Put God first with your money

A THOUGHT TO CONSIDER:

Are you putting God 1^st in your life? What about with your money?

PRACTICAL PRINCIPLE:

Today I want to encourage you to PUT GOD 1^ST WITH YOUR MONEY!

When it comes to money, most people’s financial priorities look something like this…

You work hard and get paid on the 25^th of the month. This gives you a little breather and allows for a small spending spree before the new month’s expenses arrive.

On the 1^st of the month, debit orders and expenses are automatically deducted from your bank account. Debt repayments follow, ensuring that you are left cash strapped. By the end of the first week of the new month, you are left in survival mode. Cash flow is tight and you still need to put food on the table. You are left with more month than money!

If by some miracle there is some cash left over, you may try to save a little or you may even give some of your leftovers to God.

This vicious cycle continues, month after month, leaving you feeling disillusioned and asking, “what’s the point of all this!”

Many people fail to put God first with their money, let alone build up a wealth portfolio, all because their financial priorities are out of whack.

Are you managing your money the wrong way around?

I want to encourage you to change your priorities by managing your money well and in the right order…

1. Put God first. When you put God first and trust in Him, He will be your protector and your provider.
2. Save and invest part of your income in order to build up your wealth portfolio.
3. Cover your basic living expenses.
4. Only spend what is left over once you have taken care of the above priorities.

It is vital that you put God first. When you put God first, He takes care of the rest.

Jesus said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

Secondly, it is important to build savings and investments into your budget.

Get into a habit of saving before you spend. If you spend your money first, before saving, you will never have anything left over to save. By saving before you spend you will always build up your wealth portfolio. And, if you save first, you can freely spend what is left over.

“He who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” (Proverbs 13:11)

It is a matter of priorities. The simple choice of putting God 1^st with your money and then saving is a strategy that honors God, and will also help you to build towards a fruitful financial future.

Today I want to encourage you to put God first with your money!

So let us start by looking at a principle that God instructed his people to follow under the Old Covenant. It is called the “TITHE”.

WHAT IS A TITHE?

Tithe is a Hebrew word that basically means “tenth.”   

The tithe is therefore giving one 10^th or 10% of your income to God.

Leviticus 27:30 says: “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.”

A tithe of everything from the land, whether the grain from the soil or the fruit from the tree, (10% OF EVERYTHING YOU EARN OR RECEIVE), belongs to God (IT’S HIS), and it is holy (SET APART) to God (FOR GOD’S PURPOSE).

Based on this, tithing is not technically giving, it is RETURNING to God 10% of what already belongs to God.

Craig Groeschel once said, “Giving to God is not going to your favorite Christian bookstore and purchasing CD’s and books with 10% of your income.  That is not tithing. That is shopping!”

Tithing is giving the first 10% of your income to God’s church. Tithing is giving God your first and your best.

Proverbs 3:9-10, says… “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”

Honor God with your wealth (MONEY), with the first fruits of all your crops (BEST PART OF EVERYTHING YOU PRODUCE), then God will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine (ABUNDANT PROVISION).

As we give to God, He will supply our needs in abundance.

Now you may be thinking, “wow, I’m trying to survive, and now you are telling me to give to God? I wish I hadn’t heard this message.”

Let me tell you that there is a huge BLESSING in giving to God!

THE BLESSING OF GIVING TO GOD

We are called to put God first with our money. When we do, there is a tremendous blessing.

While we don’t give to get, God’s word is filled with scriptures that show God’s abundant provision and blessing, when you choose to put Him 1^st with your money!…

Under the New Covenant God encourages us to be generous and to give.

In Luke 6:38 Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Galatians 6:7 tells us, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” 

2 Corinthians 9: 6-11 says, “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully”. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous.”

Matthew 6:33 Jesus said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

I want to encourage you to give to God. Giving to God is a tangible way of putting him first.

Why don’t you make the decision to put God first, starting today!

INTERESTING THOUGHT TO PONDER:

God does not need our money. He owns everything.

But God wants us to put Him first and honor Him.  

POWER QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

“Don’t tell me where your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money and I’ll tell you what they are.” –  James W. Frick

“If a person gets his attitude towards money straight, it will help straighten out almost every area in his life.” – Billy Graham

WHAT DOES GOD HAVE TO SAY:

Be a cheerful giver…

2 Corinthians 9: 6-7 tells us, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully”. 

God is our source…

“You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18)

Be wise…

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)

If you are not in a relationship with God, please invite Jesus Christ into your life to be your Lord and Savior. We were cut off from God due to our sin, but Jesus paid the full price on the cross so that we can be reconnected to God. God loves you so much that He made a way for you to become part of his family. He wants to share forever with you.  

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name (Jesus), he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12) 

You can start or restart your walk with God as His beloved child. What are you waiting for?

If you want to start or restart your walk with God, click here to pray a simple prayer we have set up for you.

LET’S PRAY:

Father, I surrender my life to you and ask you to be my Lord and Savior. Please help me to honor you and to make wise choices. Please also give me wisdom to manage my money well. Please help me to get my financial priorities sorted out in the right order. Help me to put you first. I ask for your blessing and for breakthrough in my money matters. Thank you Father that I do not have to face life alone, but that you are with me through it all. I ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

CONCLUSION:

I challenge you to put God first. Why don’t you give God your first and your best, and then trust Him to bless the rest.

Have a great week. God bless you.

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