setup: [E-Mail Ministry] All He Had To Offer

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ALL HE HAD TO OFFER

Here is a story, about a nine year old boy who lived in a rural town in
Tennessee. His house was in a poor area of the community. A church there
had a bus ministry that came knocking on his door one Saturday afternoon.

The child came to answer the door and greeted the bus pastor.

The bus pastor asked if his parents were home and the small boy told him
that his parents take off every weekend and leave him at home to take care
of his little brother. The bus pastor couldn't believe what the child said
and asked him to repeat it. The youngster gave the same answer and the bus
pastor asked to come in and talk with him. They went into the living room
and sat down on an old couch with the foam and springs exposed. The bus
pastor asked the child, "Where do you go to church?"

The young boy surprised the visitor by replying, "I've never been to church
in my whole life." The bus pastor thought to himself about the fact that
his church was less than three miles from the child's house.

"Are you sure you have never been to church?" he asked again.

"I'm sure I haven't," came his answer.

Then the bus pastor said, "Well, son, more important than going to church,
have you ever heard the greatest love story ever told?" and then he
proceeded to share the Gospel with this little nine year old boy.

The young lad's heart began to be tenderized and at the end of the bus
pastor's story, the bus pastor asked if the boy wanted to receive this free
gift from God. The youngster exclaimed, "OF COURSE!"

The child and the bus pastor got on their knees and the lad invited Jesus
into his little heart and received the free gift of salvation. They both
stood up and the bus pastor asked if he could pick the child up for church
the next morning.

"Sure," the nine year old replied.

The bus pastor got to the house early the next morning and found the lights
off. He let himself in and snaked his way through the house and found the
little boy asleep in his bed. He woke up the little boy and his brother and
helped get them dressed. They got on the bus and ate a doughnut for
breakfast on their way to church.

Keep in mind that this boy had never been to church before.

The church was a real big one. The little child just sat there, clueless of
what was going on. A few minutes into the service, these tall unhappy guys
walked down to the front and picked up some wooden plates. One of the men
prayed and the child, with utter fascination, watched them walk up and down
the aisles. He still didn't know what was going on. Suddenly, like a bolt
of lightning, it hit the child what was taking place.

These people must be giving money to Jesus. He then reflected on the free
gift of life he had received just twenty-four hours earlier. He immediately
searched his pockets, front and back, and couldn't find a thing to give
Jesus.

By this time the offering plate was being passed down his aisle and, with a
broken heart, he just grabbed the plate and held on to it. He finally let
go and watched it pass on down the aisle. He turned around to see it passed
down the aisle behind him.

And then his eyes remained glued on the plate as it was passed back and
forth, back and forth all the way to the rear of the sanctuary.

Then he had an idea. This little nine year old boy, in front of God and
everybody, got up out of his seat. He walked about eight rows back, grabbed
the usher by the coat and asked to hold the plate one more time. Then he
did the most astounding thing I have ever heard of. He took the plate, sat
it on the carpeted church floor and stepped into the center of it.

As he stood there, he lifted his little head up and said, "Jesus, I don't
have anything to give you today, but just me. I give you me!"

-- Author Unknown

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