Sometimes our world tries to cover up the real reason we celebrate Christmas. We get too concerned about being politically correct and we say things like, “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” We’re worried we’ll offend somebody or even get sued. But, we really can’t take the “Christ” out of “Christmas.” He’s the only reason we can celebrate anything in the first place. Hope is found only in Him.

Whether we’re from a Catholic or Protestant background or perhaps Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu, in our heart of hearts we know that we all need hope. Real hope, a living expectation, comes when we know that Jesus Christ is truly alive because He rose from the dead. Death couldn’t hold Him because he is God the Son. He is Almighty. The key to finding hope is confessing to God that we are sinners and we need Him to forgive and purify us. And the great thing is: He’ll never turn us down.

Romans 10:13 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” The virgin birth of Jesus set the stage for God’s rescue plan.

Pray for your friends of various religious persuasions and ask the Lord for boldness to actually, yet carefully, share the hope of Jesus Christ with them. He is, after all, the only way they can truly have a merry Christmas.

Today, Africa is receiving much attention, both from the Church and the media. With proponents like Bono and Product Red, Africa is receiving help and funding. And that’s good! But what if every physical need was met today? What would that mean for eternity? Not only for Africa, but everywhere? Even if everyone was fed and clothed… without Jesus Christ, souls remain lost.

God pointed out our vital duty and that is to proclaim His Good News. “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few,” Jesus said in the book of Matthew. We must sense the urgency of our time. How long must people wait before they hear the Gospel? How many more generations must pass? Some parts of the world have yet to hear the message of Christ!

Today, more than ever, we can reach “closed” nations with the Good News. God is doing incredible things in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Republics. But we must remain diligent in meeting both spiritual and physical needs of people. We must pray for these countries. If you are providing relief and monetary gifts to people overseas, that is good! Thank you! But let’s not neglect our call to care for people’s souls. Their eternal well being is at stake!

Some years ago I was visiting a church where a successful Christian businessman was telling his story to the congregation. “As a young man,” he said, “I answered an altar call to follow Christ and I surrendered all. I accepted Christ into my life and gave Him everything!” From somewhere in the back of the church a voice rang out – “I dare you to do it again!”

Many of us, when we were young, surrendered all to the Lord. It seemed easy to do when all we owned was a few pairs of jeans and a beat up car. Maybe that’s why God often uses young people – because young men and women are more willing to give everything to the Lord.

Today, listen to God’s voice: is He challenging you once again to surrender all to Him? Don’t hold back! Hebrews 3:15 says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

I pray that you will hear God’s call to re-surrender and re-commit your lives to His service. Once you do, you’ll experience a renewal of your spiritual passion that will strengthen you as you reach out to others with the Good News. When you surrender yourself 100% to proclaiming the way of salvation, God can use you in a big way.

Rodriguez was a young man who called me up to talk one night on our live television show. He was really having a tough time. “Everything is falling apart,” he said. “My mom passed away, my business venture collapsed, and my daughter was diagnosed with kidney failure. What’s going on?”

As we talked, it was clear that Rodriguez knew a lot about God. But he had never completely surrendered his life to the Lord. I told Rodriguez that he really needs the guidance and direction of God. Jesus Christ came to earth not just to take us to Heaven when we die. But He also came to guide us through the storms of life.

Then Rodriguez said something very interesting. He said, “Maybe these storms are God’s way of telling me to wake up.” Wasn’t that insightful? It was so true! And I had the privilege of leading this young man to the Lord on live TV!

Paul tells us in Romans 8 that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.” Nothing – no matter how fearsome the storm might be. That powerful truth can be the catalyst for someone you know to turn their life over to Jesus Christ. So, who in your world needs this encouragement?