August 26, 2020
– Debbie Graham
Proverbs 1-3
Focus Verses
Proverbs 3:9-10 “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”
The TPT version says it this way. "Glorify God with all your wealth, honoring Him with your very best, with every increase that comes to you. Then every dimension of your life will overflow with blessings from an uncontainable source of inner joy!"
In all my adult life I have seen the goodness of the Lord in His caring for me. I remember the late 80’s early 90’s while living with my best friend having pretty much nothing. She was blessed to be able to eat breakfast and lunch at her work, and me at mine. One day I was out of gas… How would I get to work? Guess what came in the mail that very afternoon? An unexpected check from my insurance company for $19 (gas was only $.97 a gallon), plenty of money to fill my gas tank!! When things were tight when my boys were young and expenses came up, my family never opted to not tithe, and while our budget did not work on paper, our bills were always paid! That is a testimony to the Lord! My trust is in Him. He doesn’t need my money. “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills… For the world is Mine, and all its fullness” (Psalm 50:10-12). It’s All His! What an honor it is to give to the one who owns it all and gave His all!
We have a giving God. He gave His one and only Son for us. He is the ultimate example of giving. We are made in His image. His Word has many examples for us to give of our first fruits; to tithe 10% of all we make. “’Bring all the tithes into the storehouse... ’Says the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:10).
I took the Financial Peace University class and was amazed to hear the statistic that Christians “tithe” is only 2.5% - 3% of their finances… which is not in fact a tithe because a tithe means 10%. Stewardship is the job of supervising or taking care of something such as an organization or property. God is trusting us to manage what He is so graciously allowing us to have. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). God speaks a LOT about money in His Word. We need to pay (no pun intended) attention to His words and be good stewards with His money! Honor Him with the firstfruits… your very best… of your everything.
During these past few months, it is possible life has been tough and finances are bleak (I know this is true of me). Some might suggest that not tithing or giving as much is an option, so as to make ends meet. Some may even say (I have heard them), that tithing is an Old Testament law and doesn’t apply to today. Jesus said in Luke 24, “… ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures” (vs.44-45). Everything that was written in the Law, by the prophets, and in the Psalms are to be fulfilled. Now you may say that this is only talking about Jesus’ crucifixion, but it should show us that the Old and New Testament both apply for all time. Jesus also said in Matthew 5, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (17-18).
I encourage you to ask yourself, how am I doing? Am I seeing the blessings of the Lord? Are my vats overflowing with new wine? Am I giving the best of my best back to Him who gives me everything I have? The blessings are yours if you will be obedient!
Prayer
Father God, thank You for the blessing that it is to give back to You. Thank You that with my obedience comes blessings. Please help me to always trust You and be faithful in giving the best of my best back to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Proverbs 1-3
Focus Verses
Proverbs 3:9-10 “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”
The TPT version says it this way. "Glorify God with all your wealth, honoring Him with your very best, with every increase that comes to you. Then every dimension of your life will overflow with blessings from an uncontainable source of inner joy!"
In all my adult life I have seen the goodness of the Lord in His caring for me. I remember the late 80’s early 90’s while living with my best friend having pretty much nothing. She was blessed to be able to eat breakfast and lunch at her work, and me at mine. One day I was out of gas… How would I get to work? Guess what came in the mail that very afternoon? An unexpected check from my insurance company for $19 (gas was only $.97 a gallon), plenty of money to fill my gas tank!! When things were tight when my boys were young and expenses came up, my family never opted to not tithe, and while our budget did not work on paper, our bills were always paid! That is a testimony to the Lord! My trust is in Him. He doesn’t need my money. “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills… For the world is Mine, and all its fullness” (Psalm 50:10-12). It’s All His! What an honor it is to give to the one who owns it all and gave His all!
We have a giving God. He gave His one and only Son for us. He is the ultimate example of giving. We are made in His image. His Word has many examples for us to give of our first fruits; to tithe 10% of all we make. “’Bring all the tithes into the storehouse... ’Says the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:10).
I took the Financial Peace University class and was amazed to hear the statistic that Christians “tithe” is only 2.5% - 3% of their finances… which is not in fact a tithe because a tithe means 10%. Stewardship is the job of supervising or taking care of something such as an organization or property. God is trusting us to manage what He is so graciously allowing us to have. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). God speaks a LOT about money in His Word. We need to pay (no pun intended) attention to His words and be good stewards with His money! Honor Him with the firstfruits… your very best… of your everything.
During these past few months, it is possible life has been tough and finances are bleak (I know this is true of me). Some might suggest that not tithing or giving as much is an option, so as to make ends meet. Some may even say (I have heard them), that tithing is an Old Testament law and doesn’t apply to today. Jesus said in Luke 24, “… ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures” (vs.44-45). Everything that was written in the Law, by the prophets, and in the Psalms are to be fulfilled. Now you may say that this is only talking about Jesus’ crucifixion, but it should show us that the Old and New Testament both apply for all time. Jesus also said in Matthew 5, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (17-18).
I encourage you to ask yourself, how am I doing? Am I seeing the blessings of the Lord? Are my vats overflowing with new wine? Am I giving the best of my best back to Him who gives me everything I have? The blessings are yours if you will be obedient!
Prayer
Father God, thank You for the blessing that it is to give back to You. Thank You that with my obedience comes blessings. Please help me to always trust You and be faithful in giving the best of my best back to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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