Malachi 3:10 "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!"
What is the most important thing that someone has to sacrifice in order to achieve financial freedom? Some would say our wants over our needs...while others might think name brands over store brands... While both might be true, the most important thing that we have to sacrifice is our role. In order for us to free ourselves from the grip that money (or lack thereof) has on our lives is to let God control our spending and saving. How can we do that better?
1) Decide to Tithe - If we are ever going to climb out of debt and control our spending...we've got to depend on God for His strength and wisdom. There will be many decisions ahead that will require you to count on God's blessing to make the correct one. How do we live blessable lives? Easy...we stay obedient to what God has asked us to do. Take a look at Malachi 3:10 again and ask yourself.. "Am I being obedient with my finances and making God first priority?"
2) Decide to Sacrifice - What has your debt cost you? Peace of mind? Sleep? Missed opportunity to do what you want? Probably all three...that's how debt works. My challenge to you this morning is to ask yourself.. What have I sacrificed to get out of debt? I don't mean the things I listed above...I'm talking about those things that you think you "can't live without..."
Is there anything you have given up because you've wanted to use the money to pay off old debt? If not...there needs to be. Ask God to help you find some places to tighten things up (or cut things out completely)...then you will be on the road..
3) Pray Over Big Purchases - Want to hear what God has to say about what you are about to buy? Don't buy it right away...come home...spend some of your quiet time and prayer asking God what He thinks about it. Don't rationalize...don't justify....just pray and ask. The Holy Spirit WILL nudge you the direction to follow. If you don't get a clear answer right away...keep praying and seeking...He will reveal it to you!
Sacrifice isn't easy...especially when it comes to who (or Who) gets to decide where the money goes. I can promise you this... give God 10% and let Him lead you in spending the other 90% and you will truly be prosperous.
See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Friend, May I offer an alternative interpretation of Malachi for your study.
From: Tithing is not a Christian Doctrine
www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
Malachi 3 is the Most Abused Tithing Text in the Bible. The “whole” tithe never was supposed to go to the Temple!
A. Malachi is Old Covenant and is never quoted in the New Covenant to validate tithing (Lev. 27:34; Neh. 10:28-29; Mal. 3:7; 4:4).
B. In Malachi 3:10-11 tithes are still only food 1000 years after Leviticus 27:30-34 and Numbers 18:21-28.
C. Malachi’s audience had willingly reaffirmed the Old Covenant (Neh.10:28-29). The blessings and curses of tithing are identical to and inseparable from those of the entire Mosaic Law. The rain in Deuteronomy 28:12, 23-24 and Leviticus 26:1-4 is only obtained by obedience to all 613 commandments. Galatians 3:10 (quoting Deu 27:26) “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Trying to earn God’s blessings through tithing only brings curses for failure to keep all of the law. See also Galatians 3:19.
D. Beginning in 1:6 “you” in Malachi always refers to the dishonest priests and not the people (also 2:1-10; 2:13 to 3:1-5): “Even this whole nation of you --priests” (3:9). In 1:13-14 the priests had stolen tithed animals vowed to God. In Nehemiah 13:5-10 priests had stolen the Levites’ portion of the tithe. God’s curses on the priests are ignored by most tithe-teachers (1:14; 2:2 and 3:2-4).
E. Point #12 of the essay. The Levitical cities must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3:10. Most tithe-recipients lived outside of Jerusalem.
F. The 24 courses of Levites and priests must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3. Normally only 2% of the total Levite and priest work force served at the temple one week at a time. Subtract wives, males under the age of 30 and daughters. Therefore 2% did not require all of the tithe. See 1 Chron 23-26; 28:13, 21; 2 Chron. 8:14; 23:8; 31:2, 15-19; 35:4, 5, 10; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 11:19, 30; 12:24; 13:9, 10; Luke 1:5.
G. Nehemiah 10:37-39 is the key to understanding Malachi 3:10, The people were commanded to bring their tithes, not to the temple, but to the nearby Levitical cities. Verse 38 says that the priests were with the Levites in the Levitical cities when they received the tithes.
H. According to Nehemiah 13:5, 9 the “storehouse” in the Temple was only several rooms. The real “storehouses” were in the Levitical cites per Nehemiah 10:37b-38. Only the Levites and priests normally brought tithes to the Temple (10:38). Two rooms in the Temple were far too small to contain the tithe from the entire nation and 98% of the Levites and priests lived too far away to eat from them.
Therefore, Malachi 3:10’s “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” only makes contextual sense if it is only commanding dishonest priests to replace the tithes they had removed from it or had failed to bring to it.
While the 3:10 of the Law in Malachi is so important to tithe-teachers they ignore the 3:10 of the Gospel in Galatians and 2nd Corinthians. Perhaps those wanting to enforce the 3:10 Law of Malachi should also enforce the 3:10 Law of Numbers. They share the same context.
Christian giving is freewill, sacrificial, generous, joyful, regular and motivated by love. That is enough to provide the needs of the Church.
Post a Comment