does God believe in you?

Malachi 3

"You ask, "But how do we return?'

8"Begin by being honest. Do honest people rob God? But you rob me day
after day.

"You ask, "How have we robbed you?'

"The tithe and the offering--that's how! 9And now you're under a
curse--the whole lot of you--because you're robbing me. 10Bring your full
tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple.
Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out
blessings beyond your wildest dreams. 11For my part, I will defend you
against marauders, protect your wheat fields and vegetable gardens against
plunderers." The Message of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies. 12"You'll be voted
"Happiest Nation.' You'll experience what it's like to be a country of
grace." GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies says so.

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from the Pastor "preacher and teacher" of Fairlawn-West, David Loar

This passage from the prophet Malachi sounds too harsh in our present world
(yet, folks are very focused on how other people need to "obey" the 10
Commandments!). Two things:

1) without putting thanksgiving offerings to the center of our spiritual life
at the center of our lifestyle, we will feel disconnected from the center of
our spiritual life...God. That was true in Malachi's time. People were
looking for easier ways to know God and to receive God's benefits without
giving their life(style) to God. I heard last night about a family that had
never seriously focused on their spiritual life. After their church had a
congregational conversation about tithing, the family met - parents and
children - and decided that instead of giving the left overs of their
present budget and lifestyle to God, they would change their life(style), as
a spiritual decision in their life, and begin to tithe as a family to their
house of worship, the Lord's house, the center of their spiritual life. The
minister telling me this story is an avid golfer, carries his clubs in his
car to golf any time he needs to relax. At this same church, when he first
talked with them about tithing, or even giving 5% of their income in
offering as a spiritual discipline and to help the body of Christ, the
church, to be stronger to guide them and others, the leaders of the church
balked saying it was too much for them to "pay." This minister then pointed
out to the parking lot asking about how much had been spent on those cars out
there, and how much money had been "left" on the golf course by many of these
folks. His point was received. He wasn't saying to restrict their travels
or their recreation, but to be clear about what OR WHO was at the center of
their life(style).

2) The seven days of creation story in Genesis 1 reverses how we use the
week. In our culture we expect that by being in worship for one hour on
Sunday we should get a sermon and a feeling to carry us through the rest of
the six days. This puts us at the center of our life. In Genesis 1 God
works or creates for 6 days to prepare for the sabbath on the 7 day. The
previous 6 lead up to the 7th instead of the 7th preparing us for the other
6. This is again a decision in our lives of what OR WHO will be at the
center of our life(style).

Many folks complain that God doesn't answer their prayers or they aren't sure
whether God exists or God hasn't been paying enough attention to them lately.
How would we know what God is doing or saying, if God isn't at the center of
our life(style)?

David Loar
http://discipledavid.blogspot.com ...David's blog
http://readeachday.blogspot.com... clergy reading blog featured in the Akron Beacon Journal
http://www.fairlawnwest.org ...church
http://www.loar.org ...family