Seeds

It’s the beginning of a new year!  What will 2009 bring you?  Well, that all depends on the seeds you planted in 2008, or 2007, or in previous years.  Sometimes it takes quite a while for seeds to grow.  Many people expect God to do completely new things in their life just because the calendar year changed.  It is true that God does do new things.  He gives good gifts.  He loves us unconditionally!  However, the Bible repeatedly speaks of the process of planting seeds, and seeing a harvest of what we have planted.
“For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew” (Zechariah 8:12a).  In this passage, the prophet Zechariah was speaking the word of the Lord to the Jews as they struggled to begin new lives after living in exile for many years.  I find it interesting both in this passage, and in real life, that seeds attract a lot of attention.  In fact, very little attention is ever given to the farmer or the sower themselves; the seed is the focus.  Many people do not realize that every day they are planting seeds.  Some are planted unconsciously.  Some are planted intentionally.  Many people plant seeds just to receive something in return.  Others continually sow and water seeds that they do not necessarily want to see grow up in their lives.
There are many places in this world where Global Infusion is planting seeds.  Our goal is to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and if possible, make their life on this earth a little bit better than it was when we first met them.  You have the opportunity to partner with us in prayer, in giving, and in going to the nations to change lives for eternity.  Lives that are untouched, unreached, and totally abandoned by this world.  So I ask you now, what seeds for the Kingdom will you plant in 2009?

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.