Watch With ME

Seeking the Perspective of Jesus

“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.” Malachi 3:10

I was enlightened a few days ago by a young ex-seminarian about the above passage, in that he said it is the only place where God asks us to test Him. Astounded, I did a little research and found it to be true. There are plenty of passages that mention God’s tests of man and of course the famous reply that Jesus gave to Satan in His time of temptation. Jesus told Satan, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test'." Therefore, the subject of testing God seems a little contradictory in these passages. However, I believe the reason God encourages us to test Him in a tithe is because it might be the greatest frontal assaults and one of hardest idols to overcome, which is the idol of Mammon. If you recall, Mammon is an idol in the Bible that personifies material wealth or greed. We don’t have a lot of graven images in this country, but we sure have a lot of idols and don’t realize it. Mammon is definitely one of the most visibly recognized one in our land and our life, if we are honest with God and ourselves. So why would God go against His own instructions to not test Him and then invite us to test Him with our tithe? Let’s explore this:

I believe that God understands our basic survival instincts we have to overcome, in order to live a life of faith. Therefore, faith is a bridge that is built one step at a time. We take a step and God builds the bridge miraculously under us, as we go. He doesn’t build it too far out, or else faith would not grow. The end of our bridge of faith is always in sight and requires our continued faith and God’s work to give us firm footing, as we go forward in life. I believe God asks us to test Him in our tithe, for He wants us to see Him immediately respond to our faith, so that our faith will grow, and we will release our hold on Mammon. Certainly, it is consistent with all of Bible history in that God’s man has always been required to take a step in faith in order for God to respond in His own time and way. For this reason, God tells us to not test Him but to trust Him, as long as it takes. As we wait Him out, His response will come eventually and in a time and way that is best. But with the test of tithing, God has said something different. He has said, “Do it and watch what I will do!” It sounds like it will come quickly. Therefore, I think that it is important to God and for us that we take Him up on this invitation and promise. Why so?

Lately, I have been under a powerful conviction that many, if not most, of God’s men are under a lot of financial duress as a consequence of embracing Mammon in their lives. These are good men who have a serious desire to walk with Christ and go ever deeper in their relationship with Him. However, they have been blind to how they have placed their reliance on their money over God. It is a subtle movement to build this idol in our life, for one of our survival instincts is to earn a living and provide for our family. If it would stop there, we would be okay. However, it is also in our nature to store up and to safeguard ourselves against future hardships. That would still be okay, as I see it. But it doesn’t stop there, as we want more and more, even to the point that we no longer require God’s help “because we have it in the bank." We don’t want the challenges that faith requires, for they are just too uncomfortable, and the accumulation of wealth is our antidote for being uncomfortable in this issue. But there is a greater problem. God will not live in our life alongside an idol, and He will allow misery in our lives until we turn from it. He loves us far too much to allow us to live in our ignorance. With the powerful idol of Mammon, we need His help, and this is where we learn about the Tithe. I believe that tithing is an experience and should be understood as such. We often think of a tithe as money going out, as we obey God in “paying it.” But that is an incorrect view. The tithing experience is testing God by investing in His kingdom’s work and then, Him responding by pouring out His blessings to more than meet our needs. Now, make no mistake in thinking differently. We have to take the first step for that bridge to be built under us. But, we have God’s promise that He will respond in building that bridge.

If you’ve read any of my devotionals, you already know that I am committed to bring experience with my words and not just theory. What I am about to share with you is something a man treasures in his own heart and generally doesn’t share with others. However, I believe that it is not only appropriate for me to share some very personal information, but I also believe that God is instructing me to do so. I believe you will come to understand that I am strongly convinced that what I am about to share with you is an essential need in a Man of God’s life, and you may very well need the assurance you will gain from my story. With that said, I share with you a life-changing experience through tithing.

In 1995, I was a hotshot businessman who was living under the shadow of Mammon. I had all the outward signs of success, as I saw to it that we had great cars, great clothes and a great home. Every year, I was making more and more money and it was likely going to my head. In 1995, I made the most money that year than any year before. Life was good, or was it? I knew in my heart that I couldn’t earn enough to fill the void in my heart, and my “toys” were consuming me with debt. Worst of all, I knew that something was wrong in my relationship with my King Jesus, although I didn’t know, at the time, what it was. I did the smartest thing I have ever done, when in a moment of sober thinking, I asked Jesus to take over my life. It was my first step into a life of Personal Abandonment and Absolute Trust, as I bowed before Jesus and stated, “Whatever You want and whatever it takes, make me into the man you would have me be.” I would like to say that everything got better immediately, but it didn’t, for it got worse. It was only a few weeks later that I lost my job and at 50 years old, with a child in college and another not far away from entering, we were on our own. I was scared, for I was aware of the potential danger to me and my family. Mammon was now being seen for the false god that he is, for he had deserted me in my time of need, or was he being removed from my life? Is it not the work of God to help a man remove an idol that is hindering his relationship with God? I now see it clearly that this is exactly what was happening.

I believe that God wants to overcome Mammon in our life. I also believe this is the reason God invites us to test Him with a tithe, for in taking this step, we begin to tear down the idol Mammon, and God helps us do it. I have experienced this, for immediately after losing my job, I began to look through Kingdom lenses at my situation and search for assurances in God’s promises for my family and my welfare. One of the most needed assurances and comforting promises I found was the one in Malachi when God invited me to test Him with a tithe. Since I was starting my own business as insurance planner, I was determined to ask God to be my Senior Partner and to build “our business” together. The first thing I did was to establish a “Giving Account” where a tithe of every dollar of cash flow would go to that account and be invested in God’s kingdom work. This was an aggressive tithe, for it was given before expenses, before taxes, before deductions, before payroll and so on. What resulted? As God promised, He poured out His blessings and the year that I was so fearful for our survival turned out to be the greatest year of income I had ever had, even more than the year before. I learned firsthand that God is a promise keeper, and I should respond to any invitation He gives to me. Yes, God asks us to test Him, but He also tests our resolve to stay with our commitment. As I see it now, it is obvious that I needed more testing in order to continue my spiritual growth. Sure, I had made the right step in tithing and God responded as He said He would. But God was changing my life, not just proving Himself to me. Another test was needed to create life change.

The following year, my son-in-law asked to join my one-man insurance firm and asked me to teach him the business. I love him, so it was easy for me to do so. I reasoned in my mind that if I earned what I did the year before (which was the most I had ever earned), I could give him and my daughter a generous start-up salary, provide benefits, expand my offices, hire additional administrative help, pay for college and maintain our lifestyle, without incurring any more debt. Sure, I would be incurring a lot more expenses. But, I was assured by God that He was in it, and that I could rely on His help. However, what I didn’t realize was that God was testing my commitment to continue experiencing the tithe? The question was whether I would maintain my commitment when tithing grew more difficult? This was a challenge that would have to be faced if I were to have it forever cemented in my mind that God honors our tithe, by keeping His promise to pour back into our life everything we need.

The first 3 months moved along fine for the two of us. My son-in-law was early in his work so no production was occurring from him to that point. I was working on a few cases, but nothing was showing up as income. Then the challenges began. When we were moving into our new offices, my son-in-law had a violent seizure that dislocated both of his shoulders. It was the first time for him, as we discovered he had a concealed seizure disorder. As we all processed this situation and his work, we were hit with another challenge as he would not be permitted to drive a car for a year, which is a fatal blow for an outside salesman. Therefore, not only would my expenses increase, the required productivity from him would not happen, and it would all be on me. However, I faithfully continued our tithe on every dollar of cash flow that came into the business, even though it challenged my logic to do so. However, more tests were required of me, for God wanted me to test Him as well.

A few months later, it was discovered that I had a serious bone disease, requiring surgery, recovery and radiation therapy. There was great pain and fatigue to deal with as well. But somehow I faced it with God’s help, and I worked in my business when I could, which was very little. The only sales I could generate were those which walked in the door, for I was in no condition to go out and call on prospects. A few cases were produced from me, and virtually none from my son-in-law that year. Still, my wife and I continued to faithfully tithe through the year on every dollar of cash flow that came into the business, even though the challenge was harder than ever. God continued to keep His promises to us as He said He would. So, what happened as a result? Now you’re thinking, “Surely he is going to say they got by?” No men, we didn’t just get by. God overwhelmed the threat of financial collapse we faced. On December 31, when I looked at the income produced during the year from my little insurance firm that had to face many potentially devastating challenges that were thrown against it, we saw that we had more than survived. I mentioned that we needed to receive income equal to the year before, which was the greatest amount that I had earned to that point? As I looked at the books and the reality of what God had done to overcome our challenges, I began to weep. For there in black and white was the evidence that God keeps His promises. The actual income that came in that year was 40% more than the year before. At that point, Mammon was forever destroyed in my life, and the tithe was forever embraced as a lifestyle.

Every year after that year, my income grew over the year before until at age 60 years old, I left my business to pursue our ministry with Influencers on a fulltime basis. Of course, our income has been greatly reduced, as we are living on about a third of what was being earned before. However, we have no debt, we live a life that is beyond anything we could have ever imagined, and we still maintain our commitment to tithe. And best of all, God is still keeping His promise to us about taking care of our needs...abundantly!

The last thing I must say to you about tithing is don’t cheat yourself out of the tithing experience. The tithing experience includes two commitments -- yours to take the first step, and God to respond as He builds a bridge of faith in your life. Through tithing, allow God to tear down Mammon in your life so that you can join with Him for the ride of your life for the rest of your life. You’ll never regret it.