Reaching Your World with Luis Palau

I married into a wonderful God-honoring family. Wendy’s parents love Jesus Christ with all their hearts. But, they’ve had to walk some rough roads. My mother-in-law, Judy, told me of a very difficult time in her life… Judy came before the Lord in prayer for her children. At that time, three were walking with Christ but the youngest, Stevie, was not. She was fearful for his future. As she glanced at the wall with four picture frames, the face of each child looked back. But, Stevie’s was gone. Because of Judy’s angle and the light’s glare, she couldn’t make out his image. She suddenly was filled with terror. Luke 22 tells the story of Satan wanting to sift Simon away from God but Jesus prayed for Simon. He prayed that his faith would not fail. My mother-in-law did the same for her son. When fear gripped her heart, she wasn’t paralyzed. She called out to the Lord. Satan wanted her to buckle under the worry and distress. Judy did not. She did not give up and she did not stop praying. And God answered her prayer. The fear of losing your child to the enemy is about as harsh as it comes. But, fear does not persuade our loved ones to follow Christ. Rather, what is more attractive to the anchorless soul is peace, faith, and confidence in God. Trust God to work in your child’s life and be faithful and calm as you wait on Him. This is Andrew Palau.

Have you ever felt so helpless that you just didn’t know where to turn? I know a woman who has been plagued by health problems. She had heart surgery a few years ago, followed by a cancer diagnosis, followed by internal bleeding. It seems like just as she finished one treatment, some other problem arose. This woman, who is not yet a believer, was at her wits end. She cried to her daughter that she just wasn’t sure how to go on. When I heard about this situation, my heart broke, because this woman really feels alone in her troubles. But when we accept Jesus into our hearts, we are not alone. Jesus is with us and in us. And He wants us to cry out to Him when we are struggling. Psalm 55:17 says, “Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.” So cry out to God. he delights to answer by giving us what is good for us. So, whatever you are going through, take heart in knowing that you are not alone. If you haven’t yet accepted Jesus into your heart, do so. Let Him carry your problem. He will find a way. This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever encountered a problem that seemed to weigh you down? I know I have. One time, while driving somewhere out of state with my wife Pat, I refused to look at a map because I was certain I knew where I was going… the problem was, I only thought I knew where I was going, and I ended up getting us very lost. I had to semi-apologize and humbly ask my wife for the map, which got us back on track. I think in life we can all be this way. We are reluctant to ask for help because we want to depend on ourselves. But what happens when our intuition is wrong? What happens when we don’t really know where we’re going? As followers of the Lord Jesus, we are called to trust the Lord first and foremost. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight”. This means, instead of doing it on our own, we’re supposed to look to God for guidance, and then we act. We move. But first, lots of time with God is essential. This week, share this encouraging truth with someone who feels lost or is lost. Point them to Jesus—our ultimate map and guide. This is Luis Palau.

The other day, I was talking to a friend who said, “Luis, I feel like I am up a creek without a paddle!” He told me about a bad business decision he made, which put him in a tough spot financially. As he elaborated about his current plight, I thought about the times when I have felt stuck, or desperate, with seemingly no place to turn. At some point, we will all find ourselves in difficult situations. Perhaps we will see financial hardships, or a difficult problem in one of our friendships. It doesn’t matter if we are at fault for our predicament, or whether our circumstances are beyond our control. One thing we can be sure of is that we aren’t ever really without a paddle – because we have the Lord Jesus on our side. I reminded my friend about Hebrews 13:5, where God promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This means, that no matter your circumstance, God is with you. Even if you feel alone, God is still with YOU! Who in your life needs to hear about this truth today? Who has yet to place their trust in Jesus? Consider your circle of friends, your family, and your coworkers. Pray for an opportunity, then share the truth of Jesus with them. You could help them forever. This is Luis Palau.

A friend of mine was blessed with athletic ability that few people have. He played football, basketball, and ran track at his college, and then he got drafted into the National Football League. Ever since he was a young boy, he had anticipated a long career as a superstar athlete. And he was well on his way. But something happened just a few years into his NFL career; he got injured in a game, missed a big catch, and he was cut from the team. Suddenly, all of his dreams went out the window. For a while, he struggled with bitter feelings—this wasn’t part of his plan. But then one day, he came across Jeremiah 29:11, which says, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” He made the effort to trust God, even though life wasn’t turning out how he had hoped. In time, my friend developed a career in broadcasting, and successful businesses. God used his story to touch people far and wide. The point of this story is this: sometimes life doesn’t turn out how we want it to. But take heart! Trust in God, your Father. Trust that He is with you, and His plan is far bigger and better than we could even imagine.As you go about your day, place your trust in the living God. Then, share His truth with others. This is Luis Palau.  

A popular saying amongst us preacher types is, “God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you just the way you are.” When you receive Jesus into your heart and begin walking with Him, change will happen naturally and inevitably. Some change will be instant and some with come over time. One area of life that often changes is our goals. Instead of me-centered goals, we shift our thinking towards what God wants for our lives. One man I know said that he felt called to pouring into meaningful relationships where he could share the Good News, instead of working those extra hours just to make more money. In my personal life, my goals changed, too. Before I was walking with Jesus, my goals were all about work, partying with friends, and material things. But once God got ahold of my heart, my focus shifted. Now, my biggest goal is: how can I win as many people as I can to Jesus Christ? The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:20 that as followers of Jesus, we are God’s ambassadors here on earth. Today, consider: do your goals reflect God’s heart for you to reach your world? This is Andrew Palau.

When my mother reverently read the New Testament, and came to Matthew 5, she read the Beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” My Mom gasped. It was as if the Bible were speaking just to her. That’s it, she thought in despair, I will never see God. I know that I do not have a pure heart. Then she quickly remembered the words of John the Baptist that the priest would quote at the Mass: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” She knew, in a sudden flood of joy, that this Lamb was for her. He had come to take the sin of Matilde Palau. My Mom wept, she told me later, as the Holy Spirit moved her. Her fears—I will never find peace with God, and I will never be forgiven—were overcome by that simple reminder: Behold the Lamb of God. Behold the Lamb of God. My Mom felt such peace and joy and love. Finally, she found rest, the very thing she had so fervently desired. I was in her womb when she was converted. Before I was born, she told me that she prayed, Lord, if it’s a boy, I want him to be a preacher of the Gospel. And, praise God, He has answered her prayer! This is Luis Palau.

One day my mother received a very nice copy of the New Testament in Spanish. She began to read. Feelings pent up for so long began to overwhelm her. She had been unable to find what her soul craved. She had done good works and served in church. She had made promises to God. She was a faithful worshiper at Mass. She confessed regularly to her priest. And yet, despite it all, something was still missing. She did not have peace. My Mom began to read the New Testament. So deep was her reverence for Jesus, even in her searching, that she read it on her knees, knowing it to be holy. After only a few chapters in the Gospel of Matthew, she came to the Beatitudes in Matthew, chapter 5. “Blessed are the pure in heart,” she read, “for they shall see God.” She read this verse of blessing, full of beauty from the mouth of Jesus. She read it—and despaired. It was as if the book were speaking to her. That’s it, she thought, I will never see God. I know that I do not have a pure heart. As she was praying in despair, she felt something strange. She felt the Lord speaking to her. My daughter, she felt Him say, you are mine. You are forgiven. In that moment, my mother was born again. Can I ask you something? Have you personally experienced that new birth? Have you received Jesus Christ into your heart and life? This is Luis Palau.

My parents set the foundation for my life. They did this in many ways, but none were more important than their heartfelt and unwavering commitment to the Good News Gospel. For my parents, Luis and Matilde Palau, the Good News of Jesus was something to be preached and lived, proclaimed on street corners and demonstrated by love at home. Other than school and my father’s business, our life was completely centered on church, worship, and evangelism. Most of our neighbors saw us as symbols of evangelical faith in our town. Only a few years earlier, my mother had been the organist for the local parish church. Her religious faith was heartfelt, but it failed to bring her peace and left her seeking more. By the time she was pregnant with me, she was experiencing a quiet crisis. One day a polite knock sounded at the front door, and my mother was home to answer it. How I praise God for that! On the step was a sharply dressed British man with a fine-looking book in one hand and a heavy walking stick in the other. “Buenos Dias, Senora,” he said. “Would you like a copy of the Word of God?” That day changed her life, my Dad’s life, and mine. All it took was a question: “Would you like a copy of the Word of God?” He gave her a copy of the News Testament – the second half of the Holy Bible. This is Luis Palau.

Throughout my life, two of my favorite Bible verses have been Proverbs 3:5-6. They say: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” I can assure you, these wonderful Scripture verses are 100 percent true. When I was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer in December of 2017, I was faced with the imminent reality that I have known and preached since I was a boy: the fact of death and the secure hope of eternal life in Jesus. I have given my life to preaching the Good News that God loves all people and that the cross of Jesus Christ brings reconciliation and full assurance of eternal life to all who believe in Him and repent. I know for a fact that my work has been empowered by the sacrificial labor of countless others. Very few are well known, with Billy Graham being the exception. But each of them taught me something unique. These individuals will be exalted in heaven because they humbly served the Lord in their time and place. What about you? I can’t encourage you enough to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart.” Be sure to thank God for the people He puts in your life. And then trust Him for the results. This is Luis Palau.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found that conversations with children about spiritual matters often take place spontaneously…especially if you’re trying to put them to bed. Maybe they just want to drag out their nighttime routine a little longer, but I encourage you to take advantage of those times when your children want to talk with you. If you say something and later realize your child misunderstood what you meant, don’t give up and quit talking with your child about the Good News of Jesus Christ. Go back and say, “Now remember what we were talking about yesterday?” Use familiar illustrations from their lives and from nature. Although they sometimes absorb wrong concepts about what it means to “ask Jesus into your heart,” young children are naturally inclined to trust and believe in God. There is nothing innately wrong about a child’s limited understanding. As 1 Corinthians 13:11 says, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.” The Bible doesn’t criticize a child’s way of thinking. The One who made us knows us. He understands exactly how children think, and doesn’t expect us to fully understand every single aspect of the Gospel before we commit our lives to Jesus Christ. That’s true even if we’re adults, right? If you’ve been hung up by one particular thing, put your hope in Jesus today. Commit yourself to Jesus Christ. This is Andrew Palau.

When you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the first thing you notice is that you have peace with God. Why? Because your sins are forgiven. You are freed from your guilt. I came to Christ when I was 12 years old. I was just a boy. I went to camp and my counselor sat me down, and he said to me, “Luis, if you died today, would you go to heaven or hell?” Now wasn’t that shocking. I was just a boy and Frank said it just like that. I’m glad he did. I needed a shock treatment. Only twelve years old, I had a foul temper and a dirty mouth. I knew I deserved to go to hell. But even today I still thank God for Frank, my counselor – who led me to Christ. I knew instantly, when I received Christ that night – “I’ve got eternal life. I am forgiven!” The Bible says we are justified through faith and we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). That is something to get excited about – peace with God. No matter what may come our way, we have heaven to look forward to! I never for a moment doubt because I know I “confessed with my lips that Jesus is Lord and I believed in my heart that God raised Him from the dead,” as Romans chapter 10 puts it. I was only 12 and this peace is something I carry with me every day. Won’t you share that same gift with someone today? This is Luis Palau.

The Bible says God made you. Oh, yes, biologically we know how we came to exist. Dad and Mom got together and nine months later, there you came! But that’s just biology, the physical chemistry. The REAL you God knit together is your spirit and soul. God created the real you. That is an awesome, staggering fact! It says in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I made you in your mother’s womb I knew you. And before you were born, says the Lord, I separated you. I gave you a message to the nations.” When Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, He was thinking of you. And He knows you. There is not a single person Jesus does not know. The Bible says, “Your name is written on the palm of my hand.” You are not a number! You are not a forgotten blip in time. You have a purpose, and your purpose involves introducing others to the Creator of their souls! Jesus already knows those who do not know Him. He already loves those who do not love Him. He suffered, died, was buried and rose for every soul on this earth. He wants everyone to enjoy life, eternal life. And you get to share that life-changing message. Is that a privilege, or what? This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever reacted to something that you already knew was going to happen? Consider Mary Magdalene in the Gospel of John, when she goes to Jesus’ tomb and sees that His body is not there. She frets and fears and cries out, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" And the disciples, too, were devastated to learn that Jesus’ body was missing. Even though Jesus had told them repeatedly, “I will be crucified. I’ll be buried for three days. On the third day I’ll rise up again.” They forgot. They still did not get it. Sometimes even TODAY we act surprised that Jesus rose from the dead! We forget what a staggering thing it is to become a follower of Jesus Christ. We get caught up in the day-to-day Christianese. When what we should be doing is reveling in the tremendous reality that we have a Savior that’s alive. He died for our sins and rose again from the dead! Today, let the so-called “surprise” of Christ’s resurrection – more like awe and wonder - overwhelm you all over again. You will relate better to those who have not yet begun to follow Him. Put yourself in their shoes and remind them of the truth: He is alive today, having conquered death for you and me! This is Luis Palau.

I once spoke with a woman who was on a plane that crashed into another jet on the runway. This woman said that she was seated by the exit window on the wing. Just as she saw flames, the plane exploded! As she was thrown out the window, she grabbed her purse — that was the first thing she did — like “I’m going to save my purse.” Then she slid down the wing and said out loud, “Jesus, I’ll see you in a minute.” She thought she was on the brink of dying. Then she fell and fainted. An hour later she woke up on grass - alive. The thing that impressed me was that she said, “Jesus, I’ll see you in a minute.” That is the reality of a person who knows Jesus Christ – they talk to Him! They know that He’s alive, know He wants to hear from us, and know that the moment we die we go straight into the presence of Christ. And then and there we shall see Him face to face. Isn’t that exciting? Do you know that from your most mundane days to rare and scary emergencies like being in a crashing plane, Jesus is with you? I thought of all those people just before they crashed. Did they know Jesus? How many did? Were they prepared to meet Him? God never leaves your side! When you introduce someone to Jesus, you allow them to receive the gift of peace and joy of eternal life that comes with knowing Him. This is Luis Palau.