One way to be intentional in your life and evangelism is to go where the people are. It sounds so simple. But how many times do we just stay at home because it’s easy and comfortable? Sometimes we only leave to go to church or Bible study. Spending time learning about Christ is very important, but so is spending time bringing others to Christ. To do that, we must turn off our TV sets and step away from our computers; we must get outside and meet people.

For example, in Waco, Texas, there is a church that meets under a bridge every Sunday morning. They bring in sound equipment and chairs, even food. Every Sunday, homeless people or other people who would not feel comfortable in a church building have the opportunity to worship and hear the Gospel. These Christians bring the church to them.

The Bible says in Matthew 5:14 that we are “the light of the world.” Wherever we go, we bring the light of Christ with us. Here’s the interesting thing about light: it always removes the darkness. The darkness cannot overcome it, which science and the Bible both recognize. Our light can fill the darkest of places.Your light will shine bright, as long as you don’t compromise your beliefs. Go to places where you feel God has asked you to go, and be intentional about spending time with people he wants to bring into his family. Bring God to them.

This is Luis Palau.

Everyday evangelism doesn’t mean you have to uproot yourself and move to a foreign country. If that is what God is calling you to, go and do it. But many of us are called to life in cities or suburbs or small towns. Wherever we are, we will be around people who need to know about the love of God. We just need to intentionally look for opportunities to share the Good News Gospel.

For example, if you’re a parent, hang out with the parents of your kids’ friends. Invite people over to watch a movie you like, maybe one that will inspire good conversation. Walk around your neighborhood in the evening, and meet your neighbors.

We have to eat. So, instead of bringing your lunch to work, go out with some coworkers and talk to them about their lives. If you’re a student, sit with someone different at lunch. Bring lunch to someone who has just recovered from surgery or just had a baby, and keep them company for a little bit. Hebrews 10:25 calls us to this when it says not to neglect meeting together, but instead, to be encouraging one another.

We each have different roles in life. Nurses, you have different duties, hours, and responsibilities than teachers, or businesspeople. The same goes for students and police officers and grocery store employees. But we are always surrounded by people who need to know God’s love, either people who are working with us or who benefit from our services. Open your eyes. Take someone to lunch. Spread the great news of Jesus wherever you are.

This is Luis Palau.

When someone says the word “evangelism,” what comes to mind? Standing on a street corner and preaching? That’s what my father did. Or what about giving an altar call in front of thousands of people? I’ve done that myself many times. These are forms of evangelism that can be very effective in spreading the Word of God.

But what if you don’t consider yourself an “evangelist?”You are, though! An evangelist is someone who gives others the opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. And all it requires is living intentionally--living in a particular way that points other people to Jesus. Our daily lives can be an effective way to spread God’s love to those around us.

But how do we live intentionally? One way is to think like a missionary, even if you aren’t one overseas. Missionaries consider everything very carefully in the context of bringing others to Christ. This includes where they live, what jobs they have, who they spend time with, what they do in their free time. 2 Timothy 4:5 calls us to be “sober-minded, endure suffering, (and) do the work of an evangelist”. If we have that mentality, we will live with greater purpose. Even going to the grocery store or to the bank can be an opportunity to spread the Gospel. Our lives will not be boring and ordinary, but rather exciting and full of purpose.

This is Luis Palau.

In the face of unspeakable pain and suffering, why would anyone still believe in God? Or take the matter of unexpected crises. Of course, one hopes that life’s crises will be few and far between. Then one day, you get news that you have cancer. It can happen that fast. In September Dad was traveling all across the world, and in December we found out he had stage four lung cancer. He went to the doctor for a minor ailment, and this is what we discovered.

Believe me, everybody has a story. Not only that, but unless we’re broken enough to take the risk of telling someone our story, no matter how dark it is, we may never sense God’s presence and love again this side of eternity. Remarkably, if we do tell our story to someone who knows God—without demanding answers to that blackest of all questions (“Why?”)—guess who shows up, unannounced? Yes, God never abandons us. Even in the worst of circumstances, He is still there, urging us to not lose hope that we will experience His comfort, solace, encouragement, strength, joy and peace.

A woman named Lisa said it best: “I discovered there’s always hope.” What’s your story? Can you see God at work in your life? Whatever your story, I pray that “the God of all comfort” [2 Corinthians 1:4] will be your comfort, strength, and peace now and in the days ahead.

This is Andrew Palau.

Someday our bodies will fall apart. No amount of vitamins or exercise or medicine or surgery or replacement parts can prevent that from happening. But the Bible makes it clear that our souls live forever—something we would be wise to keep in mind along life’s journey. That’s why the Bible says repeatedly that God doesn’t want anyone to perish.

To perish means to miss out on the life God intended us to enjoy on earth, and the life He intended us to enjoy in heaven. The last words of the apostle Peter are worth reviewing. What is utmost on his mind? First, that we keep taking God at His word, that we cling to it, that we believe what He has said, and that we not be carried away by false teaching.

Second, that we live pure lives, keeping our eyes on eternity—not on what is temporal and soon to fade away. But third, and this is my point here, Peter reminds us that “God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish” [2 Peter 3:9]. God’s desire that we truly live, however, doesn’t happen to us by luck, fate, or osmosis. Again, Peter says that “God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance.” Repentance means to turn away from sin, turn back to God, receive His forgiveness, and live for Him, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Don’t wait. Do it today.

This is Luis Palau.

What will your legacy be? When you get old - and we all do - will you still have a vital, active faith in Jesus Christ?  Sadly, not all do. Dr. J. Robert Clinton has invested much of his career analyzing why people do—or don’t—finish well. He’s done a comparative study of more than 800 Christian leaders’ lives. His conclusion: “Few leaders finish well.” Clinton lists six barriers: Number 1. Finances—their use and abuse. 2. Power—its abuse. 3. Pride—unchecked, which leads to downfall. 4. Sex—illicit relationships. 5. Family—unresolved problems. 6. Plateauing—because of sin or loss of vision.

Thankfully, Dr. Clinton doesn’t stop there. He also lists five reasons why people do finish well. All five can be seen in the lives of Bill Bright, Ted Engstrom, Billy Graham, and others: Number 1. Lifetime perspective on ministry. 2. Fresh encounters with God on occasion. 3. Personal disciplines daily. 4. Lifelong learning posture. 5. Lifelong mentoring by a number of people.

I couldn’t agree more. Like Paul the apostle, I want to say, “I have finished well” [2 Timothy 4:7]. I trust you want to do the same. Together, let’s reach our world for Jesus Christ.  

This is Luis Palau.

A few months before his death, my good friend Ted Engstrom invited a younger friend of mine to spend a day together, just the two of them. Dr. Engstrom’s eyesight was gone, but his mind was still sharp. For hours, he told my friend about the things closest to his heart.

Among other things, Dr. Engstrom talked about a pact that he, Billy Graham, and another close friend, Bill Bright, had made decades earlier. “We promised each other that we would finish well,” Dr. Engstrom said, smiling winsomely. Then he added: “And just think—Bill Bright did just that! Billy Graham assures me he’s going to be faithful to the end. And I fully intend to do the same!” Talk about an enduring legacy.

Dr. Engstrom radiated joy. He had made that promise decades earlier, but keeping it wasn’t a burden or duty. Instead, it was the secret of his enthusiasm and vitality. I’ve seen athletes flash that same smile after winning a major victory. To see it radiate from someone near the end of life is even more moving.

Many years ago I made that same promise. And I have flashed that same smile. Yes, lung cancer may win, but I’m happily and fully committed to finishing well [2 Timothy 4:6-8]. I urge you to do the same.

This is Luis Palau.

Vince Lombardi, the famous coach of the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, once remarked, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” The truth is, we all share the same DNA. We’re vulnerable whenever we’re physically exhausted, emotionally upset, spiritually dry, and socially isolated.

Think about it. What do you do when the storms of life hit? Pick up the phone and ask someone to pray for you? Open God’s Word and ask Him to speak to you? Listen to music to encourage your heart? And get a good night’s sleep? Or are you like the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19? “Woe is me. It doesn’t get any worse than this. Just let me die, Lord. I’ve had enough.”

Often it’s during times of physical, emotional, spiritual, and social stress that we’re most tempted to turn away from God and live by our own rules and whims. When we do, of course, we inevitably find ourselves further from God than when we started.

Instead of running away, we need to turn to God, trusting Him to respond to and meet all our needs. God promises to care for us—we need only to call out His name and ask.

No matter what happens, let’s be courageous enough to embrace (or re-embrace) the Good News Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This is Luis Palau.

We all have friends who aren’t Christians, but how many of us are actively praying for our friends to accept Jesus? Often, we can get discouraged when we don’t see immediate change, and we stop praying. We think, “I’ve been praying for months, years …and nothing has happened yet. My friend still does not know Jesus” so we stop praying. But in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we are told to “pray continually”—don’t give up!

In my own life, my dad, mom, and others covered me in prayer for years before I finally accepted Jesus. They must have thought about giving up, but they continued to pray. And I’m glad they did! Shortly after I received Jesus into my heart, I felt Him say to me, “Do you realize the power of the prayer that went into your life?” Friends, listen: prayer has real power.

I believe in the power of prayer so much that whenever I speak at churches or festivals, I give out “prayer cards”. People are invited to write their prayer requests, and after the event is over, a team of volunteers pray for each request individually. This week, I urge you to dive into the power of prayer! Ask God to reveal to you who he wants you to talk to, and pray that person’s heart will be open to hearing the Good News.

This is Andrew Palau.

Since 1941, the United States of America has observed Thanksgiving as an official holiday. A lot of people think of Thanksgiving as being all about football, food, and family—but the day was first recognized in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln as a “day of thanksgiving and praise to our heavenly Father." In other words, Lincoln wanted a day set aside to give thanks to God for all that He had provided to the early pilgrim settlers, who sought and found a land where they could freely express their faith.

This year, whether you live in the United States or in another country around the world, I encourage you to practice thanksgiving to God for all that He has provided to you. God offers us Jesus, through whom we have eternal life, and this is the greatest blessing of all.

Psalm 9:1 says to “give thanks to the Lord with your whole heart; to recount all of His wonderful deeds.” Wherever you are around the world today, I urge you to share with others about the good that Jesus has done for you. By doing this, you will reach the people in your part of the world with something that is truly worth being thankful for.

This is Luis Palau.