Reaching Your World with Luis Palau

An ambassador is a privileged position. The President handpicks this high-ranking official and sends him or her to a group of people. Then, as instructed, the ambassador delivers the leader’s message. The ambassador does not create the message, but simply communicates it. It’s good to think about this role because it’s one that has been given to each of us by God Himself. If you are in Christ, you are Christ’s ambassador. As II Corinthians says, it’s “as though God were making his appeal through us.” What an honor! When we share God’s message, of course we want our delivery to be great. But, we must remember that it is the Good News itself that carries power to change a life. It is not the messenger; it is the message itself that is the power of God unto salvation.  God will present times and places for you to deliver His message. All you must do is be faithful to do so. Keep your eyes open and pray. Study God’s Word. It is His message. Memorize key scripture passages. Ask God for creative, thoughtful, ways to deliver His Good News. Let the Holy Spirit and the Word guide you. Take time before the Lord listening to His voice. And, thank you. Thank you for being an ambassador. Thank you for carrying God’s message to those who are lost, fulfilling your purpose as you reach your world.  This is Andrew Palau.

Disappointment is never easy. Have you ever disappointed a parent, boss, or professor when you really thought you were following God’s word? I know someone whose parents weren’t believers. He wanted to go into ministry—but his parents wanted him to become an engineer. As it turns out, he went into ministry and then became an engineer. But during the time when he was in ministry, before he became an engineer, his parents were disappointed. This was hard on the young man—and understandably so! We all feel better when people in our lives are proud of us. But what happens when the people in our life don’t share the same values or vision that God offers us?   The Bible says in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peacefully with all…” It’s important to be respectful and kind to those in our lives-  but this does not mean we should sacrifice our convictions.   This week, I urge you to pray about the direction God wants you to walk. Who does God want you to talk to this week? Ask God to reveal his plans, then listen! God is faithful—and he will guide you if you let him. Remember to look at God as your guidepost, and you will never be lost.   This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever tried really hard at something, like a sport, only to end up losing the game? Sometimes in life, things just don’t go as we plan or hope. We can try hard to be the best at our job, only to end up losing it during layoffs. Or we can try hard to change a habit about ourselves, but still find ourselves slipping up. We’ve all been there. And during these times, it can be easy to find ourselves feeling discouraged and disheartened. Sometimes, we may even want to give up trying. But when these times come,  and when we’re tempted to lose confidence in ourselves, it’s important that we remain confident in the one who never changes – the Lord Jesus! The Bible says, in Psalm 57:5, “My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises." God does not change. His strength does not waver. Even when we are weak, or we don’t quite measure up to the standards of others—God does. Friend, this week, wherever you are—I urge you to remain confident in the Lord. “Christ lives in me,” God’s word says. If you’ve tried something and failed, lean on Him to keep you upright. If God has set a goal on your heart, trust Him to carry it out through you. Share about Jesus—our confidence—with someone in your life today. This is Luis Palau. 

Have you ever heard the saying, “every saint has a past; every sinner has a future”? Basically, it means that anyone who is in a pit right now, can have a bright future if they turn their lives to Jesus. And anyone who is walking with the Lord, at one point or another, had something unsavory in their past. This saying reminds me of the power of God to save and change lives. In my time as an evangelist, I’ve seen hundreds of thousands of lives changed by the power of Jesus Christ. One man I remember in particular was deep in gang activity and drugs when he first came to a festival of ours in Connecticut. At the festival, the Lord spoke to him, and he received Jesus’ free gift of salvation in his heart that very first night. This man repented, and left his old life to start a new life in Christ. Today, his story has helped others who are in a similar situation, by offering them a future filled with hope. 1 Peter 3:11 tells us, “Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it”. So wherever you are today, I encourage you to seek God and his will. As a friend once told me, “God’s light shines brightest in a dark spot”. This week, share with someone the encouraging news of Jesus’ hope. Tell them of God’s love, and of the peace-filled future God wants for them.  This is Luis Palau. 

A few years ago, The Christian Post published an article about the effectiveness of online evangelism. When I read the article I thought to myself…there is so much potential for Christians to reach the world online! Life today is all about being connected online. Most people have a smart phone, access to the internet, social media—you name it. So let me ask you, are you spreading the Good News online? Are the pictures you post, the conversations you have, and the values you project honoring to God? Do you talk about God’s presence in your life?   The Bible says in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven”. This week, I encourage you to make over your social media profiles. Think of your Facebook. Your Instagram. Your Twitter. What is your online presence like? What does it communicate?   Ask God how you can share His Good News with the friends and family you’re connected to. Then, go for it! Be bold in your walk with Jesus, and God will use you in a tremendous way.    This is Luis Palau. 

My Dad has observed that resistance to the simplicity of the Good News of Jesus Christ always comes from the church. In Europe especially, he’s been criticized openly. The reverends say: “If you make salvation too easy, everyone will want it.” To which my Dad would reply: “Isn’t that the point?” Why would we ever hold back from painting the message of Jesus Christ in all its glory? It is glorious Good News. This isn’t pie-in-the-sky, cheap grace, or a false gospel, or prosperity. It’s the biblical message, which is simple, and it’s free, and it is good. It’s great news! Many Christians seem to forget that salvation is the freely given gift—God’s gift—to each of us. We all stand in need of the Good News of God’s gift of salvation even after we believe. Especially after we believe. The Good News never stops being good. It just gets better and better with age. Of course, each of us will go through periods of loss, grief, sorrow, and deep pain. But in the big picture those are typically relatively limited. We have received the greatest gift God could ever give, and now we can invite others to embrace the best news the world has ever heard. What could be better? This is Andrew Palau.

Having a part in leading a friend or acquaintance to faith in Jesus Christ is exciting. But actually praying with someone who wants to make that decision is even more thrilling. Yet I’ve seen Christians lead someone to the point of decision and panic.   I was on a flight from Budapest to London. A Christian woman sitting in the row in front of us stood up, turned around, and said, “I’ve been talking to this Hungarian lady, and I think she’s ready to be converted. But I don’t know how to do it. Would you help me?” Here was a sharp British Christian woman. I told her, “I’ve been listening to what you’ve been saying and you’ve done a terrific job.” But she felt afraid of doing something wrong when it came time to pray with someone ready to receive Christ. I agreed to talk with the Hungarian businesswoman. “Did you understand what this lady told you?” “Yes.” “Are you ready to open up the door of your life to Christ?” “Yes.”  At that, I asked the British Christian woman to lead her in a prayer of decision. At first she hesitated. Then she turned to the other woman, put her arm around her, and for the first time led someone to Jesus Christ. On an airplane! I challenge you to pray: “Lord, I want that experience. I want to know what it is to lead someone to Jesus Christ.”  He will use you. Believe me!       This is Luis Palau.

Over the years I have learned that some of the people I would have thought would be the most closed-minded to the Gospel, often are the most receptive. I saw this over and over again in the old Soviet Union. A Baptist pastor brought an acquaintance to one of our meetings in Moscow. The friend, head of an academic department at the university and a leading scientist, listened as I preached the Good News Gospel. Then, to the pastor’s surprise, this scientist prayed out loud to receive Jesus Christ as his Savior. And then, with tears, he came forward in front of everybody to confess Christ publicly. The Russian pastor was astonished at his friend’s response to the Gospel. He was equally surprised by the phone call he received at 7:15 the next morning. “I would like to express my gratitude to you,” the scientist said. “You invited me to meet the Lord Jesus Christ. I didn’t sleep the whole night. I just prayed. I asked God whether He would pardon me.” So the pastor asked, “Well, do you think God pardoned you?”  And his friend replied, “Yes, I’m absolutely sure that God accepts me as His prodigal son.” Later the pastor told me, “I never thought a scientist in atheistic Russia would accept the Lord Jesus as Savior. But now I’ve seen it with my own eyes. What a great experience!” What a great experience, indeed!    This is Luis Palau.

Today, in an effort to be sophisticated and contemporary, many Christians have stopped trying to persuade others to follow Jesus Christ. There’s an underlying feeling in our society that nice people just don’t go around persuading other people to do things. We don’t want to offend people, appear strange, or lose our newfound status. So we do nothing about people’s eternal destiny. I, too, have been guilty of this. At one point years ago my next-door neighbor was a young television personality. We would chat from time to time, and he even mentioned that he listened to our radio program occasionally. But I didn’t share the Gospel with him. After all, I thought, he seems completely immune to the problems of life. Eventually, though, my neighbor changed. The joy seemed to have left his face. He and his wife started driving separate cars to work. I could tell their marriage was souring, and I felt the need to talk with him, but I didn’t want to meddle in his personal life. When I returned home from a trip abroad, I learned my neighbor had killed himself. I was devastated. I knew I should have gone to him and persuaded him to repent and receive Jesus Christ. But because of false courtesy, I didn’t do it. Never again...never again, I said to myself. What about you?   This is Luis Palau.

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. Finally, I gave up. About four days later, I was at a Bible study talking about the beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” [Matthew 5:8]. A woman suddenly stood up. She began to cry: “My heart is not pure. How can I see God? Somebody tell me how I can get a pure heart.” I don’t remember the woman’s name, but I will never forget her words: “Somebody tell me how I can get a pure heart.”  Together we read in the Bible, “The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin” [1 John 1:7]. Before the evening was over, that woman found peace with God and went home with a pure heart overflowing with joy. How delightful it was to lead her to Jesus Christ! When you win someone to Christ, it’s the greatest joy. Your graduation is exciting, your wedding day is exciting, your first baby is exciting. But the most thrilling thing you can ever do is win someone to Jesus Christ, and therefore to eternal life. Believe me. I’ve been blessed to do just that my whole adult life. It never gets boring!  This is Luis Palau.

Most of us are results oriented to some degree.  We finish something; we want to see the outcome as soon as possible.  We want the award and the reward, the “A” grade, the diploma, the promotion, the thumbs up, the high five- you name it, we want to make it happen- and we want it to happen fast!  Well, that’s wonderful when it happens, but as fun as that may be, work in evangelism doesn’t always turn out that way.   The other day I was sharing the Good News at a church way up in Alaska.  As I was talking with those who came forward, a man shared his story of how the band Mercy Me said in a concert he was at that people should get plugged into a church, so he came… to that Church… the day I spoke and gave his life to Jesus.  Ironically enough, a few days later, Mercy Me and I were on a flight together to Dallas. I shared this man’s story with them and they were so encouraged! Had that divine orchestration not occurred, Mercy Me may never have heard the outcome of their evangelism- but God knows.  I hope this encourages you too.   We do not labor in vain.  Paul writes, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor" [1 Corinthians 3:6]. Remember that God will take care of growing the seeds you plant.  Will you faithfully plant seeds this week?   This is Andrew Palau.

William Wilberforce was a British politician, most famous for abolishing the slave trade. What some may not know is he may not have accomplished abolition at all, if not for the advice of a few friends. As a young man, Wilberforce was a rising political star. When converted, he immediately felt conflicted. His career was taking off but he felt he should quit his political career and join the ministry. He consulted his friend William Pitt, who would soon be prime minister. He also consulted his friend and clergyman John Newton. They both counseled him to remain in politics, and to use his faith as the foundation of his work. And that is just what he did. Motivated by his Christian faith, Wilberforce sought to end slavery and make other societal reforms as well. In Isaiah, we read, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow" [Isaiah 1:17]. As we follow Scripture’s guidance to care for the “least of these” we will have many occasions to share the Good News. Wilberforce is an amazing example for Christians everywhere of serving God through your vocation – even politics. Whether it be politics, business, medicine, teaching, or politics… Whatever work you are doing, serve God there, today! You can reach your world right where God already has you. This is Luis Palau. 

I recently read an interesting New York Times religion article titled, “A Christian Apologist and an Atheist Thrive in an Improbable Bond.” The article was about a Christian apologist who is a University of Pennsylvania law professor, David Skeel, and his friendship with an atheist post-doctoral fellow at Penn’s medical school, Patrick Arsenault. After attending an event about faith and reason that Skeel hosted, Arsenault contacted him. He was intrigued that Skeel was willing to tackle the tough questions of Christianity. Since that time they have had an ongoing dialogue about matters of faith and reason. So far, Arsenault remains an atheist, and Skeel a Christian. But their friendship and civil dialogue has caught the attention of many. Skeel is remaining faithful in an academic setting that is often hostile to faith. Are you willing to befriend someone who has completely different beliefs from yours? In the book of Acts, when Jesus called St. Paul, He said He was sending Paul as a missionary to, “open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins” [Acts 26:18]. May that be our prayer for our friends who are still spiritually lost, as we reach our world. This is Luis Palau

Some say that Christianity is responsible for many evils in history. That it is anti-intellectual. Opposed to progress, reason, and science. As you reach your world, you may encounter people who feel this way. I want to remind you that Christians throughout history have been responsible for much good. They have been responsible for some of the best music and art. Some of the most important advances in science and medicine. And they were the original founders of many of the universities, hospitals, and charitable organizations we still have today. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth- these were all founded as Christian institutions. In music and science consider Bach, Galileo, and Sir Isaac Newton, to name just a few. You see, Christians have advanced science. Made beautiful art and music. Founded excellent academic institutions. Cared for the sick and poor… Christians have been responsible for so much good throughout history! God told the prophet Jeremiah, “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have sent you" [Jeremiah 29:7]. How are you seeking “the peace and prosperity” of your city and society in general? Let’s continue the legacy of these great men and women who have gone before us. What will you do to reach your world?               This is Luis Palau. 

Johann Sebastian Bach is widely considered one of the greatest musicians in history. But did you know he was a serious Christian? Did you know that more than three quarters of his compositions were intended for use in worship? Bach said, “Where there is devotional music God is always at hand with His gracious presence.” Many today refer to him as the fifth evangelist because his music shares God’s Word with the world. He once said, “The aim and final end of all music should be the glory of God and refreshment of the soul.” Upon hearing Bach’s “Passion of St. Matthew”, skeptic Frederick Nietzsche commented, "One who has completely forgotten Christianity truly hears it here as gospel."   Today Bach’s music is appreciated by Christians and non-Christians alike. One wonders if what draws so many to his music is the truth that inspired it all. What gifts has God given you? Like Bach, you can use your gifts to reach your world. Imagine if Christians everywhere sought to use their gifts to the glory of God. You’ll be amazed how God will use the gifts He has given you to draw others to Himself. St. Peter tells us, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another" [1 Peter 4:10].   This is Luis Palau.