SALSF SUNDAY SERMON 3rd of FEBRUARY 2019

WILL YOU GIVE IT ALL?

"There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes..." (John 6:9 KJV)

God waits to see what we're going to do with what we have before He steps in and turns a little into a lot. The Apostle John, in his account of the feeding of the 5,000, tells us that the hero of the story is a little boy. (John 6:9)

There are three things to note about this little boy.

HE GAVE WHAT HE HAD - The boy didn't have much, but he gave what he had. Never underestimate what God can do through ordinary people and limited resources given to him in faith. If you want to be used by God just get available. Make your resources available to Him. It is the giver that gets blessed NOT the receiver. "I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35 KJV)

HE GAVE GOD ALL HE HAD - The boy gave all five loaves and both fish. He didn't hold anything back from God. If you want a miracle in your life, you cannot hold anything back from God. Until a seed is being cast, it abides alone. What that means is that until you are ready to do away with your seed by planting it, all you'll have is just the seed. It cannot bring forth harvest for you. "In most solemn truth I tell you that unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains what it was--a single grain; but that if it dies, it yields a rich harvest." (John 12:24 WNV). By giving God all he had, the little boy expressed his faith in God because giving is an expression of faith.

HE GAVE IT IMMEDIATELY - The boy didn't hesitate. As soon as Jesus needed it, the boy gave it to Him. When you delay your giving, you are also delaying your blessing. Once the Lord has put it in your heart to give, just do it immediately. The more you wait to give, the more you find more reasons not to give. God is not interested in exploiting you, He is only committed to bless you through the quality of your substances. "Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full--pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back." (Luke 6:38 NLT).

Why don't we give like that when we need a miracle? Either we don't believe that God will take care of our needs if we give sacrificially to Him or we think, "What's the use? How could my little bit help?" Nothing is too small to give to God so far you are truly giving in faith. The little boy, even though what he gave was quite small but that was all he had and God miraculously multiplied and fed the 5,000 with it. So the little food was able to save many but imagine if he had refused giving it because it was so small. Worship God with your substance. When you come before the gathering of God's people, don't fail to give your offering, special seed of faith and tithe. God is waiting on you to see if you'll obey these commandments.

The important thing is to be willing to give as much as we can. That is what God accepts.

THE GRACE TO GIVE CEASELESSLY AND SELFLESS BE AVAILABLE TO YOU RIGHT NOW IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. AMEN!

Pastor Dominic STANLEY-MARCUS

President