“’Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. ‘But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ ‘In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.'”
– Malachi 3:8-10
Yesterday, we talked about how money is king of the earth and how, even when we are in the Kingdom of God, it plays an important role in our lives. This is why the Lord gives us a set of truths in His Word that equip us to handle wealth His way, because He is the giver of all of it. Today, I want to talk to you more in-depth about one of God’s main financial principles — tithing. The tithe is a tangible remembrance that everything you have is a gift from the Lord, and that no matter how much or how little you make, you honor Him by giving at least 10% of it back to the work of His Kingdom. In fact, it is the only thing in Scripture that God says to test Him in. In Deuteronomy 6, the Bible says, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did in Massa.” This references a time after Moses had brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and they were in the wilderness and thirsty, so were complaining that the Lord didn’t care about them. Exasperated with their lack of faith, Moses cried out to God that the people were about ready to stone him. The Lord commanded him to strike a rock so that the crowds could drink, but from that point on, He made it very clear that testing Him was considered evil in His eyes. This is why it’s very significant that He tells us to test Him in the area of the tithe… Friend, when you test God, step out in faith, and give Him the first 10% of your earnings, I guarantee that He will meet you there! He doesn’t need your money, but He desires your heart and He knows that your finances are important to you. When you are willing to surrender this part of your life to Him, you are ready to give up control and lay your reputation and future in His Hands. Like a child, when you trust Him as a daddy, He is overjoyed and ready, willing, and able to bring His very best to your circumstances! Isn’t that wonderful news? |
Prayer
I praise you, Jesus, for inviting me to test you in the tithe, and I ask for the faith and courage to let go of what I think is mine so that you can do something amazing in my midst.
Reflection
Do you tithe? If so, how have you seen God work in your life through it?
9 Responses
I saw and heard your sermon on Tithing, and would like to share it with my Sunday School class. Tell me how I can receive a copy of that sermon….Thank you Bobby and Hannah for such beautiful sermons.
I see and hear you each Saturday night here in Manakin Sabot, Virginia. (Just outside of Richmond, Va.) Wish I lived closer, as I would be there each week.
Thank you for all that you do for this world.
Hi June!
Last November, Pastor Bobby preached a messaged entitled “Prosperity and Generosity.” For some reason, that episode won’t pull up on our HOP website — we will look into that. In the meantime, here’s a link to the sermon on our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50IqXFZ5uAI. If this is the message you are referring to, you can request a DVD copy here: https://store.hourofpower.org/p-1390-program-2547-prosperity-and-generosity.aspx. Please let me know if there’s anything else we can do to help. We appreciate your ongoing love and support for this ministry. God loves you and so do we!
Actually, I think I may have inserted the wrong YouTube link for “Prosperity and Generosity.” Here is the correct one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-ARr8Bef0k&t=3s.
I have tried giving 10% for the first time in my life for 2 months now and have been overwhelmed with debt since then any thoughts ?
It is not about money, it is about faith. God doesn’t promise an immediate result for testing Him. In my experience, it usually takes much longer for God to “show up” than I would like. I want to encourage you with these words:
God is the painter, and we are just a tiny speck on the tapestry we call existence. He sees the whole picture 100% of the time. He is painting a beautiful portrait of which you are a part.
Tithing is about trusting that God wants the best for you and trusting that He will deliver the best for you if you obey Him. This doesn’t mean that it will happen overnight (however for some it does). Why does it happen for some overnight and not others? Because God can see the inclinations of the Heart.
If you are only “tithing” 10% to get out of debt, buy and new car or house, or live a life of luxury, I’m sorry to say, your “tithes” are a waste of time and money.
If you are tithing because you do it joyfully, knowing that God has you and wants the best for you, then you have the right Heart. When this happens, you will suddenly realize that no matter what happens in this blip of a life, you are truly at peace and have the joy of the Lord, knowing that He has already given you more than you ever deserved to begin with.
Search your motivations and I pray that you will find this peace and joy soon.
God Bless.
First, examine what you need versus what you want. Most often we think our wants as needs. The wants when pared away reveal a surplus from wants that ultimately become junk we cast aside soon after.
Great writeup on the first fruits of the harvest!
I actually did test him. He didn’t pass the test.
The Lord commanded Moses to speak to the rock in the presence of the Israelites, not strike it. Moses did not do what The Lord asked, and still expected God to produce water from the rock despite Moses’ lack of faith and rebellious departure from God’s instruction. Moses’s consequence was not being allowed to enter into the Promise Land. Please revise your recount of Numbers 20:8.