Reaching Your World with Luis Palau

We all want immediate answers to prayer don't we? But God's timing does not always work that way. Phil Callaway's wife, Ramona, suffered horrible seizures. His children asked him if Mommy was going to die. He couldn't answer. He wondered if she would even make it to her thirtieth birthday. He prayed constantly that Ramona would be healed.One night Phil cried out to God in desperation, and a doctor's name came to his mind. Phil called the doctor, who saw Ramona the next morning and diagnosed a rare chemical deficiency. Within a week, Ramona was a different person. The seizures ended and she was completely healed. God answered, but it took a while.Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Sometimes God's answers come at the last minute, so be patient. Don't lose faith. He is listening. God knows best.  If you have a friend who is nearing spiritual death, keep praying! Don't ever think the situation is hopeless. Persevere in prayer, because that's God's will for you.  And you know, if you wait patiently on the Lord, you will see amazing answers to prayer, and it will teach you to watch for God's intervention.  It is very exciting to walk with God.

The Lord isn't under obligation to say "yes" to every prayer. That's a good thing considering some of the things we request at times! Sometimes, though, God says "no" to even our best and most sincere requests.  "No," God is saying.  "I love you too much to answer the way you want."God said "no" to my most earnest childhood prayers. Shortly after my tenth birthday, my father, Luis Palau Sr., contracted pneumonia and died ten days later.  God said 'no' to my request to heal him. But, without a doubt, the death of my father has had more impact on my life and ministry than almost anything else. My desire is that people know Jesus Christ, as my father did, so they will be with the Lord forever when they die, "which is better by far" as St. Paul wrote in Philippians.Does a "no", mean that we should stop praying? "Always pray and not give up," Jesus said.  Keep praying! God loves to say yes, but we must trust Him, even when He says no. Keep praying, even if the answer isn't what you want. Pray for your family, your friends, your co-workers. Pray that they will all come to Jesus Christ. Pray that God will open a door for you to share the Good News Gospel. Now that would be a tremendous privilege: that God should use you to lead someone you love to faith in Jesus Christ.

My friend, Steve Jameson, proposed an idea that I had never thought about... He asked, "Why didn't the Israelites pray that God would send them manna when they were wandering in the wilderness?"  The question made me stop and think.  Of course they didn't ask for manna because they didn't know that manna existed!  They didn't know they could ask for manna.  They didn't know they could ask for bread from heaven to come down and meet their need.God wants to work powerfully and tangibly in our lives too.  Often we pray for specific things.  We say "God, if you would just do this..." or "God, if you would just do that..."  But, let's remember that God's resources and ideas are far greater than ours.  Let's live with expectation that He is going to work in and through us.  Let's pray that He would reveal himself in miraculous ways - reaching our friends, family, and neighbors in whatever way is best for them.  This week, as you pray about sharing your faith with those in your world, remember to pray that God would reach people, through you, in ways you can't even imagine. After all, God wants to reach people. Let's be active participants in His plan by telling others the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Someone asked me, "How do you deal with someone who claims to be an atheist and who constantly responds argumentatively?  How do you get through to them and manage to give them the gospel?"  Okay, first of all, I've done it a few times myself.  The first thing is: don't be nervous.  Often atheists are people who suspect that there's a God but don't want to believe in Him and they begin to argue, rather loudly most of the time, and very insultingly sometimes as some of the British atheists that are trying to dismiss the faith of believers today.  The first thing I do is I pray instantly.  "Lord, give me wisdom."  Secondly, I listen very carefully.  Listen to what the atheist says.  Ask him questions.  For instance, "Oh, so you don't believe God created the world.  Okay, how do you think the world was created?" and he'll give you some long story and listen carefully and give him time to do it and don't mock and don't roll your eyes.  When you've listened, then say, "Lord, give me a Bible verse that I can give this person."  I read that years ago.  Pick one verse and drive it home.  And, when you begin to do your part in sharing the gospel, repeat that verse over and over. I remember doing it very clearly, the first time, with a Communist secretary in South America and she gave her life to Jesus Christ. So, those are the beginning answers on how to handle an atheist.  In another program, I'll give you more suggestions.

I had a friend in Connecticut that went to be with Jesus Christ after a long battle with cancer.  He was not young, but he loved God. He was one of my best friends - a lovable guy.  One day, about a year before he died, he said, "You know, Luis, I desire to be a better personal witness. How do I do it? How do I do personal evangelism? How do you start a conversation?"  I said three things.  First, Reggie, start the conversation wherever you are.  If you're sitting in the hospital waiting for treatment, start talking about treatment.  If the other person says, "I'm afraid," there's an opportunity to talk to them in the hospital about their fear.  Usually people without Christ fear death even though they often don't talk about it.  Then, number two, I said to him "Reggie, ask appropriate questions - wise questions." For instance, "Why are you here?" if you happen to be at the hospital.  "What does the doctor say?"  Begin a conversation to understand the other person - to see where they're coming from and then, if you really want to witness, I said to him, "Reggie, you have to give them the basics.  You have to tell them that God loves them in spite of their illness.  That God wants them to go to heaven when they die, not to be lost out in the outer darkness."  And thirdly, tell them about the cross and the resurrection and how to receive Christ.

We received a letter, not so long ago, from somebody saying, "I have believed in Jesus Christ but the thing that bothers me is this: Have I repented truly? Have I repented enough? How can I know that I have truly repented?"  You know, I have thought about that and don't have the complete answer but want to say this:  First, don't compare yourself with other people. Compare yourself with God, your Creator, and what He reveals in the Bible.  So, read it and think for yourself.  "But, how do you know you're repentant?"  First, when you say to God the Father, "God, I have sinned against you. Lord, I am truly sorry for my sins. I deserve to be punished but have mercy on me and forgive me."   The Apostle Peter, when he saw himself in the light of Christ, do you remember what he said? He said "Depart from me, oh Lord, for I am a sinful man."  In other words, he saw himself in the light of God and he recognized that he was in a sinner.  And, you know, in another place Peter himself said, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ." One of the signs that you've repented is that you go public by being baptized and confessing Jesus Christ.  When you repent, you're willing to admit to the whole world, "I am a sinner but I am forgiven by God." 

I believe that many Christians are afraid to give the Good News because they give up.  And, they give up because they don't see immediate results.  Some people get very critical and they say, "Oh yes, yes, but where are the converts? Where are the converts?"  If you're one of those, let me tell you something.  Timothy, converted to Christ through the Apostle Paul, one of God's great servants in the Bible, as you know, nevertheless got discouraged and Paul had to write him a letter from jail, can you believe it? And, he said to him, "Timothy, persist, persist, persist. Don't be ashamed. Don't be ashamed. Don't be ashamed."  I want to encourage you today to persist. Don't be discouraged. Don't give up. Just because you don't see a conversion on the spot doesn't mean that God hasn't used you.  In Second Corinthians chapter 5, God says to the apostles, "We walk by faith not by sight."  In other words, we sow the seed and we leave it with God.  Sometimes we have the privilege of seeing people, on the spot, give their lives to Christ. That's so exciting, and not very common, to be honest.  We do our part, somebody else participates, and eventually, sometime, they come to Christ.  When we get to heaven we look and say, "Wow, I had a part in that person's conversion. How exciting!" But, don't give up now no matter what other people say. 

When our daughter, Sadie, came to our family she was a baby. I remember holding her. She was precious, beautiful and tiny. She's grown now and is still just as precious and beautiful, but is now a lively little girl. When she was a baby, to feed her solid food would have been wrong. She needed milk. But, I'm thankful that she has grown. She now can eat anything. In a letter Paul wrote to the Corinthian church he said, "I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly - mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready." Just as my daughter grew and now eats hearty meals, we must grow in our spiritual lives. Let's not be like the Corinthian church who could only handle spiritual milk. Rather, let's focus on what really matters - reaching our world for Jesus Christ. Take a step in your relationship with God. Don't just do what you've always done because it's comfortable. Rather, ask God to show you what is next. Then, be prepared for Him to do just that. He will likely give you many opportunities to show the love of Jesus and tell His story to the people in your world. 

Sometimes we fall into the habit of giving God deadlines, especially when it comes to the salvation of others. Once I gave God a deadline, "If I don't see any converts by the end of the year, I'm quitting." I wasn't giving up on my faith, just evangelism. The end of the year came and went, and nothing happened. No one was converted.But, four days after my deadline expired, the right moment came: the Lord moved, and I led someone in a prayer to invite Christ to take over their life. God has his own timing, and many times it does not match up with what we think it should be.Maybe you've shared your faith in Jesus Christ over and over again with someone who is very dear to you, but they haven't responded. I know what that feels like. I prayed for my wayward son for 27 years! Not seeing God move can be discouraging and disheartening. But, don't give up. There are many stories of followers of Christ who have prayed that their spouse, parents, friends, children, or neighbors will come to the Lord. And, they have! These men and women were faithful to pray and share their faith and they have seen results. Sometimes it takes years, but persistence pays off. Never give up. The Lord's timing is the best timing - we just need to be patient and ready.

As followers of Christ, we should always be on the lookout for opportunities to share the Good News with those around us. Opportunities can come at any time and in any place.  Sometimes, opportunities arise in public places - as was the case between two ladies on an airplane. We were flying from Hungary to London and I listened as one woman shared her faith with the lady next to her.  By the end of the flight, they were praying together - asking Jesus to be the Lord of their lives.  Other times, opportunities arise at a Bible study or church service. Even there, we have to be on the lookout for how the Lord wants to use us to lead another to Him - like the time I had an individual stop me in the middle of my teaching and say that she wanted to accept Christ. I was not expecting that!Regardless of where we are, we always need to be ready to stop and lead another to Jesus Christ.  It says in 1 Peter to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." For this reason, it is important to have an understanding of the Gospel and of verses that explain what it means to receive Christ. Learn those words and write them on your heart so that you will have them ready at a moment's notice.

As a young man, I was inspired by the things I read and heard about Billy Graham's ministry. But, I knew I didn't have his gifts. I knew I could not communicate and explain the gospel exactly like Billy Graham. But, one day, the small church I attended in Argentina held a home Bible study. The fellow who was supposed to lead the Bible study never showed up. So the man of the house said, "Luis, you are going to have to say something." I was completely unprepared. I had been reading a book by Billy Graham on the beatitudes. So, I read Matthew 5:1-12 and simply repeated whatever I remembered from Dr. Graham's book. When I did so, a woman was convicted of her sins and decided to follow Christ. I led her in a prayer and she committed her life to the Lord.While I might not have felt wise enough to lead the group in my own strength and knowledge, the Lord provided. God gifted Billy Graham, and he also gave me the gift of Billy Graham's godly wisdom through his books and sermons. Since that time, I feel much more confident speaking to groups. But, I still never underestimate the wisdom of other strong Christ-followers. If what they are saying matches up with God's Word, then their wisdom is another tool to use when sharing the Good News. 

Sharing our faith is not easy, especially if we don't feel gifted in evangelism. I should know -- as a young man, I was convinced I didn't have the gift of evangelism. It was obvious. No matter how hard I tried, no one was coming to faith in Jesus Christ. Nothing I did seemed to make a difference. So, I decided to resign myself to simply teaching other believers. In the middle of a lesson I was leading, a woman felt convicted of her sins and asked Christ to purify her heart. Through that, I learned that God uses my gift of teaching to bring people to Jesus.The Lord has created each of us differently with different gifts. We have different tendencies and different personalities. But God still calls us to be salt and light to those around us, regardless of whether he has called us to be teachers or firemen or full-time evangelists. Each one of us is an evangelist. We may just use different gifts to evangelize or prefer different methods of sharing our faith. For example, if you have the gift of hospitality, use that to lead others to Jesus. If you have the gift of service, use that to lead others to Jesus. It doesn't matter what your gift is, each of us can lead another to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

I met a young boy from Rwanda who lives in poverty. God has done a miraculous thing in his life. He now has joy and fellowship with others. But, before he met the Lord, he was very lonely. He said that he would look around and see people going here-and-there. They all had somewhere to go. How he longed for that. He dreamt of the day when someone would expect him - someone would look forward to seeing him. Nobody even knew that he was alive. He was a lonely lonely boy.  Though this is an extreme tale, there are millions of people in similar situations. They may not be living in poverty in Rwanda, but their hearts ache just the same. They are lonely.  Today, won't you reach out to a lonely person in your world? I promise, no matter where you live, there are lonely people very close by. Be a true friend. Really get to know the people in your life. Listen to them. Spend time with them. Then, when God gives you the opportunity, tell them of Jesus Christ. Tell them that God promises, in the Bible, that He will never leave us or forsake us. There is hope! All we must do is tell the people in our lives of Jesus Christ. God will do the rest. Will we be faithful to do our part?

Forgiving someone who wronged you is tough. The other day I met a man whose wife decided to leave him and their three children. Months later she returned, trying to gain custody of the kids. This man had reason to be angry, but not forgiving his wife only caused more pain.After years of tearful court hearings and visitation swaps, the man finally asked God and his wife to forgive him for his part of the breakup. Then, he asked God for the strength to forgive his wife, regardless of her actions. When this man finally chose forgive, he found true peace. People around him commented that it were as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.This man's story isn't at all uncommon. Broken relationships leave wounds. It's only when we forgive that these wounds can begin to heal. When we forgive, in Jesus' strength, the door opens for God to work. And, our decision to forgive might be the first step in others learning of the great forgiver - God's son, Jesus Christ. Whom do you need to forgive? Perhaps your wholehearted, not-looking-back, forgiveness will pave the way for someone to meet Jesus today.

It's a fact. We've all done things we regret. We've all lived with guilt. BUT, praise be to God, we have a Savior! Jesus Christ came to this world and paid the ultimate price so we may be forgiven. Yet, even if we do know Christ's forgiveness, guilt and remorse over past wrongs may still linger.I spoke with a woman from Peru during a radio program recently who told me of her deep pain and guilt. She believed in Jesus, but she couldn't accept that she was really forgiven. She felt horrible for what she had done and didn't know how to move on. After leading her in a prayer, I told her that God had forgiven her. Then I reminded her of what the Bible says in 1 John 1:12 - "to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." When she finally accepted God's forgives, she found such peace and joy and hope. She was truly forgiven. What about you? Are you feeling the pain and remorse of a past wrong? Or is there someone in your life struggling with overwhelming guilt? There is forgiveness for us all! If you or someone you know would like prayer, please call 1-888-NEED-HIM. We'd be honored to guide you through asking for forgiveness of your sins so those chains may fall away. Forgiveness is available through Jesus Christ.