charles stanley- lord the provider!

7/29/2019 Charles Stanley- Lord the Provider!

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ProvideG o d s

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InTouch magazine, NOVEMBER 2010, Vol. 33 No. 11. 2010; all rights reserved. No unsolicited manuscripts accepted. Printed in the USA.In Touch magazine is neither responsible nor liable for any part of the production or distribution of international editions, whether translated or in English,unless the edition has been licensed and authorized by the governing staff of the domesticIn Touch magazine. Scripture quotations, unless otherwisenotated or quoted from a secondary source, are from theNew American Standard Bible, 1995 Update. Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971,1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1994. Quotations marked NIV are from the New International Version, International Bible Society 1973, 1978, 1984.

PRESS ASSOC IATIONEVANGELICAL

DR. STANLE PORTRAITSB DAVID SMIT.

f e a t u r e s N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 0

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Gods Promiseto Provide

b y c r l s f . s l y

The Lord provides for our needs and evencares about our desiresbut He wont bless

a disobedient spirit.

early liGht

This months devotions fromDr. Stanleys sermons can help us

reflect on our indebtedness to God.

exceedinGetiquetteb y y s m

Writing thank-you notes can be a tiring

process. But if you look beyond the chore,you can find a hidden blessing.

d e p a r t m e n t sby faith

Rethinking the American Dreamb y j b l l

She traded the stability of a life focused onherself for the uncertainty of a life surrendered

to Jesus. Would you?

solving problems

Her Blessingb y l u r i r u s s l l

Jealousy made it onto Gods Thou Shalt Notshort list. Heres why.

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22

family room

Daddys Shoesb y b f r u

When we grieve the loss of a loved one,material things left behind often hold

special memories.

strong in spirit

Grateful for Gods Giversb y l l r r i s

Are we looking for supernatural wondersbut missing the miracles God performs forus every day?

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God,

I acknowledge that I have sinned before You, but I receiveJesus substitutionary death on the cross as payment-in-full

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Have you decided to trust Jesusas your personal Savior?

A Publication of

to the Glory of God

Dr. Charles F. Stanley

P R E S I D E N T / P U B L I S H E R

C. Phillip Bowenc H I E f E x E c U T I v E o f f I c E R

John E. Courtney, Jr.

v I c E P R E S I D E N T

MARK ET IN G AN D DEvELo P MEN T

Tonya Stoneman

E D I T o R

D I R E c T o R o f P U B L I c A T I o N S

Linda M. Canup

A S S I S T A N T E D I T o R

Sandy Feit

S E N I o R c o P Y E D I T o R

Erin Gieschen

A c q U I S I T I o N S E D I T o R

Cameron Lawrence

c o P Y E D I T o R / W R I T E R

Lisa Dyches

c R E A T I v E D I R E c T o R

Jeff Gregory

A R T D I R E c T o R

Joey Tindell

MARK ET IN G P Ro Mo T Io N S P LAN N ER

Steve R. Lindsey

D I R E c T o R

R E S o U R c E S A N D f U L f I L L M E N T

David Blahnik

P Ro DUc T Io N MAN AG ER

he msson ofin ouch mnstres

To lead people worldwide

into a growing relationship

with Jesus Christ

and to strengthen

the local church


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It Is Good To Give Thanks>>Thanksgiving Was an Important

Part of Israelite Culture

Every morning and evening, the Levites sacrificed

a thank offering to the Lord. This was to keep

the peoples focus on their true providerGod.

Psalm 92:1-2 tells us, It is good to give thanks

to the L and to sing praises to Your name,

O Most High; todeclare Your lovingkindness in

the morning and Yourfaithfulness by night.

We would do well to imitate the Levites in this

way, giving thanks in the morning and evening.

When I think of what I am grateful for each day,

two things immediately come to mind: I am alive,

and I am saved. If I think of nothing else to be thankful for, I can always

praise God for these things.

But thanking the Lord goes far beyond appreciating what He gives us and

does for us. When we thank Him, we honor Him. A humble attitude of

gratefulness refocuses our attention on the

things that really matter in this life. When wehave this mindset, our gaze moves away from

self-centered anxiety to genuine contentment.

The apostle Paul knew this well. He writes,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by

prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let

your requests be made known to God. And

the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts

and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6-7). Thanking the Lord each dayrefreshes our relationship with Him and reinforces our faith.

So how do we express our thankfulness to God? By simply saying Thank

You. Prayers of appreciation are a blessing to our Father. He who offers the

sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I

shall show the salvation of God (Ps. 50:23). We can also demonstrate gratitude

by singing, praising Him in public, giving generously, and living a godly life.

Even if you never get anything in return, you can honor God through

actions in your everyday life that demonstrate thankfulness for His incredible

generosity to you. In doing so, you will experience closer intimacy with Him.Its my prayer that you emulate the Levites in this wayand receive the

blessing that comes from a grateful heart.

When we thank[God] . . . ogaze ove awao e-enteedanxet to genneontentent.

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dfroCharsF.S

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Thanksgiving is a special opportunity to express

our gratitude to God for His provisions and

blessing throughout the year. But let me ask you

a question. Are there any needs in your life that

have not yet been met? Maybe after months of

looking for a job, you are still unemployed. Orcould it be that you are facing a lingering health

issue that is still unresolved? Perhaps you are

longing for a spouse, but the Lord has not yet

led you to that special person.

I often meet Christians who tell me they have

prayed about a certain matter, asking God to

provide for their need, but He hasnt done it.

They are confused and wonder why the Lorddidnt answer their prayer. After all, doesnt He

say in Philippians 4:19, My God will supply all

your needs? If you find yourself in the same

situation, do you think the problem is with you

or with the Lord?

The ExpectationTo gain some understanding of this dilemma, lets

consider the basis for our expectation that Godwill supply every necessity. First of all, we have His

promise, but its validity depends upon His ability

to fulfill it. Does the Lord have the power to pro-

vide for you? Yes, He does. Everything in heaven

and on earth belongs to Him (Ps. 50:10-12).

Since He is able to keep His promise, then

we have to ask another question. Does He have

the integrity and willingness to do what He said?Again, the answer is yes. He is always faithful

to His Word and wants to give us what we lack

(2 Cor. 9:10).

Therefore, since we have a God who is inter-

ested in every area of our lives and has the ability

G o d s P r o m i s e t o


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rovideU n d e r s t a n d i n g H i s W a y s

a n d P r i o r i t i e s

B C A R L E S F . S T A N L E


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and willingness to fulfill His pledge, the

problem of our unmet needs must rest with

us. Lets consider some common mistakes

we make.

Our MistakesSometimes we fail to distinguish between

needs and desires. First of all, I want to

clarify that having a desire is not necessar-

ily a sin; however, some things we want are

not really essential, and many times, they

may not be good for us. What gets us in

trouble is expecting God to supply things

we long for which are not necessities in

His eyes.

When I cant tell the difference, I

surrender my desire to the Lord, asking

Him to show me if its important. Because

I dont want anything outside of His will, I

ask Him to take away my longing if it is

notfrom Him. Whenever I do this, He

replaces it with something that is His will

for my life.However, some things we yearn for do

line up with Gods plans for us. Whenever

we want something that will contribute to

the development of a Christlike character,

He delights in giving it to us. Thats what

Psalm 37:4 is all about. Delight yourself in

the L; and He will give you the desires

of your heart. Our goal should always be

to take such delight in our relationship

with the Lord and in His plans for us that

we want only what pleases Him.

A second mistake we make is isolating

a scripture from its context. Many people

will claim the Lords promise of provision

in Philippians 4:19 but fail to take into

account the context of that verse. This

guarantee was given to believers in Philippiwho were actively involved in supporting

Paul and his ministry: I am amply sup-

plied, having received from Epaphroditus

what you have sent, a fragrant aroma,

an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to

God. And my God will supply all your

needs according to His riches in glory

in Christ Jesus (vv. 18-19).

The principle of Gods faithfulness in

providing for those who give generously

is found throughout Scripture in both

the Old and New Testaments. Andaccording to verse 19, Hes going to meet

our needs according to His riches in

glory in Christ Jesus. We cannot afford

to overlook the context, because it gives

the background of the promise and reveals

that His resources come to us as a result

of our relationship with Christ.

Gods ConditionsLets look at the requirements that the

Lord has established as boundaries around

His promise to supply all our needs.

Obey.We cannot live in sin and disobedi-ence to almighty God and expect Him to

give us everything we request. Psalm 84:11

says, No good thing does He withholdfrom those who walk uprightly. Those who

walk uprightly are not sinless or perfect, but

rather, their hearts are bent toward the Lord,

and they want to please Him.

God assumes full responsibility for

meeting the needs of those who obey Him,

but sin blocks His blessings. He will not

support the sinful lifestyles of His children,

because that is not in their best interest

and will not bring Him glory. Sometimes

for their own good, He lets them do with-

out in order to bring them back to Himself

(Luke 15:11-24).

Ask. Be willing to ask God to supplywhat you lack. What is your first response

when an unexpected problem arises? Doyou immediately bring it to the Lord, or

do you resort to worrying, maneuver-

ing, or trying to figure out how to handle

it yourself? We are told repeatedly in

the Scriptures to come to God with our

requests (Phil. 4:6). Asking Him for help


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shows that our attitude is one of humble

dependence and not prideful self-reliance.

Even if we have the resources to take care

of ourselves, we should still recognize that

everything we have comes from Him.

Believe. Jesus often spoke about askingwith faith: Therefore I say to you, all

things for which you pray and ask, believe

that you have receivedthem, and they will

be granted you (Mark 11:24). Christ wants

us to be so confident in the Fathers prom-

ise to meet our needs that we count it

as already accomplished before we even

see the answer.However, I want to caution you about

trying to use this verse to get whatever you

desire from God by simply having enough

faith. Prayer must always be initiated with

pure motives, or it is worthless. James 4:3

says, You ask and do not receive, because

you ask with wrong motives, so that you

may spend it on your pleasures.

Also, the requests that we offer must

be in accordance with the Fathers will

(1 John 5:14-15). Remember what I said

about context. Never take one verse of

the Bible and try to make it say what you

want. Only by considering the whole

counsel of God can we gain an accurate

understanding of His promises. When

faith stands upon truth and works itselfout in obedience, then we have the full

assurance that He will grant our requests.

Participate. God is not going to doanything for you that He has equipped

you to do. Suppose I decided to trust the

Lord to provide a sermon for next Sunday,

but I put in no effort during the week to

study and pray. Do you think the Lord

would just drop a message into my head

on the following Sunday morning? No. He

has work for me to accomplish, and Heexpects me to do it.

Laziness does not merit any blessing

from God. If He has given you the capabil-

ity of earning a living, He expects you to

work. I am speaking not about those who

want to work and cant find a job, but

about those who expect the Lord to supply

their income while they make no effort to

support themselves.

Wait. God not only knows what we need;He also knows when to give it. Some of

the things weve requested have already

been answered by the Lord and are simply

awaiting the ordained time for delivery. He

has every provision planned and settled in

heaven and is never late or early. He always

knows the best time to grant our petitions.

If you become impatient and try to rush

ahead of Him by doing things your own

way, youll miss all that He planned to give

you. According to Isaiah 64:4, He acts

in behalf of the one who waits for Him.

Although it may seem that Hes forgotten

you, if you keep trusting and waiting, He will

move heaven and earth to take care of you.

Accept. Gods way of meeting your needsmay not be what you envisioned or hoped.

Have you ever come to the Lord in prayer

with an urgent request and found yourself

telling Him exactlyhow He should inter-

DElGHT OUEl

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GvE OU THE DEE

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vene? We must be open to whatever way He

chooses to provide. His path of intervention

may make no sense to us, but by trusting

in His omniscient perspective, we can often

look back with amazement at the wisdom

of His divine strategy (Isa. 55:8-9).

Prioritize. We must keep our eyes on theLord, not on our needs. The proper focus

is found in Matthew 6:33: But seek first

His kingdom and His righteousness, and all

these things will be added to you. Our top

priority in life is spiritual in naturenot

material or physical. If our main concern

is what we need, then we are not seekingthe kingdom of God. In fact, we can reverse

this divine order by trying to use God to

get what we desire instead of placing all our

requests under His authority, acknowledg-

ing His right to give or withhold.

Since the Lords priority in our lives is

spiritual, we can know with certainty that

He is working in the unseen realm evenwhen we dont see anything changing

in our outward situation. Sometimes the

externals have to wait while He accom-

plishes internal work in us or others.

Although He is committed to meeting all

our needs, He always does so in a manner

that contributes to His ultimate goal of

transforming us into the image of His Son.

Remember, our greatest needs are not

the most obvious ones, but those that

have to do with the development of godly

character, selfless attitudes, renewed minds,

and surrendered wills. Thats what we

should be seeking and asking the Lord to

produce in us.

This Thanksgiving season, spend some

time thanking God for His less obviousblessings in your life. For example, even

though He may not have given financial

prosperity, He might have produced trust

and contentment within you. Instead

of healing physically, perhaps He taught

you that His grace is sufficient in your

Trust God to provide.

Its sometimes easy toconfuse a want with a

need. Dr. Stanleysfour-CD set explainsthat the Lord always

supplies the believersnecessities according to is purposes.

weakness. And through loneliness, maybe

He gave you the comfort of a closer rela-

tionship with Him. By focusing on the

Lords spiritual provisions, you will gain a

new understanding of His ways, and your

gratitude will overflow.

Questions for

urther tudySince the apostle Paul, through the inspiration

of the Holy Spirit, wrote the promise recorded in

Philippians 4:19, lets examine his life and see if

he really believed the Lord would supply all his

needs. As you read, look for ways God providedwhen it seemed as if He wasnt doing a very

good job of taking care of Paul.

1. Material Needs: Read Philippians 4:10-13.

What was Pauls attitude toward seasons of

deprivation? How did he cope? What valuable

spiritual provision helped him endure (v. 13)?

2. Physical Needs: Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

Describe Pauls physical condition. Why

didnt God do what he asked? What spiritual

provisions did He give instead? What was

Pauls attitude about the Lords answer?

3. Emotional Needs: Read 2 Corinthians 1:8-11.

Describe Pauls emotional state. What impor-

tant spiritual lesson did he learn (v. 10)? How

did others help him during his difficulty?

4. Relational Needs: Read 2 Timothy 4:9-18.

List the various needs Paul experienced at

the end of his life. What did the Lord do for

him when others failed him? Where was his

hope placedon his present situation or

future blessings?

Our Unmet Needsu4-CD set | $14 (U.S.)

See order form or visit www.intouch.org.10 | n o V e m b e r 2 0 1 0 I n T o u c h


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sRemoving Self fromSelf-Righteousness>>Unmasking the Invisible Sin

Self-righteousness is one of the most difficult sins to recognize within ourselves,

because it disguises itself as obedience to Scripture and firm convictions about

the truth. Thats why Christians are particularly prone to its deceptive lure; after

all, we know right from wrong and have a genuine desire to obey the Lord. This

invisible sin is overcome only through exposure and repentance.

The Pharisees were glaring examples of self-righteousness. By examining

their lives, we can glean an understanding of the inner workings of this mani-

festation of pride that still entraps many believers today. Lets strip off our

blinders and allow Gods Word to reveal any

false righteousness in us (Heb. 4:12-13).

carateristis:uThe self-righteous are blind guides who lead

people astray. They are quick to point out

the sins of others but cant see their own

(Luke 6:39-42).uTheir focus is on good behavior, not on a pure heart. They appear outwardly

righteous but are inwardly full of hypocrisy (Matt. 23:25-28).

Dangers:uThey reject Gods purpose for their lives by refusing to repent (Matt. 3:1-11;

Luke 7:29-30).uTheir hearts are far from

the Lord (Matt. 15:1-9).u

They will be judged by theirown standard (Luke 6:36-38).

Remedy:uAsk the Lord to search

your heart and reveal any

hidden self-righteousness

(Ps. 139:23-24).uConfess your arrogance

(1 Cor. 8:1-3).uIn repentance, humble

yourself (James 4:6-12).uPursue an intimate relation-

ship with Christ, not your own

righteousness (Phil. 3:3-16).uExtend grace, not judgment, to others (Rom. 14:1-13).

elf-righteousnessis overcoe onlthrough exosurend reentnce.

15-minuteBb

sudy

Questions for Reflection

1. Does your familiarity with Scripture or success

in obeying God lead you to compare yourselfwith others who are less knowledgeable or who

struggle with certain sins? If so, why do you

think you do this?

2. Are you more prone to find fault with others or

to extend mercy and grace? What does hrist

mean when He says that you will be judged by

the same measure that you use for others

(Luke 6:38)?

3. Are you reluctant to ask the Lord to examine

your heart? What do you fear He may find?

What are the benefits of bringing hidden areas

into the light?

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tiquettB T O N A S T O N E M A N

xceedinv


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After that, I searched for ways to avoid

writing the dreaded notes. Wouldnt a

simple phone call suffice? I could call

my friends while driving to work in themorning and leave messages on their voice

mail if they didnt pick up. Hey, Ruth.

Thanks for the . . . terrific gift. I really like

it. Okay, call you later. Bye. I could send

e-mail. Draft one message and fill in the

blank for each different benefactor. Risky,

though: offended hostesses might forward

it to everyone in the family instead of

merely embarrassing me in front of a fewpeople. I could just not say thanksa lot

of people do this. Its implied, isnt it? But

I remember my sister-in-law telling me

why she decided to withdraw her name

from the family Christmas gift swap

nobody ever thanked her for her presents.

My husband adheres to tradition, so

we buy thank-you cards whenever werein a gift shop and keep a healthy supply

on hand. We send dozens of them out and

never know what their recipients make of

them. And I rarely receive any, even when

I spend a good amount on birthday gifts

for other peoples kids.

Still, I have come to appreciate the

importance of this tried-and-true display

of etiquette. I remember watching an

interview with Princess Diana in which shesaid that, as a child, she sat down to write

thank-you notes immediately after opening

her Christmas presents. That inspired me

to pack the cards when we travel during

the holidays, or leave them out on the

breakfast table the night before Christmas.

I think what discourages us from send-

ing these notes is that most of us dont

know what to say. Thanks for the blueand green sweater, Grandma, sounds so

trite. And theres the underlying feeling

of guiltmaybe we dont even like the

sweater to begin with. But the point is, it

doesnt really matter how eloquently you

state your gratitude. The simple act of

saying thanks is enough.

When we take a moment to express ourappreciation, we acknowledge the efforts

of other people who give generously when

they dont have to. And this is no small

thing. When we do it, we bless the giver

in return. And sometimes that blessing

comes back and blesses us twofold.

When I got married,I had to write several hundred thank-you notes. The endeavor took me nearly six months. A year after the

wedding, my husband and I visited family friends for dinner, and our

hostess retrieved one of those notes to share with everyone present. She

read the simple message: Thank you so much for the lovely . . . and

paused where I had left a blank space to insert the appropriate gift. At

some point in the grueling process, I had begun churning out the notes

en masse and had neglected to run hers through the second phase.


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A friend recently shared an example of

this with me. Shed read an article urging

readers not to wait for a eulogy to sing

praises of the deceased. The author pointed

out the advantage of expressing gratitude

while theres still time for the recipient tohear your appreciation.

Miss Wetherell immediately came to

mind, my friend told me. My 12th grade

French teacher was old school figuratively

and literallyher style was traditional and

authoritative, and shed been teaching for

ages (my father had been her student). She

had high standards, both for her students

and for herself, and learn French we did!

Im sure she wouldnt have tolerated any

funny business in her classroom, but she

commanded so much respect that no one

ever even tried.

Motivated by the article, I looked her

up and made the pleasant discovery that

shed moved to the suburbs and lived

about three blocks from our new home.My callthanking her for insisting on

and inspiring excellenceresulted in a

delightful visit, with many more to follow.

Over tea and her famous meringues, wed

reminisce, share stories about our families,

and discuss something we discovered we

had in common: a love of Scripture. She

took me on tours of her garden, her sisters

artwork, and her collection of antique and

international bells. And she invited me to

the senior center, where, at 90, she led an

exercise class in swinging Indian clubs.

When I moved out of state, visits were

replaced by the occasional phone call, and

Charlotte remained a sharp conversation-

alist right up until her death at 102. The

African cowbell she gave me reminds meof that great ladyand how blessed I was

by saying Thanks.

Ive found the same thing to be true in

my life. About ten years ago a Bible study

leader encouraged our class to go beyond

the traditional thank-you notes for gifts

received and catalog our thankfulness

for everything. She gave each of us a

brown paper bag with the words Bag-o-

Blessings written on it. We were to keep

it for one year and then go through the

bag on Thanksgiving Day.When the following year rolled around,

my family delved into the bag and was

positively regaled with blessings: Thank

You, God, for sparing us in our car acci-

dent. Thank You for a healthy baby. Thank

You for a new job. Thank You for money to

replace appliances. Thank You for friendly

neighbors. Thank You for a wonderful eve-

ning with good friends. Thank You for my

favorite song on the radio. Thank You for

allowing my son to score a goalhe needed

that today. On and on the list went. By the

time we finished, I had no more words. My

tears told God how truly thankful I was.

But our next challenge was to put the

pen to paper and begin actively thanking

the people who had made a differencein our lives. In doing this, I discovered

a wonderful tradition called Boxing Day.

This public holiday is celebrated in the

United Kingdom and various other

countries on the day after Christmas.

It involves giving money or gifts to those

in service positions.

Have you ever left a present on yourgarbage cans to thank the guy who takes

away your rubbish every week? Ever drop

by the police station and thank the cops

for keeping you safe on the highways and

patrolling your neighborhood at night?

What about the custodian who vacuums

your office and cleans up the bathrooms?

Have you ever stopped to thank them?

Do it, and see what happens.In my years of writing these missives,

Ive learned to really enjoy the process.

And as time goes by, more people come

to mind. I currently need to thank my

high-school English teacher. She taught

me to love Shakespeare. I need to thank



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a man named Larry Mason.

He saved my dads life

in Vietnam. Without

his selfless act, I

wouldnt even

be here. I needto thank the

woman who

taught my chil-

dren to sail. I

can already tell

this activity is

going to be a huge

part of their lives.

When I stop to think

about it, I owe thank-you

notes to a lot of people.

It has been said that actions

speak louder than words, but sometimes

words are necessary. The right words are

an action in and of themselves. We see

this often in the Bible.

Paul routinely let those around himknow how much he appreciated them. He

told Timothy, I thank God, whom I serve

with a clear conscience the way my fore-

fathers did, as I constantly remember you

in my prayers night and day (2 Tim. 1:3).

David wanted to express appreciation

to the men of Jabesh-gilead who had

buried Saul. So he sent messengers saying,Now may the L show lovingkindness

and truth to you; and I also will show this

goodness to you, because you have done

this thing, (2 Sam. 2:6).

Boaz did not hesitate to thank Ruth

for working in his field: May the L

reward your work, and your wages be full

from the L, the God of Israel, under

whose wings you have come to seek refuge(Ruth 2:12).

Daniel thanked the Lord for enabling

him to interpret the kings dream. To You,

O God of my fathers, I give thanks and

praise, for You have given me wisdom

and power (Dan. 2:23).

Even Jonah thanked the Lord from the

belly of the whale: But I will sacrifice to

You with the voice of thanksgiving. That

which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation isfrom the L (Jonah 2:9).

And Jesus certainly was not remiss in

thanking His Father: So they removed the

stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said,

Father, I thank You that You have heard

Me (John 11:41).

What we learn from these great stories

is that people did not merely thank theLord or others because it was polite or

socially expedient to do so. Gratitude

was an innate part of their lives. And we

see clearly in the Scriptures that humble

thankfulness yielded blessings. David

became a King. Boaz married a wife.

Daniel got promoted. Jonah was released

from the whale.

So how can we take a cue from ourbiblical ancestors? Establish a daily prac-

tice noticing the gifts and grace that you

receive. Set aside time to recall those

moments and your appreciation of whoever

is responsible for them. And, by all means,

take the time to write thank-you notes.

fEstablish a daily practicenoticing the gifts and gracethat you receive.

w w w . i n t o u c h . o r g | 15


16/66


Theres alwaysa reason towrite a thank-you note . . .


17/66

w w w . i n t o u c h . o r g | 17

We are very grateful for all those who partner with In Touch to lead people

into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. The ministry receives financial

support in a number of ways, one being the charitable bequest. This is

an estate gift, distributed after the death of the owner, to a charity by will,

trust, or beneficiary designation. The bequest may be for a specific amount,

a certain asset, or a percentage of the residual estate.

Wat are te benefits?A bequest preserves flexibility by allowing an individual to maintain full

control and use of property during ones lifetime.

It can be altered or revoked if circumstances or

family needs change. And its a way to impact

future generations with the gospel.

In addition, a bequest to charity can bypass

taxes. Tax deferred accounts such as traditional

IRAs, 401(k)s, and other retirement plans are

subject to income tax when distributed to individ-

ual heirs. These assets may also incur estate taxes,

if applicable. The potential combined tax rate on tax deferred accounts

can approach 60 percent or higher for larger estates.

This high taxation may be avoided as retirement assets

can pass to charitable beneficiaries tax-free. A bequest

of all or a portion of ones retirement funds can be

accomplished by completing the plans beneficiary form.

With proper planning, this can be a cost-effective wayto provide significant support for ministry.

Getting started

A well-developed estate plan is part of wise steward-

ship. We offer a complimentary estate planning guide

to prepare you for meeting with a lawyer to complete

your will. Before setting up a charitable bequest, make

sure your family is well provided forthis is in line with

the teachings of the apostle Paul, who wrote, But if anyone does not providefor his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith

and is worse than an unbeliever (1 Tim. 5:8).

Please let us know if we may assist you.

The Charitable Bequest>>Opportunity for ingdom Impact

bi

din

gwsly

eqet pe-eve extand a wa topat tegeneaton wth

the gope.

B W A N E J O N E S , C F P

[email protected]

www.intouchfoundation.org

800-967-2200

This article is not intended to provide specific legal, tax, or financial advice. Youshould seek the advice of qualified professionals in planning for your familys future.


18/66


But how did youknowit was God?I paused for a moment, wondering how

it was possible that another person whod

been a Christian since childhood could be

asking me, a former atheist, about hearingand following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Well, I said, I knew and I didnt know . . .

This certainly wasnt the first time

Id found myself sitting in a coffee shop

describing the haphazard journey my

husband and I had embarked upon in the

years since my unanticipated conversion

to Christianity. Still, it was hard for me to

understand why so many Christians were

surprised and fascinated by our decision to

sell our home, leave our careers, and pur-

sue this uncertain path in the heart of our

prime earning years. Granted, our radical

change of lifestyle was out of step with

the arc of the American Dream wed been

successfully traveling, but when amazing

grace blew in unexpectedly, it rocked ourworld and changed everything.

Despite my rather abrupt conversion to

Christianity in 2003 at the age of 37, the

change of life that followed didnt happen all

at once. Im not sure how eager I wouldve

been, had I known what taking one obedient

step after another would result in: a major

transition from the stability of a life lived

for myself to the uncertainty of a life sur-

rendered to Jesus. Thankfully, I was spared

knowing the end from the beginning, as Godlaid out His plan in bite-sized piecesone

challenge or sacrifice at a time. And then,

we woke up seven years later with a new life

wed never dreamed of having.

Sometimes, the changes we were

prompted to make in the weeks, months,

and years that followed my conversion

appeared to make sense. Walking away

from a hard-earned 15-year career in public

relations (something I neverthought Id do)

coincided with my teenage son developing

serious health issues. If God was really

behind such a huge lifestyle change, I could

see the wisdom in it; considering that He

was up to something important behind the

scenes made it easier to pull the trigger.

But there were other times, when fol-lowing the Holy Spirit seemed to make

no practical sense. Like when I woke up

in the middle of the night and told my

husband that we were supposed to sell

our 4,000-square foot dream home with

no idea why (or where wed move). Only

R e t h i n k i n g AEIA

EAT E

byfaith


19/66

w w w . i n t o u c h . o r g | 19

W h a t i f l e t t i n g g o o f e v e r y t h i n g y o u w a n t e d l e d t o d r e a m s y o u d i d n t k n o w y o u h a d ?

B J O A N B A L L


20/66


byfaith

because Martin was so convinced that my

conversion of faith and these subsequent

promptings to make changes were real was

he willing to go with it. A few years later,

we were similarly compelled to open the

doors of our home and sell everything wedidnt truly need. We ran ads, posted flyers,

and watched while strangersfrom soon-

to-be-married couples to empty-nesters

snatched up and made offers on furniture,art, jewelry, and other cherished treasures.

At the time, it just seemed nuts. Yet later,

we eventually saw that these experiences

were exercises in letting go and recognizing

that everythingwe owned was a gift rather

than a right.

Hence, my friends question in the cafe.

Howdid

we know it was God? Why woulda reasonable, rational couple with three kids

choose to trade comfort for an unknown

futurewith nothing more to go on than

an intangible but firm sense that it was

what He wanted us to do?

I cant blame her or anyone else for

questioning our decisions. Before all this

happened, Id scoffed at the suggestion that

Jesus be my Lord and Savior, not to men-tion that He was actually hearable. Sure, in

my early 30s, Id traded the rabid atheism

of my 20s for the possibility that there might

be something out there. Id even come

to believe that it might be to my benefit to

learn more about this something and its

potential to help me live a more sane life

in a program of recovery. But this power-

greater-than-myself certainly wasnt going

to have a hand in my pocketmuch less

decide where I lived! Yet then came my

unexpected, unsought, and supernaturalencounter with an unseen Father, Son,

and Holy Spirit, which radically changed

my faith in an instant. I was not only ready

to listen; I was desperate to know what it

meant to truly follow Him.

Aside from the Ten Commandments,

Christmas, and Easter, I had no context

whatsoever in the early days of my

journey for what it meant to follow

Jesus. All I knew was that I felt absolutely

compelled to read the Bible. Perhaps

reading is too tame a word. I was like a

castaway bellied up to a sumptuous buffet

reading multiple translations side-by-side

and breaking down passages using dictionar-

ies to translate the original Hebrew, Greek,

and Aramaic text. I cut my spiritual teethon stories of ordinary men and women who

went beyond a Sunday-morning kind of

religious routine and put their lives on the

line to do whateverextraordinary thing they

were called to do on moments notice. Along

with Jesus Himself, these biblical heroes

were my first models for what it meant to

live a genuine life of faith, and their storiesprompted me to question everything. And

that included asking myself what success

might look like through the Saviors eyes. It

seemed clear that I should find out what

it would mean to offer my life as a living

sacrifice (Rom. 12:1) in suburban New York

in the 21st century.

So I was confounded when I discussed

these stories with Christians who told methey felt a call on their lives but were wait-

ing for the time to be right, the money to

be there, or their kids to graduate from

college before theyd consider pursuing it.

That made no sense to me. If God was the

same yesterday, today, and forever

I was desperate to know

what it meant to truly I.


21/66

w w w . i n t o u c h . o r g | 21

(Heb. 13:8), why would He operate differ-

ently just because we had laptops and cell

phones? Why would the God who called

people out of the mundane and into the

extraordinary suddenly view our comfort

to be more important than building Hiskingdom? It didnt add up.

I was eager to learn more, but when I

turned to the Christian community for help,

my questions multiplied. The more I con-

nected with spiritual leaders (I talked with

everyone I could) or read their writing, the

more I saw that following Jesus meant very

different things to different people within

the body of Christ. For some, social justice

and serving the poor were paramount.

Others stressed the importance of family

values and moral teachings. There were

those who felt it was about discovering ones

unique purpose and embracing a calling;

still others said it was a matter of practicing

spiritual gifts. I was fascinated to find that,

according to the Bible, each group wasright, at least in part.

So I kept reading, wating, and listening

to anything and everything I could get my

hands on. I was a sponge for any insight I

might glean from the faith experiences

of othersfrom the ancient patriarchs

to modern megachurch pastors. Digging

into Scripture, I prayed Proverbs 1:1-7,

asking God for prudence, knowledge, and

discretion; I requested that He help me

attain wisdom and discipline, equip me

to understand words of insight, and show

me how to discern what was right, just,

and fair.

Thats when the Holy Spirit began

nudging me with questions about my day-to-day lifeand got deep into my business.

I began thinking about things like,How

much house is enough house? How much

money do I really need to spend on a car?

Are expensive music lessons for my child

top priority, or should I be factoring in the

family across town who badly needs food?

As I explored these questions, I could see

Id stumbled into a supernatural treasure

hunt. No ten-step to-do list for living the

Christian life, particularly through my own

power, could replace surrender to realtransformation in the hands of the living

God. My prayers shifted from help me,

give me to asking that I be changed from

the inside outthat every desire would

be conformed to His desire (Rom. 12:2).

Instead of praying around my desired out-

come for things, I prayed for doors to open

and close howeverHe wanted. That Id feel

contentment only when I was pleasing Him

and be agitated when off-track. Slowly, I

began to welcome a no as much as a yes.

I began to understand and accept thatHe is

God and I am not, and that the fear of God

(which is the beginning of wisdom) is

about awe and worship, not fear of punish-

ment or condemnation. I prayed for faith

to trust that He would help me recognizeHis answers to these prayersand for the

courage to follow with complete abandon.

And then I let go, choosing to follow the

Lord wherever He might take me.

Years later, I am living a different

American Dream. One in which who

Im becoming means more to me than

where Im living. One in which the peopleIm impacting matter more than my title

or salary. One in which Im fulfilled and

content, even in the face of disappointment

or difficultyand know Im loved even

when circumstances say otherwise.

So, how did I know it was God? At the

time, I both knew and didnt know. But

now, I can say this: My life and my state of

mind are nothing like they once were. Andonly God can take away our most prized

dreams for our lives and replace them with

a reality infinitely better.

Joan Ball is the author ofthe memoirFlirtingWith Faith: My Journey from Atheism to a Faith-Filled Life.


22/66

solvingproblems

God was using me in my work and min-

istry, but I wanted to be part ofthatkind

of blessing.

The battle of emotions tugged and tore

at me. I didnt like feeling this way. As

Tammys sister in Christ, I knew I should

be excited that God was using my friend

and happy to see His hand working in her

life. And I was . . . kind of.

I didnt want to appear unspiritual,

so I pretended to be happy for her, boasting

about her performance to my husband. Butbeneath the faade, jealousy circulated

through me like poison, making its way to

my heart. I tried harder, praising her with

a fake smile that I hoped would neutralize

my emotions. Maybe if I faked it enough,

I could sincerely be happy for her.

nIN AMAEMENT, I looked from my seat.Was that really Tammy?A few years ago,while visiting my family back home, Idecided to attend my old church in thecity. Up on stage, leading worship in front

of thousands of people, was my old friend.

How did she get there?

When we were younger, Tammy and

I were part of a coffee group that met

together twice a month. Back then, she

dreamed of leading worship and signing

record deals. As I watched her sing, it wasobvious that God was using her to do both.

One part of me wanted to celebrate and

praise God for allowing her to fulfill her

dreams. But another part of me, a darker

part, was less than excited. I found myself

wondering, Why not me?

HerBLESSING

How jea lousy can s tea l joyB L A U R I E R U S S E L L



23/66

No such luck. The more I bragged about

her to my husband, the more I thought

about it. The more I thought about it, the

more it ate away at me. What was happen-

ing? Jealousy was destroying my joy.

JEaLouSy cravES StatuSI wasnt jealous of Tammysstuffher

clothes, her house, or even her talent. My

battle wasnt a desire to be the one on the

stage leading worship. It was her blessingI wanted.

I was living out a modern day version of

Jacob and Esau. God had blessed my sister

in Christ with an incredible ministry, and

I wanted it. I wanted to be the one chosen

by God. I craved a glamorous calling that

met all of my specifications. Why was God

fulfilling Tammys personal requests and

not mine?After the service, I spoke with Tammy.

As we caught up with each other, I was

tempted to exaggerate what was going on

in my life and ministry. I felt the need to

one up her, to let her know I was doing

something special too.

Jealousy often seeks to self-gratify. And

in the process, someone else is diminished.

John the Baptist modeled how to respondto this temptation. His ministry was to

prepare the way for Christ. For a season,

he drew the largest crowds. However, when

Jesus began His ministry, life changed for

John and his disciples.

In John 3:26, Johns disciples expressed

w w w . i n t o u c h . o r g |23


24/66

their concern for his drop in ratings. They

were upset that the people preferred to

be baptized by Jesus instead of John.

The faithful disciple could have fought

the shifting tide of popularity in order to

stay in the game. He could have yelledlouder or fasted from locusts to gain more

attention. But he understood his true pur-

pose. His job was to prepare the way for

the Messiah. He was not the Messiah, and

he knew when it was time to step back. So

to his fellow disciples, he replied, He must

increase; but I must decrease (John 3:30).

A covetous heart craves status and fights

to maintain it. Johns heart was committedto promoting God rather than himself. So

when the time came for him to step down,

he was able to humbly do so.

JEaLouSy dIStortS rEaLItyAs Tammy led worship, I enjoyed the

music and sang along. However, I wasjust going through the motions. Instead

of focusing on God and His greatness, my

attention was on Tammy and her success.

I thought about her upbringing, school-

ing, and support system. It angered me.

It felt as if everything had been handed

to her with ease while I had continually

worked and waited.

These thoughts snowballed, and before

I knew it, I was a victim of circumstanceor

at least thats how I perceived it. In reality,

none of this was true. Tammy worked hard

and gave her talent completely to the Lord,

and therefore He was able to use her.

James warns us, But if you harbor bitter

envy and selfish ambition in your hearts,

do not boast about it or deny the truth.Such wisdom does not come down from

heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the

devil (3:14-15 ).

This wisdom of being a victim does

not come from God. The Enemy uses this

subtle tactic to provoke us to shift our

focus from the Lord to self. Envy skews

our vision, preventing us from seeing the

truth. But when I am honest enough to

focus on God and get my heart right with

Him, I see clearly the numerous ways Hes

blessed me and used me.

JEaLouSy StEaLS JoyThe irony in this story is that, at time of

this incident, my husband and I were mis-

sionaries home on furlough. One of my

greatest joys as a missionary was watching

others follow Christ and serve Him with

their talent. This was Tammy. It baffledme that seeing her ministering in this way

triggered jealousy instead of joy.

Jealousy is one of those intruders that

can begin as a random thought and within

minutes spread to infect our minds and

hearts. If we stop it before it takes up

residence, we can win the battle. If not,

evicting this no-good trespasser will bevery difficult. I know from experience.

Rather than delight in my friends success,

I harbored begrudging feelings, which grew

within me. What took only a moment to

begin required days to overcome.

I cringe as I write thisits not one of the

missionary stories I enjoy sharing with oth-

ers. However, its a struggle that continues to

re-emerge, so I must learn to how to fight it.

Proverbs 14:30 () warns, A heart at

peace gives life to the body, but envy rots

the bones. And unfortunately, it doesnt

take much time for the rotting to begin.

To defeat the green-eyed monster, we

must go on the offensive and think positive,

praiseworthy thoughts. Philippians 4:8 ()

encourages us with this: Finally, brothers,whatever is true, whatever is noble, what-

ever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is

lovely, whatever is admirableif anything

is excellent or praiseworthythink about

such things. Pauls prescription is the

perfect anti-venom.



25/66

j a n u a r y 2 0 0 9

git bl2010 I Touch Chitma Catalog


26/66

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w w w . i n t o u c h . o r g |

25

A poem by Nicholas SmarasThis poem by Nicholas Samaras reminds us that nothing rises to the measure of Gods glory.

Not even pious speech or reverent silence can adequately express or contain the fullness of

Him who is wholly other. In His great mercy, the infinite Lord makes Himself known to us,

receiving the lowly offering of all we are, good and bad mingled together. How else can we

say thank You but with our very selves?

Offering the Vast and the MereMy Father in Heaven,and Lord Jesus Christ,

I have reviewed my whole life,every moment, every praise,

every mistake, every willful ignorance,every amnesiac forgetting.

All I can offer is the totality ofmy longish life to You, in gratitude.

All I can offer is the totality of myself,without the mereness of words,to You who arebeyond words and beyond silence.

You are beyond summation,further than description.

All language to You is mere.I am every human language that fails to fully express.All I can offer is my soul,cleansed of myself in death,

cleansed of my willful ignoranceby Your breathless compassion and mercy.

All I can offermy breathsinging over my vocal chords.

All I can offermy breath and visionupon this mere page.

N S is the author ofHands of the Saddlemakerwinner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets Award. His individualpoems have appeared in numerous publications.

reading tipIf reading poetryfeels foreign to you, heres a little

help: Try slowing down, read thepoem aloud a few times, and let

the words simply make impres-

sions on your heart and mind.

Eventually, as you reread, youll

find that layers of meaning you

didnt notice before start coming

into focus. And dont worrya good

poem never means just one thing.

modernpsalms


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My dads side of the closetwasfilled with shoes that reflected his love

of life. He had polished wingtips for walk-

ing the pavement of many cities, office

buildings, and textile plants at home and

around the world. The golf shoes came out

on weekends or any other day he could

sneak away to the course. If he wasnt

playing golf on a Saturday, he could be

found wearing his mud-caked brogans

while working in his showy flowerbeds

which were the envy of our neighborhood.

Docksiders were worn when the weather

was good for fishing, and hunting bootswere always dug out from under the pile

when deer season began. In his earlier

years, he also wore basketball high-tops,

cleats for baseball or softball, and boating

shoes for our many picnicking, skiing, and

tubing trips at the lake.

But then the call came. Daddy went

to the doctor today, and they have found

a spot on his lung. An awful weight bore

down upon me, and the room began to

spin. Everything around me felt different,

and I wondered if the earth had just rotated

off its axis.

In the months that followed, Dads side

of the closet stayed full and disheveled with

a dozen pairs of shoes, but some began to

collect dust. After his June diagnosis, the

effects of chemo kept him from going

on a much-anticipated hunting trip with his

buddies that fall, so the sportsman bootswere the first to fall into disuse. Although

he continued wearing his wingtips, they

no longer travelled pavements around the

world. As he grew weaker, they covered

only a small area of the parking lot where

he still workedespecially after a new sign

DaDDysshoesementos of l i fe , and a g l impse beyond

B B E T F O R T U N E


familyroom


43/66

was added near the entrance: Mr. Kings

Parking Spot. Forever the optimist, Daddy

put on his brogans and tried to keep the

weeds out of his once pristine flowerbeds.

He even carried his golf shoes to the course

in an effort to play. But those, too, soonbegan collecting dust.

We eventually bought him a pair of slip-

pers to accommodate his new sedentary

lifestyle. He wore them as he shuffled

down the hall where, years before, he had

chased us as children.

And then, on a very ordinary day in

March, a hospital van drove through

our circular drive to deliver his new bed.Daddy no longer wore any of the shoes

that had been his companions through the

years. Now only thick socks kept his feet

warm as they were gently placed on small

white pillows the hospice nurse brought

to the house for his comfort.

The week before Daddys death, I sat by

his bed, cradling his feet, and thought ofthe scripture that reads, How beaut-

iful are the feet of those who bring good

news (Rom 10:15). I knew my fathers

feet were beautiful because whatever life

brought him, whether joy and happiness or

the pain and suffering he now endured, he

continued to share his testimony and

the good news of Jesus Christ

with family and friends.

My father had no need of

shoes the spring night he

died. He slipped peacefully

away from the voices

of his loved ones

whispering, Daddy,

we love you to

the sound of

Jesus saying, Well done, good and faith-

ful servant (Matt. 25:21). No shoes were

needed as his feeble cancer-ridden frame

was replaced with a new glorified body.

The dust-collecting array of shoes in

his closet bore testimony to an active andvibrant man who lived his life well. As

I looked them over, a startling thought

occurred to me: They were just a temporal

covering for his journey here on earth. He

had reached his final destinationheaven.

And streets of gold require no shoes at all.

Daddy left behind his earthly possessions,

but more importantly, he left something I

can carry with me as I continue my journey.

He taught me as much in his dying as he

did in his livingespecially, how to trust

God in all circumstances, even difficult

ones like cancer (Prov. 3:5-6). He also dem-

onstrated that only God can give us peace

. . . which surpasses all comprehension

(Phil. 4:7). And he showed me in a tangible

way that to live is Christ and to die is gain(Phil. 1:21). I look forward to the time when

I can walk hand in hand with him again. For

one day my shoes will also collect dust and

be left behind.


44/66

stronginspirit

GRATEFULFOR GOS GIVERS

Pau l c ra f t s the pe r f ec t thank -you no te .

B A L L E N A R R I S


45/66

w w w . i n t o u c h . o r g | 29

heres an old story that goes some-

thing like this:

There was once a devout believer

whose home was endangered by

a flood. Lets call him Tom. Early that

morning, Tom heard a radio announcerbroadcast an urgent message instructing

all residents to abandon their homes

and seek safer ground. Tom replied with

quiet confidence, Leave? No, Im going

to stay. God will take care of me.

At noon the storm was raging, and

giant puddles had formed all over neighbor-

hood. The local sheriff drove his squad

car to Toms house, knocked on the door,

and offered to drive him to safety. Tom

replied, No, Im going to stay. God will

take care of me.

By 3:00 p.m., rainwater had completely

covered the ground, and a strong current

was raging down the street. A neighbor

paddled by on a boat and pleaded with Tom

to come with him. Tom replied, No, Imgoing to stay. God will take care of me.

As of 6:00 p.m., Toms house was all but

submerged. He had retreated to his roof,

where he sat watching the water rise even

higher. A search and rescue pilot spotted

Tom from his helicopter and swooped down

to get him. Tom shouted back, No! Im

going to stay! God will take care of me!At 8:00 p.m., Tom drowned. When

he came face to face with the Lord, Tom

was shocked and heartbroken. He said,

Lord, what happened? I lived in complete

confidence that You would take care of

me. Why didnt You help me?

The Lord replied, I gave you a warning

on the radio, a car, a boat, and a helicopter!

Didnt you recognize Me?

MAING SENSE OF GOS PROVISIONThis imaginary story demonstrates an

issue many believers struggle with: how

and when to accept the help of others.

Oftentimes, we seem perfectly willing to

bother our neighbors with every tiny favor

we can think of, from borrowing a cup of

sugar to sharing babysitting; however, we

arent as willing to trust our neighbors with

bigger, more significant needs.

It is almost as though there is a dividingline in our progression of needs. Well trust

a friend to make us dinner when were sick,

but if our car breaks down and needs a

$3,000 repair, that size request belongs to

God alone. No friends allowed!

The truth is, it sometimes seems as

though we simply dont know how to

view Gods provision coming through our

friends. He provides the cup of sugar; He

provides the $3,000 gift a friend may give

for a car repair; He provides the helicopter

to save us from a flooded rooftop. He

provides all these needs, big and small.

And He often chooses to meet those needs

through other people. Why dont we see

His hand in all of this provision? And, why

do we struggle to accept His help whenHes using someone elses hands?

AN UNOMFORTALE EHANGEIf that question stings you a bit, if you think

you may have trouble receiving Gods help

through human hands, then take heart

youre in good company. Some scholars

believe that even the apostle Paul struggledwith how to respond to Gods provision

when it is offered as human help.

What we find tucked away at the end

of Philippians is a surprising inner conflict

as the apostle tries to conclude his letter

to one of his favorite churches. What is the

problem? His friends have given him a gift,

and He is trying to say thanks. Why in

the world does he have such a hard timewith that?

Paul enjoys a special relationship with

the Philippian church. They have stuck

with him during good times and bad. As

Paul writes this letter, he is experiencing

some hard times. Hes been imprisoned


46/66


during his missionary journey, and his

Philippian friends have responded by

sending him a generous gift through their

messenger, Epaphroditus. One of Pauls

chief reasons for writing this letter is to

thank them. However, he cant seemtojustsay thanks.

If you read Philippians 4:1019 with

this in mind, youll notice something

surprising. Paul actually gets caught

in a loop of essentially saying, Thanks.

I dont need it. Thanks. I dont need it.

He goes back and forth four times! First, he

thanks them, but then he tries to explain

that Gods provision was enough for Him.

Even Paul struggled with God bringing

comfort through other people!

THANS, UT IM ONTENTIn verses 1013, Paul offers his first

attempt at thanks by saying, I rejoiced in

the Lord greatly, that now at last you have

revived your concern for me. Even here,we can see Pauls primary concern: Hes

thankful that they have been led to give, not

necessarily for thegift they sent.

It may seem rude that Paul doesnt spe-

cifically thank them for whatever they sent,

but it represents a sensitive inner conflict

for the apostle. Throughout his life, he

refuses to accept payment for his ministry

work (although he believes churches have

a responsibility to pay ministers well). He

makes the decision for himself to earn

a living by a trademaking tentsand

provide his pastoral care at no expense.

Therefore, when presented with such a

large gift by the Philippians, it seems as

though he doesnt know how to thank

them without setting an expectation forother churches to give him money.

So, Paul is quick to sidestep the

appearance of impropriety with a subtle

redirection: Not that I speak from want,

for I have learned to be content in whatever

circumstances I am. From there, Paul

presents one of the clearest, yet shortest,

lessons on contentment in the Bible.

For Paul, contentment is a way of life. It

is his declaration that he will never be mas-

tered by outward circumstances. Whether

he is in the loftiest palace or the lowliestdungeon, Pauls contentment comes from

the Lord he serves. As such, no enemy can

steal itand no friend can add to it.

Like many disciplines, contentment is

aspiritual reality with social consequences.

He genuinely appreciates the gift, and

he doesnt want to be rude to his friends.

As such, Paul takes great care to express his

gratitude while still directing his realthanks

to God, thereby honoring his Philippian

partners andteaching them why his per-

sonal contentment never seems to ebb and

flow with outward circumstances.

THANS, UT ITS ETTER FOR YOUWith the issue of contentment resolved,

Paul again thanks his friends in verse 14:Nevertheless, you have done well to share

with me in my affliction. He then makes

the bold claim that no other church has ever

cared for him as much as the Philippians.

But then again, starting in verse 17, Paul

interrupts his message of thanks with a

morality lesson: the gift of giving. Here, Paul

seems more concerned with the Philippians

heart of generosity than with the gift they

sent. He says, Not that I seek the gift itself,

but I seek for the profit which increases

toyouraccount . . . [your gift is] a fragrant

aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing

to God (emphasis added).

And Paul finally concludes this unique

thank-you note with a reminder of the

source of all good gifts: And my God willsupply allyourneeds according to His

riches in glory in Christ Jesus (verse 19,

emphasis added).

Pauls emphasis is clearly not on the

physical gift. He instead seems overwhelm-

ingly motivated to communicate two truths.


47/66

w w w . i n t o u c h . o r g | 31

First, he wants them to know that all

gifts come from God. Over and over, it

is the Lord who intercepts Pauls life with

everything he needs, from food to healing

to miraculous near-death escapes.

Sometimes these gifts are deliveredmiraculously; sometimes theyre delivered

by human hands. However they arrive, Paul

is convinced that every blessing is directly

sent by the Lord to meet a specific need, and

he wants the Philippians to know that God

will meet theirneeds the same way.

Second, Paul emphasizes that the biggest

blessing in this transaction is not for himself,

but for the Philippians. The call to give is

an honor, and the willingness to give is the

mark of a mature, vibrant, and growing

faith. Paul is most touched by the fact that

the church members have gone out of their

way, even sending a messenger to hand-

deliver the gift, to support and encourage

him in his distress.

The prevailing theme throughout is love:the love of God in providing, the love of the

Philippians in responding, and the love of

Paul in expressing gratitude and redirecting

the praise to God. In this touchingalbeit

awkwardclosing, Paul paints a picture of

Gods church at its very best.

AEPTING GOS HELPING HANSThese nine verses had enormous personal

and relational potential for Paul and the

Philippians. If he thanked them personally

too much, it could damage his ministry

relationships by setting up false expecta-tions for future gifts. If he failed to thank

them at all, he would no doubt come across

as rude and snobbish, snubbing his nose

at their generosity. So in the end, his

response had to be careful, measured,

and handled with great careand

prayer. The result is a masterpiece, a

balance of thanksgiving, contentment,

and encouragement.

What a fantastic testimony to those

of us who struggle with how to appropri-

ately and respectfully accept the help of

other people. We should never take and

take and take, all the while encouraging

others to give us even more. And certainly,

we should also never slap their hands

away, proclaiming, No! God will takecare of me! like old Tom, sitting on his

roof as the flood waters rose. Instead,

we have to strike that same balance Paul

demonstrates and stand alongside our

generous friends to thank God for His

giftand for His givers.

The truth is, it sometimes

charles stanley- lord the provider!

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