Do you know what leprosy is? It is a horrible skin disease that basically eats away at your body until body parts fall off. If you had leprosy in biblical times, there were not any leper hospitals around to help you. If you had leprosy, you were required to stand about fifty yards away from a healthy person so they would not catch what you had. Not only that, but you were not allowed to take care of yourself. Your hair, your body, your clothes. None of it could be kept clean or washed because you were condemned to die outside the city walls. And if you ever did feel like moving among the healthy, you had to scream the word, “unclean!” everywhere you went.
Luke 17:11 tells the account of ten lepers. Jesus was walking through Samaria and Galilee one day, when a group of men stood up and yelled, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” This unruly, unkempt band of death-row inmates needed a miracle. They needed Jesus. As always, Jesus had compassion on them and ordered them to go see the priest. Why the priest? Because the only way a person could be ruled “clean,” was at the command of the priest. Jesus didn’t lay hands on them. He didn’t pray for them out loud. He simple obeyed the Spirit of God and commanded them to go and see the priest. With Jesus’ reputation well-known, these ten lepers did exactly what He said, because they knew that Jesus healed people. The moment they made a move to obey the command of the Lord, they were healed.
Think about what life would have been like to be a leper in the first century. Then imagine yourself getting healed. What would you do? Wouldn’t it seem right to go and find the one who restored your life back to you? Out of the ten lepers who were healed, only one of them showed a heart of thankfulness. He came running up to Jesus, fell down on his face, and thanked Him over and over again. Jesus was happy to see him, but then asked where the other nine were? Gone. They were long gone. They got what they wanted from Jesus and left.
How many of us often fall into the category of “the other nine.” God has saved us, healed us, delivered us, yet, we carry on in life, holding our breath until the next crisis, then go running back to Him for help. Thankfulness and gratitude require action. God gave away the one and only possession that was more important to Him than air is to us: His Son. How do we thank God?
We often show our appreciation to our friends and families by giving them something that brings them joy. What brings God joy? When another soul is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. When the orphan and widow are defended. When the imprisoned are visited. When the naked are clothed. When the hungry are fed. What we do unto the least of these, we do unto Him. Global Infusion focuses on all of the above, for the people around the world who need it the most.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Life as a candle
I have heard it said that we begin dying from the moment we are born. Nothing can stop the aging process. Our life is very much like a candle. At birth, the candle of our life is lit, and once the flame starts, there is nothing that can be done to extend the life of that candle. Slowly, steadily, over time the flame burns away the wax.
I have also heard it said that time seems to go faster as you get older. Our days fill up with more and more responsibilities. Our schedules get busier. Life may seem to go by quickly because we rarely check how much candle we have left — and the moments that we do check, we realize that a big chunk has burned away since the last time we looked.
The Apostle John begins his Gospel with these verses: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5, NKJV)
As believers, we are called to be a light in the darkness. Matthew 5:14-16 reads, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
I challenge you to examine your life right now. Is it consumed with daily busyness and distractions from the mandate you have on your life as a Christian? These verses in Matthew are not suggestions. You ARE the light of the world - without shining your light, the world will remain in darkness. The world must also see your good works so the Father will be glorified. Neither of these things will happen unless we as Christians make a conscious and proactive effort to fulfill our call to reach the world.
Global Infusion regularly goes to some very dark places in the world. America may have its problems, but many of them pale in comparison to the spiritual darkness, abject poverty, human injustice, and domination of false religions and cults in the countries where we work.
Global Infusion continually reaches thousands of people every year with the life-saving power of Jesus Christ, by spreading His Gospel of salvation as well as meeting their physical needs. You can be a light by supporting us in prayer, giving financially, or joining us on an Infusion Adventure missions trip.
I have also heard it said that time seems to go faster as you get older. Our days fill up with more and more responsibilities. Our schedules get busier. Life may seem to go by quickly because we rarely check how much candle we have left — and the moments that we do check, we realize that a big chunk has burned away since the last time we looked.
The Apostle John begins his Gospel with these verses: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5, NKJV)
As believers, we are called to be a light in the darkness. Matthew 5:14-16 reads, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
I challenge you to examine your life right now. Is it consumed with daily busyness and distractions from the mandate you have on your life as a Christian? These verses in Matthew are not suggestions. You ARE the light of the world - without shining your light, the world will remain in darkness. The world must also see your good works so the Father will be glorified. Neither of these things will happen unless we as Christians make a conscious and proactive effort to fulfill our call to reach the world.
Global Infusion regularly goes to some very dark places in the world. America may have its problems, but many of them pale in comparison to the spiritual darkness, abject poverty, human injustice, and domination of false religions and cults in the countries where we work.
Global Infusion continually reaches thousands of people every year with the life-saving power of Jesus Christ, by spreading His Gospel of salvation as well as meeting their physical needs. You can be a light by supporting us in prayer, giving financially, or joining us on an Infusion Adventure missions trip.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
It's Your Turn
(Taken from Global Infusion's 2010 Prayer Journal)
What do you think they are looking at? What, exactly, are they waiting for? Who, you ask? The witnesses. There’s a cloud of them surrounding you right now. Don’t believe me? Then I guess you didn’t read the verses at the top of this page.
It’s your turn. Many people have paved the way for you to be where you are in the world right now. Some have lived in this century, and have helped you growing up, educating you, and even helping to sponsor your trip. Others, whom you have never met, have been spiritually plowing the tough ground on which you now stand. Others still, have been responsible for carrying God’s Word through very dark periods of history. Some have died for their faith. Many left the safety of their home country, their families, or the promise of a good job or great wealth. Many endured tremendous hardship, poor health, zero amenities, and some denied themselves the privilege and benefits of marriage to dedicate every living day to God and Him alone. Some were Jesus’ very disciples, and they were the catalyst for evangelism and foreign missions as we now know it. But now it’s your turn.
It’s your turn to take what you believe and answer their question. What question is that? It is the question that the witnesses are asking each other every day: “What are they going to do with the product of our sacrifice?” It is up to you to make today count for eternity. When you lay your head on your pillow tonight (if you have one), what will the witnesses be saying. Hopefully, they will see that they did not give up their lives in vain. They will see that every adversity they overcame was completely worth it because someone made sure the saving power of Jesus Christ was made known today. They will grow near to the point of envy as they watch you spend time with an orphan, deliver food to the hungry, provide medicine for a sick family, repair a home, or share your faith with a person who will ultimately make a decision to make Jesus the Lord of their life. They will smile and rejoice because they see there are more Christ-followers spreading the Gospel in the nations of the world than ever before.
And when the days get challenging on the mission field, remember to renew your strength by “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:1). Today, it’s your turn.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
An Amazing Day
Just a few days ago, we celebrated the seventh anniversary of Global Infusion. In the past three months, we have had 10 different missions teams on the field. Shortly before our actual anniversary date, we had an amazing day. For the first time ever, there were FIVE different Global Infusion teams on the field simultaneously — and because they were on different continents, our teams were actively reaching the lost around the world twenty-four hours a day! Teams were in the countries of Thailand, Guatemala, Ukraine, Egypt and Ghana. God has truly been faithful to us over the past seven years of our existence - the fruit of our labors are seeing a harvest.
You have probably heard a sermon preached, or read an article or book about mankind's search for significance. Last month, in the country of South Africa, the culmination of billions of dollars being spent on marketing, ticketing, merchandising, advertising, training, and travel occurred when one man from the country of Spain kicked a soccer ball into a net. A significant moment in sports history. Yet I think about how much time, money and energy was required to reach this moment -- and how many millions of people were involved in making it happen. Then I think about this one goal's eternal significance compared to our five mission teams on the field. While the world celebrates a goal, we are celebrating thousands upon thousands of people being reached with the Gospel, and also seeing physical needs being met.
Many of our teams are ministering among unreached people groups. If you are unfamiliar with the term "unreached people," the Joshua Project defines it as: "An unreached or least-reached people is a people group among which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group."
Global Infusion teams try to reach people who do not have a church to attend (sometimes within several hundred miles), no pastor, no access to medical care, education, or even employment. They have limited government assistance, if any at all, and rarely make demands for their rights (because they usually have none). You see, there is a reason that people are unreached -- they are hard to get to, and it costs a lot of money and time to reach them.
More Infusion Adventures (GI mission trips) are coming up in the Fall and Winter, and we are excited about how God is using our teams to help build His Kingdom. It is almost overwhelming to hear the testimonies pouring from people who have answered the call to the foreign mission field. Humble, determined Christians who are actively fulfilling Jesus' mandate to reach the world for Him. Quite incredible. Very (eternally) significant.
You have probably heard a sermon preached, or read an article or book about mankind's search for significance. Last month, in the country of South Africa, the culmination of billions of dollars being spent on marketing, ticketing, merchandising, advertising, training, and travel occurred when one man from the country of Spain kicked a soccer ball into a net. A significant moment in sports history. Yet I think about how much time, money and energy was required to reach this moment -- and how many millions of people were involved in making it happen. Then I think about this one goal's eternal significance compared to our five mission teams on the field. While the world celebrates a goal, we are celebrating thousands upon thousands of people being reached with the Gospel, and also seeing physical needs being met.
Many of our teams are ministering among unreached people groups. If you are unfamiliar with the term "unreached people," the Joshua Project defines it as: "An unreached or least-reached people is a people group among which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group."
Global Infusion teams try to reach people who do not have a church to attend (sometimes within several hundred miles), no pastor, no access to medical care, education, or even employment. They have limited government assistance, if any at all, and rarely make demands for their rights (because they usually have none). You see, there is a reason that people are unreached -- they are hard to get to, and it costs a lot of money and time to reach them.
More Infusion Adventures (GI mission trips) are coming up in the Fall and Winter, and we are excited about how God is using our teams to help build His Kingdom. It is almost overwhelming to hear the testimonies pouring from people who have answered the call to the foreign mission field. Humble, determined Christians who are actively fulfilling Jesus' mandate to reach the world for Him. Quite incredible. Very (eternally) significant.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Reaching the unreached
This is a record-breaking summer for Global Infusion. Over the span of 3 months, we will have 10 mission teams on the field. By the time most of you receive this letter, we will have teams in Thailand, Egypt, Guatemala, Ukraine and Ghana simultaneously! For several weeks, we will have teams ministering the Gospel, evangelizing the lost, bringing food to the starving, providing medical care for the sick, caring for orphans, helping widows, training and discipling other believers, and much more!
I have recently returned from Guatemala myself, after leading one of the summer GI teams, and I must convey that foreign missions work never gets old or tiring. I will admit that this past trip was one of the most physical trips I’ve been on in a while - carrying hundred-pound bags of beans, or sixty-pound bags of assorted food items to hungry villagers in the mountains and forgotten parts of the city. I don’t share details like that for sympathy, rather, I think it is an amazing opportunity. How often does your average Christian get to travel hundreds of miles to reach the unreached? Those who have never heard the Gospel? Those who are hungry for both material food and spiritual food? If you have not come on a Global Infusion mission trip yet, you are missing out on an amazing privilege. Spending your day as Jesus did, while on the earth, is a surreal experience.
When was the last time you led someone to the Lord? Preached the Gospel in front of hundreds of unsaved teenagers? Prayed for a desperately sick person? Held an orphan? Handed children’s clothes to a widow of 8 children? Gave food to someone starving? Many of whom have no church within hundreds of miles, nor a government agency to bail them out? When was the last time you shared a life-changing experience with people you know and love? This, my friend, is what happens every day on an Infusion Adventure with Global Infusion.
I have recently returned from Guatemala myself, after leading one of the summer GI teams, and I must convey that foreign missions work never gets old or tiring. I will admit that this past trip was one of the most physical trips I’ve been on in a while - carrying hundred-pound bags of beans, or sixty-pound bags of assorted food items to hungry villagers in the mountains and forgotten parts of the city. I don’t share details like that for sympathy, rather, I think it is an amazing opportunity. How often does your average Christian get to travel hundreds of miles to reach the unreached? Those who have never heard the Gospel? Those who are hungry for both material food and spiritual food? If you have not come on a Global Infusion mission trip yet, you are missing out on an amazing privilege. Spending your day as Jesus did, while on the earth, is a surreal experience.
When was the last time you led someone to the Lord? Preached the Gospel in front of hundreds of unsaved teenagers? Prayed for a desperately sick person? Held an orphan? Handed children’s clothes to a widow of 8 children? Gave food to someone starving? Many of whom have no church within hundreds of miles, nor a government agency to bail them out? When was the last time you shared a life-changing experience with people you know and love? This, my friend, is what happens every day on an Infusion Adventure with Global Infusion.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Passion and peace
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1). Is it honestly that easy? Will believing in Jesus give us the ability to not let our own heart be troubled?
I love talking to passionate people — I especially like those who are passionate about building the Kingdom of God, and have a heart for reaching those in other countries who are not surrounded by thousands of opportunities to hear the Gospel. I find, however, that people who truly follow through with their passions, and not just talk about them, face incredible adversity — yet they keep going.
I’ve learned that the world is full of big talkers — people who tell me about everything they are going to do for God. Yet when I check back in with them after a few months, or even a few years, nothing has been done. There are plenty of excuses, but no results. But people with passion are driven. They put their trust in God, and even in the middle of natural chaos, they have supernatural peace. Why? Because they are in the safest place in the world: the middle of God’s will.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). The world will always give us reasons to be afraid — trust me, every country that Global Infusion goes to has had it’s share of everything from natural disasters, to major civil unrest. Yet we go anyway. Not because we are unwise, but because God has not put any conditions on the Great Commission. He simply said, “go.” So we go.
I encourage you to read and meditate on the entire chapter of John 14. God is calling some of you to participate in world missions. His Kingdom will not grow on it’s own. We must go, and go now.
I love talking to passionate people — I especially like those who are passionate about building the Kingdom of God, and have a heart for reaching those in other countries who are not surrounded by thousands of opportunities to hear the Gospel. I find, however, that people who truly follow through with their passions, and not just talk about them, face incredible adversity — yet they keep going.
I’ve learned that the world is full of big talkers — people who tell me about everything they are going to do for God. Yet when I check back in with them after a few months, or even a few years, nothing has been done. There are plenty of excuses, but no results. But people with passion are driven. They put their trust in God, and even in the middle of natural chaos, they have supernatural peace. Why? Because they are in the safest place in the world: the middle of God’s will.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). The world will always give us reasons to be afraid — trust me, every country that Global Infusion goes to has had it’s share of everything from natural disasters, to major civil unrest. Yet we go anyway. Not because we are unwise, but because God has not put any conditions on the Great Commission. He simply said, “go.” So we go.
I encourage you to read and meditate on the entire chapter of John 14. God is calling some of you to participate in world missions. His Kingdom will not grow on it’s own. We must go, and go now.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Do we believe what Jesus says?
How many of us have been to a great church service in the last few weeks? You know, good worship, strong preaching, catching up with some of our friends. We love to go to church, don’t we? How about reading our Bible and praying? Well, I’m sure we can each improve in those areas. What about believing everything we read in the Bible, or hear preached about in sermons? Do we actually believe, or live what Jesus says?
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matt. 28:19-20
I know what you’re thinking: I’m sure Jesus wasn’t talking to everybody. Isn’t there some interpretation of this scripture that says we don’t have to intentionally go to other countries? Are there not Christians already in these places that are supposed to reach their own people? I’ve got my own family to take care of! I thought I only needed to be a “missionary” where I live and work?
“How can they hear without a preacher?” Rom. 10:14
“Look after orphans and widows.” James 1:27
“I was hungry...I was thirsty...I was a stranger…
I was naked…I was sick…I was in prison…. You did not do it to the least of these.” Matt. 25:33-40
We can spend the rest of our lives trying to “interpret” Scripture so we can alleviate ourselves from the burden of dealing with the less fortunate and focus on making sure our bills are paid. Or we can find ways to obey the mandate on our lives to reach our world as Christ would. Supporting Global Infusion by joining us on a missions trip, or donating to this ministry, allows us to bring Jesus to a very hurting world. We need you. They need you.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matt. 28:19-20
I know what you’re thinking: I’m sure Jesus wasn’t talking to everybody. Isn’t there some interpretation of this scripture that says we don’t have to intentionally go to other countries? Are there not Christians already in these places that are supposed to reach their own people? I’ve got my own family to take care of! I thought I only needed to be a “missionary” where I live and work?
“How can they hear without a preacher?” Rom. 10:14
“Look after orphans and widows.” James 1:27
“I was hungry...I was thirsty...I was a stranger…
I was naked…I was sick…I was in prison…. You did not do it to the least of these.” Matt. 25:33-40
We can spend the rest of our lives trying to “interpret” Scripture so we can alleviate ourselves from the burden of dealing with the less fortunate and focus on making sure our bills are paid. Or we can find ways to obey the mandate on our lives to reach our world as Christ would. Supporting Global Infusion by joining us on a missions trip, or donating to this ministry, allows us to bring Jesus to a very hurting world. We need you. They need you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)