“You are my friends if you do what I command I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last” (John 15:14-16).
Every day thousands of children die of starvation. Each night millions of people call the alleys and streets their home. Every week, hundreds of people, just like you, end their own lives because of hopelessness.
When you look at the world, what do you see? Do you just see a bunch of people who are different from you…maybe a different color, different language? What goes through your mind when you hear about the hundreds of thousands of different ethnic groups who live on this earth besides your own?
Do you wonder what they are like, what kind of food they eat, etc.? Do you know what God sees when He looks at the world?
He is not concerned about what type of food they eat compared to where their soul is going to spend eternity. I want you to take a couple of minutes before we go any further, and ask God to show you a glimpse of His heart…the things that are on His mind. Ask God to help you feel His heart for the people of the world.
God’s original purpose for creating humans was to have a relationship with them. His sole purpose for re-creating us was so we could know Him. Unfortunately, the Bible says that we all have sin in our lives. Sin separates us from God. We probably have heard that Jesus died for our sins a hundred times in the last year. But still half the world waits to hear this for the very first time.
Why is it that thousands are given the opportunity to hear the Gospel many times when others don’t even have one chance? There are over three billion people around the world who wake up in hopelessness. They don’t know the love of God: they have no hope. There is no viable way for them to hear the Gospel.
Many times we only remember to pray for our family and friends. Expand your heart to include more than you, your family and your friends. Make room in your heart for your spiritual family whom God loves and wants to multiply. Ask for God speak to you about the nations around the world that are in darkness. Ask Him to guide you on how to pray for all the different unreached people groups.
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Ron Luce was the co-founder and president of Teen Mania Ministries from 1986-2015. Ron and his wife Katie dreamed to raise young people who would change the world.
Ron received his bachelor's degree in Psychology and Theology from Oral Roberts University and his master's in Counseling Psychology from the University of Tulsa, along with an honorary doctorate from Jerry Falwell of Liberty University. He is a sought-after speaker who has traveled to more than 60 countries and has made numerous media appearances, such as Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family radio broadcast, CNN, The O'Reilly Factor, ABC Nightline, The 700 Club, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and the Sean Hannity Show. Ron has also written 35 books for teens, youth pastors, and parents and continues to speak at leaders' conferences helping parents and pastors understand the plight of today's youth and showing them how all of us can be part of the solution.
Ron and Katie currently live in Garden Valley, Texas, with their son Cameron. They have two daughters, Hannah and Charity.