In Matthew 16, Jesus says, 24 If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
There must be a few months of sermon material in those verses alone. I have just returned from China with a Global Infusion missions team. I met people there who have seriously counted the cost of becoming a Christian — and I even had the privilege of interacting with several Chinese who are considering becoming a Christian. You see, becoming a Christian in a country like China is not a flippant decision one makes. It radically changes many aspects of one’s life.
The Cross of Christ is not given to us; we must go after it, and take it up willingly. We must reject what the world has to offer so our soul is saved. Every day, the news reminds us that there are plenty of people who exchange their soul for temporary earthly pleasures.
While I have heard these verses in Matthew 16 quoted many times, verse twenty-seven is often left out. Jesus tells us that He will one day reward us according to our works. This is an entirely separate event from the judgment which determines our entrance in to Heaven. What “works” did you accomplish for Christ in 2009? What are you planning to do for Him in 2010? Don’t let the year pass you by. Life will always be full of challenges, and I believe God meets the needs of the righteous — so make a conscious decision to do something for Him today.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Life is a Garden
In Genesis 2:8, the Bible says, “Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there He put the man he had formed.” Imagine God Himself planting a garden, and He did it for Adam! After Genesis 1 outlines the mind-blowing magnificence of Creation, Genesis 2 shows us how much God cares about us, and how important details are to Him. One phrase I like to tell our mission teams during training is, “Details make the difference.”
Our lives are like a garden. What we put into the ground as seed will determine what will grow up in the future. How we invest our time, money and energy determines the path of our lives. It always seems like things will be taken away from us if we make bad decisions with time and money. If a person unwisely spends more than they make, they could have their house taken away from them by the bank, their electricity cut off, their car repossessed, or late charges assessed (more money being taken from us) when bills are not paid in a timely manner. Look at Jesus’ parable of the talents. The servant who buried his talent had it taken away from him.
On the other hand, if we invest our time and money wisely, there are many blessings to reap. Spending time in prayer instead of watching television. Reading the Bible instead of the newspaper. Attending church regularly, getting more education, and spending less that we make (sticking to a budget), dedicating quality time to spend with family, are all good seeds for your life garden.
In Matthew 13:38, Jesus says, “The field is the world.” In 2009, Global Infusion reached thousands and thousands of people with the Gospel, and met many physical needs. When you invest in Global Infusion, you are planting seeds for the Kingdom. Be careful where you put your time and money in 2010. Pray, and let God help you plant your garden.
Our lives are like a garden. What we put into the ground as seed will determine what will grow up in the future. How we invest our time, money and energy determines the path of our lives. It always seems like things will be taken away from us if we make bad decisions with time and money. If a person unwisely spends more than they make, they could have their house taken away from them by the bank, their electricity cut off, their car repossessed, or late charges assessed (more money being taken from us) when bills are not paid in a timely manner. Look at Jesus’ parable of the talents. The servant who buried his talent had it taken away from him.
On the other hand, if we invest our time and money wisely, there are many blessings to reap. Spending time in prayer instead of watching television. Reading the Bible instead of the newspaper. Attending church regularly, getting more education, and spending less that we make (sticking to a budget), dedicating quality time to spend with family, are all good seeds for your life garden.
In Matthew 13:38, Jesus says, “The field is the world.” In 2009, Global Infusion reached thousands and thousands of people with the Gospel, and met many physical needs. When you invest in Global Infusion, you are planting seeds for the Kingdom. Be careful where you put your time and money in 2010. Pray, and let God help you plant your garden.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
It's a Meaningful Life
After being in both Thailand and India last month, I was reminded, once again, how much of the world lives in extreme poverty. Not only are there people who lack the basic necessities of life (food, water, medicine, clothing), but they live in environments clouded by spiritual darkness. In Bangkok, I saw (again) countless individuals, many of whom have been trafficked, selling themselves for a meager fee.
Next, I am in an Indian village dominated by Hinduism, with a 40-foot Hindu idol standing at the entrance to the village. It is here our team ministers to people who have had little to no exposure to the Gospel. We pray for a young widow whose husband died eighteen days earlier — her ribs are still broken because of his drunken assaults on her, and she is emotionally torn between being free from abuse, yet feeling destitute because she is left without a partner to provide for the home and help raise the children. By contrast, I return to the USA to watch a large percentage of our country stop to give thanks for all they have (many even thank God), eat enormous amounts of food, and then whip into a frenzy during days that have names such as “Black Friday,” and “Cyber Monday.”
As time goes on, I feel I am understanding Ecclesiastes 1:1-4 better: “‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’ What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.” We take nothing in this life with us into the life to come. Very little of what we sacrifice to buy here even lasts in this lifetime.
Flash back in time with me to first-century Israel. Jesus was essentially born into poverty. Much of His ministry was devoted to reaching the lost, and helping the poor and the sick. In the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” there is a scene where Jimmy Stewart’s guardian angel (Clarence) says to him: “Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?” Jesus touched so many lives, even during His three short years of ministry while on the earth. When He left the earth, I’m sure the Disciples felt a void. But that void was soon filled with the Holy Spirit. For those of us who have found Christ, we truly have a wonderful life. But it should never stop there. We should do everything we can to live a meaningful life. There are too many people in our generation right now who need our Savior.
In 2009, Global Infusion sent out mission teams all over the world, reaching literally thousands of people with the Gospel message. Not only have we seen lives turn to Christ, but our teams have been able to meet hundreds of physical needs through food and clothing distribution, medical outreaches, construction projects, and much more.
Next, I am in an Indian village dominated by Hinduism, with a 40-foot Hindu idol standing at the entrance to the village. It is here our team ministers to people who have had little to no exposure to the Gospel. We pray for a young widow whose husband died eighteen days earlier — her ribs are still broken because of his drunken assaults on her, and she is emotionally torn between being free from abuse, yet feeling destitute because she is left without a partner to provide for the home and help raise the children. By contrast, I return to the USA to watch a large percentage of our country stop to give thanks for all they have (many even thank God), eat enormous amounts of food, and then whip into a frenzy during days that have names such as “Black Friday,” and “Cyber Monday.”
As time goes on, I feel I am understanding Ecclesiastes 1:1-4 better: “‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’ What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.” We take nothing in this life with us into the life to come. Very little of what we sacrifice to buy here even lasts in this lifetime.
Flash back in time with me to first-century Israel. Jesus was essentially born into poverty. Much of His ministry was devoted to reaching the lost, and helping the poor and the sick. In the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” there is a scene where Jimmy Stewart’s guardian angel (Clarence) says to him: “Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?” Jesus touched so many lives, even during His three short years of ministry while on the earth. When He left the earth, I’m sure the Disciples felt a void. But that void was soon filled with the Holy Spirit. For those of us who have found Christ, we truly have a wonderful life. But it should never stop there. We should do everything we can to live a meaningful life. There are too many people in our generation right now who need our Savior.
In 2009, Global Infusion sent out mission teams all over the world, reaching literally thousands of people with the Gospel message. Not only have we seen lives turn to Christ, but our teams have been able to meet hundreds of physical needs through food and clothing distribution, medical outreaches, construction projects, and much more.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
This Generation
I strongly believe that this generation is responsible for the souls of this generation. We cannot do anything about the past, and if we die before Jesus returns, we certainly cannot do anything about the future. We can, however, do something about building God’s Kingdom right now.
During Paul’s first missionary journey, he stops in a Roman colony called Pisidian Antioch (which is now West-central Turkey). This was a city of mixed ethnicity, including Jew, Phrygian, Greek, and Roman. He finds his way to a local synagogue, gains the right to speak a word of exhortation, then addresses both Jews and Gentiles. He highlights the redemptive history of Israel, especially the role David played in the unfolding events. Then Paul makes a statement that should resound to us today:
“For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep” (Acts 13:36).
This one verse could be a sermon series in itself. Essentially, we learn that David had a mission to complete if he stayed in the will of God. He was also to accomplish this mission out of a position of servanthood (though he was a king); and he was to serve those in his own generation (the people within his sphere of influence.)
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior, you have a mandate from Heaven to reach the lost souls of this generation. Without us praying, supporting, sending, or going to the foreign mission field, this generation will be lost.
Decide today that one day, you will indeed cast your crowns at the feet of Jesus rather than your excuses for not have the time, finances, or energy to build His Kingdom. Your generation needs you, and they need you now.
During Paul’s first missionary journey, he stops in a Roman colony called Pisidian Antioch (which is now West-central Turkey). This was a city of mixed ethnicity, including Jew, Phrygian, Greek, and Roman. He finds his way to a local synagogue, gains the right to speak a word of exhortation, then addresses both Jews and Gentiles. He highlights the redemptive history of Israel, especially the role David played in the unfolding events. Then Paul makes a statement that should resound to us today:
“For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep” (Acts 13:36).
This one verse could be a sermon series in itself. Essentially, we learn that David had a mission to complete if he stayed in the will of God. He was also to accomplish this mission out of a position of servanthood (though he was a king); and he was to serve those in his own generation (the people within his sphere of influence.)
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior, you have a mandate from Heaven to reach the lost souls of this generation. Without us praying, supporting, sending, or going to the foreign mission field, this generation will be lost.
Decide today that one day, you will indeed cast your crowns at the feet of Jesus rather than your excuses for not have the time, finances, or energy to build His Kingdom. Your generation needs you, and they need you now.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Ask of Me the Nations
This month Global Infusion held our 2009 World Missions Sunday in Tampa, Florida. Our keynote speaker was Pastor Daniel Yaw Akuoko from Takoradi, Ghana (West Africa). We had a tremendous service as God used Pastor Daniel to bring a powerful word from the Lord.
Here are some highlights from his message:
Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations…”. If God is telling us to ask, that means the answers are ready
Today, we are witnessing a large-scale rebellion, a revolution going on that is more dangerous than terrorism. There is a sexual revolution (perversions, Christians are compromising), a crime revolution (some believe it is easier to leave society and exist in a prison), a divorce revolution (people believe it produces freedom), an unreasonable revolution (people do not understand the basic principles of life)
Morality is being challenged at it’s roots by unworthy standards; these revolutions seek to legitimize themselves
As Christians, we cannot close our eyes to what is going on around us. Many people going to church today have their hearts on the fence; many have nothing but excuses
Isaiah 28:14: we are living in a day of scornful men; they kick against moral values
People today are easily irritated—this is a power of hell in action
Daniel 2:44: the Church is coming into a position to stand up, rise with holy anger as evil begins to knock at our own door
There are so many people in our world struggling against the powers of evil. They need a Savior. We must tell them there is hope. What will you do to help reach them?
Here are some highlights from his message:
Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations…”. If God is telling us to ask, that means the answers are ready
Today, we are witnessing a large-scale rebellion, a revolution going on that is more dangerous than terrorism. There is a sexual revolution (perversions, Christians are compromising), a crime revolution (some believe it is easier to leave society and exist in a prison), a divorce revolution (people believe it produces freedom), an unreasonable revolution (people do not understand the basic principles of life)
Morality is being challenged at it’s roots by unworthy standards; these revolutions seek to legitimize themselves
As Christians, we cannot close our eyes to what is going on around us. Many people going to church today have their hearts on the fence; many have nothing but excuses
Isaiah 28:14: we are living in a day of scornful men; they kick against moral values
People today are easily irritated—this is a power of hell in action
Daniel 2:44: the Church is coming into a position to stand up, rise with holy anger as evil begins to knock at our own door
There are so many people in our world struggling against the powers of evil. They need a Savior. We must tell them there is hope. What will you do to help reach them?
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Bought to be Used
2 Corinthians 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.” I have heard this verse many times, but what I find interesting, is how often the rest of the chapter is ignored. Once all things have become new, what we are to do next is found in the following two verses:
“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (verses 18-19).
We have the ministry, and calling of reconciling lost people back to their Creator. In the first part of 2 Corinthians, Paul compares our bodies to just being a tent, or a house, that will eventually be destroyed. We are to be His ambassadors (v.20).
A Peruvian Pastor asks, “Why do you buy a shirt? To use it. Why did Jesus redeem you and buy you with His own blood? To use you for His Kingdom.”
The goal of some Christians is to just make it through life in one piece, because they will get to Heaven regardless; at least they are saved, right? True, but they are missing some major verses in the Bible. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (v.10)
Christians being judged according to their works? No! It can’t be! Well, there is Romans 14:10, too. And 1 Corinthians 3:14. Beyond the promise of rewards (or lack thereof), we should be motivated to reach the lost because Christ’s love compels us. (2 Cor. 5:14.) You were purchased by Jesus. How are you letting Him use you today to reach the world?
“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (verses 18-19).
We have the ministry, and calling of reconciling lost people back to their Creator. In the first part of 2 Corinthians, Paul compares our bodies to just being a tent, or a house, that will eventually be destroyed. We are to be His ambassadors (v.20).
A Peruvian Pastor asks, “Why do you buy a shirt? To use it. Why did Jesus redeem you and buy you with His own blood? To use you for His Kingdom.”
The goal of some Christians is to just make it through life in one piece, because they will get to Heaven regardless; at least they are saved, right? True, but they are missing some major verses in the Bible. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (v.10)
Christians being judged according to their works? No! It can’t be! Well, there is Romans 14:10, too. And 1 Corinthians 3:14. Beyond the promise of rewards (or lack thereof), we should be motivated to reach the lost because Christ’s love compels us. (2 Cor. 5:14.) You were purchased by Jesus. How are you letting Him use you today to reach the world?
Saturday, August 1, 2009
A Special Letter
A letter from one of our contacts in Guatemala (English translation)
To: The President of Global Infusion
“All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.” (Titus 3:15) “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother Jonathan, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.” (Philemon 1:7)
Like these verses, my family and I greet you.
I want to tell you a great testimony, for the glory of the Lord. I was very sick, I had no money to buy medicine and I could not go to the doctor., One night I awoke at 2:00 AM to pray, and I remembered Global Infusion, and thought “they can help me, I am going to ask them for help”, because I needed $370, and I kept praying.
God told me, "Do not ask them, ask Me" and so I kept praying. He said "I am your God, and I am going to touch their hearts." I was amazed, and waited for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and of the prophets Elijah and Elisha.
You sent a group from Global Infusion, which to my surprise brought the answer God had spoken about. The group brought me a gift and said "Pastor Eliub, Global Infusion sent this." I told them thank you and we said good-bye. I closed the door and opened the envelope. It was more than what I had asked God for. I fell on my knees with my family crying and we prayed a lot for you and your family that God would keep you in good health so that you can travel to many parts of the world with your great ministry. I have a lot of gratitude and I can not write (describe) it.
Sincerely,
Pastor Eliub Gutierrez and family
To: The President of Global Infusion
“All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.” (Titus 3:15) “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother Jonathan, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.” (Philemon 1:7)
Like these verses, my family and I greet you.
I want to tell you a great testimony, for the glory of the Lord. I was very sick, I had no money to buy medicine and I could not go to the doctor., One night I awoke at 2:00 AM to pray, and I remembered Global Infusion, and thought “they can help me, I am going to ask them for help”, because I needed $370, and I kept praying.
God told me, "Do not ask them, ask Me" and so I kept praying. He said "I am your God, and I am going to touch their hearts." I was amazed, and waited for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and of the prophets Elijah and Elisha.
You sent a group from Global Infusion, which to my surprise brought the answer God had spoken about. The group brought me a gift and said "Pastor Eliub, Global Infusion sent this." I told them thank you and we said good-bye. I closed the door and opened the envelope. It was more than what I had asked God for. I fell on my knees with my family crying and we prayed a lot for you and your family that God would keep you in good health so that you can travel to many parts of the world with your great ministry. I have a lot of gratitude and I can not write (describe) it.
Sincerely,
Pastor Eliub Gutierrez and family
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