The Best Gift

John Dyer, an 18th century English poet once wrote,  “A man may go to heaven without health, without riches, without honors, without learning, without friends; but he can never go there without Christ.”  As I travel the world, it always breaks my heart to see what I call “two-dimensional” organizations in action.  These are groups of people who feed the hungry (like we do in Guatemala), sponsor education (like we do in Ghana), facilitate mobile triage units for the sick (like we do in Egypt), construct and repair homes or other necessary community structures (like we do in Mexico), host camps for underprivileged children (like we do in Ukraine), and so on.  These are all wonderful gestures and I am sure are truly appreciated.  However, they are two-dimensional acts because they stop at helping people physically and mentally. Handing out a few days worth of food has stopped the bleeding temporarily, but on an eternal scale, virtually no impact has been made.

What then, is the mark of an effective outreach?  When does it become three-dimensional, or whole-person oriented?  Only when the Gospel is communicated, does any interaction with another human being become eternally significant and truly life-changing.  This month, billions of dollars will be spent on merchandise that most people do not need.  This will be happening while billions of people go without hearing the message of Jesus Christ.  While we often have a humanitarian aid component in our trips, our primary purpose for traveling to all parts of the world is to tell others how they can know the Savior, and be discipled to reach their own nation for Him.  What greater gift to give someone, than introducing them to the One who died temporarily, so they might live eternally.

Two Kingdoms

The battle for the Presidency of America has concluded, at least for a few years. Whether or not the candidate you were hoping to see occupy the White House was elected, one thing is for sure: God is in control. If we as Christians think for one second that government is the answer to any of our problems, we are sadly mistaken. Regardless of what party is in power, we must pray for our leaders and seek the Lord for ourselves. There are no country borders in the spiritual realm. There are no political parties or elections. There are, however, two kingdoms that exist. And it doesn’t matter where you stand on the planet, you belong to one of the two. Citizenship is gained into one of them by repentance and a confession of faith. If this profession has not been made, then by default, you are a citizen of the other kingdom.

In the kingdom of darkness, people serve a leader that seeks to kill them, steal from them, and destroy them. His plan for their lives involves separating each person from their Creator for eternity, making them sick, distraught, sad, angry, hateful, and poor. In the Kingdom where Jesus Christ is Lord, the citizens receive good and perfect gifts, and He seeks to bring His people abundant life. This King gave His very life, so everyone might have the opportunity to share in eternity with God Himself.

2 Cor. 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Real change does not occur in government, but in the hearts of men and women. As a Christian, you must realize that the whole world needs changing. Billions are without Christ, and they will not hear about Him unless some of us go. Global Infusion is a Kingdom tool to reach people all over the world who exist in the kingdom of darkness, and need a Savior.

Greater Love

A few weeks ago, I was talking with a Pastor in Guatemala who survived massive flooding in his area. He said that the rain came so quickly, he only had time to fill a suitcase with clothes for his children and escape with his family before the mountain turned into a giant mudslide. But then his story became even more remarkable. After ensuring that his family was safe, he purposely went back into the area of danger to rescue anyone else he could find who needed help.

So here is a summary of the situation: a man and his family avoid possible death; their home and everything they own is potentially destroyed; and there is no immediate help to receive food, shelter, clothing, medicine, or other supplies. In the face of these circumstances, this young Pastor decides his highest priority is to return to the disaster area with no resources of his own, and risk his life to save others.

In John 15:12-13, Jesus says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” America is obviously in a stage of economic crisis. Whether we feel the impact today, or months from now, times are indeed tough. However, has God called us to wait until everything in our lives is perfect before we act? What about giving our lives to people who are not necessarily our friends? This young Guatemalan Pastor was not looking for his friends. He was looking for anyone who needed help. The mission field is full of people who are in desperate need of Jesus, and for most of them, having a local church or government agency help them is totally unheard of. What will you do to reach the lost?

His Hands, His Feet, His Love

This past week, our church in Knoxville hosted 200 evacuees from New Orleans in anticipation of a potential disaster caused by Hurricane Gustav.  It was amazing to see and hear how they were flown from Louisiana in such a humane way, then given a clean and relatively comfortable place to sleep that was not crowded, and three wholesome meals a day.  They even had EMT’s, nurses, and doctors present for any medical needs they may have had.  Our church also provided services for the adults, and an instant VBS for the kids.  I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to leave my life and home, go to another state to live with people I do not know, and wonder if I would even have a place to go back to once it is all over.  However, given the circumstances, many of them were very appreciative of their accommodations.

I think of the site in Guatemala where we have been working.  15,000 people were displaced from their homes due to a mudslide that collapsed portions of the surrounding mountains.  There was no Red Cross, FEMA, or any other agency to help them.  Many of them literally ran for their lives.  There are 12-15 overly-crowded shelters where they are now stationed.  Most have no bed to sleep on, very little food to eat, and virtually no access to medical treatment.  Some went back to the mountain regions, only to pull dead bodies from the mud.  Our last team there brought thousands of pounds of food, soap, clothing, and even mattresses to sleep on.  We held services, and prayed with many people.  There are people in this world that cannot help themselves, and they have little hope for the future.  Someone needs to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  They need His love.  This is why Global Infusion exists.

All things

Last month, we sent four Infusion Adventure mission teams to Mexico alone.  Many of the team members had never been outside of the country before, or even on a short-term missions trip.

Our trips are designed for those traveling with us to have the ultimate missions experience.  We do not stay in some hotel far from those we are ministering to, travel in high-end vehicles to get to them, or eat in restaurants so we can have “better” food.  Rather, we live, work, eat, and worship with the local people from morning to night.  In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Paul explains the reason for becoming all things to all people:  “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.  Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.”

Winning the world for Jesus takes more than just talking about the Great Commission.  It takes more than putting a few dollars in the offering on missions Sunday.  In fact, it takes more than prayer alone.  It requires all of these, but it also takes action.  If we are to see people in this world reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must go.  We must become all things to all people so they might be saved. 

That is why we go.

Authority in Jesus' Name

What do you think would happen to our servicemen and women if the military sent them out to battle without telling them what weapons would be accessible for their use?  I believe they would be somewhat fearful, and even doubtful of victory.  A person can muster up all the courage and faith in the world, but they will never reach their full potential without a certain measure of hope.  Many Christians do not understand the power of the God they serve.  They face every day without knowing or realizing they have more firepower on their side than the armories of every military base in the world combined.

Did you know that the greatest weapon of offense we possess as Christians is the name of Jesus?  Philippians 2:10-11 says, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God.”   Whenever I present people with the opportunity of foreign missions, many begin to tell me of their own various struggles and challenges in their lives.  It is unfortunate that so many believers do not recognize the fact that Jesus is their authority.  How are we to reach our world for Jesus if we cannot get past the issues of our own lives?  We must not trick ourselves into believing that we can conquer our problems utilizing our own strength, rather than coming in the name of Jesus.  I see this happen all over the world.  Satan’s power relies on a person believing a lie.  His power is completely ineffectual until someone begins to believe one of his lies.  Deception is not deception until a person is deceived.  The irony is that the majority of people who are deceived do not know that they are deceived.

Our world is desperate for a Savior.  I encourage you to ask God how He can use you to touch nations.  It is our mandate as Christians.  God will take care of your needs; just remember to pray, in Jesus’ name.

Jesus is still the answer

 

Our world has had quite a shake up over the course of just one month.  During it’s 31 days, the month of May saw almost 100,000 people dead or missing as a result of a cyclone in Myanmar (Burma) - 40% of the victims were children, 3,000 schools were also destroyed, leaving 500,000 kids without classrooms; additionally, an estimated 80,000 people lost their lives in China, with many more being injured and displaced.  In American news, a small plane crashed in North Carolina, killing a Pastor of a large church in Florida, as well as one of his sons.  Before the month was over, a well-known Christian music artist lost one of his adopted children in a tragic accident that literally occurred in his driveway.

There are no logical answers for these events.  None of these occurrences seem fair in any way.  Without trying to sound trite or insensitive, I must say that in all of this, Jesus is still the answer.  He is the answer to every aspect of human need: spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical.

I cannot help but think, how many of those who died in the natural disasters that occurred overseas actually knew the Lord?  Did missionaries and indigenous Christians have enough time to get the Gospel to these specific Chinese and Burmese before they died?  Or were we in the West too consumed with our own personal issues, the rising cost of oil, and dropping value of homes?

At the end of May, I wonder whether Heaven or hell welcomed more people?  Let us not wait for disaster to strike before we proactively go into all the world and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, just as He commanded us to do.

Leaving the 99

In Luke 15:4, Jesus says, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?” (NKJV).  I often think of this Parable of the Lost Sheep when I am on a plane leaving the continental United States.  Our nation is quite blessed in many ways; one of which is our freedom of religion.  One would be very hard-pressed to find a city in America that does not have at least one church, a few Christian residents, and access to the Gospel through other media, such as television, radio, the Internet, or books.

There are billions in this world without Christ, however, a great percentage of them must be found.  Just as Jesus alludes to searching for the one lost sheep, we as Christians are mandated to leave the ninety-nine, and go after the one.

Our latest INFUSION ADVENTURE team has just returned from Guatemala, and we literally had to search for “the one.”  Using 4x4 trucks to navigate through the Guatemalan mountains, we reached two different villages that had no food (we brought thousands of pounds of food to distribute), and very little exposure to the Gospel.  While we were there, we preached on the roadsides, and many villagers responded to our altar calls.  We prayed for the sick, handed out Bibles, and some said the prayer of salvation for the first time.  A village with no church, no Gospel media, no electricity, water, vehicles, or even food, now have some Bibles, food, and born-again Christians.

Choosing to Serve

During the last few weeks in March, we had two INFUSION ADVENTURE teams in the country of Mexico.  Once again, I wish the world could have seen what I saw.

Generation Church, from Colorado Springs, CO, was made up of young people in high-school and some were of college-age.  Rather than going on some mindless Spring Break excursion with their friends, these students chose to make a difference in the lives of people in another country.  Through construction, children’s VBS’s, ministry to indigenous Mexican Indians, an outreach in a neglected barrio, and spending time with girls and boys from a church-run orphanage, they literally impacted the lives of hundreds of people.  One family had a new home built for them.  Another had their home enlarged.  A daycare center was prepared.  Many children learned about Jesus and had somebody love on them.  Teenagers living a very rough lifestyle heard the Gospel and made new friends.  The city of Juárez was prayed over repeatedly.

A team of nine women, three girls, and one man  from The Sanctuary, in Tampa, FL, held twelve conference sessions and services reaching out to young girls and women.  Many of those they ministered to have come from unimaginable backgrounds, and there was a literal change in the countenance of these girls and women by the end of the week.  God truly used this team in a powerful way to infuse the love and power of Jesus Christ into those who were desperate for change, encouragement, and wholeness.

Including GI staff members, forty-two people made a decision to serve God in Mexico, and as a result, lives have been changed for eternity.

Can Jesus count on me?

 

I believe the greatest tool of the enemy on Western Christians is not mediocrity, poor leadership, or even doubt.  I believe it is distraction.  Even as you read these words, there is a strong possibility that you are skimming the page, or thinking about what you are going to do the moment this letter leaves your hands.

Distraction is what causes great leaders to fall.  They become consumed with something other than what God has called them to, and they make bad decisions.  The first of which is to neglect their daily devotional time and prayer life.  Distraction also divides families, ruins businesses, and ultimately ruins lives.

Jesus says, in Mark 7:6-7, “'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  They worship me in vain.”  As Christians, we are mandated by God to reach out to the poor, and go into all the world to bring the message of the Gospel.  Jesus is counting on His followers to obey His words, and see their generation touched by His power and His love.

When Jesus was arrested, his disciples literally fled.  When we are challenged to reach our world for Jesus, the enemy will do everything in his limited power to distract us from building the Kingdom of God.  Issues dealing with money, family, work, or sickness will arise the moment we make a conscious decision to put our lives on hold in order that some might be won for Christ.

I believe we can overcome distraction by staying in the presence of God.  Jesus is asking us to be His hands, feet, and voice to those who are lost and needy.  Can He count on you?

6,000

We have just returned from our latest INFUSION ADVENTURE to Guatemala, and once again, God was faithful.  As promised, we ventured into the mountainous regions of the country to deliver what ended up being over 5,000 lbs. of food.  This food was given to hand-selected families who were experiencing the worst of the starvation that is occurring in this part of the world.

Initially, we only had enough funds come in to feed 38 families.  Through God’s favor, and some strategic decisions made on the field, we were actually able to provide food for 116 families.  This represents a minimum of 500 people receiving enough food to last them several weeks.

Obviously our job there is not done.  Though we fed 500, there are 6,000 without food.  Many of them have literally been existing on bananas and water for several months.

We were also able to conduct several services and times of prayer and evangelism out in the villages.  In one area, we literally met with the people on a road because no church exists.

There is a lot of work that Global Infusion can and will do to infuse life into this area of the world.  More food needs to be brought in, but this is just a temporary solution; we need to find a permanent one.  In this region of 6,000 people, there is only one Pastor, and he cannot reach them all himself.  We are scheduling another team to go back to Guatemala in April.  This will be a powerful trip, and the outreach you will be involved with will see an immediate impact.

If you have never looked into the eyes of a malnutritioned person, there is a part of your heart that has not yet been broken.  The images you have seen on television showing starvation around the world simply pale in comparison to standing in front  of a live human being who lacks a basic necessity of life.

Our lives in the West are extremely convenient.  Many times when I travel, I get frustrated when I do not have quick access to the goods and services I am used to living with at home.  One becomes very resourceful at times like these, however, there are many people in this world who face insurmountable circumstances.  They will not overcome these challenges without outside intervention.

When I was in the country of Guatemala a few months ago, I met a Pastor who has taken what responsibility he can to help a group of 6,000 people who are experiencing starvation as you read these words.  1,200 of them are under six years of age, or over sixty-five; these are considered high-risk, which means they will be the first to die.

In conjunction with Pastor Oseas, Global Infusion has researched the costs and distribution methods to help families obtain food.  We are only limited by financial resources.  There are people ready to go to Guatemala right now to literally deliver food to those who are in need.  All of these volunteers are believers who are trained to concurrently share the Gospel with each family.  Pray, give, or go - you can help make this vision a reality.