Archive for April, 2017

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19

“When that light of divine providence has once shone upon a godly man, he is then relieved and set free not only from the extreme anxiety and fear that were pressing him before, by from every care. For as he justly dreads fortune, so he fearlessly dares to commit himself to God. His solace, I say, is to know that his Heavenly Father so holds all things in His power, so rules by His authority and will, so governs by His wisdom, that nothing can befall except He determine it.

Moreover it comforts him to know that he has been received into God’s safekeeping and entrusted to the care of His angels, and that neither water, nor fire, nor iron can harm him, except in so far as it pleases God as governor to give them occasion…

Whence, I pray you, do they have this never-failing assurance but from knowing that, when the world appears to be aimlessly tumbled about, the Lord is everywhere at work, and from trusting that His work will be for their welfare? Now if their welfare is assailed either by the devil or by wicked men, then indeed, unless strengthened through remembering and meditating upon providence, they must needs quickly faint away.”

John Calvin (1509-1564) in Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 volumes, ed. John T. McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960) 224. I want to thank my mom, Patsy Hoag, who recently went through heart surgery, for alerting me to today’s quote! She too is thankful for divine providence!

As I think about the intersection between generosity and providence I realize that what God cares about is not how much we give, but what we do not give that shows where we place our trust. If we give either a little or a lot but we also hold back much, we reveal that our trust is not in divine providence but in ourselves.

Conversely, the one who “fearlessly dares to commit himself [or herself] to God” has a solace, and the God who sees all, knows this! Sure “the world appears to be aimlessly tumbled about” but that is no reason to put your trust in yourself. Yea verily, that means people of “never-failing assurance” who trust in God are needed all the more to shine light in these dark times!

Let’s follow Calvin’s advice, lest we too “quickly faint away.” God, make us fearless givers who are filled with comfort and joy because we remember and meditate on divine providence! This is my prayer today as I fly to Indianapolis for meetings on Monday and Tuesday linked to the new initiatives ECFA is rolling out for churches. Exciting stuff!

Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. Luke 24:36b-43

“In every genuine act of caring, God is the agent and I the conduit. God gives Himself through my self-giving; God presences in and through my presencing… The Greek word for “presence” is parousia, a term typically used by theologians to describe the promised Second Coming of Christ that will inaugurate the kingdom of heaven once and for all. But another meaning of parousia is “arrival or “completion.” When we become caring presences, we allow the divine qualities of availability, intimacy, meaning, and creativity to shine through us…”

Kerry Walters in Practicing Presence: The Spirituality of Caring in Everyday Life (Franklin, WI: Sheed & Ward, 2001) 26-27.

As I think about the gift of the presence of Christ between the Resurrection and the Ascension, I marvel at all that He brings to every setting. He startles and frightens while simultaneously bringing peace, joy, and amazement. He’s so out of this world we think He’s a ghost and so down to earth that He sits and enjoys a meal with us. That’s the gift of presence.

My wife is a spiritual director who meets with many women on a monthly or otherwise regular basis to encourage them in their relationship with the Risen Christ! A couple days ago I asked her to share the highlight of her day. She paused, thought for a second, and then commented on the joy of being present with people and feeling like God gave them what they needed through her. She got to be a caring conduit for God!

Think about it. Like Jesus, our generosity toward others is far more than financial. We get to meet people where they are. Our presence might shake and wake them. We might stir and spur them. It may appear both extraordinary and mundane. But if we are conduits of God’s love, we allow God’s peace to arrive, His joy to fill them, and amazing things happen. Give the gift of presence. Serve as a conduit of God’s love.

Remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35b

“Where you and I live [in America], we have been assaulted by the exact opposite message: the road to happiness runs through financial independence. The higher your net worth, the happier you will be. As Christians we inherently know that’s a lie, but it’s an appealing lie, one that can seem to be true. Especially when compared to other biblical truths that suggest we will be happier if we give it all away than if we hold onto it or acquire even more.

Which is why it’s so important for you to join the conversation. I know that you don’t believe the lie, but I also know how hard it is to trust the words of Jesus in our “culture of more.” I also know that there are very few places where you feel safe enough to engage in an honest conversation about your wealth and your faith in Christ. We create that space for you and our only goal is to encourage you to trust Jesus with these issues of wealth and faith. That’s it.”

Todd Harper in Abundant: Experiencing the Incredible Journey of Generosity (Orlando: Generous Giving, 2016) 92.

I shot this new header photo earlier this week on one of my twice-daily walks with my wife and our dog. The horses were near the fence, and the light was shining just right through the clouds here in colorful Colorado. We have great conversations on our walks. Speaking of conversations, today a large group will gather at the Celebration of Generosity hosted by Generous Giving in Orlando, Florida. We will not be there but we pray that God will show up with power through the speakers and by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all who attend.

Throughout the year, I also know that amazing things happen when people attend their 24-hour Journey of Generosity (JOG) events. I have both attended and hosted a number of JOG events. If you are a ministry administrator or pastor, engage Generous Giving to host a JOG for those you serve. If you are reading this meditation outside the USA and you are interested in hosting a JOG, contact Generosity Path, as they are committed to hosting JOG events for groups of givers around the globe. Both these groups will come to you!

Why join this particular conversation? When we follow God’s design for living, we are blessed abundantly, and sometimes those blessings are spiritual and other times they take on material forms. Often wealth and riches fill our homes as a result (cf. Psalm 112:3). What we do with all that God gives us, starting with the gospel, defines our stewardship, shapes our families and our impact on earth as well as our greeting from God in eternity. In that light, this may be one of the most important conversations you could ever join.

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. Luke 8:1-3

“The titans of philanthropy will be remembered for giving to good causes; Gospel Patrons will be remembered for giving to eternal ones. Where philanthropists aim to nourish peoples’ bodies and train their minds, Gospel Patrons prioritize peoples’ souls. Gospel Patrons treat symptoms, but ultimately, they go after the disease.

And to cure any disease you must begin with a correct diagnosis. God’s diagnosis is that humanity’s fundamental problem is not poverty or lack of education. It’s not drugs or disease. It’s not capitalism or communism, politics or religion. Our core problem, the Bible says, is that we’re all sinners, guilty before God and headed for God’s righteous judgment. Like our first parents, Adam and Eve, we turn to our own ways, focus on ourselves, and ignore, neglect, and reject the God who made us. Our relationship with God is broken because of our sin, and the punishment awaiting us is death and hell. That’s the bad news — the true diagnosis.

The good news is that God knows we can’t save ourselves, and He doesn’t ask us to. Even though we act like His enemies, God loves us so much that He sent His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us. Jesus exchanged His life for yours and mine. He died in our place for our sins, taking our punishment on Himself, and rescuing us from the judgment we deserve. He is our substitute, our sacrifice, and our savior. And everyone who turns away from their sins and trusts Jesus will be saved. You don’t have to fix yourself or try harder or do better; you simply have to humble yourself, believe that Jesus paid it all and receive His forgiveness and eternal life. This is the cure.

Understanding our true diagnosis and its one remedy leads us to the most loving and lasting cause we can give ourselves to. Whether we run a company, lead a department, or answer the phone, our mission is the same: to advance the message that Jesus saves people who are lost in sin. God is not looking for philanthropists who can write big checks, but for people who love Him and spread the good news of His son, Jesus.”

John Rinehart in Gospel Patrons: People Whose Generosity Changed the Word (Minneapolis: Reclaimed, 2013) 23-24.

What a great last line: “God is not looking for philanthropists who can write big checks, but for people who love Him and spread the good news of His son, Jesus.” Regardless of our level of wealth, thankfully we can all be “Gospel Patrons” by giving ourselves and resources to making Jesus Christ known, just like the first disciples along with Mary, Joanna, and Susanna! Are you a Gospel Patron?

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

“Men are not to see the disciples but their good works, says Jesus. And these works are none other than those which the Lord Jesus Himself has created in them by calling them to be the light of the world under the shadow of His cross. The good works are poverty, peregrination, meekness, peaceableness, and finally persecution and rejection. All these good works are a bearing of the cross of Jesus Christ.

The cross is a strange light which alone illuminates these good works of the disciples. Jesus does not say that men will see God; they will see the good works and glorify God for them. The cross and the works of the cross, the poverty and renunciation of the blessed in the beatitudes, these are the things which will become visible. Neither the cross, nor their membership in such a community betoken any merit of their own—the praise is due to God alone.

If the good works were a galaxy of human virtues, we should then have to glorify the disciples, not God. But there is nothing for us to glorify in the disciple who bears the cross, or in the community whose light so shines because it stands visibly on the hill—only the Father which is in heaven can be praised for the good works. It is by seeing the cross and the community beneath it that men come to believe in God. But that is the light of the Resurrection.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) in Cost of Discipleship (New York: SCM, 1959) 133-134.

The good works of the cross cause people to glorify God in heaven.

Bonhoeffer’s list moves me: poverty, that is voluntary sacrifice in order to minister to others which is the posture Christ took toward us; peregrination, that is, a willingness to travel all over in service to Christ and His kingdom; meekness, that is, the humble, gracious, unassuming, courteous, and gentle life; peaceableness, that is, calm, composed, contented, and forgiving demeanor toward others; persecution, that is, a willingness to be abused, afflicted, and oppressed; and, rejection, that is, a willingness to suffer abandonment, exile, and revilement for the sake of Christ.

All these are possible only when we die to ourselves. Then the light of the Resurrection shines through us.

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. Lamentations 3:22-26

“It is only the infinite mercy and love of God that has prevented us from tearing ourselves to pieces and destroying His entire creation long ago. People seem to think that it is in some way a proof that no merciful God exists, if we have so many wars. On the contrary, consider how in spite of centuries of sin and greed and lust and cruelty and hatred and avarice and oppression and injustice, spawned and bred by the free wills of men, the human race can still recover, each time, and can still produce man and women who overcome evil with good, hatred with love, greed with charity, lust and cruelty with sanctity. How could all this be possible without the merciful love of God, pouring out His grace upon us? Can there be any doubt where wars come from and where peace comes from, when the children of this world, excluding God from their peace conferences, only manage to bring about greater and greater wars the more they talk about peace?

We only have to open our eyes and look about us to see what our sins are doing to the world, and have done. But we cannot see. We are the ones to whom it is said by the prophets of God: “Hearing hear, and understand not; and see the vision, and know it not” [Isaiah 6:9]. There is not a flower that opens, not a seed that falls to the ground, and not an ear of wheat that nods on the end of its stalk in the wind that does not preach and proclaim the greatness and the mercy of God to the whole world. There is not an act of kindness or generosity, not an act of sacrifice done, or a word of peace and gentleness spoke, not a child’s prayer uttered, that does not sing hymns to God before His throne, and in the eyes of men, and before their faces…We refuse to hear the million different voices through which God speaks to us, and every refusal hardens us more and more against His grace — and yet He continues to speak to us: and we say He is without mercy!”

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) in The Seven Storey Mountain (New York: Image Books, 1970) 161-162. This is an extraordinary autobiography and spiritual classic of the last century.

The world does not believe a merciful God exists because of the pervasive evil and darkness everywhere. My prayer today is that our lives send a different message. Our generosity must proclaim that there is a God and He has so lavished His grace, mercy, love, and goodness on us that we cannot help but to extend it to others in abundance. God is not without mercy. His mercies never cease but are new every morning!

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:32-34

“This confidence partly rests on trust in divine Providence for the provision of ordinary needs: in the language of reference groups established previously, to be a disciple is a matter of belonging to the group of those who know they have a Father in heaven, rather than to the “nations” who must pursue the means of material sustenance. But partly it rests on a different account of security itself, an account that claims that even when they are supplied, material provisions remain continually subject to threat and contingency — to the “moth and rust which corrupt and the thief who breaks in to steal.” Beyond the assurance that God will provide what God’s children need, there is the claim that what they need is not finally the things that all pursue, but God’s own reign, to which all these are added almost incidentally…

As serious and flat-footed as the imperative “Sell your possessions,” we have seen that it cannot consistently be taken as Luke’s “rule.” Instead, it is an invitation to enact and thus to witness to the truth of Luke’s proclamation that in Jesus the Dayspring from on high has visited and redeemed His people. By their extraordinary generosity to the poor (21:1-4) or by their voluntary poverty (12:33), by their refusal to call anything their own (Acts 4:32) or by their simple hospitality to the messengers of the kingdom, the disciples celebrate the liberty of the people of God, who live proleptically under God’s reign even as they look for the kingdom to come.

But if this did not and does not produce a rule for the Christian treatment of possessions, it does rule out certain things: there is no room in this view for business as usual. The ordinary functions of possessions — to ensure status and power and invulnerability over against others — are all excluded. Possessions become useful and acceptable within the Christian community exactly insofar as they become dispensable to their possessors, and thus available for dispersal as the the material needs of others or the spiritual needs of their erstwhile owners make it expedient.”

Sondra Ely Wheeler in Wealth as Peril and Obligation: the New Testament on Possessions (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995) 71-72.

It is a privilege to serve as spiritual and strategic counsel to Christian Super of Australia, as their mission is to help people live with financial health and understanding. In a recent Skype with Tim Macready, one of their senior administrators, we were discussing solid scholarly books that present NT views on money and possessions and this was one of the books we mentioned, so I pulled it off the shelf and read the chapter on Luke 12:22-34. This chapter, by the way, is required reading for all students who take my course: Life in the Economy of God (syllabus available upon request).

It’s our nature to seek a rule for handling money so we can fulfill it and check off a box, though such a course is not found in the NT because it would lead to pride and other vices. Such a path also reveals that our lives remain under our own reign. Wheeler rightly emphasizes that disciples need not fear because they have a faithful Father whose call to obedience is about something bigger than money. God wants us to take hold of life under His reign. Those who do shift from ordinary to extraordinary in all facets of their existence, including their generosity. They also cease using money “to ensure status and power and invulnerability over against others” because they have found the only source of safety and security is divine Providence.

Providence is my word for 2017. Though we are only about 1/3 of the way into the year, in contemplating “Providence” I am realizing how little any of us have control over, how vulnerable we all really are, and how silly it is that so many people put their trust in money. Thankfully we have a God who cares for us, sustains us, and desires that we grasp life in the kingdom and play our role as conduits of material and spiritual blessings. That’s what I am learning.

What about you? What are you learning? Have you taken hold of life under God’s reign? Are the money and possessions you steward both dispensable and available for God’s work, for the needy, and for other kingdom purposes?

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

“We have a new King, and we are called to live into His new kingdom. Those who encounter the risen Christ are, like Paul, changed, and this in turn changes not only our inner life but how we address the world around us. Christians, justified and liberated by our risen Lord, are called to do unexpected deeds that challenge people and transform communities. And because of Christ’s resurrection, none of this work is in vain…

When Jesus refashions the world by His resurrection, He does so in a way that surprises, offends, and delights us. Jesus envisions a world flipped upside down, or better, right side up. The dead are made alive, the foolish are wise, the humble are exalted, the hungry are filled, and the poor are made rich. Jesus invites us to affirm the goodness of creation without denying the harsher realities of our sin-soaked world.”

Kelly Kapic in God So Loved, He Gave: Entering the Movement of Divine Generosity (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010) 178-179.

It’s been a week since we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. Our life in Him propels us to grasp life in His kingdom and to help others around us experience it too. Outside our townhouse, the blooming tree and the blue sky (pictured above) remind me of the life we have in Christ and how beautiful it is!

What about you? Are you encouraging people to grasp life in the kingdom where you are? Take some time in solitude today to give thanks to God again for the resurrection and for the life we have as a result. Ask God what “unexpected deeds” He might have in store for you. Resolve to give yourself to His work.

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Mark 3:5

“Jesus’ anger is our medicine. It cures us of our shame. It remedies our wrong thinking by yanking us out of the clutch of mesmerizing lies that skew our thoughts. Jesus’ anger is a gift, not a punishment. It’s a flash flood warning, so to speak. It’s a loving, benevolent warning meant to steer us away from the “flood,” so we won’t drown. Just as floods rain down within seconds, destroying within minutes lovely buildings, fancy cars, and precious human lives, so sin sweeps people away sometimes quickly. Jesus doesn’t’ want you to be swept away by sin. He wants to save your from all sin, including the harsh sins of other people.

I thank Jesus for His anger; it assures us that God’s love isn’t angerless or toothless or indifferent to the evil that besieges us. “God is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day” (Psalm 7:11). God is angry about the sins that beat you down. God is angry about injustices you’ve suffered. God’s anger is your shield. God’s anger is your refuge. God’s anger is your pillow to rest upon. I believe God is displeased when any sins at all are committed against you, including when you sin against yourself.”

Sarah Sumner in Angry Like Jesus: Using His Example to Spark Your Moral Courage (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2015) 34-35.

I was angry about something this week, so I decided to explore the idea of the anger of Jesus as presented in 15 different scenes in the Gospels. That was enlightening! No wonder the Apostle Paul urged us to “be angry” and yet coupled it with “yet do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). When Jesus was rightly angry, he was saying, unashamedly and with courage: “That’s not right!” or in biblical terms, “That’s not righteous!” No wonder Psalm 7:11 tells us that God has anger or indignation daily. He sees everything and is unafraid to say: “That’s not right!” The key for us is that we must be angry with compassion rather than condemnation so we maintain a posture of love toward people.

In recounting 15 scenes where Jesus exhibits anger, Sumner helped me realize how to direct my anger rightly. In that light, I celebrate her conclusion: “Jesus’ anger is a gift.” There is much that is not right in this world. We get to speak out with Jesus, the Apostle Paul, and countless others with courage about such matters, but we must be careful to do this in a manner that shows love and compassion rather than law and condemnation toward others. For further counsel on how to do this, consider Paul’s counsel on Christian living in Ephesians 4:17-32, and give thanks with me (and Sumner) that Jesus’ anger is a generous gift! Without it, we’d be nothing but frustrated. Because of it, we can trust that someday He will make everything right!

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

“Mentoring relationships take many forms. Perhaps one familiar to most people is when an older person (the mentor) guides, tutors, coaches, or otherwise influences a younger person (the protégé) in a profound, lasting way. This is the sort of relationship that Mentor had with Telemachus and that Paul had with Timothy…

However, the more one investigates the practice of mentoring in our society, the more one finds an interesting phenomenon: many of the characteristics that define mentor/protégé relationships are also taking place among people who are basically the same age — within five or six years of each other. At first one is tempted to describe these simply as friendships, but they are actually peers mentoring each other. Peer mentoring has enormous benefits, and I strongly encourage you to pursue these kinds of relationships.”

Howard Hendricks & William Hendricks in As Iron Sharpens Iron: Building Character in a Mentoring Relationship (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995) 32.

This was “seminary week” for the Hoags.

Jenni spent Monday through Wednesday with faculty, administrators, students, and other Hiller Fellows at Sioux Falls Seminary. Upon returning home, she shared how enriching the experience was with Ruth Haley Barton and others, and that it inspired her to further interaction with peers engaged in soul care and spiritual direction work.

Then I flew to Dallas and am edified by the privilege of facilitating discussions with leaders of 14 seminaries at Dallas Theological Seminary (where the late Howard Hendricks taught for years). When peers come together, they are a gift to each other. They share everything from best practices to lessons learned (often the hard way).

Find peers with whom to collaborate in the kingdom. Share generously what you have learned as a gift to others, and in God’s economy you too will reap enormous benefits.