“And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.” (1 Kings 17:16)

Remember the widow when Elijah asked her for some water to drink and a morsel of bread? She said she only had a handful of meal in a barrel and a little oil in a cruse. Elijah told her to make him a little cake first and bring it to him, and then make a cake for herself and her son. She obeyed. God did a miracle, for the oil never ran out and the barrel of meal wasted not until the day the rain came upon the earth (1 Kings 17). She had exactly what was needed to sustain the prophet, herself, and her son through the famine when she gave her all. She gave her last food by faith to the man of God and God supplied a miracle.

Remember the lad in John 6; his five loaves of bread and two fishes that were blessed of Christ and fed 5,000 men plus wives and children, with twelve baskets of fragments left over. Remember the widow who gave two mites into the treasury and Christ said that her small amount was more than all the offerings given that day, because she gave all she had (Mark 12; Luke 21).

Consider what gifts God has given you, not in the light of the standards of men, not even of yourself. But in the light of what God can do when you submit your gift to Him. When God calls, when the opportunity avails itself, submit what God has given you to His Hand for the miracle to be performed.

Child of Grace, the enemy is not the problem; the quality or quantity of our God-given gift is not the problem. If we are not blessed or if we are defeated, it is because we are hiding our gifts. But we must get the Seed out of the barn if we expect victory, or a heavenly harvest. Yes the just shall live by Faith (or Christ). He is our Victory. Therefore know that God has equipped you to meet your need and also others’ needs. What you need and what they need is living in you. His Name is Christ. Stop using excuses, stop saying you have nothing to offer. Look into your “gift chest” and when the opportunity presents itself, give your all to Christ. Then sit back and see His Miracle-working Power as He uses your gifts to meet the present need.

When these people gave their gift, their all – by faith; God supplied a miracle. So, give your all to Christ and see a miracle as God uses you to supply the present need. The House of Hope Prison Ministry is such a small ministry for Christ in the eyes of the world. But with God, He never called us to be successful, but faithful. We have been given 1) a vision, 2) a desire, and 3) a determination to serve Christ as we carry out His Commission to be a “Good Samaritan” with two fishes and five loaves of bread. We are seeing a miracle before our very eyes as we yield our all to seize upon the open door God has granted us to help the incarcerated, their families, the recently released from incarceration, and any other seeking sinner who is desiring to find peace and rest and victory in Christ.

We believe God (His Word and His Promises) and we know “that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6c).

If God touches your heart when you read these devotionals, please use the “Contact Us” page and send us your comments, your prayers. God may even lead you to join in with us in this ministry. It is no mistake nor is it by chance that you are reading this devotional. It may be that you are hiding your God-given gift. Give it to Christ and see Him perform a miracle in your life.

(This devotional was previously posted on August 27, 2010.)