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Friends, greetings in Jesus Name! Today I will be sharing with you what I title, “Giving in Difficult Times”. In times of adversity, financial pressure and economic crisis, one of the toughest things to do is to give. The natural tendency at this time is to reduce all giving to the barest minimum or stop completely. The wisdom of the world at this period demands that you should close your ears to the “cries for help” of those around you. Why? Giving them might reduce the ration available to you. Even as Christians, the biblical verse that says, “Give and it shall be given unto you” (Luke 6:38), no longer holds any weight in the hearts of some believers. Why? Everyone at this time wants to grab and not release. Even the corporate organizations as well are not spared. It’s at this period that they cut down drastically all marketing and promotion budgets that they initially earmarked. Some go as far as laying off valuable staff in response to the impending doom.

Well, I have good news for you. Givers never lack. Even in times of lack, if God says release and give, you should obey. One thing I have realized about God is that, He won’t ask you to give when He’s not ready to surpass your giving in return. May I announce to you that you can never outgive God (Matthew 19:27-29; Proverbs 3:9-10). It is true that the concept of giving has been so abused by many, especially by some so-called ministers of the gospel (Matthew 7:15). It becomes imperative to know that one of the errors in giving are the ones done without being led. Please, do not get it wrong here. Though, one does not have to be led by the Spirit in order to be kind or good to others, especially giving a helping hand to a brother who is falling. Wisdom demands that you support the brother in whatever capacity you can at that moment. But it is also expedient to know when the Holy Spirit is nudging you not to give. I have come across beggars on the street while driving, and I was moved to give out money, but I heard a voice saying, “Do not release that money”. Immediately, I put my money back into my pocket. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14).

Now, God wants us to be obedient children when the call to give is genuinely from Him. This call to “give” may be God speaking directly to you, or through someone else, say a friend, pastor, tv program you’re watching, or a book you’re reading. The bottom line is, you cannot go unrewarded when you heed God’s call to give. Our God is a good pay master. He does not use and dump people. No! That reminds us about the widow of Zarephath. When Prophet Elijah met her, she was gathering some few sticks to make her last meal in the house. The heat of famine at that time was causing many to lose heart, just as it’s happening in many parts of the world today. Therefore, doing good by giving anything to someone was forbidden by many at that time. Why? Everyone wants to survive during famine. So, the word “give” does not exist. Now, Elijah said to the woman, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” Ah, the woman replied: “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”

And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. In today’s world, if people hear a man of God saying this to a poor widow, they will curse him, and brand him as a wicked man. But that was God speaking through him. The funny part of this story is that Elijah asked the woman to first make the meal for him, before herself and her son. She obeyed! The result of her obedience – led to living in God’s bountiful blessings, abundance, laughter, satisfaction, and lacking in nothing – throughout the season of famine (1 Kings 17:1-16). Yes, it may be difficult to give when you have little. But remember, “In famine you shall be satisfied (Psalm 37:19); and in “famine you shall laugh” (Job 5:22). This is possible when we live in obedience to God’s voice like the widow of Zarephath (Isaiah 1:19). Hallelujah! I pray we become sensitive to the needs around us, and know when the Lord is leading us to give, even when it is not convenient at such moments. Have a Blessed and Fantastic Week. With love, Elvis!