Reaching Your World with Luis Palau

I’m sure you have heard of the phrase “victim’s guilt.” It refers to the idea that after being repeatedly abused, victims will often feel sorry for their abuser because of what brought them to this point in their life. I met a man once who felt this way for along time. His name was Dan, and he shared his story with me. His father left when he was 2 years old, and the man his mother lived with began to abuse him when he was 7 years old. It continued for eight years. For Dan, this was the only way a father figure ever showed him affection – it was all Dan knew about a father’s love. Terrible, just terrible. Dan met Jesus at one of our rallies when he was 17 years old. For the first time, he experienced the love of God - the true, pure, endless love of our mighty God. Dan told me he no longer felt guilty for all the wrongs that were done to him. He was free! Dan now has a Father. He has been adopted into the family of God! Yes! I’d like to challenge you this week to pray for the abused. Pray that victims would find a way to escape and find God. Pray that they would meet their Real Father – God, our Creator and our Father once we receive Jesus Christ into our life.  

I was doing a TV show in southern Texas. One night a 13-year-old boy called in to disagree with me. I had been discussing the issue of gangs in the United States and how they often lead to negative, destructive, sinful behaviors like stealing, violence, and drugs. “Not my gang,” the boy told me. “You see,” he said. “I’m in a gang of boys who don’t have dads, so we need each other for protection.” He went on to tell me that they call it the “Fatherless Gang” and they had 400 members. They organized it to protect themselves from bullies in various schools in that city. His story touched my heart. Think of it - 400 boys without a father to stand by them and teach them. 400 boys! I got to thinking about how incredible it would be if those boys turned to Jesus and asked God to become their Father. What an impact that would that have on their community, their safety, and their future on earth and for eternity. Pray this way, Jesus said: “Our Father, who art in heaven…” In other words, God wants to be our Heavenly Father. He longs to be near us. He is my Father.  Is God your Father? Pray with me today for the fatherless kids out there. Pray that they would find father figures here on earth and - most importantly – that they would find God Himself as their Heavenly Father who will watch out for them, protect them bless them, and tive them a glorious life.  

A young mother I know has a son with muscular dystrophy.  As a parent, I can only imagine that challenge. We’ve spent quite a bit of time praying for healing for this boy. We know that God has the authority to heal physical ailments. And so, it’s right to come before Him and ask. If He heals physical ailments, that’s a huge miracle. But, let’s not forget that the same amazing, unfathomable healing miracle occurs when a person accepts Christ too. In the Gospels, we read that people were amazed by Jesus’ nature-defying miracles — healing the sick, calming the storm. But Jesus’ emphasis is always on the healing that occurs when a person is reconciled to God. From the healing of the man born blind in John 9 to the paralytic in Mark 2, each of the subjects of these miracles is offered forgiveness from their sins – not just physical healing. I think there’s a reason that God puts these two forms of healing together. Jesus is trying to show us that entering into a relationship with Him is healing – it is a miracle! Dealing with physical ailments and disabilities is not easy and can be a life-long struggle. But no matter what, we can become a new creation with a unique purpose. And we can share Christ with those around us who are also in need.

Two weeks ago I asked a businessman out to lunch.  His wife begged me to do it.  I had chatted five times before with him but I realized that I didn’t really know much about him.  So I decided not to talk about me at all.  “Tell me your life story.  I want to know you,” I said to him.  And boy did he ever do it!  For an hour and a half he told me all about his family.  Now I know a lot about him.  His wife’s email said, “He said it was the best lunch he’s ever had – in his whole life.”  You know successful people like to talk about their secrets of success. The Earth is home to more than 7 billion people. Each day we interact with just a handful of those 7 billion. They may be family members, or co-workers, neighbors or others that we know quite well. It’s likely though that we interact with many people we don’t know well at all. Jesus said that to love our neighbors as ourselves is His second greatest commandment, second only to loving Him with everything we have. Wow! That is really powerful. Asking God to be part of those new relationships or even those one time encounters can have a lasting impact. As we reach our world for Christ, we will be sharing the greatest news. Let’s pray for opportunities to do just that!  Or, create opportunities.  Like taking someone to lunch and telling them to tell you their story.

Each day, many people spend 8 or more hours at work. Whether at the office, school or home, it’s still considered work. We interact with co-workers, customers, school mates and family as a part of our daily tasks. But how does God enter into the mundane of our day? For many, He might not. I’ve met many men and women over the years who have told me they aren’t comfortable with sharing their faith. Fear of stressed relationships, or misjudgment, prevents them from speaking about God. If this is true for you, I urge you to simply begin by praying. In John 15:7 Jesus says “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” Pray for boldness to reach out to your co-workers. Or pray for God to bless them, to open a door to conversation. Perhaps your work relationships are strained right now – pray for God to give you opportunities to fix them. God is with us at work. I encourage you to pray for your co-workers, your boss, your customers. There is such good news and joy in Christ – let’s share it with those that we see every day.

Christian service is really hard work. It’s taxing on pastors, worship leaders, their families, and the church body supporting them.  Churches that provide services to those in need, like housing, food, and other basic necessities, all require dedicated individuals working to make it happen. It is a tough and tiring job. I’ve heard many pastors and volunteers say they have become burned out over the years. They have felt as though their efforts weren’t working, or with a lack of funding they weren’t able to continue. These vital services churches provide in their communities need our prayer. What churches and outreach programs support your community?  How can you specifically pray for them this week?  At the Luis Palau Association, we know there are people praying for us. They pray for our finances, they pray for God’s hand in our work.  And we see the results of this prayer.  We know it is happening. This week, pray for the churches, pastors and community volunteers in your town or city.  With our prayers they can continue to serve in Christ’s name.     

Our cities and towns are led by elected and appointed officials.  Presidents lead countries. Mayors lead towns. These individuals make big, important decisions. Their decisions have a ripple affect on those around them as well. Let’s not forget to pray for these leaders! My dad prayed for our city leaders when I was a child. It was that important to lift them up to God.  He would pray for them to know God and for them to seek God’s will for their lives and the city they led as in 2nd Timothy 2:1-7 in the Bible. This week, let’s join together in praying for these leaders by name. Pray for their decision-making in times of conflict, pray for their hearts to be softened bu God’s leading. Pray for their families and church communities to support them as well. Pray that they govern wisely. God says in Mark 11 “…I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” God is working in the leadership of cities and countries all over the world. Let’s continue to pray for God to be involved in the guidance of our leaders, so that we may lead a “peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and holiness” in our cities and in our towns, and in the nation as a whole.

I remember Bible stories like many people remember fairy tales from when they were a kid. One Bible story sticks out to me because it parallels my life. It’s about the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah saw God sitting on an ethereal throne surrounded by angels. Isaiah knew that his end was near because he was an unholy man in the presence of the most holy God. He said, “It’s doomsday! I’m as good as dead!” But then one of the angels touched the prophet with a flaming piece of coal from the altar. The angel said, “Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out.” The altar is an image of the cross on which Jesus paid the penalty for sin. The coal was God’s presence touching Isaiah. It led to an immediate and radical life change. My story is similar. It was “doomsday” for me, just as for Isaiah, but God showed me my sin. The guilt I felt was the scouring agent God used to radically change my life. After Isaiah encountered God and was cleansed he said, “Here I am, send me.” And, I did the same. When you’ve been cleansed by God, forgiven, made new, there is nothing more exciting. If you’ve had that experience, won’t you also say, “send me” and tell your world God’s good news? 

I once heard a story told about Albert Einstein that he got tired of checking out churches because their God wasn’t the God that he saw in creation. The God he saw in the universe through his telescope was so big and grand. The churches’ God, he reported, was too small! I don’t know if this really happened to Einstein, but it is true: often the way we see God is too small. If we could see God in his grandeur, we wouldn’t stop singing his glory to everyone around us! Psalm 96 is a beautiful Psalm! It says, “Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations.”  That Psalm, when you read it, gives you a sense of the grandeur of God, you know. He is worthy to be worshipped and all creation should and will worship him. And we should do it over, and over again. The first line of the psalm says, “Sing to the Lord a new song!” We should sing so loud to the Lord that others will want to know who Jesus is! Then we can then tell them about the grandeur of God, a God who loves them so much he sent his Son to die for them! Let’s be a reflection of God’s grandeur, and be a light to our world in our generation.

Over a hundred years ago, there was a missionary named A.W. Milne who went to New Hebrides to share the Good News with a tribe of headhunters. All former missionaries to this tribe had been killed by them. He lived among the tribe for 35 years and never returned home. When he died, the tribe buried him and wrote the following epitaph on his tombstone: “When he came, there was no light. When he left, there was no darkness.” Man! When the light of Christ is within us, we are the light of the world. Like A.W. Milne, Christ uses us to spread his good news. We come and shine the light in the darkness and the light cannot be hidden. What a joy and what a responsibility! In Ezekiel, in the Bible, the Lord says to the prophet that he is responsible for telling the people that judgment is coming. The people can choose whether or not to respond to God’s call, but first they need to hear it. That’s the job of the prophet and of all God’s followers today. Whether unbelievers hear or refuse to hear, you did what you were supposed to do. You told them about Jesus Christ. When Jesus said, “You are the light of the world,” the word YOU is a strong one. It means “you and only you.” Let us be brave like A.W. Milne and be a light wherever we go, whether it’s New Hebrides or New England.

Top level educators often talk about the history of the renaissance and the enlightenment. Enlightenment refers to a time in the 18th century when science became more popular than religion. Intellectually it’s true. The enlightenment came out of the dark ages, and the renaissance was the result. People starting thinking more freely. Coming to Jesus is true spiritual enlightenment. We wake up from the darkness of our world, and we have the chance to live in the light of Jesus. But Jesus Christ is far more than the renaissance or enlightenment eras. Jesus Christ is the light of the world. That means Jesus enlightens us intellectually, he enlightens us morally and he enlightens us spiritually by guiding us to His truth revealed in the Bible. Psalm 119 says, God’s word “is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” I love that verse! The good news of Jesus is a lamp near at hand and shows us what to do, right now. The holy scriptures – the Bible - is a light that shines broadly and guides us forever. The Word of God enlightens our future. As followers of Christ, we are the light of the world. And if we are the light of the world, then our responsibility is to light the path for others. Don’t you think? What an awesome calling it is. And whatever your work, your business, or your educational situation may be, God will use you to be His light.

I’m amazed at what a mini flashlight can do when it’s dark. I have a mini flashlight on my keychain. It doesn’t look too impressive. But when it’s dark, that mini thing can give all of the light that I need in most circumstances. In the days of the Bible, it was a big deal when Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have eternal life.” His light is able to shine in a world of darkness. And do we live in darkness today! Whenever you read the headlines, people are lying and cheating, hurting each other. Darkness seems to be everywhere. But we are called to proclaim the word of Jesus Christ, to be His light. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus says to His followers, “YOU are the light of the world.” YOU, yes you!  You are the light of the world! When Jesus left this world, his disciples were to spread the light. What an amazing, awesome calling! You and I have been chosen to shine full time. We are Jesus’ light in the darkness around us! We are called to shine like a light in the midst of it all! Even the smallest flashlight makes the world brighter as we reach our world for Jesus Christ!  Imagined thousands of those flashlights shining every day.

Recently, I spoke on a Sunday morning in Boise. I woke up to find the Idaho sunshine blazing across the countryside. It was beautiful and warm and I couldn’t help but think, “This is truly life. I feel so much joy.” On days like that, God feels especially close. Feeling so alive made me remember my college days when that same morning sun that should have warmed me would have just made my hangover worse. The duality of life struck me. When we stand in God’s grace, we are complete and alive and empowered. But, when we rebel and do things on our own, we end up in the pit of despair and the very things that should bring life and joy bring only emptiness and frustration. Can you relate? Have you seen both sides of that chasm? If you have, you know both the pain of not walking with the Lord and the joy of living each day with Him. Those of us who have been rescued from darkness have the responsibility of reaching others. We must bring the saving Good News of God’s love to lonely and hurting people. Since God pulled us from the pit of despair, let’s not just sit comfortably in our homes, surrounded only by other people who also walk in the light. Rather, let’s go back to the world of darkness and rescue its inhabitants by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Do you have friends who are struggling with depression?  Or perhaps a co-worker whose family is going through a rough patch?  Whoever in your life is feeling blue, take some time this week to do three things for them: Pray for them   Write them a letter Cook them a meal Number 1: Pray for them.  Ask God to bring them peace that surpasses all understanding, peace that comes from God.  Pray for opportunities to be salt and light to them this week. Number 2: Write them a letter.  A note of encouragement can be so meaningful – a word of hope they can read again and again with Bible verses. Proverbs teaches there is power and joy in a timely word. Number 3: Cook them a meal. Taking dinner off someone’s to-do list can be exactly what they need.  Lighten their load and see how God can use this as an opportunity to shine His light in their life. As you reach out this week, do it with boldness and courage, knowing that God is using you to be a light. Just as the Bible says: “Make the most of every opportunity.” With these three simple steps, you could bring a friend from darkness to the light of Jesus Christ.

We may not think of our church as a place of personal evangelism. But it is. Not everyone attending church is a believer. We need to be keenly aware that many people attend church looking for acceptance and for hope.  I once heard a story about evangelism in a congregation.  Dale was struggling through a divorce, substance abuse and homelessness and decided to visit the church one Sunday morning.  Another man noticed him, and introduced himself.  After just a few moments they had plans to have a meal together that night.  Eventually this friendship led to Dale receiving a job near the church. Dale then attended as many Bible studies as he possibly could. In time, Dale received Jesus Christ as His Savior. Through the kindness and boldness of that one man in the congregation, Dales’ whole life was transformed. As you attend church this week, keep an ear and an eye open to what’s happening in the room.  Who is hurting?  Who has a tangible need that you could meet?  Reaching our world can be as simple as being a light in the darkness.