PROTECTED PROSPERITY

When it comes to our Christian walk, it's all or nothing.  And this includes our money.  

I seldom speak of finances for fear of offending someone who would think that we're after their money. This has become all the more significant to me in light of the media pressure on our finances. It's not wrong to support other ministries. It's not wrong to give to charity for that matter. The Bible, in fact, commands us to do so. What is sinful is not taking care of your family, physical or spiritual, when there is a need. This is a biblical responsibility as stated by Paul to his spiritual son timothy in 1 Tim. 5:8, "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

You see, giving to God is not about money.  It's never been about money.  It's about faith.  And our faith is our source of life.  The Bible tells us that "the just shall live by faith."   It's about telling God, I'm going to trust you with everything I have. God establishes tithing as our way of ultimately exercising our faith by promising that if we take care of "his house," he promises to take care of our own, much more so than we can ever imagine. This is why He gives us such a wonderful promise in Malachi 3:10 for our obedience in our tithes and offerings, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," 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."

Conversely, when we don't take care of his house, we rob God. This is how HE puts it:

Malachi 3:8-12               

8. "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'  "In tithes and offerings.  9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me.  10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," 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.  11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.  12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.

You see, it's not God's purpose only to bless us in our giving, but to make us an example to unbelievers of God protected prosperity.

Luv ya,

Pastor Mario