This Had To Be Written (Second Installment)

1 John 3:17,18--But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.



Philippians 4:16-18--Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.



Acts 4:32,34, and 35--Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had eveything in common...There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.



This is part two of my thoughts on money. When I initially started writing, I intended the post to be a post just expressing my thanksgiving to people who have applied the three verses above and blessed our family. Since I tend to be overly wordy (i.e. I didn't need to put the adverb "overly" in front of wordy because wordy already implies an excessive overuse of words), I had to extend it.



Let me cut to the chase. The following is a list of ways that we have seen the body of Christ apply these verses in serving us in our time of great need:

• We have had our rent paid a couple of times by anonymous people at our church this past year.


• When Pam was admitted to the hospital for what would be a two-month stay (January of 2009), someone gave the secretary of our church in Arizona an envelope written out to "the Gilchrist family." It had a ridiculous amount of cash in it. It helped us get by as Pam had to stop working. Being in the hospital usually has that effect.


• Prior to that, we had been blessed a couple of times by generous people from Grace Bible Church of Tempe with surprise checks in the mail.


• God was pleased even to use the staff at Mesquite High School to provide meals and support while Pam was in the hospital and after Isaiah came home.


• When Pam was in the hospital and after Isaiah was born, we received a ridiculous amount of support from the body at GBC. Meals, childcare, coffee, help moving, women visiting Pam in the hospital, etc. I could never thank the people of GBC enough for loving our family and making our need their need. That is Acts 4 in beautiful progress. I am confident and aware that the same love is still being shown to others who have need at GBC. I do miss you all and long so much for the day when we can afford to take a trip down to the AZ to fellowship with you again.


• People all over the world prayed for Isaiah as he was born three months premature. When doctors and physical therapists today look at him with wonder in their eyes, this points to God's miraculous power and reinforces the truth that the prayers of the righteous do accomplish much. Thank you for your prayers.


• Regarding prayer, we were so blessed to be a part of a smaller church body in Arizona that would pray for the needs of people in the church specifically during corporate prayer. Moving back to Spokane and a larger church, I knew I was going to miss that. However, Faith Bible Church is a collective warrior when it comes to praying for the needs of those within the body. I have made it a point to fill out prayer cards for the prayer ministry, and it is such an encouragment when people whom I don't know particularly well tell me that they are praying for me and my family. Thank you to all of you who have prayed for a good job for me; I would greatly appreciate you perseverance in this.


• Both my parents and Pam's parents have helped us greatly financially and materially.


• We continue to receive anonymous gifts from people. We came home from youth group two weeks ago and found an envelope filled with cash on our doorstep. What I am learning to appreciate about people who give anonymously, other than the fact that they don't want any recognition, is the way that it should encourage the recipient to not be bitter toward anyone because that object of bitterness might be the person who blessed the recipient.


• Our church has graciously helped us finacially.


• Our landlords continue to give us a ridiculously nice deal on our rent for the best house that I have ever lived in as an adult.


• Our small group leaders, my wife's aunt, and my parents have given us so much food over the past year. It is such a blessing because we love food.


• We have been blessed with clothing for our big five-year-old.


• Our big five-year-old was showered with love and gifts on his fifth birthday. This was a huge blessing to him, but I felt just as blessed.


• People have given us gift cards which have enabled us to do a number of things: go out on our anniversary; go out on a date at South Perry Pizza; take our family to see Toy Story 3.


• A good number of people have encouraged me with gracious words during this long and difficult time. They don't look down on me. They see me trying to do everything that I can to find work and provide for my family. They remind me of truth and affirm that God is sanctifying me through this. Such encouragement is priceless in a society that determines people's value on people's financial portfolios and career success.

I am sure that I have left off some things because we have "received full payment" and have been "well supplied" as it says in Philippians 4. God has used our weakness to glorify Himself in the body of Christ. What a marvelous and mysterious providence! To God be the glory.

I long for the day when I can bless people the way that they have blessed us with the "world's goods." That day has not come yet. So, my prayer before I publish this post is that this will be a gift to many of you who have blessed us. God has used my weakness and humiliation as an opportunity for friends and family to put those three verses posted above into practice. I rejoice in people who choose to have humble hearts and view the needs of others as their own needs. That is amazing.

It is probably strange how vulnerable I choose to be in the way I write. Perhaps I should be more reserved and cautious in what I write. Maybe I am making myself look like a poor, time-wasting, self-pitying bum. Well, I do hope that the day comes when the job situation has changed and our family doesn't have to depend on so much financial help, but I am fully confident that I will always need the body of Christ. I will never have it all together. I will always need your prayers and support, whether it be spiritual or material. That is why I write the way I do.

So, to those of you who have ever helped people in your church by praying for them, making them a meal, helping them financially, or by giving whatever you can give, your help is "a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God." The love of God abides in you. And, you are of "one heart and soul" with the saints.

Thank you!