⁶ “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. ⁷ Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’

⁸ “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!“But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. ⁹ You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. ¹⁰ Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! ¹¹ Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. ¹² “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

it's odd that I would read this.. as lately I have been wondering how on earth am I not pleasing God? what more could He possibly want from me??? and I realize.. since christmas I have not been faithful in my tithes... I see what I owe rather than see God... and I have been cheating Him... would I have considered this 'sin'... I would say no.. but surely it is...

 

and the reality is.. the heart is not the only thing I struggle to trust God with... money is another... not because I can't or don't know it is right.. more because I am selfish and greedy..... and I can think of all the things I can spend money on... I often say once I get totally caught up I will tithe completely and I will stop spending needlessly... I think I can't get caught the whole way up because I am not putting God first... ugh.. I need to right this wrong immediately..................

 

I actually had wondered.. how can I get close to God again when I have never gone away from Him.... apparently His ideas and mine are not the same once again...