The Blessing Of Financial Obedience Series

✎ Each of us are being affected by a universal law. It’s impact is felt by you, the chair you are sitting on, and your car sitting in the parking lot. Anything and anyone you can see around you submits to this law. Any idea what law it is? It’s the law of gravity. As powerful and far reaching as the law of gravity may be, another law supercedes it–the law of aerodynamics. An eagle can spread its wings to catch the wind and fly effortlessly above the landscape. We can all take our seats aboard an airplane and fly above the clouds. When the law of aerodynamics takes over you gain a new perspective which the law of gravity prohibits you from having.

In the same way laws of physics govern the universe, spiritual laws govern the spiritual dimension, and like the law of aerodynamics supercedes the law of gravity, spiritual laws are greater than the physical laws of the universe. And guess what? When you participate in spiritual laws you have a perspective on life you cannot otherwise have because the physical laws of the universe won’t let you see things that way.

Which brings us back to Malachi–the Final Prophet. Malachi offers us Godly insight for today; God uses this Old Testament prophet to reveal some spiritual laws which will change our lives.

This morning Malachi is going to bring into focus God’s law of finances as it relates to tithing. Those of you who have participated in the “law of tithing” have gained a new perspective on life; you know for instance that you have more with 90% than if you were to keep it all for yourself. Those who are limited to the natural laws of money can’t see how anyone could have more with less.

+ Malachi 3:6-12 6"I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty. "But you ask, ’How are we to return?’ 8"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, ’How do we rob you?’ "In tithes and offerings. 9You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. 10Bring 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. 11I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the Lord Almighty. 12"Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the Lord Almighty. (NIV)

Money is important to all of us; whether you have a lot or a little. How we use our money is important to God too. Because money is so important, this message follows a simple outline spelled: M - O - N - E - Y.

$ MERCY CONTINUES

When most folks talk about money the first thing they talk about is wanting MORE! Surprise! The first point M does not stand for More–it stands for MERCY.

+ Malachi 3:6 6"I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. (NIV)

God does not change; He is not subject to mood swings, or temper tantrums. God’s love is not fickle. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (See Hebrews 13:8). Therefore, God’s love will never end; His mercy continues from generation to generation.

Our money should remind us that God’s mercy never ends. I know some of you are scratching your heads and wondering, “how can money do that?”

✎ Let’s imagine today is payday only instead of a check we are all given cash. What do you notice about the money we have all worked so hard for? It’s not enough right? No, M is not for “more” it’s for “MERCY,” so in your minds eye take a close look at your money, and what do you see? Regardless of the amount you were paid we all have an assortment of large and small bills (maybe even some loose change). What else do you see? Some of the bills are crisp and new while other bills show it has been used for awhile. In our stack of money we have all receive a $20 bill like this one. Although it is only 2 years old, this $20 has seen better days; it’s dirty and wrinkled with one corner torn off and a tear right in the middle. What is going to happen to that $20 bill when we take it to the bank? Thankfully, the bank will credit our account with $20, but that bill will be set aside and eventually taken to a paper shredder; it will be destroyed.