Hope for the Least of These — K.P. Yohannan

Thank you, thank you. I asked how much time do I have to speak and who escorted me to speak said Unlimited time that sound that sound like going by India time I came to America in 1974. Of all the places in the world I happen to be in Dallas, Texas where a lot of people believe God lives in Dallas.

Because every telephone posts look like a church building there called Bible Belt and For a couple of weeks of my Life there no matter what I said nobody understood what I said. They were very polite and very nice and well, what did you say?

Can you repeat that? And I didn't know what to do until a Friend of mine who was in college with me said Oh KP. Don't worry about it. You speak English and they speak Texan. And Soon I learned a few Texas Slang and that helped me.

I think I Hope you understand my English and I just Flew to Los Angeles yesterday Taking our 20-hour flight and Call it jet lag. So if I go to sleep during my conversation, you know what happened? Started doing a radio broadcast In India.

Personal Responsibility in Following the Lord

Some 30 years ago, I know I don't look 30 but see what that dynasty can do to you. The way I started the radio broadcast basically I would go to the studio and It was very difficult for me to imagine.

I'm talking to people. All you have is a studio and microphone other side the engineer sitting there so somebody told me what you need to imagine your mind is that you are just talking to one individual and I was not accustomed to that, you know preachers they always preach you know, it goes over the people and Words and so what I did was I took a piece of paper and I wrote on it the statement I'm just one individual Sitting alone here in this room.

Would you please talk to me? Don't preach at me. So I took a piece of sellotape and you know to put it on the microphone so every time I sit in the studio It's like, you know. Eventually eventually, I mean, it's like you start watching a movie, you know a few minutes or 20 minutes into the movie you you Actually, I lost in that movie kind of thing.

So soon I kind of Realized I'm alone in the room and the microphone is someone I'm talking to you, you know, I'm talking to a abused Wife, you know, I You know talking to one or young person or whatever in some ways church life.

It's quite Complicated and it's now more complex. You know We are living in a what he called a convergence culture that you know, you hear so many things so fast that we don't have you in time to think and Understand.

And so, you know Myself in my life journey. I was a pastor of a local congregation in Dallas and Then it was a little easier now it is more difficult I think because How do you how do you continue walk with the Lord and what this is all about and We are in a country in a nation.

There's no nation on earth That is given so much privilege and opportunity. There are countries you fly into the airports they They search your suitcase very thoroughly not for drug not for anything other than if there's a Bible and If it is there, they will take it away.

There are countries you become a Christian you lose your citizenship and In one of the countries we serve Gospel for Asia the mission I work with we serve the Lord in 14 different nations in Asia and Just a week ago early morning I opened my You know phone and you know the because he gets emails you all do and I was so excited to read the email from one of the countries.

This leader wrote that the following Sunday they were going to baptize 64 people in one place and out of that 32 people from a background. That I wish I could mention all that detail I can't. I Was so excited to read that.

And out of that 32 people are getting baptized from this particular background, but then I remember the emotions Became so opposite. I I sat there on my bed thinking how many of them may get killed. Even parents and and and siblings brothers or sisters or uncles will hire killers people to murder this Son or daughter because They betrayed the honor Here in the best end culture.

We live with what we call historically and always been like that. It is a Thank you what the Lord rewarding you for this, thank you. It's a it's a sin guilt culture, but most of all the world they they they live with not that they live with the Honor shame culture and this is a biblical culture when Adam and Eve sinned you know the first thing God did cover their shame and When the prodigal son came home The father or a person God was not screaming at him.

What a fool you are. Look at you. You're a tram. You're a beggar. No The coward of the shame. And that is the biblical culture so when someone betray their faith Faith and religion is not an objective thing you believe when you reject it is a way of life taking a bath Naming the child or the day you go do something everything has to do with the way of life for them and this reason We we in this nation sometime we don't realize you know, you you carry a Bible Openly and you read and sing and it's it's a tremendous privilege.

But with this comes also a massive responsibility and This is where it is becoming more critical now for evangelical our faith. It's no more a community that you should be Looking to help you survive, but you should as an individual should make some choices in following the Lord.

It is a misunderstanding I tell you brothers and sisters that if you know the Bible very well if you memorize the whole Bible, you know all the doctrines and Go to Every study class you will be safe. It is not that Somebody can have all the knowledge yet not to know God.

Don't be surprised by that statement Jesus had to deal with the Pharisees. They were the most brilliant Bible teachers and scholars. They knew all the answers they even were very religious in the way they did things but Jesus said all of you are going to hell and The reason he said the the Bible that you study.

You think that is the end of the story, but it talks about me. Jesus said but you didn't want to come to me so knowing Bible should lead us To live like Jesus. But the problem I have and you may say that is your problem also.

Hopefully that is our worst enemy is our own selves. You know, I never forget this long long time ago. This is in California to happen. I was in a meeting and a lady came to me after the service and asked me to Put my hand on her head and pray for her and I said what what is it?

I can you want me to pray for she said I got a demon of smoke inside me. Would you please cast out the demon? I never heard anything like that in my entire life. So I I said to her very quickly. I said, you know, I I can cast out demons, but I cannot cast out of the flesh and She looked at me.

I was weird. I was weird and still I'm weird. I think. But you see Going back to the radio broadcasting if it is possible, which is not easy and possible. I'd like to sit down with you and and talk to you about following the Lord and But somewhere you have to come to the place where you need to know hundred years and now, you know, you will not have your Husband wife or children or friends or pastors or teachers?

Nobody's going to be there to Explain anything about you. You you are going to meet the Lord alone and Nobody's going to ask any question to somebody else about you you this makes us to become very responsible in our personal journey with the Lord and I encourage you To.

You know think about the Genesis chapter 5, you know, you've got a tons of people there. They were born raised got married got kids and grandkids and life goes on but right in the middle of that. There's one name and Enoch walked with God and We are living in a culture right now, you know.

You know, you know just the last two weeks. You know, I will read about mega evangelical Christian leaders changing their view on family and Christ uniqueness. Just this morning got a you know communication England one of the mega evangelical leader of a church.

You know change his faith. Christ is not alone the way of salvation. There must be other ways things like that. I'm in the midst of all this stuff going on. How do you maintain your journey with the Lord and I encourage you?

To take your Journey with the Lord serious and one of the thing that helps you Helps me at least is that realize that you know, this life here on earth is very brief. If you didn't know that I Mean I have a book out there that you can buy or no, I think it's free Revolution World Missions.

I don't know if you got it's on a book table out there and two photographs my pictures in the back cover and One when I was 18 or something like that. I really look like a movie star. I Mean real handsome, dude.

But then next to that is another picture. When I was 60 or something like that, I mean, you know. You know, I wish I wish I was 18 again. Anybody remember George Burns? When I first came to America, he was he was Like the big thing.

I mean younger people they are looking at me like I am weird. But I remember George Burns. I mean he looked like Mahatma Gandhi, you know. The googly glass and he has long cigar and I mean he was funny.

And Sometime when he go off from the show He will sing this song. I wish I was 18 again. I Won't sing it for you go to Google and YouTube you can get that. But where is George Burns? I mean, he's the you know, one of the actors who played Oh God and remember that life Moves on not slow very fast.

Look at the old pictures high school graduation. Before you know it. It's all over just a week ago when I was in India. I went to the church where my parents are buried. You know, my father died when he was 74 and mother died when she was 84 and then she knew the Lord.

So intimately she is the one who prayed three and a half years. Every Friday fasting during a season of her life that one of her six boys Their six children would serve God and I happen to be the answer to her prayer, but there she is.

She's with the Lord and but she waits, you know for the Coming of the Lord and I stood there for a minute and I said to myself Wow. You know, she's still speaking saying that you know walk with the Lord.

It's worth it. And that's that's my encouragement to you, but now I know you are still waiting for me to Do my Bible teach study. I've been doing that already. Turn your Bible see if you will to the Gospel of Matthew chapter 9.

Jesus as the Model for Christian Discipleship

Gospel of Matthew chapter 9 and And this is where You know in my own, you know journey in knowing the Lord and how to figure this out in learning to walk with the Lord. I realized that Jesus Lived as a man on earth.

Showing me how I must live because the Bible says he is our forerunner. Don't misunderstand I worship him as God is my Lord, but also I see him a man who lived on earth in total dependence on the Father and Then he calls a bunch of his disciples as you know saying come and follow me I will make you fishers of men.

That means Jesus knew that when he is gone that journey must continue and the four Gospels, I believe is filled with descriptions of Jesus training and showing how they must live their life and And It was many many years ago by the way an older brother told me KP wouldn't take your pencil one time and go through the four Gospels and mark Verses statements that Helped you see the man Jesus not the God that the how he how he Lived his life.

It'll help you immensely. I did which revolutionized my whole Thinking and brought me under tremendous conviction not condemnation about following the Lord. I remember reading John's Gospel chapter 4 where Jesus was hungry and he was absolutely thirsty and he sat there someplace and disciples went off to buy, you know hamburger from in and out and They came back and said here is food and Jesus said I'm not hungry anymore.

They are confused What happened Did someone bring him something to eat? I mean you're talking about a man and Jesus said no my food is to do the will of my father and finish his work. I mean, that's That's extremely more complicated.

I mean what he's talking about then He tells them while you were gone. I just happen to talk to a woman who do not know God do not know Where she's going and she's heading toward eternity without hope and that Encounter Physically emotionally killed my appetite and When I read that I said to myself How many times I read in the newspaper or television watched?

Tens of thousands of people dying in an earthquake Like right now in Nepal or whatever. Do I feel any pain for the lost world? Is there something about me? Like Jesus Who is? Hurting for people around me and That made me not to feel horrible about me and you know, and and and and criticizing me rather it Draw me to my knees to repent and say Lord.

My heart is cold. I Want to be like you. Would you please help me and Show me and give me grace to repent and change and do What I must do although my flesh don't like it. How many of you raise your hand if I asked you don't do that that you like fasting I I you asked me the question.

I hate it. But do I choose to go without food for the sake of the suffering and the needy and the hurting which is a choice Jesus had to make and This is how you enter into Honesty and Spirituality rather than just talk about it As far as he's talked about it, but that didn't change them.

Christ’s Compassion for the Harassed and Helpless

And so coming to Gospel of Matthew chapter 9 Verse 35 you read that Jesus went through all the towns and villages Teaching in their synagogues preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.

By the way, you go back and read chapter 8 and 9 you get the picture of the blind the crippled the lepers the forgotten the hungry the destitute and the weeping and the suffering and Jesus was involved in their lives.

They were doing something touching them embracing them and Giving his life continually when he saw the multitude says in verse 36, he had compassion on them because They were harassed and Helpless like sheep without a shepherd.

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want but here two billion people live in our generation today that Absolutely are lost without any hope and where is the shepherd? It's you it's me bringing them to Jesus That cares about them In all our life journey you can come you can say this your own story and you know you're driving along and somebody cut into your lane and you know, nobody in the car and you start cursing and and Then all of a sudden the Holy Spirit convicts your heart then instead of getting mad and you say Lord, I'm sorry I don't like you then a change take place and I know saying you do that, you know.

Compassion for Impoverished and Exploited Children

But I remember I was in Bombay India one time many many years ago waiting impatiently for My flight from Bombay to Frankfurt Germany, that's when I remember picked up our English newspaper and on the front page Was the picture of a little boy?

He must be I don't know three or four five-year-old little kid semi-naked laying on the Side of a busy Bombay Street and in the picture you'll see he is not alone beside him. There is a dog a female dog and you look at the picture so vivid.

He's nursing on the dog drinking milk from that dog and the caption reads this dog is his mother and the three-column article began to describe the plight of 100 ,000 children living on the streets of Calcutta and Bombay not knowing where they come from where they're going talked about the monsoon season how many kids die and on and on and you know here's someone who write books and preach and teach and train missionaries and Go around planting churches and challenging people to do God's work and he was reading that and I never forget.

It's a it's a strange feeling that somebody speaks in your heart and you can hear it almost. The question the Lord asked what if that little boy happened to be your son and I have two children Danny and Sarah and they're Grown up and they're married.

They have children. But you know with all my theology That question was so painful. I couldn't even process it. That was one of the Events the Lord used in my life. Like here you read in the scripture We see But we don't see we hear we don't hear and life goes by so fast and Then we realize oh my goodness.

I missed the opportunity to be like Christ and There I was Looking at that black-and-white photograph it was all The sudden the Lord used that and I I wonder how many other hundreds of times the Lord tried to get to me and and Make me feel his pain and I was not listening.

I was not seeing but this time God's mercy and grace and I realized It's not just a little boy or little girl laying on the street. No, there are 62 million children child laborers under the age 14. Nearly 15 ,000 young girls and boys are sold into red-light districts from Nepal Into India and those information no more was just information for me.

I Realized I am responsible. I Am now in this world as Jesus Is in this world? I know Christ, but this is my body. This is my soul my spirit all belong to him and My brothers and sisters in your world in my world always we are encountering realities like Christ did.

But we are so possessive consumed about our own life. We can't see it. And as a matter of fact, if you know some of my writings from the early days I was known as the the the number one anti social gospel champion I was.

I was all about just preach and baptize and plant church and teach discipleship and this and that and I never had any compassion any understanding about the suffering humanity and The Lord had to bring me to the place of repentance and realized that Jesus lived on earth weeping and crying and touching embracing feeding the poor the naked and caring for them and I missed that part and This is where gospel of Asia the the ministry that I'm part of we began to Search out ways in which we can touch the life.

By the way, how many of you have seen the movie slumdog millionaire? Please raise your hand. Wow, you could more people go into heaven from this church than any other church. If you didn't see that movie, please get our DVD and watch the thing, you know I'm not an emotional person crying or movies, but that was one movie.

I I Couldn't watch the second time because I cried too much and the reason I lived in Bombay many many many years ago in the ministry and In the movie for those of you didn't see this thing, there's a scene about this evil horrible Terrible human being this man who goes around and collect these little kids From the streets promising them all kind of food and drinks and everything and you see in the movie He takes them to a house little farther and these kids are laughing and happy.

They're eating food and everything else. Then he lines these kids up make them sing to find out who has the ability to sing and all those things. Next scene you'll find this little cute little kid maybe five-year-old maybe and this boy is taken to the back of the house to one room and He's knocked out of the chloroform and then he's lays on this bench like he's dead.

And then the next scene you see he takes his boiling hot boiling oil and Open the eyelid of the little boy and pours into the eyes and and the boy is blinded and next scene in the movie, you'll see him on the street begging and All the sudden he hit me.

How many hundreds of beggar children I encountered not all blind or maimed and I Personally been to that slum. That are we slum where what you see in the movie is not a fiction. It's it's a reality over ten million people live in those slums.

And I've been there and this is where all the sudden my life is now breaking up and saying I'm living in a real world That is fallen especially innocent children are abused and brutalized and killed and I must do something about it and This is where by God's mercy and grace gospel fashion.

We began to go after you know taking you know. Especially from the Dalit community where they never end up going to school many of them and end up slaves or the upper caste and so On it's you know, it takes hours to describe that read some of my writings or you know You can learn about it because this kind of information You know makes us to search out ways in which we can be involved in our lifetime, which is significant and you know today by the grace of God we we have 77 ,000 children In this nation's like India and Bangladesh and Bhutan and and other nations in Sri Lanka and all that we we took him To over 600 homes called bridge of hope centers where they are taught Not only to read and write but I get education, but also they learn about Jesus every single day and Some time ago I asked one of our leaders So tell me how many of these kids come to know Jesus and and and ask Jesus to come into there.

He said what do you mean? How many he said all of them? And you know, I was so happy. You know I mean as I travel to many of these countries and run into the children that you know Memorize the whole chapter two three chapters of the Bible and they sing and they they they they go back to their home.

In the in the in the huts they live in and the communities and they share about the Lord Jesus Christ. I remember this amazing story, which is not an exceptional story a little boy called Naboon. It's a first grader.

When our missionaries went to that region many years ago, we couldn't get any entrance there opposition was severe but then they started doing this training for children bridge of hope centers and this little boy Learned about Jesus healing the sick and caring for the poor and all these different things.

He goes home and Tells his father Father Jesus can heal mother. His mother was sick and dying laying on a mat in their little Shack and the father thought we had a medical doctor named Jesus. Literally, this is and he comes to our center and say my son says Jesus can heal my wife.

Would you please have him come and help? Of course in a couple of missionaries goes and talks to them about the Lord and explained the scripture laid hand on the Dear sister and prayed and Jesus healed her and that became a huge sensation.

The communities a small, you know community and Yeah, praise God and Today if you go there You will be surprised to see The church. Several hundred people worship in the Lord Jesus Christ the first church in the history of the community.

It was born out of one little boy learning about the Lord Jesus Christ and This reason why I think in the world of missions Reaching out to these many nations, especially touching the children and helping them become significant.

Education, Evangelism, and the Responsibility of the Church

I remember meeting the leader of the banjara one community. There are 60 plus million people in the large community scattered throughout the nation in the subcontinent and it was deep into the night I was talking to him.

He's not a Christian, but he's their main leader and he said this to me that I never forget he said 90 9 -0 90 of our children never go to school. They are destined be slaves like us unless Somebody teach them.

Would you please come and start schools teach about Jesus teach Bible, whatever you want to do, but help us. By the way, we have decents and decents of Sunday start among those people. And by the way, the Daraa Islam where the movie are shot we have now centers the children are taught and churches planted among those people and.

But that's a drop in the bucket so to say it's a huge ocean of need if you go and Google and type in Child laborers. You'd be surprised so many pages of information come up pictures or little children working in the firecracker.

Making factories carpet making factories all day long working for 20 25 cents you would be surprised to learn about Landlords who will give 30 40 dollars to a Family to help them then in return have the little kids work for him.

Like slaves they are not made of story. You won't believe the reality what we are living with but with the freedom and liberty opportunity The Lord gave us don't feel condemned because of your car and house and clothes and your job and and your resources.

No. Rather it should make you Become more responsible to those much is given much shall be required. But our problem is we keep on buying Bibles and books and stuff for us. Not realizing half of the world have never seen one page of the Bible.

What right do you have I have to keep on? Stuffing ourself in the name of God with things and materialism. When half of the world go to bed with empty stomach and naked bodies. I Talked to you not as American or Indian or German.

I talked to you believing you are a brother a sister to me heading for eternity to be the Christ that you will have to answer and I had answer someday and This is not Being done trying to get some money out of you.

I'm telling you not very many people tell you your life is over before you know it you better Be responsible every second every penny and every hour every individual you meet. Because our CS Lewis said there's no one you meet that is a mortal if only you can see beyond time the Destiny of the individuals and people in our world that we see on television newspapers.

They are destined to be such creatures. If you saw them today, we would bow down and worship them or be frightened like waking up out of a nightmare because the horrible future they would like to endure after the life is over and that Makes me responsible.

Repentance, Spiritual Growth, and the Fear of God

Not to you. But fear God which is missing from the evangelical Christianity than any of the time that you can imagine and so When I talk about I mean I was in Canada just a couple of months ago I think and somebody in a meeting question answer time, you know.

This person this dear lady thought I was a saint or something. Maybe my beard. I don't know. And so she asked me about my spiritual journey. I said you really want to know the truth. I tell you ten years ago.

I repented ten times a day, but today I repent hundred times a day you know, I realize how much I need God how how. Failing and struggling human being I am so I'm not talking to you as some spiritual giant who not know.

I'm just telling you life. This journey get more difficult. The higher you climb the more difficult it is to breathe because the world is so heavy against us. But you and I must choose and choose with pain and inconveniences and Jesus did that well.

Obviously my watch is also talking to me in between. Good for you. I have a flight to catch this afternoon. But I just want to show you some pictures that may explain the plight of these precious precious Children.

In many of these nations that you and I are responsible for as you look at this would you please ask the Lord Jesus? Help me understand your heart. Let me see the world as you see and let me act and do what I need to do.

Whatever that would be as the Lord speak to your heart. So maybe we could have the lights turned down and watch that.

She is eight years old. Her home is a hut made of rags. Going to school is an impossible dream. She is a Dalit. Viewed as subhuman by the Hindu caste system. Her people are commonly assaulted raped murdered.

Deep in their hearts they hunger for love and reassurance. To be told for once that their lives are worth something. Gospel for Asia has long wanted to tell these people that Jesus loves them and offers them hope.

But how? Now God has provided a way to reach them.

Through their children. You can help build this bridge of hope by sponsoring a child today.

For $35 a month you can give a child an education clothing food and medical care and Most of all you give your child the message of Christ's love and hope for the future. Sponsor your bridge of hope child today.

Simply fill out this card and bring it to the GFA table.

You'll receive a picture and information about the child. You'll be helping read this letter for you. This individual writes.

My name is Jim My beautiful wife and I Have been sponsoring children since we first found out about Gospel for Asia's bridge of hope program. We had always wanted to have a large family perhaps a dozen children.

But our hearts were changed as we saw the incredible need of the poor children throughout Asia instead of a dozen We have had two children. Then we got four more through GFA bridge of hope. They are our little hearts children whose letters we read over and over again.

Their pictures are mounted on our wall and every day the four of us pray for them. I consider them to be my children and love them as my own although I was sure we would never meet this side of eternity, but God blew my socks off and sent me to India on a business venture about a year ago my wife reminded me about Gospel for Asia and said I should give them a call and see if I could visit a GFA bridge of hope center while I was there.

Amazingly I could. My heart was not ready for the sight of India still the images of people I can only assume they were the Dalits sitting on the roadside without any Life in their eyes everything looks so hopeless.

I felt incredibly burdened for these people it almost brought me to tears to see them and still does to this day but When I went to the center I was simply astonished the joy the laughter the sight of these children hundreds of them.

Beautiful laughing singing it was so different from everything. I saw around them. They were so vibrant and full of life this group of hundred kids Was laughing studying and learning about the Lord all at once.

It was amazing, but All of this did not prepare me for what was about to happen. There was one little face in the crowd that I recognized when I saw him my little Manu. I just froze. The teacher told him who I was and he locked eyes with me and he smiled the largest smile I have ever seen.

He ran up to me and latched onto me like I was a life raft in the middle of the ocean. This little eight-year-old boy stepped back and looked at me straight in the eyes. Dad he said thank you for loving me.

I Bust into tears After that day, I have never been the same. I left India with a new perspective on life. Anything we could do to help these children we must do. Now my wife and I sponsored two dozen children twice as many We ever thought we would have as our own they are scattered all throughout India and Nepal.

I cannot imagine doing anything more one worthwhile with my life. This is it. My family and I we are dedicated to Saving as many people as we can and Gospel of Asia enables us to do it you know. Story like this can easily become manipulative and kind of force you Emotionally to do something.

Responding to the Needs of the Poor and the Lost

But you know obedience to the Lord Never comes easy and this may be one of the occasions the Lord Uses, you know someone like me who comes through here once in a while may cause you to search your own heart and see your walk with the Lord and Maybe it's a commitment you will make to pray every day for an hour or half hour and get a world map.

And make that as part of your life in a television set whatever else. You may be one who will decide, you know enough is enough. You know, I need to stop living for material things and my comfort and Reach out the poor and the dying both here and everywhere in Mexico City or in Nepal.

And right now we have or 500 of our people working day and night among the most broken people in Nepal. Over a million people lost their homes in the earthquake. 1 ,500 people died within days of the earthquake and we have some 400 churches in that country and I thank God for the incredible generosity of people like you who prayed and gave resources that we are able to get to these people and yet there are literally thousands of children that need help and and find hope and that is a challenge we deal with in all these nations in Burma in India and Sri Lanka and on and on and Bangladesh and I would encourage you as you look at it and See if the Lord have you do something about it.

Maybe you have two children. You can take two more children. If you got four grandchildren, you can take four more grandchildren. So you have eight all the sudden if you are not married. You can have ten children today without being married.

You say well, that's weird. It's not the card you saw it is on the back table there and when you fill this out and bring it. They give you actually your children. You will be the only person who is helping the child if a time come he cannot do anymore.

We'll find somebody else take your place, but we have people like Jim that I read that letter from Helps three four five ten what our children and I encourage you when when we started this my wife and I without two children.

We started with two children. They got married what to do. Then we took two more and we got grandchildren. What to do now we. You know you have more children. Not that's a easy thing to do. But I encourage you to pick up this card you have that with you on the back of the card.