Reaching Your World with Luis Palau

I met a man while preaching at a church in New York one snowy January. This man told me, "When I was in university, some 42 years ago, a missionary by the name of John R. Mott came and spoke about the need in the Middle East for ophthalmologists to help treat eye diseases, and I felt the call of God. When he gave the invitation, I made a commitment to go and serve Jesus Christ on the mission field. I made a commitment to use my medical skills for God's glory."Have you felt called by God to do something? As followers of Jesus, we all have a calling. And, if we love God with all our heart and soul and strength, we will do what He calls us to do. Love and obedience cannot be separated. The Lord Jesus Christ made this clear to His disciples when He said, "'If you love me, you will obey what I command.'"What is Jesus Christ asking you to do? Is He calling you to share the gospel with the people in your work place? Or to bring food to a neighbor in need? Regardless of what we may or may not "feel," God has called us to reach our world. Obedience to His call, whether it is something large or seemingly small, is an expression of our love for our Savior.

A 10-year-old girl made this observation: "Heaven is a nice place to go, but nobody's in a hurry to get there." And, you know, she's right. Many followers of Jesus aren't excited about going to heaven and seeing the Lord. Maybe it's because, unless they change, they will have little or nothing to show for their lives.Sadly, many followers of Jesus have opted for the "good life" instead of the "best life." They go to church, read their Bibles, serve on church committees and tithe.  But, that's not what will count most in eternity. The main thing God asks of us is to love Him with all our heart and soul and strength.If you were to look back on your life, can you say that you loved God with all your heart, soul, and strength? If we love God with every fiber of our being, then we will long to please Him with our life's work. We will say with the Apostle Paul, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." If we have that kind of love for our Creator it will be evident to those around us and provide opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

In the film industry, sometimes footage of short, unimportant scenes are cut in order to keep the film within a certain time limit or to keep the story focused. In some cases, the director's original vision for the film can end up on the editing room floor. As strange as it seems, this reminds me of something that often happens when we share our testimonies. Many of us leave out the parts we believe are insignificant or won't matter to anyone else. We think we know the "moral" of our story; the big, impressive epiphany or the rescue from danger and sin. But God has a knack for surprising us with the way he uses everything about us to draw people to Him, even our "deleted scenes." We need to remember that even as we tell our own stories, God is the one who is working--not us. Don't let the impact of your testimony become limited by your "theatrical version." Leave room for God to work through your ENTIRE story.  You never know how he'll use it, but he will. As we're faithful to tell people about him, he'll be faithful to draw their hearts. All that we are asked to do is tell what he has done. Ask him to guide your words each time you share.

People, people everywhere! Do you live in a big city or near a large metropolitan area? Chances are greater than 80% that you do. Along with most cities comes public transportation. These transportation networks - busses, the light rail, subways, etc. - are ideal places to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.Have you ever sat next to a complete stranger and wondered how in the world God could use you to reach them? It's not difficult. Just be yourself! Be friendly, be open, be honest. One idea I suggest is to carry a book - either the Bible or a book by your favorite Christian author. When someone sits next to you, simply engage them in everyday conversation. Ask things that would be of interest to them. Develop a rapport. And in the course of conversation, they may ask about your book, or you may refer to it. Then, you can begin to freely share what God has done in your life.The Bible says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." As you take public transportation, remember to be bold, open and ready to share the love of Christ in a gracious way.

It's never an accident when someone crosses your path. There is a purpose for every interaction, the potential for God to use you in a special way. Listen to this story... A few years ago, my friend Jodi had Lasik eye surgery. She had been legally blind but the surgery restored her vision to 20/20. Not a day passes when she isn't praising God for restoring her sight. One day she realized it was good to praise God, but what about her surgeon? Had she thanked him properly? And did he know the Gospel?Eager to reach out to him, my friend wrote a card to her surgeon. She not only thanked him, but she shared the clear Gospel message.  Jodi quoted a couple of scriptures and let her surgeon know that she was thankful for him and Jesus' healing through him.  This man certainly couldn't read that note without hearing the Gospel from a thankful heart.  Jodi found a practical and personal way to share the Gospel with a healthcare professional. Will you share the Good News of Jesus Christ with someone today? Ask God to help you recognize such opportunities. Ask Him to make you His bold vessel for sharing the Good News.

Everyone likes a good neighbor. And anyone can be the "standard" good neighbor.  All it takes is saying hello in passing, chatting over the fence, and keeping an eye on each other's homes.  But when you truly care for someone, it's more than just those physical things.  You care for ALL of them - including their spiritual well-being.God has placed you in your neighborhood for a reason. Perhaps you'll be the first person to ever share the Gospel with the lady down the street or the family next door.  Are you praying for opportunities to do this? Keep alert and ready to seize the opportune time. Just be you. And be honest about what God has done in your life. In the meantime, bring your neighbors flowers from your garden, or bake them cookies, or invite them over for dinner.  It doesn't matter what you do, just do something.  Tangibly bring God's love into their lives. The Bible says, "Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up."So, what are you waiting for? Time is short. Begin praying now for open doors to share Jesus Christ with your neighbor. And begin showing God's love in practical ways.

I love to eat out. That's probably a good thing because I travel so much. I eat at all kinds of places; places with waiters and waitresses whose job it is to take my order and serve my meal. These are the very people I look forward to reaching with the Gospel! I've found a way to accomplish this that is both natural and powerful. It's easy, and you can do it, too! As you are chatting with your server, when it's appropriate, just say, "We are going to pray before our meal. How can we pray for you?" This opens the door for a candid response. Let the conversation go where it may. And before you leave the restaurant, give your waitperson your business card or contact information. Say, "When God answers our prayer for you, call me. I want to hear about it."  (And, always leave a good tip.  Be generous.)Your bold compassion may touch their life with the love of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." All it takes is a simple offer to pray. In so doing, you take a bold stand for the Lord. You touch someone's life in a thoughtful way. The next time you eat out, won't you reach out and pray for your server?

As a follower of Jesus Christ finding balance in life is critical. We are called to be in the world but not of it. We can't do our work of being salt and light if we are hiding. But there is one place that we realize that we do need to be cautious - we need to be in a place where our light can shine NOT a place where we start to lose our identity.  People influence us deeply and we can easily put our identity in other things to please them.  Ephesians 5 tells us that we are to 'be imitators of God." Be careful how you allow the impact of culture to bump you off the path.  Do not be partners with the disobedient.  It's one thing to be in relationship with the disobedient but it's another thing if you start to partner with them or are influenced by them. Your intentions might be good, but our weaknesses are real.  We must be cautious.  We are to, "Live as children of light."  Find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but expose them.  You are either exposing the darkness or you're embracing the darkness.  It can be easy to rationalize certain things but we must strive to honor God in all we do if we are to reach our world.

As generations collide, there are often conflicts. As a member of the older generation at a church with many members of all ages, I see this often. Many people my age don't like the loud, upbeat music that the young people enjoy. Many young people don't like the hymns that we enjoy. Did you know that even when the style is different, the heart of the message can remain intact? I've chosen to pay attention to the heart of the message because if it's reaching young people, that's all that matters.  I don't really care if I enjoy the style or not.  Do the lyrics honor Jesus?When picking a church home, we must distinguish between personal taste and biblical truth. Look for a church that teaches God's word.  If it looks a little different than what you're used to, that's okay. Paul said in 1 Corinthians, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some."Perhaps your new worship pastor with a contemporary style is an evangelist at heart like Paul - and his new music is his way of using all means to save some. Don't despise his style and miss his heart. Embrace different styles of church and evangelism, and you will reach your world.

Someone recently asked me if it's ever okay to leave your church. I don't think so, except in very extreme cases. A good friend of mine once said "we shouldn't leave to get away from something, we should only leave if God is calling us to something." I think this is generally a good rule of thumb. If God is calling you to a new location, or to plant a new church, or to serve somewhere else, then you should be faithful to that call! But I do think in some cases, you do need to leave to get away from something. For example, if there is a major wrongdoing in your church leadership and the biblical model of discipline is not followed, you may have reason to move. In extreme cases, if something goes undisciplined it may even be unsafe for you to stay. And what a sad situation that would be! Of course, there is no perfect church, but there are some things that we cannot compromise.  God may want to use you to make a positive change where you are, but sometimes, He's simply calling you elsewhere. You'll have to pray and seek wise counsel to make the right decision. As you do, God will "direct your paths" and use you in new ways to reach your world.

On a recent webcast, I was responding to viewers' questions. One person asked, "when is it time to leave your church?" My gut response is you should never leave unless you move, but there are a few exceptions. I think commitment to your church family is essential to spiritual growth and success in reaching your world... but there are a few reasons to leave. One such reason is consistent, unbiblical teaching. Hopefully you've chosen a church that loves God's Word, but perhaps something has changed and it's no longer Biblical teaching. If this is your church, be just like the Bereans and examine the Scriptures. In Acts it says the Bereans, "received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."  If you are in a position of leadership at your church, do your best to make a change before leaving. But if the entire church adopts unbiblical beliefs and embraces and teaches them on a regular basis despite your best efforts, it may be time to take your family elsewhere. You may be better equipped to reach your world if you do. It should be a prayerful decision made carefully, but sadly it may be necessary.

Robert and June are a typical moral, yet spiritually immature, couple. They don't drink, smoke, or do drugs. They keep a long list of "don'ts" and they follow it religiously. But, following Jesus is so much more than what we aren't supposed to do. While there are some "don'ts" in Scripture, there are a lot of "dos!" One of these "dos" is committing to a church home and serving in your church family.  Robert and June weren't necessarily committing any overt sins, but they weren't "doing" a lot of good either. As a couple they would move from church to church when they felt like it. Never staying too long. Moving as soon as something rubbed them the wrong way or didn't meet their perceived needs. Rather than serving to make their church better, they jumped ship at the smallest things, always thinking they'd find the "perfect" church.  Friends, the Bible says in Hebrews, "let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together... but encouraging one another." If we are going to effectively reach our world we need to fellowship with other like-minded believers. Will you commit to your church family for the long-haul? It's not always easy, but it's worth it.

All throughout scripture we're reminded of two exercises that God desires of us - to remember what He has done and to tell others of His good deeds. When we stop and remember the works of God in our life, we are revived. When we share these with a friend, we are reaching our world with the Good News.For myself, I remember being in the pit of despair. I was insecure and fearful. It was at this point that God intervened in miraculous ways. I saw the strong testimony of young people who had recently come alive in their faith. I heard wonderful stories of God miraculously working in their lives and healing them from addictions. Hearing their stories was the beginning of my return to the Lord.Psalm 77 says "I will remember the deeds of the Lord." I want to leave you with a challenge. List three things that God has done for you in your life. Dwell on them. Think about them. Thank the Lord for them. Then, ask God to give you the opportunity to share them with another. I guarantee that within a week you will have an open door. Be prepared, pray, and walk in expectation that God is going to use your story to lead someone to Jesus Christ.

We sing so many songs during the Christmas season and many of them share profound, biblical truths. Listen to the lyrics of this song: "Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her king. Let every heart prepare Him room." And then it continues with "No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow, Far as the curse is found..." and finishes with "He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love."Friends, those lyrics speak truth about Jesus Christ! This is what Christmas is all about. Jesus came, and because of his life, death and resurrection, we are able to experience joy. Sin and sorrow grow no more and His blessings flow! We really can experience the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love. The Bible says in Habakkuk, "yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior." Rejoice in God this Christmas.  And, as you sing some of the most famous Christmas songs, think about the lyrics. If they're speaking truth about Jesus Christ, point it out to a friend.  There's nothing more powerful than the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The Great hero of the faith, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, had this to say about the manger in the Christmas story, "For the great and powerful of this world, there are only two places in which their courage fails them, of which they are afraid deep down in their souls, from which they shy away. These are the manger and the cross of Jesus Christ. No powerful person dares to approach the manger, and this even includes King Herod. For this is where thrones shake, the mighty fall, the prominent perish, because God is with the lowly... Before Mary, the maid, before the manger of Christ, before God in lowliness, the powerful come to naught."God's ways are not man's ways! It's remarkable to think of the simplicity of Jesus' arrival that first Christmas. The Bible says the "first will be last and the last will be first." God truly is with the lowly. This Christmas, remember the humility with which our King arrived. And rejoice in God's plan for our salvation! Share the hope you have with a friend.  Tell them of the power of our Lord who came quietly to a manger, and died in humility and agony on a cross.  Tell them that though He died, he rose again.  He lives right now and wants to save each of us.