Rebuking the devourer

'"Bring the whole tithe...and I will rebuke the devourer...he shall not destroy...' (Malachi 3:11).

'What's the devourer?' you ask. Anything that devours your blessings.

The dishwasher breaks down for the third time in a month. The kids are ill and have to be taken to the doctor all the time. The day after the warranty runs out on your car, the transmission goes.

One of the Hebrew words for tithe is charam, which means 'marked for destruction.' Your tithe literally becomes a force in the hand of God to destroy the works of the enemy who devours your blessings. It puts a hedge of protection around you.

The top 10% of your income belongs to God; end of discussion! Giving God the first tenth of your income demonstrates that He's first in your life. Tithing isn't the church's way of raising its budget; it's God's way of raising His children.

'Is God after my money?' you ask. No, He's after your lack! He wants you to be blessed and protected every day of your life.

As a tithe leaves your hand on its way to God, a harvest leaves His hand on its way back to you. God’s challenge to you today is 'Test Me in this' (Malachi 3:10 NIV).

“William Colgate was a tither throughout his long and successful business career. He gave not only one-tenth of the earnings of Colgate’s soap products; but he gave two-tenths, then three-tenths, and finally five-tenths of all his income to the work of God in the world.

William Colgate died in 1857 but left behind a company that is successful to this day, and a college that bears his name.

Next time you brush your teeth, remember Colgate’s testimony!