GIVING TO GOD STRENGTHENS MY FAITH.

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse… if you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!” Malachi 3:10 (NLT)

God uses money and material things to test our faith. Have you ever had to decide between buying something you want or need and giving a tithe to the church? You only have so much money; where is it going to go? This is a test. God is saying, “Do you really believe that I can take care of your needs? Or do you think you have to take care of your needs all on your own?” God says, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse… If you do, I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!” In essence, God is saying, “I dare you! I dare you to see what I will do if you become a giving, generous person. Tithe, and see what happens to your life.” Did you know there are more promises in the Bible about giving than any other subject? Jesus talked more about giving than he did about heaven and hell combined. Most likely this is because giving is the essence of being like Jesus. In fact, the Bible says God is a giver. God so loved the world that he gave… (John 3:16). When we give, it shows God that we trust God and believe his promises to provide for us. Giving strengthens, stretches and tests our faith. Do you really believe God will take care of your wants and needs? If you’re struggling in this area, ask God to help you in your unbelief. Then take a step of daring faith and begin tithing. He wants to help you find the freedom in your finances that only comes from trusting God. As you pray about your material needs and desires, write them down and then watch to see how God provides.