OPENING THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN

"Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house and prove me now in this, Saith the Lord." (Malachi 3:10).

Would you like the windows of heaven open to you? To have the flood-gates of glory and the blessings of God flowing to you? That’s what God provided His covenant people, Israel, if they would get right in their giving. God reminded His people through Malachi that the kind of consecration that does not reach the purse, does not reach the heart. You cannot be right with God unless you are right with Him in your finances!

When we fail to give as we ought we are robbers! We rob God! We rob the local church! We rob missions! We rob ministry! We rob ourselves of blessings! God reminded Israel that when they released their finances to Him, certain things would be in place.

1. First, there would be a definite proportion. A tenth was to be consecrated to God. The remaining nine/tenths was to be used as a good steward of God. Concerning the tithe, consider this: Abraham commenced it, Jacob continued it, Jesus commended it — so who am I to cancel it? I can just hear some Christian say, "But, that was under the law!" Abraham and Jacob practiced it before the law! Here’s a question to consider — Does being under grace mean that we will do less than those under law? Any Christian who would let a Jew do more under law than he will do under grace is a disgrace to grace. After all, Jesus never revised the law downward!

2. Second, there is a designated place. "Bring the tithes into my storehouse." The Old Testament temple had a storehouse. The New Testament church is the temple of God (I Corinthians 3 and 6). Paul said "let every one of you lay by him in store as God prospers him" (I Corinthians 16:2). Here’s what we have — God’s people bringing to God’s temple on God’s day, God’s portion, that God’s work be done in God’s way.

3. Third, there is a determined purpose. "That there be meat (food) in my house." This simply means there will be plenty to accomplish God’s work. If every Christian in all our local churches would just do what God says, the work would prosper and the teeming millions could be reached for Christ. Somewhere I found this, "If all the church members in an average church were on welfare and they tithed, the income of the average congregation would more than double." Wow! Can you believe it?

God challenged His people, and He continues to challenge us! Put me to the test! Prove me! You’ll be able with God as your partner, to do more with 9/10 than you’ll ever be able to do by yourself with 100%.

Clarence DeLoach