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“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open up for you a blessing until it overflows.’” – Malachi 3:10 (New American Standard)
“Tithe” literally means one‑tenth. It’s more or less a mathematical term. When the Bible talks about tithes, it means that followers of Jesus are called to trust with their finances by faithfully returning “the whole tithe” (10 percent of their income) to “the storehouse” (the Church). So if you get $10, you tithe $1. If you get $100, you tithe $10. And so on…And in that step of faith, through the tithe, God promises blessing.
If God is first in our lives, then He should be first in everything and that includes our finances. You may be thinking that everything is more expensive these days, money is tight and tithing is something I just can’t do at this time. We can’t always see how God will provide for us. When your account balance is barely in the black, it’s easy to question if God will really provide. But our circumstances do not change God’s faithfulness or His promises. We can trust Him even when it doesn’t seem to make sense.
Tithing is not just a command, it is a gift within an instruction. God promises that when we tithe, He will not only provide for us but will also bless us immensely. God doesn’t want to take from us; He wants to bless us. Deuteronomy 15:10 says when we give generously, God blesses us in everything we do. And in Malachi 3:10, God Himself tells us to put tithing to the test and see if He won’t pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
Consider this: You will never be able to afford to tithe until you tithe. We may not be able to afford to give everything we want, but we can always afford to give. Tithing doesn’t freeze your finances; it frees your finances.
Opportunities for charity are everywhere, and there are plenty of credible places to give. In fact, you might think Northstar is just another one of them. To us, one thing is different. Our giving isn’t about charity, it’s about worship. God instructs us, through the Bible, to give regularly, generously, and sacrificially out of all that He gives us—all as part of our worship of Him. Giving is an expression of gratitude, obedience, and reverence: worship. We need to give it to the Savior who died for us cheerfully.
As we partner with God in ministry and trust Him for our provision, we experience His presence and faithfulness in ways we didn’t before. And that experience of God’s presence brings the biggest blessing of all — the deep and lasting peace of knowing we can trust God with everything.
Discussion Questions
- It has been said that our checkbooks reveal our values and priorities. Do you think that is true? Why or why not?
- How is setting aside the tithe a good place to place to start when seeking to honor God with our money?
- What is the first thing you usually do on payday? Has that always been the first thing? How has your response to getting paid for work changed over the years? Why is that response an accurate measure of our priorities in life?