The very words of Scripture are inspired by God. Someone has said, “You can as easily have music without notes, or mathematics without figures, as thoughts without words.” Inspiration applies to every part of the Bible and to the Bible as a whole—not just to the “thoughts” it conveys to a reader.

In Matthew 5:18, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of the pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” In other words, Jesus guarantees even the most minute parts of it.

The early church fathers also asserted the authority of the Bible. Augustine declared, “Let us therefore yield ourselves and bow to the authority of the Holy Scriptures, which can neither err nor deceive.” The Bible rings with authenticity. No other book has this divine stamp of approval. We can trust God’s Word.

In order to experience God’s filling, power and authority in our lives, you and I need to believe in the full authority of the Scripture and nothing less.

Let’s confidently declare God’s Word today, as we reach out to people in our world with His Good News.

This is Luis Palau.

I like the comment Billy Graham once made when someone used the Jonah story to “prove” that the Bible was fictitious. Mr. Graham said that if God was God, then not only could the fish have swallowed Jonah but, if God wanted, Jonah could have swallowed the fish!

In 2 Timothy 3:14-15, Paul could confidently tell Timothy, “Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Why could Paul say that? Because all Scripture is inspired by God. It is authoritative because it is God’s Word, not man’s.

In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul could go on to say all Scripture is “God-breathed.” John Stott explains it this way: “The meaning then is not that God breathed into the writers, nor that He somehow breathed into the writings to give them their special character, but that what was written by men was breathed by God. He spoke through them. They were His spokesmen.”

Every time you quote the words of Scripture, you are God’s spokesperson. In each sphere of life, you can speak God’s Word.

This is Luis Palau.

When I hear people who claim to be Christians questioning whether the Bible really is God’s Word, I can’t help but wonder if they worship too small a God. 

Jesus Himself recognized the Scriptures as God’s Word. He even made a point of quoting supposedly controversial or “hard-to-believe” passages in the Old Testament in order to attest to their historical accuracy. Jesus gladly referred to the creation story, Noah and the flood, and Lot and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus even referred to the Old Testament account of Jonah Many people today laugh at the story of Jonah and shrug it off as a fairy tale or a bedtime story for little children. Why? Because according to what knowledge they have, they think it is impossible for a whale to swallow a man and then vomit him alive out of his belly after three days.

First, the Bible doesn’t say that Jonah was swallowed by a whale, but rather by a “big fish” [Jonah l:17]. More importantly, the historical account is recorded in the Bible, and Jesus said it happened. If Jesus believed it, then why shouldn’t we?

As we try to reach our world, let’s quote the Bible with boldness and confidence. It has inherent power because it is God’s revealed truth.  Hebrews 4:12 says, “The Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.” It penetrates.

This is Luis Palau.

I’ve met with tens of thousands of pastors around the world. In one city, I met with a group of nearly a dozen ministers. To say that I was shocked by our discussion may be a bit too strong, but I was certainly quite surprised by the serious differences of opinion we had on some basic questions. At least half of these pastors did not accept the Bible as the authoritative Word of God.

Several commented that they believed some Scripture passages were erroneous. Even more astonishing was their admission that when they are uncomfortable with portions of the Bible, they rationalize away such portions because they are “unscientific.”

Is it any wonder that in certain parts of the world the Christian church staggers? Who wants to listen to preachers who don’t believe the Bible is the Word of God? Where is their authority? Where do you draw the line between which passages of the Bible are inspired by God and which are not?

How should we respond to such attacks on the Bible? Charles Spurgeon responded this way: “Defend the Word of God? Might as well defend a lion.” It doesn’t need any defense. You and I can confidently follow in the footsteps of godly men and women down through the ages in acknowledging the Bible’s authority. “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119.)

This is Luis Palau

As a dad, I want to provide the best life possible for my kids. I make sure they have food to eat and a safe place to sleep. My wife, Wendy, and I talk to our kids about getting good grades and studying hard. We spend as much time together as possible each day, and on vacations.  We celebrate all the special occasions together that we are able. But we both know that the number one gift we can give our children is a deep love for Jesus Christ.

In fact, a love for Jesus is the best gift you could give to anyone. Jesus offers life, and life in abundance. He provides comfort in times of struggle. He forgives us from our sins. He empowers us to change for the better. And those who have a relationship with Jesus have the great promise of eternity in Heaven. John 6:47 in the Bible says, “Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.”

As you hear these promises and truths about God, consider whether your children have a relationship with Him. Are they seeing faith lived out in your life? If you haven’t yet shared your testimony with them, I encourage to do so. And whether or not you have kids even, pray about who God wants you to share His Good News with. Introducing someone to Jesus is the best gift you could possibly give.           

This is Andrew Palau.

One day almost 2,000 years ago, God came to earth to live among us. The human mind is boggled by that. Even more unexpected is the first picture we see. No flaming chariots brought God into the world, and no royal entourage greeted Him. God entered the world as a helpless baby named Jesus, with a feeding trough as His cradle.

Even though we celebrate this miracle every Christmas, many people don’t stop to think about the reason behind the words of the angel who announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds: “I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be for all the people.” The reason for our great joy, Luke 2:11 goes on to say, is that “a Savior has been born to you.”

We can celebrate Christmas with joy because it was the day Jesus, God’s Son, in the words of Luke 4:18, arrived to grow up and “proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed.”

Because we have Jesus Christ in our heart, we can enjoy the fullness of His joy. We can be filled to overflowing, not only during the holidays, but throughout the year. Today and every day, let’s celebrate the good news, and share it with others in our world, as often as possible and as wisely as possible.

This is Luis Palau.

At Christmas time, we often hear only one part of the story of Jesus—His birth. But there is more to the story than that. The cradle is one of three symbols of Jesus Christ’s life and ministry here on this earth. The cradle or manger where Jesus slept reminds us that God became a man. Jesus Christ was no ordinary human. He was born in a miraculous way—conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Blessed Virgin Mary.  

But that was not enough. Jesus had to go from the cradle to the cross, the second symbol of Christmas. The Bible clearly states the cross was the reason Jesus came to earth. On Good Friday we remember the words of Philippians 2:9, which say that Jesus “humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.”  The Bible teaches that on the cross God the Son voluntarily took upon Himself all the sins of the world. To think that every sin we have ever committed, every evil act and thought was laid on Jesus.

Then there’s the third symbol—the crown. The Bible says three days after His death, Jesus stepped out of the grave, and that’s what Easter is all about. Jesus is alive! He’s glorified in heaven right now. He’s God the Son with all the power in heaven and on earth, and He indwells those who have received Him as Lord and Savior. What a reason to celebrate Christmas! Let’s praise God for His gift to us, the Christ of the cradle, the cross, and the crown.  Merry Christmas!        

This is Luis Palau.

The world was lying in spiritual darkness when, suddenly, a great light entered into the world—Jesus Christ. This was such a joyful time in history that all heaven broke loose with singing. The evening when Jesus was born, the angels of heaven broke through time and space and shared their joy with shepherds watching their flocks in a field. The angels ended their time of jubilation with this chorus: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests” [Luke 2:14]. Later, Magi from the East traveled many hundreds of miles to worship Jesus, presenting Him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

If the angels felt the birth of Jesus was a time to celebrate, if wise men made such an effort to earmark this event, shouldn’t we, too? As the recipients of the gift of Christmas, we should celebrate it as a time that honors Jesus. We should worship Him and sing to Him and praise Him and unashamedly tell the story of His birth.

There are many ways we can do this. As a family, sing two or three carols. Read the Christmas story together. Read an author’s narrative account of what the birth of Jesus must have been like. Watch the opening segment of Matthew or Luke’s Gospel online.

This year, don’t let the opportunity to celebrate go by. Tell people around you about Him – Jesus Christ. Put Jesus at the center of your holiday jubilation.

This is Luis Palau.

During World War II a soldier left home to fight for his country, leaving behind a wife and infant son.  His wife had no idea if or when they would see him again.  Five years went by, and the little boy grew, reminded often that the photo on the shelf was of his daddy, who would some day be coming home.  One morning the boy said, “Mommy, I wish Daddy would just step out of the picture frame.” 

In a sense that’s what God did 2,000 years ago. John 1:14 says, “The Word [Jesus Christ] became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” One day, Jesus stepped out of heaven and became one of us so we could look at Him and say, “So that’s what God looks like.”

Jesus Christ didn’t come to earth just to see what it was like to be human or to see how we were getting along. Jesus became a man to reveal God to us. Without Christmas, we would have no idea what God the Father was like, no hope of receiving forgiveness of sin, no assurance of life after death, no hope of heaven, and no knowledge of real love, joy, and peace. Pass it on to people in your world.

Because of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, however, we can enjoy a relationship with God. And as His children, Jesus wants to reveal Himself through us to the world. What an amazing privilege that is—especially at Christmas time.              

This is Luis Palau.

Did you know that the Christmas promise—the promise of a coming Messiah—was first made thousands of years before Jesus Christ’s birth? If we miss this, we risk missing the whole point of Christmas. Christmas is about an incredible promise God made to Adam and Eve that took thousands of years to be fulfilled. It’s about that promise...and then waiting a very long time.

Don’t get me wrong. At the right time, Jesus Christ was born. The Lord added scores of prophecies to His original one, telling His people precisely when, and where, and why, Jesus Christ would be born.

The miracle isn’t that a handful of shepherds and wise men came to worship the newborn King of kings...but that many others didn’t flock to Bethlehem to greet His entrance into the world.

The Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 11 and 12, tells us that Jesus came to “his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

What about you? Have you received Jesus? Have you believed in His name? If not, please pray and do so today. Don’t delay. Today, receive God’s greatest gift of all.

This is Andrew Palau.