Meditations

Now concerning the collection for the saints: you should follow the directions I gave to the churches of Galatia. 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 16:1-2

“There will be times in our life in which the Lord encourages us in our generosity to contribute financial assistance – be it great or small – to sustain the church or other good institutions which promote social justice. Possibly we will be called upon to help raise funds for these charitable works. A great many pages from the New Testament make reference to the determination Christ’s disciples showed in acquiring the necessary material goods they would need to spread the gospel.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 7 (London: Scepter, 1993) 321.

Whether I’m serving in the Caribbean or Asia, Latin America or Africa, God’s workers realize they need to help raise funds. When we look at the pages of the NT, we find advice in how to do it. Two thoughts today along these lines.

Firstly, Paul does not beg people, he gives directions. He shows people how to participate in God’s work with what they have. Secondly, Paul teaches stewardship. He tells people to set aside margin to give with intentionality and contribute according to their means.

God’s work calls for funds. They reside in the accounts of the people. Give them directions to release them with intentionality. And most importantly, model the way. People need to see your instructions lived out in your life and example.

Praise God the work in Guyana linked directly to this today. We trained workers to give people the gift of accountability so those they serve respond with the gift of generosity. If you need this kind training, GTP offers it again starting in January 2025. Register here.

Tomorrow we make the long journey home, 24 hours door to door. After walking away from a head-on collision like a scene from Fast & Furious, we can’t wait to get home. Pray us safely to Jamaica (Horace and John), Dominican Republic (Lea) and USA (me). Thanks.

Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered. He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. Luke 22:35-36

“While we are living out our mortal life we will need material means to sustain our family and set about the apostolic tasks that the Lord wants us to promote. Economic means are just that – goods – that become an impediment when we seek after them in such a way that we are not able properly to appreciate the supernatural means…

Jesus Himself teaches the disciples the importance of using the human means. Before their first apostolic mission He expressly tells them: Do not take a bag or purse. He leaves them without any material support at all, so that they clearly see that it is He Himself who grants efficacy to their efforts.

They fully comprehend that the cures, conversions, and other miracles they are instrumental in carrying out are not due to their human qualities but to the power of God. Nevertheless, when on a later occasion they are about to set out, He adds to this first indication: But now, let Him who has a purse take it, and likewise a wallet.

Although the supernatural means come first in all our apostolate, the Lord wants us to use the human and financial means within our reach as if the supernatural means did not exist. To fulfill His divine mission, Jesus Himself wanted to depend on human means – a few loaves of bread and fish, a little mud, or the modest support of those pious women who accompanied the Lord on His apostolic journeys.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 7 (London: Scepter, 1993) 319-320.

Thanks for your prayers for our team. As the new header photo illustrates, we are safely in Guyana. I am writing to challenge all readers today to put to work the resources in your stewardship as an instrument because holding on to them can be an impediment to your service.

This may sound harsh but there’s no middle ground with Jesus. He sends us out with nothing to teach us to depend on Him. Then as our stewardship causes resources to come to us, He wants us to put them to work on mission.

Thanks for your prayers for our GTP team in Guyana and for your financial support (click here to give monthly). Your partnership with us through giving is instrumental in multiplying stewards in the hardest and most remote places.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. Hebrews 12:28

“Prayer strengthens us against temptation. The Lord addresses the same words to us as He did to the disciples in Gethsemane. Why do you sleep? Rise up and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. We need to pray always, but there are times when we must intensify our prayer by making an effort to focus our loving attention more fervently, as when family or work-related difficulties loom large or when we are assailed by temptation. Through the union established with the Lord when we pray well, we remain vigilant in the face of adversity. This personal dialogue also helps us to work better, to fulfill our duties to our family and society with more generosity, and to treat others with more consideration and courtesy.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 7 (London: Scepter, 1993) 306.

I’ve experienced consideration and courtesy from fellow believers in Trinidad & Tobago. Praying for the same reception in Guyana. And I am enjoying exploring the connection between prayer, gratitude, and generosity.

Because of what we have in Christ, we need not let anything shake us. I pray you have an unshakable day flowing out of your communion with God. And I pray that you treat people with generosity, consideration, and courtesy.

It’s a busy time of year. We can fall into the trap of taking no time to pray. Then we function according to the flesh, forget the kingdom we are receiving, and fail to live in thankfulness. Everything unravels. Don’t let it happen to you.

I typed everything written above yesterday morning. The only thing I want to add before going to sleep is gratitude to God for helping our GTP team walk away from a head on collision with this car on our final day in Trinidad & Tobago.

Bickram, our driver and host, broke two fingers and has whiplash symptoms along with John as they had seatbelts on in the front of the van.

Horace got many cuts flying from the second row of the van through the front seats to the dashboard. Lea in the third row flew into the front driver seat. And I always walk to the back row of the van for leg room.

I flew all the way to hit my head on the back of the passenger seat suffering a bruise on my ribs and right knee from the flip down seat that was up.

Long story short. Over the next 5 hours, we experienced the consideration and courtesy of two ambulances, the emergency room staff, and even the Hilton people delivered bags of ice to our respective rooms.

I praise God we are alive. We will continue our mission in Guyana with even stronger resolution to serve. Thanks for your prayers.

The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Acts 28:2

“To be happy and serve those around us we need to forget about ourselves and not become excessively concerned about personal matters which are seldom very important. Complete confidence in God is also a necessary condition. Whoever worries to much about his or her personal affairs will not easily find the genuine happiness which causes us to be united to God and to other people.

Our joy will then provide one more opportunity for others to encounter the Lord. Prayer prepares us to be open to the grace of God. With this powerful source of help we can accept any of the difficulties we experience. Whatever is bothering us we leave in God’s hands. Our personal conversation with Christ brings us to be more generous in serving God and others.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 7 (London: Scepter, 1993) 301-302.

When I think of the idea of generosity, it makes no sense unless a person has “complete confidence” in God. We cannot share with others without trusting God to supply for us.

I feel led today to pause to define the term ‘generosity’ for readers who may have joined more recently.

Brace yourselves. Did you know that a non-believer that gives any amount of money – it could be a dollar or a billion dollars – does not, in biblical terms, exhibit generosity. Let me elaborate. A non-believer cannot practice generosity because ἀγαθωσύνη (agathosune) is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Recall today’s Scripture. Paul is shipwrecked on an island. He experiences the ‘unusual kindness’ of the islanders. I hope you like my island focus these days as I find myself ministering on islands. Today, I am preaching on the island of Trinidad. Did those islanders practice generosity in biblical terms? No.

They did not know Christ, so the Greek word used here is not generosity but philanthropy. Philanthropy is human giving for human benefit. It’s uncommon kindness and exceeds expectations, but it’s not generosity. So, if the rich people of the world, apart from God give with unusual kindness, in biblical terms, they show philanthropy not generosity.

So, why would the biblical writers use different terms and never associate generosity with non-believers?

Generosity implies that a person serves as conduit of blessing from God to people. The reason Christians can give at all times and at all occasions is because God abundantly supplies the resources for their generosity. Abundance is our new operating system or OS. And this stands in contrast to the scarcity mindset or OS.

Brace yourselves again. Humans can only have a scarcity OS because they do not have a connection to the only abundant source. In phone operating system terms, apart from Christ, scarcity is our operating system (think: Android). And when we come to faith we now have a new OS (think: Apple). Biblical instruction teaches us to learn how to use it.

Apart from Christ those with the scarcity OS see themselves as containers and cannot help but be consumed by the cares of this life. That’s why we must have compassion on them. Such a person may be wildly successful, in human terms, and make a lot of money and write big checks, but they do not practice biblical generosity.

Please, I beg of you, watch your language when you use the term. Only link generosity to believers serving as a conduit of divine blessing. Generosity appears as a fruit in our lives when we serve as a conduit or channel of blessing from God to others.

If any of this bothers you, pray for grace. Don’t shoot me, I am just the reporter of biblical truths. Have a personal conversation with Christ about these matters and their implications. I pray that conversation moves to you become more generous.

And I appreciate your prayers for me to serve as a confident and generous conduit of spiritual blessings from the pulpit this morning and then to a group of youth later today. Thanks.

Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them. Isaiah 42:10

“I so desire, Lord, to travel the length and breadth of the earth preaching your name and planting the hope of your glorious cross in pagan territory. Furthermore, one mission alone would not be enough for me. I would want to spread your gospel throughout the whole world all at once, including the most distant islands. . . Do you know what gives me strength? I am walking for the benefit of a missionary. I believe there is one working far away, on the verge of collapse on account of his apostolic undertakings. To lessen his fatigue, I offer my own to God.”

Terese de Lisieux, Autobiography of a Soul XII, 9.

This post seemed fitting for me as I serve in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Scarborough, Tobago this weekend. It’s how God works. We make ourselves available. He sends us to distant islands. The next thing we know. People report that our presence impacted their lives and caused praise to God to go forth widely.

And I could relate to the source of apostolic strength to which Terese refers. When we empty ourselves for others. God replenishes us. We only get enriched when we empty ourselves. And not only do we find new strength, we lessen the fatigue and strengthen the faith of those we serve. It’s a paradox of generosity, one of many anyway.

While most may never visit Trinidad & Tobago (I know I never thought I would), God sends us out of our comfort zone to deploy our rigor and resources in service to others.

Perhaps you have been invited by your children to help watch your grandchildren 2-3 days a week. This may sap your strength, but it shapes the faith and formation of the future generation. Or maybe you could serve as a mentor. But you feel more frustrated than hopeful about helping an emerging worker. Might God have placed you fill the obvious gaps in their knowledge and experience. Or maybe as a youth, you liked church online. But you get spiritual food in podcasts and don’t engage with a small group or Bible study. Might God want you to pursue community for what you can both give and get.

Where might He be calling you to serve in 2025? If you don’t have clarity, take some time to pray about it this weekend. God may just have an island in store for you to bless people and receive blessing. That’s my testimony.

Here’s an article I contributed to the National Christian Foundation website that I just learned had posted live. Read it here. And stay tuned for another GTP trip report from Trinidad & Tobago by Monday. Read the trip report from this past week in Jamaica here.

When [Jesus] saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36

“As we look around us we realize that there are many people who still do not yet know Christ. May who are baptized live as though Christ had not redeemed them, as if He were not truly present in our midst every day. Many go about their lives like those who drew down the compassion of Jesus, crowds who were bewildered and dejected like sheep without a shepherd. They go on and on, without any specific aim in life, disoriented, and wasting their precious time, since they seem to have no sense of direction. Like the Lord, we too are filled with compassion for those people. Though at times they seem – humanly speaking – happy and successful, they fail in the worst way possible because they do not behave as, nor are they even aware of being, children of God on the journey to eternal home of the Father. We cannot let the eternal salvation of anyone be at risk due to our lack of apostolic spirit.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 7 (London: Scepter, 1993) 292.

As we move into the Advent season, if you know anyone at risk – harassed and helpless – who you might reach out to at this time. This might be a neighbor or co-worker. Our most generous act this advent may be to invite them to journey with us.

I have done that with Michael (pictured above). We started reading my Advent devotional together. Click here to access it.

Thanks for your prayers. We made it safely from Jamaica to Trinidad. Today we fly across to Tobago for program work. Then back to Tobago at the end of the day. Again, appreciate your prayers as we spread the vision of accountability in the Caribbean.

And as we keep our eyes open for at risk people along the way. When we do this we imitate the good Samaritan.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

“The blessed always lean on Christ. for support. They often visit Him in the tabernacle to draw renewed energy from His presence there. The personalities of the blessed vary enormously, but in this life they had in common one distinguishing feature. They lived charitably with those around them.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 7 (London: Scepter, 1993) 240-241.

Yesterday went crazy awesome. Imagine my driver at 6:00am collects me at my hotel. We hit it off, the Spirit guides the conversation and by 7:00am in the parking lot of the University of West Indies, he confessed his sins and professed faith in Jesus Christ.

For the full story, His grandmother sowed the seeds. Others watered them, and for Michael Clark, I got to be there on harvest day, praise God. See his photo with me above. Take a moment and pray for fruit that lasts. And imagine, my day had just started.

From there, the launch for CCEFA (Christian Council for Ethical and Financial Accountability) went fantastic. Reply if you want a copy of the trip report. In short people stepped up to serve, pray, give, and register their ministries to pursue accreditation.

Then, when I got back to my room (as if that was not enough), I received requests for the translation of my book and videos, entitled, Faith and Finances, into Chinese and the Community: 30-day devotional, into multiple languages in India.

Of course, I will allow this freely as Christian workers have offered to translate the books freely. Then, I received a request to print The Sower, The Choice, and The Council for ministries for workers Africa but that would come at a cost. In response, I leaned on Christ for renewed energy.

I did. I did what today’s Scripture says and what today’s reading says. I read it on the treadmill at the hotel last night. Like a little child, I ran into His presence, and there, I begged Him to renew my energy and supply resources so I could continue to serve charitably.

Join in this work which strengthens workers and, on days like today, sees people come to faith. Give to GTP. We are praying for 100 monthly givers and have 49 so far. Give here. And thanks to a matching gift, for every person who sets up monthly giving, GTP gets an additional $100.

Today, John, Lea, Horace, and I fly to Port of Spain, Trinidad to spread the word to Trinidad & Tobago.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

“We, the faithful, are the pilgrim church on our way to heaven. While we make progress towards heaven we need to gather up the treasure of good works we will one day present before God… Winning heaven is the challenge we face with the grace of God each day. Happily it always involves the task in hand and is effected precisely among the persons God has wanted to place at our side. We need to realize fully that our generous and holy resolve to improve constantly has an important impact on others. If through God’s grace and the help of others we do reach heaven, we will not enter into eternal glory alone, but will draw many others there with us.”

Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 7 (London: Scepter, 1993) 238-239.

Something really cool happened on the first day of this trip. I spoke at a missions conference on accountability, then my colleague, John Roomes spoke on generosity.

We invited participants to steward money with accountability and generosity, to give their lives in service to God on mission, and if they had not already done so, to give their life to Jesus for the first time.

That’s the first step of stewardship. And one young woman came forward and gave her life to Jesus. It was beautiful to see her confess her sins and profess her faith in the work of Jesus for her. I have had joy ever since.

That gal just started her pilgrimage to heaven. She saw others willing to take steps, so she took the first bold step for her, praise God. And today pray with me that many more take a step.

After one TV show, two radio interviews, and many meetings, it’s time to launch the CCEFA vision for peer accountability in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Pray for hearts receptive to join the vision. Thanks.

Pray that our good works draw others to join the movement in Jesus name.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

“Sanctity does not depend on one’s state in life – single, married, widower, or minister – but on our personal correspondence with the grace God grants each one of us.”

Josemaria Escrivá in In Love With the Church (Strongsville: Scepter, 2008) 67.

Today’s reading moved me in this way.

My sanctity or holiness relates not to my position but to my personal interaction with the grace of God. I feel this most, I think, when I step out of my comfort zone.

For example, when I take trips like Caribbean one to attempt new tasks and serve in new countries.

When I travel, I find myself constantly in personal correspondence with people and with God. I often talk out loud to Him in the quietness of my hotel room. I believe He hears me.

I find myself saying things like, “What should I do, Lord?” or “How should I handle this situation?”

But notice, if I was at home I could slide into fleshy actions or attitudes (and sometimes I do), without conversing with Him. It appears as the “I know what to do Lord” or “I know how to handle this.”

So for me the answer is in the “make every effort” part of living at peace with people and being holy.

God wants us to look to Him always, to reflect His love with generosity and to rely on His grace to do this. As we live into that rhythm, we become more like Jesus.

Make it so Lord, in each of us. And continue to guide our efforts in Jamaica.

Keep praying. Fun TV interview yesterday on the “Smile Jamaica” good morning show. Another one today. Then huge launch event tomorrow. Appreciate your prayers.

Our GTP Chinese team is in Taiwan and also out of their comfort zone yet powerfully experiencing God and His favor. Thank you LORD.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Romans 12:11

“A person who does not stop going forward will eventually arrive, though perhaps late… There is no greater cause of straying from the path of faithful perseverance than letting up in prayer.”

Teresa of Avila in The Life of St. Teresa of Ávila 19, 5, as cited with supplemental comments by Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 7 (London: Scepter, 1993) 217.

How do we keep the fires of our spiritual fervor stoked? Prayer.

I was reading excerpts from The Life of St. Teresa of Ávila today in Jamaica (pictured above). Her comment that we may arrive where God wants us to go, but “perhaps late” resonated with me.

Why? I find myself in a place where things happen slowly.

This idea of pace got me thinking as I mine the topic of “waiting” this month. If you have not downloaded my Advent ebook entitled, WAITING, click here to download it freely. Don’t just read it. Go through it with a friend. Now back to today’s thoughts.

God does not want us to rush too fast through life. I have been guilty of that.

He does, however, want us to persevere faithfully with an unending pace at prayer. This discipline helps us stay on the path God has for us and get where He wants us to go faster. Teresa goes on to describe prayer as “establishing a foundation” for everything else we do.

CCEFA (Caribbean Council for Ethical and Financial Accountability) is launching this week.

If the Lord wills, CCEFA will serve as the peer accountability group (PAG) for the Caribbean. This will all come together thanks to the faithful work of God’s servants and prayer.

Please, if you have a moment, pray with me for the launch of CCEFA in Jamaica this week for this country and the entire region. I have many meetings, TV and radio interviews, and speaking engagements in advance to raise awareness. And this is my prayer.

Father in heaven, advance the vision of CCEFA to grow accountability and regional generosity. By your Holy Spirit, raise up prayer partners, givers in Jamaica to meet the $10,000 match from GTP, givers from USA and around the world to contribute to the match here, accountants and lawyers to serve as volunteer accreditors, and move church and ministry workers to follow standards and get CCEFA accredited for your glory. In your mercy, Father, hear my prayer. Make it so I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.