“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 the 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. 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 the time when Moses had brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and they were thirsty, so they 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 told him to strike a rock, and water poured out, providing drink for the Israelites, but God made it clear that testing Him was wicked in His eyes from then on. This is why it’s so important that He tells us to put Him to the test in the area of tithing… I guarantee that when you put God to the test, step out in confidence, and give Him the first 10% of your profits, He will meet you there! He doesn’t need your money, but He does want your heart, and He understands how important your finances are to you. You are telling Him that you are willing to give up control and place your reputation and future in His hands when you willingly commit this portion of your life to Him. When you trust Him as a father, He is thrilled and ready to provide His best to your situation, just like a child! Isn’t that fantastic news? |
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for calling me to put you to the test in the tithing, and I pray for the faith and bravery to let go of what I believe is mine so that you can accomplish something miraculous in my midst.
Reflection
Do you give a tithe? If yes, how has God worked in your life as a result of it?
If you’re unable to attend your local church or need some additional weekly inspiration, be sure to tune into Hour of Power every Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. PT on TBN or watch online at hourofpower.org/episode.