Title
The Tithe Is the Lord’s
Scripture
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.
(Leviticus 27:30)
Devotional
The last thing that seems to come to salvation in the life of the believer is the pocketbook. We will surrender our time, attitudes, goals, and eternity, but the purse is hard to relinquish. The golden rule often seems to be, “He who has the gold rules.” This is, of course, a fallacy of the world.
God says that it all belongs to Him, and we are but stewards. Here is the deal the Lord makes with us: He says, “I will give you all that you possess, but ten percent of it is Mine, and it is holy to Me”. Malachi says that when we keep back that which belongs to God we are robbing Him. He also says that when we are obedient with God’s tithes and offerings, He will keep the devourer away and bless us with multiplied blessings. Therefore, the first fruits of all our increase belong to the Lord. Thus, we have a choice; we can keep it and rob God, or we can give it and be blessed. Furthermore, God says if we do not believe Him, try it anyway, and see if He will not open the windows of heaven and shower blessings upon us.
Text For The Day
Leviticus 27:30: “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.”
Thought For The Day
“My 14-year-old son, Joel Porter, has a job this year. He got his first, official paycheck. Boy, was he thrilled. He came home and showed me his paycheck. Then he marched into the room where Mom was and said, ‘You know, I’ve thought it over and I’m not sure I can afford to tithe.’ He has more money in his hand than he’s ever had before, and what happens? All of a sudden we say, ‘I really need this money for something else.’ Out of the mouth of a 14-year-old boy, true to his human nature, comes this whole question, ‘Where do I put God?’ Is he first? Is he second? Is he fifth? Is he twenty-third in my life? Where is God?” John Maxwell, author, speaker, and friend
Questions To Ponder
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Does God need for us to tithe or is it that we need to tithe?
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Is the tithe a tax only reserved for the Old Testament Jews? Consider who tithed and when they tithed. With Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in mind, consider Galatians 3:15-18.
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Do you faithfully tithe? Consider Malachi 3:8-12.
Morning Study Guide
Defining: “Tithe” simply means tenth. It is the portion of our resources that belong to God (Leviticus 27:30). It is to be from the first part of our increase (Proverbs 3:9). It is and always has been a grace issue in the Church of Jesus Christ—again consider Galatians 3:15-18.
Referencing: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over... For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you,” Luke 6:38.
Applying: Heed the challenge of the Lord, “Try Me now in this,” Malachi 3:10.