It's His Stuff

Good for Your Heart

A couple of Januarys ago we went on a cruise with Bill and Dee Spain.

A Mercy Me cruise

The environment was good, spiritually healthy

We flew out of Sky Harbor, so Sara and I drove down the day before and spent the night at their house in Scottsdale.

The next day we took both of our vehicles, they drive a Toyota 4Runner and I drive a GMC Yukon Denali, similar, both silver SUVs, we park them behind their Scottsdale real estate office.

One of his co-workers then took us to the airport.

We saved money by not parking at the airport, it’s safe there, a warehouse district, other businesses, ppl are coming and going all time during the day.

Bill’s a hard-working guy, he made sure the ppl in his office could call him b/c he needed to keep up w/ some contracts and things.

The 2nd day of vacation, he got a call from his office, someone, during the night, had jacked up his vehicle and stolen all 4 wheels, tires and rims, leaving it sitting on its hubs.

I felt horrible, awful, my heart hurt, I was mad; not necessarily for Bill.

I drive a nice vehicle, why didn’t they steal mine? Not good enough?

Kidding. I felt horrible for Bill and Dee.

When that happens, you feel something toward the ppl who did it. You know what it is.

At that point he just had to let the police and the insurance co. do their thing. It helped.

But, it doesn’t take away everything you feel about the ppl who did it.

How would you feel? Vacation, your office, since they left my vehicle alone, was it personal?

Nobody could see them from the street. Hidden. You had to back there for a reason. A neighboring business?

They stole his stuff. His. Not theirs. They wouldn’t treat their own stuff that way either. Leave it on the hubs.

Violated. Angry. Disrespected. You want to relax. It’s not like they parked it downtown on the street w/ a big sign “Steal my Wheels”. Assumptions were blown.

Many of you know what happened to me a few weeks ago. Maybe so I’d be more sympathetic to Bill and Dee.

I’m sitting at my desk on a Monday afternoon, my Yukon is sitting right outside my window.

My window is frosted.

I go out at the end of the day to go home and discover someone had drilled into my gas tank and stolen my gas.

Are you kidding me? All those feelings.

Ask me, I’ll help you w/ gas money.

If I ever find out who did it, we’re not going t/b best friends.

I can’t trust you. There will always be a distance between us.

Right now, it’s w/ an unknown.

No warm fuzzies from them or for them.

Contrast your feelings for ppl like that w/ ppl like this.

A few weeks ago Sara got the idea to get a few ladies together out in the church parking lot on Saturday morning just to visit.

Sara is an extrovert. Even introverts need some social interaction.

So, several Saturdays in a row they have gathered in the parking lot, set their chairs 6’ apart and talked.

We had one of our neighbors plan the same thing for our neighborhood. They planned it. Called us and others. Last Sunday evening we sat up in the parking lot on the 240 road, set our chairs up a distance apart, and just visited. There were 6 of us. Then, 2 more showed up that we all knew and they stayed for a while.

That hour or so did our hearts good.

We felt better when we got home.

That social interaction, closeness is more important than we realize. And it takes a situation like this to remind us.

We need distance now to stay well. We need closeness always to stay healthy. Emotionally and spiritually healthy.

Our hearts felt better. If there is an easy experience to describe joy, that’s it.

We were calmer, more relaxed. Peace.

The act of kindness that someone called us and others risked their wellness, to want to hang out.

You will notice, these are little bits of the fruit of the Spirit. They are the fruit of close relationships.

If we get a little bit from other ppl by bing close to them, think how much more we get from God by being close to Him.

If that’s the case, then we need to do everything we can to stay close to Him, and avoid creating a distance from Him.

We’re in Malachi ch. 3. The last of the Last 3 Prophets.

We’re going to deal w/ questions #5 and #6 of the 7.

These 2 are related.

Malachi is going to deal w/ 1 issue that has created a distance between the ppl and God.

Don’t steal God’s wheels, or anything else that’s His. In fact, it’s all His stuff. Everything we have is His. He loaned it to us to use while we’re here.

And, when He asks for it back, we need to return it. When we don’t, it creates a problem w/ Him. It creates a distance between us and God.

There are real and specific benefits to maintaining close proximity to God.

It will do your heart good.

You will stay calm.

God does kind things for us, that directly benefit us.

God will give us good gifts when we stay close that we won’t get when there is a distance.

So, stay close by doing this one thing. Avoid a distance between you and God by not doing the opposite of this one thing. And, enjoy the full potential of every good gift He gives.

The problem and its consequence and its correction is described in Malachi 3:6-9.

The Problem

Malachi 3:6–9 NIV

“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me.

You see the 2 questions.

Here’s the problem. They were selfish. Self-centered. Believing God’s stuff was really their stuff that they could use any way they wanted to get whatever they wanted.

Their behavior got them in trouble w/ God.

They are on the same path as their ancestors that got them exiled.

So, how much trouble are they in? Will this be the end of Israel?

Consumed by the refiner’s fire?

Washed out by God’s laundromat?

No. This won’t be the end. In fact, Israel will never be destroyed, ever.

B/C of the promise God made Abraham.

A promise is only as good as the one making it.

If you bought a house lately, think about how many hoops the mortgage company made you jump thru to find out if you can keep your promise to pay it off.

You’ve made a promise to pay it off and they need to know if you are good for it.

A promise is only as good as the one making it.

From the beginning God has kept every promise He has ever made. And, He promised Abraham there would always be a nation. It might be a small remnant. But would always be.

So, at Easter, when they killed the Messiah, He would have been justified to completely destroy them. But, He didn’t.

That would have broken His promise.

What He has done is set them aside while He deals w/ the church, primarily made up of non-Jews.

He has a number of ppl in mind. When we hit that number, the age of the church will be over, He will rapture us out.

Then, he will get back to Israel. The tribulation is all about God finally dealing w/ Israel. Most will die. A remnant will survive and enter the kingdom when Jesus creates it.

The Lord never changes, ever. This is the basis for Israel’s hope, and ours. He never reneges on a promise.

Again, Malachi uses the name for God, Adonai. Adonai owns us and all of our stuff.

Think of everything you own. Some, you have a title for that lists your name as owner. House title. Car title. Maybe a RZR or a boat. All the clothes in your closet, furniture in your house, money in your accounts.

Somewhere along the way we got the idea that we actually own all this stuff. It’s ours to do whatever we want w/ it.

But, it’s not. It’s Adonai’s. He’s a good God, a generous God, who graciously allows us to use His stuff while we are here.

He loans it to us. He could take it all away if He chooses.

It’s His.

We have a lot of freedom w/ it. But, He’s given us a few rules and restrictions. So, when we do what we want w/ it, not what He wants, we are acting like it’s ours, not His.

Indirectly, we are stealing from Him.

What are the rules, restrictions? He wants us to give some of it back to Him. Not a lot. Enough that it’s a sacrifice.

For Israel, it started w/ 10% of everything they took in.

Then, there were offerings besides.

So, when they didn’t do this, in effect, they were stealing God’s stuff. And as a result, they created a distance between them and God and suffered even more consequences.

One more example of one thing God commanded them to do that they weren’t doing.

God starts out here, you need to return to Me.

When you wake up one day and God seems far away, who moved?

Since God doesn’t move, it’s obvious who’s responsible and needs to fix the problem.

Thus, their question, dripping w/ sarcasm and doubt, as if they never left his presence. What do you mean? How? Why?

Israel is still around b/c God promised. Every other nation has gone away. Disease, war, famine, something has taken every one of them out. Their remnants joined w/ other remnants and created new nations.

Israel is the only nation to have survived over 4000 years. And, the only possible explanation is God’s protection and provision.

So, God says, “Return.” They don’t see the need to return. They don’t recognize the distance. They had gotten so used to it they didn’t realize the problem

So, their question isn’t a serious one, How? It was petty.

Then, God’s reply, “you want proof? You’re stealing my stuff.”

Playing dumb is just a facade. They know what’s in the law. And, they know they aren’t giving enough. Up to this point they thought they were getting away w/ it. Maybe God had changed his mind.

But, God doesn’t change. And He will eventually hold us accountable. We saw that last week.

Tithe means 10%. 10% off the top. The first 10% you bring in. Not 9%. or 8%. That’s just the beginning.

10% of all crops and herds.

Giving it back is a tribute to God’s blessing. He commanded them to do it.

It fed the priests, supported the work of the temple, helped feed the needy in the community, and the rest was burned up as an offering to God.

The priests would take a tithe (10%) of everyone else’s tithe that they gave to the temple for their own food and support.

They were also responsible to tithe on the tithe of the tithe that they took.

They needed to give 10% of their income just like everybody else.

If the ppl were not giving as much as they should, then the priest would have to go to work outside the temple and the temple work would suffer.

Again, God would not be happy.

Not only is the tithe a tribute, it’s an act of trust. If they were giving that much away, they had to trust God that He would continue to meet their needs.

Contributions were above the tithe. Not a specific amount. But, intended t/b generous portions.

Contributions were taken in, mostly at the special feasts throughout the year.

Like the feast of tabernacles. An 8-day celebration. Every evening there was a special worship service where contributions were made.

These contributions primarily supported the needy in the community.

We don’t know how much, there was not specified amount. But we do know they were taken up at all the feasts and festivals.

Was it another 1% each time? 2%? More?

You get the picture. Over the year they likely gave upwards of 20% to 30% of what they took in.

The ppl were unfaithful to most of the law. This was just one glaring examle.

They pled ignorance. But, they knew.

How to return? The other prophets spelled out clearly, repent and return.

Repentance involves owning your bad behavior, admitting it, apologizing for it, paying for it, and changing it.

Malachi just jumped to the changes.

If you change it, it implies you own it, admit it, apologize for it. As far as paying for it, they still needed Jesus to do what did to make the payment and make it right.

But, they could, from that moment on, change and do what they were supposed t/b doing all along.

It was simple thievery. Only a fool would try to rob Ft. Knox w/ all its security.

What kind of fool would try to steal from God?

He owned it all, loaned it all, and expected them to give some of it back.

God had dealt w/ their attitude toward their offering earlier in the letter. Now He’s dealing w/ the substance. Before it was the quality of the offering. Now, it’s the quantity.

That’s the problem.

And, like w/ the other questions, after the problem is explained, a promise is made.

Here’s the promise.

The Promise

Malachi 3:10–12 NIV

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. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.

When the temple was built they included large storage rooms off to the side of the sanctuary. PPL would bring their grain and it would be stored in these rooms. The rooms should be full.

God controls the climate that would produce the crops that the ppl would tithe on.

If they were giving the full amount, the climate would continue to perform, the crops would produce, and the rooms would be full.

God would prevent bugs and weeds from killing the crops.

And the world would recognize the difference between Israel’s production and theirs. Only God could be the answer to their prosperity.

They would harvest more than they worked for, more than they deserved, grace. And, God would get the credit.

To give away 10% plus contributions, would result in larger harvests.

So, living on 90% of a larger harvest made for a better living than living on 100% of a smaller harvest.

This is the only thing God gave us permission to test him on.

When Jesus was in the wilderness and Satan tempted Him, He said we shouldn’t put God to the test.

Except on this one thing.

This was part of the promise God made to Moses. It was the only temporary and conditional promise. It ended when Jesus died on the cross.

So, for us, this is not an investment program.

God does not require an amount or even the same percentage from all of us in the church today.

The NT does speak of God’s blessing on those who give generously to the church.

This is what Paul wrote in the NT

2 Corinthians 9:6–12 NIV

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

This is not a fund-raising sermon. This church is healthy financially.

This is about all or our spiritual health. For our good, not this church.

Test God on this. If you want to be blessed in small ways, give small amounts. If you want t/b blessed in large ways, give large amounts.

This is not an investment plan. The blessing you receive in return may not be monetary.

If God leads you to give more, not just to us, your church in the valley, missionaries, and other ministries; if you give more over the next 12 months I bet you will be in better financial shape and more content w/ what you have than you were last year.

How much? What Paul said was pray, talk to each other, decide on an amount. Don’t let me or anyone else pressure or talk you into anything. Give that amount.

Remember, in the OT, 10% was the beginning. And generosity is the principle.

It needs to hurt. Not a lot. Just a little. That’s the sacrifice.

It means you may have to buy a Toyota instead of a Lexus. Or, a Ford instead of a Lincoln. Used instead of new.

You might need to shop more sales, buy more generics, and make what have last a little longer.

But, God will bless your efforts.

Nationwide, the average church-going household gives between 1.5 and 2.5% of their income.

Only a fool would try to rob Ft. Knox. What kind of fool would try to rob from God?

Unfortunately, more that we may realize.

There are tangible, emotional, and spiritual benefits from being close to our friends, interacting as much as we can.

If we get that much from the ppl around us, imagine how much we can get from God when we stay close to Him.

Don’t push Him away by stealing His stuff.

Don’t steal His wheels, or anything else of His. And, remember, it’s all His.

Applications

Return

Is there a distance you need to reduce?

You know if God is far from you. And, you know who moved.

Repent is the churchy word.

Just own it. Admit it. Apologize for it. And, stop whatever you did to create the distance.

As far as paying for it, Jesus did that.

I could still be friends w/ the guy that stole my gas. He’d have to show some remorse and pay me back, but we could build a friendship.

I have to confess that I am not as good at forgiving ppl as God. But, I think I could get there.

Fix whatever it is and return.

Enough?

The only other application here is the obvious one.

Are you giving enough?

Stop now, ask God to confirm what you’re giving or give you a new amount.

Remember, in the OT, 10% was the beginning and generosity is the principle.

Give to your churches, missionaries, and other organizations that are about the Great Commission and caring for needy ppl.

Don’t steal God’s wheels, or anything else that’s His. In fact, it’s all His stuff. Everything we have is His. He loaned it to us to use while we’re here.

And, when He asks for it back, we need to return it. When we don’t, it creates a problem w/ Him. It creates a distance between us and God.

There are real and specific benefits to maintaining close proximity to God.

It will do your heart good.

You will stay calm.

God does kind things for us, that directly benefit us.

God will give us good gifts when we stay close that we won’t get when there is a distance.

So, stay close by doing this one thing. Avoid a distance between you and God by not doing the opposite of this one thing. And, enjoy the full potential of every good gift He gives.