Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sunday, March 26, 2017

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“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, Even this whole nation. 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.” (Malachi 3:8–10).

God wants your all or nothing at all! Are you ready to give it?

Our theme text highlights the principle of returning a faithful tithe of all our financial increase to God and a cheerful offering. Historically, as is the case even today, the people of God have been stingy with the wealth God has given us the power to gain. That is, when many of us have acquired one dollar, we have squandered or redirected all of it according to our own thoughts, rather than returning ten cents as a tithe and giving another sum as the Lord has blessed us. The issue here is that this robbery as the inspired text says brings down the curses of God to those proud enough to do it. Conversely, the Lord has promised manifold blessings to those who delight to surrender a faithful tithe and offering to our King. This overarching principle is outlined in Deuteronomy 28. Don’t get sleepy on me. Pay attention.

Do you realize that the concept of faithful stewardship is so much bigger and so much more glorious than simply ticking an item on our to-do list - “return God’s tithe and give a cheerful offering”? Think of the great things God has done for you. Could it be that the One who lavished His all upon your life in giving Jesus as a sacrifice for your sins, requires an even greater response than the tithe and offering pittance, which is the least we can do to show our allegiance? Notice what the Bible says: “Gather my saints together unto me; Those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: For God is judge himself. Selah. Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices Or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, And the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: And the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God thanksgiving; And pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” (Psalm 50:5–15). You see, whatever God has required, in whatever dispensation or time has only been a microcosm of His real expectation. When He used to expect animal sacrifices, it was a microcosm of surrendering the entire self as an offering of service to Him (Romans 12:1). As He requires a tithe and freewill offering of our financial increase, it is a microcosm of surrendering our entire self to God. He said: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5). God is not interested in simply having us break off a little money, time, energy, spiritual gifts, etc. and then squander all that is left. No! The One who gave all for us in the person and work of Jesus Christ, desires all we have and all we are for His service. Those who have surrendered all to Him then, through the power of the Holy Spirit, follow His guidelines of giving, have that giving validated in heaven.

To say this all simply, God has always required full heart submission as a...