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Standing in a Buddhist temple in Cambodia, I was struck by the stark contrast between the lifeless idols before me and the living God I serve. As I watched a monk scurry behind a Buddha statue to plug in lights, I was reminded why I became a missionary 40 years ago. People everywhere are seeking to connect with God, but many remain in darkness because no one has shared the light of Jesus with them.

This is the heart of missions - bringing light to those living in darkness, generation after generation.

Why Should We Care About Reaching the Nations?

Psalm 2:8 tells us, "Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession." God invites us to ask Him for the nations because He sent His Son to die for everyone in the world. It's His will that all would hear and turn their hearts to Jesus Christ.

If we're going to reach the world with the gospel, there are three commitments we must make:

How Do We Reach the Nations Through Prayer?

The first words of Psalm 2:8 are "Ask of me." God wants us to pray, but not just any kind of prayer. He wants us to engage in strategic prayer - the kind that reaches all the way to your heart.

Strategic prayer isn't the kind you forget about moments later. It's the kind where you approach God with a deep need, asking Him to move in profound ways. It's like when you pray for a sick child and say, "God, there's nothing I can do. I just have to leave this with you."

The Power of Strategic Prayer in Missions

When we planted our first church in the Philippines, we lost our lease and had to move to what seemed like a terrible location - a fourth-floor space with no elevator and no parking. I was upset with God until I discovered we were half a block from the largest high school in the world - 42,217 teenagers in one place!

God had strategically positioned us, but when we tried to get permission to share the gospel at the school, the principal firmly opposed us. Despite having endorsements from the governor and mayor, she was determined to block our efforts.

This was when we turned to strategic prayer. We prayed that God would remove this obstacle to the gospel. Six days before our scheduled event, the principal retired! God answered our prayers, and we saw over a thousand young people come to Christ that day.

How Does Financial Support Impact Global Missions?

The second commitment is priority giving. In Psalm 2:8, God says, "I will give you the nations for your inheritance." God examples giving, and the reality is you cannot do missions without money.

Luke 16:11 says, "Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon (money), who will commit to your trust the true riches?" The true riches are souls that will live for eternity - not affected by the stock market or politics. God won't entrust us with these eternal treasures if we're not faithful with our earthly resources.

From Small Beginnings to Massive Impact

We started an evangelistic camp ministry to reach troubled youth who wouldn't come to church. Our first goal was modest - 150 kids at $20 each, requiring $3,000. I called ten pastors to help fund it, and we saw 79 young people saved at that first camp.

The next year we took 570 kids and saw 249 saved. Then we expanded to 1,700 kids with 840 salvations. Eventually, we grew to 50,000 kids in one year with 22,000 coming to Christ! This year in Metro Manila, we'll take 130,000 young people to hear the gospel.

All of this happened because people decided to give beyond themselves to invest in the Great Commission.

Why Should Every Christian Be Involved in Missions?

The third commitment is total involvement. Acts 13:36 says, "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep."

God controls everything - where you were born, who your parents are, and even the moment of your birth. So why did God choose you to be alive in this generation? One answer is that you were born in this generation to serve the gospel to this generation.

We live in an unprecedented time. When my parents went to the mission field in the mid-60s, it took them three and a half weeks by ship to reach the Philippines. Today, we can fly anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours. With technology and AI development, the gospel can spread faster than ever before.

The Indian Ocean Initiative: A Vision for Unreached Nations

God has placed on our hearts the Indian Ocean Initiative - a vision to send missionaries to 35 nations that touch the Indian Ocean. Many of these countries are in desperate need of the gospel.

The Philippines is strategically positioned to be the sending platform for these missionaries. We're asking God to help us send 70 missionaries - two to each country - to evangelize, disciple, and plant churches.

Some of these nations are difficult to enter - Somalia, Yemen, Iran, Pakistan - but we've already placed missionaries in some of these challenging locations. We have 141 graduates from our Bible college ready to go. We have the missionaries and the nations; we just need the resources.

What Can I Do to Support Global Missions?

You have three options in response to this message:

 

  • Ignore it and continue life as usual
  • Accept it but do nothing with it
  • Act on it by changing how you pray, give, or by surrendering to go yourself

 

You could pray differently - when you hear about unrest in a nation, especially in the Indian Ocean region, turn off the news and pray for missionaries to be sent there.

You could give differently - intentionally invest in the Great Commission rather than accumulating more things for yourself.

Or you could surrender and go - join the mission field yourself if God is calling you.

Life Application

This week, I challenge you to take one specific action to participate in God's global mission:

 

  • Set aside 10 minutes each day to pray strategically for a specific unreached nation.
  • Evaluate your giving - are you investing in eternal treasures by supporting missions?
  • Consider if God might be calling you to greater involvement in missions, whether locally or globally.

 

Ask yourself these questions:

 

  • Am I praying strategically for the nations, or are my prayers forgettable?
  • How am I using the resources God has given me to advance His kingdom globally?
  • Why did God place me in this generation, and how am I serving His purposes?
  • What one step can I take this week to be more involved in reaching the nations?

 

Remember, God has positioned you in this time and place for a purpose. Will you ask Him for the nations?