There are countless people who believe because they’ve been good people they don’t need Jesus. The good news sounds like something for people who have done really bad things in life and need forgiveness. I heard of a family that thought going to church on Christmas and Easter was enough. They lived good lives and were very nice people. But even this family is in need of Jesus Christ in their lives. Good works and church-going aren’t tickets to heaven.

The Bible says in Ephesians 2, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast.” Many times when reaching our world we encounter people who believe they don’t need Jesus because they are good people. Sometimes I like to ask them if they’ve ever told a little white lie. Other times I try to explain that it’s not being good or bad, it’s about believing Jesus died for you and rose from the dead.

Many people have difficulty grasping the concept that Jesus offers salvation as a free gift. Being a follower of Christ isn’t about having good works to outweigh the bad ones. Rather it’s a relationship with the Son of God that comes when you repent and believe in Him. This is the Good News that you can share with a friend today.

This is Luis Palau.

Gail invited her teenage son’s friend to church recently. The friend really enjoyed the sermon about heaven and was very touched by his experience. After the service Gail asked him if he was ready to receive Christ as his Savior. The boy asked Gail if he could be like the guy in the movie Life of Pi and accept all religions. He liked the idea that there were many ways to God. Gail gently told him no, and pointed him to Jesus Christ.

These days the idea of multiple ways to find God has become a common objection to the Good News. Many are tired of the conflict among religions and think the solution is to accept them all. As nice as that idea might sound it is not. In John 14, Jesus clearly said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Most world religions don’t even believe there’s a heaven.  How could they take us to such a place then?

Jesus could say He is the way because He is the only one who died so that we can have forgiveness of sin and the assurance of eternal life. It’s Jesus who rose from the dead and lives in us today to give us His power. So when our friends talk about finding their own way to God, let’s carefully and respectfully share the Good News of Jesus Christ with them.

This is Luis Palau.

Besides my own salvation, my father's death has impacted my ministry more than anything else in my entire life. When he died I was devastated. I was angry at everyone and everything. Like many others when bad happen in their life, I asked God “why?” Why couldn’t my dad die in old age like everyone else?  I was ten years old when the Lord took him.    

Many question why bad things happen if God is good. This is one of the most frequent objections people have to accepting the Good News. People don’t understand when the Bible says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Christ doesn’t promise us a life where nothing bad happens. But He does promise to work it all for good.    

The summer my father died I questioned my mother for information about heaven and Jesus Christ. I was only ten myself, and I was angry. But my father’s early death helped me settle the things of eternity in my own heart. Don’t shy away from someone who objects to the Good News because they are asking “why?” Instead let’s point out that although Christ didn’t promise a problem-free life, He did promise He would work it all towards our good.

This is Luis Palau.

Race. Politics. Religion. There are plenty of things we don’t agree on. And in some cities – perhaps yours – there’s division even among Christians. On the Palau team, and specifically in my dad’s legacy of evangelism of over 50 years, we see constant reminders of the amazing things that happen in cities and countries at large, when believers put aside their differences and unite for the spreading of the Gospel. 

I love the story of Peter and John walking together in unity in Acts 3. It’s actually quite surprising. You couldn’t find two more different people, but they both were close to Jesus. Both John and Peter could have claimed dominance, but in Acts, we see them walking humbly together – and they witness an incredible miracle.

Psalm 133 reminds us “How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!” The call for Christians to love the world is clear and the unity among churches is critical for us to be effective in revealing Jesus to others.

In Ephesians chapter 4, verse 3, we’re instructed to be EAGER to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We should do everything we can to strive for peace and unity with other believers in our efforts to make a difference in our communities. We are better together.       

This is Andrew Palau.

No matter who you are, you matter. You have something to offer to the Body of Christ. The whole world may reject you, but some part of the Church will receive you with open arms. We want you. Yes, we have our faults. A lot of them. But all things considered, I wouldn’t dream of leaving His Church.

Part of the beauty and wonder of God’s kingdom is that He allows us to be gently refined while living among one another and working for one another.  The fact is, we are all stronger when we listen to each other and forget our small, petty differences of opinion in favor of remembering the incredible love and truth that unites us in the cause of Jesus [Philippians 2:1-4].

I wonder if you have been trying to follow Jesus and serve Him solo? I wonder if the individualism of this age, and the constant temptation for isolation that we all carry, has done a work in you to pull you away from others? If so, consider what it might mean for you to rejoin a group of loyal workers in the cause of Jesus. This Sunday, join with other brothers and sisters in Christ. Go and worship Jesus Christ. Sing to Him. Celebrate communion. You’ll be glad you did!

This is Luis Palau.

Did you know that in God’s family, nobody is a nobody? Instead, everybody is a somebody. I love Romans 12:5, which says, “so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” The Body of Christ is more diverse, more adaptable, more creative, tougher, more committed, more joyful, and more united than any other religion, nation, or interest group on earth.

We have faults, and they are many. Those faults sometimes mar the beauty. But the faults do not take away from the beauty. In the big picture, the body of Jesus is better than we think.

A few years ago, hundreds of churches came together to put on a massive evangelistic festival in New York. One New York Times interviewer asked me: “How do you manage to unite all these diverse people?”“Jesus,” I said. “Believe me, it’s because of Jesus.”

Jesus bonds us into one family—rich and poor, educated and simple, from the peoples of every nation. We come together when we come to Jesus. That is the greatest witness this world has ever seen because it is the most unexplainable. There is no accounting for it. It’s Jesus—all Jesus. Today, be sure to thank him for including you in that Body.

This is Luis Palau.

To serve with a pure heart, like Jesus, you and I need to embrace humility. The best way I know to stay humble is to simply not dwell on yourself. Have you had a wonderful victory? Praise God for it and celebrate. Then allow it to fade away.

If you concentrate on the past, you tend to inflate your own role, and if you are not careful, you may begin to feel that you deserve some of the credit and glory. Don’t gloat. At best we are weak servants. Don’t spend too much time trying on the Master’s hat and looking in the mirror.

Doesn’t our humanity, including being honest about our shortcomings, reveal God’s power? This is what the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:7. He writes, “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

So, today, will you humble yourself beneath the mighty hand responsible for all your victories? Praise God for what He’s done in and through you. Then ask for His help to put others before yourself. Become like Jesus, the servant of all. May His all-surpassing power shine through you today to those in your world.

This is Luis Palau.

Servanthood is not in vogue right now. Was it ever? It’s not fashionable to pour out your life, interests, time, and energy for the sake of others. Having a servant’s attitude is seen as a weakness, like you’re not living up to your potential. Yet servanthood requires incredible strength. A servant realizes the unimaginable potential in God’s kingdom. Remember what Jesus taught? In Matthew 23:11-12, Jesus says: "The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

What a stirring truth! The self-sacrifice of a servant unlocks God’s exaltation and honor. The degree to which we serve is the degree to which we are great in God’s eyes. Am I willing to become less so that others can become greater? Am I willing to lay aside my desires, to put others’ needs before my own and simply give? Sadly, it is harder for me than I’d like to admit.

Jesus chose to be lowly in heart. He placed others before Himself. He was never too important to serve “the least of these.” In humility, let’s desire to do the same.

This is Luis Palau.

Shortly before her twenty-first birthday, Michelle decided to, quote, “leave God and make my own way in the world,” unquote. Years later, she came back to God, but not without a struggle. The issue for her, as it is for most, was a five-letter word. In her own words:  “Pride is equal to saying ‘I can do this all myself, thank you very much. I have my best interests in mind.’ I believe that this emotion is the opposite of trust. Trust is exhibited best when we are completely incapable of providing something for ourselves—and believe that God has our best interests at heart. To ‘wait on the Lord’ [Psalm 27:14] shows not only patience, but trust. Belief. Faith."

What a joy to read Michelle’s letter! What’s remarkable to me is that she doesn’t blame God or others for her choice to walk away from God. Instead, Michelle points to her own pride.

It’s one thing to admit that I’m a rugged individualist. It’s another to admit my pride, yet in the end I must. We all must. Proverbs 16:18 confirms it. “Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall.”  And we’ve all experienced it. In the end, it’s our pride that must fall.

This is Andrew Palau.

One of my all-time favorite Scriptures is 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. It says, Jesus Christ “died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who, for their sakes, both died and was raised again.”

Some people find it easy to give money to the cause of Christ but can’t imagine giving their time—or worse, risking their reputation! Others find volunteering quite easy, but their wallets have not been converted. Are we dedicating ourselves to Jesus Christ and His kingdom as whole persons? Is all of us—mind, body, soul, and spirit—being laid at the feet of Jesus?

Yes, He asks for all, but only after He Himself had given all. Your role is to simply obey the Lord Jesus Christ and follow His principles for your life.

Ask the Lord what He wants you to give today. Is it time? Money? Words? Thanks? Ask Him and ask yourself if there’s anything you’re holding back from the Lord. A nudge from the Spirit, joyfully received and obeyed, can become an avalanche of God’s super blessings. I’m praying you’ll experience the deep peace and the grace of giving it all to the Lord, and bless the people around you.

This is Luis Palau.