SCRIPTURE:
“Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.” (Philippians 4:15-18, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself what things stuck out in this passage?
Two things stuck out:

1. Giving and receiving!
2. Acknowledgement  of gifts

Observations:
I asked myself how were the Philippians helpful to Paul in the area of giving and receiving?

1. In the earliest days of the Philippians acquaintance with the Gospel, they gave aid to Paul when he set out from Macedonia even though no other church supported him.

2. When Paul was in Thessalonica, they sent him aid again and again when he was in need.

3. He has received full payment and even more from the Philippians.

4. He is amply supplied now because of the gifts sent to Paul from the Philippians by Epaphroditus.

Interpretations:
I asked myself the significance of what the Philippians did?
I found it fascinating that they supported Paul to do work outside of Philippi which is evidenced by places such as Macedonia and Thessalonica from their first acquaintance with the Gospel. They did not depend on others to support Paul but took it upon themselves. Even when other churches were not willing to support Paul, they stood out to give him support.

I was amazed the number of times they sent aid again and again when he was in need in Thessalonica which shows that their support was not a one time thing. Their partnership with Paul in the Gospel was an ongoing thing.

Because of the Philippians help, Paul was in a surplus rather than in a deficit at this point being amply supplied.

Interpretations:
I asked myself why would the Philippians go through all this?
What came to my mind is that they believed in what Paul was doing. They believed in the work of evangelism that Paul was engaged in that they took it upon themselves to provide aid to Paul so he could continue it. They must have seen Paul at work and what he was accomplishing for God’s Kingdom to be excited. In a way, Paul brought those supporters on board because he had a vision that the Philippians became excited about. They knew their support to Paul would be worth it and not squandered.
 
It is interesting that ‘full payment’ is mentioned. For me that meant the entire aid went to help Paul directly rather than overhead costs, etc. They wanted all of it to go to Paul.

Interpretations:
I asked myself how did Paul respond to all of this?

1. He told them that everything they were doing for him would be credited to their account.

2. They are a fragrant offering.

3. They are an acceptable sacrifice.

4. They are pleasing to God.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life. I need to support people who are in ministry doing the work of the Lord even when others do not support them. To do that will be that much easier if I believe in what they are doing and am excited about it. For that to happen, I need to know what is happening in their ministry and be excited enough to know it is worth the partnership. There are so many ministries out there and so many people who need support but I cannot support each one. Those I do support, I want to support because I am excited about what they are doing.

The other aspect of it is that people’s ministries need not be full blown Billy Graham Evangelistic Association success ratio as long as I am excited what they are doing in that area of ministry for the glory of the Lord.

HOW GOSPEL GIVES ME TESTIMONY REGARDING F.I.N.A.N.C.E:
A young 25-year old girl showed up on a counseling channel I had created who was not doing well on an Easter afternoon. I shared with her a poem called 'Never Forsaken' that the Lord Jesus helped me write and counseled her.  She wanted to and become a follower of Christ and prayed with me. Years later, she sent me money to support me financially in ministry reminding me of that day and writing to me that her husband later became a follower of Christ after seeing the change in her and that they were about to have a child. Others supported me too for doing ministry. They decided to finance me because they believed in the work I was doing for the Lord in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Though I am not with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship anymore, what I did in those days vividly reminded me of what Andrea and Jason of Pitt-Asian InterVarsity are doing right now.

I have seen with my own eyes what Andrea and Jason have started at Pitt with Asian-InterVarsity and became excited enough to want to support them financially so they are not burdened with raising support but can focus on ministering to students by counseling, discipling, and building relationships with them. I did not have to wait for a prayer letter because I have seen with my own eyes what is already happening.

In my job, I come across some of the students they are ministering too. I see their excitement. Yesterday, a student was looking for a job and asked me if she could have Wednesday off so she could go to Asian-Pitt InterVarsity. This is just one example.

My financially support alone will not meet all the support they need to raise but if everyone who believes in what they are doing would prayerfully consider supporting them, they will raise their full support. They are not the only ones that need our prayers and support but many others who are passionately doing student ministry. Unfortunately, I cannot support everyone financially but can support through my prayers.

 I have seen with my own eyes the effort and time they have spent in reaching out to Asian students on campus, building relationships with them and providing opportunities for all of them to come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Personal Savior if they do not know Jesus and discipling and mentoring those that do know Jesus.

It is easy to support someone financially when you see them often as I get to see them at Oakland International Fellowship each week and also see  the excitement of brothers and sisters to have them in the Adoye small group of our church comprised of Jen, Olivia, Elias, Christy, Ratikorn, Jarun, Amy, Daniel, Jomei, Pastor Ed, Calvin, Elise, Solomon, Daniel, etc.

Also, I was so excited to see the help Kristen, Josh, Bryan, Lydia, Jeremy, Liz, Edwin, Marie, Steve, Zela, and Pastor Ed of Living Acts small group giving them to help with Asian students for Pitt-InterVarsity. At the first Pitt-Asian InterVarsity worship meeting, I was excited to see Kristen help out.

All this excitement in me is not because I see Andrea and Jason being used by the Lord to impact students who I have a passion to reach with the Gospel of Jesus Christ daily.

As Edwin, reminded so well the other day that I may not be doing what Andrea and Jason are doing right now and what I used to do in InterVarsity but to be content how the Lord has been using me His ways at Market Central Dining, http://www.pittsburghstandard.com, and http://www.facebook.com.

As an alum of InterVarsity and former campus minister of IV, I want to continue to support them financially as the Lord helps me to and as long as I can be excited about what is happening. The Philippians supported Paul because they were excited about how Paul was being used to proclaim Christ to others even if the Philippians were not part of the churches in Macedonia and Thessalonica. The same thing happened to me when I was supported by those who had no connection to InterVarsity but were blessed by the ministry the Lord Jesus used me in to bless them and help them to come to know Christ. They decided to finance me because they believed in what was happening. I decided to finance Andrea and Jason, because of directly seeing what is happening. You too can finance others as you see what is happening around you and get excited about.  Ask for a prayer letter and pray to the Lord regarding it. 

I ask you now dear friend, how will you F.I.N.A.N.C.E a person in ministry?
Dear friends, it is not one person who aided Paul but a community of believers so that he could be helped and supported. It is their support that helped Paul continue in the ministry and keep going. They did that because they trusted Paul and were excited what he was doing not only in their lives but in the lives of others.

You have an opportunity to aid someone individually or collectively joining with others. It could be campus ministers like Andrea Jason, Dabney, Chris, Sarah, Maria, Jason, Faith, Matthew, etc, missionaries like Pastor Paul Bucknell, etc.

Ask yourself which campus minister/pastor has ministered to you and others you know and pray how you can support them financially but especially through prayers.

You may not be able to finance each one but pray about it and ask the Lord to show you who to support financially. Most of all pray for all you know that are involved in ministry that even if you cannot write the check, the checks will come from the Lord to support them in their ministries for His honor and glory.

Get to know the person/s or ministries you want to support and ask yourself if you are excited about what is happening. If you are not then there are other ministries you can look at that can give you excitement to support if it is something you believe in.

For me supporting ministries should not take the place of supporting my local church but in addition to supporting my local church. You need to ask yourself who and what church you want your tithing to go to and why.

Friend, I have learned as we support others they will be in a better position to continue in the ministry rather than having to always worry about their financial deficit. Now they can concentrate on ministering as their needs will be amply supplied. You can be one of them that can make that happen.

I know we cannot provide the whole amount of need individually but as each person does their part, it can happen. From this passage one of the important principles I learned is that it is not up to me to worry whether other people give or not but for me to provide help for those whose mission is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that I believe in. There were churches that did not support Paul and I don’t know the reasons why but that did not stop the Philippians from supporting him.

If you are a student it could be difficult to support those who are ministering to you but you can still support them by your daily prayers. Keep them in your prayers asking the Lord Jesus to guide and lead them and waiting on the Lord for the day that you can support them financially when you get a job, etc.

Please support those you can as you depend on the Lord Jesus Christ to direct you and lead you. And if you are able to, go check out what those you are supporting are doing. I have done that and first hand experience is what excited me the most to support Andrea and Jason through prayers and financially.  I wish I could support all my friends in campus ministry but sadly I cannot but I can pray for them. You may not be able to finance everyone you want to but you can pray for them.

May you seek the Lord to provide help and support to those you know whose mission is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and who you are excited to partner with prayerfully and financially!

Our support of others who are doing God’s work will please the Lord. Many times it will be a sacrifice but it will be pleasing to God! Sometimes the support can be only a one time support and others times it can be monthly but ask the Lord to help you.

May you walk that path to allow the Lord Jesus to use you to help someone else knowing all our support to others is because we want Jesus Christ to be known and want others to be known by Jesus Christ.

Friend, this is so important regardless of whether it is financing, sharing in others troubles, helping others find strength, etc because it is Jesus who gives life and hope. It is Jesus we all need to reign in our lives because He alone through His power can reign over all our dreams and in our darkest hours. Sin has made each of our lives darkest and if it were not for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who showered His love upon our lives by His ultimate sacrifice on the cross, we would still be in darkness. I know I would have been still in darkness. I thank Jesus for coming to save me by ransoming me by His precious blood to give me new life. I thank Jesus for all He has done for me using others in my life. Jesus can do that for you too because Jesus is the Answer and head of the church, chief cornerstone, the only foundation so we need to fix our eyes on Jesus who is the mighty commander and King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

"Financially Incorporate New Allowances Nurturing Christ’s Evangelists!" (F.I.N.A.N.C.E)/"How will you finance a person in ministry?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I want to thank you so much for everything I got out of this lesson. Lord, you have shown me the importance of supporting people who do your work so they can be amply supplied. You have also let me know that not everyone will be willing to support but I need to do my part. Help me Oh Lord to know who to continue to support. Lord, you know all of our financial situations and what we are able to and unable to do. Many times it can be a sacrifice but I thank you that it will please you. That is what I want to go for. Oh Lord, continue to show us the right people or ministries to support for your honor and glory Lord for we cannot support everyone. Lord, I want to thank you for those that have supported me in the ministry and help me to support others in their ministry. Hear our prayers and please answer us Lord. Thank you so much Jesus for being there for us and that we can turn to you. Thank you for using others to support the Apostle Paul. Help us not to forget to support our local church. Thank you Jesus! Whatever your will is for our lives please give us the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you for loving us so much and dying for our sins and coming back to life to save us as we yield to you. I love you Jesus. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Lord Jesus, You are my all in all. You are my Prince of Peace, Rock, Savior, and Friend. You are my Holy Father guiding me through to live a life of righteousness, holy righteousness. Oh God, I need you more than ever. I need to feel your hands around me holding me tight. I need your love to surround me so that you can glow in my life. Help me please Jesus. I desire in your presence. Thank you for guiding me to live a life of righteousness. Oh God you love me more than ever. You hear my voice when I cry out to you. When I seek your face, you fill me up. You are my all in all. Thank you Jesus so much for your help no matter what I face, your grace is available and you take my case. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN! (Most of the prayer is from a vineyard song called “All in All”)

You don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and give you peace to LIVE out your actions.

How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?

One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo SHARED this example one Sunday at the RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:

If you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no peace.

But  as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.

Yes, friend God is aLIVE and wants to bring a transformation in your life through the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and LIVE with us.

Yes, friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE & LIVING GRACE.

When we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive us and RESTORE us to Him and we will find peace in Him.

^"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

Come to Jesus as you are and pray this prayer to accept Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior. He will transform your life around! Praise the Lord! You don't have to have all the answers! You can come as you are!

If you want to be a soldier in the Lord's army, you can become it right now. Now is the time of Salvation! You do not have to wait but can pray this prayer and give your life to Christ to serve Him daily! There is no draft but coming to Christ is voluntary. He loves you so much and wants you to come to Him! He will take care of you, guiding you and leading you!

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I love you. Thank you for loving me so much and thank you for choosing the cross to die for me. You became the Son of Man and lived here on earth. Then you humbled yourself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. You died on the cross so that I can be covered in your blood and cleansed by your blood as I acknowledge that I need you and cannot enter Heaven without you being my pathway. So, Jesus I confess all my sins to you and all the ways I have tried to get into Heaven when you already provided the means and the Way. Thank you for all that you have done for me. "The cross is the place, a wonderful place where accused and condemned find mercy and grace. Thank you Jesus, it is at the cross where the wrongs we have done and the wrongs done to us were nailed at the cross. Thank you Jesus, at the cross you died for our sins and at the cross you gave your life for us." I thank you for that and thank you for coming back to life to save us. Thank you Jesus for being there for me! Thank you for loving me. I love you Jesus! Please take me as I am and make my life into something that you will be proud of. I surrender my life to you and need your help to live for you. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me and I can never repay you. I want to live for you and need your help. Help me Jesus please. I thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. Whatever your will give me the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you Jesus! I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior! In Your Name I Pray precious Jesus! Amen!