Skeptics commonly ask questions like: “What about all those people who have never heard of Jesus? Will they get into heaven?” Often when people ask this question they are seeking a personal loophole, a way out, so they won’t need to believe in Jesus Christ. I seldom get the impression that they are overly concerned about the fate of a remote jungle tribe. If they were, the logical course of action would be for them to receive Jesus Christ themselves and then go out and share such amazingly Good News with the lost.  C.S. Lewis put it well in his book, Mere Christianity, when he said, “If you are worried about the people outside [of Christianity], the most unreasonable thing you can do is to remain outside yourself.” How true! He was a genius. Abraham declared: “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”  Of course He will!

When we’re responding to questions from skeptics of Christianity, it’s important that we remember the character of God. In Exodus 34:6, God describes Himself as, “… compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…” God is perfectly holy, and He is perfectly just. He is also perfectly loving and merciful.

Reassure the skeptics in your life that whatever God decides to do with those who have never heard the Good News will be in His nature: loving and righteous and fair. God is a good God.

This is Luis Palau.

In the Gospel of John in the Bible, we read about Mary Magdalene going to Jesus’ tomb after His burial. She saw that His body was not there. She fretted and feared and cried out, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him." The disciples, too, were devastated to learn that Jesus’ body was missing. Even though Jesus had told them repeatedly, “I will be crucified; I’ll be buried for three days; on the third day I’ll rise again” - they forgot. They still did not get it. It seemed impossible to them.

Sometimes even today we act surprised that Jesus rose from the dead. We get caught up in the day-to-day Christianese and try to earn the love of Christ. What we really should be doing is reveling in the tremendous reality that we have a Savior who is alive. He died for our sins, yes. And He rose again from the dead.

Today, let the so-called “surprise” of Christ’s resurrection overwhelm you once again. Remember the greatness of His power and love. You will relate better to those who have not yet begun to follow Him. Put yourself in their shoes and remind them of the truth: He is alive today, having conquered death for you and me.

This is Luis Palau.

Jesus Christ often did the unexpected, and so we as His followers should do the same. When the world is dark and we are feeling persecuted by others, the natural response is to hate or hit back. When terrorists cause harm, it is easy to want to generalize and hate and point fingers.  It’s easy to want “an eye for an eye” – and this was how people lived in the Old Testament.

But Jesus said something different. He said, “I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Can you believe that? He actually said to love and pray for our enemies. Jesus knew that if we pray for those who hate us in His name, we will see them as real people. As hurting people. As lost people. Even the worst, most hard-to-love people on this earth need Jesus’ love and salvation. Even if they want to do us harm, we need to pray that they find the love of Christ. If anything will change their lives and attitudes, it’s the love of Christ entering their lives, if they repent and trust Jesus Christ with a sincere heart.

The next time you see a news story about someone doing harm, refuse to be hardened with hatred. Instead, surrender your hurts to the Lord, and pray for those who do harm. Pray for the lost. Pray for nations to be turned around, for the good of their people and families.  For the good of the world, even.

This is Luis Palau.

If you turn on the radio or the television, you will hear bad news. Terrorists have been destructive in France, Germany, and in the United States. Ongoing war is ravaging the Middle East. Destruction seems inevitable. Inequality is everywhere, and so is hatred and fear.

It would be easy to want to hide from it all – and it’s even easier to point our fingers and blame, and get consumed with anger. But this is no way to live, is it? What can we do to make life more bearable? Instead of just surviving with fear and anxiety, how can we live with peace and joy?

Sometimes any hope can be hard to find. Even for us who follow Christ and believe in God’s sovereignty, it’s easy to get discouraged. The Apostle Paul understood this. His world was racked with pain and destruction too. This is why he writes to the Philippians: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God’s peace doesn’t make sense, given the pain of the world. Paul wrote those words from a Roman prison – a dungeon.It sounds foolish, and yet it has the power to guard our hearts and minds.

I hope you experience God’s peace, and that you share it with others in your life. It may just be the life-changing hope-filled message someone in your circle needs to hear.

This is Luis Palau.

I once heard that the two marks of a good friend were candor and commitment. Candor--because friends need to be honest. And commitment--because all relationships require commitment to grow over time.

Thankfully, Jesus promises to be the best friend that we could ever hope for. Jesus is honest and keeps His promises that we read in the Bible. And He is committed in a way nobody else is. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 31:6 that God will “never leave or forsake” us.  Never! How’s that for commitment?

This week, consider the two traits that make for a good friendship: be honest, and stay committed. Live this way in relationship with others, and use your testimony to point others to our ultimate friend: the friend we have in Jesus Christ.

If you do not yet count Jesus as a friend, and would like to get to know Him, you can call 1-888-NEED-HIM and talk to one of my friends there to find out more.  There are people there who would love to talk to you and answer your questions, and to pray for you. That phone number again is 1-888-NEED-HIM.  The line is open 24 hours a day. I would love for you to get to know Jesus, my best friend. 

This is Andrew Palau.

I’ll never forget a story I heard about a young boy named Johan. Johan grew up in a rough inner-city neighborhood. Many of his siblings joined gangs when they were teenagers. They were looking for a way to fit in—and gangs promised a sort of family. In order to keep Johan off the streets and out of violence, one of his teachers encouraged him to join a sports club. Johan tried out, and he made the team. Johan was able to find a club to belong to that kept him out of trouble.

The family of Jesus is a similar kind of club — but it’s much more powerful, and much less exclusive than any club here on earth. In fact, the family of Christ is the least exclusive club in the world. It is open to anyone and everyone who accepts Jesus as their personal Savior. And His followers are in 190 nations worldwide.

The Bible says in Ephesians 2:19-22, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone...” This week, tell someone you know about Jesus, and invite them into this wonderful club, sometimes called the Church.

This is Luis Palau.

Here’s a question for you: What saves us? What gets us eternity in Heaven? I’ll give you a hint: it’s not dependent on what we do, how well we perform at work, or how good we may think we are, or how generous. What truly saves us is having a relationship with the one living God. It is by accepting by faith the message shared in the Good News Gospel. It’s as simple as that.

1 Corinthians 15:2 in the Bible says, “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I proclaimed to you.” Take comfort in knowing that you are already saved and rescued if you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, and if you have asked Him into your heart. Therefore, you do not need to work for, prove yourself, or earn anything. You are already saved if you know Jesus.

If you have not yet received Jesus, there is no better time than right now to begin following Him. Join me as I pray, right now.

Lord Jesus, I want You to rescue me and save me.  Please come into my life.  I believe in You with all my heart.  I confess that You’re my Lord.  Amen.

This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever got so caught up focusing on the details of something that you forget the big picture idea? I know I have. I’ve become fixated on a small problem, instead of considering the whole situation. This is a common issue with people—and believe it or not, it’s common in the church even. We might be so involved in choosing new drapes for the sanctuary, or planning the next potluck meal that we don’t notice the passerby who stopped in. 

We can get so caught up in the small things that we miss the opportunity to share the ONLY thing that really matters: and that is - Jesus loves us! He came to save you and me from our sins. And He wants a relationship with us. That’s it! That’s why He chose to go and die on a cruel cross. The Bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Let’s remember not to get hung up on the small stuff. Keep your eyes open to see the big picture.  God loves you.  He wants to give you eternal life, and Jesus would love to meet your friends.  Will you introduce them to Him?

This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever felt stuck in life? Maybe you feel stuck in a job. You aren’t sure what your next career move should be. Or perhaps you feel stuck in your same routine. Perhaps you feel stuck because of past events, and you cant figure out how to move on and move forward.

When we get stuck, our tendency is to look around for the first thing to get us “unstuck”. I have seen people turn to friends, or substances, or simply busy themselves with work when they’re feeling stuck. But the best thing to do is look up – not out. When we look up to God, He will direct us. He will show us our next step. And most important, He will give us peace right where we are today.

Proverbs 3:6 in the Bible says, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” As you turn to Jesus for direction, He will make known your next step. Will you consider how you can submit yourself to God? Allow yourself to follow His plans. But you have to read them to know them. That’s in the Bible. And then pray for Him to reveal those specific plans to you.    

This is Luis Palau.

When I was in my early twenties, I was living the American dream. I was working my way up the ladder in a corporate job in a big city, and spent my weekends partying with friends. But internally, I was sad. I didn’t feel joy, or peace. I was searching for something more. Then, I found Jesus and received Him as my personal Savior and everything changed. My lifestyle became less “glamorous” – according to how the world defines “glamorous”, and I gave up my corporate job. I moved away from that big city, and many of my party friends didn’t understand what was happening to me. But I felt freedom from guilt. I felt peace and joy. I felt the joy of Christ.

When we choose to follow Jesus and when we’re in a relationship with Him, we will experience joy regardless of what our external circumstances look like. The Bible says in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” That is my prayer for you. As you walk with God you will find that He fills you with joy.

This is Andrew Palau.