Leo the Great: Receive strength

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

“Our understanding, which is enlightened by the Spirit of truth, should receive with purity and freedom of heart the glory of the cross as it shines in heaven and on earth… How marvelous the power of the cross; how great beyond all telling the glory of the passion… Through the cross the faithful receive strength from weakness, glory from dishonor, life from death… God’s compassion for us is all the more wonderful because Christ died, not for the righteous or the holy, but for the wicked and the sinful.”

Leo the Great (c. 400-461) in his Passion 8 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 300-301.

One of my favorite verses after Easter is today’s Scripture. Read it again.

From this verse, I receive the generous gift of strength from God to live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.

He did this not because I was deserving, but because of His grace to me a sinner.

If you find yourself weary today, receive strength from the cross. Find strength to love the unlovable, serve the undeserving, and live by faith in hard times.

Jenni and I fly to Milwaukee to speak at the Fuel Conference tomorrow hosted by NCF Wisconsin and others.

Pray for us to help others find fuel from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us on the cross to live as generous sharers of life.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

“Dear Brethren, we must endure and persevere if we are to attain the truth and freedom we have been allowed to hope for; faith and hope are the very meaning of our being Christians, but if faith and hope are to bear their fruit, patience is necessary…

Patient waiting is necessary if we are to receive from God what we hope for and believe…

Paul warns us not to grow weary in good works through impatience, not to be distracted or overcome by temptations and so give up in the midst of our pilgrimage of praise and glory, and allow our past good deeds to count for nothing because what was begun falls short of completion.”

Cyprian of Carthage (c. 210-258) in his Patience as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 541.

Patient waiting.

It’s the vital ingredient we must have for our generosity to reap the harvest God desires. In plain terms, doing good is not always easy. It’s especially hard when we face obstacles or opposition.

But Paul and Cyprian remind us not to grow weary, not to be impatient or distracted, not to be overcome by temptations and so give up. It’s easier said than done.

But it’s possible with God’s help.

This post is for anyone facing obstacles or opposition to the good work to which God has called. Don’t lose heart. Because your work is His work, it will reap a harvest if you do not give up.

I am telling myself this right now in the current cash crisis with GTP.

Thanks to all who have given. If you are able to make a gift at this time, please give here. If not, pray that our wrongly frozen accounts will be released to us so we can get back to doing good.

If you missed the post about our current situation, read “Afflicted” today.

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:19-21

“We should love and feel compassion for those who oppose us, rather than abhor and despise them, since they harm themselves and do us good, and adorn us with crowns of everlasting glory while they incite God’s anger against themselves. And even more than this, we should pray for them and not be overcome by evil but overcome evil by goodness. We should heap good works like red hot coals of burning love upon their heads, as our Apostle Paul urges us to do, so that when they become aware of our tolerance and gentleness they may undergo a change of heart and be prompted to turn in love to God.”

Anthony Zaccaria (1502-1539) in his Sermon as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 679-680.

In the current banking crisis in which GTP has no access to our funds which have been frozen, I am realizing in real-time that our goodness, our generosity, can become our greatest witness.

Think about it. And remember I said “our” generosity. That includes us and you. Let me explain.

Zaccaria reminds us that when others wrong us, we must extend love and compassion to them rather than respond in anger. This ensures that our witness when wronged can help lead to their change of heart.

So when you or I are wronged by others, our generosity to them can lead them to the LORD.

The love we show actively heaps conviction in the form of “red hot coals of burning love” on them. When we overcome evil with good, we participate in turning evil doers to God.

But that’s not all. And if you are out there and know someone who has been hurt, help them.

This too is our witness. And I am thankful for the people who have stepped up to help GTP. Thanks for those who heard that our assets were wrongly frozen for upwards of a month and making a gift.

What difference can your gift make in a time of crisis?

GTP has 10 staff who work with more than 100 volunteers in 112 countries with a budget of about $750,000. To have all our accounts frozen for weeks poses a huge hardship.

We made payroll last week but we have bills to pay and program work to fund.

We have forgiven those who have wronged us and appreciate any support you can share here. How we show compassion to evil doers and generous care for each other in crisis is a great witness!

and it can even lead those who have harmed us to have a change of heart.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

“How I wish I might deserve to have my lantern always burning at night in the temple of my Lord, to give light to all who enter the house of my God. Give me, I pray you, Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son and my God, that love that does not fail so that my lantern, burning within me and giving light to others, may always be lighted and never extinguished…

Give your light to my lantern, I beg you, my Jesus, so that by its light I may see that holy of holies which receives you as the eternal priest entering among the columns of your great temple. May I ever see you only, look on you, long for you; may I gaze with love on you alone, and have my lantern shining and burning always in your presence.”

Columbanus (540-615) in Instruction 12 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 663-664.

Are you giving light that is always “lighted and never extinguished” to those around you? Jesus wants our light to shine so people may see our good works and glorify the Father in heaven.

This reading by Columbanus touched me deeply because it reflects the life he lived. He pointed people to God by lighting the way. I thought to myself. That’s all I want to do too!

Notice that he wrote “give your light to my lantern.” He wanted to carry the light of life from God to others. To do that, he needed to spend time with Jesus.

We don’t often think about generosity in terms of giving light. To whom might you carry light, so they may gaze with love on God and connect with Him?

As I stated over the past few days, Jenni and I are attending two weddings in two states in three days. It’s a little crazy but fun to tell young people we love to let their light shine for Jesus as a couple with Him at the center.

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21

“There is only one God, brethren, and we learn about Him only from sacred Scripture. It is therefore our duty to become acquainted with what Scripture proclaims and to investigate its teachings thoroughly. We should believe them in the sense that the Father wills, thinking of the Son in the way that the Father wills, and accepting the teaching He wills to give us with regard to the Holy Spirit. Sacred Scripture is God’s gift to us and it should be understood in the way that He intends: we should not do violence to it by interpreting it according to our own preconceived ideas.”

Augustine of Hippo (354-430) in Noetis as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 201.

Augustine is also widely attested to have made this profound quote which follows along the lines of his remarks in today’s post.

“If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.”

Many people when they read Scripture pick and choose which passages they will follow and which ones they will not follow.

We do this because as fallen human persons, we tend to rationalize disobedience and justifying self-righteous behavior.

In plain terms, we pursue our own will rather than submitting to the will of the Father following the example of Jesus.

Instead, when we study God’s Word thoroughly, we learn new things and receive new gifts to enjoy and share.

Increase the amount of time you spend in the Word this week and see how it shapes your generosity.

We had a great time at the wedding in San Diego with friends yesterday. Off to Austin for another wedding tomorrow.

I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:8-11

“A psalm is a blessing on the lips of the people, a hymn in praise of God, the assembly’s homage, a general acclamation, a word that speaks for all, the voice of the Church, a confession of faith in song. It is the voice of complete assent, the joy of freedom, a cry of happiness, the echo of gladness. It soothes the temper, distracts from care, lightens the burden of sorrow. It is a source of security at night, a lesson in wisdom by day. It is a shield when we are afraid, a celebration of holiness, a vision of serenity, a promise of peace and harmony. It is like a lyre, evoking harmony from a blend of notes. Day begins to the music of a psalm. Day closes to the echo of a psalm.”

Ambrose of Milan (c. 339-397) in Psalm 1as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 626.

Yesterday, I encouraged you to spend time in the Word of God and pointed you to the Gospels. If you find yourself weary or not up for that challenge, go to the Psalms.

That’s where I’ve decided to sit for a while. Join me.

And no one describes the beauty of the psalms more eloquently than the good doctor Ambrose from Milan. Read the post again and pick a phrase that stands out to you.

For example, this phrase really ministered to me in light of the recent challenges we have faced at GTP: “It is a source of security at night, a lesson in wisdom by day.”

Having our bank accounts cancelled abruptly for no cause and without notice left us in the dark. But He was there with us and taught us new lessons about His faithfulness.

Last night Jenni and I flew to San Diego to attend a wedding.

On the flight I read a number of Psalms which ministered to my soul. I’m convinced they will empower me to show generous love to our friends. Again, join me in soaking in the Psalms.

The psalms are gifts from God to us…what everyone needs for every situation.

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. John 20:30-31

“The outcome or the fruit of reading holy Scripture is by no means negligible: it is the fullness of eternal happiness. For these are the books which tell us of eternal life, which were written not only that we might believe but also that we might have everlasting life. When we do live that life we shall understand fully, we shall love completely, and our desires will be totally satisfied.”

Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (1217-1274)in Breviloquium as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 200.

Whether you find yourself in calm or challenging circumstances, I want to encourage you to increase the time you spend studying the Word of God.

No time for this? Get up earlier. Jettison unhelpful or less productive activities from your schedule and spend time soaking in the holy Scriptures.

Read one of the Gospels. Try Mark in one sitting. Or read Matthew, Luke, or John over a week or two. As your understanding grows so will your faith and your generosity.

If we asked Bonaventure about the impact it would have on your life, here’s what He might say: your love will increase and your desires will be satisfied.

Bonaventure followed Jesus with the famous Francis of Assisi. These guys built an order on a few words of Jesus. The impact of their living, giving, and loving shaped the world.

Bonaventure also studied theology with Thomas Aquinas. In so doing, his faith grew as the knowledge of his faith expanded. Your love will also increase as you spend more time in study.

Grow in generosity today by tapping the only source that satisfies. The impact on your life will be “by no means negligible” as you taste the fountain of eternal happiness.

I am finding that the harder the circumstances are in life, the more time I need to spend in prayer and in the reading of God’s Word to navigate them.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

“Since God is good, and especially to those who are faithful to Him, let us hold fast to Him with all our soul, our heart, our strength, and so enjoy His light and see His glory and possess the grace of supernatural joy.

Let us reach out with our hearts to possess that good, let us exist in it and live in it, let us hold fast to it, that good which is beyond all we can know or see and is marked by perpetual peace and tranquility, a peace which is beyond all we can know or understand…

It is through God’s goodness that all that is truly good is given us, and in it there is no admixture of evil… Since God is our refuge, God who is in heaven and above the heavens, we must take refuge from this world in that place where there is peace…”

Ambrose of Milan (c. 339-397) in Flight as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 517.

Recall a wild ride such as a rollercoaster with dips and turns or an off-road experience that made you bounce along. What did you do? You held on tight!

That’s the skill I feel like I am learning right now. Perhaps you can relate?

God’s goodness, His generosity, is matchless. And I am learning to “exist in it and live in it” as Ambrose notes. Thanks to those who have helped GTP this week.

It was so unsettling to have our bank accounts frozen for our faith.

But God… He knew it would happen and nearly to the dollar provided enough for us to make payroll this week. Yet, we have expenses we need to pay from program work last month.

We can’t access our funds to pay the bills. I am learning to take refuge in God.

If you are able to help, click here to give.

If you are in crisis, join me. Hold fast to the only source of perfect peace. He can help you with whatever you challenge you are facing. Just hold fast.

It will be good for those servants whose Master finds them watching when He comes. Truly I tell you, He will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. Luke 12:37

“But when you come to the heavenly homeland will you find a traveler to welcome, someone hungry to feed, or thirsty to whom you may give drink, someone ill whom you could visit, or quarreling whom you could reconcile, or dead whom you could bury?

No, there will be none of these tasks there. What will you find there is what Mary chose. There we shall not feed others, we ourselves shall be fed. Thus what Mary chose in this life will be realized there in all its fullness; she was gathering fragments from that rich banquet, the Word of God.

Do you wish to know what we will have there? The Lord Himself tells us when He says of His servants, Amen, I say to you, He will make them recline and passing He will serve them.

Augustine of Hippo (354-430) in his Sermon 103 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 423-424.

Welcome to our home. That’s how I pray my friend Simon Rattray feels when he steps into our new home (pictured above) with his wife and daughter visiting from Australia.

God supplied free Colorado Rockies front row tickets at Coors Field! What a treat. We also look forward to some special meals together. There’s nothing like table fellowship.

They will be our first house guests. Our new place is simple. It’s a ranch with a side yard on one side for Jenni’s garden and the other for our dog and entertaining guests.

The time will come to recline and be served by our Lord. But in this life, we get to focus on serving others and we may go through suffering too. But we can make it. God’s got us.

If you are ever passing through Colorado, let me know. Give me notice as I travel a bit. We’d love to welcome you. How might you open your home to welcome someone generously?

Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it. 2 Corinthians 8:24

“Let me turn to what is of less importance: the visible world around us. What Benefactor has enabled you to look out upon the beauty of the sky, the sun in its course, the circle of the moon, the countless number of starts, with the harmony and order that are theirs, like the music of a harp? Who has blessed you with rain… Who has given you dominion over animals, those that are tame and those that provide you with food? … Is it not God who asks you now in your turn to show yourself generous above all other creatures and for the sake of all other creatures?”

Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390) in his Oration 14 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 228.

Jenni and I bought a home in Sterling Ranch. It’s a carefully planned community in the southern part of Littleton, Colorado. They will build 12,000 homes and ours around number 1,800. Hopefully you can visit us sometime.

Why mention this today? It inspired me. When I am not serving the Lord around the world for GTP, God has give us a peaceful place to live with mountain views and fields for Grace (our German Shorthaired Pointer) to run.

Here, we soak in His mercy and love, His lovingkindness and faithfulness, His boundless grace and matchless love. The stuff we cannot see about God with our eyes is the best of all. We only see it when we pause to ponder.

His goodness is better than the sun by day and the stars by night. It surpasses the beauty of blue sky and the snow that can falls in 11 of the 12 months of the year. This is why our hearts overflow with gratitude and generosity.

What about you? Walk outside. Count the blessings from our Benefactor God that you can see. Then go beyond those. What good things has He lavished on you that you cannot see. Now determine how you can show yourself generous.

Consider a gift to GTP today. As part of the cancel culture, our bank accounts were closed abruptly and frozen because of our Christian commitment. We’ve had to open new ones and need to make payroll this week. Show yourself generous.