Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:10-12 ESV)
I did a last minute change up on this one. While I liked other verses from the chapter more, I realized that this was the section that I most needed to hear and needed to apply to my life and that's probably why I didn't like it as much. This passage stared me down and ask, "are you putting your trust in God?" And man was I eager to move past it and reflect on another verse and decide that was good enough, but I couldn't help but feel most convicted by this one and that I needed to take it's message to heart.
It's easy to look over a lot of this and say "Oh they weren't giving their best to God. Shame on them. Ok I understand this book. What's next?" But there is so much more happening here than just that. There are deeper issues that need to be uncovered and that's what God is getting at in this passage. He is calling out the trust issue that is present when we are unwilling to sacrifice beyond what is easy. It is much easier to give from our excess when it is convenient, but he calls us to make it a sacrifice for our church so that we have to put our trust in him rather than security of money (this does not mean to be irresponsible with money and not save, but to give generously and put your trust in him). He will provide. Put your trust in him, and he will show you.
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts.
ReplyDelete(Malachi 3:10-12 ESV)
I am blown away by this promise. God promises that if we tithe, he will take care of us! Money will not be an issue if we give it up. God is good! I think that for me it is time to test this theory!
But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.
ReplyDeleteMalachi 3:2-4
I think it is good every now and then to remember this fact. As a refiner purifies silver, so God will purify his people. What does that mean? Remember Matthew 7:21: Not everyone who cries "Lord, Lord" will enter my kingdom. There were many amongst the Israelites, and many among us Christians who think that they are justified because of that label. But God will filter out those who practice true religion from those who practice in name. We must be watchful of our own hearts and our own actions, and encourage others to live earnestly and truthfully for God.
Any one who is interested in or having trouble with giving, I encourage them to read a copy of the "The Treasure Principle" by Randy Alcorn. It's short, concise, backed with scripture and it will really open your eyes to why we should give and what happens when we do give. Do it!
ReplyDeleteAs for today I have the follow from 1 Corinthians 4:20 (ESV)
[For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.]
This is the second to last verse in Paul's instruction to Corinth about how apostles (not the original 12) should minister and be regarded as such. I think it speaks to what Owen mentioned. We are His children called to practice action not just talk. Of course describing the Gospel is important but hearing of the Kingdom is not enough. The verse prior, Paul describes about finding out not the talk of arrogant people but their power. Therefore let's use action against the enemy and those who claim to follow Christ but only do so in name. Words and actions can be two sides of the same coin we use for His Glory.
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. "Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts."
ReplyDelete- Malachi 4:2-5 -
I like this passage because it shows the glorious, magnificent side of God. He is the refiner and we are his gold and silver. Like a refiner who mends and purifies gold and silver, we are purified by God's mercy and love. And God did this through sacrificing his son, purifying our sin and our darkness with light and everlasting life. Not only that, the passage also shows just side of God (it is almost scary to imagine). He will come for the final judgement where those who believe and follow Christ will be called his children. This is both assuring and disheartening at the same time for me. We know that God will purify us and save us from the eternal damnation. We know what happens to those whom He pushes aside. Then why are we not doing anything to bring those to God? Why are we just sitting comfortably while everyday there are people who are dying without even hearing who Jesus is? That is really convicting to me. I have contemplated on going on a medical mission trip this summer, which I don't think I can do anymore (sad). But I have to wonder, why do I want go on a mission trip? Is it because I want to be seen as that guy who goes on a mission trip during summer because everyone else is going? or is it because that I have the true passion to reach out to those who REALLY need God in their lives and show them our God purifies our soul and delivers us from the shackles of sin? I think everybody should think about it and it's important to know what our motivation is in our daily lives.
The thought of tithing always seem a touchy subject to me. This past Sunday, Nathan, Andrew and I went to a church in San Diego that leaned towards the prosperity gospel. The pastor stood in front of the church and, similar to some of these verses, told the congregation of God's faithfulness to our giving. The problem, however, was that this was as far as the pastor went. He made it seem as if our giving only served the purpose of getting us more money/happiness/success in return.
ReplyDelete"But you say, 'How shall we return? Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me." Malachi 3:7-8
Everything we have is God's, and our act of giving is only us giving God what is rightfully His. We kid ourselves if we think that it is actually our property, or that we deserve to have it multiplied before us. God will always be faithful to us, but we should never let that be our incentive.
6 “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. Malachi 3:6-7
ReplyDeleteWell I'm glad I've yet to be destroyed, and I thank God for that. I say this because unlike many of you I did not grow up in a Christian household. I grew up studying about God at my catholic school, in a country that's 98% catholic, yet the most common view of religion that i perceived is that it's reserved for Sunday, when you have the time or have done something really bad and need to repent. Exceptions include Christmas, weddings, and funerals. So in my case, yes, from the time of my ancestors (parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc, etc) I have turned away from God's decrees and largely ignored them. Now I'm not saying my family is evil, as most of you know I love them beyond anything else and I'm happy that I get to be with them, and they're the most warm, caring, loving group of people that I have met. Most of them never saw me growing up but when I went back the first time, they greeted me and made me feel as if I had grown up with them and was part of their family. But regardless, God does not play an integral part in their everyday lives; much like mine used to be. So what? Well, much like Nathan was saying yesterday about punishments being passed down to the children, I also initially thought it was super unfair and didn't like that idea. But it is true, the actions of your forefathers have a tremendous impact on you, but it doesn't mean you can't have an impact on them as well. My grandfather is 86 or so, he's going to die in the next few years, I know this, and I also know he's probably going to die without ever knowing God for reals. It's a sad thought really, and he won't be the only one. But there is hope. God also says if we return to him, he'll return to us, and that is all I really need. If for some reason in the distant past, I am to go through some struggles in my life, or face generational punishments, and this causes my family to turn to God for help, then I will gladly face that. If it means having God return to them, then it's more than a fair trade, almost unfair in the opposite direction. And honestly, I've seen this at work already in my life, and I hope to continue seeing this, even if it means facing more struggles and suffering; I'm glad to do it.
-Sent from my iPad please excuse any typos.
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
ReplyDelete(Malachi 3:10-12 ESV)
I know that a couple of you have touched on this already, but after re-reading the chapter and really thinking about it, this is something that has been weighing heavily on my heart as of late. I felt as though I was called to come out to San Diego this semester, trust God, and step out of my comfort zone, but I'm still finding that very hard to do. I've always found it so easy to just sit within my own comfortable bubble, keeping the promises of the Lord an afterthought, when in reality I can step out of that bubble, give generously and trust in the Lord, and He will provide a way for me to make it all work. I've found myself in the same boat as Travis with regards to tithing, but it's something that I certainly want to do. I just need to learn to set a budget, trust in the Lord, and make it happen.
You have said, "It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape."
ReplyDeleteMalachi 3:14-15
"It is vain to serve God." I know I've certainly felt this way more than once in my life. I read my Bible, go to church, and tithe, but God has never rewarded me with a new car or college scholarship. Why is it that plenty of rich kids could care less about God? Why do so many ungodly people see so much worldly success? Last I checked, Bill Gates is an agnostic and Steve Jobs died a Buddhist. It doesn't seem fair that people who readily reject God should have more money and an easier lifestyle than I do. Like the many misguided people Alex, Andrew, and I witnessed in the Joel Olsteenish church we visited last Sunday, I often want to see Christianity as an input-output system that allows me to pay some material dues and time and get a whole lot more in return. And it's usually when I focus on this Americanized brand of Christianity that I miss all that God has undeservedly blessed me with: my friends, family, and a relationship with the creator of the universe. When we tithe, when we devote ourselves to prayer, when we do all that we can to draw closer to God, the end result is just that: we strengthen our relationship with Him. This relationship bears fruit in areas vastly more important than anything this world could possibly offer us. It fills us with purpose and strength to carry out His will and live a life more meaningful than we could ever hope to lead on our own. We should not, like the Israelites, worry about our material standing compared to someone else's, but instead bask in God's glory and power. He will satisfy us more than anything we could attain on our own - even a multisemester vacation in San Diego.
"For I, the LORD, do not change,
ReplyDeleteand you, sons of Jacob, do not cease to be." Malachi 3: 6
The Lord does not change because He is the fundamental basis for all existence. He is our creator. The Lord will remain faithful to us and loving to us until the end of time. This brings so much joy to me. God is ever working in everyone's lives. In one way or another, He is present and at work. And if God is at work in everyone, then of course we cannot cease to be. Our souls are not just some part of our brain's system that once we die goes black and that's the end. We are human beings with souls created in God's image.
And while God has tasked us with spreading his love to all of creation, we cannot know where everyone's hearts are at in their paths with God. It's not our job to know where there hearts are at. We are tasked with spreading Christ's love so that those who know him can know Him to a more fuller extent and so those that do not know Him may be overcome with curiosity for this love and in turn grow to meet and know God.
We are human beings and we will never cease to be. We will either live in perfection with God or we will make the choice to separate ourselves from God, but the choice is ours to make.