Giving of the First Fruits

“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.  
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’  “In tithes and offerings.  
You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me.  
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 there will not be room enough to store it.
(Malachi 3:8-10)

Bringing of the first fruits is another name for tithing.  Even simpler, tithing consists of the first ten percent of what one earns financially or in other areas of life.  In ancient biblical times, the Israelites would also bring to the priests their tithe of the year's harvest or of the new yearlings of cattle, sheep, or whatever the rancher had.  In giving a tithe to the church, many influences weigh in on the act of worship, for this is a sign of faith God will provide and take care of us.  First, the Bible instructs the believer to give with a cheerful heart, not begrudgingly.  Then, I personally believe, the tither must give selflessly by not expecting anything in return.  This idea is something of a conundrum for the Christian because the rewards for doing so are innumerable.  Tithing, again, is an act of faith.  Maybe it is easier to tithe the more income one earns, but I disagree.  If one is faithful in little, how much more trustworthy will he or she become in the stewardship of a lot.  The parable of the talents is a great example of this.  By worldly standards, I live below the poverty line, but I am a firm believer and practitioner of tithing.  Without hesitation, I immediately give the first ten percent of income to God through his vessels on earth.  There are three organizations I rotate through in giving the tithe: the church, a para-church ministry, and two missionaries in San Antonio.  Countless times have I been blessed through this act of worship.  I firmly believe God rewards and makes provision for the faithful, for it is all God's money anyway.  Tithing is simply a reflection of our hearts and attitudes toward Him.  In this life I may not have everything I want, but I certainly have everything I need.  This provision of need may not come in abundance, but I am not found wanting.  In every circumstance, I am content and full of joy knowing and experiencing the provision of the Almighty.  In view of the scripture posted above, are you robbing God and indirectly robbing yourself of the blessings of relationship with Him?  Become obedient and the discover the truth of not having the ability to out-give God.

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