Tithe to Trust: Test God and Receive Blessings

Devotional

Day 1: When Mountains Fall Silent, Listen to the Whisper

The search for God’s will often begins with dramatic moments—mountaintop prayers, desperate cries for direction. Yet clarity rarely comes through earthquakes or fire. God’s voice persists in the quiet reliability of Scripture, steady as a heartbeat. Those who strain to hear Him in crisis often find He’s been speaking all along through His Word. True guidance emerges not in spectacle but in daily surrender to the text that outlasts every mountain. [44:02]

“And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.”
(1 Kings 19:11-12, ESV)

Reflection: When have you overlooked God’s quiet guidance in Scripture while waiting for a dramatic sign? What familiar Bible truth have you been resisting as your next step?

Day 2: Two Non-Negotiables: Salvation and Storehouse

God’s will isn’t always mysterious. Two commands stand unambiguous: He desires all to be saved, and He expects His people to fund His work through tithes. These aren’t suggestions but fixed points in a shifting world. Just as salvation requires full surrender, tithing demands firstfruits—not leftovers. Both acts reject half-hearted faith, anchoring believers in the concrete reality that God owns everything, including our wallets. [46:24]

“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”
(Malachi 3:10, ESV)

Reflection: Does your giving reflect gratitude for salvation, or does it treat God as an afterthought? What would your bank statements reveal about which “storehouse” truly holds your trust?

Day 3: The 90% Miracle

Tithing feels like a math problem until it becomes a faith experiment. Giving 10% isn’t loss—it’s trusting the Creator to stretch 90% further than 100% ever could. This isn’t prosperity theology but practical dependence. Every check written to the church becomes a lab test: does God keep His promises? Over time, the ledger reveals less about finances and more about whose voice we truly follow. [53:41]

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”
(Proverbs 3:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: What practical need makes tithing feel impossible right now? How might releasing 10% actually loosen your grip on the 90%?

Day 4: Joy’s Floodgates

Obedience unlocks joy not because circumstances change, but because priorities do. Tithers discover a secret: watching God provide sparks deeper delight than any purchase. The “floodgates of heaven” pour out confidence in His care, transforming anxiety into anticipation. What begins as financial discipline becomes a window into divine generosity—and joy becomes the echo of trust. [57:01]

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
(2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)

Reflection: When has giving reluctantly stolen your joy? What would cheerful obedience look like in your current financial habits?

Day 5: Priorities Etched in Ledger Lines

Jesus didn’t say “Where your treasure is, there your heart might wander.” He declared it as fixed law. Bank statements don’t lie—they reveal altars. Tithing isn’t about funding churches but dethroning idols. Every dollar redirected to God’s work scorches the myth of self-sufficiency. The act itself becomes worship, a daily realignment shouting louder than any sermon: “He is Lord.” [01:01:48]

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
(Matthew 6:21, ESV)

Reflection: What purchase or savings goal currently rivals tithing for your “firstfruits”? How might rearranging financial priorities recalibrate your spiritual compass?

Sermon Summary

The call to a stronger faith and a deeper joy starts where Jesus starts: with giving. Jesus gives his all, and his people follow him in that same direction. Any claim that the Old Testament no longer relates gets called “baloney,” because Jesus says he did not abolish the Law but fulfilled it, so the word still speaks and speaks clearly. God’s will is not foggy here. God wants a sinner saved, not lost, and that salvation is not mere nodding at the facts but a total handing over of the life to Christ. God’s will also lands plain in Malachi: “bring the whole tithe into the storehouse.” A tithe is the first tenth. It is not a tip, not leftovers, and not split among personal favorites. Offerings may bless Samaritan’s Purse and many good works, but the tithe belongs in the storehouse.

Malachi does not just command; Malachi invites. “Test me in this,” God says. Tithing becomes a lived proof that trust is real, because faith is built on trust, and trust always risks something. God promises to pour out blessing, to make the ninety go further when the first ten is returned. Robbing God closes hands; obedience opens windows. The “floodgates of heaven” do not talk about a thinner life but a fuller one, a re-aimed heart that looks past problems to the Giver and his abundance. This is not about the church chasing money. Lights, staff, and missions need funds, yes, but the deeper issue is worship. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Tithing is for the believer’s good and for God’s glory.

Priorities always show up on the ledger. A story about an unhappy man learning to tithe turns into a testimony about joy, because where the treasure goes, the heart follows. Rich or poor, the percentage is the same, and the Father sees. A healthier church does not grow from grumbling or manipulation but from showing up, reaching out, obeying the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, and putting God first. “Seek first the kingdom of God,” and then let the rest line up. A practical challenge lands on the table: try storehouse tithing for a month. Some have tipped God; the call is to tithe to God. God wants a sinner saved and a giver obedient, and the right time to start is now.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s will includes tithing obedience [46:43] Obedience begins with clarity. God wants a sinner saved, and God wants a believer to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. This is worship, not fundraising. Returning the first tenth puts God first in a way that talk alone never will. [46:43]
2. Tithing tests and grows faith [52:02] “Test me in this” is not presumption; it is invitation. Trust matures when it moves money, because real faith risks. As the first ten is returned, the heart learns that God means what he says and knows what he is doing. [52:02]
3. Joy flows from heaven’s floodgates [57:01] Obedience does not shrink life; it opens it. When the windows of heaven swing wide, the soul tastes a foreglow of future glory, and ordinary needs get met in extraordinary ways. Joy grows when attention shifts from scarcity to the Giver. [57:01]
4. Priorities show up in spending [01:01:19] Checkbooks do not lie. Money follows love, and love follows money, so patterns of giving reveal the true order of a heart. Setting the tithe first retrains desire, re-centers worship, and puts the kingdom at the front of the line. [61:19]
5. A healthier church needs obedience [01:02:56] A church becomes richer in grace when its people stop grumbling, show up, reach out, and tithe. The Great Commandment and the Great Commission run on consecrated hearts. Obedience fuels mission, and mission multiplies joy. [62:56]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[33:03] - Questions about faith and joy
[40:04] - It’s all about giving
[41:08] - Jesus fulfills, not abolishes
[44:02] - God speaks through his word
[45:23] - God’s will: be saved
[46:24] - God’s will: be a tither
[46:59] - What is a tithe
[48:18] - Offerings beyond the tithe
[52:02] - “Test me in this”
[55:13] - Trust, risk, and real faith
[57:01] - Floodgates and joy
[58:12] - Not about money, about worship
[60:06] - The Norman Vincent Peale story
[63:41] - Great Commandment and Commission
[65:00] - One-month tithing challenge
[66:37] - Reversing tithing vs true worship
[68:23] - Start tithing now and pray

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Malachi 3:10 (ESV)
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

Matthew 5:17 (ESV)
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Observation questions

What does Malachi 3:10 specifically say about testing God, and what is the promised outcome of obedience?
How does Jesus’ statement in Matthew 5:17 about fulfilling the Law relate to the sermon’s emphasis on tithing as a continued practice for believers?
According to the sermon, what distinction is made between a tithe and an offering? [48:57]
What practical example was shared in the sermon about how financial priorities reveal the heart? [01:01:19]

Interpretation questions

Why might God invite people to “test” Him specifically in the area of tithing, as stated in Malachi 3:10? What does this reveal about His character?
The sermon argues that tithing is not about fundraising but worship. How does this distinction change the way we view giving? [58:12]
The phrase “floodgates of heaven” in Malachi 3:10 is linked to joy in the sermon. How might obedience in tithing lead to greater spiritual abundance rather than material scarcity?
How does prioritizing the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33) connect to the practical challenge of storehouse tithing mentioned in the sermon? [01:05:00]

Application questions

What does your current pattern of giving (time, money, energy) reveal about your priorities? How might adjusting your giving habits reorient your heart?
The sermon challenges believers to try storehouse tithing for one month. What practical step could you take this week to begin or recommit to this practice? [01:05:00]
Have you ever felt hesitant to tithe because of fear or financial strain? What would it look like to view tithing as an act of trust rather than a burden?
How could shifting your focus from “scarcity” to God’s abundance change your attitude toward generosity in areas beyond finances (e.g., time, relationships)?
The sermon mentions that “checkbooks do not lie.” If someone reviewed your spending, what would it tell them about what you value most? What one change could make your spending align more with God’s kingdom?
How might faithfully tithing to your local church strengthen your connection to its mission and community? What hesitations or questions do you still have about this?
The story of the unhappy man who found joy through tithing shows that obedience reshapes perspective. Where in your life do you need to replace grumbling or reluctance with intentional obedience? [01:00:06]

Sermon Clips

58s

#FloodgatesOfHeaven

“``The floodgates of heaven. Look what he's got in store for us. Open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessings that you won't have room for it. I'm in for that. How about you? I like to have a little taste of what heaven's going to be like and that sounds like a blessing that brings about a great amount of joy and that's what tithing does for each one of us. It it that's what tithing does for me. That's what tithing could do for you. And tithing turns our focus from ourselves, turns our focus from the problems that we're having, and it turns toward god in the abundant blessings that he has in store for us if we'll just be obedient to him.”

53s

#TestGodsPromise

“``Malachi is clear and given us some some information there. He says, as as soon as he talked about that tithing is the will of god, he explained why. He said, test me in this. Test me in this, says the lord almighty. I really believe that tithing is a way that god will increase our faith. will strengthen our faith because we're testing or proving that we believe that god will do what he says. He says, I'll pour out blessings on you if you'll do this and so if you're bringing the tithe in the storehouse, you're you're expressing your faith in what he said and allowing him to bring that blessing to you.”

54s

#TrustGodWith10Percent

“``Yes, tithing is a way to strengthen your faith. Well, you might say, well, I can't afford to tithe. It's been my life experience. I can't afford not to. Who would agree with that? I tell you what, there's times when I couldn't even hardly afford to pay attention, let alone a tithe. Struggle to have food on the table. Some of you been there But I tell you what, when you learn the principle of stewardship, it's amazing what god can do with that other 90% if you trust him with that 10%.”

60s

#PrioritiesShowInSpending

“``You see, it's a matter of what has priority in your life and what has priority in your life will come and it'll show up in your checkbook or your bank account. I believe if I had the opportunity and I have a degree in business management and I I I went for a a master's degree in banking as a as a mature adult. I I I could analyze your checking account or your bank account, and I could tell where your priorities are by how you spend your money. This man learned a valuable lesson that it is in giving that we receive. That same window of heaven that opened up for that man could open up for you.”

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Friendship Baptist Church - Jefferson, NC This sermon · AI assistant

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Tithe to Trust: Test God and Receive Blessings

Devotional

Day 1: When Mountains Fall Silent, Listen to the Whisper

Day 2: Two Non-Negotiables: Salvation and Storehouse

Day 3: The 90% Miracle

Day 4: Joy’s Floodgates

Day 5: Priorities Etched in Ledger Lines

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Tithe to Trust: Test God and Receive Blessings

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