Reaching Your World with Luis Palau artwork

Reaching Your World with Luis Palau

803 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 38 ratings

Listen in as Luis Palau encourages Christians to share their faith with easy-to-use tips on reaching your world for Jesus Christ.

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Episodes

Loving with the Greatest Love

December 31, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.82 MB

When I’m at a barbeque and spot a bag of original Lay’s, I’m known to walk over, grab a couple, and remark, “I love potato chips!” When I’m at that same barbeque and spot my daughter, Sadie Anne, I’m known to run over, give her a hug, look straight into her eyes, and say, “I love you, Sadie Anne!” Like a potato chip? Of course not! The word “love” has an extremely wide spectrum of meanings. What is “love” according to the Bible? First, love is the greatest virtue [1 Cor. 12:31-13:13]. Second,...

Friends

December 30, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.77 MB

Think about the friends that you spend the most time with. Now, how many of those people do not follow Jesus? Do you have any friends who are not Christ-followers? It is important to have close friends who share our faith. The Bible warns us against being “unequally yoked.” Christian friends can encourage us, challenge us, support us, and point us toward Jesus. But it is easy to get stuck in our own Christian bubbles, surrounding ourselves only with people who think and believe the same as us...

Work

December 29, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.79 MB

American adults spend about one-third of their lives at work. That’s a lot of time! Our workplaces are part of the daily work of evangelism, where we display how God has changed our lives. We can have a good work ethic, treat others well, and engage with others honestly. We can also show everyone we work with what it looks like to “work for the Lord, not for men.” Also, because we spend so much time at work, we often get to know our co-workers well. I’ve developed great friendships with the p...

Home

December 28, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.74 MB

One of my favorite things is being at home with my family around me: the grandkids hanging out, my children laughing and talking, lots of food. I am so grateful for a family that loves each other and loves the Lord. Growing a godly family can be difficult, though, and part of the daily work of evangelism is filling your home with the word of God. The outside world is often loud and scary, filled with broken and sad people. Our homes need to be filled with God’s joy and be secure in God’s love...

The Great Commission

December 27, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.76 MB

When Jesus gave the Great Commission to His followers, He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Often, we focus on the “of all nations” part, and that part is really important. We do need to spread the Good News Gospel to the entire earth. But you know who else needs to know the Gospel? The person right next to you. Your co-worker, your frie...

Christmas is about Waiting

December 24, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.77 MB

Did you know that the Christmas promise—the promise of a coming Messiah—was first made thousands of years before Jesus Christ’s birth? If we miss this, we risk missing the whole point of Christmas. Christmas is about an incredible promise God made to Adam and Eve that took thousands of years to be fulfilled. It’s about that promise...and then waiting a very long time. Don’t get me wrong. At the right time, Jesus Christ was born. The Lord added scores of prophecies to His original one, telling...

God’s Greatest Gift

December 23, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.79 MB

Where is the Christ Child in your Christmas? If you’re not sure, please know that this can be the most wonderful holiday you have ever known. If you receive the greatest gift of God—Jesus Christ—this Christmas will have true meaning for you forever. You will have peace with God and peace in your heart, a peace unlike any the world can offer. The best way I know to put Christ back in your Christmas is to simply confess your sins to God, by faith trust that Jesus Christ’s death has paid for tho...

Christmas is really about Jesus Christ

December 22, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.89 MB

Did you know there are actually two Christmases? One is the Christmas of commercialism and overeating, overdrinking, and overspending. The other Christmas is one of love, joy, peace, and adoration of the One whose birthday we celebrate. The real Christmas is a vivid demonstration of God’s love. In 1 John 4:9-10, the Bible says: "This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He...

Help Others see Christ in Christmas

December 21, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.67 MB

With Christmas in the air, I wonder: Where is the Child whose birthday we celebrate? During the first Christmas, angels visited shepherds with their flocks at night. At their command, the shepherds hurried back to Bethlehem to see the newborn babe, the Christ child, “the Savior of the world.” [Luke 2:8-20] Today, if your friends and neighbors want to see Jesus, where would they find Him? Thankfully, there are a number of good answers. You can invite them over to your festively-decorated home....

The Reason for Christmas

December 20, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.76 MB

The Christmas season is wonderful. Whoever invented it deserves a crown in heaven! Some people argue Christmas is pagan, that we’re celebrating a holiday to some sun god or tree. I disagree. We’re celebrating the birth of the Son of God, no matter what others may have celebrated in ages past. I’m so glad for the opportunity Christmas gives us to speak openly about Jesus Christ and His purpose in coming to earth. Even those who have no love for Jesus Christ, who are enemies of the cross, are f...

New Life through the Nativity

December 17, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.81 MB

Every Christmas, my kids rush to unpack all the decorations. And while their primary focus is decorating the tree, I carefully unwrap the Nativity scene and put it in its spot right on the mantel. Did you know that you have a nativity too? Nativity simply means the time and place of one’s birth and as a Christian, you have both a place where you were born physically and a place where you were reborn into the family of God. In John chapter 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus “Truly, truly, I say to you, ...

Serving Community

December 16, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.95 MB

How many of you parents have said to your kids, “Christmas isn’t about receiving, it’s about giving?” It can be hard, though, when everything on TV and the internet says, ask for more, more, more! Even adults get into this mindset. Christmas is all about us. We want to have the perfect storybook Christmas, where we make all of the cookies we love and do all of the events we want to do. Christmas becomes about us doing what we want, instead of remembering that Christ has always asked us to “ta...

Reaching Out

December 15, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.74 MB

Christmas often means inviting people to your home, whether its family, neighbors, or co-workers. We often work hard to create the perfect holiday, making sure everyone is comfortable and welcome. But sometimes, sharing the true meaning of Christmas requires going outside of our comfy, warm houses and meeting people where they are. Sometimes we have to go to them. It can be so easy to sit in our own little bubble, assuming we are doing Christmas in the right way because we are showing people ...

Inviting In

December 14, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.98 MB

Where I live in Oregon doesn’t get much snow at Christmas time. It’s often grey and rainy. But I love looking at those beautiful images on Christmas cards, pictures of cozy houses with thatched roofs nestled in banks of white snow. The reason they look so inviting is that every window is bursting with light! You can just tell that the inside is warm and bright, even while the outside is cold and dark. The home just can’t contain its welcome. It shines out! Christmas is so much about hospitali...

Remembering the Reason

December 13, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.86 MB

I am always at home over Christmas, celebrating at the Palau Association Christmas party, attending events at my church, and enjoying my family. But it’s amazing how quickly “staying home for the holidays” can turn into “I’m never home during the holidays.” Christmas parties and church events start to multiply, as do Christmas programs, concerts, and open houses. Add to those wonderful things the baking, shopping, and planning holidays always seem to require, and “the most wonderful time of t...

Christmas Started in the Garden of Eden

December 10, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.94 MB

Have you ever thought about the fact that all good things, including Christmas, are mostly about waiting? The story of Christmas actually goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. The day Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God didn’t panic. Heaven didn’t go on red alert. God had seen this coming long before creation. The Lord found Adam and Eve, sacrificed a pair of animals to clothe them, and spoke of a coming Messiah who would bring salvation...

If there were no Christmas

December 09, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 2.01 MB

Have you ever considered what life might be like if there was no Christmas? I mean, if Jesus had never been born? To start with, you and I would be responsible for paying for our own sins. Can you imagine that? Every time we mess up, we would be held liable. Every single time! Every bad thought we had, every action—big or small. The Bible says in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death”. I can’t even imagine living with that kind of pressure. Thankfully, God sent His Son, Jesus, to be bor...

An Empty Life

December 08, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.92 MB

So many people are surviving, but not really living. Christmas movies and TV shows depict the holidays as being about presents and Santa Claus. But the holiday is so much bigger than any of that. Jesus didn’t come to fill your empty stocking, He came to fill your empty life. And mine, too! Jesus came because He has a purpose and plan for each of us. He wants to give us life that is abundant, and filled with grace and love. Jesus wants to bring you joy and peace regardless of your circumstance...

Dark Pasts

December 07, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.98 MB

A man once said to me, “Luis, how can I possibly be joyful at Christmas? I was unfaithful to my wife, and she left me years ago. Now, I’m alone, and filled with regret.” I told him that Jesus, our Savior, came to save us from our past sins. Even the worst of our sins. And this is all the reason we need to celebrate Him at Christmas. You know, so many people suffer with intense guilt over the bad things they may have done in the past. The enemy, Satan, likes to beat us down with shame and guil...

Choose Joy this Christmas

December 06, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.96 MB

A few years ago, Think Finance, a provider of payday loans, did a survey of 1,000 Americans and found that 45% of them would prefer to skip Christmas. These folks were sick of spending too much money on gifts. And you know, I know a lot of people who feel stressed out at Christmastime. Whether it’s related to finances, traveling, or difficult family matters, studies show that rates of anxiety increase around the holiday season. But as you’re listening today, I have news for you. It doesn’t ha...

Hope after Sinning (2)

December 03, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.85 MB

My sins eventually betray a serious defect deep in my heart. When we look back at all the sins we’ve committed along the way the past few weeks or months, we may have reason to worry. Sometimes you may feel, in your heart of hearts: “What’s wrong with me?” Or, perhaps better put, “Why am I so self-inclined and so God-averse? Why am I so apt to choose my will, my way, my timing...instead of choosing God’s will, God’s way, God’s timing? Why am I apt to commit various assorted little sins?” By “...

There is More than This

December 02, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.95 MB

Have you ever wondered if there is life after death? I once met a businessman named Ben who seemed to have it all. He had a fancy New York City apartment, a beautiful wife and children, and a lot of financial security. One day, however, Ben’s colleague passed away unexpectedly, and this caused Ben to consider some important questions. He had never been religious, but Ben began to wonder if this is all there is, or if there is life after death. As followers of Christ, we know that there is, in...

God is Able to do More

December 01, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.93 MB

Do you remember hearing the biblical accounts of Jesus’ miracles when you were in Sunday School? He healed the blind and the sick. He brought the dead back to life. He turned water into wine. Yes, as Christians we know that God is powerful. But sometimes I wonder: do we really believe in God’s power in our own lives today? Do you trust that God is powerful to change your entire world? Do you really, truly, deeply believe that God is capable of changing someone around you? Sometimes, I think w...

God Want More from You

November 30, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.73 MB

God is not performance-driven. That means He won’t love you any more or any less based on how you do. You can’t earn extra love by doing more. And you can’t lose God’s love by making mistakes. God’s love is a free gift, so it can’t be earned or lost. But God does care about what we do – and we know this because God gave us a great assignment in the Great Commission. In Matthew 28: 19, Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them In the name of the Father and of ...

God Wants More for Your Life

November 29, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.86 MB

Do you believe God has something more in store for your life? There was a time in my life when I wanted to become a banker. It was a secure profession in my home country of Argentina. And I figured I’d be able to support my family in that profession. But then the Lord changed my heart, and I felt called into evangelism. Now let me tell you, there’s nothing wrong with being a banker. We need good bankers and lawyers and businesspeople. But God had something different in store for my life and i...

Giving Thanks

November 26, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.65 MB

The other day I was reading the Gospel of Luke… Jesus was on his way to Galilee and came across ten men with leprosy. They asked Jesus to have pity on them and Jesus healed them. Now, here’s the verse that stood out to me. Luke 17:15 says, “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.” Jesus healed ten men. Of the ten, only one returned to thank him. How convicting! Jesus has healed us too. Through His sacrif...

How to be Thankful

November 25, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.85 MB

As followers of Christ, Thanksgiving should be one of our favorite holidays. Sure, it isn’t a religious holiday in the sense that it celebrates the life of Christ. Instead, it reminds us of the blessings we have in Christ. Even when life is difficult, we always have the gift of salvation to be thankful for, and that is worth a Thanksgiving celebration. How do we show our thankfulness to God, though? Psalm 100 says we are to “enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give t...

Who should be Thankful?

November 24, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.85 MB

The question “Who should be thankful?” seems like an easy one to answer. Everyone should be thankful, obviously. Everyone has something to be thankful for. But in reality, it’s easier said than done. Sometimes life is difficult and things go wrong. Someone loses a job, a loved one, or a dream. Maybe a family member is sick, bills are overwhelming, or the days feel lonely and hopeless. In those moments of struggle, our tendency can be to look at others and say, “Of course THEY can be thankful!...

What is Thankfulness?

November 23, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 2 MB

As a kid, did your mom or dad ever make you write “thank you” notes? Maybe after your birthday party or after Christmas, they would sit you down at the kitchen table with a stack of notecards and stamps. You would have to write until your hand hurt, sentences like “thank you for the socks.” I know some of those thank-you notes were probably done because your parents were making you do it. It can be hard to be thankful for socks when you are a kid. But still, you wrote the notecard. Sometimes ...

When should we be Thankful?

November 22, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 2 MB

American Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. We have presidents Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt to thank for that. Lincoln scheduled it, and Roosevelt made it a law. So every year, many Americans get that Thursday off, and we spend the day with those we love. There are many ways to celebrate Thanksgiving. Some families have a special recipe that is always made, like grandma’s pumpkin pie. Other families have a special tradition, where everyon...

Jesus’ Multicultural Ministry

November 19, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.79 MB

Did you know Jesus traveled not only to Egypt as a young boy, but to three other countries during His public ministry? What’s more, Jesus met with people from many, many nations. They included Jewish people from a wide assortment of nations traveling to Jerusalem for the sacred feasts. They included Greeks, Romans, and others who had converted to Judaism. And they included officials, soldiers, and others serving Rome. In other words, Jesus didn’t just know and minister to Jewish people. He mi...

Evangelism for the New

November 18, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.91 MB

Recently, as I was reading the Bible, I was struck by something about the early followers of Jesus. When Jesus called the disciples, they dropped everything and followed Him. Similarly, after Jesus appeared to the disciples shortly after His resurrection, they immediately began going out and sharing the good news everywhere. In both of these cases, they didn’t say, “I’ve met Jesus, but before I can really follow Him, I have to go to seminary. Or I have to read all of these books.” No! They ha...

Evangelism for the Shy

November 17, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.89 MB

People have said to me before, “Luis, I could never be an evangelist. I’m too shy.” Maybe this sounds likes you. God makes us all different. Some of us are loud talkers, and others are quiet. Some are quick to speak, and others are more cautious. Some of us like to mingle in a crowd, and others would like to be in the back of the room, serving the cake. That’s wonderful! God’s kingdom needs all sorts of people. But just because some of Christ’s followers don’t talk much doesn’t mean that they...

Evangelism for the Bold

November 16, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.94 MB

My father set a great example for me by sharing God’s love anywhere he could: on street corners, at work, with friends and strangers alike. I inherited his caring for people and his passion for proclaiming the Good News of God, whether that is in my living room or on a stage in front of thousands of people. There is nothing like the energy of being around so many people, talking about the love of God. God called me personally to be an evangelist. He made me a person who loves to travel and ge...

Evangelism is for Everyone

November 15, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.95 MB

I loved taking my kids, and then my grandkids, to the playground at the local park. But I couldn’t help but notice all of the different kids and their personalities. Some kids would go up to anyone and play with them. A stranger was just a friend they’d never met before. Other kids preferred following the more rambunctious kids. They would go down the big slide, but they liked to see someone else do it first. And then there were the kids happily playing by themselves in the sand, making desig...

Show Radical Forgiveness

November 12, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.99 MB

In His parable about the prodigal son, Jesus describes a rebellious son and a loving father. You can read this amazing, life-changing parable in Luke 15, particularly verses 11 to 24. So, what does the Lord’s parable tell us? First off, the prodigal’s father can’t wait to see his son. Day after day he watches the road, and when his son finally appears the father can’t even wait for him to get to the house – he runs out to meet him. He can’t wait to throw his arms around the young man and hug ...

Jesus’ Love

November 11, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 2 MB

I’ve had many people ask me through the years, “Luis, does God really love me?” Sometimes, people tell me about the trouble they’ve been in, or the ways they have messed up their lives. They say, “how could He love me?” but I assure them—and I assure you now, yes, Jesus loves you. More than you know. And there is nothing you could ever do to stop Him from loving you. The Bible says in Romans 5:8, “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ...

Love without Apology

November 10, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.87 MB

When my father died, my mother took over our family business in an effort to take care of her six children. At one point, someone purposely swindled her out of a lot of money in a business deal, causing my family very serious and deep financial pain, and poverty. The person responsible for putting us in this position never, ever came to apologize, but even so, my mother forgave him. As kids, we learned a big lesson from her. In life, sometimes people hurt us and they don’t get around to sayin...

Loving Others

November 09, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.79 MB

I know a man named Stephen who was treated poorly by someone at work. He was deeply hurt, and soon, his hurt turned into anger. When the person apologized to Stephen, he had two choices: Stephen could remain angry, bitter, and resentful or he could forgive. In life, we will all come to this point at some time, where we must choose to either show forgiveness and grace, or act out our anger and resentment. Stephen ultimately chose to forgive. As Stephen later said, “Forgiving others, even when ...

Loving God

November 08, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.79 MB

Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might”. In the New Testament, Jesus repeats this command and even points it out as the most important commandment of all—along with loving your neighbor as yourself.So, how do we actually show our love for God? Is it by telling Him “I love you”? Is it by singing praises to Him? These are certainly good things, but they only scratch the surface. We demonstrate our love for G...

How to Love Others "as Yourself"

November 05, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 1.74 MB

Almost everyone knows the Greatest Commandment. We find it in the books of Moses, in the writings of ancient Jewish rabbis, and on the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles. The first part of the Greatest Commandment is fairly easy to understand. We’re to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind. The second part of the Greatest Commandment, however, isn’t very easy to understand. Down through the past five centuries, most English Bibles say: “Love your ne...

The Second Coming

November 04, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 1.95 MB

Within the Church, we talk a lot about sharing the Gospel with people so that they can experience God’s grace, forgiveness, and love. And we talk about sharing the Good News so that people receive eternal life. But we don’t talk a lot about sharing the Gospel because of the very real fact that Jesus promised a second coming. But I believe we should be talking about this, because the Bible promises Jesus could return at any time. It’s supposed to be a great surprise. The fact is, the Bible say...

Be the Light

November 03, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 1.96 MB

Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered and honored for his peaceful efforts to abolish racism and racial inequality. One of his greatest quotes was, “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” I like this quote, because it’s true! Love is the only force capable of transforming people. And who is the greatest source of love? Jesus, of course! Not only did Jesus love us before we even knew Him, Romans 5:8 says, “While we were still rebels (sinners), Christ died for us...

Kids

November 02, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 1.99 MB

In this day and age, a lot is being made about a child’s right to their own choices on almost all issues in life. And in many ways, I think it is good for kids to cultivate their own interests. For example, we need more women in the fields of engineering and mathematics, so we should encourage little girls who show interest in these fields. But recently mainstream culture has pressured parents into not sharing their faith with their kids, in an effort to let their kids form their own beliefs,...

Evangelism is not Optional

November 01, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 1.91 MB

I was in the grocery store when I heard a mother say to her son, “Jason, will you put that back on the shelf?” Jason, her young son, looked at her and said, “No.” To which the shocked mother said, “Actually Jason, that wasn’t a question. Put that back on the shelf.” When I saw this interaction, I chuckled to myself, because sometimes, I think, you and I can be like Jason towards God. God may be asking us to do something—to which we are saying no. But the reality of the situation is, some thin...

Where are "the Ends of the Earth"?

October 29, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 1.93 MB

One of the most famous Bible verses is Acts 1:8. Jesus is sending His disciples to Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. Then Jesus adds, “and to the ends of the earth.” What exactly does Jesus mean by “ends of the earth”? Is He speaking about only the areas that were known in His day...or also of unknown lands around the globe? Earlier, Jesus used the phrase “the ends of the earth” to speak of the Queen of the South’s nation 1,200 miles away. He also uses the phrase to describe all peoples everywhe...

Lighting the Darkness

October 28, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 1.88 MB

I have a friend who recently moved into a new home. The first day, she got all unpacked. She organized her living room furniture, put away her dishes, and hung up her clothes. She was feeling pretty good, so she decided to go out for some dinner. While she was gone, the sun went down. She arrived home in the dark. When she walked in the front door, she realized something. She didn’t know where the light switch was. She searched all over for it in the dark. When she found it, she flipped it on...

Choosing Love

October 27, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 1.94 MB

When our world erupts in chaos, it is natural to feel afraid. Life is unpredictable, and we can be fragile creatures. And yet, if we truly trust in God, that trust will make us brave. When we are brave, we can do brave things: like choosing love over fear. Choosing love can be difficult. When life is in turmoil, it can be easier to blame others and get angry. Or we can become anxious and afraid over the state of things, and do nothing. The hardest choice is to love those around us, engaging w...

Trusting Christ

October 26, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 1.91 MB

Have you ever watched a young child and her parent, often her dad, at the neighborhood pool? She creeps up to the side of the pool, sticking her toes over the edge. Her dad is in the deep end, standing in water up to his chest. He gestures to her, telling her to “jump! Jump!” But the little girl can’t. It’s scary! The water is deep. She doesn’t know how to swim. She doesn’t know what will happen if she jumps. But her dad is in the pool. The little girl is afraid of the water, but she trusts h...

Overcoming Fear

October 25, 2021 07:00 - 1 minute - 1.9 MB

This is a chaotic time in our world. Violence is erupting both overseas and at home, and few places feel truly safe anymore. Unwittingly, the message sent by politicians and newscasters is that we should be afraid. Being afraid is natural. Have you ever heard of “fight or flight”? This phrase describes our human reactions to fear. Some people tend to “fight.” This means when they get afraid, they want to attack the thing that scares them. Their first reaction is to destroy their fear. The oth...

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