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Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

This blog will be written from an orthodox Christian point of view. There may be some topic that is out of bounds, but at present I don't know what it will be. Politics is a part of life. Theology and philosophy are disciplines that we all participate in even if we don't think so. The Bible has a lot to say about economics. How about self defense? Is war ethical? Think of all the things that someone tells you we should not touch and let's give it a try. Everything that is a part of life should be an expression of worship.

Keep it courteous and be kind to those less blessed than you, but by all means don't worry about agreeing. We learn more when we get backed into a corner.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Opus 2015-166: Monday Pulpit: Sources of Poverty, part 6 of ?, Lack of Stewardship

One cause of poverty may surprise you:  A lack of financial obedience.  Many are familiar with the proof text on tithing.
(Malachi 3:10 KJV)  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
What people don’t go on to see is how God will provide the blessing.  The next verse points out that the blessing will not be finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow or having a rich aunt die and leave you a fortune.  The blessing is that the grasshoppers won’t eat your crops and your fruit will not get a fungus.  In other words, your labor will pay off as God originally intended.

A lot of people claim they cannot afford to tithe, they are too poor.  I would suggest that you cannot afford not to tithe.  Picture the situation that was before Malachi when he delivered this word from the Lord.  The land was being eaten up by locusts.  The crops were being destroyed.  Poverty was upon them.  Even worse, starvation was on the horizon.  In that context they were told to tithe.

When we are obedient God is able to bless.  When we are disobedient it does not necessarily mean an active curse, it often just means an inactive blessing.  Think of how many flat tires you could have had.  Think of how many times that bacteria could have penetrated your body defenses.  Think of how many times someone could have run a red light as you were going through the intersection.  We are not even aware of God’s blessings most of the time.

God provides when we obey.

To be continued...

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Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.