"Honor The
Lord With Thy Substance"
Proverbs 3:9-10
When a person recognizes that he owes
everything to the Lord, he counts it a great honor to use what God has trusted
to his hands for the honor of God. We honor God in our giving when our gifts
are "WITH THE FIRSTFRUITS OF ALL THINE INCREASE." "God, who is
the first and best, must have the first and best of everything. His right is
prior to all other, and therefore he must be served first" (Matthew
Henry). First-fruit gifts are required for three reasons: (1) As an
Acknowledgement of Redemption (Ex.
"SO SHALL THY BARNS BE FILLED WITH
PLENTY, AND THY PRESSES SHALL BURST OUT WITH NEW WINE." "He does not
say thy bags, but thy barns, not thy wardrobe replenished, but thy presses. God
shall bless thee with an increase of that which is for use, not for show or
ornament - for spending and laying out, not for hoarding and laying
up. Those that do good with what they have shall have
more to do good with" (Matthew Henry). A niggardly spirit is an
impoverishing policy (Prov.
WHEN YOU GIVE, GIVE ACCORDING TO THE
DICTATES OF A GRATEFUL HEART, GIVING NEITHER MORE NOR LESS THAN YOUR GRATITUDE
AND CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRE. No one has ever impoverished himself by giving. Yet,
we must carefully avoid any selfish, self-serving ends in giving. Our object
must be to honor God, not to serve and please ourselves. Give with a
self-renouncing spirit (I Chron. 29:14-16; Matt. 6:1-4; 25:37-39). Give the
firstfruits, with implicit faith (I Kings
Don Fortner