OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THEME: TITHING IS TRUSTING
     
MEMORISE:
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

READ: Proverbs 3:5-7

3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

MESSAGE:

To experience exploits in your life, you must have a personal relationship with God. You must believe that He lives and love Him with all your heart. You must also learn to trust in Him. That command to pay tithes on your earnings simply places a demand on you to trust in God. Your response to this command shows the level of trust you have in Him. If you can pay your tithe correctly, it shows that you trust God for your livelihood, but if you find it difficult to be faithful in doing this, it simply shows that you trust more in your earnings than in God to sustain you. After I became newly born again and we were taught to pay tithes, I laughed and said in my mind, "These people do not know that I am a mathematician. If 100% is not enough for me, how can 90% be enough after I have paid 10% as tithes? Thank you very much! Even though these people are not educated, they still want to use their smartness to take 10% of my income from me. Let them try and take it". However, down the line, God convinced me by Himself and I observed remarkable changes in my life.

In those days, I was a lecturer in the university. I had a car but was afraid to drive in Lagos, so I got a driver. At the end of the month, I would pay my driver his salary, but by the middle of the next month, I would have to borrow money from him to buy petrol (gasoline). This happened month after month. I continued to struggle with my finances and even had to spend all my earnings. However, when I started paying my tithes, I suddenly realised I did not need a driver anymore, because boldness came from nowhere and I could now drive myself. Also, I did not have to visit hospitals again because I now had the Great Physician as my doctor. My children did not fall sick again, and that leakage in my finances was blocked off. All of a sudden, doors of opportunities began to open to me because I trusted the Lord. Are you still struggling with tithing? If you are, it only shows that you do not trust God to take care of you. The truth is, whatever you are paid may never be sufficient to meet all your needs because you are limited to that source, whereas you are open to various devourers. In contrast, when you tithe, you will have access to resources beyond your income because God's storehouse will be opened to you, and He will also block every source of losses in your life. It is a matter of choice. Why don't you start trusting God from today by paying your tithes faithfully?

KEY POINT:
It is shocking to know that quite a number of God's children cannot trust God with their finances.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 93-101
Nahum 3:5-19
                                                                                                             
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 14: TAKE MY LIFE

1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow'r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.