Meditations

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

“The supreme characteristic of His love is infinite freedom. It cannot be compelled to respond by the laws of any desire, that is, of any necessity. It is without limitation because it is without need. Being without need, His love seeks out the needy, not in order to give them little, but in order to give them all. His love cannot be at peace in a soul that is content with a little. For to be content with a little is to will to continue in need. It is not God’s will that we should remain in need. He would fulfill all our needs by delivering us from all possessions and giving us Himself in exchange. If we would belong to His love, we must remain always empty of everything else, not in order to be in need, but precisely because possessions make us needy.”

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) in No Man is an Island (Boston: Shambhala, 2005) 255.

The best part about this Intersection Conference has been the rich discussions with pastors from Southern California, New York, New Jersey, Chicago, and South Korea. While my biblical teaching has gotten them thinking, it has been the testimony of what it’s like for our family to follow Jesus in obedience, that has moved the hearts of many. Praise God!

Repeatedly this weekend I reported that while Jesus may not appear to make sense when it comes to His teachings on money, it is because He’s trying to invite us to take hold of life according to a whole different economy. We don’t figure it out until we live it out. Most people think obedience will leave them empty, so they freeze with fear.

Or, as Merton would say, they are “content with a little.” Life in the fast lane in New York City left Merton empty. Only in letting go of what could not satisfy did he find satisfaction in Christ. If you are holding on to possessions let them go. They only make you needy. Hold on to Jesus. His love is all you need, and you’ll overflow with generosity.

You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing. Psalm 65:9-13

“All the covenantal benefits are blessings of God by which He demonstrates to His people that they are His beloved elect. Water is one such blessing. People prepare the land before the rain falls by making “furrows” and “ridges”. They rejoice when after the gentle rains vegetation grows. They rejoice even more when they see the latter rains in the spring. These rains permit the crops to mature and to produce abundant harvests. It is as though God’s “carts” (i.e., clouds) overflow. When God’s carts overflow, His people rejoice in the bountiful provisions.”

Willem A. VanGemeren in Psalms (EBC; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008) 500.

My conference is going well in Orange County, though I have not spent much time outside. I did shoot the header photo of the deep blue sky and huge cacti which caught my attention at a break between sessions yesterday. It’s been a rich time with leaders from across Southern California, New York, New Jersey, and South Korea.

As I explore “abundance” (my word for 2018) in the Scriptures, I read this Psalm today. Rain is on my mind as I recently agreed to facilitate some meetings for an international mission organization in South Africa in late February and early March. I learned this week that Cape Town and other cities are in dire need of moisture.

So my prayer today is simply, Lord have mercy on South Africa. Please send them rain. Join me. Let’s pray He sends it soon in many the form of many “carts” overflowing with water. Then I thought of the poor around the world, crying for help, wishing we would be one of God’s “carts” to deliver them what they need.

What’s this got to do with generosity? Friends, we are God’s “cart” designed to deliver abundance. Sure, we must be generous in a manner that builds disciples rather than creating dependencies, I get that. My point is to actively take our role as God’s distributors. Right now, let’s send up prayers for water every time we drink a cold glass ourselves.

And the next time you see a cloud, or every time you see a cloud, consider it a reminder. It’s God’s “cart” bringing you abundance so that your life can produce abundance. Don’t let it dam up with you. Dig furrows and put up ridges so that it waters and brings life to the land around you.

And Lord, it seems really dry in cloudless Southern California too, could you please send a few “carts” here too.

With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God — gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble — all of these in large quantities. Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?” Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. 1 Chronicles 29:2-6

“David’s gifts are a reflection of his devotion to God and the place that will be built in honor of his God (note the triple reference of the “temple of my God,” vv. 2, 3 [2x]). In the light of David’s abundant personal gifts to the temple project, he challenges the congregation to follow his example — expressed as personal choice to show devotion to God… In the light of David’s challenge to the people to follow his example of abundant generosity, the leaders of the Israelite community respond with their own display of generosity toward the Jerusalem temple project. The chronicler emphasizes the “willing response” of the community leaders and the resulting joy of both the people and king. Note that the focus of the leaders’ giving is Godward… These corporate acts of wholehearted freewill giving and joyful celebration work to to transition David’s description of the temple as the “temple of my God” to the Israelite community’s embracing the “temple of our God.”

Frederick J. Mabie in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 Chronicles-Job, general editors, Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010) 152.

In today’s Scripture, not only does King David’s giving reflect his devotion to God, but he challenges the leaders of his people to follow suit. Generosity starts with leaders and their abundant generosity.

If you are leader engaging in a funding project, perhaps for a worship center, a Christian education facility, or some other dedicated space for ministry, I suggest you follow this pattern.

Teach your congregation or constituency to join you in consecration, not construction. Giving to construction will knit their hearts to a building. Giving to consecration will connect their hearts to God.

That’s why “giving is Godward.” Don’t call the people you serve to give to a project, instruct them to give to God. And you must lead the way in this. This pattern transforms the givers, connecting you and them, to God.

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:8-10

“There is more than one way to sow, and thankfully, the seeds of destruction are not the only seeds we can sow. Good seed is available, and when it is sown in a fertile field, it yields a rich harvest…

Sowing to the Spirit means following the Spirit’s lead, obeying His instructions for holy living. To be more specific, sowing to the Spirit means sowing the kind of seed that comes from the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, kindness, faithfulness, and the like. It means cultivating good spiritual fruit…

A man sows to the Spirit when he denies his own ambition in order to serve others. A woman sows to the Spirit when she is reconciled to her sister in Christ. A husband and wife sow to the Spirit when they repent of their selfishness and begin to work together in true spiritual partnership, In short, sowing to the Spirit means living for Christ in every area of life.

Every time we think a thought, speak a word, or perform a deed, we plant a seed. Every time we think, say, or do anything for the glory of God, we are sowing to His Spirit…Whoever sows to the Spirit reaps the richest harvest of all: eternal life. This does not mean, of course, that salvation comes by works.

Eternal life is a gift that is based on believing, not on doing. However, believers are doers, and although no one is ever saved by works, no one is ever saved without them either. Therefore, having been saved by grace, the believer goes out and sows to please the Spirit. God, in His grace, will give the reward of eternal life to everyone who sows good spiritual seed.”

Philip Graham Ryken in Galatians (REC; Phillipsburg: R & R Publishing, 2005) 261.

This text in Galatians has been on my heart the past few days as I interface with leaders around the world, sowing in difficult places. Dripping from the keys of my laptop keyboard has been the encouragement to not grow weary, reminding them of the expectation of an abundant harvest for those who persevere.

It’s hard though. I get it. But what do we do. We get out there and sow, keeping the hope of abundance in view.

Today I head to Orange County to sow in the lives of pastors and marketplace leaders at the Intersection Conference this week. I will also see some friends who co-labor with Christ in Southern California. In every life I touch I have one objective: sowing to the Spirit. Make that your aim today and everyday.

And, for inspiration, if you would like a free e-book edition of my book, The Sower, reply to this email.

“I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. As it is written, ‘The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.'” 2 Corinthians 8:13-15

“Paul writes as a practical theologian. He does not coerce the church, as that would violate the act of self-giving abundance. Nor does he ask for excessive self-giving, even though Christ gave self-excessively. He asks only for “a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance” (v. 13-14).

Paul completes that part of his argument with an appeal to the manna narrative of Exodus 16:18: “The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.” (v. 15). If ever the biblical tradition provided a case study in divine generosity, the manna story is it. Paul does not go on to remind the church that Israel in the manna story was prohibited from storing up surplus, but the point is readily inferred.

Thus we come full circle to his query in 1 Corinthians 4:7: “What do you have that you did not receive?” Manna is all gift; what the church in Corinth has is all gift. It was all given. And now, in a corresponding act of generosity, it may be shared as the church in Macedonia has done.”

Walter Brueggemann in Money and Possessions (Interpretation; Louisville: WJKP, 2016) 224. For those looking for the most recent comprehensive biblical theology of money and possessions, this book is it!

Brueggemann reminds us today that the manna story is a case study in divine generosity.

Do you want to see rich giving in your church? Follow Paul’s example. Notice how he communicates. He graciously points the way to self-giving abundance. He reminds people that all is a gift from God, just like the manna. It cannot be stored up. God’s design is sharing. Anything unshared spoils. Notice no coercion. No motivating with guilt.

Lest you think your students or congregation might ignore you for instructing them accordingly, likely because they have bought the world’s scarcity narrative, remind them that in the manna story the people ignored Moses too (see Exodus 16:16-21). What’s so telling is that God never forces us to acknowledge that He is the giver of all good gifts!

We demonstrate whether or not believe this profound truth by how we handle money. Notice though, there’s no coercion. People will either live like they believe and give with self-giving abundance, or they won’t. Sadly, the latter will miss more than the opportunity to share. Most probably, they have chosen a trajectory that causes them to miss the life that is truly life altogether.

Let’s teach this case study in divine generosity so those we serve grasp self-giving abundance. All we have is a gift to be shared.

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? James 2:5

“I have been fortunate to come alongside communities and families in some of the hardest places in the world…I have walked the dusty roads of towns and villages in the nations we too easily look down upon from our perch of privilege. I have sat in the homes of people and have heard their stories of suffering, seen their resilience and seen how they can find joy and be thankful to God even in the most challenging circumstances. They have taught me what it is to love, what it is to have faith and what it is to hope in things as yet unseen. They have taught me humility and blessed me with their friendship.”

Tim Breene of World Relief as quoted by James Hoxworth in his 14 January 2018 sermon on James 2.

Rich in faith! That’s the leg up on the rich that the poor possess. Why? They have nothing else on which to rely. Don’t hear this as a slam against the rich, but celebrating that the gospel is for everyone.

Do you sit on a perch of privilege? Is your primary aim in life to insulate yourself and your family from difficulty and discomfort? If so, it might be time to visit the poor, to walk in their footsteps.

Your generosity, I am confident, will grow inestimably. How do I know this? When you visit them, you will learn things. You will see faith, hope, and love in action at depths you never dreamed.

I think you will work diligently to exchange earthly riches for eternal ones from that point forward. How do I know? Once a person realizes that Christ is all they need, their openhanded generosity knows no boundaries after that.

Don’t worry, be generous.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19

“When Jesus called the disciples, He said just two words. “Follow me.” And they did. This was His style of leadership development and discipleship.

The disciples took a very long walk with Jesus, following Him as He intersected spiritual brokenness, religious self-righteousness, and physical pain with the grace of the gospel. They watched their world set on fire with the intensity of His life…

What if fostering generosity at your church could be set on fire by a singular “Follow Me” focus by the church leadership? Releasing generous disciples via bold leadership accomplishes three important things.

1. It frees people to experience the abundant life of Jesus. So many are trapped by the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of riches. Generosity breaks the power of money.

2. The body of Christ grows best in community. Fostering a community culture of generosity will be a powerful growth-agent in your local body.

3. Overflowing generosity speaks gospel to a hurting world. People can argue with your beliefs, but they cannot argue with generous acts done in love.”

Patrick Johnson in his GenerousChurch blog post entitled “What Just Happened?” – Initiating Paradigm-Shifting Discipleship.”

When I got the email about this blog post this week I saved it for weekend reading. I really resonated with it because of some writing I am doing on another book project about the importance of following.

I find that what hinders us from grasping life in God’s economy is that we overthink it. We try to figure it out before we live it out, when in reality, we chart the opposite course.

We only figure it out when we follow in faith and obedience. For example, until we give generously and sacrificially, do we realize Jesus is not calling us to a life of destitution but rather distribution.

That said, if you want to adopt such a “Follow Me” strategy in your church, perhaps check out the GenerousChurch resources and adopt the language of Paul as your theme verse.

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1

When we actually start following, Jesus does rock our world. His intensity fuels our tenacity. We are released and unleashed as contagious, generous and loving servants.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

“David is saying that because the Lord is our shepherd, we shall NOT be decreased, deprived, empty, lack anything, made lower, experience need, know scarcity, have want. Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall increase, have everything I need, be full, be satisfied, lifted up, have abundance, be provided for, know no scarcity, be content. This leads to my translation of this verse as, “The Lord is my Shepherd, and in Him, I have everything I need.”

If this is true (and it is) it must lead us to four powerful convictions.

1. Having enough requires absolute trust. I know the Shepherd, and I trust He will provide for all of my needs…

2. Having enough reorders our priorities. I know the Shepherd, and what the Shepherd provides is all I need. That is an interesting and important twist. It says that it is our Shepherd, and NOT US, who defines what we need. If we are willing to let God define our needs, we can trust Him to supply them.

3. Having enough is a present tense reality. I know the Shepherd, and as a result, my needs today are met. The verse says, “I have everything I need”, not that we ‘hope to have’ or ‘might have’ or ‘plan to have’, but God’s provision is a present reality.

4. Having enough is a declaration of sacred contentment. I know the Shepherd, and therefore I am content. I have enough! Enough for what?

Enough to lay down in peace beside still waters. Enough to have my soul restored. Enough to walk through the valley of death without fear. Enough to trust God’s rod and staff and take guidance and discipline with joy. Enough to sit in the presence of my enemies with his anointing and an overflowing cup. Enough to live with hope all the days of my life. Enough to know whose I am and where my future lies.

This Psalm is but one instance of a preponderance of Scripture that calls us to a life of abundance, trust and contentment. What would it mean for you today if you believed, really believed that God has supplied all your need?

It would mean we would focus on what we have and not on what we think we lack, and the result would be thanksgiving and praise. It would mean we would seek God’s guidance for how best to steward all that He has given, since we believe it is enough to do the work He called us to do. It would mean we would drive away every fear of tomorrow, having faith that the God who supplied our need today in every area of our life will be faithful to do so again and again as long as He gives us breath and life.

I urge you to start this New Year with this one phrase flowing from your lips, “I have enough.” See if it is not the first step on a journey of freedom and transformation as a joyful, faithful steward.”

R. Scott Rodin in “You Have All That You Need” blog post for The Steward’s Journey. Take a few minutes to read Psalm 23 today. Also reflect again on the four powerful convictions Rodin notes above, and repeat “I have enough” over and over. Do this to help renew your mind.

As I think about the idea of “abundance” in 2018, I am realizing that those who don’t grasp it don’t experience a little less than abundance. They miss out on life according to God’s design altogether because their priorities are whacked, their present day reality is skewed, and their outlook is clouded by fear.

“The Lord is my Shepherd, and in Him, I have everything I need.”

Now [Jesus] was also saying to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and this manager was reported to him as squandering his possessions.” Luke 16:1

“God prospers me not to raise my standard of living but to raise my standard of giving. God comes right out and tells us why He gives us more money than we need. It’s not so we can find more ways to spend it. It’s not so we can indulge ourselves and spoil our children. It’s not so we can insulate ourselves from needing God’s provision. It’s so we can give — generously.

When God provides more money, we often think, This is a blessing. Well, yes, but it would be just as scriptural to think, This is a test. The money manager has legitimate needs, and the Owner is generous — He doesn’t demand that His stewards live in poverty, and He doesn’t resent our making reasonable expenditures on ourselves.

But suppose the Owner sees us living luxuriously in a mansion, driving only the best cars, and flying first-class? Or buying only expensive clothes and electronic gadgets and eating at the best restaurants? Isn’t there a point when, as His stewards, we can cross the line of reasonable expenses? Won’t the Owner call us to account for squandering money that’s not ours?”

Randy Alcorn The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving (Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2001) 75-76.

No one wants to be accused of “squandering” the Master’s resources. Alcorn points the way for us by encouraging us to make reasonable expenditures. It’s not easy. The world tells us that everything it offers is a need rather than a want so it can be hard for us to be content.

Alcorn unlocks the proverbial secret passage way forward. We must realize that God prospers us, not to raise our “standard of living” but rather our “standard of giving” to the things He cares about. How do we do this practically? We live on a budget. We map how much is enough and we share the rest.

Living within our means and giving according to our means sound like foreign concepts to most Americans. On 3 June 2013, Gallup reported that “two-thirds of Americans do not live on a budget and only 32% of Americans prepare a detailed written or computerized budget.” A budget sets guardrails for spending to help us avoid squandering the Master’s money.

Need help? Check out lesson seven of my Good and Faithful series, “Budgeting: Put to Work What God Provides”. It’s free to watch. I echo Alcorn when I say to my students: This is a test. Thankfully it’s an open-book test. The book is the Bible, and it contains all the wisdom we need.

For I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past — stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about His power and His mighty wonders. Psalm 78:2-4

“So, thanks to Amish parents modeling their money mentoring, I launched the six-pronged De-spoiling plan with my kids.

1. Teach them contentment with what they already have.
2. Show them how to hunt out savings and freebies.
3. Help them distinguish between wants and needs.
4. Say no with some regularity.
5. Encourage delayed gratification.
6. Teach them that hard work won’t kill them, and is probably really, really good for them.”

Lorilee Craker in Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing, and Saving (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011) 103.

The world bombards children with messages about materialism and consumerism. Alternatively, we discover “hidden truths” when we practically apply what God’s Word teaches.

As I continue to interact with my Northern Seminary students and reflect on our time together, I recall that most of them testified that their parents did not teach them much about the handling of money.

Parents, we must model and teach our children how to relate to money! Craker adds other helpful maxims in this book that she learned from the Amish, such as, “Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without.”

We must de-spoil our children because the world spoils them daily. Society dumps lies into their heads. De-spoil them to help them live a life of simplicity, sharing, and saving, and so they avoid discontentment, debt, and disaster!