Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Bring the Whole Tithe , God’s Call and Promise

Bible Reading:  Malachi 3: 5-12

Key verse:  Then all the Nations will call you blessed , for yours will be
delightful land, says the Lord Almighty ( Malachi 3.12 , NIV)

DEVOTION

We had in the North America Dioceses Churches on July 6,  celebrate the Tithe Offering Sunday and almost in all Churches the Old Testament Reading was from the Book of Malachi Chapter 3 . The Book of Malachi is perhaps the key scriptures in the Old Testament where the Lord serves for us the concept of Tithe and how we as God’s children are required to follow the principles and application of the giving of the Tithe.
As we focus on  Malachi Chapter 3 , we see how the Lord is mentioning in Verse  6-7 , that we have all turned away from God’s decrees and the Lord is admonishing each of us to return to the Lord and that is perhaps the greatest lesson we need to learn about tithing and how we are to make the giving of the Tithe an integral part of our lives.
As we continue to ready verse 8 , God accuses us of robbing God and depriving God of what is due to God.  There are times we feel taken back by these admonishment from God , but its the truth. We have been withholding from God and not giving back to God what is truly due to God.  As most of us know, God really does not need our money or for that fact anything from us as God literally owns everything that we have in this big world of ours. However what God is emphasizing , is the Principle , its our responsibility to give our tithes so that The Church can in turn bless the community around us that is need of helping hand.   The Church role is supporting mission work across the corners of the world and caring for those in need is the bigger responsibility , that is on us by our giving of tithes.
As we read in verse 11 , God says there is cause and effect as well , our giving of the tithes will in turn help us by ensuring we have always plenty to give back for the greater work of the Kingdom of God and how the Church can be embodiment of selfless giving. The Apostle Paul in this Epistle to the Church of Corinth emphasize that ‘we need to be cheerful givers ‘  and that is how today’s scripture portion sums up the entire reading for today , and  that , our giving and our attitude to give will make us blessed and delightful nation. May the Lord enable us to be ‘ cheerful givers’ for the Kingdom of God.

PRAYER

Almighty and Gracious Lord , as we read in book of Malachi, allow us not to rob God but with our selfless giving be nation of cheerful givers. 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“ If a person gets his attitude towards money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life ‘ – Rev. Dr Billy Graham.


Abraham Kurien, Immanuel Mar Thoma Church, Houston, Texas.

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