The Floodgates Of Heaven
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 3:10
God requires us to tithe. My husband and I love to tithe. Each time money comes into our bank account, we rejoice because we get to give back to God the tenth He commands.
The Believer’s tithe unlocks the floodgates of heaven and the Lord says: “prove me now herewith 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.” Some translations render the “windows of heaven” as the “floodgates of heaven.”
There is a strong connection between a flood and this blessing. Water is a powerful force. During the tsunami in Japan, we saw the power of water. Nothing could stand in the power of the floods. It overtook everything in its path. Where Malachi says “open you the windows of heaven,” we should picture ourselves standing under these open windows of heaven, as blessings rain down on us. When the floodgates of heaven open, nothing can stand against the deluge of God’s favour.
The tithe is the first portion and literally means “tenth.” Tithing is a form of obedience to “SEEK FIRST the Kingdom of God…” (Mathew 6:33, emphasis mine). SEEK is key and FIRST is key. Seek to bless Him before you seek anything else and seek to bless Him with the same level of enthusiasm that He seeks bless you.
So, there is really no reason for you and I to be without financial resources, even in times that are lean, because we operate in a different Kingdom – the Kingdom of Heaven. Aren’t you glad? I am thrilled.
We are always blessed, but when we tithe, the blessing will come pouring into our lives. We need only set our expectations that “we won’t have room to contain it.” This is awesome, isn’t it? It’s a truth that you and I should have deep in our hearts. God’s blessing will lift us up above our circumstances. In other words, the flood of blessings submerges the circumstances and we are lifted to float on top. And it’s not limited to financial blessings.
To be under God’s blessing is the opposite of being under the curse. Once we are born again, we don’t have to be under any of the curses. Why? Because the scripture says that Jesus bore the curse for us.
Will you choose to seek first the Kingdom of God with your tithe? Now that’s the choice driven life.
Today’s Bible Reading:
Hosea 7-10; Matt 18;
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Tithing is such a big topic, it’s probably hard to sink it into one article…. but what I love about God’s Word is that He’s such a good Father. He loves to provide for us, and He loves to bless us. There are principles set up in the universe that move us toward blessing and away from the curses. Deuteronomy is one of my favorite books, because of those blessings! I love to read how God has established His Kingdom to be lived right here on earth!
The part about giving 10% of money, though, is sometimes a stumbling block to me, because so many people don’t have money to give, especially among the homeless or people who are imprisoned or people in 3rd world countries.
I think of the Lakota at Pine Ridge whose average annual household income (multiple families) is $3000/year. I think of families like that, who have been taught to give 10% and do give much more than that, actually, but still they suffer lack.
The giving principle absolutely works, I’m in total agreement on that. But sometimes God, I’ve discovered, God wants to guide us each individually. Like the young man who Jesus said, “You’ve been obeying all of the commandments, yes, but there’s one thing you lack: Go and sell everything you own and give it to the poor.”
The Lakota, who already have so little taught me the principle of the “give away” – how when they really want to consecrate themselves, when they really want to make sure “the world” and it’s material hold on we humans is eradicated from their lives, they give away their possessions, sometimes they give away every single thing inside their homes! And they are blessed.
One thing I’ve learned, in this past year of being homeless, is that I still have much to give, even if I don’t have very much of an income…. is that my Father still loves to bless me. But I’ve learned that He asks me to be grateful for what I have, even if it’s a little blessing.
The Apostle Paul is someone I look to, as well… and there were times when he went hungry and times when he was cold… times when he was beaten and left for dead. Yet he was faithful in finances.
Sometimes I use my imagination to ponder these things… and I wonder what it would look like if many Christians, this weekend, would give away everything they owned, empty their bank accounts, and everything and gave it to the poor. And then simply followed Jesus, in trust for their daily needs. I know God doesn’t call everyone to do that… but the Lakota seem to have it figured out, that when you begin to feel a hold on your heart by mammon, or a love for money, or worldly concerns, then is the time to make a radical donation to the poor!
What do you believe about the poorest of the poor and the 10% tithing principle? What if a person is unable to earn income?
Susan McKenzie recently posted..Escape to Freedom: Beware of the Marriage Trap
Oops, I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize the above comment was so long!
Susan McKenzie recently posted..Escape to Freedom: Beware of the Marriage Trap
That’s ok Susan!! Your comments are always very much appreciated!!
Olga, thanks for bringing up the tithe and making a choice to give it! We are blessed when we give to the poor, for it says that all throughout scripture. I have been doing my own research on tithing lately and have found some very interesting things. For one thing, did you know that in the book of Malachi, he is talking to priests… not the people? Yet, we are told over and over again, as the body of Christ, that those verses pertain to us. However, it was the priests that were robbing God. Not the people. Interesting! There is also SO much in the scriptures about giving to the poor. God is showing me more and more… especially about stuff that has seemed to me to be foundational “Christian” ways of doing things. Besides the tithe, He’s shown me more about the Sabbath and even about Yeshua’s real name! (fascinating article: http://jesusisajew.org/YESHUA.php)
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Tithing is right and good and the will of God for our lives.
The New Testament call though isn’t a tithe, but rather based on Jesus’ teaching of the Widow’s Mite, that ALL we have belongs to God and we are to subject ALL that we have to being given to Him.
Matthew Reed recently posted..Announcing: The Matthew Reed Coaching Podcast
Thank you for this article on tithing Olga. I would just like to encourage anyone who has read the above article, that tithing really does work. Recently, while talking to a friend about a Christian holiday that I was about to go on, a place where I was going to spent five days in the presence of God and his people! My friend was really desperate to come on this Christian break, I knew that she really wants to meet with God, so I said that I would pay for her. My other friend who’d already booked the holiday for me and had made payment for me on my behalf, then told me that he had sold something which generated more money than expected, so he was going to pay for me! So, in other words, when I stepped out in faith, the money that I paid out, was then given back to me, God is faithful!
I believe that when we step out in faith, God would meet her needs, as the above example shows, we worship a very faithful God!
So today, why not step out in faith and be expectant and see what God can do in your life!
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