I remember December 31, 1996 because it was the first time I read Malachi 3. It had a challenge that awakened something that was scary & exciting all in one.
Malachi writes about the coming judgement of God at the end of times. He casts vision of what’s to come while wielding the vision like a cattle prod for change.
As he describes a coming time when we will all stand trial before God, the Lord reminds the hearers of this:
“I am the Lord & I do not change.. Now return to me & I will return to you.”
He says “return” because the people wandered by cheating God of tithes & offerings.
God is so tender & patient with us. He reminds us of His unchanging, faithful nature & of the blessings that flow when we return to His will & His ways!
Then he lays out a command & a challenge:
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse… If you do I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing SO GREAT you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! “
Wowza, right?
At the time I 1st read this, we’d just made the decision for me to be a stay at home mama. Money was tight, but the conviction felt tighter!
The Lord had pulled both of us from a life of worthless pursuit & created a unified family out of what had the potential to be a big, fat mess!
We knew the much we’d been given & both agreed that we wanted to ”Try it & put Him to the test”
The first month we took 5% of our earnings & offered it to our local church &, lo & behold, the Lord provided! We kept inching up the % each month & the Lord continued to provide!
When we take His Word at face value & follow Him with reckless pursuit, His faithfulness always proves true!
This is the last day of 2021! Of all the income you earned, did you remember that it wasn’t you, but the Lord who provided the ability, skills & talent TO earn it?
Whether it’s your local church, a non profit that shares your core values, or maybe some faces come to mind who need help, where can you test & try the Lord with giving a portion of what He provided?
If He’s Lord, it’s all His anyway! If it’s His will, it’s His bill!
Try it! Put Him to the test & see how you can take Him at His word!
💡MALACHI 3:1-4:6💡REVELATION 22:1-21💡PSALM 150:1-6💡PROVERBS 31:25-31
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