Annie Johnson Flint: He Giveth More Grace

Let’s worship the Lord by celebrating how generously He gives grace!

He Giveth More Grace

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

Chorus:
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbeat.

Annie Johnson Flint (1866-1932)

Thank you God for your matchless grace upon us, around us, and within us! I am celebrating God’s grace today because my meetings hosted by the Arkansas Baptist Foundation are going well. In part they went great last night because of the gift of grace I received yesterday. Grace is undeserved favor.

Yesterday afternoon my United Airlines flight was repeatedly delayed leaving Chicago, IL for Fayetteville, AR. Soon it became evident to me that I might not make the dinner. I was the speaker! My flight was supposed to arrive at 4:22pm for a 6:00pm dinner that was 30 minutes from the airport. I had to land by 6:00pm to make it in time for dessert.

In stressful situations my wife has taught me to “breathe” and “lean into” Jesus. I kept telling myself, “breathe in” (thinking: Holy Spirit fill me with peace) and “breathe out” (thinking: I give my fears and anxieties to You, Lord).

I had kindly asked the gate agent twice if she thought there was any hope we’d arrive by 6:00pm. The first time she said, “I don’t know.” The second time I asked she appeared interested in where I was going so I told her. When the board posted an estimated arrival time of 6:15pm my heart sank. Shortly thereafter we all boarded. Would I be too late?

What happened next has never happened in far more than a million miles of flying thousands of flights in my career.

United showed me undeserved favor and got me to the dinner. When I boarded the gate agent said, “We will get you to that dinner.” Before boarding the small plane I left my bag in the jetway to be gate-checked. I boarded, smiled at the stewardess and said, “I can’t tell you how happy I am to be on this plane.” She replied, “Are you Dr. Hoag?”

I responded affirmatively and started to sketch my situation, but it seems she had already talked to the gate agent.

Instead of gate-checking my bag the stewardess said, “Go get your bag, and we will put it in the closet.” Then the pilot opened the door and said,”We are working to shave off some time for you.” Then I got a notification from United that my arrival time changed from 6:15pm to 5:52pm.

United adjusted our departure order and flight plan and trimmed 23 minutes off.

We landed at 5:47pm and got to the gate at 5:52pm. I was first in line to deplane. The pilot opened the door and said, “Dr. Hoag, are you going to make it?” After thinking to myself, “He knew my name!” I replied, “I think I will thanks to you all.” He replied, “We did our work, now you go do yours.” I will never forget it.

I arrived at the event as everyone was finishing dinner, just in time to speak.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

“The Bible has a lot to say about giving, and the promises attached to it. Giving is a responsibility and a privilege. With that I mind, I want to share with you four biblical principles on giving from 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.

First, every believer in every church should give. Giving is a universal practice…Second, we learn that giving is to be done consistently and regularly…Third, giving is a personal act…Fourth, and lastly, we should prepare ourselves to invest in the work of God…

Not all our gifts will be equal but our sacrifice should be. Our giving should be in proportion to what we earn. Giving is an opportunity to be an obedient Christian. Take it seriously, but do it cheerfully.”

Jim Mindling is the senior pastor of Church of the Open Door where my parents attend in Elyria, Ohio. This excerpt comes from their 20/20 Vision Journey Guide, a great tool for growing givers in community.

God’s doing a good work through the ministry of Open Door in multiple venues. It was good to learn from my parents a bit of what their church is doing as I am currently researching church stewardship efforts. What’s your church doing?

This morning (Lord willing despite the Spring snowstorm pictured above), I will fly from Cleveland to Chicago to Fayetteville to serve my friends at the Arkansas Baptist Foundation. Tonight and tomorrow I will speak on The Choice: The Christ-Centered Pursuit of Kingdom Outcomes. 

Father in heaven, by your Holy Spirit help my flights stay on schedule today and cause the seeds planted through teaching to take root and bear fruit for your glory. Do this for me and for each of us as we sow truth into the hearts of people. Hear my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard. Acts 22:15

“There are three great forms of service: one is the giving of substance stately, self-denyingly, and systematically unto the Lord; another is the witness, both of lip and life, to the truth as it is in Jesus; again there is prayer–supplication and intercession for ourselves and for all men. How simple those three forms of service are! And to them every one may contribute.”

A. T. Pierson (1837-1911) American pastor in The Bible and the Spiritual Life (Shoals: Kingsley, 2014) 67. To learn more about A. T. Pierson, check out the biography by Dana Robert entitled, Occupy Until I Come, which is the title of my talk tonight for Cornerstone.

Our generous service to Christ flows through three beautiful channels–our giving, our witness (“lip and life”, and our prayers–and every one may contribute. That is so beautiful!

In my introductory remarks tonight I’ll honor my mom, Patsy Hoag, for 30 years of service to Cornerstone. She’s been giving, witnessing, and praying for lost souls to find the help and hope only Jesus can offer there for 30 years!

Pray with me that those who attend the dinner tonight will likewise resolve to live missionally through sacrificial giving, consistent witness, and faithful prayers. I also pray that for everyone reading this post!

Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him. Mark 12:17

“Give your tithe to God. The rest is yours to save and spend.” Sounds reasonable–right? Except that’s not what the Bible teaches at all…

God loves us. He wants the best for us. And He knows that we thrive when we give ourselves away. Thus, He calls us to be givers–not tithers, not donors, but radical all-in givers.

We did not always understand this, and in some ways we’re still learning it, and relearning it over and over. But this book is about our ongoing journey from mindsets of Spending (Greg) and Saving (John) to the mindset of Servant.

We have learned so much along this journey, but most significantly, we no longer ask “How much should we give?” Rather our question has now become, “How much do we need to keep?”

John Cortines and Gregory Baumer in God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School (Carson: Rose, 2016) inside of dust jacket and page 4.

I just got this new book, and I love what I have read so far. Regardless of what others are doing, let’s follow biblical teaching as all-in servant givers!

Cortines and Baumer hit the nail on the head: We must stop using cultural terms like “donor” which connote “ownership” of what is given. We don’t own anything. It all belongs to God.

Also, neither Jesus nor the apostles and disciples after him instructed followers to “tithe” so we shouldn’t either. It sends them back to the slavery of the Law.

I fly to Ohio today. I get to have dinner with my parents and my sister’s family before a speaking engagement tomorrow. Thank you Lord for family members that are all-in servant givers.

Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. Luke 22:25-26

“The more I see of the world, the more I am satisfied that simplicity is inseparably the companion of true greatness. I never yet knew a true great man who overtopped his fellow man, who did not possess a certain playful, almost infantile, simplicity. True greatness never struts on the stilts, or plays the king on the stage, conscious of its elevation and knowledge in what elevation consists. It is happy to act its part as other men in the common amusement and business of mankind. It is not afraid of being undervalued.”

Thomas Gale (1636-1702) English classical scholar in Day’s Collacon, comp. and arr. by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 861.

Got home safely last night. Thank you, Lord! As I keep reflecting on generosity from God’s perspective in the days following Lent, I find that it flows from people whose lives are characterized with a joy-filled simplicity and humble service. I pray that includes all of us!

Father in heaven, when people see our lives may they see “playful, almost infantile, simplicity.” Move them to ask what motivates our open-handed generosity and service that does not fear “being undervalued.” Thanks for valuing us so much You gave Your life for us. May any greatness in our lives be linked to our service empowered by your Holy Spirit. Make it so, I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen!

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25

“You may be sure that being a blessing to others brings blessing to yourself. If we work for the revival of others we are ourselves revived. You will overcome the signs of fatigue in yourself if you give yourself up wholly to the Lord to be commissioned by Him to overcome paralysis and feebleness in others. He who loves and nurses his ego makes himself spiritually old. Selfishness make weary. The service of love keep us young.”

Erich Sauer (1898-1959) Wiedenest Bible School, West Germany, in 1001 Unforgettable Quotes About God, Faith, and the Bible, ed. Ron Rhodes (Eugene: Harvest House, 2011) 198.

As we continue to focus on generosity from God’s perspective, we find that living according to His design, His economy of all things, does not leave us empty but rather, enriched. Sauer is spot on: “The service of love keeps us young.”

My meetings at IHS Global near Philadelphia have far exceeded my expectations and theirs. We have sensed the Spirit with us and reviving us. Thanks for watering me with your prayers. In return, I pray that God richly blesses you!

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

“Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Thy will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee to be Thine forever. Fill me with thy Holy Spirit. Use me as Thou wilt, send me where Thou wilt; work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever.”

Betty Stam (1907-1934) China Inland Mission worker and martyr in 1001 Unforgettable Quotes About God, Faith, and the Bible, ed. Ron Rhodes (Eugene: Harvest House, 2011) 41.

This is my prayer for the IHS Global ministry team on today’s retreat and every reader of my daily meditations. As sacrificial giving thrills the heart of God, let’s offer our lives to Him as living sacrifices today and every day.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Jesus in Luke 4:18-19

“An effective theology of generosity must bring together the emancipatory authority of Jesus as the Christ with the shape of the concept of a God for whom to be is truly to be self-giving, and in doing so give fresh meaning to the understanding of life in the Spirit. None of this is new to the tradition of the gospel. But it does need to be spelled out in language to fire the imagination in each new generation.”

George Newlands in Generosity and the Christian Future (Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 1997) 183-84.

Newlands wants every generation to have an “effective theology” that reflects the mission of Jesus and the self-giving generosity of the Father, so that as the Spirit guides us to live likewise, our generosity exhibits the work of God in our lives. It’s been good to be with Sophie in California. Her actions demonstrate that “an effective theology” guides her life! Thank you God for your work in her and for how she shines for you!

Since Easter I have been reflecting on what God thinks about our giving. This thought captures the theology we need and prompts introspective questions: Do our lives reflect pursuit of the mission of the world or the mission of Christ? Does our generosity flow like a self-giving fountain tapped into the only abundant source, our Father in heaven? Do our lives in the Spirit exhibit the fruit of generosity?

Friends, our practices are rooted in our beliefs, our theology. Each of us must ask ourselves: Do I have an effective theology?

Today I fly from San Diego to Philadelphia to facilitate a staff retreat for IHS Global on Monday and Tuesday. This organization celebrates 20 years of training medical and other professionals to share the good news of Jesus Christ around the world. As we read Scripture, do activities, and pray together, join me in asking God to “fire the imagination” of this ministry team to work together with God and richly serve a new generation.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:32-36

“Human flourishing consists in the restored relational capacity of a person to receive the generosity of God through the giving of others and to give to others through the generosity of God—precisely in that order. I think this may be the best way I can describe the essence of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is an extraordinary realm of extravagant generosity where we learn to receive in such a way that we are compelled to give. That’s the big problem with the kingdom of the world. It’s not about giving but getting. It’s not built on generosity but reciprocation—we give in order to get. It’s not about paying it forward, but paying it back. Until we are able to truly receive, we will never be able to truly give and we will build our lives on a transactional model of quid-pro-quo exchanges. (Hint – if you are the kind of person who expects a thank you note it’s a sign you may not be as much of a true giver as you think you are.)”

J.D. Walt in “Why Happiness Is The Truth” Seedbed Daily Text for 1 April 2016.

If we want to know God’s perspective on generosity, we must listened to Jesus. He spells out generosity according to the Kingdom of Heaven, and J.D. echoes it in modern language with a helpful hint. Generosity in the kingdom is linked to expecting nothing in return to ensure that all glory goes to the Giver.

Know anyone who stopped giving somewhere because they weren’t thanked or exalted to a level that met their expectations? They did not get the return they wanted. Know any ministries that extend so much praise to you as a giver that it makes you feel uncomfortable? These are warning signs for worldly giving paradigms.

Let’s celebrate that God is gracious and merciful to the ungrateful and wicked! Think about it. The mercy part means we don’t get the punishment we deserve for our sins, and the grace part pours blessings on us that we don’t deserve either. So God’s generosity is merciful and gracious.

So what’s today’s lesson in short? If we want to exhibit Christian generosity, thankfully receive God’s spiritual blessings (grace and mercy) and material gifts (money and possessions) and share all of it freely, expecting nothing in return, but rather celebrating that we get to be joyful distributors whose generosity directs all glory the Giver.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

“One of our chief duties as a Christian is delight and gratitude. God has been a generous Father and is frivolous in His giving. God is not unhappy about our enjoyment of the world, in fact quite the opposite. He is only unhappy if our enjoyment of the gift handed down doesn’t complete the circle by returning in thanksgiving ascending upward . . . Look around you, there is so much to be taken in and appreciated; friends, family, home, sunsets, sweets, and smiles. None of which are even explicable much less deserved. They are all given. May our lives be filled with gratitude to the Giver.”

Jesse Pirschel in “the eNewsletter” of Covenant Presbyterian Church, 8451 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421, dated 31 March 2016.

Special thanks to my friend, Jason Coffey of CBMC, for sharing this eNewsletter with yesterday. Since Easter I have been exploring the things God cares about linked to generosity. Pirschel rightly reminds us to take delight and return gratitude. Enjoyment of God’s gifts is where generosity begins. He literally commands us to enjoy His good gifts! When enjoyment is coupled with gratitude, we acknowledge the source of all blessings: God. That positions us to imitate Him, which is generosity!

Yesterday morning was amazing to walk the dog in three inches of fresh snow in Littleton, Colorado. It was so beautiful. Today I am thankful to enjoy the warm sunshine and palm trees of San Diego, California, with my wife, and for the privilege of seeing my daughter perform in the Spring Musical at San Diego Christian College, You Are A Good Man Charlie Brown. Not only that, we get to enjoy the day with Jenni’s parents on campus where I shot this striking header photo . . . all wonderful gifts!

Take a few minutes today to delight in the gifts that God has lavished on you. In response, return thanks and exhibit generosity by not only enjoying them, but share richly from the material and spiritual blessings He has richly given you.