SEPTEMBER  19

TITHING IS GOD COMING AFTER YOUR POVERTY

MALACHI 3:10-12


“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and 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.” (Mal. 3:10)

I recently read a testimony of a man named Oswald J. Smith who pastored a church in Toronto, Canada, during the Great Depression. As you can imagine, there were many, many people who were destitute during that time who would come to the church for assistance. That’s where people should be able to go – to church. Through the tithes and gifts of believers, the church should be able to provide for the needs of people. That’s exactly how the early church did things. Pastor Smith was responsible for sowing hundreds of dollars into the lives of needy people who had nowhere else to turn except to God. During that time, he observed something very interesting. He asked each person or family he helped a question: “Are you tithing?” The response every single time was no. Not one person had been faithful to tithe. It was confirmation to him that if God’s people would be faithful to tithe, He would be faithful to supply their needs.

Tithing isn’t God coming after your money; it’s God coming after your poverty. The Lord can’t supply a harvest to you unless you plant the seed. If you don’t sow anything, He has nothing to increase. If you’d like to see abundance in your life, do it God’s way. Tithe, and give offerings above your tithe. Poverty can’t stay when God is being glorified by your giving! (BN)