One-minute read.
Overflowing Blessings
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Malachi 3:10
God challenges us to test Him in giving. Nowhere else in the Bible do we find the Lord telling us to test Him. Speaking to the Israel nation, Malachi tells them the solution to their problem. Bring the whole tithe to the storehouse; the Lord will bless them when they do. During this time, the temple served as a warehouse for the first fruits; the Levites and priests would distribute from it for sacrificial purposes, domestic needs, and whatever emergencies arose. If the Israelites didn’t obey God and tithe, the storehouse would not have the supplies needed for the Levites to help others. When we tithe to our local church, we give them the assets needed to support the church family and community. If we don’t do our part, the church can’t do theirs.
Since I started tithing while unemployed twenty-five years ago, the Lord has overflowed my life with blessings. He provided a job for me and has kept me employed ever since. Through the Lord, I’ve learned financial management, gained wisdom from Him, and made better decisions because my confidence lies in Him. We trust God with our salvation but struggle to trust Him with our money. If He can provide eternal life for us, the Lord can overflow our life with blessings if we give Him our money.
Blessings come in many forms: financial, health, relational, and employment. The list goes on and on. But if we don’t put God first in our finances, we’ll miss His overflow of blessings. Jesus urges His followers to “excel in the grace of giving” (2 Co. 8:7). Give the Lord your first fruits and then some, and see how He overflows your life with blessings.
Application:
God will overflow blessings in your life when you tithe.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for Your promises that always hold true. Give us the faith to tithe to You. Help us understand that You don’t need our money; You want our hearts. Let us make You the first priority in our lives as we trust You with our money.
IJNIP. Amen
