No one in this life is exempt from struggles, heartaches and difficulties. Do you have a rock-solid foundation for the day the storms of life hit you and your family?  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, faced the worst heartache and agony imaginable. He was sinless. Still, Jesus was beaten, spit upon, scourged and ultimately crucified—to take on Himself the punishment sinful mankind deserved.

The Bible says, “[Jesus] personally carried the load of our sins in His own body when He died on the cross, so that we can be finished with sin and live a good life from now on. For his wounds have healed ours!” [1 Peter 2:24].

Because Jesus Christ died for us and rose again, He is the only trustworthy foundation on which we can build our lives. Other foundations shift, tremble or crumble altogether. Tragedy hits and your friends suddenly disappear; you’re ill and no one visits you; your heart is breaking and on one knows how to comfort you.

But Jesus is an everlasting Rock. He will not fail you or forsake you. When you trust in Him, He will keep you from being blown over by life’s inevitable storms. Come to the Rock today. Pray and commit your life to Him.

This is Luis Palau.

For a moment we sat in stunned silence, trying to block out the doctor’s words. “The tumor is malignant and radical surgery must be performed immediately. We can’t delay.” Surgery was scheduled for the following Monday. Pat, my wife, had cancer. 

When we arrived home, I headed for the basement to sit in my office. Somehow I had to come to grips with this terrible news. A hundred emotions welled up inside me and I started to cry. This was the sort of thing that happened to other people. But not to my wife. Not Pat.

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the strains of a familiar old hymn. Where was it coming from? My four boys were all at school. No one was in the house except Pat and me. Slowly it dawned on me—Pat herself was playing the piano and singing, “How Firm a Foundation.” While the bottom seemed to be falling out of our lives, my wife found strength and security in the firm foundation of her relationship with Jesus Christ.  During my wife’s ordeal with cancer, God’s perfect peace filled her heart constantly and helped her to stand strong.

When needed, God will give you the power and strength to stand when the rains and floods come. Put your trust fully in the Lord today.  

This is Luis Palau.

The storms of life beat heavily against my mother when she was widowed at the age of 34. Although she rejoiced that my dad was in heaven, she struggled alone facing the rains of adversity and the floods of financial reversal. Even as a child, though, I was deeply impressed by my mother’s steadfast trust in God. No matter how fiercely the storm winds blew, she knew His ways were perfect and that He would not let her down.

Consider what Jesus Christ said about the importance of building your life on the right foundation: “All who listen to my instructions and follow them are wise, like a man who builds his house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents, and the floods rise and the storm winds beat against his house, it won’t collapse, for it is built on rock. But those who hear my instructions and ignore them are foolish, like a man who builds his house on sand. For when the rains and floods come, and storm winds beat against his house, it will fall with a mighty crash” [Matthew 7:24-27].

When my mother was widowed and left to raise six children all by herself, she discovered anew that God was her abiding strength. When the storms of life hit, trust God to give you the power and strength to stand.  His grace is sufficient for you.            

This is Luis Palau.

Take a minute and look around you. Look closely at the faces of people and you will see in some eyes a desperate longing for understanding and a deep need for a few words of encouragement. If nothing else, just a quick word, a pat on the back, or a smile can make the greatest difference in their day.Listen to these words from Proverbs 12:25, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down but a good word makes it glad.” Let’s be quick to offer that good word to the lonely, hurting people we meet.

William Barclay once said, “One of the highest human duties is the duty of encouragement . . . It is easy to laugh at man’s ideals. It is easy to pour cold water on enthusiasm. It is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet. Blessed is the man who speaks such a word.”

How true this is! Be an encourager today and see the effect you can have on your world.

This is Andrew Palau.

“Why do you speak to all these people about God?” a young boy asked me once at an evangelistic festival. “Because I love God,” was my reply. It sounds too simple, but it’s the truth. We are all called to share the Good News with others. And above all, that’s the sign that we truly do love others:  sharing God’s Good News about His Son, as Romans, chapter 1 tells us.

I have a question for you today. When you feel a tug on your heart to reach out to someone, why do you act? What prompts you to speak and to share? Is it love?

Jesus reminds us about love in the Gospel of Matthew. He says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” He then says that the second greatest commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

This is why we share. We are compelled by God’s love. That’s one reason; perhaps the main reason that motivates us who are true believers in Jesus Christ.

This week I hope you will deeply feel God’s love for you, yourself. I pray you grow in your own relationship with Him. And I pray you will share this love with others. It’s too great a secret to keep to ourselves.

This is Luis Palau.

Speaking up about Jesus Christ is sometimes hard to do. We have all felt uneasiness or fear when an opportunity arises. Sometimes out of the blue, you may think, “Is this a good time? Right here, right now?”

I heard a story once about a woman who went to see her doctor. She had just completed cancer treatment. Her doctor excitedly told her she was cancer free. She took that moment to praise God. Then she spoke about God’s goodness and salvation through Christ. The doctor was touched and accepted Jesus right there, in the office.

Seize the moment, my friend. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians that “now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” So if you sense that the door is open, and that the person is ready, you should ask very simply, “Are you ready to open your heart to Jesus Christ right now, and surrender to Him?” And if they say, “Yes!” lead them in a prayer and God may bring them into His Kingdom, right in your presence.

The timing may not be exactly as you imagined it. The opportunity might be with someone you didn’t expect, in a place you wouldn’t have guessed. But it is what God provided for you. The time to reach your world is right now.

This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever been tongue-tied? You want to say something and you know it’s the right moment. However, when you open your mouth to speak, the words just don’t come.

Sharing the Good News can be nerve-wracking. You may not know what to say and then decide to just not say anything. I have a tip for you. Just begin. Start by sharing a story from your own experience. Maybe ask a leading question. Give your mind time to catch up to what your heart wants to say.

Romans, in the Bible, reminds us “The Word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart…” One of the simplest passages you can share with someone is Romans 10:9. It says “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This message is simple and clear. Start with that verse. Who knows where it may take you. That Bible verse – Romans 10:9 – led me to the assurance of eternal life, and I’ve never looked back.

Be encouraged my friend. Even when the words are hard to come by, God is using you to speak out for Him. So be bold and use God’s Word as a tool to reach your world.

This is Luis Palau.

I met a young woman named Susan once who seemed quite puzzled. We had just heard a message given about The Great Commission. You know the verse“...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Well, Susan said that she grew up in a Christian home. All her friends already knew about God. Whom could she share The Good News with? My response was this: anyone and everyone.

You see, someone may know about God, but still need encouragement. They may even have a relationship with Jesus, but still need you to share. I told Susan that God can and will use her to bless others. She just needed to pray God would bring the right people into her life and then be willing to speak.

Have you ever asked that question? – Whom can I reach with The Good News? This week I challenge you to first make a list. That’s what I have done in my Bible for years. Write down all the different people you see in a day. Include your boss, the barista at the coffee shop, the grocery store clerk. Second, pray for each person on your list. I do that also. Pray for opportunities to speak to them about Christ. God will help you to reach your world one day at a time.

This is Luis Palau.

Where does true wisdom come from? Some people feel wisdom is obtained by immersing yourself in religious activity. Others see wisdom as the unattainable picture of climbing the highest mountain seeking a white bearded guru. Or you’ve heard people described as “wiser than their years." But if we look for wisdom to come through our experiences or from the world around us, we will certainly wind up disillusioned. God’s Word tells us wisdom is available for all - and that it comes to us from God Himself. In the book of Job we read, “God understands the way to wisdom and he alone knows where it dwells.” Wisdom is not far away and only for a few wise old folks. It is for you! For anyone who trusts in the Lord. In James 3 we read, that ”…the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.“

The big picture then is this. If you want wisdom, you must understand that it comes from God alone, for His purpose. It’s all right there in the Word of Christ and this kind of wisdom is very fruitful, it brings what God calls abundant life. So as you desire to love people and reach your world, open up to wisdom God’s way.                    

This is Andrew Palau.

When I was a boy, a high-wire act came to my town in Argentina. German performers stretched an enormous cable between two buildings over the plaza of the city where I lived. But the performers didn’t set up any safety nets. Starting from opposite ends, they walked across the high wire. The street was filled with a huge crowd below. Everyone thought they were going to fall to their deaths as they swayed back and forth, using long poles to keep their balance. In the end, they made it across the high wire.

Living under the control of Jesus is somewhat like that. There’s a tremendous amount of excitement. People may look at us and ask, “How will you possibly make it?” but they will see us keep our balance as we walk with Christ. Christ is the pole that keeps us in balance every step of the way. People will watch in awe, but we are happy to share our secret: it’s Christ in us.

Jesus says, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and praise your Father in heaven.” Like a high-wire act, like a light in the darkness, people won’t be able to look away from Christ in us. Before we know it, they will ask us how we do it. That will be our opportunity to share Christ’s love and light with them, and another step toward reaching our world for Christ. 

This is Luis Palau.