What Is The Real Significance Of The Offering The Widow Made At The Temple?

	Sign In Sign-Up

DAILY DEVOTIONAL WEDNESDAY MARCH 12, 2003
(Luke 21:1-4)

As he stood in the Temple, he was watching the rich tossing their gifts into the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small copper coins.

"Really," he remarked, "this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them combined. For they have given a little of what they didn't need, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has."

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!!!

The widow at the temple in today's scripture put in a mite, which is the equivalent of $2.00 in US dollars. Many of you are going through financial difficulties right now. Some of you are in high school and college and don't have much money. The Holy Spirit led me to share this scripture with you today and challenge you to take at least the amount of a mite, $2.00, and send it as an offering to help this ministry continue to share the hope and love of Jesus Christ with just under 2 million people worldwide each and every day. $2.00 would be sacrificing a couple of soft drinks or snack foods, but would be going to directly impact the lives of someone who is hurting and needing a special touch from God in their life. You may not think that your $2.00 would be very meaningful, but God knows your heart, He knows your motives, and He knows your circumstances. Just like the widow, some may be giving a larger amount out of their abundance, but you are giving all that you have out of your need.

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.

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

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.

Thank you for standing with me in this work. I will be 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

If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at bkeller@liveprayer.com.

***I am excited to let you know that the Liveprayer Daily Devotional is now available via audio each day. Simply go to http://www.liveprayer.com/DailyDevotionalAudio.html. Click on "Search by Category", then locate DAILY DEVOTIONAL. I want to thank Ed Morando for making this service available for FREE to Liveprayer.com.

Are you Saved? If your answer is anything but a resounding yes, click here.

For live prayer and answers 24/7, whether you are Saved or not, visit LivePrayer.com. Someone is always there for you.

To view more inspiring Devotionals such as this one, or to search for one on a specific topic, check out the Devotional Archive.

To receive your own devotional each day, or to sign someone else up to receive these free inspired daily devotionals, have the e-mail address ready and visit the Free Devotional Signup page. Subscription can be cancelled at any time.

To view other inspirational websites, visit A Place Of True Inspiration And Hope on the Internet.

For your very own free website, please visit www.50megs.com.

Questions or suggestions about this website should be directed to the webmaster.