In The Word
Read: Malachi 3:7-18
7 “From the days of your fathers you have turned away from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of armies. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’
You Have Robbed God
8 “Would anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the entire nation of you! 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and put Me to the test now in this,” says the Lord of armies, “if I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. 11 Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field prove fruitless to you,” says the Lord of armies. 12 “All the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of armies.
13 “Your words have been arrogant against Me,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is pointless to serve God; and what benefit is it for us that we have done what He required, and that we have walked in mourning before the Lord of armies? 15 So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up, but they also put God to the test and escape punishment.’”
The Book of Remembrance
16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened attentively and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and esteem His name. 17 “And they will be Mine,” says the Lord of armies, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will have compassion for them just as a man has compassion for his own son who serves him.” 18 So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
“‘Return to Me and I will return to you,’ says the Lord.” However, many stand in pride against Him and His commands. Many think it is a waste of time to serve and give to Him. Will a man rob God? Many do in tithes and offerings, but this is one area that God says we can test Him in. Test and see how much He will bless you when you give. When we bring the whole tithe into the local church, He promises to pour out blessings upon us until it overflows. Now, the blessings may not be money. It may not be where you give a dollar to Him and He gives you ten back, but He promises blessings. He will be our Avenger, our Protector that rebukes the devourer so that our resources are not destroyed. However, the greatest blessing for those who love and submit to Him and His teachings will be to have their names written in the Book of Remembrance. They will be His: His possession, His people.
Our giving is an indication of our heart. The Lord knows that our money and our hearts are connected. He said that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). The Lord will distinguish between the sheep and the goats, between the ones who love Him and serve Him and the ones who do not. Don’t let pride or money keep you from Him and His blessings. If you have, you can return to Him today. Bring your whole tithe with a heart of love to the local church and test Him in this!