Release God’s Blessings To Rest Upon You

My Daily Covenant with God Devotional

Devotion for Saturday January 19, 2019

Topic: Release God’s Blessings To Rest Upon You

Text: Ezekiel 44:28 – 31

Our bible passage for today makes reference to priests. They are God’s inheritance and possession (Ezekiel 44:28). What God meant here is that they shall have their maintenance from Him, that is, from the offerings and first-fruits which He ASSIGNED TO THEM. This instruction here is from Numbers 18:20 – 24. Thus God gave the instruction that other Israelites should take care of them and He also gave them (the priests) instruction on the kind of offering they are to eat from. The essence of these instructions is to make the priest concentrate on the work assigned to them. Again it was to help the priest live above reproach. God required the people to give the very best of their offering to the priest. The effect of giving the best is to cause a blessing to rest on their (Israelites) houses.

Our memory verse teaches us what God wants us to do in this regard. When these instructions were issued, the first recipients were farmers who harvest seasonally. But most of the present day Christians are civil/public servants, business men and women. On our path, God requires us to set aside our tithes to support His work and priests. We should also make provision for their comfort. Unfortunately, most priests have abused this honour and it started long ago (remember the sons of Samuel) but that doesn’t mean we should neglect our duties toward the genuine ones. They need your support. Supporting them will bring more blessings upon you. A friend once told me that some pastors have abused his goodwill so he has channeled his support to other less privileged people. This is also another way to cause blessings upon your family.

Action: If you don’t have any plan of helping priests and church work, draw a plan today and start up something. Ask God to direct you on the best way to do it

Memory verse: Ezekiel 44:30

Prayer: God, as I help your priests, may I never lose my reward. Cause more blessings upon me in Jesus name. Amen.

TITHING (TEST OF OUR OBEDIENCE): Devotion for Monday August 8, 2016

TITHING (TEST OF OUR OBEDIENCE): Devotion for Monday August 8, 2016  

Text: Deuteronomy 26:12 – 15          

Memory verse: Deuteronomy 26:14 – I have not eaten any of it when in mourning, nor have I removed any of it for an unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that you have commanded me.  

As we round off this special teaching about tithing, we shall be looking at the fifth reason why we should pay tithe. The fifth reason why we should pay tithe is because it is an act of obedience and love for God. Jesus said that if we love Him, we should keep His commandment (John 14:15).

Just yesterday, I read a post on Facebook where somebody was saying we should not pay tithe. Rather, we should give all we have to God as mark of love. He is not absolutely right because such teaching is not ideal. That the early disciple gave all as Luke recorded in Acts of the Apostles may not necessary translate to real giving all in the sense of it. For those of us who pay our tithe, our giving for the service of God does not stop at tithing. We give offering and support the work of God in various ways. So the most important thing is obedience to God’s instruction and leading about stewardship of what He has blessed us with.

What God demands from us is obedience and faith. “Obedience to God is the most infallible evidence of sincere and supreme love to him” – Emmons. In 1 Kings 3:4, Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings because he loved God. In act of obedience, Abraham took his only son Isaac to offer him according to God’s instruction. In Gen. 22:17 and 18, God pronounced blessings on Abraham because he obeyed.

Beloved, how do you obey God’s instructions especially in the area of tithing and offering? How do you demonstrate your love for God when you do not take His words seriously? There is nothing like partial obedience. Melchizedek blessed Abraham and he paid tithe. We should do likewise too. God has blessed us with time, money and other material things. If you love God, you should pay full complement of your tithe. Keeping back will attract God’s anger and it will be unbearable because you are stealing from God (Malachi. 3:8).

Food for Thought: True obedience neither procrastinates nor questions. – Quarles

Prayer: Increase my faith to obey you, O God, in the area of tithing and offering. 

TITHING (THE COVENANT TO RECEIVE MORE): Devotion for Sunday August 7, 2016

TITHING (THE COVENANT TO RECEIVE MORE): Devotion for Sunday August 7, 2016

Text: Malachi 3:10b – And try me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.                    

Memory verse: v 10b

Outside provision of food for the house of God (the storehouse as we read on Thursday), provision of food/assistance for the less privileged (as we read on Friday) and insurance (as we read on Saturday), another reason why we have to pay tithe is because it is a covenant to receive more from God. He specifically challenged us to try Him about tithe payment. What this implies is that God assures us that He cannot lie (Titus 1:2) nor fail to fulfill what He has said. This is a challenge for us to try God and see if He can fail.

A story was shared by a Pastor of how a man started business with N100, 000:00 (One hundred thousand naira only) and in five years, the business grew to N1trn (One trillion naira). When he was asked about the secret of his sudden transformation and large business empire, he said that since he stated the business, he has been paying 90% gain as his tithe instead of 10% requested by God. And for this, God enlarged his coast and his business became an empire.

The above story confirms our bible reading for today. The above story is not a fable or fiction. God is God of multiplication. He assured us of plenty and increase when we pay our tithe (Prov. 3:10). Family Bible Note opined that “The reason why they (God’s people) so often walk mournfully before Him for a long time and receive no answer, is, that they have, like Ananias and Sapphira, kept back part of the price.” When we meet God with our tithes, He meets us with blessings by giving us more. When we are faithful in doing so, God will be faithful in performing all that He has promised us. My beloved in Christ, please give this a consideration if you have not been doing it and see if God can lie.

Food for Thought: Are you willing to try God by being faithful in your tithe?

Prayer Point: Teach me, O God, to know that all I have are gifts from you and inspire me to use them rightly in Jesus name.

TITHING (PROVIDING FOR THE LESS PRIVILEGED): Devotion for Friday August 5, 2016

TITHING (PROVIDING FOR THE LESS PRIVILEGED)   Friday August 5, 2016

Text: Deuteronomy 26: 12

Memory verse: Deuteronomy 26:12 – When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year-the year of tithing-and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled

In Deuteronomy 14:28 and 29 we have a vivid description of what is expected of the Israelis in respect of tithing. Tithing is also meant to provide for the less privilege in the society like the fatherless, widows, stranger and above all, the Levites. Yesterday, we read that tithing is a way of providing food at the storehouse in the temple. Tithing does not end at bringing your produce to the priest in the temple or paying the money. There are some other things expected of us if we are to reap the full benefit of tithing.

Deuteronomy 26:15 specifically speaks of the kind of prayers that should be said after paying tithes. It demands, asking for God’s blessing on you and the land from where you harvested what you sow as tithe. The land as used here in reference to your means of livelihood includes; your office, business, your career and wherever you make your living. Negligence of doing this may cause us our reward. Remember Daniel 10:12–14. Whenever you sow seed, pay tithe, give alms or give your offering, always back it up with prayers so that your reward will not be hindered. That prayer is as necessary as the paying of tithe itself. Therefore don’t be too nonchalant about it.

Beloved in Christ, do you remember the less privilege in your neighbourhood as you harvest your farm produce or receive your salary? Do you make regular provision for them or you remember them only once in a year probably during Christmas? It ought not to be so. We should have them in our schedule of things. It is our duty to provide for them as you receive your monthly income. If not, repent now and start. It is better late than never.

Food for Thought: Consider what can you do to assist the less privileged in our society outside tithing?

Prayer Point: Grant me the grace, O Lord, to start assisting the less privileged. Help me to be faithful in taking care of them that I cross their way in Jesus name.

TITHING (PROVIDING FOR THE CHURCH): Devotion for Thursday August 4, 2016

TITHING (PROVIDING FOR THE CHURCH): Devotion for Thursday August 4, 2016

Text: Malachi 3: 10a              

Memory verse: Malachi 3:10a - Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.

God has concern for His church. He didn’t choose us to abandon us. He wants to bless us always but we must prove our obedience to His commandment. One of the ways to receive the blessings God has packaged for us here on earth is to bring in our tithes to the storehouse (One tenth of what He has blessed us with). This implies providing for the church to meet her needs and to care for as many as work in the church.

The “storehouse” was a place in the Temple for storing grain and other food given as tithes. The priests lived off these gifts. If the temple storehouses were empty, it was the people’s fault and it means that the priest will be deprived of food to eat. God had already blessed them with enough to give a little back to Him. On the other hand, some of us are no longer farmer who could tithe food items. Rather we tithe money which means that it will go into church account.

The problem Malachi mentioned in 3:7–12 was the people’s departure from God as reflected by their neglect of tithes and offerings. They were so concerned about acquiring person wealth. Two annual tithes were required according to Israelite law; one for the Levites (Lev. 27:30; Num. 18:21), and one to be used in worship at the annual feasts in Jerusalem (Deut 14:22). We need to give from the plenty that God has given us in order to support those who serve God by ministering to the spiritual needs of others. When you starve your priest of physical food, God will also starve you of spiritual food and blessings. Make provision for your priest and see what God will do for you. Bring in your tithe to the house of God as He demanded and there will be food in His house. One thing very certain is that we do not lose our reward when we faithfully pay our tithes. I am a witness. Try it from today.  

Food for Thought: Do you actually understand what tithing means?

Prayer: God, grant me the grace to be faithful in paying my tithe as required by law in Jesus name.