April 1, 2026
Dear Friends,
This week one couple prayed with me according to the pattern of Luke 18:13 & Romans 10:9.
Nobody had contacted me last week to hear about the resurrection. So I was imploring the Lord: “How can it be that nobody out there has to be saved?” But I was reminded of the people in my own place of work, where I spend many hours every day, who have shown interest, and yet I have not directly shared the gospel and resurrection message with them. A couple, both visiting professors in Engineering from South America, came to mind. At my invitation 4 months ago, they have attended my Bible study and church with their child. But I was not sure if they even understood the gospel. I have never shared the resurrection with them. Lord, “let me share with them this week,” was my prayer. After praying for them and their salvation, I was walking down the hallway of my building when I saw the two of them sitting and eating lunch together at one of the lunch tables. Knowing that the Lord had ordained the meeting, I stopped and confidently explained that I knew they had shown interest in the gospel, but I had never shared the gospel or the resurrection with them. The man said that he was Catholic, but he knew little about these things. The woman said that she was a “Spiritist.” I did not know what that meant. She said that Spiritists believe in reincarnation. I said nothing in reply, knowing that all this would get sorted out in the gospel message. I invited them to my office later that afternoon so I could accurately explain the way of salvation and the resurrection. They agreed to come.
I have since read about Spiritism. It is common among cultural Catholics in their country. They embrace reincarnation, communication with spirits, mediums, and moral evolution, I read. They respect Jesus as a moral teacher and guide, but nothing more.
We met that afternoon, and I shared the gospel message with them. They both readily received and prayed aloud. She told me that she loved the Bible study that I teach and the church’s contemporary service. She and her husband are now in weekly discipleship with Chuck and Barbara Lloyd and in a daily scripture-reading program. Today I saw her again in church, this time bringing her mother, who does not even speak English.
The Lord also reminded me of a Jewish professor, who has been a good friend of mine on campus for many years, and we have published about 50 papers together. But with whom I have never deliberately shared the gospel, though he knows that I am a devoted believer. I called him and set up a lunch meeting next Friday, and I was very clear about the meeting’s intent: not research, but my faith. His reply was, “OK, we are friends.” So we will meet on Friday in the faculty club for lunch and sharing.
II Cor 3:15 “Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”
There is one last couple that came to mind as I was praying; he, too, is a faculty member at Rice. I must share with him and his wife, I thought. As with the couple noted above, I providentially saw them both just this morning, and I mentioned to his wife that I’d like to take them through the details of the gospel and the resurrection. She said, “I would love that! I just thought you were too busy to share with us.” She also wants her teenage son to be in attendance. So we are scheduling that meeting for one evening this week.
When I fulfill this mission with my colleagues that the Lord has laid upon my heart, I am sure he will again open the channels so that the strangers from social media will start reaching out. It is good that I had a brief reprieve from sharing with those unknown to me, causing me to seek the Lord for those closest to me at work. The Lord orders all things well.
Psalm 37:23 “The steps of a man are established by the Lord…”
Could it be that those around us long for the peace that we have, and are actually yearning that we would engage with them?
Isaiah 60:3 “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”
It is hard to explain the confidence that wells up within me when I share the gospel, knowing that it is God’s message for humanity, a message for which his Son bled and died, and rose to the right hand of his Father.
II Cor 3:4 “Such confidence we have through Christ before God.”
God bless,
Dr. James Tour
