The Blessing of Obedience

The Blessing of Obedience

For those that have been following my notes, y'all know that Papa has been dealing with me on 'Cleaning House', or 'Getting my house in order'. This week, He chose to move to a different room. Guess He decided that I'm getting the hang of this forgiveness and praying for and blessing those that have wronged me huh? Lol!

Papa has really been dealing with me on this whole tithing thing. Don't get me wrong, I do tithe, I just happen to have issues remembering to grab a check most of the time. There have been times that my faith wasn't where it should have been too. Just looking at what was in the bank and the bills that were due.. That's enough to stress you out! I have literally robbed God guys... 

"Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! (Malachi 3:8, 9 NASB)

Can you say, "Ouch!"?! I mean really, all He asks for is 10 percent. How hard can that be? Lets keep reading to see what else He has to say about it: 

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test 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 a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes, " says the Lord of hosts. "All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land," says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:10-12 NASB)

We've all heard it preached probably a hundred times, and, if you're anything like me, you have a head knowledge of everything you're supposed to do as a believer, but not always a heart knowledge. How can I expect Him to bless me, answer my prayers, rebuke the devourer for me, really be able to work in my life, if I'm not walking in obedience? It's all about obedience! 

Check out the following testimonies - they were definitely faith builders for me! 

1) A few years ago, my mom was struggling with whether to pay her tithes or buy groceries for the next week. Papa told her to pay her tithes and He would take care of her. So, she purposed in her heart to obey Him and within just a little while, she received a gift that was a little more than three times what her tithe check would be! 

2) As I'm sitting here tonight in my quiet place, I get a text from a close friend that says she got a check in the mail today! This friend had already paid her tithes on Sunday, but during worship at bible study last night, she felt God tell her to give a little more so she did. 

The point in these two stories? Obedience=Blessing. Papa is faithful. All He requires is 10 percent. If you don't have any money to give, give your time to Him. Spend some time volunteering to clean the church building or whatever you can think of. Give a pen, a button, a penny you find on the street, anything to show Him you're willing to be obedient. Pretty soon, those pennies will turn in to nickels, and nickels in to dimes and so forth. 

Thank You Papa for once again being the Living Word in my life. I confess that I have sinned, I have robbed you Daddy. I'm so sorry. I ask You to forgive me. Holy Spirit, help me to walk in obedience. Bring the checks to remembrance each week so that I will no longer walk in direct disobedience, I pray. Thank You Daddy for loving me enough to bring this to my attention so that I can correct it. God, I thank You for who You are and who You're becoming in my life. Break down every wall in my heart that is hindering Your presence in my life. May everyone that I come into contact with see You in and through me. I love You so much! 

Love always, 

Your Little Girl