Archives by: Gary Hoag

Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. 1 Kings 18:21

“On receiving information that Phoenicia was still suffering from the madness of the demons’ rites, John got together certain monks who were fired with divine zeal armed them with imperial edicts and despatched them against the idols’ shrines. The money which was required to pay the craftsmen and their assistants who were engaged in the work of destruction was not taken by John from imperial resources, but he persuaded certain wealthy and faithful women to make liberal contributions, pointing out to them how great would be the blessing their generosity would win. Thus the remaining shrines of the demons were utterly destroyed.”

Theodoret of Cyrus (393-457) in Chapter 29 of The Ecclesiastical History (c. 455) entitled “Of the idol temples which were destroyed by John [Chrysostom] in Phoenicia.”

Today’s Scripture comes from the time when Elijah stood alone against the prophets of Baal. The people were vacillating in their allegiance. When he confronted them, they remained silent. So, regardless of their response, he acted boldly to demonstrate the power of God.

We find a similar instance in church history recounted by Theodoret of Cyrus.

He writes of the work of John Chrysostom. When the spiritual forces of evil were creating havoc in Phoenicia, John deployed zealous monks resourced by wealthy and faithful women to destroy their shrines. In plain terms, John was reclaiming the territory from the spiritual forces of evil.

It struck me that John reminded the givers “how great would be the blessing their generosity would win.”

We need to do a better job at this in modern times. We must help people see how great the blessing and the victory that their giving can bring about. In our work with GTP around the world, the spiritual forces of evil have established corrupt structures. Bringing them down requires the work of zealous servants and the giving of generous supporters.

God help us inspire those with wealth to use it to retake territory for the kingdom.

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43

“O Lord, You have freed us from the fear of death. You have made the end of life here the beginning of a true life for us. You, who compassionately gave paradise back to the man crucified with You, remember me also in Your kingdom. If I have committed sins in word, deed, or thought because of the weakness of our nature, don’t let Your eyes discover them. You, who have power on earth to forgive sins, forgive me so that I may be refreshed. May I be found before you once I have put off my body, having no fault in the form of my soul. May my soul be received into Your hands, blameless and spotless, as an offering before You.”

Macrina the Younger (c. 327-379) was the sister of Basil the Great of Ceasarea and Gregory of Nyssa. Macrina the Elder was her mom.

These words are ascribed to her before her death. Read “Dialogue on the Soul and Resurrection” by Gregory of Nyssa to learn more. Macrina draws our attention to a key theme in Lent: repentance.

She echoes today’s Scripture with the interchange between Jesus and the thief on the cross. The word we are exploring this year, “remember,” appears both in the Scripture and in today’s post which is Macrina’s prayer.

When we ask God to forgive us our sins, in word, deed, or thought, He does.

We are refreshed, and not just refreshed, it renews us to give our lives back to Him as a blameless and spotless offering. This happens not because we are perfect, but because He has washed and cleansed us.

This relates to generosity as the only blameless and spotless offerings are those cleansed by repentance.

Remember, the gift of paradise awaits the humble, but that comes later. Now as we live each day as washed souls, our lives are the offering. God blesses and refreshes us to bless and refresh others.

Jesus, remember us today wherever we are. Forgive us our sins, make our lives into blameless and spotless offerings by your Spirit at work in us. Bless others through us today and remember us when you come into your kingdom. Amen.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. Psalm 19:1-2

“For not as yet had that great and precious thing, man, come into the world of being; it was not to be looked for that the ruler should appear before the subjects of his rule; but when his dominion was prepared, the next step was that the king should be manifested. When, then, the Maker of all had prepared beforehand, as it were, a royal lodging for the future king (and this was the land, and islands, and sea, and the heaven arching like a roof over them), and when all kinds of wealth had been stored in this palace (and by wealth I mean the whole creation, all that is in plants and trees, and all that has sense, and breath, and life; and—if we are to account materials also as wealth—all that for their beauty are reckoned precious in the eyes of men, as gold and silver, and the substances of your jewels which men delight in—having concealed, I say, abundance of all these also in the bosom of the earth as in a royal treasure-house), he thus manifests man in the world, to be the beholder of some of the wonders therein, and the lord of others; that by his enjoyment he might have knowledge of the Giver, and by the beauty and majesty of the things he saw might trace out that power of the Maker which is beyond speech and language.”

Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-395) in “That it was reasonable that man should be created last of the creatures” in “On the Making of Man” in Gregory of Nyssa: Dogmatic Treatises (Grand Rapids: CCEL) 531-32.

Today marks the second feast day of Lent. My advice is to go outside and give thanks for the awesomeness of creation as we continue our journey to Easter. Take a walk. See snow-capped mountains or the deep blue sea. Trek through woods or open spaces. Or gaze out a window if you must remain indoors.

May our enjoyment of all God has created enhance our knowledge of the Giver. Also, may the beauty and majesty remind us of the power of our Maker. This gives hope to the hopeless, peace to the struggling, and joy to the sad. Why? Our generous God can do anything.

And He’s given us, as stewards of His creation, many responsibiltiies and promises. Today, think of the abundance around you. What can you do with it? How can you put it to work to produce flourishing? His promises fill you us with wisdom and courage, reminding us that He is with us.

We cannot live on food alone, but need to feast on the Word of God. I suggest you feast on Psalm 19 and 20 today. As our knowledge of the Giver grows along with our grasp of His power, we become more generous because we start to understand the God who is conforming us into His image through our humble obedience.

Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. Isaiah 5:8

“One of us has oppressed the poor, and wrested from him his portion of land, and wrongly encroached upon his landmark by fraud or violence, and joined house to house, and field to field, to rob his neighbour of something, and been eager to have no neighbour, so as to dwell alone on the earth [Isaiah 5:8]. Another has defiled the land with usury and interest, both gathering where he had not sowed and reaping where he had not strawed [Matthew 25:26], farming, not the land, but the necessity of the needy.

Another has robbed God [Malachi 3:8] the giver of all, of the firstfruits of the barnfloor and winepress, showing himself at once thankless and senseless, in neither giving thanks for what he has had, nor prudently providing, at least, for the future. Another has had no pity on the widow and orphan, and not imparted his bread and meagre nourishment to the needy, or rather to Christ, Who is nourished in the persons of those who are nourished even in a slight degree; a man perhaps of much property unexpectedly gained, for this is the most unjust of all, who finds his many barns too narrow for him, filling some and emptying others, to build greater [Luke 12:18] ones for future crops, not knowing that he is being snatched away with hopes unrealised, to give an account of his riches and fancies, and proved to have been a bad steward of another’s goods.

Another has turned aside the way of the meek [Amos 2:7], and turned aside the just among the unjust; another has hated him that reproveth in the gates [Isaiah 29:21], and abhorred him that speaketh uprightly [Amos 5:10]; another has sacrificed to his net which catches much [Habakkuk 1:16], and keeping the spoil of the poor in his house [Isaiah 3:14], has either remembered not God, or remembered Him ill—by saying “Blessed be the Lord, for we are rich,” [Zechariah 11:5] and wickedly supposed that he received these things from Him by Whom he will be punished.

For because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience [Ephesians 5:6]. Because of these things the heaven is shut, or opened for our punishment; and much more, if we do not repent, even when smitten, and draw near to Him, Who approaches us through the powers of nature.”

Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390) in “On His Father’s Silence, Because of the Plague of Hail” 18 in Selected Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen (translated by Charles Gordon Browne and James Edward Swallow) 521-22.

Gregory of Nazianzus is the fourth of the four Doctors of the Eastern Church. His homilies are loaded with Scripture. He knew the Word of God and quotes texts not familiar to many biblical readers. In so doing he connects the dots for us about a key idea: if we handle money like the world we are children of disobedience and the only right course is repentance.

Though culture says accumulating houses, practicing usury, charging interest, and farming “the necessity of the needy” are acceptable activities, they are an abomination to the Lord. We must not be found taking advantage those He has resourced us to serve. Don’t engage in business to make money from them.

Gregory also warms those who credit God for making them rich. If God positioned you for generosity, he would say, don’t claim the right to retain His bountifully blessings. Those who do are doing nothing more than keeping the spoil of the poor in their  own houses. In God’s eyes, it’s thievery. Please, remember God.

At this point, some might unsubscribe. You might say this guy has crossed the line. Look up each Scripture. See for yourself. And since it’s Lent, a time of repentance, humble yourself before God. Ask Him what needs to change in your life. Follow the leading of the Spirit. Seriously, don’t shut heaven for yourself by saying you believe one thing and doing the opposite.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

“Tell me, will you seek to obtain this vulgar glory? Do not, I beg and entreat you. It turns everything upside down; it is the mother of avarice, of slander, of false witness, of treacheries; it arms and exasperates those who have received no injury against those who have inflicted none. He who has fallen into this disease neither knows friendship nor remembers old companionship, and knows not how to respect any one at all; he has cast away from his soul all goodness, and is at war with every one, unstable, without natural affection.”

John Chyrsostom (c. 347-407) in Homilies on the Gospel of John 3.6. Chrysostom is the third of four Doctors of the Eastern Church.

I hope you like the new header photo of my neighborhood with a fresh blanket of snow set against the bright blue sky. It shouted of the glory of God and His goodness to creation.

Glory and goodness belong to God. When Jesus walked the earth we saw the visible manifestation of this glory and goodness. As the Spirit works in us, we can reflect His glory, but we are only mirrors. We also dispense His generosity, but we are only pipes. He’s the Source!

If we seek glory in our giving, what appears through us is the opposite of goodness, which is the biblical term for generosity. We produce avarice and host of other treacheries as Chrysostom put it. But why? When we seek glory we attach to the wrong thing which causes us to lose the connections which give us life and community.

Worst of all, we lose our connection to the Source. Want to grow in generosity? Do not to seek glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5

“The origin of idolatry is similar [to the origin of evil which resides in the perverted choice of the darkened soul]. The soul, materialised by forgetting God, and engrossed in earthly things, makes them into gods. The race of men descends into a hopeless depth of delusion and superstition.”

Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 296-373) in “Against the Heathen” 1.8 in Athanasius: Select Works and Letters (Grand Rapids: CCEL) 148. Athanasius is the second of four Doctors of the Eastern Church.

There is a lot in this short statement by Athanasius. It gives us insight in how to avoid greed, which is both idolatry and the opposite of generosity. Three thoughts surface.

Firstly, idolatry is the result of “the perverted choice of the darkened soul.” We are all guilty of it. In our fallen nature, we make the choice to serve things other than God.

Secondly, stuff of a material sort captivates us. Earthly things engross our attention and affections. We become slaves to whatever we hold on it. Things becomes to us as gods.

Thirdly, all humanity is trapped by this hopeless pattern. No one is immune. It leads everyone into a downward spiral of irrational and unjustified behavior.

Of course, elsewhere Athanasius points readers to Christ as our only hope. Ironically, when we listen to Christ, he offers the antidote to greed. What is it? It’s generous giving rooted in deep trust in God.

Help those around you avoid the depths of despair. Remind them to be engrossed in Christ this Lent, who teaches us how to live, in part, through practicing the disciplines of prayer, fasting, and giving.

In case you missed my Lent Companion, click to download it freely.

God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them. Hebrews 6:10

“I am very much astonished to hear that, after the kind promises which you made and which were only such as might be expected from your generous character, you have now forgotten them and are putting violent and stern pressure on our sister. What to think, under the circumstances, I really do not know. I know from many who have experienced your liberality, and bear testimony to it, how great it is; and I remember the promises which you made before me and the ex-prefect.

You said that you were naming a shorter time in writing, but that you would grant a longer term of grace, from your wish to meet the necessities of the case, and do a favour to the widow, who is now compelled to pay out of her substance such a large sum of money at once. What is the cause of this change I cannot imagine?

However, whatever it is, I beg you to be mindful of your own generous character, and to look to the Lord Who requites good deeds. I beg you to grant the time of remission, which you promised at the outset, that they may be able to sell their property and discharge the debt. I perfectly well remember that you promised, if you received the sum agreed on, to restore to the widow all the stipulated documents, as well those which had been executed before the magistrates as the private papers.

I do beg you then, honour me and win great blessing for yourself from the Lord. Remember your own promises, recognizing that you are human and must yourself look for that time when you will need God’s help. Do not shut yourself off from that help by your present severity; but, by showing all kindness and clemency to the afflicted, attract God’s pity to yourself.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Letter CVIII “To the guardian of the heirs of Julitta” (dated A.D. 372) in Basil: Letters and Select Works, edited by Philip Schaff (CCEL: Grand Rapids) 545.

God sees everything. He sees our good days and bad ones, our service and our sins. And He loves us.

He also wants us to serve as agents of blessing, and this charge comes with the promise He will not forget when we help His people. When we do so, we attract His help.

In today’s post, Basil of Caesarea, writes the guardian of the heirs of a deceased woman and urging the guardian to live out his generous reputation.

What about each of us? Will we? If we promise to do things, we must remember those promises and follow through with generous commitments.

Let’s do this knowing that God sees and will care for us as we care for others. It might require sacrifice but it is nothing compared to Christ’s sacrifice for us.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2

“With tears and groans, I conjure you to remember. While we run the way of this world, we must not clothe ourselves with tw\o coats, that is, with a twofold faith, or burden ourselves with leather shoes, that is, with dead works; we must not allow scrips filled with money to weigh us down, or lean upon the staff of worldly power. We must not seek to possess both Christ and the world. No; things eternal must take the place of things transitory; and since, physically speaking, we daily anticipate death, if we wish for immortality we must realize that we are but mortal.”

Jerome of Stridon (c. 342-420) in Letter to Marcella 23.4 (written c. 384; translated by M.A. Freemantle; CCEL: Grand Rapids). Jerome is the fourth of four Doctors of the Western Church. Tomorrow we turn to the four Doctors of the Eastern Church.

We are living in a time when we are sensitive to the fact that many are dying around us. In this case, Marcella was devastated by the loss of a fellow ministry worker. Jerome wrote a letter to encourage her. This excerpt comes from the conclusion to the letter.

He urges her (and us) not to carry two coats through life, avoiding a twofold faith. We must not trust in the things that world does, but only trust in God. We must not lean on power, possessions, or pleasures but on Christ alone. And we must live in anticipation of death.

On this note I want to wish my father, Jack Hoag, a happy birthday. He’s 82 (and counting) but he and mom have simplified and with what strength they have remaining, they are living for eternity in anticipation immortality. Well done, dad. Happy Birthday.

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24

“Differently to be admonished are those that are at variance and those that are at peace. For those that are at variance are to be admonished to know most certainly that, in whatever virtues they may abound, they can by no means become spiritual if they neglect becoming united to their neighbours by concord… Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord… The one hope of our calling, therefore, is never reached, if we run not to it with a mind at one with our neighbours… Those who are at variance are to be admonished to take note that they offer to God no sacrifice of good work so long as they are not in charity with their neighbours.”

Gregory the Great (c. 540-604) in The Pastoral Rule, Book 2, Chapter 22, Admonition 23. Gregory is the third of four Doctors of the Western Church.

What does Gregory want everyone who desires to give generously and to grow spiritually to remember?

In short, go back to the heart of the Sermon on the Mount (see today’s Scripture), and don’t bring any gifts to God while you are at variance with your neighbor. Get reconciled. But how?

This is relevant as I am struggling with a close relationship at variance. Perhaps you are too? Gregory would say that alignment is located “in charity” with each other or seasoned with grace.

We must extend mercy and forgiveness to one another in kindness. Even as we have received mercy and forgiveness with kindness from God.

God wants our hearts right with Him and our with neighbors before we bring any gifts. After we reconcile those relationships with grace, we are positioned to give generously.

From that place, the gifts that flow through us are the blessings from God that come from being in alignment (rather than at variance) with His design for us and our neighbors.

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve. 1 Peter 5:2

“Ye remember, my children, that a friend of ours who seemed to recommend himself by his assiduity in his duties, yet was not admitted by me into the number of the clergy, because his gestures were too unseemly. Also that I bade one, whom I found already among the clergy, never to go in front of me, because he actually pained me by the seeming arrogance of his gait. That is what I said when he returned to his duty after an offence committed. This alone I would not allow, nor did my mind deceive me. For both have left the Church. What their gait betrayed them to be, such were they proved to be by the faithlessness of their hearts. The one forsook his faith at the time of the Arian troubles; the other, through love of money, denied that he belonged to us, so that he might not have to undergo sentence at the hands of the Church. In their gait was discernible the semblance of fickleness, the appearance, as it were, of wandering buffoons.”

Ambrose of Milan in On the Duties of Clergy 1.72 (translated by H. De Romestin). Ambrose is the second of four Doctors in the Western Church. Today I am exploring what he wants us to “remember” as it relates to generosity.

On this first feast day of Lent, I am directing this meditation to anyone in ministry or who has a responsibility to shepherd others in any way. What’s your gait?

In today’s Scripture, the Apostle Peter calls us to serve willingly not for gain but for the good of others. This is needed in every generation. Remember in the days of Jesus, the religious leaders would parade their service and exhibit a greediness for gain. It’s never acceptable.

Gait refers to our posture of service and motivation. Again, I ask. What’s your gait?

In the days of Ambrose the Arian troubles led many to compromise the message of the gospel. The same temptation persists today, and it is only going to get worse in the times in which we find ourselves. And many served for love of money rather than love of God.

Those with such a gait appear as wandering bafoons. Know any?

My prayer for all who serve is that our gait will be characterized with service and generosity. May our voices echo Jesus without compromise and be motivated not by what we get but by what we can give. Our role is simply to receive spiritual and material blessings and to serve humbly as givers.