“‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” Malachi 3:10 (NIV)
Our tithe ties the natural to the supernatural. The tithe opens the windows of heaven and allows the blessings to pour down on you! The tithe brings God’s power to change the natural things. And our tithe allows God to rebuke the devourer in our lives. Wow, those are some huge benefits of tithing.
To tithe means to give 10%. It is significant that God commands us to give a percentage, not an amount. Everyone can participate! And thus, everyone can receive this blessing that God promises to those who tithe!
Interestingly, 25-30 years ago, 18% of the church tithed. That seems low, but compare it to today’s 4%. What’s behind this drastic decrease? Jesus said there is a direct correlation between our treasure and our heart. In fact, here are His words; “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21 ESV). Jesus also warned that the love of most will grow cold (Matthew 24:12), that the church will lose its first love (Revelation 2:4) and He asked a piercing question about finding faith on earth when He returns (Luke 18:8). The decrease reveals the loss of love in the church. Whatever the reason is, whether out of greed, fear, doubt, disbelief, or lack of faith, so much of the church has given God a mere token of what is due Him.
From the beginning, the tithe has been part of God’s “legal” system. He told Adam that he could have any and every tree of the garden, except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was when Adam disobeyed this mandate that God’s system allowed death and loss. God had intended to bless Adam and all he had to do was give Him this one tree! God wants to bless us, but His system requires our giving Him 10%. Our tithe causes God to rebuke the devourer and releases His blessing in our lives!
Money is the thread that flows through our entire material existence. In this world we cannot exist without money. Money puts clothes on our back, food on our table, and a shelter over our head. If we let God touch our money through our tithe, He will open the heavens (Malachi 3:10)! The devil is afraid of the windows of heaven being open so he has worked hard to get the church to stop tithing. He knows that blessings and our tithing are related!
Please note, just like seeds that are planted, so are tithes that are sown. It usually takes time between the sowing and the reaping. But not always! I have heard of instant breakthrough when tithing is initiated! But the bottom line is, know that you are obeying and God will bless you tremendously when the time is right!
So, lay yourself, your treasures and all that you have before the Lord. Recommit everything to Him and if you are not tithing do whatever it takes to get there. Start by repenting, confessing it for what it is and turning to make it right. God said, “Test Me!” It is the only time in the scripture that God invites us to test Him! So as you begin to tithe, feel free to remind Him of His promise! Thank Him for His promised blessing, for the floodgates of heaven that are going to be poured out on you.
Btw, for a great teaching on tithing and more, check out Robin Bullock on Elijah Streams at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-UtDb79v4s. Bless you!
