Try Me In This

Photo Copyright 2010 Alycia W. Morales

 

This past weekend, our pastor mentioned that he's heard of a few churches having to close their doors due to a decrease in giving since the economy soured. Or television broadcasts have been canceled. Or radio shows have come to a stop. Because people aren't tithing.

 

I don't intend for my blog to be a place to preach about tithing. That's every individual or husband and wife team's decision to make. However, it is a topic near and dear to my heart.

 

See, my husband and I know firsthand how important tithing is and what an incredible blessing it yields.

 

A tithe is 10% of a person's firstfruits. It's the first 10% of your paycheck. It's the first 10% of your inheritance. It's the first 10% of your monetary prize. Among other financial blessings.

 

My husband and I grasped early on what tithing meant. We faithfully write a check or withdraw the cash amount to drop in the offering plate each week. We get it when God says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse..." (Malachi 3:10a)

 

Are we perfect? No. Do we ever miss a week because things are super-duper tight? Yes. Do we miss paying our tithe frequently? No. Why? Because we know the benefits of bringing our tithes into the storehouse of God.

 

"That there may be food in My house..." (Malachi 3:10b) God requires us to bring in our tithe, so there may be food in His house. His house is the church, the body of Christ. Without the tithes, there is no food. Without the tithes, the church can't function. The bills don't get paid. The man of God doesn't get a salary. The church lacks. 

 

Food is the Word of God. It's what we come to church to hear. It's our spiritual supper on Sunday. Without the tithes and offerings, there is no food. We starve spiritually. 

 

By tithing, we provide the ability for the Word of God to go forth. When we neglect the tithe, we rob God ("But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings..." Malachi 3:8). His word can't go forth if the doors to the church aren't open.

 

"And try Me now in this,' says the Lord of hosts,

 If I will not open for you the windows of heaven,

 And pour out for you such blessing

 That there will not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10)

 

Vic and I tried God in the principle of tithing. We tithe. Faithfully. And He has blessed us. Just as the economy took its turn, God provided a steady job for my husband. 

 

He'd been a union carpenter, working, getting laid off, unemployment checks barely covering our expenses. Our mortgage was behind. Our oil tank running low. We struggled to make ends meet.

 

And then one day, oila! The windows of heaven break loose and my husband acquires a full-time position with a company as a field engineer. It requires him to use his brains more than his brawn. His body gets a break. It puts him in leadership. He finds favor with God and man. He loves it. It provides him rest and joy. Only God can do that. And only God can double one's income overnight. 

 

Yes, tithing works. Yes, God's word never comes back void. He does what He says He will do, if we'll only be faithful and obedient.

 

This week, we'll talk more about finances. I have a special guest blogger lined up for Friday, so watch for her post. She's kindly answered some questions about getting out of debt and saving money when financial times are tough. 

 

Do you have a tithing testimony to share? Please do! We'd love to hear from you! 

~Tuesday Tips~

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse" ~ Malachi 3:10

A tithe is giving ten percent of your income to the Lord. This was a new concept to me when I first came to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior. However, just as the commandment to honor your father and mother comes with a promise, so does tithing.

 

"'And try Me now in this,' says the Lord of hosts,

'If I will not open for you the windows in heaven

And pour out for you such blessing

That there will not be room enough to receive it.'"  

~ Malachi 3:10

 

The Lord promises that when we bring our tithes into His storehouse, He will pour out blessings on us. We will have so much we cannot receive all of it for ourselves. Our own storehouses will not be large enough to contain it. 

 

See, God's math is different than ours. While we are adding up the bills and subtracting out of our checking (and sometimes savings) account, God is multiplying. He is thinking of turning our five loaves and two fish into enough to feed a multitude. In Malachi He says to bring the tithes into the storehouse "That there may be food in My house." He wants to give us increase and blessings in order that His house may have more to share. "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) When we put God first, He is able to do far more in our lives and the lives of others.

 

"'And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,

 So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,

 Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,'

 Says the Lord of hosts."

~ Malachi 3:11

 

This is the second promise which results from our tithe. God will rebuke the devourer. The devourer is the seed killer. He is the one who comes against all of our efforts, labors and plantings. He steals what we sow. He kills our attempts at earning a living, planting spiritual seeds and bringing in a harvest. God promises that when we put Him first in our finances, He will rebuke the devourer for our sakes. He will no longer have the power to come against our attempts at getting ahead in life. 

 

I have experienced the effects of tithing firsthand. 

 

There have been times when we've been super tight and I've withheld the tithe in an effort to keep food on our table. Only, instead of having enough provision, things became more and more difficult. Our bills weren't paid on time. We'd overdraw the checking account, wasting hundreds of dollars as we paid overdraft fees.

 

But no sooner than I changed my heart-itude and returned to faithful tithing did God come through. The devourer was rebuked and we had all that we needed, if not more. It's during these times that we have plenty of food and some to spare or share. It's during these times that our savings account would grow. It's during these times that work would be in plenty. Layoffs would be fewer. (My husband's in construction.) It's during these times I'd have a little extra to do something special for the kids. It's during these times we could even increase our giving and we'd have offerings for guest ministers or felt needs in the body of Christ (the church). 

 

God's word never comes back void. If He says it is so, it is. If He promises blessings will flow, they will flow. Be encouraged today. 

 

My tip? Tithe. It's the only place in the Bible where God says, "Challenge me and see what I do." Take the challenge. Bring your tithe into the storehouse this Sunday. Bless the Lord with your firstfruits. He provided them in the first place. They belong to Him already. See what He can do with them. He's into multiplication!