let's keep reading it says be not wise in thine own eyes fear the Lord and
depart from evil it shall be health to thine navel and marrow to thy bones
honor the Lord with thy substance and with the firstfruits of all thine
increase so shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst
out with new wine you know it's interesting just because it's right in
this passage where he's talking about trusting in the Lord not leaning on your
own understanding he brings up the firstfruits which is another area of
obedience to the Lord you know we think of tithing which is the first bringing
the first fruits of our increase the 10% and if you think about it why would a
person disobey the command to tithe go to go to Malachi chapter 3 if you would
why would we disobey the command to tithe because you know I'm afraid that if
I tithe I'm not gonna have enough money to pay the bills right isn't that what
people would think like well I'm just afraid it's not that I don't want to
give unto the church it's not that I don't believe in what the church's
program is but I'm just afraid that if I give that first 10% because it's the
firstfruits if I give that I'm just afraid that I'm not gonna have what I
need but look what the Bible says in Malachi chapter 3 verse 8 it says will a
man rob God yet you've robbed me but you say where and if we rob thee in tides
and offerings you're cursed with a curse for you've robbed me even this whole
nation bring ye all the tides 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 and there shall not be room
enough to receive it so what we see here is that God's saying if you don't pay
the tithe he says you're cursed with a curse so think about why are people not
tithing because they're afraid of financial catastrophe as a result of
tithing but what God is saying is when you don't hide the financial catastrophe
comes that's when you're cursed with the curse that's when the devourer will eat
up the fruit of your ground and that when you step out in faith and obey the
voice of the Lord he says I'll pour out a blessing I'm gonna bless it's gonna
turn out great and Zedekiah is thinking I don't see how it's gonna turn out
great there's all these Jews over there that have already gone over to the
Chaldeans they all hate my guts they're gonna make fun of me I'm just gonna be
turned over to them and they're gonna do whatever they want with me and Jeremiah
saying no actually none of those bad things are gonna happen actually if you
obey the Lord everything's gonna be great it's gonna turn out fine but he
didn't listen because he's leaning on his own understanding and we as
Christians need to be careful that we don't let fear hinder us from doing the
will of God I've got a whole bunch of points in my sermon tonight of different
areas with that Christians do not obey the Lord in because of fear
you