own experiences and the hope our faith in Jesus Christ brings us. We do not have to be afraid of these conversations, for as Jesus said, “Fear not! For I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). In Christ, there is no fear, only love. Our communication and connection should be marked by love and courage, as we are called to connect with those who are different from us and in need of God’s hope.                

This is Luis Palau.