Church Notes : What it means to Sacrifice and its returns

Credited: Pastor Carl Stephens and Jeff Shortridge -Faith Assembly Church

Many people think that sacrifice is being generous, but sacrifice is more than that. Sacrifice is a heart filled with gratitude to give God anything. Sacrifice is something that hurts you, but when you sacrifice, get ready for great blessings to come from God! 

Jeff Shortridge told a story about his childhood and mother. His mother was a single mother who had the responsibility of taking care 5 children. One day Her faucet/well had mud coming through the pipes. She couldn't afford a plumber but knew a pastor who's past job was a plumber. She called him in and he said to her that her well has dried up and she will need to hire a company to drill another well in. She cried in tears praying to God for a way for water to come through the house. She only had $100 in her purse and could not afford to hire a company.The next couple of weeks she attended church. She heard God speak to her during offering and God said, "I want you to give that $100". With tears falling down her face, she gave the last $100 she had. She didn't know how she would be able to keep her children alive, all she could do was pray. When they went back home, her son turned on the water faucet and clean water came pouring out. 

This story shows that when you sacrifice, God will provide you with more than what you need. Through sacrifice, miracles can happen. This lady loved God more than the security of her family. When you put God first in your life, he will take care of everything. 

It's never the amount that matters, but the cost and sacrifice from the giver that counts. Someone could give the church $1000 and another give $1. Its easy to just see the amount, but you don't know if that person who gave $1 only had $100 in her bank account. When someone wants to give to the lord, don't stop them from giving because you could be stopping the great blessing that the Lord is about to give to that person. 

If God ever calls you sacrifice, prepare for a great blessing to come! 

REFERENCE: Mark 12:41-44

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”