Archives by: Gary Hoag

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 1 Timothy 6:8

“To describe simplicity only as an inner reality is to say something false. The inner reality is not a reality until there is an outward expression. To experience the liberating spirit of simplicity will affect how we live. As I have warned earlier, every attempt to give specific application to simplicity runs the risk of a deterioration into legalism. It is a risk, however, that we must take, for to refuse to discuss specifics would banish the Discipline to the theoretical. After all, the writers of Scripture constantly took that risk. And so I follow their lead and suggest ten controlling principles for the outward expression of simplicity. They should never be viewed as laws but as only one attempt to flesh out the meaning of simplicity for today.

First, buy things for their usefulness rather than their status. Cars should be bought for their utility, not their prestige. Consider riding a bicycle. When you are considering an apartment, a condominium, or a house, thought should be given to livability rather than how much it will impress others. Don’t have more living space than is reasonable. After all, who needs seven rooms for two people? Consider your clothes. Most people have no need for more clothes. They buy more not because they need clothes, but because they want to keep up with the fashions. Hang the fashions! Buy what you need. Wear your clothes until they are worn out. Stop trying to impress people with your clothes and impress them with your life. If it is practical in your situation, learn the joy of making clothes. And for God’s sake (and I mean that quite literally) have clothes that are practical rather than ornamental.”

Richard Foster (b. 1942) in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 89-90.

Foster’s good chapter on simplicity just got better with his list of ten practical applications. We will explore them over the next ten days.

Imagine if Christian stewards everywhere focused their spending toward what is useful and practical rather than on what is ornamental and aimed at gaining status before people!

It would be a different world. Today’s advice speaks to the decisions we make everyday related to spending. Useful things may not always be the least expensive.

Let’s all aim at this. Let’s set a trend not to follow the crowd but to choose a path of contentment with what is useful and practical in vehicles, living situations, apparel, and food.

The best part about this. It prepares us to give an account before God of our stewardship while creating margin to live, give, serve, and love generously and exhibiting a witness consistent to our faith.

Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.’ Deuteronomy 15:10-11

“To have our goods available to others marks and inner attitude of simplicity. If our goods are not available to the community when it is clearly right and good, then they are stolen goods. The reason we find such an idea so difficult is our fear of the future. We cling to our possessions rather than sharing them because we are anxious about tomorrow. But if we truly believe that God is who Jesus says He is, then we do not need to be afraid. When we come to see God as the almighty Creator and our loving Father, we can share because we know that he will care for us. If someone is in need, we are free to help them. Again, ordinary common sense will define the parameters of our sharing and save us from foolishness.”

Richard Foster (b. 1942) in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 89.

Listen to this line again: “If our goods are not available to the community when it is clearly right and good, then they are stolen goods.” Did you hear that? It matches so many texts in the biblical narrative.

When Achan kept for himself spoils from Ai that belonged to God in Joshua 7, the literal term says that he embezzled from God. Stolen goods! The same terms is used linked to the sin of Ananias and Sapphire in Acts 5. Stolen goods!

Many text declare God’s ownership of everything (Exodus 19:15; Deuteronomy 10:14; and Psalm 24:1, among others), so anytime we claim ownership of anything that belongs to God, we are in dangerous territory: Stolen goods.

Today I want to give you an opportunity to share. GTP will host the Global Gathering of 100+ board members, staff, and key volunteers from 60+ countries in October 2025. Preparations are well underway. I am writing on behalf of about 75 key volunteers.

Each one rallied 12+ senders to get the privilege of attending. But most of them, coming from places like Burundi, Botswana, or Nepal, only raised a few dollars or a maybe $100. Can you make a gift here to help cover the cost of their participation?

These estimated total need is about $75,000 for uncovered expenses related travel, lodging, meals, and conference costs. Give as you are able. Please, make a gift of any size available to help workers who have rallied local support but need our help. Thanks.

The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:8

“It is God’s business, and not ours, to care for what we have… God is able to protect what we possess. We can trust Him. Does that mean that we should never take the keys out of the car or lock the door? Of course not. But we know that the lock on the door is not what protects the house. It is only common sense to take normal precautions, but if we believe that precaution itself protects us and our goods, we will be riddled with anxiety. There simply is no such thing as “burglar proof” precaution. Obviously, these matters are not restricted to possessions but include such things as our reputation and our employment. Simplicity means the freedom to trust God for these (and all) things.”

Richard Foster (b. 1942) in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 88-89.

Think about it. The call for us to love God and love our neighbor finds deep roots in the profound truth that God cares more about protecting us, than we do, and we can trust Him with our lives and possessions.

Nothing happens to us that He does not allow. Nothing can thwart His plans. Nothing, as Foster rightly notes is “burglar proof” as sometimes God allows us to experience losses for bigger purposes we may not understand.

His commands to live, give, serve, and love generously are based on His matchless and abundant love for us. We can rest in His protection and trust in His unfailing love. But do we live like we believe this?

Ask the Holy Spirit this question. What needs to change in my life to show I trust in God’s protection for me?

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

“Freedom from anxiety is one of the inward evidences of seeking first the kingdom of God. The inward reality of simplicity involves a life of joyful unconcern for possessions. Neither the greedy nor the miserly know this liberty. It has nothing to do with abundance of possessions or their lack. It is an inward spirit of trust. The sheer fact that a person is living without things is no guarantee that he or she is living in simplicity. Paul taught us that the love of money is the root of all evil, and I have discovered that often those who have it the least love it the most. It is possible for a person to be developing an outward life- style of simplicity and to be filled with anxiety. Conversely, wealth does not bring freedom from anxiety.

Kierkegaard writes, “… riches and abundance come hypocritically clad in sheep’s clothing pretending to be security against anxieties and they become then the object of anxiety … they secure a man against anxieties just about as well as the wolf which is put to tending the sheep secures them … against the wolf.” Freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes. If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will possess freedom from anxiety.

This is the inward reality of simplicity. However, if what we have we believe we have gotten, and if what we have we believe we must hold onto, and if what we have is not available to others, then we will live in anxiety. Such persons will never know simplicity regardless of the outward contortions they may put themselves through in order to live “the simple life.”

To receive what we have as a gift from God is the first inner attitude of simplicity. We work but we know that it is not our work that gives us what we have. We live by grace even when it comes to “daily bread.” We are dependent upon God for the simplest elements of life: air, water, sun. What we have is not the result of our labor, but of the gracious care of God. When we are tempted to think that what we own is the result of our personal efforts, it takes only a little drought or a small accident to show us once again how utterly dependent we are for everything.”

Richard Foster (b. 1942) in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 87-88.

How beautiful that a benefit of choosing a life of simplicity results in freedom from anxiety. God’s ways bring peace and life and they position us for rich generosity.

Notice this statement from Foster: “if what we have we believe we must hold onto, and if what we have is not available to others, then we will live in anxiety.”

Or reflect on Kierkegaard who writes: “… riches and abundance come hypocritically clad in sheep’s clothing pretending to be security against anxieties and they become then the object of anxiety …”

When we choose simplicity, we proclaim that all we have came from God. This opens our hands to enjoy and share God’s blessings generously. Ponder this today with gratitude.

And choose simplicity.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33

“The central point for the discipline of simplicity is to seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of His kingdom first and then everything necessary will come in its proper order. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of Jesus’ insight at this point. Everything hinges upon maintaining the “first” thing as first. Nothing must come before the kingdom of God, including the desire for a simple life-style.

Simplicity itself becomes idolatry when it takes precedence over seeking the kingdom. In a particularly penetrating comment on this passage of Scripture, Søren Kierkegaard considers what sort of effort could be made to pursue the kingdom of God. Should a person get a suitable job in order to exert a virtuous influence? His answer: no, we must first seek God’s kingdom. Then should we give away all our money to feed the poor? Again the answer: no, we must first seek God’s kingdom.

Well, then perhaps we are to go out and preach this truth to the world that people are to seek first God’s kingdom? Once again the answer is a resounding: no, we are first to seek the kingdom of God. Kierkegaard concludes, “Then in a certain sense it is nothing I shall do. Yes, certainly, in a certain sense it is nothing, become nothing before God, learn to keep silent; in this silence is the beginning, which is, first to seek God’s Kingdom.”

Focus upon the kingdom produces the inward reality, and without the inward reality we will degenerate into legalistic trivia. Nothing else can be central. The desire to get out of the rat race cannot be central, the redistribution of the world’s wealth cannot be central, the concern for ecology cannot be central. Seeking first God’s kingdom and the righteousness, both personal and social, of that kingdom is the only thing that can be central in the spiritual discipline of simplicity.

The person who does not seek the kingdom first does not seek it at all. Worthy as all other concerns may be, the moment they become the focus of our efforts they become idolatry. To center on them will inevitably draw us into declaring that our particular activity is Christian simplicity. And, in fact, when the kingdom of God is genuinely placed first, ecological concerns, the poor, the equitable distribution of wealth, and many other things will be given their proper attention.”

Richard Foster (b. 1942) in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 86-87.

Jenni and I were just talking at dinner last night about the toxic thinking that has infiltrated the church, namely the “family first” mindset. When we put family or anything ahead of God’s kingdom, it’s a recipe for disaster.

The best way to ruin children is to put them first. In so doing, parents (wrongly!) teach them the world revolves around them. It does not. Putting anything ahead of God is, as Foster rightly notes, idolatry.

And it’s also the pathway for missing everything God desires for us. Why? “The person who does not seek the kingdom first does not seek it at all.” I hope this post gets you thinking. Am I seeking the kingdom first?

Each of us must answer this for ourselves. And one clue to see if the kingdom is first. Do you give God your first and best or do you allot Him a portion and make your priorities supreme?

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land — a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. Deuteronomy 8:7–9

“Simplicity is the only thing that sufficiently reorients our lives so that possessions can be genuinely enjoyed without destroying us. Without simplicity we will either capitulate to the “mammon” spirit of this present evil age, or we will fall into an un-Christian legalistic asceticism. Both lead to idolatry. Both are spiritually lethal.

Descriptions of the abundant material provision God gives His people abound in Scripture. “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land…a land…in which you will lack nothing” (Deut. 8:7–9). Warnings about the danger of provisions that are not kept in proper perspective also abound. “Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth’” (Deut. 8:17).

The spiritual discipline of simplicity provides the needed perspective. Simplicity sets us free to receive the provision of God as a gift that is not ours to keep and can be freely shared with others. Once we recognize that the Bible denounces the materialist and the ascetic with equal vigor, we are prepared to turn our attention to the framing of a Christian understanding of simplicity.”

Richard Foster (b. 1942) in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 84-85.

Today is my anniversary. Jenni and I celebrate 33 years. In Scripture the number links to the length of the earthly life of Jesus and divine promises and completeness. I thank God for a wife that is a divine gift from God who completes me.

Part of what I appreciate about Jenni is her ordered attachments. She’s attached to God as the highest priority of her life so it’s not hard to abandon materialism and asceticism. She enjoys and shares life and love like Jesus.

And I am thankful God has put us in Colorado the last 26 years. It’s a good land with mountains and streams and it has provided a place for us to thrive. Today I am thankful to be in a good land with a great wife willing to pursue simplicity.

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

“He exhorted the rich young ruler not just to have an inner attitude of detachment from his possessions, but literally to get rid of his possessions if he wanted the kingdom of God (Matt. 19:16–22). He says, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).

He counseled people who came seeking God, “Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail…” (Luke 12:33). He told the parable of the rich farmer whose life centered in hoarding—we would call him prudent; Jesus called him a fool (Luke 12:16–21). He states that if we really want the kingdom of God we must, like a merchant in search of fine pearls, be willing to sell everything we have to get it (Matt. 13:45-46).

He calls all who would follow Him to a joyful life of carefree unconcern for possessions: “Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again” (Luke 6:30). Jesus speaks to the question of economics more than any other single social issue. If, in a comparatively simple society, our Lord lays such strong emphasis upon the spiritual dangers of wealth, how much more should we who live in a highly affluent culture take seriously the economic question.”

Richard Foster (b. 1942) in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 83.

Jesus gives explicit instructions on wealth because He knows things we only discover in obedience. For example, whatever we think we own, owns us. Whatever we hold on to becomes the object of our trust. That’s why, like Elsa, He says, “Let it go! Let it go!”

He also knows that fear keeps us from obeying. Fear of not having enough money to live, give, serve, and love generously. So we hoard and we never have enough. Others have posited a target number.

They reason that I will earn a certain number and then serve God. The irony is that their focus is that number to sustain them. Again, such people ignore Jesus acting as if they know better.

I think Luke put the parable of the mina at the end of the earthly ministry of Jesus because it brings all His teachings together. If we see ourselves as servants with a mina, everything makes sense. A mina was three months income.

A mina was all a steward needed to be fruitful. When the mina produced more, they returned the gain to the Master. The faithful stewards “Let it go! Let it go!” They did not bury it but put it to work. And they always had enough under the Master’s care.

God forgive us from seeing gain as belonging to us. Holy Spirit convict us to let go of wealth so our hands are free to cling to you. And Jesus, thanks for pointing the way to carefree unconcern for possessions because of your great love. Amen.

Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:9-10

“Constantly the Bible deals decisively with the inner spirit of slavery that an idolatrous attachment to wealth brings. “If riches increase, set not your heart on them,” counsels the psalmist (Ps. 62:10). The tenth commandment is against covetousness, the inner lust to have, which leads to stealing and oppression. The wise sage understood that “He who trusts in his riches will wither” (Prov. 11:28).

Jesus declared war on the materialism of His day. (And I would suggest that he declares war on the materialism of our day as well.) The Aramaic term for wealth is “mammon” and Jesus condemns it as a rival God: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or He will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13).

He speaks frequently and unambiguously to economic issues. He says, “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” and “Woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation” (Luke 6:20, 24). He graphically depicts the difficulty of the wealthy entering the kingdom of God to be like a camel walking through the eye of a needle. With God, of course, all things are possible, but Jesus clearly understood the difficulty.

He saw the grip that wealth can have on a person. He knew that “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” which is precisely why he commanded His followers: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matt. 6:19-21). He is not saying that the heart should or should not be where the treasure is. He is stating the plain fact that wherever you find the treasure, you will find the heart.”

Richard Foster (b. 1942) in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 82-83.

Riches retained by people cause a host of troubles and lead to disaster.

So why do we succumb to temptation? The world tells us we need money to live. What we need is God. But instead, we believe the lie, and it sends us down a bad path.

From there, we rationalize disobedience, ignore Jesus, store up treasure on earth, and pursue wealth though He frequently and unambiguously calls to live differently.

Today’s Scripture from Paul’s first letter to Timothy explains what happens.

Those who are eager for money and want to get rich literally fall into a trap that leads to ruin and destruction.

Generosity comes into view as not only the way to life but the way to avoid death.

For example, pass wealth to your kids and ruin them. Store it up in heaven and choose the way of the poor and teach them experientially to trust God

They see God is faithful so they choose the way to life. Do it for yourself. Do it for your children and grandchildren.

They will thank you in 20 years and in 20 million years.

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The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers. Leviticus 25:23

“Before attempting to forge a Christian view of simplicity it is necessary to destroy the prevailing notion that the Bible is ambiguous about economic issues. Often it is felt that our response to wealth is an individual matter. The Bible’s teaching in this area is said to be strictly a matter of private interpretation. We try to believe that Jesus did not address himself to practical economic questions.

No serious reading of Scripture can substantiate such a view. The biblical injunctions against the exploitation of the poor and the accumulation of wealth are clear and straightforward. The Bible challenges nearly every economic value of contemporary society. For example, the Old Testament takes exception to the popular notion of an absolute right to private property. The earth belongs to God, says Scripture, and therefore cannot be held perpetually (Lev. 25:23).

The Old Testament legislation of the year of Jubilee stipulated that all land was to revert back to its original owner. In fact, the Bible declares that wealth itself belongs to God, and one purpose of the year of Jubilee was to provide a regular redistribution of wealth. Such a radical view of economics flies in the face of nearly all contemporary belief and practice. Had Israel faithfully observed the Jubilee it would have dealt a death blow to the perennial problem
of the rich becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer.”

Richard Foster (b. 1942) in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 81-82.

As I dig into Foster’s exploration of the biblical teaching on economic matters I want to declare Jubilee. In plain terms that means, reset. Let us reset our thinking to matching biblical ideas.

What from what Foster proclaimed today convicted you. What needs to reset in your thinking? God’s Word contains explicit teaching for us. The wealth of the earth belongs to Him.

And He has instructions for us. Will we follow them? He is not trying to rob us but help us with His words. He cares about everyone. We tend to only care about ourselves. The instructions are for our collective good and His glory.