Forest Park Covenant Church

Malachi 3:6-12 ----




God’s guidelines for handling money
from the Proverbs and other Scriptures:

1. Earn money ethically – No schemes, corruption, backdoor deals, or gray areas. You can earn a lot of money, but earn it ethically.

2. Spend money wisely – Not foolishly or carelessly, and avoid destructive debt.

3. Give money generously to the poor – Help meet their needs.

4. Tithe – As a part of overall money management practices, God establishes the practice of tithing.

“Tithe” literally means “a tenth part” -- 10%. The idea behind the practice was that God’s people would take 10% of whatever increase they experienced, bring it to the place where they worshipped, and give it as a symbol of their gratefulness to God for all he had given to them.

A secondary purpose of the tithe was to support the ministry of the place where they worshipped. (Offerings are gifts to people and other ministries and are over and above the tithe. God wants his people to tithe, and give over and above that to ministries that meet the needs of the poor and needy).




God’s people had stopped tithing and God’s messenger, Malachi, resets the bar and reminds them of God’s way of living in this part of our life. If we are going to do things God’s way when it comes to the giving of our money, we need to:

1. Do a HEART check.
Do we see our giving against the backdrop of a blood-stained cross?
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24

Jesus was saying that there’s always a clear winner in the God versus money battle. No one can serve both; one will always win.

And so Malachi’s question to us today is: Who is the clear winner in the God versus Money battle that goes on in your heart?




2. Do a FAITH check.

This is taking a step of faith to ensure that our heartfelt commitment to start honoring God with our money really takes effect.




“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first-fruits of all your crops;…” Proverbs 3:9 (Give to God first.)





When we take a step of faith and give in the way God calls us to give, God says ‘Watch what I will do!’

“ ‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your field will not cast their fruit,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Malachi 3:10-12





What we do with our money and possessions is the only issue where God tells us to test him. Now this does not mean that when we give God will bless us with riches. What He is saying is that when we give as He calls us to do, and when we give with Godly motivation, that He will provide for us and meet our needs. His blessings may also come in a variety of ways, but God will fulfill his promise to bless us.



Our giving isn’t about this church and it isn’t about a pastor. It is about you in the shadow of a blood-stained cross. Are you willing to live with the conviction that “After all he has done for me, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him.”