Our Global Portfolio

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus is the True Light of the World

Jesus declared Himself not just as a source of light, but as the only true Light who brings life and hope to those who follow Him. In the context of the Feast of Tabernacles, where the Israelites remembered God’s guidance by fire in the wilderness, Jesus boldly proclaimed that He alone dispels darkness and transforms hearts. His light is not one among many, but the singular, divine light that reveals truth and leads to eternal life. As you consider the darkness in the world and in your own life, remember that only Jesus can truly illuminate and guide you into fullness of life. [01:02]

John 8:12 (ESV)
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel surrounded by darkness or confusion? How can you intentionally invite Jesus, the true Light, to guide you in that area today?

Day 2: God’s People Are Called to Reflect His Light

God’s original intention was for His people to be a light to the nations, drawing others to Himself by reflecting His character and love. Though Israel often failed in this mission, the calling now rests on the Church—to reflect not our own light, but the light of Jesus, so that all peoples might come to know Him. This is a privilege and a responsibility, given to every believer, to shine in a world that desperately needs hope and truth. [02:00]

Isaiah 49:6 (ESV)
He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Reflection: In what practical way can you reflect the light of Jesus to someone outside your usual circle this week?

Day 3: Our Mission Is to Share the Light of Christ

The Church’s mission is not to shine for its own sake, but to share and spread the light of Christ to every corner of the world. This involves both serving others and boldly proclaiming the good news, trusting that God will use our efforts to draw people to Himself. Whether through giving, praying, going, or living out the gospel, every believer is invited to participate in God’s global mission, knowing that even small acts of faithfulness can have eternal impact. [02:23]

Acts 13:47 (ESV)
For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

Reflection: What is one step you can take this week to participate in God’s mission—whether through giving, serving, or sharing your faith?

Day 4: Faithful Investment in God’s Kingdom Brings Eternal Reward

When we invest our resources—time, finances, and talents—into advancing the gospel, we are storing up treasures in heaven. The impact of our giving and serving often extends far beyond what we can see, resulting in lives transformed and people entering God’s kingdom. One day, in eternity, we will meet those whose lives were changed because of our faithfulness, and our true reward will be the joy of seeing God’s work multiplied through our obedience. [06:27]

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Reflection: How might God be inviting you to invest in His kingdom in a way that stretches your faith? What would it look like to trust Him with your resources today?

Day 5: Every Believer Has a Role in God’s Global Mission

No matter your age, background, or season of life, God calls every follower of Jesus to participate in His mission—whether by going, giving, praying, or encouraging others. There is no “retirement” from serving God; each season brings new opportunities to invest in things of eternal value. Your faithfulness, even in small or unseen ways, contributes to the spread of the gospel and the building of God’s kingdom around the world. [34:34]

Romans 12:1 (ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Reflection: What is one way you can offer yourself as a “living sacrifice” in this season of your life, joining in God’s global mission?

Sermon Summary

In the midst of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” This statement, rooted in the rich tradition of God leading His people by fire, reveals that Jesus is not just another light, but the one true Light who alone can transform hearts and the world. God’s intention from the beginning was for His people to reflect His light to the nations, drawing all people to Himself. While Israel faltered in this calling, the mantle now rests on the church—to reflect Christ’s light, not our own, to a world in darkness.

This calling is not abstract; it is a concrete mission. We are invited to participate in God’s outreach mission, which we call “faith promise.” This is a season where we prayerfully consider how to invest our resources—time, finances, and lives—so that the gospel can advance both locally and globally. Faith promise is not about emotional giving or meeting a quota, but about seeking God’s direction and responding in faith, trusting Him to provide what He calls us to give. Each person’s response will look different, but the invitation is for everyone to participate, no matter the size of the gift.

The impact of this collective faith is seen in the stories of our global partners. From the Hmong people in Southeast Asia, where the gospel is reaching marginalized communities, to Bangladesh, Thailand, India, North Africa, Moldova, Haiti, and beyond, God is using ordinary people—some in their eighties, some risking their safety—to bring hope, healing, and transformation. These investments are not just financial; they are eternal. The fruit of our giving is seen in new believers, transformed communities, and even in the faces we will one day meet in eternity who will thank us for our faithfulness.

As we review our “global portfolio,” we see that God multiplies what we entrust to Him. The resources given have built homes, supported hospitals, trained leaders, provided food and water, and most importantly, brought the light of Christ to places of deep darkness. The invitation is to pray, listen to the Spirit, and respond—not out of compulsion, but out of a desire to see God’s light shine ever brighter in the world.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus is the one true Light, not merely a source among many. His declaration at the Feast of Tabernacles was a radical claim to be the fulfillment of God’s promise to lead and illuminate His people. Following Him means we are called out of darkness, not just for our own sake, but to become reflectors of His light in a world desperate for hope. [01:02]
2. The mission to be a light to the nations is not a new idea, but the original calling of God’s people. Israel was meant to draw the nations to God, but now the church carries this privilege and responsibility. This is not a task for “someone else,” but for each of us, wherever we are, to reflect Christ’s light in tangible ways. [02:00]
3. Faith promise giving is an act of trust, not just generosity. It is a spiritual discipline of listening to God, allowing Him to stretch our faith, and investing in what has eternal value. The reward is not just in earthly results, but in the unseen, eternal impact—lives changed, hope restored, and treasures stored in heaven. [06:12]
4. The stories of our global partners remind us that the gospel advances through ordinary faithfulness, often in the face of great risk or sacrifice. Whether it’s a missionary in their eighties, a national believer facing persecution, or a local church responding to crisis, God uses every act of obedience to multiply His kingdom. Our investments, no matter how small, are woven into God’s redemptive story. [13:30]
5. True generosity is not measured by the amount, but by the willingness to give as God leads. The example from Haiti—sharing even half a potato—shows that God values the heart of the giver. The invitation is to give nothing more and nothing less than what the Lord shows you, trusting that He will provide and multiply every offering for His glory. [08:59]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:37] - Jesus, the Light of the World
[01:29] - God’s Mission: Light to the Nations
[02:23] - The Call to Outreach and Faith Promise
[03:28] - What is Faith Promise?
[04:35] - How Faith Promise Works
[06:12] - Eternal Rewards and Heavenly Investment
[07:31] - Faith Promise Card: Ways to Respond
[08:45] - Giving by Faith: Trusting God’s Provision
[10:17] - Reviewing Our Global Portfolio
[11:20] - Southeast Asia: The Hmong Ministry
[14:15] - Bangladesh: The Bullocks’ Legacy
[15:55] - Thailand: Bible Translation and Teen Ministry
[18:04] - India: Hands on Houses and Evangelism
[19:31] - North Africa: The M Family’s Ministry
[20:56] - Moldova: Rich and Joanne Davis
[36:20] - Haiti: Trois Grains and Crisis Response
[38:34] - Fidelis International Seminary
[41:31] - Middle East/North Africa: The Shalhoubs
[43:10] - Cambodia: Sports and Youth Outreach
[43:42] - Ukraine: Church Planting in Conflict
[45:34] - Spain: New Partners, New Stories
[62:01] - 2025 Giving Impact and Special Projects
[65:29] - Haiti: Teaching Hospital and Transformation
[68:28] - Closing Invitation to Pray and Respond

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 8:12 (ESV) — > Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Isaiah 49:6 (ESV) — > He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Acts 13:47 (ESV) — > For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

Observation Questions

In John 8:12, what does Jesus claim about Himself, and what promise does He make to those who follow Him?
According to Isaiah 49:6, what was God’s original intention for His people?
In Acts 13:47, how does Paul apply the calling from Isaiah to the church? ([01:29])
The sermon described the Feast of Tabernacles and the lighting of the temple. What was the significance of Jesus declaring Himself as the Light of the World during this festival? ([00:37])

Interpretation Questions

What does it mean that Jesus is not just “a” light, but “the” Light of the world? How does this shape our understanding of who He is? ([01:02])
The calling to be a “light to the nations” was first given to Israel and now to the church. Why do you think God wants His people to reflect His light, rather than just enjoy it for themselves? ([02:00])
The sermon talked about “faith promise” as a way to participate in God’s mission. How is faith promise different from regular giving or charity? ([03:28])
The stories of global partners included people risking safety, giving sacrificially, and serving into their eighties. What do these stories reveal about the nature of following Jesus and being part of His mission? ([13:30])

Application Questions

Jesus says, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Are there areas in your life where you feel like you’re still walking in darkness? What would it look like to invite Jesus’ light into those areas this week? ([00:37])
The sermon emphasized that reflecting Christ’s light is not just for “someone else,” but for each of us. Where in your daily life (work, neighborhood, family) do you sense God inviting you to be a light? What’s one practical step you could take? ([02:00])
When you think about “faith promise,” what fears or hesitations come up for you about giving by faith? How might you bring those to God in prayer and listen for His direction? ([08:59])
The example from Haiti was about sharing even half a potato. What is something small but meaningful you could share or give this week, trusting God to use it? ([08:45])
The sermon shared stories of ordinary people—some elderly, some facing danger—being used by God. Is there a way you feel “ordinary” or unqualified? How might God want to use you anyway? ([13:30])
The “global portfolio” showed how God multiplies what we entrust to Him. Is there a resource (time, skill, money, relationship) you’ve been holding back that you sense God asking you to invest for His kingdom? What’s one step you could take? ([10:17])
The invitation is to pray, listen to the Spirit, and respond—not out of guilt, but out of desire to see God’s light shine. How can you make space this week to listen for God’s leading about your role in His mission? ([08:59])

Sermon Clips

God's intention for his people in the Hebrew scriptures, which we call the Old Testament often, is for the Jews to be a light to reflect God, to draw the Gentiles, Gentiles, which means non-Jewish folks, non-religious folks, to God. That was the privilege that was supposed to be given to them. But Israel, the Jewish people, for the most part, not exclusively, had forsaken this task. And now it is given to the church. Not someone out there. You and I. This task has been given to reflect the light of Jesus. [00:01:45] (37 seconds) #ReflectTheLight

Faith promise is our annual missions. That's the mission to shine the light, to focus where we join together to invest in gospel advancing projects through our partners and missionaries, multiplying opportunities for people locally and around the world to come to faith in Christ. It's about shining, sharing and shining the light to others. [00:03:31] (19 seconds) #FaithPromiseMission

When you invest financially, we're talking about in faith promise. You're pulling your money along with other followers of Jesus. You are investing in projects that advance the gospel. That's the good news of the light, which stores up treasures in heaven. That's what Jesus said. Do not store treasure here, but in glory. The more believers that invest of us, the more opportunity there is for the gospel to be shared. And for people all over the world to come to faith in Christ. [00:04:02] (28 seconds) #InvestInEternal

One aspect of this is the women's training center that kind of ministers to the often overlooked women of the culture who have either been rejected or used. And abuse and gives them a sense of dignity along with the gospel of Jesus Christ. [00:20:03] (19 seconds) #WomenOfDignity

The interesting thing is that what they report is they're involved in church planning, kind of like the Davises were telling us about. And the really cool thing is, is that in eastern Ukraine, where there's the most conflict, that's actually where the church planning movement has taken off. And because people need hope. And even those who have been misplaced because the line, right, between Russia and Ukraine has been moving, they go to new places and they plant new churches. They had a church here. God puts them in a new place. They plant a new church. [00:44:03] (34 seconds) #HopeInConflict

Because you supported that ministry. There's again, there's 76 men that you're gonna run into that are strangers to you in glory. They're gonna say, thank you, thank you, thank you. Right? And specifically the 20,000, I have the next picture. Right? We invested in two buildings for the skill center. So they teach the gals skills. Right? But they needed a kitchen. They come and they live there. They need somewhere to cook the meals. And so the building on the left is the kitchen. The building on the right is the main hall which was just a dirt floor. And so we helped build the kitchen with $20,000 and the floor as well as some of the other support of that ministry. And that all exists because of that over and above. Right? Amen. [01:04:14] (43 seconds) #BuildingForTheFuture

Over 30 witch doctors have turned their lives over to Christ, which is huge there because voodoo has a strangler hole on the country of Haiti. There have been many churches that have been planted and communities have been transformed. When I came there, you saw a lot of bloated bellies and red hair, which means malnutrition. And you can't find that within a mile now of where people and where their ministry is. [01:06:08] (26 seconds) #VictoryOverVoodoo

A ray of light is shining in the dark country of Haiti because, because of your investment. And that's why I want you to pray about it. And that's why, by the way, we're not collecting cards because I don't want this to be emotional response. Oh, isn't that wonderful to consider the children? No, no, no, no. Yes, but no. I want you, give as the Lord. I want the Lord to move you. That's why we wait on these things. Because we want it to be His work, not our kind of trying to twist in your arm and being proud of how much money did we raise. No. What did God provide kind of a thing. All right? All [01:08:26] (35 seconds) #FaithfulGiving

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