Hope with God... with Andrew and Wendy Palau

A woman named Sue admitted she had a lot of anxiety about the future. She said, “Honestly, the world seems to have gone mad. How can I not be filled with fear and worry?” But there’s something very wrong with that point of view. Sue’s focus was on the wrong place; she missed the most important thing, Jesus. If you look only at the conditions of the deeply flawed world around you, you will lose hop...

Do you see God as your provider? The very first time that name for God is used is in Genesis 22 when God provided miraculously for His friend Abraham. In that moment, Abraham named the place YAHWEH- Jireh, the Lord will provide. All through the Bible, there are stories of God seeing the needs of His people and providing. Whether with manna in the desert or a child for a barren, broken woman. Provi...

One of the best-known stories in the Bible is that of David and Goliath. David was the youngest of eight sons and had been sent by their father to deliver supplies to his brothers who were fighting in a battle. Goliath was the champion of the Philistine army. Eventually, David found himself having to fight the giant to protect the Israelites. David was at a distinct disadvantage being smaller and...

God told Noah to build a huge boat. You know the story. But can you imagine the ridicule he received as he was building it? His neighbors laughed when he told them a flood was coming. I’m sure they thought Noah had completely lost it. Noah had bold faith. Even in the face of skepticism and derision, he still did what God asked him to do. Noah saved his family and humanity by doing so.  St. Paul wr...

Listen to this amazing story. Jesus was invited to dinner by a leader, a powerful man. But it says that a woman “who had lived a sinful life” in that town learned that Jesus was eating there and she stood behind Him weeping. She wet His feet with her tears and wiped His feet with her hair. What an intimate, personal thing to do! And how brave of her! But the people who had invited Jesus were not h...

As my kids have graduated from various stages of their education, I have always wished them success. That may not sound like a very spiritual aspiration. But think about it. There are really only three choices: success, mediocrity, or failure. If I have to pick from those three, I’ll take success every time. But God’s version, not society’s. In our culture, success is usually equated with achievem...

Here are some things I want to remind you of today – things that God says about you. Psalm 139 says He created your inmost being. He knit you together in your mother’s womb. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your frame was not hidden from Him when it was made in the secret place when you were woven together in the depths of the earth. God’s eyes saw your unformed body. All the days ordained...

Outstanding achievement can certainly get a person noticed. But that kind of fame and popularity can also quickly disappear. Respect, on the other hand, is earned through experience and relationship and can last a lifetime. I met a humble gentleman in Pakistan whose name will never be widely known, but I admire and respect him. He is a quiet leader among Christians in that country, serving others...

In New Testament times, people wore sandals and walked on dusty roads. Their feet quickly became dirty. So, when someone invited guests over for dinner, they provided a servant to wash the feet of the guests. That sounds like a disagreeable job to me! But it was an important sign of hospitality and kindness. This is the context for the account in the book of John of Jesus and His disciples prepari...

This world is a harsh place. Life is harsh. At times it feels like we are in a constant battle, and it can all result in a level of harshness in the way we walk through the world.  The word “harsh” is the same word used for “an earthen vessel.” In ancient days, an earthen vessel was something of no value, able to be discarded. When we treat someone harshly, we are treating them as if they have no...

Not long ago, a church in a small town in Oregon sponsored a refugee family. The family – two parents and four children – came from a hot, dry part of the world so rainy, cool Oregon was a huge change for them. The town they came to was small but with a big heart. The people there welcomed this family with open arms, providing for all their immediate needs. They thought they were blessing this fam...

How does Jesus view our suffering and our grief? There is an amazing story in Luke 7. Jesus passed by a dead boy being carried out of the town – the only son of a widow. When He saw her, His heart went out to her and He said to her, “Don’t cry.” Then He goes up and says to the young man, “I say to you, get up!” And the boy is healed. The people were filled with awe. Here’s what I love about this s...

Kids and dogs can tell if you care about them. Have you noticed? They will keep their distance if they sense that you don’t like them. But if you feel genuine affection for them, they are all over you. Jesus loves everyone, which is a big reason why so many people wanted to be near Him. Crowds followed Him from place to place and jostled with one another for His attention. Once, Jesus told three s...

It’s common for us humans to get so caught up in the details of something that we miss the big picture. It also can be a common issue in the church. 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...

The greatest lie the enemy of our souls will tell us is that God is not good. But the questions come. Is God really who He says He is? We need Holy Spirit power to come against those lies that batter us day and night. Listen to this beautiful prayer in the book of Ephesians: “I pray that you may have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” How do we grasp this lo...

Experts say that the best way to make a child feel secure and loved is for the parents to love each other. I’d like to add that one of the best ways to raise a child who loves God is to love Him wholeheartedly yourself. If your kids see you praying, reading your Bible, worshiping at church, and making Jesus the center point of your life, they will be inclined to do those same things. On the other...

Do you know God? I remember a season in my life when we were in crisis, and that night I picked up my Bible and looked up every verse that had the word “faithful” in it. And there are a lot! I found this beautiful verse in Revelation 19, at the end of all time, when the victory is won, and the victor – Jesus – comes forward. It says: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white hors...

If you were in a burning building and a firefighter appeared and called, “Follow me! I’ll show you the way out,” would you doubt him? Of course not! Would you be offended that he said he knew the only way to safety? No way! [You’d be right on his heels.] If you are a Christian you know that Jesus Christ truly is the only way to eternal life. But sometimes we are afraid to say that, because we fear...

Has God ever called you into a situation that was uncomfortable, or even dangerous? I often pray for missionaries I know who are serving in countries where their very lives are at risk because they are boldly sharing the Gospel message. They demonstrate courage and a firm trust in their God.  At some point or other, we will all need to choose between courage and fear. In those moments, we have two...

If you are one of those people who welcomes change in your life, then you probably look forward eagerly to what this new year will bring. The thing is, we usually welcome change only when it is change we want. If change comes in the form of something unexpected such as being laid off, or being diagnosed with a serious disease, we might panic, or retreat into depression. Change is inevitable. But o...

There’s an amazing story in the book of John about Jesus’s interaction with a woman who’s caught in adultery. She’s brought to Jesus by a group of leaders, and they say to Jesus, “What do you say to this woman?” He says, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the one to throw the first stone at her.” They all go away one by one. And Jesus says to her, “I don’t condemn you. Go now and leave...

Happy New Year! This is a time when it is usual to reflect on life. Many people make new year’s resolutions in hopes of accomplishing something they didn’t achieve the previous year.  In the Bible we read a lot about newness as well. For one thing, when we receive Jesus into our heart, He makes us new. And as we continue to walk with Him, He works new things in our lives. Where are you in your fai...

Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” The words “light” and “love” seem to mean different things to different people these days. But in the Bible Jesus is defined as light and love.  When we know Him as our Lord and Savior, we find that we are equipped to combat the darkness and hatred...

The very first words attributed to God in Genesis 1 are, “Let there be light.” It says that God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. Here is the beginning of the separation between light and darkness. God is not content for darkness to hover over the earth. Or over us! The light is good! Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; if you follow me, you will neve...

There is a pretty common misconception that following Jesus means giving up the “fun stuff” of life and embracing a bunch of rules. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Believe me, I know! I used to have a lifestyle full of parties, alcohol, and fleeting relationships. It wasn’t until I surrendered my life to Jesus that I began to truly live. God has told us that we will experience love, j...