![blue.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ea0d94b7d85a34f661de262/1602888570406-HSEBVPUTAD1A73ZAUS3A/blue.png)
Devotionals from Luis Palau
Think about the friends that you spend the most time with. Now, how many of those people do not follow Jesus?
American adults spend about one-third of their lives at work. That’s a lot of time!
One of my favorite things is being at home with my family around me: the grandkids hanging out, my children laughing and talking, lots of food. I am so grateful for a family that loves each other and loves the Lord.
When Jesus gave the Great Commission to His followers, He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Often, we focus on the “of all nations” part, and that part is really important.
Where is the Christ Child in your Christmas? If you’re not sure, please know that this can be the most wonderful holiday you have ever known.
Did you know there are actually two Christmases? One is the Christmas of commercialism and overeating, overdrinking, and overspending.
With Christmas in the air, I wonder: Where is the Child whose birthday we celebrate? During the first Christmas, angels visited shepherds with their flocks at night
The Christmas season is wonderful. Whoever invented it deserves a crown in heaven!
How many of you parents have said to your kids, “Christmas isn’t about receiving, it’s about giving?” It can be hard, though, when everything on TV and the internet says, ask for more, more, more!
Christmas often means inviting people to your home, whether it’s family, neighbors, or co-workers. We often work hard to create the perfect holiday, making sure everyone is comfortable and welcome.
Where I live in Oregon doesn’t get much snow at Christmas time. It’s often grey and rainy.
I am always at home over Christmas, celebrating at the Palau Association Christmas party, attending events at my church, and enjoying my family. But it’s amazing how quickly “staying home for the holidays” can turn into “I’m never home during the holidays.”
Have you ever considered what life might be like if there was no Christmas? I mean, if Jesus had never been born?
So many people are surviving, but not really living. Christmas movies and TV shows depict the holidays as being about presents and Santa Claus.
A man once said to me, “Luis, how can I possibly be joyful at Christmas? I was unfaithful to my wife, and she left me years ago. Now, I’m alone, and filled with regret.”
A few years ago, Think Finance, a provider of payday loans, did a survey of 1,000 Americans and found that 45% of them would prefer to skip Christmas.
Have you ever wondered if there is life after death? I once met a businessman named Ben who seemed to have it all.
Do you remember hearing the biblical accounts of Jesus’ miracles when you were in Sunday School? He healed the blind and the sick.
God is not performance-driven. That means He won’t love you any more or any less based on how you do.
Do you believe God has something more in store for your life? There was a time in my life when I wanted to become a banker.
As followers of Christ, Thanksgiving should be one of our favorite holidays. Sure, it isn’t a religious holiday in the sense that it celebrates the life of Christ.
The question “Who should be thankful?” seems like an easy one to answer. Everyone should be thankful, obviously. Everyone has something to be thankful for.
As a kid, did your mom or dad ever make you write “thank you” notes? Maybe after your birthday party or after Christmas, they would sit you down at the kitchen table with a stack of notecards and stamps.
American Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. We have presidents Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt to thank for that.
Within the Church, we talk a lot about sharing the Gospel with people so that they can experience God’s grace, forgiveness, and love. And we talk about sharing the Good News so that people receive eternal life.
Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered and honored for his peaceful efforts to abolish racism and racial inequality. One of his greatest quotes was, “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”
In this day and age, a lot is being made about a child’s right to their own choices on almost all issues in life. And in many ways, I think it is good for kids to cultivate their own interests.
I was in the grocery store when I heard a mother say to her son, “Jason, will you put that back on the shelf?” Jason, her young son, looked at her and said, “No.”
I have a friend who recently moved into a new home. The first day, she got all unpacked.
When our world erupts in chaos, it is natural to feel afraid. Life is unpredictable, and we can be fragile creatures.
Devotionals from Andrew Palau
In Hollywood, there’s a famous road with all sorts of fake grocery stores, movie theaters, and homes. It’s where a lot of famous movie scenes are filmed and it looks real; it’s enticing, and glamorous.
A few years ago we had a festival in beautiful Myrtle Beach. I remember it as if it was yesterday... the boardwalk and the sand, the smell of the ocean... And, I remember the people.
When we receive Jesus into our life, we can walk peacefully, even through difficult seasons.
It’s easy to hear pastors or evangelists like me say, “Go share the Gospel!” and think, “Sure, Andrew, I do intend to get to that later.” But the reality is, the Gospel is an urgent message.
My friend Mark was single for many years and during those years I could see that he was becoming increasingly selfish and self-centered.
Do you have a prodigal son or daughter? Someone who has walked away from the faith, or a loved one who is really living rebelliously?
G. K. Chesterton said, “God is like the sun; you cannot look at it, but without it you cannot look at anything else.”
On either coast of the United States, you can see grand monuments to financial empires.
A young woman who worked in our office – I’ll call her Danielle – came from a very dysfunctional family. As a child, she endured all sorts of terrible things.
I’ve heard it said that everybody needs a hero. I guess that’s why there are so many superheroes in popular culture.
Are you afraid to stand out?
There was a popular song many years ago that said, “It can’t be wrong when it feels so right.” That’s a strong excuse for many people who misbehave and step over moral boundaries.
Everyone has a story to tell. Can you share yours freely?
2 Corinthians 4:7 says this…
Do you remember the hardest time of your life? It can be hard looking back at tragedy and pain.
Have you ever felt afraid to be open and honest about your faith in a particular situation?
Did you know that as a follower of Jesus, you are carrying Jesus around with you in your heart wherever you go?
If you’re a follower of Jesus, that means that the Holy Spirit—the part of God that speaks to us, guides us, and comforts us—now lives inside you.
Do you feel far from God? If so, you are not alone. As humans, we make mistakes, and we fail, we fail again and again, but the truth is, God never abandons you.
When you gave your life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God came and took up residence inside you. You became a new person.
Do you know God’s voice? In John 10:3-4, Jesus says this about Himself…
When you were born, you inherited some of the physical features of both your parents. You share some of their personality traits, too.
Right now, you have an earthly home. Maybe you live in a house or an apartment.
Think for a moment about your family…the people who took care of you when you were a baby.
What does it mean to be an ambassador for Jesus?
Jesus entered into the world He created in order to absorb the judgment we would have faced for all our sins.
Much of Jesus’ words in the Bible are sending a message that His plan to be close to us is bigger and more powerful than we have dared to imagine.
There is an amazing story in the Bible about when Jesus was walking down the road with His disciples. But they did not know it was Him!
As followers of Jesus, we are called to carry the message of the Gospel and the loving character of Jesus into the world.
Sharing the Good News of Jesus with someone else is the most kind and loving thing you can do.
Devotionals from Wendy Palau
I was recently speaking with a group of women in a prison in Panama. As I shared my story of hope, I could tell that many of these women were so broken from the inside out.
Do you need healing? Jehovah Rapha is the Hebrew name for God our healer.
Have you heard it said by Jesus that ‘You are the salt of the earth’?
Have you heard the words of Jesus, ‘You are the light of the world’?
When Jesus called His first disciples, it was such a simple interaction. He called them, and their response was immediate.
We’re told that when Jesus began His ministry, He called two brothers, James and John.
Do you bristle at the religious word, repent? If you do, you should understand that it’s Jesus’ word.
Have you ever felt a dislike for the Christian church because you feel like they are always calling people to repent?
A large global company used this motto a couple years ago: Home. The most important place in the world.
Do you believe that God can help you?