“‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,’ says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!’” Malachi 3:10 (NLT, second edition)
I have a confession to make tithing hasn’t always come easy to me. There was a long period of time where it wasn’t a priority. Somehow I thought that part of the Bible didn’t apply to me. But looking back you can see that in those times I was missing out on God’s blessing.
Then a few years ago I really started to be more faithful about it until I became unemployed. When I started a new job making less than before I didn’t because I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough to pay the bills. Being single makes you feel vulnerable in this area and working in non profits doesn’t build up a big savings account.
Well, God has been using Saddleback and the series they are doing on finances to get me to rethink this and of course it is at that point that my car breaks down, I get sick, a few other major things happen and I already feel like I am falling in a hole. Isn’t that how it always it. But this week I decided to believe this God’s word and tithe anyway, tithe before everything else.
He is clearly saying test me in this area. Trust me in this area. Come on see what I will do in your life.
“Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income.” Proverbs 3:9 (TLB)
When we do this we are planting seeds of faith in our life. We are saying we will believe, we will step out in faith.
I am not saying it is easy taking those first few steps of faith. But I know that it is the path clearly defined in God’s word.
No, I don’t have that amazing story of provision but for now mine is one of peace and finding my way back. It is a story of stepping out in faith, of being fearless and seeing what God will do.
Where are you at in this area? Do you have great stories of how God has multiplied the seeds of faith you planted? Do you also have great fears in this area? I’d love to pray for you if you do. Comment below and I will pray for you that we would be faithful, that we would see the fruit in our lives of taking those steps.
Jesus tells us it won’t be wasted. In Luke 18:29-30 he says, “Truly I tell you … no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life” (NIV).
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It is a difficult test, I found constantly reminding myself of God’s promises helped to withstand the attacks and thoughts of fear, doubt and insecurity. He is Faithful!!
I know, sometimes it requires us to constantly remind ourselves of God’s promises. So thankful He is faithful! ..Thanks for visiting!