Hope with God... with Andrew and Wendy Palau

God has a wonderful purpose for your life. You get to participate as He enacts His will in your life and the lives of those around you. And you don’t need to be perfect before God can work through you. All you need to offer Him is a willing and surrendered heart. In Luke chapter 1, we see how Mary responded when an angel told her she was highly favored—chosen to help bring the Son of God into our...

There's a story in the book of John about a woman brought to Jesus. She's caught in the act of adultery, and an angry group of leaders bring her to Jesus, and they accuse her. We're told that they didn't really care about her, they were just testing Jesus. And, of course, Jesus' response is so perfect and beautiful. He defends her, and He reveals their hypocrisy. They came angry at her, but instea...

Have you ever read Jesus’ genealogy? It’s in the Word of God, Matthew chapter 1. The author traces Jesus’ ancestors all the way back to Abraham. And there’s something very unusual about this list—there are several women included! And many of them of unsavory and humble background. The author departed from the usual way of tracing lineage (through men, at the time) and included these women for a pu...

Does your life feel spent, worn out, used up? There is a beautiful image in the book of Ezekiel where God brings dead bones to life. He breathes His spirit on dry bones and they become a vast army, an impossible thing, a miracle. But it's an image of exactly what God can and wants to do in your life. He is in the business of bringing life from death. Ask Him for help. Cry out to Him. Acknowledge y...

Have you ever been afraid to draw close to God? Maybe you’ve felt your sin is too bad to be forgiven or that you don’t have anything to offer God. Well, in Luke chapter 7, we’re told that during the middle of a dinner party hosted by the religious leaders of the day, a sinful woman came, uninvited, and she began to wash Jesus’ feet- it says, with her own tears, and with expensive perfume. The reli...

What is weighing on your heart today? No matter what it is, Jesus cares about it. The things that cause you mental or emotional pain, they matter to Jesus because YOU matter to Jesus! Luke chapter 7 tells about Jesus happening upon a procession- a funeral. There was a dead boy being carried out of town, followed by his mother and a group of mourners. And it says this: When the Lord saw her, his he...

It's easy to understand ourselves if we are a victim of abuse or pain, but sometimes it's more difficult to see ourselves as a victimizer. As we read about the life of Jesus, we see His kind love for the victim. But the truth is, Jesus also came for the victimizer, the one inflicting the suffering and the need. In fact, the most famous words Jesus ever said were said to one of these kinds of men,...

What was Jesus thinking about just before He died on the cross? We can’t know everything that was on His mind, of course, but there is one thing that rose up in His thoughts. We see it in the Word of God. It was just moments before He breathed His last and it was this: Jesus wanted to make sure there was someone to care for His mother, after He was gone. Even as life was fading out of His body, an...

Are you defined by your past? None of us can escape our past, things we've done, maybe even things that have been done to us. Have you ever laid in bed at night, overcome with memories, things you cannot change, things you've done? There is hope. When you walk with God, you're defined by your future. Your future is more powerful than your past. There is a beautiful image in Ezekiel chapter 37 of d...

What do you think Jesus wants from you today? Maybe you’re thinking, He wants me to sing worship songs, He wants me to pray, He wants me to serve. All of those are wonderful. But what if Jesus simply wants to be with you? Luke chapter 10 tells us about two sisters, they were with Jesus at a dinner party. Martha rushed to make everything perfect for Jesus, but Mary sat at His feet listening careful...

What kind of people did Jesus hang out with? Do you believe that He wants to spend time with you? The Bible tells us that He often traveled from town to town, sharing the Good News with His friends: twelve disciples. But that’s not all! Luke chapter 8 tells us: He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdale...

Jesus is the best teacher, and He wants to teach you. In the world, we live by being tested. Sometimes, we think that walking with Jesus is a test. We put so much pressure on ourselves to pass this imagined test. But His way is the way of a teacher. Over and over again in the New Testament, we read stories of Jesus sitting down to teach. One by one, in crowds, to leaders, to His friends. His frien...

Have you found yourself in a weak and vulnerable situation? Maybe you messed up and got yourself into some trouble. Maybe some things happened and you had to just humble yourself and ask for help. Those vulnerable moments are when Jesus meets us with His amazing power. There’s a story in the Bible of a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. She was considered at that time an outcast, and she wa...

There's a story in the book of John about a woman caught in the act of adultery. She's brought before Jesus and she is accused. But He would not allow the humiliation of this woman to take place. He spoke to her accusers and one by one they walked away realizing that they were just as sinful. This is a radical encounter in the ancient world where women were unjustly treated, yet Jesus's treatment...

Who have you rejected? Is there a person or a group of people that you just don’t enjoy being around, for whatever reason? Okay, now imagine Jesus walking right up to that person or group and starting a conversation. Jesus had no interest in avoiding unsavory characters…even the most controversial people of His time. There’s a story in John chapter 4 of Jesus walking right up to a Samaritan woman...

Why did God send Jesus to come and offer Himself as a sacrifice for our salvation? Not because we deserved it. Not because it was His duty. He came because He loved us. John 3:16 says… For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save...

Have you ever heard of compassion fatigue? It happens when people get worn out from long seasons of caring for others. They can become detached or irritable and angry. Our human capacity for compassion is limited, but Jesus’ isn’t. Matthew 9 says this about Jesus… When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus came to...

I’ve had seasons of my life when I feel encouraged—like anything is possible. And I’ve had times when nothing seems to go as planned. But I’m so thankful that God’s goodness and faithfulness never change. In 1 Corinthians, chapter 16, Paul says this about the town where he is preaching the Gospel: There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me. Wow, even though he’s facin...

My friend, listen today to the beautiful words of Psalm 118: I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done. These words are true of every person who has given their lives to Jesus—including you and me. Because of God’s saving power, we will not die. Isn’t that amazing? So Beautiful! And not only that, our lives have taken on a shared purpose: to tell the world what the Lord h...

God has rescued you. He has taken you from death to life! That is - if you’ve accepted His free gift. Why did Jesus come and give His life? He wanted us to be reunited with God the Father. He wanted to give us life that is truly life— filled with peace and with hope. And He wanted to offer us eternal life through His righteousness. I am so grateful for what He has done for me. And I also know His...

There are no special qualifications for sharing the Good News of Jesus. You don’t have to be good with words, educated, have it all together, or even be “called to evangelism” specifically. Sharing what Jesus has done for you—especially in your weakest seasons of life—can become a natural and normal part of your day-to-day. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, says, …I did not come with e...

Imagine with me today: How would your life be different if God had not met you, transformed you, rescued you? Psalm 94 captures this thought so beautifully, Unless the Lord has given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. So beautiful! I...

What is the most loving thing you can do for a person? We know God wants us to love people. That’s why, when Jesus’ disciples asked Him what’s the MOST important commandment, He said this: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is equally important: Love your neighbor as you love y...

Will you take a moment today to remember the day God made you into a new creation? Who were the people who helped guide you to that moment? What an amazing gift…what a beautiful joy…the day you were rescued from death, and received the gift of REAL life. 2 Corinthians, chapter 6 says, “As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, ‘At jus...

What thoughts enter your mind when you think about sharing the Gospel? Most people agree that God calls us all to share the Good News of who Jesus is, and what He has done for us. But not many people do it regularly. The truth is, sharing the Gospel is not just for people who are ministers or leaders, experts. seminary graduates, evangelists; it’s for everyone- everyone whose life has been redeeme...