Archives by: Gary Hoag

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

“Our conformity to the will of God should extend to our natural defects, mental ones included. We should not, for example, complain or feel grieved at not being so clever or so witty or not having such a good memory as other people. Why should we complain of the little that has fallen our lot when we have deserved nothing of what God has given us. Is not all a free gift of His generosity for which we are greatly indebted to Him? What services has He received from us that He should have made us as a human being rather than some lower animal? Have we done anything to oblige Him to give us existence itself?

But it is not enough just not to complain. We ought to be content with what we have been given and desire nothing more. What we have is sufficient because God has judged it so. Just as a workman uses the shape and size of tool best suited to the job in hand, so God gives us those qualities which are in accordance with the designs He has for us. The important thing is to use well what He has given us. It may be added that it is very fortunate for some people to have only mediocre qualities or limited talents. The measure of them that God has given will save them, which they might be ruined if they had more. Superiority of talent very often only serves to engender pride and vanity and so becomes a means of perdition.”

Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure (1588-1657) in the section entitled “In Defects of Nature” in Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence: The Secret of Peace and Happiness (Charlotte: TAN Books, 2012).

I have decided to explore providence, my key word for 2017, in my remaining posts for this year. It fits as the climax of Advent is the celebration of our Savior, the greatest provision for the world. Also, I have found that year-end giving grows when we consider that God provided all that we have for enjoyment and sharing.

In Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence, Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure reminds us not to complain but to be content. When we complain, we tend toward slothful stewardship, which is not using what we have; whereas to “use well what He has given us” is the mark of good and faithful stewards.

What hit home with me in today’s reading was the idea of not complaining regarding our natural defects. We all have them. Personally, I have a bad back. It’s been sore and stiff lately. Complaining and inactivity only worsens my condition. I’ve learned to give thanks for limited mobility, do my stretches, and press on.

How about you? What do you have and how are you using what you have? You are not a steward of what you haven’t got, so don’t worry about that stuff. Furthermore, imagine how pride would overcome you if you had no limitations. God made you to need Him and others. Generously play your part!

As the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ approaches, let’s choose not to complain but rather, let’s show the world contentment. Let’s “use well what He has given us.” We have everything we have ever needed and will ever need in the Christ of Christmas, and He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5:10

“Money,” the Yuppie maxim goes, “is life’s report card.” Our society is so captivated with earning money, having money, and spending money that we can think of little else. And what better way to gain a financial margin than to earn more money. But just as riches are not righteousness, so money is not margin.

Nothing in Scripture and in the chosen lifestyle of Christ could be clearer: Wealth is not a primary objective of the spiritual life. When we encounter money along the path of life, we are encouraged to do one of three things with it: turn and walk in the other direction; pick it up and give it away; or use it for the necessities of daily living. Any other interaction risks adverse spiritual consequences.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” Jesus taught. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” [Matthew 6:19-21] He in fact, spent a great deal of time expounding on the issue, discussing it even more than the topic of prayer. If the ultimatum, “You cannot serve both God and Money” was relevant for ancient Israel, how much more for the modern world?

Pal adds his warning in the strongest terms: “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction…Some people eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.” [1 Timothy 6:9-11]

Again and again the Word instructs us in explicit terms to distrust money. It is not that money is evil, but that the love of money leads to all kinds of evil. With sufficient wisdom and discipline, money can glorify God and be a blessing to many. But wisdom and discipline are not exactly our long suit.”

Richard Swenson in Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2004) 136.

As we think about fasting from things so we can feast on better things, we start to create margin in our lives. The world defines margin as extra money to do the things we want to do and buy the things we want to buy. The volume of these messages seems to be turned up at Christmas with consumerism all around us.

Alternatively, Swenson wisely notes: “When we encounter money along the path of life, we are encouraged to do one of three things with it: turn and walk in the other direction; pick it up and give it away; or use it for the necessities of daily living. Any other interaction risks adverse spiritual consequences.”

Gary Williams, national director of CMA Australia, pointed me to this book. Get it if life feels overloaded and you want to reprogram your rhythms for living, giving, serving, and loving like Jesus. Do it because life does not consist in having many possessions, and generosity is about far more than giving away money.

Take time this Christmas to consider that Christ made margin to leave heaven and come to earth, be born in a manger, grow up in humble circumstances, set us free from our sins through His death and make a way for us to take hold of life. Set aside some margin to reflect on the fact that Jesus is the only Christmas gift that satisfies.

And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

“As the palace, and the forum, and the inn have no room for Christ, and the places of public resort have none, have you room for Christ? “Well,” says one, “I have room for Him, but I am not worthy that He should come to me.” Ah, I did not ask about worthiness! Have you room for Him? “Oh,” says one, “I have an empty void the world can never fill!” Ah, I see you do have room for Him. “Oh, but the room I have in my heart is so base!” So was the manger! “But it is so despicable!” So was the manger a thing to be despised!”

“Ah, but my heart is so foul!” So, perhaps, the manger may have been! “Oh, but I feel it is a place not at all fit for Christ!” Nor was the manger a place fit for Him, and yet there He was laid. “Oh, but I have been such a sinner; I feel as if my heart had been a den of beasts and devils!” Well, the manger had been a place where beasts had fed. Have you room for Him? Never mind what the past has been; He can forget and forgive. It matters not what even the present state may be if you mourn it! If you have but room for Christ, He will come and be your guest…

Here is my royal Master — Have you room for Him? Here is the Son of God made flesh — Have you room for Him? Here is He who can forgive all sin — Have you room for Him? Here is He who can take you up out of the horrible pit of hell, and out of the miry clay — Have you room for Him? Here is He who, when He comes in will never go out again but will abide with you forever to make your heart a heaven of joy and bliss for you — Have you room for Him?

It is all I ask. Your emptiness, your nothingness, your need of feeling, your need of goodness, your need of grace — all these will be but room for Him! Have you room for Him?”

Charles Spurgeon in Joy Upon Joy: An Advent Devotional, evening reading for Day 23 (New Kensington: Whitaker House, 2017).

When Jenni and I were in Australia on the final two days, our discussions with Gary & Debbie Williams and Steve & Kate Kerr orbited a few times around the idea of creating margin in our lives for that which is best. Then the Lord sweetly led me to yesterday’s devotional about fasting during Advent. As we have arrived home, I am reminded that margin and fasting are aspects of the same idea which is making room for Christ. Few articulate this idea better that Spurgeon in today’s post.

Spurgeon tells us not to worry about what we are not but to make room with what we have got. Regardless of where we are at or what our circumstances are, we can be conduits of generosity to the world if we each make room for Christ. There was no room in the inn but if we make room in our hearts, joy upon joy and all heaven might just break loose. Father, show us by your Holy Spirit what each of us should fast from to make room for Jesus this Christmas. Amen.

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:16-18

“Jesus didn’t say, “if you fast” but “when you fast.” We’re called to it. But we don’t fast to earn our salvation, prove our faithfulness, or manipulate God into answering our prayers. We fast to make a spiritual declaration that instant gratification will not control us, and to awaken us to our dependence on God. Fasting during Advent is hard, because everything around us this time of year is about eating more than ever. But Advent reorients us to God’s rescue mission, which is grounded in self-giving instead of self-gratifying.”

Omar Al-Rikabi in the Seedbed Daily Text “Why We Should Fast For The Holidays” dated 18 December 2017.

What would it look like if you focused on under-eating and self-giving this Advent rather than over-eating and self-gratifying behaviors?

Jenni and I have arrived at home after a fruitful ministry trip down under and Christmas break is before us so  we are asking this question ourselves. Through the celebration of the New Year we will get some rare time with Sammy and Sophie both at home. We are excited. During special occasions like this, we can be tempted to succumb to self-indulgence. It does not have to be that way!

Avoid a holiday season filled with regret. Map out a plan to give the first part of every day to God. Take time for prayer, fast from something this Advent and feast on God’s Word instead, and give to some people or some ministry that has needs. Take five minutes to think about this and follow the Spirit’s leading so your Advent season is filled with self-giving generosity motivated by love.

For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

“Prayer was the heartbeat of the early Celtic Christians. They prayed about most, if not all, aspects of their daily life: from the weaver at the loom and the farmer sowing the seeds, right through the fisherman, the milkmaid, and the crofter. When she arose in the morning to stoke the embers of the previous night’s fire, the woman would pray:

I will kindle my fire this morning
in the present of the holy angels of heaven
without malice, without jealousy, without envy,
but the Holy Son of God to shield me.
God kindle Thou in my heart within
A flame of love to my neighbor,
to my foe, to my friend, to my kindred all.

Jean McLachlan Hess in Journey to the Manger with St. Patrick & Friends: A Six-Week Celtic Advent Devotional, excerpt from reading for Day One (North Charleston: CreateSpace, 2015).

Just south of Kiama in New South Wales is a picturesque seaside burial ground called Gerringong Cemetery (the site of this header photo). We were privileged to visit there with our Aussie friends. It looked like the coast of Ireland, hence my desire to read from an Irish Advent devotional just prior to our return trip home over the Pacific.

While sitting on this hillside, my mind kept singing the famous Christmas carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem” in my mind. I contextualized it by replacing the location Bethlehem with Gerringong. I kept thinking how the “hopes and fears of all the years” are met in the Christ of Christmas. Thinking about this place and then reading this prayer gave me a thought as we draw nearer to Christmas.

In particular, the notion of God kindling a flame of love within us for friend and foe struck me. This flame has no malice, jealousy, or envy. This time of year, there’s lots of malice, jealousy, and envy. People want things others have. They desire positions or circumstances they think others enjoy which leads them to discontentment in the present. Life if overcome by hopes and fears!

Regardless of your hopes and fears for the future, live in the present moment this Christmas. Ask God to kindle a fire of love for everyone around you. Do this and rather than exhibit malice, jealousy, and envy, you will be rightly positioned to share the the priceless gift of the love of Christ.

It’s the generous gift that money can’t buy and that everyone needs!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

“During these happy moments have no other fear than that of becoming more attached to these gifts and graces than to the Giver and Benefactor. Do not value nor enjoy these graces and favours except in so far as they serve to inflame your soul with divine love, and are useful to help you in acquiring those solid virtues which please your heavenly Lover: self-abnegation, humility, mortification, patience, sweetness, obedience, charity, and gentle forbearance with your neighbour. Know that the devil is not the author of favours such as these, and that he can never deceive you if you only make use of these tastes and attractions for the acquisition of those solid virtues which faith and the Gospel teach and prescribe for us. Let God act; do not by your natural activity place obstacles in the way of His holy operations, and be faithful to Him in the smallest things for fear of exciting or provoking His divine jealousy.”

Jean-Pierre De Caussade (1675-1751) in Abandonment to Divine Providence (Grand Rapids: CCEL) 173-174.

Christmas draws near. As we move into the third week of Advent, we light the candle of joy. In consumeristic settings like America, we must be careful to keep the joy focused on Christ and not on things or circumstances.

Caussade reminds us that these “happy moments” can become settings in which we become more attracted to gifts than to the Giver. So that our joy in Jesus is not replaced by temporal, fleeting feelings, as we enter this time, let’s keep Christ central.

In Australia, much like America, Christmas means time with family. To apply the thought for today, let’s celebrate the gift of family for sure, and FaceTime with members we cannot visit, but let’s not make that the end. That’s merely a grace to “inflame” our souls with divine love.

Providence has been my word for 2017. I am not sure what word awaits me in 2018, but I know that in focusing on this facet of the Giver, I have learned that He is more faithful than I ever dreamed. When Caussade says to “Let God act” he teaches us the key to navigating “happy moments”.

Don’t try to make everything perfect this Christmas (remember: take the posture of Mary and not Martha). Receive good gifts from the Giver as graces to help you grow in your understanding of His divine love and extend it to others with “self-abnegation, humility, mortification, patience, sweetness, obedience, charity, and gentle forbearance”.

In this way Advent prepares us to grow in generosity.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:8-11

“It is to these, not to others, that the holy angels whisper consolation. It is to the shepherds, watching and keeping the night watches over their flocks, that the joy of the new light is announced. To them it is revealed that the Savior is born. Yes, to the poor, to the hard-working, not to the rich, who have their consolation here below. It is to the poor that the light of a glorious day has shone forth amid their vigils, and the night shall be light as the day – yes, it is converted into day. “This day,” says the angel, not this night, “is born to you a Savior.” The night is truly past. The day is at hand – a day of days, the day of salvation of our God, Jesus Christ our Lord, Who is God blessed above all for evermore. Amen”

Bernard of Clairvaux in Sermons of Saint Bernard on Advent & Christmas (London: Aeterna, 2014).

Hearing Handel’s Messiah in the Sydney Opera House ranked, for Jenni and me, among the top worship experiences of our lives. We were not in a church, but out in the world. That reminded me that the consolation made known to all humanity is not for the rich and privileged or the righteous and the pious, but rather for the poor and needy. In that light it reflects God’s generosity because it’s for everyone, except those who miss it altogether because (sadly!) think think have everything they need here in this life.

The experience reminded me of God’s awesomeness and my smallness, His richness and my poverty. Then in reading Luke 2 afresh, I am struck by the generous nature of this consolation. It calms our fears, brings great joy, and turns night to day. I pray this Advent that like never before you find consolation in the Christ of Christmas. In other words that you realize in Him is everything you have ever and will ever need. Ironically, none of us can take hold of this consolation until we let go of everything else. That’s why the rich often miss it. I pray you don’t!

Hallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. The Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign for ever and ever. King of kings, Lord of lords. Revelation 19:6, 11:15, 19:16

“What a wonderful thing it is to be sure of one’s faith! How wonderful to be a member of the evangelical church, which preaches the free grace of God through Christ as the hope of sinners! If we were to rely on our works – my God, what would become of us?”

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) as recounted in The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations, comp. M. Water (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000) 84.

This Advent season Jenni and I are privileged to attend a performance of Handel’s Messiah at the Sydney Opera House (pictured above from the Manly Ferry). We are going tonight with dear friends Gary and Debbie Williams of CMA and Steve and Kate Kerr of CMASC. Of course, the Scriptures above serve as the text of the famous song,”Hallelujah Chorus”.

In his own words, Handel describes the foundation for his joy. His assurance of salvation finds deep roots in the grace of God through Christ and not in his works. This testimony serves as an unforgettable reminder for us as we anticipate the performance. Our generous works are not for us. The performance of them does nothing to attain salvation. We do them so the world sees Jesus.

Be more generous than you have ever been this Advent season because of your confidence in your faith in Christ and so that the world sees Jesus through your generosity. In observance, may they too stand and proclaim, “Hallelujah!”

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

“Jesus wishes us to pay heed to the delight that there is in the blessed Trinity about our salvation, and that we should long to have as much spiritual pleasure, through His grace…

Our pleasure in our salvation should be like the joy that Christ has in our salvation, as much as that may be whilst we are here. All the Trinity was at work in the Passion of Christ, ministering abundance of virtues and plenitude of grace to us through Him, but only the Virgin’s son suffered; and at this the whole blessed Trinity rejoices eternally.

And this was shown in these words, ‘Are you well pleased?’, and by the other words that Christ said, ‘If you are pleased, then I am pleased’ — as if He said, ‘It is joy and delight enough to die, and I ask nothing else from you for my suffering but that I may please you.’

And in this, He brought to mind the character of a glad giver: a glad giver pays little attention to what he is giving, but his whole desire and his whole intention is to please and comfort the one to whom he is giving it; and if the recipient accepts the gift appreciatively and gratefully, then the courteous giver thinks nothing of all his expense and all his trouble because of the joy and delight that he feels at having pleased and comforted the one that he loves.”

Julian of Norwich (1342-1416), an anchoress, in Revelations of Divine Love (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015) 71.

I’ve been overwhelmed with expressions of love for my birthday from so many glad givers. Thank you!

As this is the second week of Advent, let us consider the love of God revealed to us in Christ Jesus. Few describe it like an anchoress! An anchoress was a woman who lived with simplicity so she could dedicate her bandwidth to helping people anchor their lives to Jesus (which is precisely the ministry of my wife, Jenni, today)!

In Revelations of Divine Live, Julian helps us discover that Jesus is the model for what it means to be a glad giver. He willingly gave His life for us, and we should have the same mindset “whist we are here” (cf. Philippians 2:1-11). Will you be a “glad giver” in the limited time you walk this earth?

Notice that glad givers pay little attention to what they are giving, their whole desire and intention is to please and comfort the recipient. They think nothing of the expense and the trouble in giving because they remember that Jesus gave His life for us because He loves us! Make it so of us, Lord Jesus, so people see Your love through our joyful giving!

Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

“When you are beginning to be old, and I am beginning to be old, for I am fifty, both times and places no longer take on the same meaning. Do I have a “day”? Do I spend my “day” in a “place”?”

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) in A Year with Thomas Merton: Daily Meditations from His Journals (New York: HarperCollins, 2004) 129.

I read this quote months ago in this daily devotional and thankfully managed to locate it online from Australia. Yes, today’s my birthday. I am 50 years old and filled with gratitude for so many things, most of all, the grace and love of Christ. Week two of Advent points us to the love of Christ, so let’s not allow my birthday distract from the profound meaning of this post.

In our younger years (largely in ignorance), we act like we have a never ending supply of days. We also dream about having our own place (on earth) and work tirelessly to try to acquire it. Then at some point we realize our time is better spent living every day for Christ and waiting to see the place He is preparing for each of us. It took me many years to figure this out.

Today Jenni and I are facilitating a retreat in the Blue Mountains (pictured above). I never dreamed we’d travel so much. Sometimes it’s tiring, but we’ve learned to enjoy the journey because we are all travelers, and this world is not our home. As we possess neither days nor places, the best thing we can do is make the most of every day and live for God wherever He leads us.