Daily Devotional for Wednesday September 24, 2003

What is the real significance of the offering the widow made at the Temple

(Luke 21:1-4)

What is the real significance of the offering the widow made at the Temple? As most people were making their offering from the abundance that they had been blessed with, here came a widow with no wealth, with no possessions, who was just getting by day to day. Yet, Jesus took the time to point out that her offering was greater than the others because she was giving out of her need. How could that be? You see my friend, it was not the greatest offering in the amount that she gave, but it was the greatest offering because of the heart that she gave it with.

The point of this passage today is that the widow gave because she not only had faith that God would meet her daily needs, but just as important, she gave out of obedience and an understanding of how God works. You don't "give to get." You give as an act of obedience. You give as a form of worship. You give to bless others, and because you give with a pure heart, God in turn blesses you. Never forget that His blessings come in many forms. Not just in money, but in things like health, safety, daily provision, and many blessings that we simply take for granted.

What I want you to take from this word today is that the amount that you give is not important. It is being obedient to give what God tells you to give! It is the heart and motivations that you give it with. When you give sacrificially, you are saying to God that you trust Him to provide for your needs as He has promised to, and that you are more concerned for others than yourself. Nothing touches the heart of God more than giving of yourself to others, much as He gave His own Son for the sins of this world. God understands sacrificial giving!!!

I love you and care about you so much. Every day I get so many emails from people on the subject of giving. How much to give. Who to give it to. Never forget this. ALL, 100% of what we have belongs to God and is simply on loan to us. So whatever you give, you are simply giving back a portion of what He has entrusted to you for this season. That is why you can't outgive God, IT IS HIS ALREADY! My counsel is to get alone with the Lord, pray, and let Him give you direction in how much to give and who to give it to, then be faithful to do it and do it cheerfully. HE WILL BLESS YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS, AND HE WILL BLESS YOU FOR YOUR OBEDIENCE.

I am overwhelmed and amazed how God takes so little to do so much. The overall monthly budget of Liveprayer is only $30,000. For ONLY $1,000 a day, we are able to freely provide all the ministry we do to millions of people worldwide. The Bible is very clear that it is God's people who are to support God's work, and, they are to do so as they are led by God. I have always used the biblical example of Moses when he raised the funds to build the Tabernacle, David when he raised the funds to build the Temple Solomon finished, and Paul when he raised money for his missionary journeys. Share the need with the people, and simply ask each one to pray and give as God leads them to give.

***FINANCIALLY, WE ARE WAY BEHIND THIS MONTH. I NEED YOUR PRAYERS, AND NEED FOR THOSE THAT HAVE THE ABILITY, TO HELP ME TODAY. AS WE HEAD INTO THE LAST 6 DAYS OF THIS MONTH, WE STILL NEED TO BRING IN $13,100 TO END THIS MONTH WITH ALL OF OUR OBLIGATIONS MET. IF YOU HAVE NOT GIVEN THIS MONTH, PLEASE PRAY ABOUT DOING SO. DON'T EXPECT SOMEONE ELSE TO DO WHAT GOD HAS ASKED YOU TO DO. PRAY AND GIVE THE BEST GIFT THAT YOU CAN TO HELP ME TODAY!!!

The bible teaches we are to give according to our ability. It is NOT about the amount you give, but the obedient heart that you give it with. For some, $10, $20, $50 is a sacrifice. For others, it may be $100, $200, $500. Still others, it may be $1,000, $5,000, or even the entire $13,100. Again, it is not the amount, but your heart God sees. It is being obedient and doing what God is asking you to do.

You can make your gift on a major credit card on my website at www.liveprayer.com under the "Donation" button, or, you can give using your PayPal account by using my email address, bkeller@liveprayer.com , or, you can mail your gift to: Liveprayer 6660 46th Avenue North St. Petersburg, Florida 33709 Also, 100% of your gift to Liveprayer.com is tax deductible.

Thank you for standing with me in this work. I will praying for you. Never let giving be something that you dread doing. Don't ever let anyone force you to give what you don't want to. WHAT YOU GIVE IS NOBODY'S BUSINESS! It is between you and God. Just like the widow, give as God leads you to give, give the amount He tells you to give, and give it cheerfully. Giving is an act of worship. When we give out of our need as the widow did at the temple, GOD WILL HONOR YOU FOR THAT!

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller