Ten Percent

Ten Percent

March 29, 2011

^{10  “}Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

Malachi 3:10 NIV

The following quotes are from www.quotegarden.com

God's promises are like the stars; the darker the night the brighter they shine.  ~David Nicholas

Are you wrinkled with burden?  Come to God for a faith lift.  ~Author Unknown

In this blog, please understand I’m not asking for any advice. I wanted to write about this issue, since it’s been on my mind. This is a matter between God and me. And, I have to work it out and pray for guidance from God to achieve the trust I need to follow this commandment from Him. For several days, Charles Stanley has been talking about finances in relation to the Lord in his magazine In Touch. This has always been a matter in which I’ve never done well in my faith. One of my Christian friends told me that she thinks I have financial problems because I don’t tithe. When I think about it, as I’ve grown in my faith, I know she could be right. The fact that I only have to take 10% from my SSDI or paycheck will not leave me totally out of money. I think I waste more money than this on things I don’t need, like junk food, so why can’t I take out 10%. It’s all a matter of trusting God and being willing to do as He asks so that He will return blessings in exchange for trust and obedience. Ok, that’s great when I’m earning money, but right now I’m unemployed, so no money is coming in. And yes, I have the standard qualm about, well, how am I going to pay the bills? Needless to say, I’ve lived pretty much below the poverty line much of my life – yes, the old paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle. So, tonight I sold something for $5.00. Well, 10% is only fifty cents. Wouldn’t now be a good time to start tithing? In the coming days I will spend more time in prayer about tithing, asking God to help me trust Him more. Maybe the Lord put this issue on my mind because He wants me to move beyond it.

One thing I just realized in the above Bible quote (and I've read this over many times) - God isn't even asking for immediate trust - He says to "...test Him." It's like the Lord is saying, "Ok, if you don't think I'm good for my word; do what I ask and I'll prove it to you." WOW! That's some awesome God.

 Michelle Rose