Monday, May 5, 2008

Will a Man Rob God? 3 Nephi 24: 7-11

7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts. But ye say: Wherein shall we return?
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say: Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the fields, saith the Lord of Hosts.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 24:7 - 11)

The Lord tells His people, the children of Israel that they have turned away from Him by not keeping His ordinances. He informs them that if they return to Him, He will return to them.

He tells them that they have robbed Him in tithes and offerings. The people are cursed for not following this commandment. Conversely, He tells them to repent and if they do, He will open the windows of heaven for them, that there shall not be room enough to receive the blessings that He’ll shower on them.

In Jacob we’re taught to seek first for the kingdom of God before we seek for riches. We are taught that if we seek for riches with a pure heart and a desire to use it to serve the Lord that we will receive riches. I have put these passages to the test in my life and have found that the Lord is true to His word. Do you want to make more money? Then pay an honest tithing and a generous fast offering. The Lord has blessed me when I have served Him and contributed to His work monetarily.

In the April 2007 General Conference Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi spoke on the blessings that come from paying an honest tithe and generous offerings.

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