Friday, April 11, 2008
WILL A MAN ROB GOD????? MAL 3:8-11
8:Will a man rob or defraud God? Yet you rob and defraud Me. But you say, In what way do we rob or defraud You? [You have withheld your] tithes and offerings. 9:You are cursed with the curse, for you are robbing Me, even this whole nation. 10:Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11:And I will rebuke the devourer [insects and plagues] for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts. The "storehouse" was a place in the Temple for storing grain and other food given as tithes. The priest lived off these gifts. We also need to give from the plenty that God has given us in order to support those who serve God by ministering to the spiritual needs of others. Malachi urged the people to stop holding back their tithes, to stop cheating God. The tithing system began during the time of Moses(Lev. 27:30-34; Deut. 14:22). The Levites received some of the tithe because they could not possess land of their own (Num18:20,21). During Malachi's day, the people were not giving tithes, so the Levites went to work to earn a living, thereby neglecting their God-given responsibilities to care for the Temple and for the service of worship. Everything we have is from God; so when we refuse to return to him a part of what he has given, we rob him. Do you selfishly want to keep 100 percent of what God gives, or are you willing to return at least 10 percent to help advance God's Kingdom? DON'T ROB GOD OF WHAT IS DUE HIM!!!!!! With Jesus Love,Elder Monica L. BrownMBM:Sexual Healing Christian Crusadewww.monicabrownministries.comwww.overtherainbowconference.org
9:You are cursed with the curse, for you are robbing Me, even this whole nation.
10:Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11:And I will rebuke the devourer [insects and plagues] for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts.
The "storehouse" was a place in the Temple for storing grain and other food given as tithes. The priest lived off these gifts. We also need to give from the plenty that God has given us in order to support those who serve God by ministering to the spiritual needs of others.
Malachi urged the people to stop holding back their tithes, to stop cheating God. The tithing system began during the time of Moses(Lev. 27:30-34; Deut. 14:22). The Levites received some of the tithe because they could not possess land of their own (Num18:20,21). During Malachi's day, the people were not giving tithes, so the Levites went to work to earn a living, thereby neglecting their God-given responsibilities to care for the Temple and for the service of worship. Everything we have is from God; so when we refuse to return to him a part of what he has given, we rob him. Do you selfishly want to keep 100 percent of what God gives, or are you willing to return at least 10 percent to help advance God's Kingdom?
DON'T ROB GOD OF WHAT IS DUE HIM!!!!!!