Bless and be Blessed

by Becky Melendez

Does it seem like you just never have enough money?

Would you like to be able to buy everything you need, and once in a while buy a little luxury you don’t really need?

What if you could give generously to needy people, missionaries, and charitable organizations any time you wanted to?

Gods word has the answer.

Will a man rob God? Surely not! And yet you have robbed Me. “What do you mean? When did we ever rob You?” “You have robbed Me of the tithes and offerings due to Me. And so the awesome curse of God is cursing you, for your whole nation has been robbing Me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enough in My Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in! Try it! Let Me prove it to you! All nations will call you blessed.” These are the promises of the Lord of Hosts.
Malachi 3:8-12

Everything in the world belongs to God. All we have is from Him. Therefore the tithe (10% of all we acquire) belongs to God, so we don’t give it, rather we return it to Him out of obedience to His word, thereby opening the windows of heaven into our lives. Leviticus 27:30, Genesis 28:22, Proverbs 3:9-10

By creating a lifestyle of giving you also create a lifestyle of receiving God’s blessing.

When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord and He pays wonderful interest on your loan! Proverbs 19:17

He who gives to the poor will not lack, But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
Proverbs 28:27

You may be thinking “ I’m poor, I need someone to give to me.” Well, giving to others is the way out of your poverty. The Lord may even lead you to give to someone who you think is less in need than you are.

”Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

We will receive the blessing of Malachi 3:10 (the open windows of heaven) if we obey God’s word by giving and we are standing in faith when it’s God’s time to open the windows.

For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. Hebrews 10:36

Create a lifestyle of Biblical giving and patiently inherit God’s promised blessing.

That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:12

You may have been told that being poor gives glory to God or you may have heard that
money is the root of all evil.

Money is not evil, loving money so much that you will not share it with others, is evil.

For the love of money is the first step toward all kinds of sin. Some people have even
turned away from God because of their love for it, and as a result have pierced
themselves with many sorrows. 1Timothy 6:10

God’s will is for us to be prosperous so we can share with those in need and help spread
the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Beloved I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul
prospers. 3rd John 2

And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get
wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this
day. Deuteronomy 8:18