Are You a Thief?

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?” (Malachi 3:8)

How have some robbed God? By holding back “tithes and offerings” He says. “Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation” (3:9). That statement is at true today as it was in Malachi’s day. While most of America gives little or nothing to the Lord, amazingly many so-called Christians don’t either. Yep, they might drop a buck or two into the plate on Sunday, but they still rob God by not giving Him full honor with their income.

Tithing is an act of faith demonstrated by Abraham, not a work of the law by Moses. Tithing means giving 10% of our increase (wages, bonuses, SSI, etc.). Although some churches follow a different financial system, tithing was established to support the ministry.

Offerings maintain the church campus and provide missionary and evangelistic funding. Biblically an offering is 5% or 10% more after we tithe. Offerings show our love for God. We give this to God through the local church.

God said, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house” (3:10). This means our tithes and offerings should go to the local church, not to some TV or radio ministry. For there to be “meat in the house,” somebody has got to pay for the groceries.

Remember, we don’t give so that we can have some “say” in how the church is run. Tithing doesn’t mean you’ve rented out the preacher so that he has to come running when you need your lawn mowed or when you lock your keys in the car.

Does God challenge us to give 15-20% of our income so that we will go broke and not be able to keep up with our obligations? Not at all. By giving to God, we remove the curse from our income and see how a little bit goes a lot further than before. To those who give both tithe and offerings, He promises: “prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, 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” (3:10). Give and it shall be given unto you.

Prove Him this week.