Archives by: Gary Hoag

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26

“Let no one bewail his poverty; let no one who possesses little at home despair of his life, when he looks at the inventiveness of the swallow. When building her nest, she carries the dry twigs in her beak, and not being able to raise the mud in her claws, she moistens the tips of her wings with water, then, rolling in the very fine dust, she thus contrives to secure the mud. After gradually fastening the twigs of wood to each other with mud as with some glue, she raises her young in the nest. If anyone stabs the eyes of these young, she possesses the nature remedy, through which she restores to soundness the sight of her children. Let this warn you not to turn the evil-doing because of poverty, nor in the harshest suffering to cast aside all hope and remain idle and inactive, but to flee to God; for if He bestows such things upon the swallow, how much more will He give to those who call upon Him with their whole heart?”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Homily 8 on “Creation of Winged Creatures and Those Living in the Waters” in Exegetic Homilies, The Fathers of the Church, Volume 46 (CUAP, 2010) 126-127.

We are living in hard inflationary times. Many feel they have nothing to give. If that’s you, I want to encourage you to look at the birds. Basil teaches us much today from the swallow. Notice how the mother gives what she has for her young.

And I love how he echoes the exhortation of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Birds have no barns or bank accounts and limited capacity but God cares for them. And our Lord tells us that we are more valuable than they are.

So if you are enduring the harshest suffering today. With Basil, I beckon you not to cast aside hope and remain idle and inactive. That’s the tendency of hard times. They immobilize us. I feel it too. Do what you can with what you have.

Let us together flee to God. Run to Him for help and hope. Today I am praising God for slow but sure progress toward our goal for GTP. Praying for 25 new givers by 30 June 2022. Click here to give today.

The grant we hope to get will help us grow from 6-12 staff over the next 2 years to increase our capacity to empower national workers to build trust and grow local giving in some of the poorest places on earth where people are really suffering.

Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. Acts 9:36

“You can see that a city is prosperous by the wealth of goods for sale in the market. Land too we call prosperous if it bears rich fruit. And so also the soul may be counted prosperous if it is full of good works of every kind.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) as cited in Drinking From The Hidden Fountain: A Patristic Breviary. Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World by Tomáš Špidlík (Cistercian Publications, 1994) 110.

Everyone thought Tabitha was on her deathbed but God had other plans. I am thankful to be recovering from Covid and praising God my mom’s heart procedure eliminated her atrial fibrillation. Like Tabitha, she’s back in the game!

The world defines prosperity in terms of wealth, goods, and abundant crops. Basil reminds us that a soul full of good works is prosperous, like Tabitha in the early church. She was full of good works and acts of charity.

When we do acts of grace or charity we show we have received grace. We reveal that the key to prosperous living is actually found in receiving and dispensing God’s grace. It’s quite different from the world’s measure.

Nothing can touch grace. Nothing is more beautiful. It’s unmerited favor. Unfathomable blessing. Undeserved kindness. Unconditional love. It’s not what anyone deserves but what everyone wants. Get it and share it!

Think about it. How will you be described on your deathbed? Will people say you had wealth, goods, and abundant harvest? Or will they say you were full of acts of charity? Your living today writes your legacy tomorrow.

Thanks to the charitable givers who have helped GTP this week. We are still praying for 28 more givers to hit a mark set by a foundation considering a big gift. Even $5 or $10 can help. Please click here to give to GTP today.

And [Jesus] said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

“Why are you rich and another poor? Surely it is that you may win the reward of charitableness and faithful stewardship, and he the noble prize of patience? And yet you store up everything in the pockets of insatiable coveteousness and think you wrong no one when you are defrauding many. Who is the covetous man? One for whom plenty is not enough?”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in his homily “I Will Pull Down My Barns” 7.

In Basil’s sermon on Luke 12:13-21, he offers a brilliant reminder to all those blessed with more than enough: “Surely it is that you may win the reward of charitableness and faithful stewardship.”

Let’s look closely at those two ideas.

Firstly, the reward of charitableness is immediate blessing. When the rich extend gracious generosity to those in need, God sees. He blesses. He replenishes them for greater levels of giving. Think of this reward as refreshment.

But what hinders the pursuit of this reward? Covetousness, that is, thinking having plenty is not enough.

Secondly, faithful stewardship is a longer term gain. The rich are faithful when they use the Master’s resources in keeping with His desires. Helping others fits. To share rather than store up for yourself is faithful stewardship.

In real-time, I want to thank the people who responded yesterday and gave a gift. Hang with me.

At GTP we are working with some of the poorest people in difficult situations. And I concur with Basil that these people have won the “noble prize of patience”. But let’s not make them wait forever to be helped!

They are not looking for handouts that create dependencies. They want a hand up to build generous disciples in their context. Yesterday we needed 43 givers. Today the total is down to 30.

As I stated yesterday, at GTP we aim to receive a six-figure grant from a foundation who wants to help us grow our staff. But they want to see more growth in our support base.

We need 30 more new givers before 30 June 2022. Please pray for us to hit the goal.

Even a gift of $5 or $10 will make a difference to help us empower more national workers to build trust and grow local giving, click here to give today.

If you do, I can promise that the poor will be blessed and you will receive the reward of charitableness.

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 1 Timothy 6:7-8

“If every man took only what was sufficient for his needs, leaving the rest to those in want, there would be no rich and no poor. You came into the world naked; whence then came your present wealth? If you say from fate, you are impious because you do not acknowledge the Creator nor return thanks to the Giver; but if you confess that it is from God, tell us on what conditions you have received it.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in PG 31:275.

The vision for no rich and no poor is rooted in each person gathering only what is sufficient for his or her needs. There’s more than enough for everyone but not everyone has enough because many hoard for themselves what God intends for others. Our role is to share.

That word “sufficient” is a big word. Scripture tells us that God’s grace is “sufficient” for us (2 Corinthians 12:9). It’s all we need. His provision is daily. It’s there when we need it. But what do we tend to do? We store up for ourselves what God  intended for us to share with others.

At GTP we are working with some of the poorest people in difficult situations. We are not asking them to depend on outsiders but to share what God supplies and see what happens. It’s remarkable. There’s always enough. God works in amazing ways when we share with others rather than store up for ourselves!

Speaking of sharing, at GTP we aim to receive a six-figure grant from a foundation who wants to see growth in our support base. They want us to have 43 more givers before 30 June 2022. It’s a tall order but gifts of any size count. To help us empower more national workers to build trust and grow local giving, click here to give today.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25

“Under other circumstances I should think it a special privilege to meet with your reverence, but above all now, when the business which brings us together is of such great importance. But so much of my illness as still clings to me is enough to prevent my stirring ever so short a distance. I tried to drive as far as the martyrs and had a relapse almost into my old state. You must therefore forgive me. If the matter can be put off for a few days, I will, by God’s grace join you, and share your anxieties. If the business presses, do, by God’s help, what has to be done; but reckon me as present with you and as participating in your worthy deeds. May you, by the grace of the Holy One, be preserved to God’s Church, strong and joyous in the Lord, and praying for me.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Letter CCII “To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium” in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Series II, Volume 8 (Grand Rapids: CCEL) 688.

This is another letter from Basil.

I recount it today because even as Basil was sick and unable to be present with a friend to share his anxieties, I had to cancel a trip to Austin with some important meetings this week because I am sick. I have Covid.

The reality is that sometimes we cannot physically meet with people as we would like.

Notice that Basil says to move forward with the good work with his support as if he was present and participating with him. I pray the meetings in Austin move forward and go well without me.

And I pray that all who read send a generous note of encouragement to someone today.

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

“It is your lot to share my distress, and to do battle on my behalf. Herein is proof of your manliness. God, who ordains our lives, grants to those who are capable of sustaining great fights greater opportunity of winning renown. You truly have risked your own life as a test of your valour in your friend’s behalf, like gold in the furnace. I pray God that other men may be made better; that you may remain what you are, and that you will not cease to find fault with me, as you do, and to charge me with not writing often to you, as a wrong on my part which does you very great injury. This is an accusation only made by a friend. Persist in demanding the payment of such debts. I am not so very unreasonable in paying the claims of affection.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Letter CCIX in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Series II, Volume 8 (Grand Rapids: CCEL) 705. I want to explore the idea of sharing in one of my favorite early church fathers, Basil the Great, for a while. Enjoy the journey with me.

Today, We find his letter to an unnamed close friend. This is someone who risked his life for him, someone who held Basil accountable to write often, to work together to help each other, to make each other better. And he called such interaction, payment of a debt.

I want to honor Chi-Chung Keung today. He’s shared my distress. He’s my accountability partners. He reaches out to me. Like Basil, I don’t reply often enough. He’s a friend, who loves at all times and yet who interacts with me to make me better. I am thankful for him.

Do you have such a person in your life? Someone who finds fault with you, not to tear you down but to build you up. It requires humility and vulnerability, traits that have not always been strong in me. Find such a person. Let him or her help you grow in generosity as well as other aspects of life.

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:24-25

“A Phoenix gas station owner is losing money at his pumps to try and help his customers. Jaswiendre Singh owns the station at the corner of Osborn Road and 20th Street. He showed us that his supplier sells him gas at $5.66 a gallon as of Wednesday night. But Singh is selling the gas for $5.19 a gallon. That is 47 cents cheaper than the purchase price.

With customers buying around 1,000 gallons per day on average, Singh is losing out on around $500 a day. But he says it’s worth it. “To give a break to the customer and my community. People don’t have the money right now,” Singh said. “My mother and my father did teach us to help if you have something. If you have something you have to share with other people.” Singh gives praise to God for his ability to help others. He and his wife are working more to offset the losses they are feeling at the pump. They make their money inside the store.

When we spoke to Singh in March, he was selling his gas for 10 cents less than he bought it per gallon. With prices going up around a dollar more a gallon since then, he wanted to try and help as much as he could and lowered the price even more. “God gave me help. It doesn’t matter. We are not here to make money right now. I’m very happy to help the other people.”

Jaswiendre Singh in “Phoenix gas station owner sells cheaper gas to help others” as reported by Michael Raimondi on 8 June 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona, on Arizona’s Family News. Special thanks to Randy Bury, daily reader and dear friend who shared this piece with me.

Happy Father’s Day to my dad and to all the father’s out there reading this. It is a good lesson for Father’s Day as it shows the impact of generous parents. Notice at least five layers to Jaswiendre Singh’s story. They are insightful for all of us.

1. The generous person attunes to the needs of others. “To give a break to the customer and my community. People don’t have the money right now,”

2. The generous person learned about generosity from his parents. “My mother and my father did teach us to help if you have something. If you have something you have to share with other people.”

3. The generous person gives praise to God. “Singh gives praise to God for his ability to help others.”

4. The generous person works even harder in difficult times for the benefit of others. “He and his wife are working more to offset the losses they are feeling at the pump. They make their money inside the store.”

5. The generous person realizes that helping others is more important than personal gain. “God gave me help. It doesn’t matter. We are not here to make money right now. I’m very happy to help the other people.”

May this example inspire all of us to live out the meaning of today’s Scripture before a watching world.

God help us attune to the needs of others, teach our children to be generous, give praise to You for the privilege of being generous, work harder in hard times to help others, and realize that providing this help is more important than making gain for ourselves knowing that you will look after us. Amen.

They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. Psalm 145:7

“Financial freedom gives tremendous joy. There are reasons for this.

By lowering your expenses below your income, you will experience far less stress and pressure. The difference between income and expenses is margin. Margin is essentially important.

Imagine a sheet of paper without margins. It becomes unreadable. Imagine your daily agenda, full of activities with no time in between. It becomes exhausting.

Our society today lives at the edge where there is no margin. Margin is the difference between stress and rest.

Without margin, life struggles and staggers and stumbles. But when margin is present, life flows. And flowing is more enjoyable than stumbling.

If your refrigerator breaks down, you don’t. If your car needs servicing, you can go to the garage without wondering where the money is going to come from.

Having financial margin allows generosity towards others. This is one of the most rewarding of all human activities.”

Peter J. Briscoe in Financial Discipleship: Investing in Eternity (Compass Finances God’s Way, 2020) 74.

Yesterday I highlighted that Your Money Counts will be released electronically to GTP constituents in Spanish next month. I also want to report that this book, Financial Discipleship, will also be freely available in digital form for Spanish readers.

This book approaches financial stewardship and generosity from a discipleship perspective. And this excerpt from Briscoe reminds us of the vital importance of margin to create space in our budgets for generosity.

This is a great time for such conversations because we are in an inflationary environment and possibly entering a recession. Times are hard. It means we have to choose to say “no” to some things so we can say “yes” to other things to create margin.

Once we have margin, we are prepared for crisis situations and we have bandwidth for blessing others. Is it time to revisit your budget? Time to create margin by saying “no” to some things so you can say “yes” to deeper levels of generosity?

On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come. 1 Corinthians 16:2

“Humans are by nature selfish. One of the key ways our character becomes conformed to Christ is by habitual giving. Someone once said, “Giving is not God’s way of raising money; it is God’s way of raising people into the likeness of His Son.” The Lord understands that for us to develop into the people He wants us to be, we must learn how to share our possessions freely. If we don’t, our inbred selfishness will grow and dominate us.”

Howard Dayton in Your Money Counts (Tyndale House: Crown Financial Ministries, 1996).

I am excited to share that at GTP we plan to do a webinar in July 2022 with Compass to share the Spanish edition of this classic work, Your Money Counts, with our Latin American constituents for free!

This inspired me to reflect on the book. Today’s post from Dayton echoes the pattern prescribed by the Apostle Paul: habitual giving. Each person should do it, it should happen weekly, and it relates to our income.

The habit change each of us. Collectively, it raises us up as God’s people to look like Jesus. He wants us to live simply and share generously. Those with a little get to share a little. Those with a lot get to share a lot.

When we do this, we deliver ourselves from inbred selfishness and position God to conform us to the image of Christ who is generous. It’s a process we only learn by the habitual practice.

Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare. Psalm 40:5

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings—money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

“Count your blessings” by Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1897)

On my last day visiting my parents, at their church I went to a brown bag hymn sing. It was fun. During hard times when we feel tempest-tossed taking time to worship helps us get perspective.

When we sang this song, I felt a deep sense of thankfulness. After re-reading the lyrics I look time to count my blessings for five minutes. Try it. See what happens.

My hope is that discouragmeent is replaced with comfort, that your burdens are exchanged for blessings, and that your heart is filled with gratitude to position to live generously.