Words Of Encouragment For Your Day ( Wednesday 09/28/2011)

Today's Devotional Written By A Insightful and Knowledgeable Young Woman: Tracy A. Dixon

Off the Top

Malachi 3:8-12 Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁸Will a man rob or defraud God? Yet you rob and defraud Me. But you say, In what way do we rob or defraud You? [You have withheld your] tithes and offerings.⁹You are cursed with the curse, for you are robbing Me, even this whole nation. ¹⁰Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. ¹¹And I will rebuke the devourer [insects and plagues] for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of host. ¹²And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

 

Yesterday some friends on my facebook had a discussion about tithes, and the statement that we all have battled with came up: I just can't afford to tithe right now. Instantly, the past lessons of my spiritual walk came back to my memory. My first spiritual parents instilled in me the principle that I can't afford NOT to tithe. Then this past Sunday my current spiritual father taught me that the tithe is a bill, just like your mortgage and car note. In the Bible, tithing is the only time that God gives us permission to test Him. He challenges us to truly step out on faith and trust Him.

 

So yesterday as I was driving home, I thought of how the tithe was like my bill for life. My tithe covers my home  and my health, its the greatest insurance plan my family has. The Bible says that tithe keeps the curse off of our possessions. My first spiritual mother taught me that my tithe gives me the power to speak things into the atmosphere. When my car acts crazy or Jaida comes under attack, I have the right to say, "Because I tithe and because I give this curse will not prevail".

 

The Bible says that your treasure is where your heart is, meaning your money shows you your priorities. When we sit to do our monthly finances, tithe is the first on the list- -we pay Him off the top, and on our gross pay- - because when He blesses us, we want it to be a gross and not a net blessing. We have gotten to a place where we are afraid of what will happen, if we don't pay our tithes. If God looked at tithes as our life bill, how many of us would be dead? If God woke up every morning and checked your bill, would you be paid in full, past due, or in collections? If your very breathe supply was based on your tithe, how much time would you have left? See we don't get nervous about that because we don't believe God will take His grace and mercy from us. We know that the car and mortgage company will take back the car or house so we make sure we pay them. What message is that sending the Father? Our money says in God we trust, but we don't trust Him with "our" money.

 

The best example my bishop ever gave us was when he placed ten rolls of tissue on the altar, then he removed one. God lets us have 90% of what He has blessed us with, and if we can't live off of that, we are already in financial distress. So for those that tithe encourage someone who may be struggling. For those that don't, step out on faith for six months and see if God won't bless your obedience. Tithe is what you have to pay, offering is what you give over that. If you don't tithe, you can't give offering: its like you not paying your cable bill for June, but sending in a payment to go towards your July bill.  

 

We have all battled this principle in the Bible at one point. No judgement, and no condemnation. Just encouragement to step out and trust Him. God has continued to show up and show out in our lives. Tithing for us is a lifestyle- - -come hell or high water- - -and trust me, test will come IMMEDIATELY- - -but keep tithing!! Its just a dime when you really think about it!!!!  Pay God first, so He protects you first. Take it off the top, or risk being on the bottom.