Work for it

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. Malachi 3:10 NIV

I think over the years of hearing this verse it was used most often to guilt people into tithing. I'm not going into that subject here because I want to focus on another part of the verse. God says to bring in the tithe 'so there may be food in my house'. Why do you think he said it this way? I think it's because he's making sure the Israelites know they have to work for their subsistence. In order to receive the blessing they had to make sacrifices. This is confirming the new testaments declaration that faith without works is dead.

You can believe God will pay your bills,  but that doesn't mean you sit around all day waiting for a check. God's given you health and abilities to get a job.

You can pray that God feeds the homeless people in your city,  but food doesn't fall from heaven. Get out there and volunteer your time to help feed them.

The Israelites weren't just given their freedom from the Egyptians. They had to work for it, following God's instructions.

To have food in the house they needed to go get it and bring it in. Then God sees the faithfulness followed through and he blesses from there. Bring the tithe. Be faithful in all you do. God will bless the work of your hands.