What Does It Mean to Be "With God"?

Think about a child at an amusement park who meets the height requirement to ride with a parent but can't ride alone. The closer they stay to their parent, the more they can experience. The same principle applies to our relationship with God.

God has blessings He wants to give us, but we can only receive them when we're close to Him. As Malachi 3:6 reminds us, "I am the Lord and I do not change." God's character remains constant, and His desire is to be our source of both protection and provision.

The Problem: We Replace Affection with Rejection

When we receive God's blessings—whether it's income, health, or security—we often make a dangerous shift. We begin looking to the resource instead of the source. We take credit for what God has provided and slowly distance ourselves from Him.

This isn't intentional meanness; it's simply human nature. But God, in His mercy, never rejects us even when we reject Him. He stands with arms wide open, saying "return to me, and I will return to you."

How Do We Return to God?

The people in Malachi's time asked the same question we ask today: "How are we to return?" God's answer might surprise you. In Malachi 3:8-10, He says we return through "tithes and offerings."

Before you get defensive, remember—this isn't about God needing our money. God isn't struggling to pay bills or meet payroll in heaven. He's using money as an object lesson because money has such a hold on us, and He wants all of us, not just the parts we're comfortable giving.

Tithing Is About Our First, Not Our Finances

Tithing isn't a transaction—it's a confession. Every time we tithe, we're declaring that Jesus is Lord of our lives. We're saying, "God, you are number one. No matter what else happens, you are first."

The word "tithe" simply means 10% or one-tenth. It's the practice of putting God first by returning the first 10% of our income to God through the local church, acknowledging that everything we have comes from Him.

Common Objections to Tithing

"The Church Just Wants My Money"

While some churches have unfortunately misused funds, this isn't true of every church. Look for churches that are transparent with their finances, lean with their budgets, and passionate about following Jesus' commands to love neighbors, help the poor, and feed the hungry.

When you give to a faithful church, you become part of what God is doing through that ministry. You help reach more people with the love of Jesus and open opportunities to trust God in your own life.

"The Church Shouldn't Be Concerned About My Money"

The church should talk about what you're talking about, and everyone is talking about finances right now. We stress about money, lose sleep over bills, and see marriages end over financial issues.

The Bible talks extensively about money—two-thirds of Jesus' parables deal with money, and there are more than 2,300 verses about finances in Scripture. That's five times more than the Bible discusses prayer and faith. As Billy Graham said, "If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life."

"Tithing Is an Old Testament Law"

Tithing isn't a law—it's a principle, just like prayer or sowing and reaping. Throughout Scripture, from Abel to Abraham to Israel, we see people blessed through tithing.

Even Jesus addressed tithing in Matthew 23, saying, "You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things" like justice, mercy, and faith. Paul also taught about proportional giving in 1 Corinthians 16, encouraging believers to set aside money "in keeping with your income."

The Difference Between Charity and Tithing

While giving to charity is wonderful, it's different from tithing. God specifically says in Malachi 3:10 to "bring the whole tithe into the storehouse"—which refers to the local church.

We should give charitably while also giving our tithe to the local church. Both come from gratitude, not guilt, but they serve different purposes in God's plan.

Why Tithing Matters

1. It Puts God First

Deuteronomy 14 tells us the purpose of tithing is "to teach you to always put God first." If God isn't first in our finances, He's not first in our lives. What we give to first reveals our true priorities.

2. It Keeps Us Involved in God's Vision

We don't value what we don't invest in. When we tithe, we transition from being spectators to participants in what God is doing through the local church. Our investment demonstrates that we value God's house.

3. It Unlocks Supernatural Blessing

God promises in Malachi 3:10 to "throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be enough room to store it." As Proverbs reminds us, "The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and he adds no sorrow with it."

4. Tithing Ignites Generosity

The tithe doesn't limit generosity—it ignites it. Like the founder of TOMS Shoes who started with one simple act of giving away a pair of shoes for every pair sold, God often gives us seeds rather than entire harvests.

When we hold onto the seed, it stays a seed. But when we plant it through tithing, God turns it into a harvest. The tithe is our seed—not the end of generosity, but the beginning of it.

Life Application

This week, consider what seed God has already placed in your hands. How is He inviting you to respond? If you've never tithed, start by asking God to help you trust Him with your finances. If you're already tithing, thank God for the privilege and ask Him how He wants to expand your generosity.

Remember, we tithe because of gratitude, not guilt. It's our way of saying, "God, I trust you with the first so you can do something with the rest."

Ask yourself these questions:

1. What does my giving pattern reveal about my priorities?
2. Am I looking to the resource or the source for my security?
3. How can I demonstrate that God is truly first in my life?
4. What step of faith is God calling me to take with my finances this week?

Pastor Tim