“You are cursed with a curse, your whole nation, for you are robbing Me.”

— Malachi 3:9

Some people avoid church because they think it’s all about money. But it is really more about the concept of stewardship. The first principle of stewardship is very simply stated by the psalmist: “The earth belongs to the Lord, and its fullness, the world, and those who dwell in it” (Psalm 24:1). It all belongs to God. He created it, and He allows us to use it. We are mere stewards of these resources. He blesses us with good seasons and rain and all of the things that are needful. However, He does say one thing: we are to return a tenth of that to Him, just as a test of our faith and obedience to Him.

This brings us to the second principle of stewardship, namely, that the tithe belongs to the Lord. It is His, He claims it, and therefore if we do not return it, we are, He says, robbing Him. “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:8).

It is not ours. One writer says, “When we keep it, it is simply an act of theft. We may have put it in our bank account…we may have a new car that we have driven in to church, we may be watching football games on a new TV, but it is not ours.” At minimum, give to the Lord ten percent of what you have, and watch how He blesses you for it.

Dear God, give us the strength today to set aside that which is Yours. Forgive us for any stinginess on our part. Please, make us generous, as You are generous…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN
GIVE FREELY AND GENEROUSLY.