Faith-bearing Seed for the Soul
"The sower soweth the Word."

Mark 4:14

L-i-A Update 4/16/04 ... FBS041604...Alms for the Poor!
PrayerVine.org
LUV-IN-ACTION
P.O. Box 675
Whitehouse, TX 75791

James 2:15-17
"Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by  A-C-T-I-O-N,  is dead."

Update, January - March, 2004

We disbursed $1,230 to those in need during December, 2003. Since that time no gifts have been received.  However, there have not been any significant needs presented.  I'm so pleased to see how God's hand guides the providing when it is needed. 
I received $20 for L-i-A yesterday and thought, "Someone must be in desperate need. I'll hear soon."  And sure enough, a young family with extenuating medical problems and bills  are needing help to pay their utility bills and rent.  If the Lord moves on your heart to help, please send your love gifts to:

PrayerVine, Int'l
Luv-in-Action
P.O. Box 675
Whitehouse, TX 75791

Let me take a moment to share some of the things I've learned and experienced in my personal giving...

Alms for the Poor... 

In the New Testament we find tithing, the giving of10%, mentioned in the context of an Old Testament practice,
and we see the practice of "alms" giving referred to, with no stated percentage or limitations . "Alms" is
defined in the Strongs Exhaustive Concordance as:
"Compassionateness (as exercised towards the poor); being kind or doing good; beneficence, a benefaction"
(meaning, a kindly action or gift). 

God puts no limit on us in the amount of compassion and kind actions or gifts that we give.  Our motivation
in giving should be because we love Him and one another, but He does say, "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and even more." (Mark 4:24).  I've found that when the Lord speaks to me about giving alms, and I obey, there has always been a larger blessing waiting to be disbursed to me, and my obedience seems to release its dispatchment from His riches in glory to me.  Through His grace, He always sees to it that we have more to give than we started with, so that our good deeds will abound.

2 Cor. 9:8
"God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work."

The Lord also declares that when we have given to the least of these, we have given unto Him, and when we help the poor, we are loaning to Him...and He says that He pays wonderful interest on the loan...(Prov. 19:17)  It's awesome how when we give ("loan") to the poor, God promises to add to our gift.  He presses it down and shakes it together until it is running over and then gives it back, like it says in Luke 6:38.  What a wonderfully generous God we serve. As it has been said, and as I have experienced, we cannot out give God.

May He bless you in your caring and sharing,
Marlene JuHaros.
www.prayervine.org

a.k.a. PrayerVine

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Eccl. 11:6

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