Author: Keith Johnson

Do you remember those guys and gals?
The Macedonians?

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, ² for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. ³ For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, ⁴ begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— ⁵ and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

2 Corinthians 8: 1-5

Have you begged anyone lately for “the favor of taking part in their relief”?
A favor?  Are you kidding me?
How do you give beyond your means?……that’s not possible!
How do you give from extreme poverty, in affliction?
Paul reminds us a few verses later WHO our example is:  (vs. 9)
For you know the grace of our  Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich,
yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
This ain’t natural, my friends……its “other worldly”
Its Supernatural living!
I had the privilege of giving more last year to Missions than I ever have in my life.
You can see on this Schedule A, Form 1040, of my tax return.
You might call me prideful, or boastful or egotistical!
Obviously, If I cared if you judged me in that way, I probably would not have linked to the Schedule A.
But God has used this money to do many wonderful things that I am very proud of:
A new Orphanage in Namtouang, Thailand for Homeless Hmong Children,
Support for a young, new missionary in Southeast Asia,
An opportunity for young adults to see the needs in SE Asia,
A rice cooker and beds and a well for fresh water and a burner for poor servants in SE Asia who run an orphanage,
Another orphanage in SE Asia to be built,
Computer equipment for Kathy’s Home in Pua,
Support for House Parents in our new Namtouang Orphanage
And other gifts that I simply don’t remember……But Our Father does, Paul lays it out again in
2 Corinthians 9:
The Cheerful Giver
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap  sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give  as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 AndGod is able to make all  grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every
good work. 9 As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he  has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

So What are You deciding in your heart?
He gives Grace so I might have all sufficiency,
so that I may abound in every good WORK, NOT every good TALK!
Are you working or talking?
Disclaimer:  You are correct!  I am hypocritical and I have no right to judge you or anyone!!!  But, Just because I am hypocritical, doesn’t mean the word of God is not full of truth.  Read my blogs every month and pray for God’s leading.

My friend and I are compiling the Memoirs of a Godly Man…………..
Probably one of the godliest men we have ever met……..and we know a lot of people…….having traveled the world many times.
It will be called “Ventures in Grace” or something close to that.

That might be the first clue to Godliness……..found in the title?
GRACE!
Not a common word in any language these days………not many people walking the streets full of Grace….
And certainly not talking about Grace or sharing it or giving it…….we are way too quick to judge!

Remember these…………….
“And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.” Acts 6:8
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
“For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John 1:16

And I would have to say, regarding this Brother and the great woman of God he was married to, this verse summed up their lives…….
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” I Peter 4:10

Which brings up another character trait of this Godly man…….a good steward/servant.
Selfless……this Brother was caught up in the lives of others…………NO!
Not gossiping, or backbiting or maligning them……….. but sincerely concerned about others.

In his book, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, Timothy Keller tells his story………

“When I was at school, my mother kept saying things like, ‘You know, honey, you ought to join the chess club.’ I would say, ‘Mum, I hate chess.’
‘Yes, I know,’ she would say, ‘but it will look so good on your college application.’
She would try again. ‘Don’t they feed the homeless and hungry downtown, every Saturday morning?
Why don’t you volunteer for that?’ ‘Mum,’ I’d say, ‘I hate that kind of thing.’ I would get the same response,
‘I know, honey, but it would look so good on your college application.’
So, at school, I did all kinds of things that I had absolutely no interest in doing for themselves.
I was simply putting together a résumé.
That is what our egos are doing all the time. Doing jobs we have no pleasure in, doing diets we take no pleasure in.
Doing all kinds of things, not for the pleasure of doing them, but because we are trying to put together an impressive curriculum vitae.
By comparing ourselves to other people and trying to make ourselves look better than others, we are boasting.
Trying to recommend ourselves,
trying to create a self-esteem résumé because we are desperate to fill our sense of inadequacy and emptiness.
The ego is so busy. So busy all the time.”

Keller, Timothy (2013-12-06). The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness (Kindle Locations 178-179). 10Publishing. Kindle Edition.

The ego just comes natural………..you don’t have to plan or prepare…….just be your natural selfish self!!
Yes, our friend had an ego but he was so wrapped up in Christ, you seldom saw it.
Very low key, very humble….often, thinking and praying for others and ……………
Constantly, Serving! But never putting that service on his resume.

And because he was full of grace and a real servant of God,
He did “great wonders and signs among the people” he worked with! (Soon to be described in his memoirs.)
Just like Stephen!!!
What a legacy!

Poor as a church mouse…….full of grace, a servant of many, without a very impressive resume…..
He died around the age of 96 in the beloved land he had labored since 1952.
Now that’s Godliness!!
What about you?
GOT GODLINESS?