The Blessed Life預覽

CARING FOR GOD'S BRIDE

Today, I want to give you an illustration that I hope will give you a fresh perspective on what tithing means to God and His kingdom.

Let’s say I have to go on an extended journey, and I choose three men for a special responsibility. I say to those three men, "I’m going to send you each $10,000 every month. You may keep $9,000 of the money and spend it as you please. But I want you to give $1,000 each month to my wife to meet her needs."

As promised, I send each of these men $10,000 monthly. After a few months, I call my wife and ask her if she’s receiving the support I arranged. She replies, "Well, the first one is sending $1,000 each month, just as you instructed him. The second one is actually sending $2,000 a month. I don’t know why, but he is. But the third one sent $800 the first month, $300 the second month, and nothing the third month."

Now, as a husband who loves his wife with all his heart, what do you think I’m going to do? I am the one providing the money to these men. I’ve told them they can keep $9,000 for themselves. All I wanted them to do was give a mere 10 percent so that there could be food in my house.

Well, with the first man who was being faithful to follow my instructions, I am going to continue sending him $10,000. But for the third man—the one who wasn’t satisfied with the 90 percent I graciously gave him—I am going to quit sending him $10,000 a month and send it to the most generous man instead. Why? Because I can trust the second man. He has demonstrated that he cares about what I care about. He is a good steward.

What the third man was doing was the same as stealing from me. Remember Malachi 3:8, which says, "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings."

Now let me bring this illustration home. Jesus has gone away for a season of time. He has said to each of us, "I want you to take care of My Bride (the Church) while I am away by giving 10 percent to My house. You can spend the remaining 90 percent as you desire."

Those who obey will be blessed. Those who go above and beyond will be blessed even more. But for those who refuse to do even the minimum, He’s going to take what they have and give it to someone who will be a good steward with it.

The rewards of good stewardship are great, and God doesn’t change. Tithing remains an extraordinary opportunity for blessing and abundance for those with the faith to trust Him. It is also the foundation upon which all the other principles I’m about to share with you are built. The blessed life awaits you. However, it begins with a heart commitment to honor, obey, and bless the Lord with your tithe.

PRAYER
God, thank You for Your love for the Church. Help me to be a good steward of the money You’ve put in my possession. Thank You that through the tithe Your kingdom can advance and I can be blessed. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

MEMORY VERSE
"'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.'" MATTHEW 25:29