February 7

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

to Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine 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 field, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

13 Your words have been start against me, with the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken to much against thee?

14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

16 Then they th I feared the LORD spake often one to another, and the LORD' eakening, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Such robberies as those, for which God so terribly arraigned His people in Malachi's day, are every day practiced upon the great, loving, patient God, by His creatures, too often by His children. No earthly father has so clear a right to the love and service of his child, as God has to the supreme love and service of every soul of man. And to refuse it is an insult, an outrage, an infinite wrong to the ever-blessed God.

He asks of every one of us first-fruits and tithes. And He pledges Himself in a way in which they themselves can verify. "If you will obey, I will supply all your needs; if not, I will continue your death."

Not room enough in our hearts! If the whole world were unloaded into them there would be as much empty room left as there is about the globe in space. But God promises an overfulness. What are some of the empty places in the soul which He fills? 1. Sense of poverty. "God will not try to stop the leak in the heart by pouring gold dollars through it, but will give the spirit of adoption which imparts enjoyment of all the works of our Father in heaven." 2. Sense of bereavement. God fills this with assurance of immortal reunions. 3. Sense of sin. "If sin abound, grace doth much more abound. 4. Sense of uselessness in purpose. Charles Wesley could not get up enough spirit to speak for Christ; but when the Spirit was given he cried, 'O, for a thousand tongues to sing!'" 5. Sense of little service even with the best intentions. Consecration infinitesies one's life. God makes a Christian useful beyond his ability, his planning and his knowledge.

Closet Promise.—Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.—Ephes. iii. 20, 21.

Dr. Guthrie says: "Give me these links: First, sense of need, second, desire to get; third, belief that God has in store; fourth, belief that, though He withhold for a while, He loves to be asked; and, fifth, belief that asking will obtain—give me these links, and the chain will reach from earth to heaven, bringing heaven all down to me, or bearing me up into heaven."

Reader, get hold of this chain and you will prove these great verities of our holy Christianity.