From The Giving Box To Blessings

THE OFFERING BOX TO BLESSINGS.

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

GIVING IS A DEMONSTRATION OF LOVE FROM ONE'S HEART...

YOU WILL GIVE YOU TIME, TALENT AND ENERGY TO WHAT YOU VALUE THE GREATEST.

YOU CAN GIVE WITH LOVE, BUT YOU CAN NOT LOVE WITHOUT GIVING.

I. WE ARE GOING TO EAT AND THEN DEATH WILL COME...???

DO I REALLY TRUST GOD? DO I REALLY TRUST THE PREACHER?

A. THERE IS A TERRIBLE DROUGHT IN THE LAND...

THERE IS FAMINE AND EACH DAY THE SKIN AND BONES OF DEATH CORPSE ARE

BEING BURIED...

B. THERE IS NO HOPE!

THE END!

1 Kings 17:10 (MSG) So he got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the entrance

of the village he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, "Please,

would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink." 11 As she went to get it, he

called out, "And while you're at it, would you bring me something to eat?"

12 She said, "I swear, as surely as your God lives, I don't have so much as a biscuit. I

have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together

just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we'll die."

13 Elijah said to her, "Don't worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you've said. But

first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal

from what's left for you and your son. 14 This is the word of the God of Israel: 'The jar of

flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before God sends rain

on the land and ends this drought.' " 15 And she went right off and did it, did just as Elijah

asked. And it turned out as he said—daily food for her and her family.

C. WE HAVE BY FAITH WENT FROM SCRATCHING THE EMPTY TO THE BLESSINGS

THAT WILL NEVER RUN DRY.

II. THE TITHING/GIVING BOX

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken

together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that

ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Luke 6:38 (MSG) Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—

given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."

A. Lyle Eggleson gave his life to Jesus and after study and preparation time, Lyle decide to devote

his life to MISSIONS. So Lyle went to the rocky coast line of CHILE to serve. There was planted

a small church and the Lord bless the congregation to grow to about 80 people. But the

unemployment was high and the poverty level was terrible.

B. The average monthly offering was around $6.00 a month. They could not support a LOCAL

NATIONAL PASTOR for the church. Missionary Lyle Eggleson began intense prayer, seeking

the Lord to help and aid this little body of believers.

C. After a season of prayer EGGLESON TRUSTED GOD to help. One day as Eggleson was

walking through the community, he stopped to visit some new converts, a middle age couple.

THE COUPLE HAD RECEIVED A NEW TESTAMENT upon accepting Jesus as their Savior.

They loved reading God's word. Lyle knocked on the door and they welcomed him.

MANUEL thanked the Missionary for the church, the Bible, and for loving them as new coverts.

But MANUEL STARTED ASKING LYLE, WE READ A WORD WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND?

IT IS THE WORD TITHING. We do not know what TITHING MEANS?

Missionary Eggleson was hesitant to explain because MANUEL and his wife had NO INCOME.

He had been unemployed for years. They were near starvation. All they had was 25 Rhode

Island red chickens. They lived on the eggs that were laid and they bartered eggs for other

essentials.

D. They saw the expression of hesitancy on PREACHER LYLE's face and they asked him,

tell us the truth. We want to please God. So Lyle took them to 1 Corinthians 16 and to

2 Corinthians 8 & 9 and Lyle explained how PAUL URDGED ALL BELIEVERS TO EACH

WEEK LAY ASIDE A PORTION OF THEIR INCOME TO SHARE WITH THE LORD. HE

EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT 10% WAS OF THE INCOME. Manuel was so happy with

the information.

E. On Sunday at church MANUEL was so happy, he OPENED their TITHING BOX and

presented several small PESOS. The amount of the offering was around 19 cents.

The next Sunday Missionary Lyle was riding his bicycle to church and MANUEL was so