Meditations

“The sweetest life is to be ever making sacrifices for Christ; the hardest life a man can lead on earth, the most full of misery, is to be always doing his own will and seeking to please himself.”

Edward Henry Bickersteth (1825-1906) English bishop as recounted in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 534.

The life lived for Jesus is full, while the life lived for self is empty. Sacrifices don’t parch but enrich believers. The sweetest life truly is the one that ever makes sacrifices for Christ!

The “Exploring Generosity” Alpha Iowa event went well last night. I am heading home this morning from a fruitful weekend in Des Moines and Ankeny. It was sweet! Thanks for your prayers.

“Love is the greatest thing that God can give us, for He Himself is love; and it is the greatest thing we can give to God, for it will also give ourselves, and carry with it all that is ours.”

Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) English cleric as recounted in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 392.

Generosity starts with receiving God’s love and giving Him our love, which includes all we are and all we have. “We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

This idea is at the core of our “Exploring Generosity” event in Ankeny, Iowa, tonight. Pray it goes well.

“The essential elements of giving are power and love—activity and affection—and the consciousness of the race testifies that in the high and appropriate exercise of these is a blessedness greater than any other.”

Mark Hopkins (1813-1878), one of the four principle investors in the Grand Pacific Railroad, as recounted in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 5.

While this is not the place to share this morning’s sermon (I’ll deliver that at Prairie Ridge Church in Ankeny, Iowa), the first point in my message on generosity is love. The Apostle Paul states that without love, our giving is worthless (1 Corinthians 13:3) which is why he reminds us to do everything in love (1 Corinthians 16:14).

Hopkins helped build the railroad across the prairies during the gold rush. While others were intoxicated with having wealth, he at least understood the essential elements of giving it. He was widely known for his wisdom. Sadly, though thrifty and generous, he died unexpectedly without a will.

Want to grow in generosity? Exercise your power with love, and do it while you can!

“If by the consecration of my earthly possessions to some extent, I can make the Christian character practically more lovely, and illustrate, in my own case, that the highest enjoyments here are promoted by the free use of good things entrusted to us, what so good use can I make of them?”

Amos Lawrence (1786-1852) American merchant and generous giver in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 521.

Today I fly to Des Moines. I am preaching at Prairie Ridge Church in Ankeny tomorrow, and then speaking for Alpha Iowa at an “Exploring Generosity” event on Monday. I’d appreciate your prayers for me as I urge people to illustrate the Christian faith through the consecration of earthly possessions.

“There are some [people] that give as the springs do: whether you go to them or not, they are always full; and your part is merely to put your dish under the ever-flowing stream. Others give just as a pump does where the well is dry, and the pump leaks.”

Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887) American Congregationalist clergyman, in Forty Thousand Quotations, Prose and Poetical, compiled by Charles Noel Douglas (London: George G. Harrap & Company, 1917) 829.

As I reflect on generosity through the comments of famous preachers, I love this word picture: “give as the springs do.” They are conduits of clear, refreshing rivers of life to the world, abundantly and perpetually replenished by God.

The ECFA board meeting went well last night. I got reacquainted with old friends who “give as the springs do” and made new ones. This morning I am returning to Colorado. The fellowship here was sweet, but there’s no place like home!

Father in Heaven, thanks for the gift of another day to serve you, to enjoy our loved ones, and to “give as the springs do” wherever we go. May our generosity toward others give life to them and bring you glory. Do this by your Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

“He gives not best that gives most; but he gives most who gives best.”

Arthur Warwick (sixteenth century) English cleric in Forty Thousand Quotations, Prose and Poetical, compiled by Charles Noel Douglas (London: George G. Harrap & Company, 1917) 829.

Sacrifices in Scripture were to be “spotless” to represent one’s best. Since God sees our giving in all aspects of life, let’s be sure to give Him our best each and every day.

Tonight I get to address the ECFA board in Winchester, VA regarding my international liaison efforts encouraging the faithful administration of God’s work among all peoples. I will do so with much thankfulness.

When we diligently give our best to God in our work and trust the guidance of the Holy Spirit, things rarely go as anticipated, we often face difficulties, and yet the fruitful outcomes bring glory to God.

That’s pretty much my report.

“It is not the fact that a man has riches which keeps him from the kingdom of heaven, but the fact that riches have him.”

John Caird (1820-1898) Scottish theologian in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 523.

As I explore the handling of riches in sermons and commentaries of famous preachers, this theme emerges: a person’s relationship with riches shapes their earthly living and their eternal destiny.

While wealth and riches often come to faithful stewards, those that relate rightly to riches do not hold on to them, but rather, enjoy and share them, showing that they cling not to riches for security but to God.

The famous preachers also echo Jesus in stating that there is no middle ground! People either serve God or serve mammon (cf. Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). Do you have riches or do riches have you?

“There is a burden of care in getting riches, fear in keeping them, temptation in using them, sorrow in losing them, and a burden of account at last to be given up concerning them.”

Matthew Henry (1662-1714) Welsh-born commentator of the Bible in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 521.

Henry simply and rightly notes the challenges linked to riches. Are you prepared to give an account for your stewardship? If not, there’s no better day than today to get your house in order.

I am attending meetings with seminary leaders in Chicago today regarding financial models. Because institutional leaders face complex stewardship challenges, may God grant wisdom to us all!

“Proportion thy charity to the strength of thy estate, lest God proportion thy estate to the weakness of thy charity. Let the lips of the poor be the trumpet of thy gift, lest in seeking applause thou lose thy reward. Nothing is more pleasing to God than an open hand and a closed mouth.”

Francis Quarles (1592-1644) English poet in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 25.

I am headed to Chicago today and plan to visit an elderly man who has proportioned his giving to the strength of his estate. I hope to encourage him as much as his open-handed life has inspired me.

How will you proportion your charity?

“Never try to save out of God’s cause; such money will canker the rest. Giving to God is no loss; it is putting your substance in the best bank. Giving is true having, as the old gravestone said of the dead man: What I spent I had, what I saved I lost, what I gave I have.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) British preacher in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 24.

Where’s your substance stored? Is it safe in “the best bank” or (wrongly!) stockpiled on earth? People chatter today about how it seems we are living in the end times. Perhaps? All the more reason to assess and move God’s resources where they belong. Do it today, as James reminds us how we will feel if we have hoarded wealth in the last days!

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. James 5:1-3