Reaching Your World With Luis Palau

The Bible has a clear message about worry: we don’t need it. Luke points out that none of us can add a single hour to our lives by worrying. So how do we deal with it? Where do we go for consolation, for comfort? At times, I’ve dealt with worry and anxiety by venting to a friend or trying to forget the issue with a few hours of TV. While these reactions may bring some immediate relief, there’s only one sure way to replace that anxiety with joy. Psalm 94:18, “When anxiety was great within me, you brought joy to my soul.” When dealing with anxiety, it’s easy to fall back on whatever activity makes us feel comfortable or safe. In many cases, these activities are harmless. They can even be a good way to vent. But the next time you’re looking for comfort ask yourself, “Will this bring joy to my soul, or is it just a distraction?” Turn to the Lord. His peace is different, deeper than the consolation the world has to offer. Give Him your anxieties and worry no more. Only His unfailing grace can bring long-term, joyf

Have you ever noticed yourself procrastinating when you know you have a lot to do? Perhaps you put off preparing because you’re overwhelmed by the work your project will take. Or perhaps you’re just too nervous to get started—like the student who doesn’t start a report until the night before it’s due. Or the businessman who doesn’t prepare for a meeting until the last second. In a world with constant distraction online and in social media, procrastinating has never been so easy. But have you ever stopped to think, what if today was really all we had? Would you have shared the good news with everyone you can think of? Would you have done the things that really matter? The things that matter most to God are those with eternal value: loving and serving our neighbors, and sharing the good news Gospel. The Bible, which is God’s holy Word, tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” So this week, let’s practice that self-discipli

Have you ever met someone who seemed to have courage—even in a terrifying situation? I have. In fact, on the news, I saw that 21 Christians in another country were killed for their faith. But this horrible story isn’t actually how the story ended; you see, even in the face of death, these 21 martyrs sang Christian hymns. They remained courageous. They remained faithful. And they rested in God’s strength until the very end. As followers of Jesus, we have access to God’s unlimited well of courage and strength—even in the worst of circumstances. The Bible tells us that God is with us in this life, and we know we will be with Him forever when we go to Heaven. So, truly, we have nothing to fear! Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” So, wherever you are today, whatever worries you’re dealing with, I want to encourage you to take heart. Trust in the Lord and lean on Him for coura

Are you anxious? Are you going through a difficult time? You know, it’s normal to be stressed out every now and then, but I believe that we actually choose to forfeit peace when we do not spend time in prayer. Think about it. We usually experience the most anxiety when we are feeling busy and overwhelmed. And often, when we feel this way, we forget to set aside time to pray. But my friend, I want to remind you today that prayer has real power. Spending time talking to — and listening to — God Almighty will make a huge difference. Prayer not only releases God’s power in your life, but brings His peace into your stressful situation. Philippians 4:6 and 7 says, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” So, I challenge you to spend at least 15 minutes in prayer each day. Ask God to help you through the situa

Have you ever had so much to do that you don’t even know where to start? A friend of mine described this feeling perfectly; she said, “sometimes, the kids need dinner, the house needs cleaning, the laundry needs folding, the dog needs to be walked—and I’m just one person. I can’t do it all!” We all have times when we feel overwhelmed by responsibilities or items on our “to-do list”. But the truth is, we really can’t do it all. We were never meant to! We were meant to lean on Jesus when things get overwhelming. To lean on Him when times are tough, or when we’re tired, or when we feel like giving up. The Bible says, in Isaiah 40:31, “But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Today, no matter how overwhelmed you might feel, I challenge you to surrender yourself to Jesus afresh. Rely on him for strength. Make notes on your iPhone or a piece of paper. Show it to the Lord and ask Him, “Lord,

I walked past an old warehouse and all I could see was a massive, decrepit building. When it was built, surely it was attractive and functional but now it desperately needed renovation. Where would you start? It made me think of the story of Gideon in the Bible. God had big plans for the Israelites but they disobeyed God, were taken into the hands of their enemies, and there began to deteriorate. They needed a revival! Gideon was the one called to this major refurbishing effort, but he didn’t feel qualified. Like an abandoned warehouse, his people were falling apart. And while Gideon heard the call, he questioned God multiple times before he forged ahead. Have you been so discouraged before that your faith seems to come to a standstill and momentum just stops? The threat is real and we can easily abandon the call of God on our lives. That’s why Paul wrote to Timothy, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and

Communism is the political system that held sway in Russia for many years. Communism ruled the entire lives of the people who lived under it, and it proclaimed that there was no God. Christianity was outlawed. Atheism was taught in schools. Oleg lived in Russia during communism, and he considered himself a part of the Communist party. One day, he accidentally heard one of my sermons that was being broadcast on the radio called “The Road to Eternal Love.” He learned that no one is born a Christian and that everyone must repent of their sins and become born again. So that very day, Oleg repented of his sins and started following Jesus. Oleg’s whole family eventually came to Christ, and he became a pastor. Now his church has about 200 people in it, all serving God. Hearing about Christ made Oleg realize how empty Communism was without God. In Christianity, God loves and deeply cares for you. The Bible tells us that the fool says in his heart, “There is no God,” but for those who believe, God is a refuge. Oleg’s

Matt Redman’s dad died when Matt was a young boy. Years later, he found out that his father had committed suicide. In the middle of this pain and confusion, Matt clung to a truth that he had discovered a few years before. When he was 10 years old, Matt’s mother took him to a football stadium where he heard me speak about God the Father’s perfect love, in contrast to the failures of human fathers. It was then that Matt knew he had a Father in heaven. Matt began writing songs about what he was learning in his walk with God. Then he started sharing his songs at church. Now he is one of the most influential Christian songwriters of his generation. “Blessed Be Your Name,” “You Never Let Go,” “The Heart of Worship,” and other worship songs he has written are sung all over the world in churches every Sunday. He does what the Bible commands: “Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day.” This is his God-given calling! Matt never imagined the impact his music would have, but he used the gift

It was a dark, cold, rainy evening in Wrexham, North Wales, when Mark came to one of our crusade meetings. He was 17 years old with absolutely no interest whatsoever in God, the Gospel, or his Church. That all changed that evening. Mark decided to follow the Lord, and it took him surprising places.Seventeen years later, Mark, his wife, and their four children moved to Romania as missionaries to work with teenagers in prison and those in danger of winding up in prison. The ministry continued to grow over the next years, as they challenged teenagers and exposed them to the Gospel of truth. Because Mark found Christ as a teenager, he has a desire to minister to teenagers. He was willing to move from Wales to Romania to reach those teenagers who need to know Jesus. He is “proclaiming freedom for the prisoners,” as the book of Luke says, freedom that can only be found in Christ. He is making a difference for Jesus, reaching his world. You can too. Think about who you were when you were saved. Can you reach that ty

The Lord called me to be an evangelist, and I can see that from a young age. My father was a great Christian influence on me, taking me to hand out evangelistic Gospel tracts in neighboring towns. We were mocked and insulted, but we continued to spread the word of God — even before I was a true Christian. After I decided to follow Jesus at age 12, I was listening to a radio program in my aunt and uncle’s home. I didn’t hear the preacher’s name but his voice was vibrant and excited. Then another man’s strong deep voice started singing, “Out of my bondage, sorrow and night, Jesus, I come, Jesus I come…” I had been listening to Billy Graham and George Beverly Shea. Stretched out on that living-room floor, listening, I prayed: “Jesus, someday use me on the radio to bring others to You.” Little did I know that one day I would preach to millions of people over the radio, and that I would be in full-time ministry for over fifty years. The Lord calls all of us to spread His word, to go and make disciples of all natio

When we experience sorrows in this life, we should always remember God is compassionate and loving. We never want to forget that in this life sin produces countless struggles and sorrows and not everyone has the same amount of faith—some have tiny faith, some have great faith. Regardless, we can count on God to keep all of His promises to believers. There are additional truths in the Bible which give us encouragement. First, life on this earth is only temporal. James 4:14 says, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” (NLT) Second, God offers eternal life to all who trust Him. We see this vividly in John 3:16. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (NLT) Third, God allows both the godly and the godless to experience trials, suffering, and pain in this life. We can see this in the lives of Ruth, Job, and Jeremiah. No

In many cultures, including many places in America, seniority is earned through years of experience. Senior executives at most businesses are people who have been there for a long time. Elders in churches are often people who have been around the block a few times. In these situations, age and experience are great things, because they can often be equated with wisdom.But, the Bible is clear that it’s not just up to older generations to lead Godly lives. In 1 Timothy 4:12, the Bible says to young people, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” Maybe you’re a teenager or young adult. If so, listen to this advice. Let your faith radiate through your actions and the way you live. And if you’re listening to this program as a parent or grandparent, encourage the young people you know to live for Jesus with confidence and courage. At the end of the day, we’re all called to be missionaries, to share the Good News with those

Many times throughout my life, I’ve been in situations where it would have been easy to be quiet about my faith. I’ve been to dinners with powerful leaders who were Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Atheist. I’ve traveled to places where Christians aren’t just scoffed at — they’re sometimes thrown in jail. I believe at some point or another, we’ll all encounter these situations. Maybe you work in a secular company, which values secular idols like money and power. Maybe your friends at school are Atheist; and they question your beliefs. Whatever the case, be assured of the fact that Jesus is the ultimate key to Salvation. The Bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the earth that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” And since we know that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, let’s not be silent about our faith. Let’s not allow fear of standing out cause us to be quiet – because the truth is, speaking up about God may actually save somebody’s life. Thi

My friend, author and speaker Francis Chan once said, “Worry implies that we don’t trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives.” I couldn’t agree more. When we worry, we are not trusting that God has everything taken care of, even though the Bible clearly tells us that He does. Isaiah 54:4 in the Bible says, “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.” In other words, Jesus says, “Calm down! Trust me! Have peace in me!” Of course, trusting the Lord is easier said than done. At one point or another, we all experience tragedy, like cancer, or losing a job. In these cases, it’s easy to fall into worrying. We consider all of the outcomes and fixate on what could happen. In these cases, we must actively choose peace. We must plan for joy. We must realize that the temptation to worry is actually a spiritual battle. Jesus tells us, “Calm down. I’m here. I’ll never leave you.” What do you need to t

I’ll never forget when I was a young missionary before my wife, Pat, and I, had any children. I told a friend it felt like I was “always busy” and he replied, “Get used to it my friend! You will only become busier when you have children!”. At the time, I was already juggling ministry work, traveling, being a husband, and studying the Bible. I wasn’t sure how I could possibly handle anything else on my plate. How would I have time for anything? Would I have time to be a good husband, dad, and missionary? Would I have the means to provide for my family? Like many people who think about big life changes—like having children, moving to a new city, or starting a new job—I had questions, fears, and doubts. I could have let my questions scare me. I could have let my fear overcome me. But instead, I heard God’s voice comfort me. He said, “Luis, I’ve got this covered. Trust me!” Isaiah 41:13 in the Bible says, “For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

When I became a parent, I began to understand the importance of treating my kids as unique and independent people. One loves boundaries, another one pushes on boundaries, and another one doesn’t seem to see the boundaries at all. One loves soccer, one loves lacrosse, one loves drawing. The truth is, we are all unique! Sometimes, society praises certain qualities over others—but God created each of us with a divine purpose in mind. Psalm 139:13-14 in the Bible says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” This week, consider what your unique qualities are. Are you confident, charismatic, or do you pay special attention to detail? Then, consider how God might want to use you to help spread His message. Are there people in your circle that don’t go to church? Maybe you’re the person to share the Good News with them! Are you a leader in your community, school, or neighborhood? Perhaps others would go to church with you i

After my father and the rest of my family came to know Christ, we became evangelists. My father shared Christ’s love with everyone he met, and because of his example, I did the same. I’m still doing it over 70 years later! This is a great example of what Proverbs says: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) I’ve never departed from it, and my children and grandchildren are also serving Christ. Modeling a life of Christian service to the younger generations makes a huge impact. As older Christians, we need to model what it looks like to serve God through His church. This means not just going to church each week, but being involved. This might mean teaching Sunday School, volunteering to bake for church events, or passing out bulletins on Sunday mornings. Maybe our bodies don’t work as well as they used to, but we can still find places to serve the body of Christ. This will show our grandkids and the younger generations that church isn’t only

If you’re older, like I am, many of the memories you have are filled with people who are no longer with us on this earth. But those memories are cherished. Some people have memories of their grandma teaching them how to bake, or their grandpa mowing the lawn. Maybe they remember a next-door neighbor who always had lemonade, or a great uncle who told awesome stories. None of those memories would exist without quality time spent together. One of the best ways to share God’s love with our grandkids or younger folks is to just invite them into our homes and lives. We can cook them a meal or take them grocery shopping. Show them old pictures. Have them over for a sleepover on a Saturday and take them to church the next morning. As Deuteronomy says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. You shall teach [these laws] diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and wh

Why is it that younger folks listen to older folks like me? Well, a few reasons. One is that they know we’ve been around the block a few times, and we know what life is like. The other thing is that it’s not our job to rebuke them. We leave that to their parents. We are free to be the grandparents and mentors who can share freely from our lives what God has done for us. So, how can we do that? Easy. We can share our Christian lives with them. We should show them ways that we draw close to God, and include them as part of our spiritual practices. One way to do that is to pray for them. We can ask our kids and grandkids how we can pray for them. Then when we do it, we should tell them. The Bible says that if we call on God, he will hear us (Psalm 145:18), and we can show what that is like in action. We should especially pray for those who do not know Jesus among our family – and tell them too. Maybe they won’t understand what it means, but they will know that we care for them. Another way we can share our spiri

People say that age is only a number. Well, as someone who recently turned 82 years old, I agree! Sometimes I walk past a mirror and think, “Who is that old guy?” Other mornings I wake up and my body reminds me just how many years I’ve been alive. American culture doesn’t always appreciate those of us with gray hair, but just because some of us are older and wiser than others doesn’t mean that God stops using us. He doesn’t say, “You’re too old to do my work.” Never! In fact, the older we get, the greater responsibility we have to share God’s love and wisdom with the younger generations. Why is this our job? Well, because younger people listen to us. Many of you have grandchildren, like I do. I once read a study of 1,000 college kids from the top 100 universities in the country. They were asked how often they listen to the advice and information of those around them. They said they listened to their peers less than 30% of the time, and they listened to their parents about 60% of the time. Who did they listen