Hope with God... with Andrew and Wendy Palau

As we follow God and serve Him, we have opportunities to channel His grace to others. There are many people in the world without hope because they are without God. It’s our privilege to introduce them to the Savior, Jesus Christ, and invite them into the abundant life He offers. There is a verse in the Bible, in Daniel chapter 12, that I don’t really understand in full, but I love it. It says, “Th...

I use the word ‘fear’ often. It rolls off my tongue easily, and in certain seasons of life, it has been a constant companion. Researching the word fear… one of the meanings is ‘cowardice.’ I don’t like that word. It feels shameful to be a coward. It feels like an identity. But cowards don’t have to be cowards forever. In fact, God has something different for me. He promised that I don’t need to be...

There’s an intriguing verse in the Bible, in the tiny book of Philemon. It’s Philemon 1:6 and it says, “I pray that you will be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of all the good things that you have in Christ Jesus.” You would think God would have said, “I pray you’ll be active in sharing your faith because I need your help so much.” Right? But He says, share...

Have you ever watched the sun rise? Sitting in darkness watching, waiting. Then a bit of pink or purple and getting brighter. Everything around beginning to take shape. It’s so beautiful and we often miss it. It’s silent. We can’t control the dawn, just as I can’t control the ways of the King of kings. He is always moving, always bringing light where it’s needed. Listen to this encouragement from...

Sometimes we find ourselves in a dark place. We all go through struggles with sin, the old darkness that tries to creep back into our new lives. In those times we need God to come with His wonderful light and keep us from giving in to temptation and despair. We need Him to forgive and restore us, and fill us with His love. We need Him to shine His light into the dark corners of our souls and illum...

Is there someone in your life who is stubbornly resistant to God and His offer of salvation? Let me tell you about the strategy that finally broke down the barriers in my heart and brought me to the point of receiving Jesus as my Savior. After high school I left home, went to college, then took a job on the east coast, as far away as possible from my family in Oregon. I was also trying to distance...

The Bible promises that we can actually take hold of “life that is truly life…” Fullness of life! Physical, spiritual, eternal life.  Jesus says that “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I have come that you may have life… and have it to the full.” In abundance. What a promise! What a way to live! Do you have life that is truly life? Today, you might feel disillusioned with your life,...

The side of the bus had a huge sign which read “Freestyle Love Supreme.” I had never heard of that so I checked it out and discovered that it is a theater production which is playing in town. Okay, that’s interesting. But what I actually thought of on reading that title was the love of God.  The word “supreme” means “superior to all others.” So when I see the words “love supreme” I think of God an...

There are so many people in this world! 7.7 billion people!  Each one unique, beautifully created. Each with hopes and dreams. Each precious to God. Jesus said the famous words of John 3:16 – listen to this. “This is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son So that ANYONE who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” He loves the world! Somehow in His vast, majestic, sup...

One of my favorite Bible verses is John 10:10. Jesus says, “I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.” He continues with this amazing statement: “I am the good shepherd…and I lay down my life for the sheep.” Jesus was using the analogy of a shepherd who loves and cares for his sheep to describe His relationship with us. He is God, but He came to this world because He loves hu...

The Bible records more than 160 of God’s miracles. By miracles I mean supernatural events that occurred only because the one true God made them happen. One of my favorite miracles took place during the early days of the Christian Church. The king had arrested the apostle Peter and had placed him behind bars, under heavy armed guard. On the night before his trial, Peter was fast asleep between two...

Did you know that the word ‘Gospel’ simply means good news? What is the good news that I’m talking about? I think it’s said best in 1 Peter: “Christ (that’s Jesus) suffered for our sins once and for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death but was raised to life in the Spirit." That’s it. And it’s good news! We all need to...

My wife recently compiled a book of stories written by women whom God rescued from difficult and tragic circumstances. It’s called Stories of Hope. What struck me in reading those accounts was the many, varied ways God reached out to each one of those women.  One young woman, in desperation, began to talk to the ceiling as she lay in bed, not knowing if there was any deity who would hear her. Mont...

My father-in-law used to say: “God isn’t disillusioned with you, because He never had any illusions to begin with.” The psalmist says it this way in psalm 103: “He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust.” Is He disillusioned with you? No! Does he know how weak you are? Yes! There’s freedom in this truth. Freedom from fear of disappointing God. Freedom from the burden of performance....

When someone upsets you, do you find yourself quickly becoming angry? There is a time and place for anger – even Jesus got angry so we know that in itself, anger is not a sin. It can lead to sin, though. You can ask God to make you more like Him – to give you patience in place of a quick temper. Patience is not easy, but it’s a skill you can develop with practice, and with God’s help. It’s easier...

I have met people who know that God has saved them but they are still trying to figure out the rest of life on their own. But our salvation is so much more than just the promise of heaven. God helps us, grows us, transforms us into His image more and more every day. He saves us from our own destructive ways, from false ideas, from the attacks of our Enemy.  We cannot save ourselves from hell, and...

In my darkest moments, when the night feels heavy on me and fear seems to take hold, I find comfort in one simple truth - that I am loved. The most beautiful truth is that God doesn’t love the way we do with strings, behavior dependent, with a rod of correction over us. His love is beyond human. I wish I understood the fullness of His love. but I’ve tasted enough of it that moves me. A love that i...

Do you need help today? Our God is a friend to the weak and a refuge for those in need. If you know God, you are in good hands. He has compassion toward those who call out to Him for help. He is the God who is with us – who is willing and able to help. In Psalm 54 we read: “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” That is a truth I have known for years and have experienced very...

Because God holds your future you can breathe; you can rest today. Don’t carve out your future. Don’t heal or fix or orchestrate. And if you don’t rest, all you’ll do is worry. So today, rest. Place it at God’s feet - every possible creeping fear. Every possible outcome, put at Jesus’ feet today and thank Him. Not because everything is okay. Maybe most things in your life are not okay. But Jesus h...

There is a house under construction in my neighborhood. The builders started by pouring a solid, level foundation. They then add the sturdy bones of the house. Without that solid foundation and the beams and joists, the whole thing would collapse. The Bible describes Jesus in a similar role. Jesus became the basis of our salvation, the foundation of our faith. He sacrificed Himself, making a way f...

Some psychiatrists say that one of the biggest barriers to emotional wellbeing that they see in their patients is unresolved guilt. In our permissive culture there is little shame and blame. However, many people still feel a load of guilt as a result of their behavior.  God has a cure for guilt. He can resolve it. His method is called repentance. Repentance means to turn around and go in the oppos...

Listen to this amazing verse in Romans 10. “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” I love this verse! Because of Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, He has the capacity to take the sin and the shame of the world on Himself – your sin, my sin, my shame. The word “save” in the Greek i...

Recently, the Palau Association printed up some shirts with the message “Hope has a name” across the chest. It’s an invitation for someone to ask – “How can I find hope? What is its name?” What a privilege to be able to tell them that His name is Jesus!  There is a singular lack of hope in the world these days. We see uncontained disease, hostility, war, disaffection. But in the midst of it all we...

The word “Christian” is often used as an adjective to describe a social group, a church, an organization – many things. But a real Christian is someone whose whole life has been transformed by God. The implications of becoming a Christian are enormous. It’s not like joining a club or choosing a university. Becoming a Christian means becoming a new person. The Bible says, “If anyone is in Christ, h...

Have you ever wondered if God really wants to be with you? Doesn’t He have more important people to be with, or more urgent things to attend to? No – God doesn’t work that way, but it is sometimes hard to believe that the God of the universe cares about us and wants to be close to us. The truth is, He wants it so badly that He gave His Son over to death on a cross. In Second Corinthians 5 we read:...