Richard Baxter: Mercies

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.” Lamentations 3:22-24

“All our lives have been filled with mercies. God hath mercifully poured out upon us the riches of sea and land, of heaven and earth. We are fed and clothed with mercy. We have mercies within and without. To number them, is to count the stars or the sands of the seashore. If there be any difference betwixt hell and earth, yea, or heaven and earth, then certainly we have received mercy. If the blood of the Son of God be mercy, then we are engaged to God by mercy. Shall God think nothing too much nor to good for us; and shall we think all too much that we do for him? When I compare my slow and unprofitable life with the frequent and wonderful mercies received, it shames me, it silences me, and leaves me inexcusable.”

Richard Baxter (1615-1691) in The Saints’ Everlasting Rest (Grand Rapids: CCEL), Excerpt from Ch. 7 “The Necessity of Diligently Seeking the Saints Rest, 74.

As I focus more time and attention to prayer in my observance of Lent this year, I notice more mercies of God. To ponder them further, I realize mercy means I don’t get what I deserve.

The world bombards me with messages about entitlement and tells me that I deserve this or that.

God’s Word tells me instead that our generous God shows steadfast love toward me and showers mercies daily. No wonder Jeremiah said, “The Lord is my portion.” That means, with God’s mercies, I have everything I need.

Let’s lean into how this shapes our generosity during and after Lent.

If you start your day giving thanks in prayer for God’s mercies, it fills you with gratitude. That’s the proverbial fuel for generous living, giving, serving, and loving.

Then if proceed through our day knowing that God clothes and showers us with mercies, it means we lack nothing. That dismantles the greatest barrier to generosity: fear of lacking.

Then as our day ends and we reflect on the frequent and wonderful mercies, it dispels the entitlement mindset.

See how reflection on mercies shapes our generosity. It’s what I am learning in real-time and I pray it blesses you.

If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters — yes, even their own life — such a person cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26

“If we love our friend, we love his company; his presence is comfortable, his absence is painful; when he comes to us, we entertain him with gladness; when he dies, we mourn, and usually over-mourn. To be separated from a faithful friend, is like the rending of a member from our body. And would not our desires after God be such, if we really loved him? Nay, should it not be much more than such, as he is, above all friends, most lovely?

May the Lord teach us to look closely to our hearts, and take heed of self-deceit in this point!

Whatever we pretend, if we love either father, mother, husband, wife, child, friend, wealth, or life itself, more than Christ, we are yet “none of his” sincere “disciples.” When it comes to the trial, the question will not be, Who hath preached most, or heard most, or talked most? but, who hath loved most? Christ will not take sermons, prayers, fastings; no, nor the “giving our goods,” nor the “burning our bodies,” instead of love.”

Richard Baxter (1615-1691) in The Saints’ Everlasting Rest (Grand Rapids: CCEL), Excerpt from Ch. 7 “The Necessity of Diligently Seeking the Saints Rest, 117.

What do you love most? Be careful how you answer the question. Baxter would say that your actions reveal your answer. Look closely at your heart and take heed of self-deceit.

God’s desire is not that we be known for our hate of those closest to us. He wants us to love Him more than the people we love most dearly on earth. When we do it actually enhances our love for these people.

But we can’t put them first. It’s something we learn as we give, pray, and fast. We learn to attach first and foremost in love to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we practice the giving of goods, prayer, and fasting this Lent, let’s keep the goal of these practices in view. They aim to deepen our love relationship with Christ.

Any other purpose emerges as simply a waste of time and needless sacrifice. God does not need our money, prayers, or fasts. We need to share money, pray, and set aside our desires.

When we do these things it draws our hearts closer to Him.

What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

“Even the godly themselves are too lazy seekers of their everlasting rest. Alas! what a disproportion is there between our light and heat, our profession and prosecution! Who makes such haste as if it were for heaven? How still we stand! How idly we work! How we talk, and jest, and trifle away our time! How deceitfully we perform the work of God! How we hear, as if we heard not! And pray, as if we prayed not! And examine, and meditate, and reprove sin, as if we did it not! And enjoy Christ, as if we enjoyed him not! as if we had learned to use the things of heaven as the apostle teacheth us to “use the things of the world!”

What a frozen stupidity has benumbed us! We are dying, and we know it, and yet we stir not; we are at the door of eternal happiness or misery, and yet we perceive it not; death knocks, and we hear it not; God and Christ call and cry to us, “Today, if ye will hear my voice, harden not your hearts; work while it is day, for the night cometh, when none can work.” Now ply your business, labor for your lives, lay out all your strength and time now or never! and yet we stir no more than if we were half asleep.

Richard Baxter (1615-1691) in The Saints’ Everlasting Rest (Grand Rapids: CCEL), Excerpt from Ch. 7 “The Necessity of Diligently Seeking the Saints Rest, 71.

I’ve shifted from one Puritan voice to another: from Thomas Watson to Richard Baxter. I am finding that the Puritans really leaned into the idea of “examine” so I will be reading them for a few months.

And I shot the new header photo at Bear Creek yesterday morning shortly after sunrise. Sammy and Emily, my son and daughter-in-law, have two dogs so we enjoyed the view and the trek together.

The biggest challenge for me spending half my time in the undeveloped world and half in the developed world is summed up in today’s post which employs a record number of exclamation points.

The undeveloped world is riddled with poverty and corruption. There, I find great joy helping multiply faithful stewards and bringing standards and structure to churches and ministries so they flourish with local support.

The people in these majority world settings literally struggle to survive. They have few luxuries, lack many basic necessities, and demonstrate an unexpected willingness to share their food and resources.

Then I return to the West. People have lost focus on the value of Christ and the relevance of His teachings for bringing life, help, and hope. In the words of Baxter, all I see is frozen stupidity. Frozen stupidity has benumbed us.

God forgive us. May this Lent be a season of rekindling the fire of the gospel of Jesus Christ in each of us. Through giving, prayer, and fasting, may we heat up the flames of our faith. Hear my prayer Lord.

The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made. Psalm 145:9

“The transactions of Providence are not seen clearly at first; the painter at the first makes but a rough draft of his picture — first a hand, then an eye; but when he hath filled up every part and laid on his colors, it is beautiful to behold. We who live in this age of the Church see but a rough draft of God’s providence, but when we reach heaven, and see all the lineaments of God’s providence drawn out and completed, all will be perfection and wisdom and mercy – kindness and love will seal the whole.”

Thomas Watson in Puritan Gems; or, Wise and Holy Saying of the Rev. Thomas Watson, Anglican Minister. edited and arranged by the Rev. John Adey (London: Snow and Ward, 1850) 115.

Watson keenly describes God’s generosity to all He has made as the transactions and lineaments of a painter. Each brush stroke may not seem to have a purpose, but when taken together, a masterpiece comes into view.

This teaches us that our generosity should appear likewise. It appears not as one grandiose action but as a long series of small acts done with great care, love, and intentionality.

The transactions and the lineaments take shape as imitating the compassion and care of God. What little things can you do today to show God’s generosity as part of a longer term plan?

Today marks the first of seven feast days of Lent. It means we can break whatever fast we have chosen and enjoy a feast giving thanks to God for His providence and care toward us.

When we see provision through the lens of providence, it does more than remind us that God owns everything. It shows us how loving and caring He is and how loving and caring He desires us to act toward others.

Today also marks my son’s 29th birthday. The transactions and lineaments of his life illustrate a fine young man of God whose generosity and compassion reflects our Lord Jesus Christ. I love you Samuel David Hoag.

Remember this and consider; recall it to mind, you transgressors; remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the outcome from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, “My purpose shall stand, and I will fulfill my intention,” Isaiah 46:8-10

“God’s providence is greatly to be observed; but we are not to make it the rule of our actions: “Whoso is wise will
observe these things.” It is good to observe providence, but we must not make it our rule to walk by: providence should be to the Christian as his diary, but not his Bible.”

Thomas Watson in Puritan Gems; or, Wise and Holy Saying of the Rev. Thomas Watson, Anglican Minister. edited and arranged by the Rev. John Adey (London: Snow and Ward, 1850) 116.

Having returned home from Pakistan and pondering the many ways I saw God work – protecting, supplying, guiding, and providing – I have providence on my mind. Today’s post helps us rightly understand it.

Providence is what we notice or observe between God and us. It gives confidence to our generous living for sure. God provided a little snow last night as his creation needs moisture here. I see this when I look outside.

Maybe for you, where you live, you see sun grow crops, or rain water fields. It’s God’s generous providence.

And Watson makes a keen distinction between the terms ‘diary’ and ‘Bible’ in today’s reading. We can recount in a diary what we see God do. We can read in the Bible who God is and how He promises to work.

Do you have a diary such as this. Get one. Maybe start that during Lent. I have a diary that I started when GTP started. I put prayers relying on God’s promises and I post moments when I have witnessed God’s providence.

Generous giving flows our trust in God’s promises and our observations of God’s providence. I pray you rely on the former and recount the latter to help you grow in the grace of giving.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. Luke 14:28-33

“Jesus takes it for granted that his disciples will observe the pious custom of fasting. Strict exercise of self-control is an essential feature of the Christian’s life. Such customs have only one purpose-to make the disciples more ready and cheerful to accomplish those things which God would have done. Fasting helps to discipline the self-indulgent and slothful will which is so reluctant to serve the Lord, and it helps to humiliate and chasten the flesh. By practicing abstemiousness we show the world how different the Christian life is from its own. If there is no element of asceticism in our lives, if we give free rein to the desires of the flesh (taking care of course to keep within the limits of what seems permissible to the world), we shall find it hard to train for the service of Christ.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer in The Cost of Discipleship (New York: Macmillan, 1979) 108.

I made it safely home from Pakistan. Took almost 34 hours to get home. Thanks for your prayers. Let me know if you’d like a copy of my trip report.

Abstemiousness. What a word! Abstemiousness means avoiding excesses and eating and drinking in moderation. In plain terms, Bonhoeffer tells us that abstemiousness represents the self-controlled and pious life.

Part of the reason that disciples of Jesus Christ pursued fasting and self-control, is that we cannot be disciples of Jesus Christ if we don’t exhibit this important trait.

How do you rate? Do you tend toward self-indulgence or slothfulness? If so, lean into fasting this season to “show the world how different the Christian life is from its own.”

And this transformation positions us to live, give, serve, and love more generously. What are you waiting for? Don’t give free rein to the desires of the flesh in your life.

Practicing Lent is abstemiousness training for the service of Christ.

I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. Daniel 10:3

“Even if we wanted to, we could not manipulate God. We fast and pray for results, but the results are in God’s hands. One of the greatest spiritual benefits of fasting is becoming more attentive to God — becoming more aware of our own inadequacies and His adequacy, our own contingencies and His self-sufficiency — and listening to what He wants us to be and do. Christian fasting, therefore, is totally antithetical to, say, Hindu fasting. Both seek results; however, Hindu fasting focuses on the self and tries to get something for a perceived sacrifice. Christian fasting focuses on God. The results are spiritual results that glorify God — both in the person who fasts and others for whom we fast and pray.”

Elmer Towns in The Daniel Fast for Spiritual Breakthrough (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2010) Day 17, 183.

When this posts, I am somewhere between Pakistan and USA.

This meditation seemed fitting as I travel from a region dominated by Islamic and Hindu beliefs where fasting aims to get something. Alternatively, Daniel fasted for 21 days to humble himself before God and to gain understanding.

I pray as we fast during Lent that we will become more attentive and attuned to God.

And I pray that as Islamic and Hindu people fast, that somehow, by the Holy Spirit, that the Heavenly Father would draw them close to Jesus, the only one who can fulfill their deepest longings.

“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12

“In fasting, what we are saying is that more than we enjoy food, we enjoy God… Fasting is feasting on fellowship with God.”

David Platt at Secret Church 19, where he taught on 125 passages dealing with “Prayer, Fasting, and the Pursuit of God.” List compiled here by Eric Roberts.

Happy Ash Wednesday.

It’s a day each year when we return to God with our whole hearts. We enter a season by fasting, weaping, and mourning With Platt, we proclaim that we want to enjoy God more than food. We announce that feasting on fellowship with God is our greatest desire.

To do this we return by taking a posture of repentance.

We repent of disordered attachments. In plain terms, that means we let go of good things that may have become too important to us, and maybe even more important than God in our lives. To repent is to change directions and ask the Holy Spirit to help us put things in order.

We repent of sins that so easily beset us. This refers to habits or patterns of living that do not honor God and are not life-giving to us and to those around us. To repent is to change directions and ask the Holy Spirit to help us put to death these practices and patterns and instead walk by the Spirit so our lives produce fruit.

In this sense, feasting on fellowship with God leads to fruitful living. And one of the many fruits the Spirit produces is generosity. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Galatians 5:22-23

Observing Lent is one of the greatest pathways to growth in generosity.

God, we repent of our sins and return to you this Lent. Help us grow this season. Produce the fruit of the Spirit of generosity in our lives this Lent for your glory. And grant me safe passage home from Pakistan (I depart shortly after the time when email goes out). Amen.

All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. Psalm 104:27-28

“Providence is the hand that turns all the wheels in the universe; it is the pilot who steers the ship of the creation. Providences are sometimes dark, often difficult to decipher. God often writes in shorthand. His providences are often secret, but always wise.”

Thomas Watson in Puritan Gems; or, Wise and Holy Saying of the Rev. Thomas Watson, Anglican Minister. edited and arranged by the Rev. John Adey (London: Snow and Ward, 1850) 115.

I spent some time in prayer in my hotel room as I approach Lent. As “examine” is my word for the year, I wanted to examine what strengthens our ability to practice the Lenten disciplines of giving, prayer, and fasting. It’s God’s providence.

The reason we set aside our desires is because He cares for us more than we care for ourselves. The reason we pray simple, humble prayers of dependence is because He is absolutely dependable. An the reason we give is because He first gave to us.

Walk outside today. Give thanks for God’s providence. Look for His shorthand. What does it say to you? How do you see his matchless care? How does creation rely on His absolute dependability? In what ways do you see His abundant generosity and how might you imitate it?

Now resolve to observe Lent this year rooted in His matchless care. Join me for an Ash Wednesday zoom at 4am Denver time (4pm in Karachi, Pakistan) tomorrow. Register at bit.ly/GTPLent2025. Whether or not you join the zoom, download Lent Companion here and journey with me through Lent.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

“We fast to seek and submit to God’s will… Our spiritual need for God is far more fundamental than our physical need for food and water.”

David Platt at Secret Church 19, where he taught on 125 passages dealing with “Prayer, Fasting, and the Pursuit of God.” List compiled here by Eric Roberts.

We’ve had a remarkable tour of the country, including preaching at the historic cathedral in Karachi, St. Andrews (pictured above). Click here to listen to the message welcoming the church to journey through Lent.

We are fasting lunch today in Pakistan.

Our fast relates not to Lent but to discerning direction regarding next steps. God moved in many ways and from here we want to be sure to submit to God’s will. We need His favor and direction more than food. What about you? Are you facing any decisions? Fasting is the best way to chart a course.

Not sure what to do or how to do it? Journey with GTP through Lent. What is Lent? Lent is special season observed by Christians since the days of the early church.

Christians observe Lent over the 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday by practicing the disciplines of giving, prayer, and fasting which appear at the heart of the Sermon on the Mount. And we pause these practices on the 7 feast days – the 7 Sundays – to celebrate the work Christ has done for us.

This timeframe of 40 days mirrors the time Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness before His earthly ministry began.

In that sense, Lent prepares each of us for the celebration of the resurrection and for our ministry and service after Easter. This year, Lent runs from 5 March 2025 to 20 April 2025. We observe Lent by reading a daily devotional, engaging spiritual practices, and having period zooms together to discuss key learnings.

We want you to join us. Journey through Lent with GTP.

1. Click to download LENT COMPANION here in English or Spanish. Each day you find a short reading, a Scripture, and thoughts to ponder and apply in your life.

2. Join us for zoom calls to explore the Lenten disciplines, to enjoy discussion, and have times of rich learning together. Register here for English or Spanish zooms.

The zooms will take place on 5 March (Giving), 17 March (Prayer), 31 March (Fasting), and 21 April (Life after Lent) at 11am GMT. It’s early for Americans but opens the door for the world to participate.

Whether or not you have done much fasting in the past. Fast with us to seek and submit to God’s will. Our need for God is greater than our need for food.

And I am excited to deliver the first of the four Lent zooms live from Pakistan.