By Pastor
Boniface Amani Gichina (Read More Powerful Biblical Articles in this other
blog: http://yourlivingbread.blogspot.com/)
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,
that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD
of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a
blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke
the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your
ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field,
saith the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 3:10 -11)
This is God Himself speaking and He is saying,
"Prove Me in this now." This is the only time in the Word where God
instructs us to prove Him, and it is the one area where most people have
withdrawn from proving God.
Tithing was instituted under the Old Covenant as a way
for God to communicate His blessing to His people. The word tithe means
"tenth or ten percent."
Proverbs 3:9 says;
"Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with
the first fruits of all thine increase."
Tithes are to be given from the first fruits, which
mean they are a priority. A person who does not tithe is robbing God and is
operating under a curse (Malachi 3:8 – 9).
The first fruits of our income
belong to God; it is not ours to use to pay bills no matter the urgency of the
bills.
Tithing is different from offerings. The tithe is your
ten percent that God commands us to give. Gifts and offerings are above and
beyond it. Some people want to give "as the Lord leads them" instead
of tithing as commanded. But the Spirit would never lead you against God’s
Word. The Word commands you to tithe.
Tithing is not only an Old Covenant command, but also
a New Testament blessing and privilege. Hebrews 7:8 says, " And
here men that die receive tithes; but there He receiveth them, of whom it is
witnessed that he liveth."
In the Old Covenant, God's people would place their
tithe—the first fruits of their increase—in a basket, present it to the high
priest, and say to him, "I profess this day unto the LORD thy God,
that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to
give us” (Deuteronomy 26:2 -3). They spoke their redemption while
giving their tithes.
Colossians 1:13, tells us that we have been delivered
from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of his dear Son. Therefore
as believers, we are living in the kingdom of God. We have entered into our inheritance
in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the High Priest of the New Covenant. When we take our
tithes to Him and speak our redemption, He receives them and then
presents them to the Father.
When we stand on our covenant with God and exercise
our rights as tithers, we lay a foundation for success and abundance. Satan has
no chance against us. Tithing rebukes the devourer! When we resist Satan
in the Name of Jesus, God's rebuke is in action against the devourer.
Where you place your tithe depends on where you are
receiving your spiritual food. God says to bring the tithes into the storehouse.
That is where the food is; where a pastor, an evangelist, an apostle or some
other ministry is in operation. When you give, you are not giving to an
individual, but to the kingdom of God.
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