There are a lot of people with problems and a first question would be, “Do you tithe?”

People don’t want to tithe, but the Bible plainly says without it a person/nation can be under a curse.  Tithing is not Old Testament.  It was before the law.  It’s of the order of Melchisedek and Jesus is of the Order of Melchisedek.

It is foundational.

While personally I don’t like the way certain special offerings are taken, the fact is, if there is a request for a large amount, such as $1000, if a person hasn’t been tithing for years that probably would not be out of line.

From an accounting standpoint, $1000 may not be too far off on back tithes.

Leviticus 27:30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord.

31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.

32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.

In Malachi, it is stated plainly that a way to return to God is through tithes and offerings. And it is plain that the United States is cursed because overall we are not a nation of tithers.

Look, I’m very political and often post on political topics.  I’m not pretending that people and policies don’t cause trouble.   But the fact is, the only reason we have bad politicians and policies is due, in part, to a lack of tithing, as well as a lack of Christians voting.

Those people and policies would not have the ascendary, they would not be permitted, if enough people tithed. God removes his hand of blessing  when there is disobedience.

Now individuals can prosper while overall curses are going on around them. God is capable of blessing and protecting one while another has a problem. Why is that? Does God favor one person over another? Definitely not. God is no respecter of persons.  That’s worth repeating.   Definitely not. God is no respecter of persons. But it is possible that one person or household or nation walks in a greater obedience to tithing and other things the Lord wants than another and that becomes an umbrella of protection.

In today’s Christian world, obedience is understated.  It is extremely important.

People don’t like to hear this because they hope that God is a combination of a slot machine, sugar daddy, Santa Claus, and welfare office. But God is none of those things. God is the Father of all spirits and wants children in his likeness, obedient, responsible and with God’s character. And like any parent, if things are otherwise “whom the Lord loves, he chastens”.

Sin has always brought death. The wages of sin is death.  Death can be literal death or simply bad circumstances, problems, things that could have been avoided.

If you take care of your car with regular maintenance, it will run better. If you never change the oil, or maintain the tire pressure, or do any other number of things that are required, in other words, if you do not obey the laws of taking care of the car, then at some point there will be a problem with the car. It’s a matter of time.

We try to spiritualize God and figure out some gimmick instead of simply praying and reading the Bible and finding out if there is something we should either do or that we are not doing and correct that.

Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Yes, it’s possible that simply because we live in a fallen world that “bad stuff happens”.  But that should not turn into a fatalist “what will be will be” and think that there is nothing that we can do about it.   Thinking that there is nothing we can do about “the bad stuff happening” should not be the default position.  Usually there is something, however small, that can be a seed to start change in a situation rather than sitting back, throwing up our hands, and saying that there is nothing that can be done.

Yes, we live in a fallen world and, as the saying goes, “bad things happen to good people”. Actually, that saying is a misnomer because when someone came to Jesus and called him good, the answer was this.

Mark 10:17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

But we understand what people are trying to say. They are saying, why, when I am trying to do the right thing, and don’t [fill in the blank] in order to try to do good, why is this bad thing happening to me?

That’s when it is good to see if there are sins of omission or commission. And, it is a good time to check up on tithing.

Malachi 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 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.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

The thing is, don’t treat the tithe as a gimmick.  Every paycheck or however money comes, pay the tithe first.  Do it consistently and regularly without fail.

Like going to the gym, a one-time trip does not bring results.  It is the consistent application of anything that brings results.

God is faithful to keep his word if we are faithful to obey consistently, not like a slot machine, but consistently week after week, month after month, year after year.