We’re in the 3rd and final week of fasting, praying and seeking God during The Power of Everyone Series. During the days leading up to Nov. 23 and our Celebration Offering and the Thanksgiving Family Festival, I’ll list a scripture for you to read and consider. I’ll also share a few thoughts of my own, but my primary desire is that you ask God to reveal to you what this passage means in your life and how you should apply it as you think about what God would have you do. I would also ask that you pray and ask God to speak to the hearts of all the people in our church about this particular passage concerning what they should do. I’m pumped about the miracle I believe we’ll experience this Sunday – Nov. 23.
Bless you – Pastor BJ
Nov. 20 Malachi 3:6-10
6 “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ 8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse — the whole nation of you — because you are robbing me. 10 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 you will not have room enough for it.
Years ago I heard a story of a man who managed a local grain elevator being asked to be the treasurer for his local church. He said he would take the job on two conditions: 1) that no report be necessary for one year; and 2) that no one ask him any questions during that year. The church wasn’t sure at first, but since the man was known for his integrity and had been one of the most trusted men in the community for years, they decided to accept his terms.
When the year was up, he gave the church a financial report. All of the church indebtedness had been paid. The goal for missions was met with an additional 200% available to help with various missions. There were no outstanding bills, and the church ended the year with a huge surplus in the bank.
The congregation was blown away. They’d never had such a glowing report. They couldn’t help but wonder how he was able to do this, so they asked him: “How?”
The man simply told them: “Most of you bring your grain to my elevators. As you did business with me, I simply withheld 10% of your money and gave it to the church in your name. You never missed it and got alone fine without it. Do you see what we could do for the Lord and His work if we would all be willing to first give the tithe to God who really owns all we have?”
That’s an interesting story, and contains incredible truth. If we would stop robbing God of what’s rightfully His anyhow, we would all be blessed.
Did you realize that tithing was practiced long before the Law was given in the Old Testament? In fact, tithing wasn’t initiated by the Law nor terminated by grace. Tithing is taught and/or mentioned throughout the Bible with 28 references in the Old Testament and 9 in the New Testament. By the way, the tithe is 10% of your gross income and offerings are those gifts we give over and above the tithe. And here’s what’s way cool; God says take the tithing challenge and see if I won’t bless your socks off!
BJ Rutledge 