Lifting Up Our Eyes - Part 1

What a joy to be here with you today. And I always look forward to coming to California. I suppose the main reason is the in-and-out hamburger shop.

I honestly believe that's the best thing happened for California. We have emailed them a whole bunch of times asking them to come to Dallas, Texas and threatened them and now they are willing to think about it, I heard. Professor Tim was very gracious and kind to take us to in-and-out burger place last night and really it happened, may the Lord bless him.

John Beers, my colleague and co-worker, we left Dallas yesterday to be here. And of course, you know, before coming to the States, Dave for us today, as a matter of fact, had landed here before that I was in New Zealand and Australia for two weeks of intense travel and during a prayer meeting I was sharing about Nepal, what God is doing there, a Hindu nation. On the law, still they have this, if you baptize a Hindu, the punishment is six years imprisonment.

And many of our missionaries suffered a whole lot. Right now we are one in prison for many, many years. And the country went through a huge revolution, as you know.

The king and the entire family got butchered and then of course things changed. And now the red-hot communist Maoist became a huge threat to the country. The new king resigned and stepped down and they declared the country is going to be a secular government and they are rewriting the constitution and I told the people in New Zealand, our office there and the staff, we need to be really praying that God will intervene, that they will change the law on the book.

Meanwhile in India, the Hindu radical fundamentalists are going to Nepal trying to persuade the lawmakers to make it more tougher for Christian work in Nepal. And we've been working there for years. Think about it, in the midst of huge persecution problems, we have over 200 churches planted among the most unreached.

And one of the key is that since the Maoist began to cause so much trouble for the government and the king, they left us alone. And our missionaries had more freedom to preach the gospel. And then the huge miracle, I was telling during the prayer meeting time, is that we are able to broadcast the gospel on 16 FM radio stations.

Now think about it, that belongs to the government. India with 1.2 billion people, so far we don't have the freedom to air the gospel over the radio. They won't allow us.

So we are airing the gospel from outside of India and these nations in 92 languages. And over a million people write to us a year asking for more information about the Lord. So I was so excited about what's going on in Nepal, and then we are going to add more radio stations they are willing to let us do.

You know, it was so wonderful. And I said, now we are going to divide into small groups and we are going to pray. And then I stepped down, I missed one step.

And I just fell down and twisted my ankle. And the whole church could hear the sound. And it was a horrible pain.

But the Lord was gracious and I survived with the wheelchairs and all those things. And I didn't want to cancel coming here. And tonight I'll be back in Dallas, and tomorrow catching another flight to Sri Lanka and India for a week before coming back to Florida.

Of course, you know, our U.S. headquarters for our mission is in Dallas, Texas. Some 120 people work behind the scenes like John Beers. He's in leadership.

And my wife is in Dallas at the time. That's where our home, my two children born in Dallas, by the way, and finished their studies here. And the Lord called them to leave America and they are on the mission for the last 10 years.

And what a blessing it is. And somebody asked me, where is my home? I said, the suitcase. You know, because kids are gone, so my wife also travels a little bit here and there with us.

You know what, Gisela and I, that's her name, we talked about this. We miss each other quite a bit. But we made a calculated decision.

As M.E. Carmichael said, we have moments, only a few seconds to work, but eternity to rejoice. And it's a calculated decision. And I told my wife, if you feel this is too much what we are doing, please let me know.

She's more crazy than I am. But I tell you something. When you recognize the time is so brief, and then, you know, in 1974 I came to America to Dallas to go to seminary, and within a few years time I was becoming like an American.

You know, that means when I first came to America I thought hot dog was dog meat. Literally. I didn't touch it.

But then I learned my lessons well. And in a few years time, you know, library to my name, and thousands of books I may never read, but look wonderful. 70 neckties, all from Europe, because I spent some time there.

And then, you know, clothes I bought from most expensive places, which is not a bad thing by the way, but it took me about half hour to get dressed often because I read a book, Color Me Beautiful. Some of you men, look, you're lost. Ask your wife.

Indian, from the streets of India, eight years of weeping over the lost and perishing Indians, seeing the poverty and the struggle having come to this nation, materialism began to kill me. I was in seminary, pastor in a church. Spoke the right language.

But all of a sudden I found my eyes were dry. I couldn't cry anymore. My heart was cold.

I was deep in the theology and preaching and teaching. And then I realized, I'm no more becoming like Christ. I'm becoming what I want to be.

And that's when I prayed nearly 30 years ago, kneeling down in my study and said, Lord, my heart is gone. I don't know what to do. Would you take eternity and stamp on my eyes? And that was before Gospel for Asia.

You know, my brothers and sisters, I'm here with you knowing this is one of the finest church with some of the most godly leadership and a teaching pastor. Why should I pretend to be here to teach or preach? Because you have it all. And the truth of the matter is, the Lord allowed me to come here with the kindness of the leadership to share with you some practical things that should help us to understand ways of the Lord.

You know, what we don't understand, we can see all the pictures in the world, we can hear all the stories in the world, read all the books in the world, and be brainwashed with information about the lost world, such as 2 billion people still wait to hear the name Jesus. 80,000 people die every single day and plunge into hell and forever. And all this stuff we can hear.

But you will continue to live your life the same way. And spend your money the same way. And for the sake of soothing your guilty conscience, maybe you may give your money or go to Mexico.