I want to ask myself a very personal question. Am I stealing from the Almighty? Ordinarily the very term would be abhorrent to me, for any suggestion of pilfering or acquiring property belonging to another would fill me with disgust.
I seek to live among society as one having respect for the social laws that make me a good citizen I try to be meticulous in my Tax return, to be punctual paying bills, to have a system by which I can regulate the financial affairs of my life. But how accurate and persistent am I in squaring my affairs with God?
There is a debt of course which I cannot pay, and for which I depend upon His mercy and the value of Calvary's offering to settle the claim. The need for my consecration will never be exhausted, and I can only keep giving and giving again.
There is one aspect of my life , however, in which I can determine whether I am an offender against the requirements of God. An area which determines whether I am robbing the LOrd of Host's God himself, through the prophet very pertinently and clearly issues the challenge "Will a man rob God?"
The indignant reply of those who seek to be called by His Name is again in the form of a question "Wherein have we robbed thee?" In one simple, searching, scathing sentence comes the terse reply: "In tithes and offerings" Malachi 3 v 8 So I am on a spot. Not confronted by a Pastor, or Presbytery, but by the LOrd of Hosts. I ask my self the question "Am I guilty?" And if so why?
It cannot be because there is insufficient scriptural evidence that I ought to tithe. Nor that the principle of tithing was restricted to those under the Law, for I know that Abraham and Jacob gave their tithes long before it came into being. Gen 14 v 20 and ch 28 v 22
I cannot claim that it was just for Old Testament days, for I have clear references in Luke 11 v 42 and Hebrews 7 v 8 apart from the supporting scripture of 1Cor 16 v 1-2 and 2 Corinthians 8 v 1 -15 and ch 9 v 1 - 15 It cannot be because I cannot afford it, for were I not a child of God the devil would demand so much more of my money and my time.
Over and above this is the challenging ring from the chancellor of heaven "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Host's if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground: neither shall your vine cast fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of Host's"
Malachi 3 v 10 -11
Perhaps I am honest enough to concede that I should be tithing, and in principle I probably am. Maybe my greatest offense is that I am careless. I am not as painstaking in making sure that I have given my tithe as I am in other financial matters. I check my salary, scrutinize my overtime, make sure I claim any Tax rebate due to me. But how careful am I in discharging my obligations to God?
Do I not systematically, and sacredly, take my tithe and lovingly put it to one side? Do I not feel the tender touch of God upon me as I keep this covenant with him? When I am absent by reason of sickness or work or holiday, do I keep a careful check and ensure that I have not missed my gift to God? What do I do with my tithes? Do I scatter them about complacently, or follow the divine injunction to bring them into the storehouse, which is the Church to which I belong,
Finally what harm is done if I do not tithe? In the first instance I grieve the one who has given His all for me. Secondly I restrict the blessing of God within the Church. Thirdly, I hinder the propagation of the gospel, which affects others. Fourthly I hurt myself and my home and family by missing the blessing God has promised.
Am I a thief?. Careless? Indifferent?
By God's grace from this day I will discharge my obligations, with the recognition that tithing is only the minimum of my giving to the Lord, and that the scripture speaks of offerings for which there is no maximum.
I seek to live among society as one having respect for the social laws that make me a good citizen I try to be meticulous in my Tax return, to be punctual paying bills, to have a system by which I can regulate the financial affairs of my life. But how accurate and persistent am I in squaring my affairs with God?
There is a debt of course which I cannot pay, and for which I depend upon His mercy and the value of Calvary's offering to settle the claim. The need for my consecration will never be exhausted, and I can only keep giving and giving again.
There is one aspect of my life , however, in which I can determine whether I am an offender against the requirements of God. An area which determines whether I am robbing the LOrd of Host's God himself, through the prophet very pertinently and clearly issues the challenge "Will a man rob God?"
The indignant reply of those who seek to be called by His Name is again in the form of a question "Wherein have we robbed thee?" In one simple, searching, scathing sentence comes the terse reply: "In tithes and offerings" Malachi 3 v 8 So I am on a spot. Not confronted by a Pastor, or Presbytery, but by the LOrd of Hosts. I ask my self the question "Am I guilty?" And if so why?
It cannot be because there is insufficient scriptural evidence that I ought to tithe. Nor that the principle of tithing was restricted to those under the Law, for I know that Abraham and Jacob gave their tithes long before it came into being. Gen 14 v 20 and ch 28 v 22
I cannot claim that it was just for Old Testament days, for I have clear references in Luke 11 v 42 and Hebrews 7 v 8 apart from the supporting scripture of 1Cor 16 v 1-2 and 2 Corinthians 8 v 1 -15 and ch 9 v 1 - 15 It cannot be because I cannot afford it, for were I not a child of God the devil would demand so much more of my money and my time.
Over and above this is the challenging ring from the chancellor of heaven "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Host's if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground: neither shall your vine cast fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of Host's"
Malachi 3 v 10 -11
Perhaps I am honest enough to concede that I should be tithing, and in principle I probably am. Maybe my greatest offense is that I am careless. I am not as painstaking in making sure that I have given my tithe as I am in other financial matters. I check my salary, scrutinize my overtime, make sure I claim any Tax rebate due to me. But how careful am I in discharging my obligations to God?
Do I not systematically, and sacredly, take my tithe and lovingly put it to one side? Do I not feel the tender touch of God upon me as I keep this covenant with him? When I am absent by reason of sickness or work or holiday, do I keep a careful check and ensure that I have not missed my gift to God? What do I do with my tithes? Do I scatter them about complacently, or follow the divine injunction to bring them into the storehouse, which is the Church to which I belong,
Finally what harm is done if I do not tithe? In the first instance I grieve the one who has given His all for me. Secondly I restrict the blessing of God within the Church. Thirdly, I hinder the propagation of the gospel, which affects others. Fourthly I hurt myself and my home and family by missing the blessing God has promised.
Am I a thief?. Careless? Indifferent?
By God's grace from this day I will discharge my obligations, with the recognition that tithing is only the minimum of my giving to the Lord, and that the scripture speaks of offerings for which there is no maximum.
