Financial Wisdom: Tithing and God's True Blessings

Devotional

Day 1: Principle of Priority: Putting God First

The first principle of financial peace and freedom is prioritizing God in our finances. This principle is rooted in the concept of tithing, which is an act of acknowledging that everything we have comes from God. It's a way of putting God first in our lives, not just in our words but in our actions as well. This principle is not just about financial peace, but also about peace in our souls and lives (#01:15:58).

Proverbs 3:9-10 - "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."

Reflection: How can you prioritize God in your financial decisions this week?

Day 2: God's Blessings are More Than Financial

God's blessings are not limited to financial prosperity. When we give, God blesses us in ways that are far beyond our imagination. These blessings may not always be financial or physical, but they are always abundant and overflowing. God wants us to live an overflowing life, not just in terms of material wealth, but in all aspects of our lives (#01:26:37).

Psalm 23:5 - "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."

Reflection: In what non-financial ways has God blessed you recently?

Day 3: The Danger of Impatience

Impatience can lead us to make unwise financial decisions. We often get so caught up in wanting things now that we forget to consider the long-term consequences of our actions. We need to learn to be patient and trust in God's timing, rather than trying to rush things on our own (#01:07:37).

Proverbs 21:5 - "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."

Reflection: What is one financial decision you need to make this week? How can you exercise patience in this decision?

Day 4: The Blessing of Tithing

Tithing is not just about giving back to God what is His, but also about trusting Him with our finances. When we tithe, we are essentially saying that we trust God to provide for us and to bless us. Tithing is a test of our faith and trust in God (#01:29:46).

Malachi 3:10 - "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

Reflection: How can you demonstrate your trust in God through your tithing this week?

Day 5: The Consequences of Not Tithing

Not tithing can have serious consequences, not just financially but also spiritually. When we fail to tithe, we are essentially saying that we do not trust God with our finances. This lack of trust can lead to a lack of peace and freedom in our lives (#01:31:30).

Haggai 1:6 - "You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."

Reflection: What are some ways you can start tithing regularly and faithfully?

Sermon Summary

In my sermon, I emphasized the importance of financial wisdom and the role of tithing in our relationship with God. I explained that God's blessings are not always financial or physical, but they are more than we can ever count in our checkbook. I stressed that tithing is an act of obedience and a way of putting God first in our lives. I also pointed out that many people operate their finances on the faulty principle that they cannot afford to give to God. I encouraged the congregation to understand that everything they have comes from God and to start their journey towards financial peace and freedom by returning to God what is His. I also shared my personal experiences with financial mistakes and how I learned from them. I concluded by reminding everyone that the blessings of God are not material things, but the people in our lives.

Key Takeaways

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Sermon Clips

1. "We get so off course chasing the wind, chasing after these things that in the grand scheme of things don't even matter. The blessings of God are not things, they are the people inside your family. If you're going to do it, give them a praise, come on make some noise for him." - 01:09:35

2. "We get so fixated on this that we don't realize how much God has really blessed us with. All God says is 10 percent I want you to give back to me and actually it's returned to me because it's not yours to begin with. This 100 percent does not belong to you in the first place, it belongs to him." - 01:25:13

3. "Too many people operate their finances on this basic principle: I cannot afford to give to God. This morning I want to close and we're going to split this up into next week but we're going to hit one principle today and four more next week that will bring Financial Peace and Freedom to your finances not only to your finances but to your soul, to your life." - 01:15:58

4. "Jesus taught it and echoed it in Matthew 23 23 woe to you scribes and Pharisees you Hypocrites for you tithes mint and Dill and cumin and you have neglected the weightier matters of the law Justice and mercy and faithfulness these you ought to have done without neglecting the others. What Jesus is saying is you have to walk in full obedience to him, full obedience not just oh just a little bit here a little bit there." - 01:17:59

5. "Listen, you don't need it now. The only thing you need now is air to breathe, water to drink, some food to eat. We get so off course chasing the wind, chasing after these things that in the grand scheme of things don't even matter." - 01:08:17

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