“An Exhortation To Give”

 Malachi 3:8-12

God is a giver; He is by far, the most generous of all.

God wants us to give.  We know this, because the Bible has a lot to say about  giving and stewardship.

Both the New Testament and Old Testament are very clear, that giving/tithing is part of God’s plan for His people.

By the time of the prophet Malachi, the people of Israel had become disobedient  and so many were no longer tithing, with the end result being that they were suffering from their sin.

Malachi 3:8-12

A curse had come upon the people because they were disobedient.  The word/phrase ‘rob’ God, is used four times in verses 8 and 9.

The prophet clearly told the people that the way to God’s blessings, was to be found in their obedience of tithing.

Malachi 3:10b

Notice that it’s the Lord Himself Who is exhorting His people to practice tithing/giving; and there are several reasons as to why.

Christians are exhorted to tithe/give as a recognition of God’s ownership.  Everything belongs to God, not just 10%... He owns it all and we're to be good managers/stewards of all that He entrusts to us.

Giving/generosity help us to resist materialism, greed and selfishness.
Giving can help us to be less self-centered and to not hold tightly to the things of this world.

“I’ve held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I’ve placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.”

Matthew 6:19-21

“He is no fool, who gives-up what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Blessings are oftentimes dependent upon our obedience.

Scripture clearly teaches here, that God requires our obedience in bringing our tithes and offerings into His storehouse (“Treasury”).

Be faithful to give a portion of everything you make back to His work, as obedience leads to blessing.

God exhorted His people to give tithes and offerings to Him as a means of perspective and obedience, resulting in receiving His blessings - specifically stating that He would “open the windows of heaven” and pour out His blessings.

Christians shouldn't give only because they're looking for material blessings.

Yet you can’t see the promise of Malachi 3:10 come to fruition, without obedience to giving.  But God’s blessings exceed material blessings.

Malachi 3:12

Perhaps we've failed to realize that our obedience to give is a testimony to others of our good God, as God’s blessings aren’t just for our use.  But as people see our blessings (as Scripture says), they'll call us blessed as we become beneficiaries of God’s goodness, provisions and faithfulness.

May God help us to not rob Him or ourselves (of His blessings), or even the Church/Kingdom of its full potential!

Giving teaches us Christian discipline.

Many Christians develop in this particular discipline as they mature in Christ.  But some of us have been taught from an early age to give a pertcentage of what we've earned.

Giving doesn’t just happen when we feel like it, it's the result of discipleship and discipline; and then the ‘habit’ of giving becomes automatic each week, or whenever we receive pay.

Another challenge that can evolve over time, is that our giving can become habitual, and not devotional.

Where are you in the discipleship and discipline of giving to God?

Don’t give God your leftovers but rather, give Him your ‘first fruits’ - the best of what you have, at the outset.

“I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made, if I hadn't tithed my first salary, which was $1.50/wk.”

As giving is practiced regularly, one finds God’s promises to be true.

“The only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends, is the money I've given to the Lord.”

Ultimately, this isn’t about discipline or return but rather, it's a matter of the heart.

The attitude of many people today can be that giving to God or living for God are sometimes thought of as, ‘paying our dues’ or ‘fulfilling an obligation.’

What should our attitude toward giving be; and what's the proper motive for giving, or what’s the right kind of thinking about giving?… Perhaps the greatest point we need to understand is that giving is an act of worship.

It should be an expression of gratitude to a faithful God for all of His goodness toward us; and so giving isn’t just our response to need in the church/kingdom, but it's to be a response of gratitude toward God.

The final and best reason that we should give, is because it brings glory to God.  When Christians give, God is glorified as we bear witness to the world of the life-changing power of the Gospel - as we give to the church, missions and Kingdom endeavors, making it possible for the Gospel to be shared with as many individuals, nations or people groups.

We make a difference when people see the reality of God in our lives, as they witness His power at work when we’re generous with our time, talents and treasures.

It all begins with a conscious act on our part to be obedient to God by recognizing His ownership, and then responding by giving Him our time, talents and treasures.

We’re to trust that God will fulfill His part, if we obediently fulfill ours.

Proverbs 3:9+10 - “Honor the Lord with your wealth, and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”