I am extremely happy to report that over the last week, Global Infusion staff and interns have trained over 50 college students for the mission field. We have just returned from Sterling, Kansas where we facilitated a Ropes Course missions training event to get our teams ready for the foreign mission field. They will be going to India, Ghana, Egypt and Thailand. It was the first time Sterling College had ever had such training for their missions program. Additionally, we held services nightly that continued the encouragement and preparation for their trip. The times of worship were absolutely amazing! While the “band” was made up of exclusively GI staff and interns who had never played or sang together even once, God truly showed up.
With 50+ students going on mission trips for several weeks at a time, there will be literally hundreds of hours of ministry, outreach, evangelism, teaching, and medical work occurring this summer. These students could have opted to work, go on vacation, take summer school, or just do nothing at all. Instead, they answered the call of the Great Commission, and as a result, lives will be touched and changed for eternity. Turn off the news feeds into your house, your mind, and your heart. God’s economy has nothing to do with the state that America is in. In the midst of a “recession,” college students raised thousands of dollars, and made a cognizant decision to do something meaningful and significant with their lives. You can do it too! Age is of no consequence to the calling of God. There is always a way to get plugged into Global Infusion, and reach out to people with Gospel of Jesus Christ. Time is short. The harvest is plentiful. God’s supply will never run out. Pray. Go. Invest. Now is the time.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Fear Not
This past month, I was in the country of Mexico. A border town. With a missions team. If you have been getting your news from the well-educated anchors and reporters on TV, you would surmise that violence is sweeping that nation. I was in Mexicali, Mexico, and during the week I was there, I literally did not see one police officer, Federal official, or anyone from the Mexican Armed Forces. Customs agents and border patrol officers were at the border crossings, but that was to be expected. I am not naïve enough to think there is no criminal activity in this region, but according to the news media, and U.S. government websites, Mexico is a danger zone.
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10). One of the most repeated phrases (or variation of the phrase) in the Bible is “fear not.” Many people in this world attempt to appear tough on the exterior, but inside, they are fearful. However, if we allow fear to overcome us, we will never do anything for God. Fear brings paralysis. Faith brings liberty.
Jesus said in Mark 2:17, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” When I hear bad news happening in a country, my first reaction is, “What can I do about this?” It’s not people who have their pick of a hundred churches in town, and access to government assistance programs that need the most help — it’s those who have not heard the Gospel, or those who live in anti-Christian persecution, under governments that seek to destroy them, and in environments that deprive them of the basic necessities of life. God has not given you the spirit of fear. He has given you power. He has given you love. He has given you a sound mind. It’s time to do something with it.
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10). One of the most repeated phrases (or variation of the phrase) in the Bible is “fear not.” Many people in this world attempt to appear tough on the exterior, but inside, they are fearful. However, if we allow fear to overcome us, we will never do anything for God. Fear brings paralysis. Faith brings liberty.
Jesus said in Mark 2:17, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” When I hear bad news happening in a country, my first reaction is, “What can I do about this?” It’s not people who have their pick of a hundred churches in town, and access to government assistance programs that need the most help — it’s those who have not heard the Gospel, or those who live in anti-Christian persecution, under governments that seek to destroy them, and in environments that deprive them of the basic necessities of life. God has not given you the spirit of fear. He has given you power. He has given you love. He has given you a sound mind. It’s time to do something with it.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Sacrifice
What does the word “sacrifice” mean to you? Does it mean doing something you don’t want to do? Does it mean going without something you want? The dictionary defines sacrifice as the “surrender of something for the sake of something else.” Sounds a lot like Jesus’ life, doesn’t it? He left Heaven to experience all things human so He could be our perfect example for living. He was beaten so we may be well. He died so we might live eternally.
Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” But as Paul writes in Romans 5:6-8, Jesus went one giant step further: “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Would you lay down your life for an ungodly person to demonstrate God’s love so they might have an opportunity to receive Christ? Death could be considered the ultimate sacrifice a person could offer. In our Western worldview, the thought of dying for someone so they might receive the Gospel is not even a consideration. History shows that the act of martyrdom, while great in number, is small in percentage compared to how many Christians have lived since the resurrection. So what is God asking you to sacrifice? It is our mandate as Christians to reach the lost. I’ve heard it said that Americans (Westerners) give out of abundance, while the rest of the world gives out of sacrifice. Are you waiting for retirement to have the time and money to reach the world for Him? If you are, I can almost promise you that it will never happen. Global Infusion needs you. We need people to go with us to other nations. We need financial resources to spread the Gospel. Don’t wait. Do something today to reach the ungodly, even if it means sacrifice.
Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” But as Paul writes in Romans 5:6-8, Jesus went one giant step further: “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Would you lay down your life for an ungodly person to demonstrate God’s love so they might have an opportunity to receive Christ? Death could be considered the ultimate sacrifice a person could offer. In our Western worldview, the thought of dying for someone so they might receive the Gospel is not even a consideration. History shows that the act of martyrdom, while great in number, is small in percentage compared to how many Christians have lived since the resurrection. So what is God asking you to sacrifice? It is our mandate as Christians to reach the lost. I’ve heard it said that Americans (Westerners) give out of abundance, while the rest of the world gives out of sacrifice. Are you waiting for retirement to have the time and money to reach the world for Him? If you are, I can almost promise you that it will never happen. Global Infusion needs you. We need people to go with us to other nations. We need financial resources to spread the Gospel. Don’t wait. Do something today to reach the ungodly, even if it means sacrifice.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Just Words
There are many people in this world who are blinded by Satan and his lies. They have been offered false gods to worship, they are enticed with sin, and they are surrounded by governments and media that proactively diminish, distort, or refute the very existence of God. With no moral or spiritual compass other than their own finite minds, they are easily captured by the enemy.
God’s Word is not just a book. Its verses are not just words. The Bible says in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” What an amazing concept: the Word of God is alive, and it is powerful! When we travel overseas with mission teams, we are going for the purpose of telling others about Jesus; what He has done for them; His plan of salvation; and how they can be set free from the bondage of sin, death, sickness, and an eternity apart from God. The unreached need to hear the Word of God because they are spiritually dead, and God’s Word is life. They need to hear what some believe are “just words” because they are weak, and His Word is powerful.
I’ve heard people, even Pastors, question the purpose of mission trips, saying that they are a waste of money. When I stand on foreign soil watching our teams interact with indigenous people and share the Gospel, I wish Christians, who think they are somehow exempt from foreign missions, could see the impact and results that I see. If the Bible and our testimonies are just words, let me remind you that God created the universe with “just words.” Lazarus was raised from the dead with “just words.” A stormy sea was made calm with “just words.” Jesus could have come down from the cross using “just words.” Lives are being touched and changed for eternity all over the world because GI’s teams are opening their mouths and allowing the Spirit of God to use them, and their words.
God’s Word is not just a book. Its verses are not just words. The Bible says in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” What an amazing concept: the Word of God is alive, and it is powerful! When we travel overseas with mission teams, we are going for the purpose of telling others about Jesus; what He has done for them; His plan of salvation; and how they can be set free from the bondage of sin, death, sickness, and an eternity apart from God. The unreached need to hear the Word of God because they are spiritually dead, and God’s Word is life. They need to hear what some believe are “just words” because they are weak, and His Word is powerful.
I’ve heard people, even Pastors, question the purpose of mission trips, saying that they are a waste of money. When I stand on foreign soil watching our teams interact with indigenous people and share the Gospel, I wish Christians, who think they are somehow exempt from foreign missions, could see the impact and results that I see. If the Bible and our testimonies are just words, let me remind you that God created the universe with “just words.” Lazarus was raised from the dead with “just words.” A stormy sea was made calm with “just words.” Jesus could have come down from the cross using “just words.” Lives are being touched and changed for eternity all over the world because GI’s teams are opening their mouths and allowing the Spirit of God to use them, and their words.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
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?
“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?
Monday, December 1, 2008
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.
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.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
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.
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.
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