Archives by: Gary Hoag

“On the background of Macedonia’s liberality the Apostle urges the Corinthians to give generously (viii. 1-7). He points to the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, and indicates the proportion to be observed in contributing (viii. 8-15). He tells the Corinthians that Titus and two others will be in charge of this service (viii. 16-24). In view of his intention to visit Corinth soon the Apostle expresses the hope that the offering will have been raised (ix. 1-5), and that it will have been generous (ix. 6-15).

There is nothing here of the frantic and sensational appeals which are today so frequent. Paul’s treatment of the subject is a universe away from modern ways of ‘raising the wind.’ Chicken suppers, whist drives, dances, raffles, conjuring and pierrots are among methods employed to increase the finances of many a modern church. But this is not only not Christian giving, it is not giving at all; and it is an insult to the Almighty God.”

W. Graham Scroggie (1877-1958) in The Unfolding Drama of Redemption (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1994) 100.

The merciless tyrant, [Valerian] understanding him [Lawrence] to be not only a minister of the sacraments, but a distributor also of the Church riches, promised to himself a double prey, by the apprehension of one soul. First, with the rake of avarice to scrape to himself the treasure of poor Christians; then with the fiery fork of tyranny, so to toss and turmoil them, that they should wax weary of their profession. With furious face and cruel countenance, the greedy wolf demanded where this Lawrence had bestowed the substance of the Church: who, craving three days’ respite, promised to declare where the treasure might be had.

In the meantime, he caused a good number of poor Christians to be congregated. So, when the day of his answer was come, the persecutor strictly charged him to stand to his promise. Then valiant Lawrence, stretching out his arms over the poor, said: “These are the precious treasure of the Church; these are the treasure indeed, in whom the faith of Christ reigneth, in whom Jesus Christ hath His mansion-place. What more precious jewels can Christ have, than those in whom He hath promised to dwell? For so it is written, ‘I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in.’ And again, ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ What greater riches can Christ our Master possess, than the poor people in whom He loveth to be seen?”

O, what tongue is able to express the fury and madness of the tyrant’s heart! Now he stamped, he stared, he ramped, he fared as one out of his wits: his eyes like fire glowed, his mouth like a boar formed, his teeth like a hellhound grinned. Now, not a reasonable man, but a roaring lion, he might be called.

“Kindle the fire (he cried)–of wood make no spare. Hath this villain deluded the emperor? Away with him, away with him: whip him with scourges, jerk him with rods, buffet him with fists, brain him with clubs. Jesteth the traitor with the emperor? Pinch him with fiery tongs, gird him with burning plates, bring out the strongest chains, and the fire-forks, and the grated bed of iron: on the fire with it; bind the rebel hand and foot; and when the bed is fire-hot, on with him: roast him, broil him, toss him, turn him: on pain of our high displeasure do every man his office, O ye tormentors.”

The word was no sooner spoken, but all was done. After many cruel handlings, this meek lamb was laid, I will not say on his fiery bed of iron, but on his soft bed of down. So mightily God wrought with his martyr Lawrence, so miraculously God tempered His element the fire; that it became not a bed of consuming pain, but a pallet of nourishing rest.

The Eighth Persecution, Under Valerian, A.D. 257 as recorded in Foxe’s Book of Martyr, Chapter II on the Ten Primitive Persecutions.

“I have been faithful to give to the church and to other ministries. That’s good. But God showed me a deeper place he wants to take me and take his people. You see, what the Lord showed me is that even though I am faithful to give, I still structure my life so that I set my hope and find my security in my riches (and yes, compared to the rest of the world I am rich). Another name for that is idolatry – worshiping the god Jesus called mammon. A second thing the Lord showed me is that the only level of giving he celebrates is sacrificial giving – giving beyond what I can spare.”

Rev. Canon Peter Matthews of St. Patricks Anglican Church and River of Life Network Leader in the AMiA, as quoted in his October 24, 2012 e-letter.

Neither will I offer burnt-offerings unto Jehovah my God which cost me nothing. 2 Samuel 24:24

“Sacrilege is centered in offering God something which costs nothing…God looks for the giving at His altar of a gift that costs something.”

G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945) in The Morning Message: A Selection for Daily Meditation (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1906) 17.

“He [God] has had the scraps of one’s time, He has had the remnants of one’s money, He has had, perhaps, our cast-off clothes which were really out of fashion, and they might go to the poor because not wanted, and then credit shall be had for having clothed the poor. And this is Christianity!”

Hanmer William Webb-Pebloe, a.k.a. Prebendary Webb-Pebloe, (1837-1923), was a fixture in the Keswick conventions or “spiritual clinics” held in the Lake District in England to deepen the spiritual life of professing Christians. From The Keswick Week ed. Evan C. Hopkins (London: Marshall Brothers, 1898) 27, as cited by Wesley K. Willmer in God and Your Stuff (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2002) 68-69.

“Today’s pastors are, at best, reluctant stewards of their church’s human, physical, and financial resources…and today’s seminaries, also by their own admission, are extremely reluctant to take the lead in helping pastors and other church leaders learn how to become better stewards.”

The Reluctant Steward, a Report and Commentary on the Stewardship and Development Study (Indianapolis and St. Meinrad, IN: Christian Theological Seminary and St. Meinrad Seminary, 1992).

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared a National Day of Humiliation. And this is what he said.

“We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers and wealth and power, as no other Nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched us. And we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace. Too proud to pray to the God that made us. It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the offended power to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) as recounted on January 31, 2007 in the Congressional Record, V. Pt. 2 (January 18, 2007 to February 1, 2007) 2800.

“In the name of the triune Diety: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I do hereby consecrate body, soul, and spirit, time, talents, influence, family, and estate–all with which I stand connected, near or remote, to be forever, and in the most unlimited sense, THE LORD’S.”

Phoebe Palmer (1807-1884) in Phoebe Palmer: Selected Writings, ed. Thomas Oden (New York: Paulist Press) 198, as cited by Wesley K. Willmer in God and Your Stuff (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2002) 78.

“John Wesley is a good example of a mature steward. John Wesley was a very influential teacher on the topic of giving. To many he is known as a great preacher, but few are aware that he also made a substantial amount of money from preaching and the sale of his books, making him one of the wealthiest men in all of England. At a time when thirty pounds was enough for a single man to live comfortably, Wesley took in as much as 1,400 pounds! With such a high income he had the perfect opportunity to live in luxury, but Wesley refused the temptation and lived a life of incredible generosity.

When Wesley was at Oxford, an event happened that changed his perspective on giving forever. After putting some pictures on his walls that he had recently purchased, a cumbermaid came to his door in need of help to keep her warm. Unable to help because he had purchased the pictures, Wesley quickly realized that God was not pleased with the way he was spending his money. He asked himself the probing question, “Will thy Master say, ‘Well done, good and faithful steward?’ Thou hast adorned thy walls with money which might have screened this poor creature from the cold! O justice! O mercy! Are not these pictures the blood of this poor maid!”

John Wesley (1703-1791) in Mission Frontiers (Sept/Oct 1994: No. 9-10) 23-24, as cited by Wesley K. Willmer in God and Your Stuff (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2002) 51.

“There is within the human heart a tough, fibrous root of fallen life whose nature is to possess, always to possess. It covets things with a deep and fierce passion…Things have become necessary to us, a development never originally intended. God’s gifts now take the place of God, and the whole course of nature is upset by the monstrous substitution.”

A.W. Tozer (1897-1963) in The Pursuit of God (Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications, 1982) 22.