By Jeff Larson, The Back Pew
A pastor once asked a man why he wouldn’t join the church. The reply was that the dying thief on the Cross didn’t join the church, and he was saved. “Well,” replied the minister, “if you belong to a church, you can’t help support missions, of course.” “No,” said the man. “The dying thief did not help to support missions, and wasn’t he saved?” “Yes,” said the preacher, “but you must remember that he was a dying thief, whereas you are a living one.”
“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!” (Malachi 3:8-10)
