C. S. Lewis said, “No man is ready to live life on earth until he is ready for life in heaven.” He’s right, of course. Committing one’s life to Jesus Christ is the most important decision anyone can ever make. Compared to eternal life, all other decisions aren’t that important when you think about it.

Contrary to popular myth, growing up in a Christian home doesn’t automatically make someone a Christian. God has no grandchildren. Each of us must come to personal faith in Jesus Christ, as I discovered while growing up.Like many others, I grew up attending Sunday school and church. I knew many Christian songs and Bible stories. But I didn’t know Jesus Christ. Oh, if someone asked me, I could stand up and say a prayer or quote a few Scripture verses. But if something went wrong, I cut loose with a string of dirty words. Deep down, I knew that I wasn’t right with God.

At summer camp, when I was 12, my counselor reviewed Romans 10:9-10 and I finally made my decision. I prayed: “Lord Jesus, I believe You were raised from the dead. I confess You with my lips. Give me eternal life. I want to be Yours. Save me from hell. Amen.”

Are you ready for life in heaven? If so, great! If not, stop what you’re doing. Ask Jesus to save you without delay.

This is Luis Palau.

I’m so glad that, no matter what their past has been like, anyone can receive forgiveness of sins and assurance of eternal life. Decision is the key. We can’t wash our hands like Pilate did after Jesus was betrayed. We can’t say, “Well, I’ll think about it later.”

What must we do? John 1:12 says, “To all who received Him (Jesus Christ), to those who believed on His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” To receive Jesus you and I must make a decision. And the decision is actually quite simple. It’s like a speaker saying, “As a memento of our meeting tonight, I want to give you my Bible. It’s a leather Bible, it has my name on it and it has good notes inside. If you want it, come and get it.” If you want that gift, what do you have to do? Stand up, walk forward, accept it, say thanks, and it’s yours. 

“The wages of sin is death,” we read in Romans 6:23, “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That’s why it’s so important that by faith you say, “Thank you, Jesus. I receive You into my heart.” The moment you do that, your life changes forever. Don’t wait. Make your decision today.  It’s a free gift of God, but you must accept it.

This is Luis Palau.

During an evangelistic meeting in a large metropolitan church, I noticed a young man sitting in a wheelchair. I later learned that he had leukemia. He looked thin, drawn, and pale–only in his early 30s, but physically on his way to eternity.

In his heart he had long ago turned against God, yet came that night with his Christian wife. To her surprise, this man listened intently to the message. It seemed evident that the Spirit of God was working in his heart. When I gave the invitation, he was the first one to come forward.

After the meeting this young man said to me, “You know, Palau, all my life I’ve been blasting God. When I contracted leukemia, I became even more blasphemous. But tonight I realized that despite my antagonism, God loves me. I want eternal life. Do you think God will forgive me despite the awful things I’ve said about Him?” I turned in my Bible to Hebrews 10:17 and gave him the promise from the Lord that, “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." 

No matter what your past has been like, anyone can receive forgiveness of sins and assurance of eternal life. Decision is the key. If you haven’t done so yet, make your decision today.

This is Luis Palau.

I have three children who are growing up in a world that can feel very dark. When my wife, Wendy, and I watch the news, my heart aches because of the things that are happening. I feel for the parents all over the world who also worry about the world their children are growing up into. The reality is, the Bible is clear that the earth belongs to the enemy. It is dark. Evil is real. But when we’re rooted in Christ, we can be assured of our future. When our children respond to the Good News, we can also be assured of their future – regardless of what happens here on earth.

We know that everyone who accepts Jesus as their personal Savior will spend eternity in Heaven. John 5:24 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

As you hear this message, ask yourself: do your children have a relationship with Jesus? Have you offered it to them? Do you have a relationship with Him? Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior is the way to inherit eternity in Heaven. And walking with Jesus is the only way to experience true peace on Earth. In dark times He is with you.  And at all times, heaven is your home.

This is Andrew Palau.

The Apostles’ Creed has been a helpful expression of the core beliefs of Christianity throughout the history of the Church. One part of the creed confesses belief in “the communion of saints.” What does this mean? It means God’s people, the Church. Jesus Christ is the head of His Church. St. Paul writes in Ephesians, “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” “Saints” does not mean we are yet perfect.  It means separated for our Lord.

Are you a Christian? Then you are a part of the “communion of Saints.” And what a glorious thing that is! It is important, as we consider reaching our world with the Good News of Jesus Christ, that we never forget the Church. That we are inviting people to believe in Jesus Christ, and by doing so, we invite them to become a part of His Church. His family.

I have spent much of my life traveling the world, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. And I have been blessed to witness what the communion of saints truly means. Christians everywhere, in every place, at all times, are part of one church. We instinctively know each other. A family of God that will be a family forever. Who can you invite into God’s family today?

This is Luis Palau

The Apostles’ Creed explains God the Father, Jesus His Son, and then the Holy Spirit. The last part of the creed says, “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy worldwide Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”

In Martin Luther’s larger catechism he explains this part of the creed when he says, “Neither you nor I could ever know anything about Christ or believe on Him, and have Him for our Lord, unless it were offered to us and granted to our hearts by the Holy Spirit through the proclamation of the Gospel. The work of redemption is done and accomplished… But if the work remained concealed so that no one knew about it, then it would be useless and lost. So that this treasure might not stay buried, but be received and enjoyed, God has caused the Word to go forth and be proclaimed.” Isn’t that amazing? As we proclaim the Good News Gospel, the Holy Spirit does His work and people come to believe in Jesus Christ.

In Galatians, St. Paul affirms this, writing, “Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’”I’m so thankful that the Holy Spirit is working redemption by the proclamation of the Good News. Proclaim it today, won’t you?

This is Luis Palau.

The Apostles’ Creed can be a very helpful tool in reaching your world. It is a concise summary of the Christian faith. It clearly explains what the Bible teaches. If you aren’t sure how to share your faith, this can be a helpful way to express what you believe.

The creed first talks about God the Father, then about Jesus Christ, saying, “I believe… in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.” This part of the creed clearly explains our redemption. As Jesus says in Matthew, “This is my blood… which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Jesus Christ has become our Lord by redeeming us. He poured Himself out for us. Not only does God provide for us in this life, but through Jesus, He made the way for our eternal life. Share the glorious Good News of redemption with someone today.

This is Luis Palau

What do you say when you share the Gospel with a friend? Do you only tell them your take on things? It can be nice to tell people your story, but it’s also important that we share THE faith. The faith handed down from the saints through generations of the Church. From Jesus to today. It’s important to go outside of your own experience of Christianity, to the basics of Christianity itself. The ancient creeds are one helpful way of accomplishing this.

The creeds are not the Bible. But they are a helpful summary of what the Bible says. They’ve been used throughout the history of the Church to clarify in a concise way what Christianity is all about. The Apostles’ Creed is probably one you’ve heard before. The first part says, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.”

In this short phrase, there is so much truth that needs to be shared with the world. In this statement, we are acknowledging a creator—God. A God who is our Father. We confess that He made everything we see. That He sustains us in this life and gives us everything we need. In 2 Corinthians we read, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” You see, each one of us is God’s creation. And in Christ, He turns us into a new creation:  actual children of God!  

This is Luis Palau

Most of the time, we aren’t privy to what’s going on in the spiritual realm. Yet let’s never forget: We are engaged in a war on a much larger scale than we can imagine.

After recruiting His first disciples, Jesus takes them to the synagogue in the city of Capernaum, where that unseen war becomes visible for a brief moment. When a demon-possessed man tries to tell Jesus what to do, He immediately rebukes the evil spirit and tells him what to do. To everyone’s astonishment, the demon has to obey what Jesus says.

The reality is, everyone has to obey Jesus. Some may shake and scream. Some may try to tell Jesus what to do. But in the end, everyone has to obey Him. The question isn’t, “Is Jesus the Lord of all?” The question is, “Have you acknowledged that fact in your own life?”

One day everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will have to bow the knee and proclaim that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. [Philippians 2:9-11] How much better to gladly acknowledge His place in the universe, and in your own life, here and now. I remember the time when I did not want to do what God would have me do and I rejected Him. But ever since that time that I acknowledged Him as the Lord of my life, everything has been transformed.  And it is for your own good.  I you would do it today.    

This is Andrew Palau.

Do you like going to fancy dinners, banquets, and feasts? Jesus did! He enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people and whet their appetite for the Kingdom of God. The Gospel accounts make it clear that Jesus loved to have others—friends, disciples, new converts, even religious leaders who opposed His ministry—throw parties for Him.

When Jesus invited Matthew to become one of His disciples, Matthew must have been shocked. [Matthew 9:9-13] Yet immediately he gave up his lucrative tax-collecting business and held a huge banquet that evening. The banquet wasn’t in Matthew’s honor—a “retirement” party of sorts. Instead, Matthew somehow knew Jesus wanted to meet his friends. So he invited them over to his home.

The word about Matthew’s party got out to that city’s religious elite, who condemned Jesus. Jesus used their harsh criticisms, however, as an opportunity to demonstrate His love and compassion for the “scum” of the earth.

Like Matthew, you have work associates, friends, neighbors, and relatives who don’t know the Lord yet. Some may be rather shady characters even. But the Lord loves them and wants you to eat with them and find a way to introduce them to the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is Luis Palau.