Meditations

For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. 2 Corinthians 8:12

“Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could.”

Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390).

When I think of the Passion Week, I picture Jesus concluding his teaching with few parables.

He last words to us would be to live in a state of readiness (like the ten virgins), to put to work the resources He has entrusted to us (like the talents), and to care for those society forgets (like the sheep and not the goats).

The Ukrainians, largely speaking, feel forgotten by the rest of the world.

I am thankful that our ministry this week reminds everyone to trust in God, regardless of the outcome of the conflict, and to urge the Christian workers we resource to position themselves as conduits of hope and love.

And I am thankful for those who have sent gifts to help us. Others have yet to give.

Please don’t consider your gift too small. The widow’s two pennies were not small to Jesus. The boy’s five loaves and two fishes were not too small to Jesus. When we give God what we have, He multiplies is.

For inspiration, watch Palmful of Maize or share it with one person this week. Also pray with me as stewards at a church in Hong Kong take up a collection to help GTP spread this vision to the last and farthest corners of Malawi.

And please ray for our safety. In the western part of Ukraine, we experience air raids daily.  Thankfully, we hear that defense intercepts most missiles before they hit their targets.

While Jenni teaches in Lviv, I am now traveling eastward. Today, I go from Ivano-Frankivsk to Ternopil to Mykoliav. Tomorrow to Kherson, Kryvyi Rih, and Kharkiv before heading west for meetings in Kyiv and Irpin.

Please make a special passion week gift to help our Ukraine: Project Structure efforts here.

No gift is too small. Your giving helps with expenses like modest lodging, petrol, a hot dog and coffee for breakfast at a petrol station, and distributions to ministries so far ranging from $500 to $1,000 to $2,500 to $7,500, so far

Thanks for sending Milan and me as gospel ambassadors of hope and love. No gift is too small.

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard Him say it. Mark 11:12-14

”How grateful you should be to your own benefactor; how cheerful you should be at the honor he has conferred on you, that you do not have to make a nuisance of yourself at other people’s doors, but other people come and bother you at your own!

But at the moment you are grumpy and no one can get to you. You avoid meeting people in case you might be obliged be part with even a little of what you have. You can say only one thing: “I have nothing to give you. I am only a poor man.” Indeed you are poor and utterly destitute. Poor in love, poor in humanity, poor in faith in God, and destitute of any hope of eternal happiness.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Homily De Caritate, 3, 6: PG 31, 266-267, 275.

It’s Passion Week Monday. Before cleaning out the temple Jesus curses the fig tree. It has not produced the fruit it was supposed to produce.

I thought this fit well with the last reading from this treatise from Basil. Are we gratefully producing fruit for our Benefactor Jesus, or are we grumpy and unfruitful?

Serving workers in hard places that face poverty, corruption, affliction, and war has caused me to give my life to stir people to snap out of complacency and choose rich generosity.

Today’s Scripture serves as a wake-up call for all of us. Will we be curses for our lack of fruitfulness and labeled utterly destitute.

Jesus does not care if we believe (remember even the demons believe and shudder), He cares whether or not we follow Him and do what He tells us to do because of what we believe.

That’s our fruit. Strategic meetings are going well in Ukraine. The model to help schools scale and grow sustainably has been well received by two key schools.

When we strengthen stewards with standards, we can see sustainable ministry in the hardest places. Don’t give them handouts that create dependency. Work with GTP to give them a hand up.

That’s the other thing Jesus did on Passion Week Monday is his classic “Last call!”

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.” John 12:23-30

So what will you do? Will you fall into the ground and die to produce much fruit? That’s what Jesus did for you so that you and I might have life.

Will you sow the financial resources you have to reap an abundant harvest? That’s what Jesus did for you. He set aside the riches of heaven for you. He became poor so you might become rich.

Don’t be grumpy. Be grateful you get to give. And if you have not already contributed to our effort in Ukraine, please make a gift here. Still praying for another $2,000-$4,000 needed in real time.

I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Luke 16:9

“Do you not see how people throw away their wealth for a moment’s glory, for the shouts and praise of the crowds in the theatre, at sporting events, at fights with wild beasts in the arena? Where can you get that sort of glory for yourself if you hold on to your money or spend it meanly? God will give his approbation; the angels will praise you; all people who have existed since the beginning of the world will call you blessed. You will receive eternal glory and the crown of righteousness as a prize for rightly disposing of your wealth – wealth that in any case cannot last and must decay.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Homily De Caritate, 3, 6: PG 31, 266-267, 275.

Approbation is approval or praise. Imagine if today was your last day on earth.

Pause right now and picture it. You are in line waiting to meeting Jesus. The queue may be filled the Ukrainian followers of Jesus whose lives were snuffed out by enemy attacks.

I saw a funeral procession of cars yesterday in Khust that brought a tear to my eye.

Hopefully you will have made friends for yourself with earthly money, so that many will welcome you into your eternal dwellings. The time to make the choice is now.

And notice the new header photo. Look closely. What do you see at the base of the trees at this orchard in Khust? It was located next to the place we ate lunch and caught my attention.

The daffodils bring the right insects to the trees to eat pests that might harm the fruit and add nutrients to the soil. I learned this from Dr. Milan Hluchy who has joined me on this trip.

He’s been a great helper. He speaks Russian, which all Ukrainians know, and so he’s been like a helper and a translator assisting me from morning to night and helping carry my bags.

Milan is like this flower. We can all be like this flower. Plant ourselves by trees to make them fruitful.

I am thankful he has planted his life next to me. Please consider planting yourself by the tree of GTP. Click here to become a monthly giver or to make a special gift to help cover unanticipated expenses in Ukraine.

And thanks for your prayers for our strategic meetings in Khust. They could not have gone any better! Stay tuned or a full report. Now safely in Lviv for two meetings then to Ivano-Frankivsk tomorrow.

Adding a quick message to request prayer for safety and support.

Air raids both in the middle of the night and this morning (see my Facebook post) in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk damaged infrastructure.

The noise of the sirens threw Jenni and I out of bed at 3:45am. Raids continued this morning. In this somewhat tense moment when locals say conflict is escalating, just moments ago, Jenni and I said goodbye.

She will teach this week at the seminary in Lviv. I will begin my loop around the country with strategic meetings and to aid frontline workers.

This strikes make our support of Christian workers planting churches and aiding broken people more important. With more infrastructure destroyed, the workers resources to aid the hurting.

Pray for safe passage for Milan and me to Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Kryvyi Rih, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Irpin, and back to Lviv.

As we enter the passion week, consider how Christ laid down His life for you, and join us in sacrificing financially on behalf of those in great need. God sees and “will give his approbation.”

This is rightly disposing of your wealth.

They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor. Psalm 112:9

“Why do you think nothing of the future hopes that are stored up by those who despise the cares of the present time? Come, spread your wealth around, be generous, give splendidly to those who are in need. Then it will be said of you as it is in the psalms: He gave alms and helped the poor: His righteousness will endure for ever.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Homily De Caritate, 3, 6: PG 31, 266-267, 275.

Sitting in Ukraine, which has be ripped by war and difficulty in recent years I find three things today.

Firstly, I find unmatched receptivity to the gospel. Anyone willing to come to this setting can have an audience. Secondly, I see a profound opportunity for those who have been blessed to bless others in their time of need: that may be a message for you. Thirdly, I feel myself convinced that God looks for people willing to despise the cares of this present time and live for eternity.

Give splendidly to accredited churches and ministries wherever you are around the world today. May their accountability inspire your generosity.

And may your horn be lifted high in honor by our faithful God for your sacrifice, which of course pales in comparison to what Jesus did for each of us.

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Isaiah 58:6-7

“You are going to leave your money behind you here whether you want to or not. As for whatever share of glory you have received through your good works, that you can take with you to the Lord. All the people will stand round you in the presence of Him who judges you all: they will acclaim you as one who feeds the hungry and gives to the poor, they will name you as a merciful benefactor.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Homily De Caritate, 3, 6: PG 31, 266-267, 275.

When this posts, we will have arrived, in Jesus name, safely into Ukraine. We will minister in Khust today and tomorrow. Milan Hluchy of Vranov, Czech Republic is with us as our “helper” (Acts 13:5b).

Jenni and I will speak to a large group tonight from the community. Pray for us to bring the good news and a message of hope as merciful benefactors to war-torn people.

We have strategic meetings tomorrow. More on that tomorrow. We have already determined the needs we will face will be much greater than anticipated. Praying for at least another $3,000-$5,000 USD.

Lord have mercy. As you are able, please send a gift designated “Ukraine: Project Structure” here to help resource us to serve as merciful benefactors along the way. Thank you.

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. Proverbs 19:17

“Give to a hungry man, and what you give becomes yours, and indeed it returns to you with interest. Just as the wheat that falls on the ground falls there to the great profit of the one who sowed it, so the bread given to a hungry man will bring you great profit in the world to come. Let your husbandry be aimed at sowing this heavenly seed.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Homily De Caritate, 3, 6: PG 31, 266-267, 275.

The economy of God functions the opposite of the economy of this world. The world tells us to hold on to wealth and gain interest here.

Alternatively, Basil echoes Solomon saying that when we give it, we gain a return of interest from the Lord. It brings great profit in the world to come.

As everything we possess, including any measure of wealth, belongs to God, what we do with God’s money determines where we gain interest.

Do you want to gain interest in this life which may last 80 years, in the life to come when 80 million years is only the beginning. Sow what you have. Put it in play.

It will bring you great profit in the world to come. Jenni and I enter Ukraine today with Milan Hluchy. We will sow ourselves in Ukraine through Easter Sunday.

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Matthew 3:8

“Be like the earth. Bear fruit like her and do not fall short of what mere inanimate matter can achieve. The earth bears crops, not for her own benefit but for yours. You, on the other hand, when you give to the poor, are bearing fruit which you will gather in for yourself, since the reward for good deeds goes to those who perform them.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Homily De Caritate, 3, 6: PG 31, 266-267, 275.

We safely arrived in Prague. To stay awake we went for an evening walk and took this picture of Prague Castle from the famous Charles Bridge. Heading into Ukraine tomorrow.

And I have pivoted to this ancient treatise by Basil on almsgiving. He puts forth a profound idea: “Be like the earth.” Creation teaches us to bear fruit for our good and for the benefit of others.

Then, notice how he links the work of the land to our work in service to those in need. But when you ponder this topic, sometimes it seems confusing.

Let me shed light on a perceived inconsistency in Scripture that causes many to do nothing for the poor. There are two Greek words for poor with different instructions related to each one.

The word ptochos implies that a person is destitute. The word penes speaks of common person who does manual labor. The former cannot do meaningful work, while the latter must work if they can work.

Whenever we think about almsgiving, the Scriptures exhort us to show our Christian love by caring for the poor (ptochos). This reflects fruit in keeping with or consistent with repentance.

And if we rank among the manual working class, we must work because we can work. And we earn income for meeting our needs and sharing with others.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor (penes); their righteousness endures forever.” 2 Corinthians 9:8-9

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Isaiah 58:5

“Let us fast an acceptable and very pleasing fast to the Lord. True fasting is the estrangement from evil, temperance of tongue, abstinence from anger, separation from desires, slander, falsehood and perjury. Privation of these is true fasting.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Homily I.

When this posts, Jenni and I will be en route to Prague, Czech Republic. We appreciate your prayers for rest and strength for our service in Czech Republic and Ukraine through 5 April 2024.

Isaiah, the prophet, proclaims that fasting must come into view not merely as a physical act, but as an experience that leads God’s people to spiritual transformation, or more specifically, humbling themselves.

Similarly, Basil calls for privation of evil, anger, slander, and falsehood. These represent spiritual fruits we gain from the physical act of fasting.

I pray your experience of Lent this year has led to less eating or social media and more feasting on the Word of God and prayer. Less spending and more giving.

I pray your privation results in spiritual fruits starting with humility coupled with temperance, patience, service, endurance, and rich generosity.

There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to Him, but his great anger is against all who forsake Him.” So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. Ezra 8:21-23

“Fasting gives birth to prophets and strengthens the powerful; fasting makes lawgivers wise. Fasting is a good safeguard for the soul, a steadfast companion for the body, a weapon for the valiant, and a gymnasium for athletes. Fasting repels temptations, anoints unto piety; it is the comrade of watchfulness and the artificer of chastity. In war it fights bravely, in peace it teaches stillness.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) in Homily on Fasting.

Fasting strengthened Ezra and the people for their journey in today’s Scripture. And it aids others as they employ this spiritual tool. But it requires faith, courage, and fortitude to employ.

Notice the nuances Basil draws out. It “gives birth to prophets and strengthens the powerful.” It “makes lawgivers wise.” Ever wonder why more people don’t employ this spiritual tool?

We learn the answer in today’s Scripture. They forsake God and trust their own plans. Perhaps you can relate? I know I can. We tend to make this error in judgment.

We might say, as Ezra could have said, “I can just trust the soldiers and horsemen to protect us.” So the temptation to trust in what we can see in front of us is always there.

We must fast from the tendency to look after ourselves. Fasting serves as a “steadfast companion” that reminds us instead to put our trust in God.

Today Jenni and I depart for Frankfurt, Germany and connecting to Prague, Czech Republic. We are fasting and praying like Ezra for safe travel and fruitful service in Eastern Europe and Ukraine through 5 April 2024.

You can still give in support of this strategic trip by designating your gift to Eastern Europe: Project Order, Ukraine: Project Structure, or Ukraine: Project Tiny Houses. Click here to give.

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? Matthew 16:26

“The Almighty turns away the gifts of wicked men. He who offers sacrifices from the goods of the poor is like a man who sacrifices a son in the sight of his own father…

Those riches which he has gathered in unjustly will be vomited out of his belly. And now the angel of death comes to drag him away. He will be mauled by angry dragons, killed by the serpents tongue. Moreover, everlasting fire is consuming him.

So, woe to those who feast themselves on things that are not their own. Or, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and suffers the loss of his own soul?

It would take too long to discuss or argue every single case or to sift through the whole of the Law for precise witness against such greed. Sufficient to say, greed is a deadly deed. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.”

Saint Patrick (387-461) in The Confession of Saint Patrick: The Classic Text in New Translation, translated by John Skinner (New York: Image, 1998) excerpts from chapters 8-9.

I love three things about St. Patrick’s Day.

Firstly, the day always happens during Lent. And as a result, it serves as a day to remind me to give my life in sacrificial service to God, like Patrick.

Secondly, when I read aspects of his confession, I see why his ministry had such power and authority. He spoke biblical truth pointedly and prophetically to corrupt behavior.

On this second point, I need to echo his message today. People give their lives to the accumulation of wealth, a behavior that runs counter to biblical teaching.

If that is you, let me remind you that your surplus does not belong to you. God has blessed you to have resources to enjoy and share. Put them in play lest they demonstrate your misplaced trust.

Thirdly, when I consider the impact of His teaching, that is, to win a nation, it gives me confidence that it can happen again today. That’s why with our work at GTP we aim to build into local, faithful servants of God.

I not only want to be like Patrick myself. I want to multiply Patricks in every nation. At GTP, we now have 69 country coordinators, like Sasha Volyanyk in Ukraine, a brother with whom I will serve in Ukraine shortly.

He’s like a modern day Patrick. He has served with YWAM in Ukraine for more than 20 years. And he loves GTP and our resources so he serves as GTP Country Coordinator for Ukraine.

Right now he coordinates efforts that share the gospel, make disciples, and minister to IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) by providing them with a tiny house and a Christian community of support.

On this special day, please make a gift to support our program work in Ukraine from 21-31 March 2024. You can learn more about our work there by viewing these two documents: Project Structure and Project Tiny Houses.

Click here to give. And our greatest need right now at GTP is monthly “where needed most” giving here.