You Can’t Afford Not to Tithe - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - January 18, 2020
2020Jan 18
You Can’t Afford Not to Tithe By Rick Warren
“‘Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn so there will be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord All-Powerful. ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out all the blessings you need’” (Malachi 3:10 NCV).
If you want God to bless your finances, put him first in your finances. This is called the spiritual discipline of tithing.
God is specific about this habit of giving the first part of your income back to him: “‘Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn so there will be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord All-Powerful. ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out all the blessings you need’” (Malachi 3:10 NCV).
Obviously, God doesn’t need your money. So why does he even say anything about tithing? Because he wants what it represents: your life. God is testing your faith. He’s testing your priorities. He’s testing your gratitude.
When you give your tithe to God, it’s gratitude for the past (“God, I wouldn’t have anything if it weren’t for you”), it’s prioritization in the present (“God, I want you first in my life”), and it’s a statement of faith in the future (“God, I believe that you’re going to keep your promises”).
Tithing is a test of your trust. Do you trust God enough with your money to say those things to him? God tests us because he wants us to become like him. He is the greatest giver, and when we show that we are trustworthy with our finances, we become more like the Great Giver.
A well-known CEO told me once, “Rick, you need to tell people that the best time to start tithing is when they are in debt.” When I asked him why, he said, “Because that’s when you need God’s help the most.”
Tithing can seem especially difficult when you’re in debt. But if you want to get out of debt, you’re going to need God’s help. So honor him by putting him first through tithing.
You may think you can’t afford to tithe, but you can’t afford not to! If you want God’s blessing on your finances, you need to put him first in your finances.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Build a Firm Foundation of Prayer in the Next Generation!
“Perhaps the most important role you can play in the life of a child is teaching them to trust God through prayer. It’s the key to living with hope.” —Pastor Rick
That’s why it’s so important to strengthen the hope of kids by introducing them to Jesus’ model for prayer at an early age. And we’re excited to help you do that with Pastor Rick’s children’s book, The Lord’s Prayer: Words of Hope and Happiness.
Filled with thoughtful insights from Pastor Rick as well as stunning illustrations from award-winning artist, Richard Jesse Watson, this book brings the poetic scripture from the King James Version alive for readers young and old. It’s sure to become a meaningful bedtime ritual, a treasured memory, and by God’s grace, a legacy that bears good fruit for generations to come.
This book is a perfect way to share the beauty and richness of The Lord’s Prayer with the children the Lord has placed in your life. And it’s our thanks for your gift below to help Daily Hope take the Good News to more people everywhere. So please request a copy for yourself or a friend today, and thanks for your generosity!
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