Elder Paisios of Mount Athos: Completely

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. Jeremiah 17:7

“Completely have trust in God, leave everything in His hands, and believe that His love will act for your own benefit. Then God will take care of everything, because there is nothing He cannot do; everything is easy for Him. The difficult thing is for man to decide to humble himself and leave everything to God’s providence and love.”

Elder Paisios of Mount Athos in “Wisdom of the Saints” posted by the Greek Orthodox Community of Prince George.

It’s Holy Week Wednesday, the day we remember that Judas betrayed Jesus.

I want to shake and wake readers today not to follow suit. Before any gets defensive or stops reading this, hear me out. I am not saying any of us has sold Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver.

What I am saying is that sometimes our behavior does reflect misplaced trust.

At the intersections of life, we have opportunities to choose to trust God and leave everything in His hands and opportunities to take matters into our own hands.

Paisios is right when he reports that the difficult part is humbling ourselves.

So, I suggest that each of us sits in silence for a few minutes today. Let’s ask the Spirit if there are any areas of our lives where we are not completely trusting in God.

Or maybe there is something that comes to mind that you always worry about. Give it to God today.

The God who accomplished our salvation wants us to trust Him to take care of everything. There is nothing He cannot do. Father help us leave everything to your providence and matchless love.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

“Unfurl the sails and let God steer us where He will.”

Bede the Venerable (c. 673-735) in The Age of Bede (New York: Penguin, 1998) 250.

GTP celebrated our fourth birthday yesterday. This special occasion led me to think about what’s next. That took me back to this quote by one of my favorite doctors of the church: “Unfurl the sails and let God steer us where He will.”

This idea relates to each person reading this as we think about life after Easter. The Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and giving have been a training ground prepare us for abundant service: “Unfurl the sails and let God steer us where He will.”

These Lenten practices have helped us develop new muscles and taught us many new things to prepare us to go new places and serve in new ways than we have ever served before: “Unfurl the sails and let God steer us where He will.”

When we keep in step with the Spirit, often the Spirit will guide us to engage countercultural practices and go to uncomfortable places to do unthinkable work. God’s ways are not our ways: “Unfurl the sails and let God steer us where He will.”

One fruit of the Spirit is generosity. Don’t be surprised if He calls you to put some of those riches located in the hold of your ship to work through giving. Give generously to GTP or elsewhere today: “Unfurl the sails and let God steer us where He will.”

He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32

“Blessed be God, for so bountifully providing for us that He even bestows on us His very Self. The Son is given to us, and through Him the Holy Spirit, and with Them comes the Father. Thus, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit reside within us, and we already have a beginning here of that communion with God which will be perfect in the next life. Let us thank Him for all His mercies and prepare ourselves to receive the favors that still remain to be bestowed on us.”

John of Ávila (1499-1569) in Finding Confidence in Times of Trial: The Letters of St. John of Avila (Nashua: Sophia Institute Press) 139-140.

It’s a special day for many reasons. It’s Holy Week Monday. Jesus will clear the temple on the way to accomplishing our salvation on the cross. Take time today to clear the temple of your heart to receive Jesus afresh this Easter.

It’s also GTP’s fourth birthday. We will celebrate “GTP at 4” in our social media this week. Next week we will share the infographic that celebrates our cumulative impact since the beginning. All glory to God for unthinkable fruits.

And in my daily office, I celebrate the reality that because we have the gift of God with us, we can prepare our hearts to receive favors that still remain. Or in plain terms, the best is yet to come!

I have arrived safely home from Guatemala, and I still can’t believe God gave me an audience of millions to proclaim truth, life, and freedom in a context where people have become fed up with corruption.

It was possible because God was with me and is with me: giving me the words to say, guiding me as I spoke to top government, business, academic and Christian workers as well as TV, radio, and newspaper media people.

And I want to remind you that God is with you too. Because the Son is given to you on the cross, you have the Holy Spirit and you get access to the Father. You have everything we need for generous living and service.

Ask the Father what He wants your life after Easter in 2023 to look like. Sit with the Spirit to consider what things He wants to graciously give you. And thank Jesus that He is with you always cheering you on to do greater things.

Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. Proverbs 11:28

“Earthly riches are like the reed. Its roots are sunk in the swamp, and its exterior is fair to behold; but inside it is hollow. If a man leans on such a reed, it will snap off and pierce his soul.”

Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) in Saintly Solutions to Life’s Common Problems: From Anger, Boredom, and Temptation to Gluttony, Gossip, and Greed by Joseph M. Esper (Manchester: Sophia, 2001) 165.

This weekend God helped me thrive like a green leaf in Guatemala. News of the conference I was speaking at on “Building a Culture of Integrity” went viral, so every major media outlet called.

With Carla Archila, GTP Spanish Interpreter and Translator, I spoke to millions on five major TV interviews, on the top public and Christian radio stations, and with the top newspaper in Guatemala and all of Latin America. Behind the camera, Paula Mendoza. GTP Global Administrator, did a masterful job handling logistics.

Want a glimpse of our experience? Click here to watch a 20-minute spot on a top network from about the 47-minute mark to the 107-minute mark. But what does this testimony have to do with today’s post?

Money did not open these doors. God did. And the work of GTP over four years (we celebrate GTP at 4 tomorrow), has touched people in 173 countries and territories not because we storied up any earthly riches, but because we put them to work.

Got resources? Don’t sit on them and let them pierce your soul. Put them to work. Reply to this email if you want a copy of the trip report. Click here to support GTP which is helping churches and ministries thrive and transforming nations.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

“All who ask receive, those who seek find, and to those who knock it shall be opened. Therefore, let us knock at the beautiful garden of Scripture. It is fragrant, sweet, and blooming with various sounds of spiritual and divinely inspired birds. They sing all around our ears, capture our hearts, comfort the mourners, pacify the angry, and fill us with everlasting joy.”

John of Damascus (c.675-749) in Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.17.

Anyone who visits Guatemala City (pictured above) knows it’s the land of “Eternal Spring” where year round it blooms like a “beautiful garden” with flowers.

But there’s a garden more beautiful that John speaks of here. It’s the beautiful garden of Scripture.

Upon arrival in Guatemala I met with Kareen Gudiel (GTP Board Member), Paula Mendoza (GTP Global Administrator), and Carla Archila (GTP Spanish Translator) prayed Scripture.

We asked God for favor on this trip on which God opened remarkable media doors.

In short, through TV and radio interviews, we touched an estimated three million people in one day. Want to know more? Reply and I will send you a copy of the trip report.

Our generous God gave us what we asked for and so much more. What about you? What are you asking God for?

Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 1:3

“Return, return, and wait not for the rod of justice, since we cannot escape the hands of God! We are in His hands either by justice or by mercy; better it is for us to recognize our faults and to abide in the hands of mercy, than to remain in fault and in the hands of justice. For our faults do not pass unpunished, especially those that are wrought against Holy Church. But I wish to bind myself to bear you before God with tears and continual prayer, and to bear with you your penitence, provided that you choose to return to your father, who like a true father awaits you with the open wings of mercy.”

Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) a.k.a Catherine Benincasa in her letter To Three Italian Cardinals addressing corruption in the church.

Yesterday, God reminded me of the word ‘remember’ for the people of Guatemala. Today my mind goes to the word ‘return’ and my attention went to this famous letter written by Catherine of Siena in a time of corruption in the church.

Sometimes generosity takes shape as communicating the reality that we are in God’s hands either by justice or mercy. And we get to be patient with people even as God has been patient with us.

When we recognize our faults and return, in the words of the prophet Zechariah, the Lord Almighty returns to us and we find mercy. We discover the open arms of the Father. When we don’t. Well, let’s just say it won’t pass unpunished.

So what’s our role as God’s servants? It’s to speak and also to bear people before God with prayers and tears. Lord Almighty, have mercy on me a sinner. Have mercy on Guatemala. Move by your Spirit so people return to You. Amen.

Pray this prayer where you are with gratitude in your heart for His matchless mercy. Shed a tear for those that come to mind who need to return to God. And rest knowing the Father hears your prayers and can work in unthinkable ways for His glory.

Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.” Acts 10:4

“Prayer, above all, can guard continuously for us the luster of this spiritual garment. Along with prayer goes generosity in almsgiving, which is our crowning good deed…

Prayer together with almsgiving, can furnish us with countless good things from above. They can quench the fire of sin in our souls and can give us great freedom.

Cornelius had recourse to these two virtues and sent his prayers up to heaven. Because of these two virtues he heard the angel say: “Thy prayers and thy alms have gone up and been remembered in the sight of God.”

John Chrysostom in Baptismal Instructions 7.27, trans. by Paul W. Harkins (London: Longmans, Green, and Company, 1963) 115. Keen insights from the good doctor, John Chrysostom (meaning “golden-mouthed” for his rich wisdom).

God sees us on our Lenten journey. He hears our prayers. They guard us like a garment. And He sees our giving. It really does quench the fire of sin because our heart follows where we put God’s money.

The word ‘remember’ is significant for me in this regard. Even as God remembered the prayers and gifts of Cornelius. He remembers ours. And in Guatemala this weekend, I am teaching on Nehemiah, who six times asked God to ‘remember’ Him.

My point today is this pertaining to Christian generosity. God hears our prayers. He sees our gifts. He remembers us. Our biggest temptation in tough times is to think that He has forgotten us, that He will not be there for us when we need Him.

If you have a full day today, like I do, be sure to include prayer and service to others with confidence. God hears us. He sees us. And He will remember us in our time of need even as we have remembered others.

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. Psalm 19:7-10

“If you are an ardent reader, seek not brilliant and erudite texts; otherwise the demon of haughtiness will strike your heart. But like a wise bee that gathers honey from flowers, through your reading obtain also healing for your soul.”

Ephraim the Syrian (c.306-373) in A Spiritual Psalter, or Reflections on God A Spiritual Psalter, or Reflections on God, excerpted by Bishop Theophan the Recluse from The Works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian, arranged in the manner of the Psalms of David, translated by Antonina Janda together with The Life of St. Ephraim translated by Br. Isaac E. Lambertsen.

The good doctor Ephraim would say that the Scriptures are more precious than gold so the wise bee gathers honey for both himself and for the hive or colony. What’s the lesson for us today? We must search the Scriptures and apply them to impact our own lives before we can speak to others.

In plain terms, the Word must heal us before it can be a balm for others.

In my personal journey and role as President & CEO of Global Trust Partners, God has taught be a lot about building a culture of integrity. It really only happens when God’s workers (starting with me) confess their sins and the sins of their people, fast and call on God to help, and unite together in prayer for restoration. In short, we are the problem and God is the solution.

Today I am learning that my recent study of Ezra and Nehemiah has been for a purpose far greater than I imagined.

I’ve had it on my calendar for weeks to speak to two groups in Guatemala on building a culture of integrity. It turns out I have some 18 meetings over the course of three days including multiple radio and TV interviews. Apparently Guatemala is in turmoil and I’ve been asked to give a biblical and global perspective to chart a way forward.

As I’ve aimed to be a wise bee, pray for me to dispense carefully what I have learned for the healing of this nation.

And if you are in a role where you serve others. Join me in simply endeavoring to do diligent study, let it impact you first, and then humbly offer aid to others. Our faithful work not only helps make flowers blossom. It produces honey for people that’s more precious than the finest gold.

And if you want my schedule to pray for me and speaking notes for your edification, reply and i will share it.

Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When He saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then He said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19

“I entreat you, beloved, let those words of the Savior touch your hearts, Who, when by the power of His mercy He had cleansed ten lepers, said that only one of them all had returned to give thanks: meaning without doubt that, though the ungrateful ones had gained soundness of body, yet their failure in this godly duty arose from ungodliness of heart. And therefore, dearly-beloved, that this brand of ingratitude may not be applied to you, return to the LORD, remembering the marvels which He has deigned to perform among us; and ascribing our release not, as the ungodly suppose, to the influences of the stars, but to the unspeakable mercy of Almighty GOD, Who has deigned to soften the hearts of raging barbarians, betake yourselves to the commemoration of so great a benefit with all the vigor of faith. Grave neglect must be atoned for by yet greater tokens of repentance.”

Leo the Great (c. 400-461) in Sermon LXXXIV entitled “Concerning the Neglect of the Commemoration” in Leo the Great, Gregory the Great, edited by Philip Schaff (Grand Rapids: CCEL, 2004) 323.

As I explore ‘gratitude’ in the writings of the doctors of the church, I continue to find it fascinating that it is more common to locate ‘ingratitude’ as an expression. Here, Leo the Great links ‘ingratitude’ to forgetting all Christ has done for us.

He uses the story of the ten lepers to illustrate it and drives home his point with this strong statement: “Grave neglect must be atoned for by yet greater tokens of repentance.” This is what Lent is all about.

Lent is a time to “return to the LORD” and remind ourselves of all the Christ has done for us. It’s a time to focus on prayer, fasting, and giving motivated by one thing: gratitude.

Pause to consider what you are learning this Lent. And ponder ‘ingratitude’ with the doctors of the church. How might we avoid the pattern of neglecting to show ‘gratitude’ throughout the year?

I hope that by focusing on gratitude for 40 days, we can shift from a place of neglect to adopting a pattern of offering tokens of repentance on an everyday basis, like the grateful leper.

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12

“There are three things, my brethren, by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other.

Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no one try to separate them; they cannot be separated. If you have only one of them or not all together, you have nothing. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others, you open God’s ear to yourself.

When you fast, see the fasting of others. If you want God to know that you are hungry, know that another is hungry. If you hope for mercy, show mercy. If you look for kindness, show kindness. If you want to receive, give. If you ask for yourself what you deny to others, your asking is a mockery.

Let this be the pattern for all men when they practice mercy: show mercy to others in the same way, with the same generosity, with the same promptness, as you want others to show mercy to you. Therefore, let prayer, mercy and fasting be one single plea to God on our behalf, one speech in our defense, a threefold united prayer in our favor.

Let us use fasting to make up for what we have lost by despising others. Let us offer our souls in sacrifice by means of fasting. There is nothing more pleasing that we can offer to God, as the psalmist said in prophecy: A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God does not despise a bruised and humbled heart.

Offer your soul to God, make him an oblation of your fasting, so that your soul may be a pure offering, a holy sacrifice, a living victim, remaining your own and at the same time made over to God. Whoever fails to give this to God will not be excused, for if you are to give him yourself you are never without the means of giving.

To make these acceptable, mercy must be added. Fasting bears no fruit unless it is watered by mercy. Fasting dries up when mercy dries up. Mercy is to fasting as rain is to earth. However much you may cultivate your heart, clear the soil of your nature, root out vices, sow virtues, if you do not release the springs of mercy, your fasting will bear no fruit.

When you fast, if your mercy is thin your harvest will be thin; when you fast, what you pour out in mercy overflows into your barn. Therefore, do not lose by saving, but gather in by scattering. Give to the poor, and you give to yourself. You will not be allowed to keep what you have refused to give to others.”

Peter Chrysologus (406-450), bishop of Ravenna, Italy, excerpts from Sermon 43. He got the title “Chrysologus” (greek for “Golden-worded”) because his sermons were so clear and inspiring.

As we continue exploring gratitude in the thinking of the doctors of the church leading up to Holy Week, we find keen insight from Peter Chrysologus today on the connection between prayer, fasting, and mercy.

This sentence sums up the aim of Lent: “Let this be the pattern for all men when they practice mercy: show mercy to others in the same way, with the same generosity, with the same promptness, as you want others to show mercy to you.”

We need to measure out in the same manner and promptness that we desire to receive. We can count on God to help us even as we have endeavored to help others. Jenni and I experienced this yesterday in a small way.

Our son and daughter and their spouses rented a truck. A few friends came to our aid on Friday evening and Saturday. And most of our move happened in a few hours. It was remarkable. This may not be the best parallel but it seemed fitting. Painting happens next.

We finish the move next week. Now I ponder. Even as we have been quick to aid others, God sent help in a swift and sufficient way. Take a moment to re-read this post. Sit with phrases that stand out to you. And follow God’s leading in pursuing the pattern for all.