Lesson 3, Part 8 (Video of the lesson follows the notes.)

Malachi 3:10-12 NLT

[10] Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. 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! [11] Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. [12] “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

            God tells Israel that if they will put Him to the test and bring in the expected tithes, then He will bless them so abundantly that they will not be able to contain, or store up, all that will come their way.  He then tells them exactly how He will do that. 

            He will use their agricultural crops, especially their grapes, to make their land a delightful place.  He promises to protect their crops from insects and diseases.  He promises the grapes will not fall off the vines before they are ready to be harvested.  Keep in mind that for the crops to fully mature and be plentiful, then the weather will have to be perfect for growing the crops, too.

            How can we apply this passage to today’s church?  It has been my observation that when congregations honor and worship God by bringing in their tithes, God blesses those people.  The blessings sometimes are poured out financially, and sometimes they are sent in the forms of divine intervention in other areas of need.  But they do appear.

            If you do not tithe as part of your worship of God, allow me to challenge you to put God to the test.  Bring in your tithe to your church’s treasury and see how your life is blessed because of being faithful to the financial support of God’s kingdom.