Bryandel Nozares: Living testimony

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

“Jesus was contrasting what He offers with what the devil offers. The thief mentioned here speaks of the enemy of our soul, Satan. He comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. But Christ has come that we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly. And there we have a choice. The same could be said of a lot of people today. They have the house, the car, the spouse, and the kids. They have the career. They have money in the bank. They have everything going the way that things ought to go to supposedly live life to its fullest. But there is that is something still lacking. They are still lacking life…

My role is to be a living testimony to people that Jesus Christ is the only one who satisfies my soul, my great joy, my delight, my treasure and more than enough for me to live in a day. And there is an abundant life in His presence and I can bear good fruit through abiding in Him. My responsibilities include becoming a good steward of the assets God has given me, having a commitment to biblical giving in missions, ministry and churches, and even to the poor, loving service and Christ-like living.”

Bryandel Nozares Dean in “Meditation Journal #2” for my online course, Faith and Finances, in the MBA in Biblical Stewardship and Christian Management program at Asian Theological Seminary in Quezon City, near Manila, in the Philippines.

As I shared yesterday, click to check out Faith and Finances: A Stewardship Curriculum for Schools and Churches or to order a copy for your church or school. Also check out the accompanying workbook I wrote for individuals or small groups, Good and Faithful: Ten Stewardship Lessons for Everyday Living. Both of these books are hot of the press from Seedbed!

Today is the second in a series of posts that feature meditations from my current cohort of students. Bryandel is a vibrant young lady from the Philippines who lives in Tuscany, Italy. She provides care to a couple in a villa where she has lived for the last few years. She’s doing her degree from a distance while serving as a “living testimony” where God has planted her.

Last night, Jenni and I flew to San Diego to see our daughter, Sophie, and her boyfriend, Peter, who are both studying at San Diego Christian College (which is a great school, pictured above). Sophie has the role of stage manager for the fall production, California Bonez, and we have not seen her in nearly two months, so we are excited to visit for the weekend.

Sophie is a junior. She serves as a resident assistant, helping a building full of her peers grasp abundant life in Christ, while also serving as a writing tutor assisting students with their papers. Peter is also a junior. He’s interning at a local church and enjoying that mentoring as he hopes to serve as a pastor in the future. We got to have dinner with them last night. It was great!

Why mention Sophie and Peter today? They exemplify the abundant life that Bryandel celebrates. Abundant life is not found by living in exotic places like Tuscany or San Diego. Many people think that. It’s only found in Jesus Christ, and one of our greatest acts of generosity is simply bearing fruit and abiding in Him wherever we are, so that others may find life in Him too.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:17-18

“God is the giver of all good gifts. His heart has always been to share His very life with us and this was perfectly demonstrated when He created a world that was designed to express His heart of generosity. This is contrary to what many people, even believers, think – that God is someone whose interest is to take away from His children and that His pleasure is to watch humans prove with their sacrifices just how much they love Him.

My role is to be a receiver of the life that God wants me to have in Jesus. I am to constantly remind myself that I am God’s beneficiary and that at no point in my life should I declare that I am a self-made man. I am to see all of the other “lesser” gifts that I have in the context of my relationship with God which is the greatest gift of all. I am to shun the notion that I can use these gifts apart from Him… My role is to be a faithful steward whose life is characterized by obedience to God’s commands regarding possessions. I am to avoid pathways that lead to idolatry, selfishness and materialism.

It is my responsibility to appropriate God’s grace in areas of my life where I have failed as a steward. It is also my role to be a beacon of hope to others who are poor – spiritually or otherwise, by becoming a conduit of God’s gifts so that people in my sphere of influence can experience through me the kind of life that Jesus offers them.”

Dean Esabillio Ferrez in “Meditation Journal #1” for my online course, Faith and Finances, in the MBA in Biblical Stewardship and Christian Management program at Asian Theological Seminary in Quezon City, near Manila, in the Philippines.

Click to learn more about Faith and Finances: A Stewardship Curriculum for Schools and Churches or to order a copy today for your church or school. Also check out the accompanying workbook I developed for individuals or small groups, Good and Faithful: Ten Stewardship Lessons for Everyday Living. Both of these resources are hot of the press from Seedbed!

Few places have experienced tragedies worse than the Philippines. They’ve had earthquakes, typhoons, and other storms wash through their islands and leave a wake of destruction. I’ve been blessed to teach a wonderful cohort of students there this month, so over the next few days, I’d like for you to hear from the hearts of a few of them.

Dean celebrates the good gifts of God and our role as stewards. His point about being a “beacon of hope” struck me. In a world filled with destruction, many blame God. Instead, Dean acknowledges all God’s gifts, our role as stewards, and specifically our responsibility to serve as beacons of hope for the poor and needy as a conduit of God’s gifts.

Father, bless Dean today as these truths take root in his heart and cause them to bear fruit in his life. Make this so in the lives of everyone reading this so that in a world filled with troubles, we can make You known as good and faithful conduits who share Your love with those who need it most. Do this by your Holy Spirit we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5

“The way of the Trinity is the way of sharing. Father, Son, and Spirit live in sacrifice and self-denial toward one another. The way of greed, the way of Mammon, focuses on the health of one part of a community, while letting others go without clothing and water. The way of greed is not the way of sharing. It is the way of self-interest, not self-denial. In that sense, then, the way of greed and self-interest depict the life of another god or gods. Greed is idolatry. God’s people are supposed to image the life of the Trinity on earth, and when instead, we say we follow the Trinity but actually build communities that politely neglect those in need, we actually image….a social system grounded in self-interest.”

Douglas M. Jones in Dismissing Jesus: How We Evade the Way of the Cross (Eugene: Cascade, 2013) 69.

In the wake of hurricanes and other disasters, Jones helped me see why some people get help and others don’t. The social system of the world is grounded in self-interest. Who is to blame? All of us. It’s the product of our earthly nature, which is why followers of Christ must put that thinking to death.

That’s a powerful word picture. How do we do that? Think of it this way. The Apostle Paul tells us literally to mortify or kill greed, which is the desire for money and things, because if we don’t kill it, it will kill us. If it is present in our lives it will lead us to allegiance to Mammon rather than God. What’s this got to do with generosity? 

Generosity is the key to putting greed to death. Followers of Christ put the earthly nature of self-interest to death by living openhanded lives as workers, whose labor meets there personal needs and who deploy any surplus income as sharers with a keen eye for others in need, who do not have clothing, or who need food and water.

This is precisely what the Apostle Paul instructed all the churches to do when some people were starving in the first century (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:1-4). Ask God today what it means for you today to stop politely neglecting those in need and instead walk in the way of sharing.

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share. 1 Timothy 6:18

“In the event of a major disaster, it is common for Christian disaster relief organizations to deploy to communities significantly affected to provide aid and organizational support. Many of these service groups have identified community needs and have built the expertise to provide solutions. Thus, you might also consider working with or through one of these groups.”

Jamie D. Aten and David M. Boan in Disaster Ministry Handbook (Downers Grove: IVP, 2016) 87.

Want to help your church be “ready to share” and help “provide solutions” in the wake of tragedies? Check out this resource to help prepare your congregation, get practical guidance for offering physical, emotional and spiritual care, and find resources and worksheets for emergency preparedness.

Not sure what organizations to support in the wake of hurricanes and other difficulties? I urge people to visit ServantMatch on the ECFA website. For example, you can locate ECFA-accredited organizations that offer hurricane relief. Visitors to the site can scroll through the list and pray about supporting one of the ministries.

What is the difference between giving aid to an ECFA-accredited organization versus other organizations? ECFA members annually demonstrate compliance with seven standards of responsible stewardship. That means gifts for crisis situations go where they are supposed to go. You can trust organizations with the ECFA seal!

As I serve part-time as ECFA International Liaison, reply to this email if you want to to know more about helping your church or ministry become an ECFA-accredited member. The ECFA seal enhances trust and rallies people to participate with you in God’s work through giving and service.

And I shot the new meditations photo yesterday on a three-hour fly fishing break with friends from Milwaukee. There was snow up in the mountains, but the sun was shining brightly. God blessed us with 16 trout. As my son Sammy says, “A fish is a glimpse of God’s extravagance, the only person enjoying that fish before we caught and released it was God.” Enjoy the view.

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:22-23

Today marks the 3,000th daily meditation. To celebrate, let’s honor the memory of the generosity of Roberto Clemente (1934-1972), a major league baseball player who was known for his charity work. He reached the milestone of exactly 3,000 hits in 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Only 30 other players have reached that mark. 

The Baseball Almanac ascribes this quote to Clemente, “Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don’t, then you are wasting your time on earth.” Clemente did not waste his time and literally died trying to make a difference in this world for people who were in great need.

After an earthquake on 23 December 1972 left many in need in Managua, Nicaragua, his plane, overloaded with aid by some 4,200 pounds crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after take-off from Puerto Rico on 31 December 1972. Clemente is also quoted as saying, “I want to be remembered as a ballplayer who gave all he had to give.”

I never dreamed I’d post 3,000 daily meditations, and I pray I am able to post more than 3,000 more in the future. But way more important than that, I pray that God’s faithfulness empowers each of us to leave a similar charitable legacy as Clemente, so we are remembered for our skill in our work and our Christian generosity toward others.

And there’s never been a better time for it. Hurricanes, earthquakes, wars and other tragedies cause many to suffer, but as my brother, Dr. David Hoag, president of Warner University, whose campus was hit by Hurricane Irma, recently told me, the poor suffer far worse because in their poverty, the crisis wipes them out. Getting going again is far more difficult.

Let’s resolve to follow Clemente’s example. Offer a helping hand to a neighbor in need according to your ability. Send financial assistance or teams of workers from your church to aid those who have been wiped out. Let’s be known as Christ followers who make a difference by giving all we have to give, including our lives as an offering.

Father in heaven, thanks for 3,000 daily meditations. I’m grateful for the Scriptures and for the inspiring and often convicting quotes You have set before me to contemplate and share. Empower us by your Holy Spirit to make a difference on this earth for you. Help us not waste a day but leave a generous legacy! Make it so we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

“When you make your work your identity … if you’re successful it destroys you because it goes to your head. If you’re not successful it destroys you because it goes to your heart — it destroys your self-worth … Faith gives you an identity that’s not in work or accomplishment, and that gives you insulation against the weather changes. If you’re successful, you stay humble. If you’re not successful, you have some ballast.”

Tim Keller as cited by interviewer, Joseph Sunde, in “Timothy Keller on Work as Service vs. Idolatry” in the Acton Institute Blog dated 12 December 2012.

My weekend men’s retreat at Camp Spofford on Faith & Work wrapped up nicely, but we had flight complications, so Jenni and I were stuck in Hartford, Connecticut, last night. Lord willing, we will return safely home to Colorado on an early flight this morning.

As today marks the start of another work week, I want to remind you to place your identity in Christ as a basis for serving as a generous worker. If your identity is in your work, it will destroy you, but when it is Christ, you are positioned for generous service empowered by the grace and strength of God.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17

“Most of the teaching on the integration of faith and work emphasizes the importance of cultivating personal righteousness in the context of our daily labor. That’s understandable given the considerable ethical perils of the contemporary workplace…In this setting, [the righteous] seek to heed the Apostle Paul’s call to “shine like stars in the universe” through their intentional, diligent, prayerful pursuit of holiness (Philippians 2:15)…

Other times, the greatest challenges on the job relate less to persecution and trial than to the temptation to follow success. As believers enjoy promotions, the worldly rewards of labor increase. Salaries go up. Titles and offices become more prestigious. Such earthly joys can beguile congregants’ hearts, dulling resistance to pride, consumerism, and self-indulgence. Congregational leaders must warn their flocks of these dangers.”

Amy Sherman in Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good (Downers Grove: IVP, 2011) 52-53.

To integrate our faith and work means that we avoid the ethical perils on the job, while also avoiding the pitfalls that come with success. The former are easier traps to spot than the latter ones. As the retreat draws to a close, I send the men forth with the blessing from today’s Scripture and to charge them to avoid both traps as they return to work. Warn those you serve of these traps as well, as both will seek to hinder generosity. One pitfall seeks to thwart our service for God and the other tries to limit our support of the things God cares about.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Psalm 100:1-2

“The desire for success is the most visible motivator in the work culture today. We all drive to achieve, to be successful. We want to provide well for our families, no doubt, and we enjoy the recognition that comes from winning. From our bounty, we will be generous with those who are less fortunate. But the drive for success is pretty selfish at its heart. It’s about me, me, me…

I believe that the only sustainable motivation for selfless behavior is gratitude. Let me say that again a different way. Only gratitude motivates us to care about others over the long term. Other emotions will motivate us for a little while, but they won’t motivate us for the long pull. And making disciples is a long-term process that requires selfless action over a long period of time…

So if gratitude is it, then let’s explore three major sources of gratitude. There may be others, but let’s talk about the big three that are central to the Christian: (1) Gratitude for forgiveness… (2) Gratitude for blessings and protection… (3) Gratitude for the Cross… Are you ready to turn it up a notch? Do you have a clear understanding of the Good News? Are you ready to start exporting your faith and making disciples?

If you are motivated to take your faith to work by anything other than gratitude, spend some time reflecting on the blessings God has given you… Make a list of the things you are grateful for – special people, special experiences, material blessings, unique protections that He has provided, forgiveness for your failures, your salvation, your adoption into His family, His volunteering to be your perfect Father. Keep adding to the list as long as it keeps coming…

I believe that the grateful heart is the inexhaustible fuel cell for becoming a workplace minister.”

Regi Campbell in About My Father’s Business: Taking Your Faith to Work (Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2009) 50-54.

Father in heaven, may our work be selfless service filled with gladness and gratitude because of all that Christ has done for us. Empower us to serve as workplace ministers by your Holy Spirit we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Today at the men’s retreat Sam Huggard and I will explore the work Christ has done for us and how that sets us free to serve as workers for Him. We will also look at ten workers for God in the New Testament world.

Thanks for your prayers for us. Reply to this email if you want a copy of the presentation notes.

Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed — and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors — and they have no comforter. Ecclesiastes 4:1

“I love what I do. I rarely have a bad day at the office. My work environment couldn’t be any better suited for my gifts and personality. I love to go to work. And like you, I have more to do than I can ever hope to get done. Every afternoon when I leave the office, there are loose ends: phone calls I didn’t return, meetings I cut short, and people I didn’t get to spend time with who need and deserve my undivided attention.

At the same time, I love my wife and kids. I love to go home. And like you, there’s more to do at home than will ever get done. Never once have my kids looked at me and said, “Hey, Dad, we’ve played enough. Why don’t you run back in the house and see if you can get some work done?” Never once has [my wife] complained about me coming home too early or doing too many things to help her around the house…

So let me take some pressure off. Your problem is not discipline. Your problem is not organization. Your problem is not that you have yet to stumble onto the perfect schedule. And your problem is not that the folks at home demand too much of your time. The problem is this: there’s not enough time to get everything done that you’re convinced — or others have convinced you — needs to get done.

As a result, someone or something isn’t going to get what he wants from you…what she needs from you…what he deserves from you…certainly not what she expects from you. There’s no way around it. There’s just not enough time in your day to be all things to all people.”

Andy Stanley in When Work and Family Collide: Keeping Your Job from Cheating Your Family (Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2011) 12-14.

For many people, work feels oppressive when there seems like more work to be done than there are hours in a day. As a result, marriages and families can get squeezed out. When this occurs, the last thing on any worker’s mind is being generous. There’s no margin for giving to others.

Does it have to be this way? Stanley suggests that workers pause to acknowledge that we will never get all our work done and learn to live with margin so we can appropriately give to our spouse, our children, and others. Work will only consume each of us if we let it.

There’s always work to be done and never enough time to do it. If you want to be generous, you must learn to stop working so you can deploy your attention and your resources to other things that may be more important than your work.

I’d appreciate your prayers as I speak on faith and work at the men’s retreat this weekend at Camp Spofford in New Hampshire and share ideas like these. Thank you.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24

“Creating value really transcends making money. Not that money isn’t important. It is. But building up the Kingdom is even more important, and for that we must be Christ for others…To create eternal value, try these ideas:

1. Pray for people. Remember, every individual with whom we come in contact at work is an opportunity. Pray that God will lead their hearts toward Him, and that our humble efforts will be multiplied.

2. Look for opportunities to serve. The spectrum of human need is enormous, and we need to view these needs as opportunities to serve others. Although it seems paradoxical, the times people are often most open to Christ is when they are experiencing the greatest challenges in life. Especially during these times, look for ways to be a means of grace to them.

3. Make small sacrifices. One of the best ways to draw us closer to God is to make small sacrifices that only He knows about. This not only reminds us of our dependence on His grace, but it also helps us to appreciate the trials others face. Forgoing that second cookie at dessert and “offering it up” won’t trouble anyone else, but it becomes a powerful tool in keeping our spirit receptive to God at all times.

4. Be generous. God loves a generous giver, and He can’t be outdone in generosity. Consider using money as one way of investing in others rather than ourselves – This can be an antidote to the rampant materialism that surrounds us. After all, how can worldly trinkets compare to the treasures of heaven?”

Kevin Lowry in Faith at Work: Finding Purpose Beyond the Paycheck (Huntington: Our Sunday Visitor, 2012) chapter 2.

Work is often defined as creating value. As I prepare to lead a retreat this weekend at Camp Spofford (pictured above) on faith and work for a large group of men, part of my aim is to raise their gaze heavenward so they build God’s Kingdom through their work, or so they create eternal value.

When I came across Lowry’s four action steps, I resonated with them. What about you? What if you prayed for your co-workers, looked for opportunities to serve, made small sacrifices, and resolved to be generous? How might they see Christ in and through you?

Lowry puts work in the right perspective: “Not that money isn’t important. It is. But building up the Kingdom is even more important.” As you put your work clothes on and head off to work today, focus not merely on creating value. Think about how God has put you there to create eternal value.