Test of Trust I

“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you? “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me” Mal.3:8

Everything we own is a test of our trust. It was that trust that the enemy was attacking with Adam and Eve. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil” Gen.3:5. God had told Adam and Eve do not eat of this fruit. The same way growing up a lot of us grew up to revere “daddy’s chair” in our own homes as well as in our friend’s houses. You can walk around the chair but you do not sit on it because you honour and respect him. The same way God said to Adam and Eve I give you charge of this garden, take care of it and eat anything you want. Enjoy yourself but do not touch this tree and He did not give any reason why, he just told them the consequences. And satan came and attacked the trust that Adam and Eve had with God. “Did God really tell you not to…?” In other words, satan was trying to tell them that God was keeping something good from them. Anything that can make you not trust God can destroy you. And it is that trust the enemy is attacking because that is what he wants to do. The enemy wants to sow doubts in our hearts about God as it concerns our possessions.

Everything we own is a test of our trust and that is really the basis for tithing. God is not hungry. God is God. The cattle on a thousand hills belong to Him. But the same way God says to Adam and Eve, eat everything but this one – do not touch. But you see many people struggle with it and I wonder why. It is so simple. And guess what? God did not just say do not touch it, He added blessings to your obedience. A bonus for obedience, which He did not have to do. The first thing about tithing that I believe God wants you to know today is that you cannot tithe if you do not trust. If you cannot trust God you cannot tithe. Are you struggling with tithing? The truth is you are actually struggling to trust God. But I am challenging you to break out of that fear, trust God and see what God can do. I pray you do. The second thing we need to know about tithing is everyone tithes. So whether you know it or not, you are a faithful tither. Why? It is because the first ten percent of your income goes to something. For some people it goes to paying debt, they tithe to their creditors. For some people it goes to paying bills, for some it goes to enjoyment, and so on. But what is guaranteed is that if the first ten percent does not go to God it will go to a devourer. Everybody will pay tithe, you just need to choose where you will pay your tithe.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, grow my trust in God daily and my commitment to paying my tithe to the Lord, in Jesus Name.