Meditations

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37

“Every day we face a choice to pursue the “me, me, me” mindset of the American dream or to pursue Christ. What if this generation was willing to trade in the pursuit of the American dream for a world that desperately needs Christ: to be traders. A “trader” is a new kind of missionary, not defined by geography. Where you live does not make you a missionary. The mission you are on makes you a missionary. Being a trader is a movement that requires us to live out our faith, not just talk about it. As a trader, we must choose daily to sacrifice and be intentional with our time, money, and skills. We can be like the good Samaritan in the parable.”

Today’s post comes from “Definition of a Trader” an absolutely wonderful 2.5 minute vimeo by Built for Life. Watch it. Jenni and I loved it when we logged on to wifi here in Hong Kong where our ECFA-related activities begin today.

This past weekend I had the privilege of speaking for Bobby Thomas and the Arkansas Baptist Foundation on my book, The Choice: The Christ-Centered Pursuit of Kingdom Outcomes. Special thanks to Bobby for sharing this vimeo with me.

If you liked it and you want personal ebook version of my book which celebrates the same choice every Christ-follower must make, I would be happy to share it freely with readers of my daily meditations. Reply and I will send it to you in PDF form.

Let’s all make the choice to be traders!

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

“Will you notice how men give? Among those who give to benevolent enterprises there are three sorts of givers, with variations in each.

There is the man who gives because he is influenced by others. If the right man or committee of men call, and deftly present their pleas, playing skillfully upon what may appeal to him; his position; his egotism; the possible advantage to accrue…if they persist, by and by he gives. At first he seems reluctant, but finally gives with more or less grace. That is one sort of giver.

There is a second sort: the man of truly benevolent heart who is desirous of giving that he may be of help to other men. He listens attentively when pleas come to him, and waits only long enough to satisfy himself of the worth of the cause, and the proper sort of amount to give, and then gives.

There is a third sort, the rarest sort. This second man a stage farther on, who takes the initiative. He looks about him, makes inquiries, and thinks over the great need in every direction of his fellow men. He decides where his money may be best used to help and then himself offers to give.”

Samuel Dickey Gordon (1859-1936) in Quiet Talks on Prayer (New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1941) 54-55. Special thanks to my friend, Randy Discher, who shared this excerpt with me earlier this week in Minnesota. He and his wife, Debbie, take the “initiative” to bless others.

By the time you are reading this, Jenni and I will have just arrived in Hong Kong (pictured above in a snapshot I took on a previous visit). En route I have blocked time to pray about remarks I will share in various settings. Give me your words, Father in Heaven.

When teaching on generosity, I love to ask questions. Here’s the question for today: Which of the givers mentioned above describes you?

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:26

“If true Christians do perform good works, then stewarding resources to maximize one’s ability to perform acts of mercy takes center stage. It may well be true that it is impossible to be both rich and Christian unless one is generous in giving from one’s riches.”

Craig L. Blomberg and Mariam J. Kamell in James: Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008) 254. One of my former students, Dave Rowland, recently shared a paper he wrote on James, and this was among the great quotes.

Contemplate this thought today: Am I stewarding God’s resources to maximize my ability to perform acts of mercy?  Or consider it in these terms: Am I deploying myself and the resources in my stewardship to show God’s love to a broken world?

Jenni and I will have plenty of time to think about it on our 4 hour flight to Newark and 16 hour flight to Hong Kong where we will minister in a variety of ways through 25 April 2016. Christ be with us, go before us, be behind us, and be within us.

What’s center stage in your life? I am thankful for a wife and two grown children that join me in keeping God, His kingdom, and righteousness center stage in our lives. This leads us to deploy ourselves and put whatever resources we have to work to make Him known. We have found it’s the only way to live.

And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44

“People often say that if we had more income we would give more to support God’s work through the church. However, the truth is that it is not the amount of money in our wallets that determines our giving but the amount of gratitude in our hearts which determines how much we give to support God’s work . . .

Jesus never commanded His disciples to give 10 percent of their income to God. Jesus wanted us to give 100 percent of ourselves to God so that everything we are and have is devoted to the loving service of God and others. When we surrender ourselves totally and completely into the hands of God, we seek to use 100 percent of our time, talent, and treasure in ways that bring honor and glory to God and serve the needs of others.”

Kent Millard in The Gratitude Path: Leading Your Church to Generosity (Nashville: Abingdon, 2015).

My heart is filled with gratitude to God today to be home from six flights in six days ministering across the country. You’d think I’d feel empty but I am enriched from the privilege of serving others in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks for your prayers.

Take a moment to consider your own life. Your generosity is not based on a percentage from your purse or wallet but the posture of the heart. Is your heart filled with gratitude for the priceless gift of grace you have received from God?

Are you deploying yourself in fruitful work and the resources in your stewardship in ways that “bring honor and glory to God and serve the needs of others” as Millard put it? Don’t do it because I said so, do it because its what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

“When we offer emotional generosity to others, we create the atmosphere for God to do something powerful in us and through us. I don’t always want to give others what I need.

My initial reaction is often to give others what I think they deserve: a quick comeback, a nasty look, an unforgiving heart. None of these things have ever brought me anything I needed…

Emotional stinginess is easy, and it comes pretty natural to most of us. It starts as kids. Why is sharing such an impossible concept to teach a two-year-old? Like us, they are born with a sin nature pulling them toward themselves…

Giving others what we need is bravery and kindness mixed together. In my opinion it’s the greatest form of generosity…When I give others what I need, I’m sowing another life-giving seed.”

Nicki Koziarz in 5 Habits of a Woman Who Doesn’t Quit (Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2016) 127-128.

My mom shared this quote with me. I love it!

While I hope depicts all of us, it reminds me of the kindness my mom extends to hurting clients at the crisis pregnancy center, or the tenderness that my wife shows toward those with whom she daily meets as a spiritual director. They both fill themselves with the love of Christ then dispense “emotional generosity” richly.

It also describes Randy and Debbie Discher, dear friends with whom I stayed last night in Andover, Minnesota. They became flesh and dwelled among the folks here long ago and were just honored for 30 years (that is not a typo!) of pastoral ministry at Constance Free Church. Now there’s an emotionally generous couple!

As I explore God’s generosity toward us, I am reminded that God did not send help. He came. And when He came, He did not give us what we deserved but exactly what we needed, grace and truth. Let’s all go and do likewise!

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15

“Gifts literally cease to be gifts if they are not used, if they are not constantly consumed, if they are not relinquished…Our property can devour us if we hoard it. God the Economist seeks to keep the gift in motion.

Market exchange and gifting generate different kinds of relationships. The exchange of commodities aims at a stasis or equilibrium. When I buy a hammer at the hardware store, I exchange what is considered equal value for the hammer. I pay in order to balance the scales. In the transaction there is neither motion nor emotion. I am the former owner of the hammer part company, confident that neither owes the other anything…

In gift-giving, on the other hand, am imbalance is created that causes momentum and creates new relationships. Gifts obligate. Persons in older generations used to respond to a gift by saying, “much obliged.” Now one seldom hears this in our society, for we do not want to be obligated.

But the fundamental logic of the economy of God is that Jesus Christ is the charis (which means both gift and grace), the unexcelled generosity by which God has gifted us with God’s own life in order to redeem us from the nothingness of death, and this gift is what obligates, moves, and empowers our lives for serving life against death in the world.

Accordingly, at stake in Jesus’ command to relinquish possessions is not simply a life free of possessions and their hold on human life, a freedom offered by many philosophies. Rather, the issue is entrance into God’s basileia economy. By gifting what one has, one becomes free for the new life of the kingdom and the discipleship of Jesus. Radical freedom for gifting is possible because of God’s radical provision of God’s righteousness.”

M. Douglas Meeks in God the Economist: The Doctrine of God and Political Economy (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1989) 118-119.

I’d appreciate your prayers for me as I speak today and tomorrow on life in God’s economy at the EFCA North Central District Conference.

Also ask the Holy Spirit to help you look honestly at your own life. Does your life reflect that you are keeping God’s gracious gifts in motion?

Let’s worship the Lord by celebrating how generously He gives grace!

He Giveth More Grace

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

Chorus:
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbeat.

Annie Johnson Flint (1866-1932)

Thank you God for your matchless grace upon us, around us, and within us! I am celebrating God’s grace today because my meetings hosted by the Arkansas Baptist Foundation are going well. In part they went great last night because of the gift of grace I received yesterday. Grace is undeserved favor.

Yesterday afternoon my United Airlines flight was repeatedly delayed leaving Chicago, IL for Fayetteville, AR. Soon it became evident to me that I might not make the dinner. I was the speaker! My flight was supposed to arrive at 4:22pm for a 6:00pm dinner that was 30 minutes from the airport. I had to land by 6:00pm to make it in time for dessert.

In stressful situations my wife has taught me to “breathe” and “lean into” Jesus. I kept telling myself, “breathe in” (thinking: Holy Spirit fill me with peace) and “breathe out” (thinking: I give my fears and anxieties to You, Lord).

I had kindly asked the gate agent twice if she thought there was any hope we’d arrive by 6:00pm. The first time she said, “I don’t know.” The second time I asked she appeared interested in where I was going so I told her. When the board posted an estimated arrival time of 6:15pm my heart sank. Shortly thereafter we all boarded. Would I be too late?

What happened next has never happened in far more than a million miles of flying thousands of flights in my career.

United showed me undeserved favor and got me to the dinner. When I boarded the gate agent said, “We will get you to that dinner.” Before boarding the small plane I left my bag in the jetway to be gate-checked. I boarded, smiled at the stewardess and said, “I can’t tell you how happy I am to be on this plane.” She replied, “Are you Dr. Hoag?”

I responded affirmatively and started to sketch my situation, but it seems she had already talked to the gate agent.

Instead of gate-checking my bag the stewardess said, “Go get your bag, and we will put it in the closet.” Then the pilot opened the door and said,”We are working to shave off some time for you.” Then I got a notification from United that my arrival time changed from 6:15pm to 5:52pm.

United adjusted our departure order and flight plan and trimmed 23 minutes off.

We landed at 5:47pm and got to the gate at 5:52pm. I was first in line to deplane. The pilot opened the door and said, “Dr. Hoag, are you going to make it?” After thinking to myself, “He knew my name!” I replied, “I think I will thanks to you all.” He replied, “We did our work, now you go do yours.” I will never forget it.

I arrived at the event as everyone was finishing dinner, just in time to speak.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

“The Bible has a lot to say about giving, and the promises attached to it. Giving is a responsibility and a privilege. With that I mind, I want to share with you four biblical principles on giving from 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.

First, every believer in every church should give. Giving is a universal practice…Second, we learn that giving is to be done consistently and regularly…Third, giving is a personal act…Fourth, and lastly, we should prepare ourselves to invest in the work of God…

Not all our gifts will be equal but our sacrifice should be. Our giving should be in proportion to what we earn. Giving is an opportunity to be an obedient Christian. Take it seriously, but do it cheerfully.”

Jim Mindling is the senior pastor of Church of the Open Door where my parents attend in Elyria, Ohio. This excerpt comes from their 20/20 Vision Journey Guide, a great tool for growing givers in community.

God’s doing a good work through the ministry of Open Door in multiple venues. It was good to learn from my parents a bit of what their church is doing as I am currently researching church stewardship efforts. What’s your church doing?

This morning (Lord willing despite the Spring snowstorm pictured above), I will fly from Cleveland to Chicago to Fayetteville to serve my friends at the Arkansas Baptist Foundation. Tonight and tomorrow I will speak on The Choice: The Christ-Centered Pursuit of Kingdom Outcomes. 

Father in heaven, by your Holy Spirit help my flights stay on schedule today and cause the seeds planted through teaching to take root and bear fruit for your glory. Do this for me and for each of us as we sow truth into the hearts of people. Hear my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard. Acts 22:15

“There are three great forms of service: one is the giving of substance stately, self-denyingly, and systematically unto the Lord; another is the witness, both of lip and life, to the truth as it is in Jesus; again there is prayer–supplication and intercession for ourselves and for all men. How simple those three forms of service are! And to them every one may contribute.”

A. T. Pierson (1837-1911) American pastor in The Bible and the Spiritual Life (Shoals: Kingsley, 2014) 67. To learn more about A. T. Pierson, check out the biography by Dana Robert entitled, Occupy Until I Come, which is the title of my talk tonight for Cornerstone.

Our generous service to Christ flows through three beautiful channels–our giving, our witness (“lip and life”, and our prayers–and every one may contribute. That is so beautiful!

In my introductory remarks tonight I’ll honor my mom, Patsy Hoag, for 30 years of service to Cornerstone. She’s been giving, witnessing, and praying for lost souls to find the help and hope only Jesus can offer there for 30 years!

Pray with me that those who attend the dinner tonight will likewise resolve to live missionally through sacrificial giving, consistent witness, and faithful prayers. I also pray that for everyone reading this post!

Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him. Mark 12:17

“Give your tithe to God. The rest is yours to save and spend.” Sounds reasonable–right? Except that’s not what the Bible teaches at all…

God loves us. He wants the best for us. And He knows that we thrive when we give ourselves away. Thus, He calls us to be givers–not tithers, not donors, but radical all-in givers.

We did not always understand this, and in some ways we’re still learning it, and relearning it over and over. But this book is about our ongoing journey from mindsets of Spending (Greg) and Saving (John) to the mindset of Servant.

We have learned so much along this journey, but most significantly, we no longer ask “How much should we give?” Rather our question has now become, “How much do we need to keep?”

John Cortines and Gregory Baumer in God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School (Carson: Rose, 2016) inside of dust jacket and page 4.

I just got this new book, and I love what I have read so far. Regardless of what others are doing, let’s follow biblical teaching as all-in servant givers!

Cortines and Baumer hit the nail on the head: We must stop using cultural terms like “donor” which connote “ownership” of what is given. We don’t own anything. It all belongs to God.

Also, neither Jesus nor the apostles and disciples after him instructed followers to “tithe” so we shouldn’t either. It sends them back to the slavery of the Law.

I fly to Ohio today. I get to have dinner with my parents and my sister’s family before a speaking engagement tomorrow. Thank you Lord for family members that are all-in servant givers.