Deuteronomy 26:15 Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the ground which You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey, as You swore to our fathers.’
In yesterday's post we considered the first and perhaps the most important reason to give tithes and offerings - because God gave. In this current blog series we are using the acrostic g.i.v.e to guide our way through Deuteronomy 26. We already saw that the motive to our giving to God is because He first gave. In today's blog we desire to entertain a second reason that begins with "I", namely giving to God invites His presence into our lives.
G.i.v.e to God, for it invites His presence. Deuteronomy 26:12-16
To have the blessing of God in your life means that His presence, power and Personal involvement are in place. As Moses instructs these people and us, He says in Deuteronomy 26:15 - "Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the ground which You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey, as You swore to our fathers.’ The moment you and I begin to tithe our resources, we are opening the door for God to come in and bless us with His presence. Faith is a receiving grace granted by God, whereby I am able to freely receive with firm persuasion whatever He offers. Whenever God is touching any area of life, that area will become more fruitful.
Your attitude towards three books should change when you are born again by grace through faith: your attitude towards God's Book, your date book and the pocket book. God's book becomes more dear to you, your datebook more and more revolves around God and your pocket book wants to give glory to God.
You want more of God in every area - including your finances. Consider Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Jesus notes in Luke 6:37 "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Or how about 2 Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed" God's blessing equals His power, presence and Personal activity in every area of my life. The material outgrowth is but the outcome. We give because we want God to know that since He already owns everything, we desire His personal involvement in the caretaking of what He has given to us.
More tomorrow.........
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