Faith and Provision

"After gaining his degree, James applied to the China Inland Mission. Everything about this society answered a chord in his heart. For one thing they never asked anyone for money, nor even seemed to mention it. No collections, no appeals, no needs advertised, yet within forty years they supported over a thousand members! The general director and the newest recruit had equal allowances. All their needs had been supplied. 'God means just what he says,' Hudson Taylor said, 'and He will do all that He has promised.'"

p10, Mountain Rain, The Biography of James O. Fraser

Wheels of Sorrow

A friend made me laugh when he came out with the following quote:

"Money will never make you happy, but it does help to oil the wheels of sorrow".

George Muller on Faith and Giving

From The Autobiography of George Muller:

"A brother with small earnings may ask, "Should I also give? My earnings are already so small that my family can barely make ends meet."
     My reply is, "have you ever considered that the very reason that your earnings remain so small may be because you spend everything on yourself? If God gave you more, you would only increase your own comfort instead of looking to see who is sick or who has no work at all that you might help them."
p195

The child of God must be willing to be a channel through which God's abundant blessings flow. The channel is narrow and shallow at first, yet some waters of God's bounty can pass through. If we cheerfully yield ourselves to this purpose, the channel becomes wider and deeper, allowing more of the bounty of God to pass through. We cannot limit the extent to which God may use us as instruments in communicating blessing if we are willing to yield ourselves to him and are careful to give Him all the glory."
p196

"May 26, 1851. The Christian should never worry about tomorrow or give sparingly because of a possible future need. Only the present moment is ours to serve the Lord, and tomorrow may never come."
p212

"The natural mind is prone to reason when we ought to believe, to be at work when we ought to be quiet, or to go our own way when we ought to steadily walk in God's ways. [ ... ] But each time we work a deliverance of our own, we find it more difficult to trust in God. At last we give way entirely to our natural reasoning, and unbelief prevails."
p220

George Muller on Stewardship

"The child of God has been bought with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus. All that he possesses—his bodily strength, his mental strength, his ability of every kind, his trade or business, and his property—all belong to God. It is written, "Ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

The proceeds of our calling are not our own in the sense of having freedom to spend them on the gratification of our pride or our love of pleasure. We have to stand before our Lord and Master as His stewards to seek His will concerning how He will have us use the proceeds of our calling."

p193, The Autobiography of George Muller

Verses quoted in his book, p194-5:

"The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."
2 Cor 9:6

"One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered."
Proverbs 11:24-25

"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."
Luke 6:38

We Dream of Both

A line my friend Maicol said to me recently that I quite enjoyed:

"You can either have time or money, but never both."

Chapter 5: Learning to Live by Faith

I'm very much enjoying reading the autobiography of George Muller, and have just read chapter 5 where he is a church minister and decides, for several reasons, to give up his regular salary and rely on God's direct provision. The chapter reads like a diary that recounts continual answered prayer. Every time there's a need, he engages in prayer and pretty soon receives his provision one way or another. It reveals how such direct dependence, when combined with prayer, makes for a very good lesson in faith and provision. When you're on a comfortable salary, you don't see your prayers answered in quite the same way.

I think one of the reasons I find it so encouraging is that being self-employed, you don't have the comfort and security of a salary. Every time I get a job or a new client, it very definitely feels like an answer to prayer. Muller's faith levels were so high, and it's really encouraging to read. What you realise is how important it is to pray when living like this. It's so tempting to freak out at times, when money and work is low. Daily prayer really is the only solution to freaking-out, and can actually lead to a more carefree life, knowing that God's heard you and in control.

"Some may say that such a way of life leads a Christian away from the Lord and from caring about spiritual things. They say it may cause the mind to be occupied with questions like: "What shall I eat, what shall I drink, what shall I wear?" I have experienced both ways and I know that my present manner of living by trusting God for temporal things is connected with less care. Trusting the Lord for the supply of my temporal needs keeps me from anxious thoughts like: "Will my salary last and will I have enough for next month?" In this freedom I am able to say, "My Lord is not limited. He knows my present situation, and He can supply all I need." Rather than causing anxiety, living by faith in God alone keeps my heart in perfect peace."
p41-42, The Autobiography of George Muller

Muller also comments on the way such a lifestyle can help prevent backsliding:

"This way of living has often revived the work of grace in my heart when I began to grow spiritually cold. It also has brought me back again to the Lord after I had been backsliding. It is not possible to live in sin, and at the same time, by communion with God, draw down from heaven everything one needs for this life. Frequently, a fresh answer to prayer quickens my soul and fills me with great joy."
p42, The Autobiography of George Muller

"At the end of the year, we looked back and realized that all our needs had been met more abundantly than if we had received a regular salary. We are never losers from doing the will of the Lord. I have not served a hard Master, and that is what I delight to show."
p43-44, The Autobiography of George Muller

Expenditure

Another thought-provoking quote on finances and materialism...

"Occasionally when a couple cannot make ends meet the problem is that they do not have enough income to support themselves. Most often the problem lies with their expenditure. Rob Parsons writes about his own upbringing:

My father was a postman and my mother a cleaner. We lived in a rented house, and life was simple to say the least. Non-essentials like heating in the bedrooms, fitted carpets, and toilet paper (don't ask!) belong to another world. I didn't eat in a restaurant until I was sixteen. But I had everything I needed in that home, including wise advice from a father who would take me aside regularly and recite to me the words of Mr Micawber from Dickens, David Copperfield: 'Annual Income: twenty shillings; expenditure: nineteen shillings and sixpence - result: happiness. Annual income: twenty shillings; expenditure: twenty shillings and sixpence - result: misery.' A belief in that principle meant that my father was never in debt. You may think that he paid an unacceptable price for that. He never had a holiday away from his own home, or had his own bank account, and he never did get to taste pasta - but I have never known a man so content."

p358, Nicky & Sila Lee, The Marriage Book.
Original quote: p190, Rob Parsons, Loving Against the Odds.

Reality

"My friend who owns the coffee shops told us, in a tone of kindness and truth, that nobody he knows who is successful gambles; rather, they work hard, they accept the facts of reality, they enjoy life as it is. "But the facts of reality stink," I told him. "Reality is like a fine wine," he said to me. "It will not appeal to children."

Searching For God Knows What, Donald Miller, p11.

Reading Up On Heaven

Reading Randy Alcorn's book on Heaven has been really interesting and insightful. You can start out slightly worried that you're becoming 'too spiritually minded to be of any earthly good' - a mildly perplexing phrase you hear bounced around the place; which I'm pretty sure is just plain wrong. The more I think about that phrase the more I am convinced the opposite is true. One can be too earthly minded to be of any spiritual good. That, I think, is by far the greater danger.

The more I think and learn about Heaven, the more I want to prepare for it. The more I contemplate how awesome the New Earth is going to be, the more willing I feel to lose my life in this one. Most of us are more than willing to endure a bit of pain and hardship if in the end there is a massive reward. What if the reward was far bigger and more amazing than you ever imagined? What if this life was, in reality, unbelievable short compared to the bigger picture?

Jesus taught us to lay up treasure in Heaven. He is into health and wealth, life, joy, peace and happiness... and many other good things we long for. He's just into the eternal sort. Everything in this life comes with a sell-by date and eventually withers away.

––––––

"Christian, meditate on heaven, it will help thee to press on, and forget the toil of the way. This vale of tears is but the pathway to the better country: this world of woe is but the stepping-stone to a world of bliss. And, after death, what cometh? What wonder-world will open upon our astonished sight?"

Charles Spurgeon.

––––––

"The man who is about to set sail for Australia or New Zealand as a settler, is naturally anxious to know something about his future home, its climate, its employment, its inhabitants, its ways, its customs. All these are subjects of deep interest to him. You are leaving the land of your nativity, you are going to spend the rest of your life in a new hemisphere. It would be strange indeed if you did not desire information about your new abode. Now surely, if we hope to dwell for ever in that "better country, even a heavenly one," we ought to seek all the knowledge we can get about it. Before we got to our eternal home we should try to become acquainted with it."

From Heaven by Randy Alcorn, page 5.
Original quote: J. C. Ryle, Heaven

Training the Flesh

"As Bonhoeffer says, 'If there is no element of asceticism in our lives, if we give free reign to the desires of the flesh ... we shall find it hard to train for the service of Christ.""

Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, page 165
Original quote: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (London: SCM Press, 1964)

Settled Happiness

"C. S. Lewis said "The settled happiness and security which we all desire, God withholds from us by the very nature of the world: but joy, pleasure and merriment He has scattered broadcast. We are never safe, but we have plenty of fun, and some ecstasy. It is not hard to see why. The security we crave would teach us to rest our hearts in this world and oppose an obstacle to our return to God.""

Heaven, Randy Alcorn, page 166
Original quote: C. S. Lewis, The Problem Of Pain, 115.

Joyful Unconcern

"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Matthew 6:25-33

It's so easy to read this verse thinking "aha, if I seek first the kingdom, I'll have material provision and security." I must have read that verse so many times with that subtle thought process ticking away unnoticed. But then you realise there's a problem: your focus and heart is still set on material provision, not the kingdom of God.

Your 'seeking first the kingdom' is nothing more than a means to your true end, provision. So the kingdom of God is not first at all but second at best.

In an ironic sort of a way, if you're totally anxious about making ends meet, you actually need to just forget it. Forget it and worship God. Forget it and trust God. Be consumed with his gospel and count yourself expendable for his purposes. Pursue him first and perhaps things will fall into perspective.

But by all means, get a budget and be debt free. You're more useful to God that way.

Richard Foster on the Discipline of Simplicity

From 'Celebration of Discipline':

"Simplicity is freedom. Duplicity is bondage. Simplicity brings joy and balance. Duplicity brings anxiety and fear. The preacher of Ecclesiasties observes that 'God made man simple; man's complex problems are of his own devising' (Eccles. 7:29)"
p99

"To attempt to arrange an outward life-style of simplicity without the inward reality leads to deadly legalism."
p100

Speaking of contemporary culture: "Because we lack a divine Centre our need for security has led us into an insane attachment to things ... We crave things we neither need nor enjoy ... We are made to feel ashamed to wear clothes or drive cars until they are worn out. The mass media have convinced us that to be out of step with fashion is to be out of step with reality. It is time we awaken to the fact that conformity to a sick society is to be sick."
p100-101

"if riches increase, set not your heart on them."
Psalm 62:10

Speaking of Jesus: "He saw the grip that wealth can have on a person. He knew that 'where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,' which is precisely why he commanded his followers: 'Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth' (Matt 6:21, 19)"
p103
—
I suppose there's quite a difference between generating a high income and laying up treasures. You could have a lot of resources, being rich in terms of your bank balance, and yet refuse to use that bank balance in acquiring many possessions. Instead, we use those funds for resourcing the Kingdom. I've never thought it was wrong to be rich, but yet there is a very direct command not to lay up for ourselves treasure on earth. 'Set not your heart on them'. When you hear Christians that are very rich, but live a modest life and give really generously, it's incredibly powerful. They've adopted a level of discipline, self-control and love for Christ that is very evident in their outward behaviour.

"Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail"
Luke 12:33

"Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions"
Luke 12:15

"He calls all who would follow him to a joyful life of carefree unconcern for possessions: 'Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again"
Luke 6:30

"Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction"
1 Tim 6:9

"Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never fail you nor forsake you"
Hebrews 13:5

"Simplicity is the only thing that sufficiently reorients our lives so that possessions can be genuinely enjoyed without destroying us."
p105

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well."
Matt 6:25-33

"The central point for the Discipline of simplicity is to seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of his kingdom first and then everything necessary will come in its proper order"
p106

"As Jesus made clear in our central passage, freedom from anxiety is one of the inward evidences of seeking first the kingdom of God. The inward reality of simplicity involves a life of joyful unconcern for possessions."
p107

Richard Foster on Fasting

"Some have exalted religious fasting beyond all Scripture and reason; and others have utterly disregarded it."
John Wesley

"Perhaps in our affluent society fasting involves a far larger sacrifice than the giving of money."
Celebration Of Discipline, Richard Foster, p66

"More than any other Discipline, fasting reveals the things that controls us. This is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who longs to be transformed into the image of Christ. We cover up what is inside us with food and other good things, but in fasting these things surface. If pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately. David writes, 'I humbled my soul with fasting' (Ps. 69:10). Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear — if they are within us, they will surface during fasting."
Celebration Of Discipline, Richard Foster, p67

"Fasting helps us keep our balance in life. How easily we begin to allow nonessentials to take precedence in our lives. How quickly we crave things we do not need until we are enslaved by them ... Our human cravings and desires are like rivers that tend to overflow their banks; fasting helps keep them in proper channels. 'I pommel my body and subdue it,' says Paul (1 Cor. 9:27)."
Celebration Of Discipline, Richard Foster, p68

Just Wait

A little snippet of wisdom I heard recently that is most definitely laced with truth and applicable to many, many areas:

"Delayed gratification increases pleasure"

Should Our Hands Be Empty?

I guess one thing that I might want to revise or clarify regarding my previous journal entries on giving, money and contentment is that I can lean a bit too much towards poverty theology - i.e. God is pleased when our hands are empty.

Although it's very good to be content no matter how little we have, God requires us to be a good steward of his wealth, no matter how much we're given. In the parable of the talents, he says 'to whom much is given, much will be demanded'. This means that to some of us, God will give much. In this sense, it's a bit of a cop-out just to give it all away as quickly as possible in an act of 'worship'. It avoids responsibility. God might require a much better, much more thought out approach to the stewardship of his resources.

Radical Generosity

A great point from Tim Keller's 'Radical Generosity' sermon: if you wanted to give 10%, you could. Because if you suddenly took a 10% pay cut you would simply make do. It would be painful – but you would make it work.

Life Group Talk: Giving

Here's a link to a PDF of a talk on giving that I recently did for my life group. It combines various re-written blog posts from this site and some new, original thoughts on the subject.

http://www.sa-design.co.uk/blog/Giving_Jan_2011.pdf

It also refers to this article titled "The Sandra Bullock Trade":

http://www.sa-design.co.uk/blog/Giving_Jan_2011_The_Sandra_Bullock_Trade.pdf

Enjoy!

Giving – A Theory

One thought that occurred to me the other day: It's easier to trust God with everything you have when you've got nothing to lose. Generosity and giving may never be easier than when you have very little.

As you gradually earn more and acquire possessions, all of a sudden there's a comfort level you've become accustomed to. There's now a height from which you can fall. It's harder to let go and trust it all to God. In addition, all the more expensive comforts and charms start to come within reach... if only you didn't give quite so much. Foreign holidays, a nice car, an awesome TV, a bigger house – they could all be yours.

In some ways your expendable cash is like the fat stores on your body. It's good to have a little in reserve for lean times. Too much is dangerous. Generous giving, in a sense, is almost like burning off the fat on your life.

Expendable (Part 2)

Following on from a previous note on being expendable for Christ (link) often, it's not our physical life that is required (i.e. martyrdom), but various little portions of our daily life. Finances, work, comfort, hobbies, fitness, luxuries, time... all of these need to be labeled 'expendable'. We give them up as and when required for the cause of Christ.