Meditations

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12

“A family’s ability to make progress in any area of life is only limited by their belief in the outcome and their discipline to see it through. Countless people have achieved feats that make my accomplishments look like child’s play. Never underestimate the power of someone crazy enough to believe it’s possible.”

Travis Shelton in “750 Sessions, Oh My!” blog post on 5 June 2024. Check out these resources from Travis. Website: www.travisshelton.com / The Daily Meaning blog: www.travisshelton.com/blog / Podcast: https://podfollow.com/meaning-over-money

Jenni is still back east so I am flying to visit a good friend in Wisconsin, John Stanley, for a couple days. He has become an influential friend and brother that helps me stay centered with Christ.

He’s the one who taught me the Surrender Novena. He got it from Don Dolindo Ruotolo. “Jesus, I surrender myself to you. Take care of everything.” Say that 10 times a day. It will change your life.

Now Jesus said we would do greater things, and Travis and I are convinced it’s possible. We’ve seen it with our own eyes. Our passion (and Travis and I have a lot of passion) finds roots in real stories of transformation.

Yesterday, it was our decisions that got us into debt. Today, I love how belief is what gets you out of debt. Sure, it’s coupled with discipline, but belief is what drives a person forward.

The best part of work for people like Travis and me is this. We love the truth. We proclaim the truth. We feel like a broken record sometimes, repeating the truth, but it never gets old. It never loses it’s power.

It sets people free. But only those receptive enough to acknowledge their bad decisions and lean into the belief that there is hope for their future if they act on what is true. I don’t know where you are but I know this.

If you listen to people like Travis and me, we will finish life with no regrets. Your kids will admire your radical obedience. They will thank you and follow you. And you will have joy and be enriched by God on the journey time and time again.

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. Proverbs 22:7

“Debt does not discriminate based on income. It’s not the lack of income that leads us into debt, but rather our decisions. Debt is a trap that’s crushing people from every age, race, income, education, profession, and geography.”

Travis Shelton in “750 Sessions, Oh My!” blog post on 5 June 2024. Check out these resources from Travis. Website: www.travisshelton.com / The Daily Meaning blog: www.travisshelton.com/blog / Podcast: https://podfollow.com/meaning-over-money

It’s been a privilege to journey with Travis over more than a decade since we met in Iowa. He left his corporate job and has found joy helping people find freedom from the slavery of debt.

I read his daily blog and saw this a few days ago. He recounted 10 lessons he’s learned from 750 coaching sessions with people, helping them find new life and learn to make good decisions.

Since 750 is a lot of lessons, I want to reflect on what Travis can teach us this week. Today’s post contains an operative word: decisions. Our decisions to spend money we don’t have to purchase things crushes us. Imagine if everyone simply lived within their means.

It’s about controlling our wants, curbing our desires. But the marketing messages calling us to get more, newer, and better things cause debt to swallow us. Interestingly, the more developed the country, as I see in my travels, the more troubles with debt.

Seriously, in poor places, few have access to credit as we know it. The paycheck cashing places and moneylenders make it big in those places. So the issue is there, it just takes shape differently. Debt is not as widely available.

Javier Espinosa, our new GTP Church Ambassador from Costa Rica recently shared a quote with me along these lines. Javier wrote, *We are born without bringing anything, we die without carrying anything… and in the middle of the interval between life and death, we fight for what we did not bring and will NOT take with us…*

We not only make poor decisions. We fight to keep what God intended us to enjoy and share. So what decisions will you make in the short time you have on this earth to maximize your impact?

Regardless of your past, I pray that you decide today to live within your means so you are agile and free from slavery to debt and able to follow God with margin to live, give, serve, and love generously.

Sound too good to be true? If you are saddled with debt, seek out Travis (contact info above) and check out his resources. He can help you. And keep reading as we will explore more info on this topic over the next week.

Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives. Titus 3:14

“Then he said to me, “Carry out your ministry courageously; declare the Lord’s mighty acts to every person, and you will find favor in this ministry. Whoever, therefore, walks in these commandments will live and will have a happy life; but whoever neglects them will not live and will have an unhappy life. Tell all who are able to do right not to stop; to work at good works is beneficial to them.

Moreover, I say that every person ought to be rescued from distress, for one who is in need and suffers distress in daily life is in great anguish and hardship. So whoever rescues such a person from misery wins great joy for himself. For the one who is troubled by distress of this sort is afflicted with the same anguish as one who is in chains. For any people, because of afflictions of this kind, commit suicide when they can no longer endure them.

Therefore, whoever knows about the misery of someone like this and does not rescue that person commits a great sin and becomes guilty of that person’s blood. Do good works, therefore, you who have received from the Lord, lest while you put off doing them the building of the tower is completed. For it is on your account that the work of building has been suspended. So unless you act quickly to do right, the tower will be completed, and you will be excluded.”

The Shepherd of Hermas 114, Parable X.4 (c. A.D. 70-140) in The Apostolic Fathers, Greek Texts and English Translations 3rd edition, edited and translated by, Michael W. Holmes after the earlier work of J. B. Lightfoot and J. R. Harmer, 120.

Today is the final post from the Apostolic Fathers. For some of you that’s a relief. I hope you have enjoyed it and that you are blessed when we jump to modern times tomorrow.

Carry out your ministry courageously. Living radically different from the world is not easy at all. It requires courage. And the time is short. Put to work the resources you have. Devote yourself to good works.

I fly home from Washington D.C. today Jenni serves another week at Black Rock Christian Camp & Retreat Center. I appreciate your prayers for her and her spiritual direction and soul care work with 60 summer counselors

Reply if you want a copy of my GTP USA trip report which chronicles the fruits of onboarding three new staff and strengthening our Spanish and Chinese initiatives at GTP.

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:24-25

“And from the seventh mountain, where the vegetation was green and blooming and the whole mountain was thriving and cattle of every kind and birds of the sky were feeding on the vegetation on that mountain, and the vegetation on which they fed became all the more luxuriant, are believers such as these:

They were always sincere and innocent and blessed, holding nothing against one another but always rejoicing in God’s servants and clothed in the Holy Spirit of these virgins, and always having compassion for everyone, and from their labors they supplied everyone’s needs without reproach and without hesitation. The Lord, therefore, seeing their sincerity and utter childlikeness, prospered them in the labors of their hands and favored them in all that they did.

And I, the angel of repentance, declare to you who are like this: continue to act like this, and your descendants will never be blotted out. For the Lord has tested you and has enrolled you among our number, and all your descendants will live with the Son of God, for you have partaken of His Spirit.”

The Shepherd of Hermas 101, Parable IX.24 (c. A.D. 70-140) in The Apostolic Fathers, Greek Texts and English Translations 3rd edition, edited and translated by, Michael W. Holmes after the earlier work of J. B. Lightfoot and J. R. Harmer, 109.

These words “without hesitation” really touched me. I love them. These people don’t flinch.

Those who tap into God’s abundant economy as described in today’s Proverbs realize that they don’t end up empty when they show compassion and help others. They end up enriched. They don’t find themselves destitute but find joy when they distribute.

And notice these people are thriving and sustained magnificently by our good God.

I pray this reflects your life. I pray God sees your sincerity and utter childlikeness and, as a result, lavishes on you whatever you need, whenever you need it. This reflects His desire. It requires faith to experience it.

The question is, “Will you?” I pray so. If not, take heed to the words of the messenger or angel of repentance.

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Mark 10:21-23

“And from the third mountain, the one with thorns and briars, are believers such as these: some of them are rich, and some are entangled in many business affairs. The briars are the rich, and the thorns are those who are entangled in various business affairs.

So these who are entangled in many and various business affairs do not associate with God’s servants, but being choked by their affairs they go astray. Meanwhile the rich associate with God’s servants only with difficulty, for they are afraid that they may be asked for something by them. Such people, therefore, will enter the kingdom of God only with difficulty. For just as it is difficult to walk on briars with bare feet, so it is difficult for such people to enter the kingdom of God.

But for all these repentance is possible, but it must be quick, so that they may now retrace the days when in former times they failed to do anything, and do something good. So, if they repent and do something good, they will live to God; but if they persist in their actions, they will be handed over to those women, who will put them to death.”

The Shepherd of Hermas 97, Parable IX.20 (c. A.D. 70-140) in The Apostolic Fathers, Greek Texts and English Translations 3rd edition, edited and translated by, Michael W. Holmes after the earlier work of J. B. Lightfoot and J. R. Harmer, 106.

As I near the end of the GTP retreat outside Lancaster, Pennsylvania (Amish Country pictured above), I am also nearing the end of The Shepherd of Hermas, likely my favorite Apostolic Father next to the Didache and the Epistle of Barnabas.

Today’s parable features one of 12 mountains in the parables section of this classic work.

The briars and thorns represent the rich and those entangled by the affairs of business. Jesus appears as sympathetic toward these people. He proclaims that it is really hard for them to enter the kingdom.

Are you rich? Are you entangled by business affairs? The Shepherd of Hermas offers you brilliant advice. Do something good. You will figure it out as you live it out that this is the best use of your time and resources.

Whether you trust me or not, please hear this. Don’t ever make a deal with God that if He does something to your business then you will do something good. Start now. Do it even when times are tough.

It requires absolutely no faith to take such a posture. God knows that, and as the parable notes, acts accordingly. Death awaits such entangled people who don’t change directions. Don’t let that happen to you.

Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Revelation 2:5

“The ones who returned their sticks two-thirds withered and one-third green are those who had been faithful, but became rich and acquired a reputation among the outsiders. They clothed themselves with great pride and became arrogant and abandoned the truth and did not associate with the righteous, but lived with and according to the standards of outsiders, and this way of life was more pleasant to them.

Yet they did not fall away from God, but continued in the faith, though they did not do the works of faith. Many of them, therefore, repented, and their home was within the tower. But others, living entirely among the outsiders and being corrupted by the worthless opinions of the outsiders, fell away from God and behaved like the outsiders. These, therefore, were counted with the outsiders.

But others of them were double-minded, no longer hoping to be saved because of the deeds that they had done; and others were double-minded and caused divisions among themselves. For these, then, who became double-minded because of their deeds, there is still repentance; but their repentance ought to be swift, in order that their home may be within the tower. But for those who do not repent but persist in their pleasures, death is near.”

The Shepherd of Hermas 75, Parable VIII.9 (c. A.D. 70-140) in The Apostolic Fathers, Greek Texts and English Translations 3rd edition, edited and translated by, Michael W. Holmes after the earlier work of J. B. Lightfoot and J. R. Harmer, 84.

Thanks for your prayers for our meetings in the Washington D.C. area. Had a phenomenal time at ECFA yesterday. Praise the LORD. More on this trip later.

I am nearing the end of my exploration of the Apostolic Fathers. For many of you that might be a relief. But for me, this has been so enriching.

Today’s parable echoes the message of the letter to the church in Ephesus. Remember Ephesus was a prominent wealthy city. That causes the rich to get to comfortable.

Once that happens, they look and act like those outside the faith. Both the Scripture and this parable from Hermas written probably 30 years later calls God’s people to action.

Repent means to change directions. You are going the wrong way. Do the works you did at first. How might that relate to you and where you are on your journey. Only you can answer it.

Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. 2 Timothy 4:9-15

“The ones who returned their sticks half green and half withered are those who are absorbed in business and do not associate with the saints; this is why one half of them lives, but the other half is dead. Many, therefore, repented when they heard my commandments. Those who have repented have their home within the tower. But some of them fell away completely.

These, therefore, have no repentance, for on account of their business affairs they blasphemed the Lord and denied him. So they lost their life because of the evil they did. But many of them were double-minded. These still have an opportunity to repent, if they repent quickly, and their home will be within the tower; but if they repent more slowly, they will live within the walls.

But if they do not repent at all, they too have lost their lives. And the ones who returned the sticks two-thirds green and one-third withered are those who have denied the Lord repeatedly. Many have repented and gone off to live inside the tower, but many fell away from God completely; these ultimately lost their lives. And some of them were double-minded and caused dissensions. For these, then, there is repentance, if they repent quickly and do not persist in their pleasures. But if they persist in their actions, they too produce death for themselves.”

The Shepherd of Hermas 74, Parable VIII.8 (c. A.D. 70-140) in The Apostolic Fathers, Greek Texts and English Translations 3rd edition, edited and translated by, Michael W. Holmes after the earlier work of J. B. Lightfoot and J. R. Harmer, 83.

Only you can say what absorbs your time and with whom you associate. Only you can decide not allow business affairs and the pursuit of wealth to hinder your fruitfulness.

To be double-minded in antiquity is to think that money solves our problems. God does. To be double-minded in antiquity is to pursue God and pleasures.

When we pursue God, because He is good, we will enjoy pleasures. But if we pursue the pleasures, they will be empty. Let me give an example of this.

Jesus enjoyed wine. It’s not the alcoholic who enjoys wine. He or she is controlled by it, a slave to it, and loses the ability to enjoy it. Only a slave to God can enjoy it.

Jesus did not have a place to lay his head but he enjoyed provision. If we make provision or wealth our pursuit, like the alcoholic, we become consumed, and the enemy celebrates.

Hermas, in ancient thinking likens our lives as sticks and uses the tower and walls to depict our eternal destiny linked to our decisions now. It’s complicated but let me say this.

If you have pursued wealth or pleasures, repent. Pursue God, use wealth to accomplish His purposes, and don’t let business affairs absorb your time and suck the life out of you.

Associate with those who give you life. This brings today’s Scripture into view. The Apostle Paul writes Timothy about people who have remained with him and those who have not.

Apostacy is a reality. What matters is not how you start but how you finish. Don’t let business affairs or anything else distract your focus. Associate with saints!

This week I am having priceless time with saints from five countries. Next week I fly to Wisconsin to spend two days with John Stanley in Wisconsin. In the words of Paul, “he is helpful to me.”

John reminds me to guard my heart, to surrender to Jesus daily, and to trust Him with everything. Do you have friends like that? If so, spend time with them. If not, find them.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. Colossians 2:8

“After he spoke these things to me, he said, “Let us go into the country, and I will show you the shepherds of the sheep.” “Yes, Lord,” I said, “let us go.” We came to a certain plain and he showed me a young shepherd, wearing a bright yellow suit of clothes.

He was tending a large flock of sheep. These sheep were luxuriously fed and extremely frisky and cheerful, leaping about here and there; and the shepherd also was cheerful with his flock. The shepherd’s appearance was very cheerful, and he was running about among the sheep.

He said to me, “Do you see this shepherd?” “I see him, Lord,” I replied. “This,” he said, “is the angel of luxury and deceit. He, then, is the one who wears down the souls of the vacuous slaves of God and turns them away from the truth, deceiving them with evil desires that destroy them.

For they forget the commandments of the living God and proceed in vain deceits and luxuries and are destroyed by this angel — some to death and others to ruin.”

The Shepherd of Hermas 61.5-62.2, Parable VI.1-2 (c. A.D. 70-140) as reported by Bart Ehrman in Lost Scriptures: Books That Did Not Make It Into The New Testament (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003) 276-277.

As I continue reading the Shepherd of Hermas in my morning and evening reading while on my GTP retreat with new staff I am struck by their depth and character. It’s the opposite of vacuous and empty.

They are not led astray by the luxury and deceit though many people are.

Sadly, these people follow shepherds in flashy suits and, as a result, have become empty people who have been turned away from Christ. They listen more to political voices and popular thinkers than Christ.

Jesus, Paul, and others warned us it would happen. The key is not to let it happen to you.

Don’t look for earthly voices to promise you things here on earth. Their lips are filled with deceit and the luxury is fleeting and short-lived. Focus on eternity.

Use your wealth for a purpose while living. Don’t let deceit and luxury fool you. Focus on the commandments of God.

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:16-21

“I said to him, “Lord, I do not know what these parables mean and cannot understand them, unless you explain them to me.” “I will explain everything to you,” he said, “and show you the meaning of everything I tell you. Guard what the Lord commands and you will be accept­ able to him and enrolled among those who keep his commandments. But if you do anything good beyond what God commands, you will be glori­fied even more and even more highly honored before God than you were bound to be.

If, then, you do what God com­mands and perform any of these ser­vices in addition, you will be filled with joy — if you keep them according to my commandment.” I said to him, “Lord, I will guard whatever you command me. For I know you are with me.” “I will be with you,” he said, “because you are so eager to do good; and I will be with everyone who is just as eager. This fast that consists of keeping the Lord’s commandments,” he said, “is very good. And so guard the fast. First of all, be on your guard against every evil word and desire, and cleanse your heart from all the vain affairs of this age. If you guard these things, this fast will be complete.

And act as follows: when you have completed the things that have already been written, taste nothing but bread and water on the day you fast. Then estimate the cost of the food you would have eaten on that day and give that amount to a widow or orphan or someone in need. Be humble in this way, that the one who receives something because of your humility may fill his own soul and pray to the Lord for you.

If then you complete your fast like this, as I have commanded you, your sacrifice will be acceptable before God and the fast will be recorded. The service done in this way will be good and cheer­ful and pleasing to the Lord. Thus you should keep these things, as should your children and your entire household. When you do so, you will be blessed. Everyone who hears these things and keeps them will be blessed, and they will receive whatever they ask from the Lord.”

The Shepherd of Hermas 56. 1-9, Parable V.3 (c. A.D. 70-140) as reported by Bart Ehrman in Lost Scriptures: Books That Did Not Make It Into The New Testament (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003) 273-274.

Jesus instructed us to fast in a way that people cannot tell we are fasting and to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth.

Hermas echoes this by instructing us to guard and keep the Lord’s commands and even suggests a way to do this as a pathway to joy! It’s simply and practical. Notice he says to fast a day, and give the amount we would have spent on ourselves to others. This reflects the kind of sacrifice Jesus celebrates.

Try it. Consider making your gift to GTP. Our remaining need by 30 June 2024 is $37,096. Click here to give as you are able. And pray for our new Chinese (Haily Chow) and Spanish staff (Javier Espinosa and Lea Peguero). Trevor Lui, Paula Mendoza, and I have meetings with them for orientation and onboarding and to discern direction from the LORD together this week.

We thank God for Peter Fiorello and Black Rock Christian Camp & Retreat Center and ECFA who will host us this week.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you” — when you already have it with you. Proverbs 3:27

“There was a person who owned a field and many slaves, and he planted a vineyard in part of the field. And he chose a certain slave who was most trustworthy and pleasing to him; and when he was about to go on a journey, he called him in and said to him, ‘Take this vineyard that I have planted and build a fence around it before I return, and do nothing else to the vineyard. Do what I have commanded and I will set you free.’ And the master of the slave went away on his journey.

When he had gone, his slave took the vineyard and built a fence around it. And when he finished the fence he saw that the vineyard was full of weeds. And so he reasoned to himself, ‘I have finished what the Lord commanded; so now I will dig in this vineyard. Once it is dug it will be more attractive, and without the weeds it will give more fruit, since it will not be choked by the weeds.’ So he dug the vineyard and removed all the weeds that were in it. And that vine­ yard became more attractive and flourish­ing, since there were no weeds that could choke it.

After some time the master of both field and slave returned and came into the vineyard. When he saw that the vine­ yard was attractively fenced and even more that it was dug, with all the weeds removed, and that the vines were flourishing, he was extremely pleased with what the slave had done. So he called his beloved son, who was to be his heir, and his friends, who served as his advisors, and he told them everything he had commanded his slave and everything he found accomplished. And they congratulated the slave for the good testimony that the master had given him.

He said to them, ‘I promised to free this slave if he did what I commanded him. And he did what I commanded and an additional good work in my vineyard besides. He has pleased me greatly. In exchange for the work he has done I want to make him a fellow heir with my son; for when he thought of the good deed, he did not leave it alone, but he accomplished it.’ The master’s son approved of the idea that the slave should become his fellow heir. After some days the master of the house gave a dinner and sent a number of foods to the slave from his table.

When the slave received the food his master sent, he took what he needed and distributed the rest to his fellow slaves. His fellow slaves took the food gladly, and began also to pray for him, that he might find even greater favor with the master, since he had treated them so well. The master heard everything that happened and was again extremely pleased at what the slave had done. And so he once more assembled his friends and his son, and he reported to them what the slave had done with the foods he had received. And they approved even more heartily his plan to make the slave his son’s fellow heir.”

The Shepherd of Hermas 55. 2-11, Parable V.2 (c. A.D. 70-140) as reported by Bart Ehrman in Lost Scriptures: Books That Did Not Make It Into The New Testament (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003) 273.

I am enjoying these second century parables from Hermas.

We could explore many aspects of this parable, but I think the thread that struck me relates to that moment “when he thought of the good deed, he did not leave it alone, but he accomplished it.”

Sometimes we think of something and then we don’t follow through.

This reveals that God sees when we do that and celebrates what it says about our hearts. Children of God follow through: when they think of a good deed, they don’t leave it alone.

What will you do the next time you think of a good deed and what will it reveal about your heart?

Flying to Washington D.C. this morning for activating new Chinese and Spanish staff and meetings at ECFA this week. Appreciate your prayers for us.