Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

29 September 2024

Reading From Malachi 1-4

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of 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.”

–Malachi 3:6-12

     I have always been amazed at how the Lord blesses His children and how when they give back to the House of the Lord and share those blessings with others, the Lord God blesses us with even more.  Notice here in Malachi that the goal of tithes and offerings is not to make those ministering wealthy to where they hoard money and possessions for themselves.  Yahweh tells us that the reason He wants us to give is so that there would always be provision in His House. 

     I believe, along with the Apostle Paul, that a worker is worth his wages.  He wrote to Timothy in his first letter to him in 5:17-18, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”  We should take good care of those who are called to devote their lives to the work of the Lord among His people, but there is a difference between that providing for our families (as we are instructed to do in I Timothy 5:8) and enriching people until they have hoarded wealth while others starve. 

     Jesus encouraged us in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  If the Lord is blessing us materially, we are to wisely steward those resources in order to not only bless our families but also to share that abundance with others.  I doing so our wealth will not rot like spoiled manna and our imperishable treasure will be laid up for us in Heaven with Christ in God. 

     As we are faithful to give of our money, time, energy and resources, this is the only thing in Scripture that God actually tells us to test Him in.  If we give generously, our local churches and ministries will have more than what is needed to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission to share the love and message of Jesus in practical and compassionate ways. 

     Does all ministry require money?  No.  But there are times when, as the Apostle James wrote, “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”  We must show our faith and love are genuine by putting our money where our mouths are.

“Lord Jesus, I pray that as You bless Your sons and daughters spiritually, materially, and in every way, may we share the abundance of Your lovingkindness with everyone around us.  Shine Your brilliant light through us, O Lord, that the darkness of our cold and cruel world be dispelled.  Help us to trust in You for Your provision and make us trustworthy stewards of the resources You entrust with us.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.”

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.

–Luke 6:38