Giving Our First and Best: Faith Not Formality

Jun 07, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Gift Card Test: Firstfruits Over Leftovers

A gift card’s value isn’t in its scratched-off code but in the intentional love behind it. Cain’s offering failed because it cost him nothing—a casual afterthought, like regifting a half-used card. God rejects half-hearted sacrifices not because He needs our resources, but because He wants our trust. Abel’s offering required faith: surrendering the firstborn lambs before knowing if more would come. True worship begins when we give God our “firsts”—not leftovers. [32:10]

“In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.” (Genesis 4:3-5, NIV)

Reflection: Where have you been tempted to offer God the “leftovers” of your time, resources, or energy? What “firstfruit” could you surrender today as an act of trust?

Day 2: Faith Before Harvest: Trusting the Unseen Provider

Abel’s flocks couldn’t guarantee survival, yet he gave the firstborn lambs anyway. His offering required believing God would multiply what remained. Faith isn’t tipping God after the paycheck clears—it’s releasing what we have before the miracle. Like planting seeds in winter, trusting the harvest will come. God’s economy rewards those who risk scarcity to honor Him as Provider. [40:46]

“By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.” (Hebrews 11:4, NIV)

Reflection: What area of your life feels too uncertain to trust God with “firsts”? How might stepping into that uncertainty deepen your reliance on Him?

Day 3: The Monster at the Door: Pride’s Silent Ambush

Sin doesn’t announce itself with a roar. It crouches—patient, camouflaged, feeding on quiet resentment. Cain’s anger festered because he refused to repent, letting pride convince him God owed approval. Unchecked, that pride became a predator. God’s warning still echoes: rule over sin before it rules you. The door to destruction opens when we nurse grievances. [52:40]

“If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door. It desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7, NIV)

Reflection: What unresolved hurt or pride is “crouching at your door” this week? What practical step could you take to confront it with God’s truth?

Day 4: Automated Obedience: Wiring Trust Into Daily Life

We automate bills to avoid late fees but often treat giving like an optional app notification. Setting rhythms of surrender—tithing first, scheduling prayer, serving regularly—trains our hearts to prioritize God. Like Abel’s intentional offering, systems protect our intentions from forgetfulness or fear. Trust grows when we make faithfulness unavoidable. [50:25]

“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.” (Malachi 3:10, NIV)

Reflection: What spiritual habit could you “automate” to ensure God receives your best? How might consistency in this area reshape your heart?

Day 5: From Cain to Christ: Trading Our Mark for His

Cain’s mark declared him guilty. Jesus’ cross marks us forgiven. Abel’s blood cried for justice; Christ’s blood proclaims mercy. We’re all Cain—prone to pride, quick to blame. But Jesus, the true Abel, took our punishment so we might become God’s firstfruits. Our giving now isn’t payment, but praise: a response to grace that cost Him everything. [55:34]

“You have come to Jesus… and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:24, NIV)

Reflection: Where do you still carry shame or self-sufficiency like Cain? How does Jesus’ sacrifice free you to offer God your whole heart?

Sermon Summary

Genesis 4 sets Cain and Abel in the world east of Eden, where work, worship, and wounded pride collide. The text shows two brothers bringing offerings. Cain brings some of the land’s produce. Abel brings “the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions.” The Lord regards Abel and rejects Cain, not because grain is inferior to lamb, but because faith is present in Abel’s “first and best” and absent in Cain’s leftovers. Hebrews confirms it: by faith Abel offered a better sacrifice. God wants faith, not formality. He wants first and best, not tips from the overage.

The Lord then speaks into Cain’s simmering anger with mercy and a warning. God invites a do-over, “If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted?” and pictures sin “crouching at the door,” a predator eager to rule him. Because Cain fails at the altar, he fails in the field. Pride turns to violence. Blood cries from the ground. Conscience sears. Judgment lands. The wanderer walks.

Malachi 3 opens a surprising door where God actually says, “Test me.” The Lord ties worship to trust by calling for the full tithe, promising open floodgates and rebuked devourers. The call is not to tip God like a barista, but to trust him with the first and best. David’s resolve underlines it, “I will not offer… that cost me nothing.” The point is obedience born of confidence in God’s character. Automating the important simply helps the heart stay first and best rather than late and leftover.

Jesus reframes the whole story. Hebrews 12 says his sprinkled blood “speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” Abel’s blood cries judgment. Jesus’ blood announces mercy. God has already given his first and best in the Son. How could he not be worthy of first and best in return? Yet God is after more than money. Jesus ties treasure to heart because treasure trains the heart. Where treasure goes, heart follows. So the path is simple and searching: give the heart to Jesus first, then let time, talent, and treasure follow. In that order, sin at the door finds no room to rule, faith at the altar reshapes Monday through Saturday, and the church becomes a people who trust God to provide and pour out.

Key Takeaways

1. God desires faith, not formality [38:43] Faith shows up as first and best, not leftovers. Abel trusts God before outcomes are visible, which is why his offering is “better.” When trust drives worship, obedience stops bargaining and starts believing. The Lord still honors faith that moves first. [38:43]
2. Bring the first and the best [43:30] Malachi’s “Test me” is an invitation to reorder life around God’s provision. The call is not to tip God but to trust him with priority and cost. Automating the important helps make first-fruit faith a habit, not a hope. [43:30]
3. Sin is crouching at the door [52:01] God names sin as predatory desire angling for mastery. Pride opens the door, sears the conscience, and turns worship failures into field disasters. Ruling over sin begins at the altar, where humility and quick repentance choke off its power. [52:01]
4. Jesus speaks a better word [55:03] Abel’s blood cries for justice; Jesus’ blood secures mercy. The cross reveals God’s first and best given for rebels like Cain. Resting in that gift fuels obedience that is grateful, not grudging. [55:03]
5. Treasure trains the heart [56:39] Jesus links money and affection because giving redirects desire. Placing treasure with God pulls the heart toward God. The first step is giving the heart to Jesus, then letting resources follow his lead. [56:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[29:51] - Worship team appreciation
[32:10] - Gift card metaphor for giving
[33:41] - Genesis 4: Cain and Abel
[36:34] - Work and offerings explained
[38:24] - God wants faith, not form
[41:00] - By faith Abel offered
[42:51] - Malachi 3: test me
[45:55] - Tipping God vs true trust
[47:00] - Costly offerings and obedience
[49:49] - Try the tithe, automate
[51:27] - Sin crouching at the door
[53:34] - A seared conscience revealed
[55:03] - Jesus, the better Abel
[58:10] - Give your heart to Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Genesis 4:1-15 (ESV)
Malachi 3:8-10 (ESV)
Hebrews 12:24 (ESV)

Observation questions

In Genesis 4:3-5, what specific differences are highlighted between Cain’s offering and Abel’s offering? How does God respond to each?
What warning does God give Cain about sin in Genesis 4:7, and what imagery does He use to describe its danger? [52:01]
In Malachi 3:10, what does God challenge His people to do, and what specific promises does He attach to this command?
According to Hebrews 12:24, how does Jesus’ blood “speak a better word” than Abel’s blood?

Interpretation questions

Why might God have rejected Cain’s offering even though grain offerings were later permitted in the Old Testament (e.g., Leviticus 2)? What does this reveal about the role of faith versus ritual? [38:43]
God tells Cain, “If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted?” (Genesis 4:7). What does this imply about the relationship between obedience, repentance, and God’s mercy?
Malachi 3:8-10 connects financial obedience to trust in God’s provision. Why might withholding tithes be equated with “robbing” God, and how does this challenge cultural views of generosity? [43:30]
How does the comparison of Abel’s blood (crying for justice) and Jesus’ blood (securing mercy) in Hebrews 12:24 reshape our understanding of sacrifice and redemption?

Application questions

Reflect on a recent decision where you chose between giving God your “first and best” versus your “leftovers.” What made that choice difficult, and how could faith reshape future decisions? [41:00]
Where do you sense “sin crouching at the door” in your life right now (e.g., pride, anger, greed)? What practical step could you take this week to “rule over it” before it escalates? [52:40]
How might automating your giving (or another spiritual discipline) help you prioritize “first-fruit faith” instead of relying on good intentions? What obstacle keeps you from trying this? [49:49]
Jesus links treasure and heart (Matthew 6:21). What does your spending or saving habits reveal about where your heart truly rests? Name one adjustment to align your resources with eternal priorities. [56:39]
When have you experienced resentment or pride (like Cain) after feeling “rejected” or overlooked? How could humility and repentance restore your relationship with God and others? [53:34]
Abel’s offering required faith before outcomes were visible. What area of your life (finances, relationships, vocation) do you need to act in faith first, trusting God’s provision afterward?

Sermon Clips

35s

#JesusTheBetterAbel

“But Jesus, Jesus is the true and better Abel. He's what Abel was pointing to. He's the point of the story. Jesus is everything that Abel couldn't do. And then Hebrews chapter 12 verse 24 actually points to this. It goes back to the story of Cain and Abel and says this. It says, Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant and to the sprinkled blood which says better things than the blood of Abel. Jesus what Abel was ultimately pointing to and Jesus our hope.”

47s

#PrideDestroysUs

“The bible tells us this language is is similar to the very language used of Satan, the great tempter of a roaring lion seeking to devour us. It's out there trying to take us down, wanting to take advantage of our pride. That's Satan's greatest and first sin, pride against God. And it's out there for all of us. Our pride, even the story even the thing that I just talked to you about, like trusting God with your money, many of us, our pride goes, you don't know what you're talking about. I'm gonna do things my own way. Listen, that pride is out there. And because Cain fails at the altar, he fails in the field. Because he fails in trusting God and he wants to get rid of Abel and he's so hurt with his pride, he then decides to kill him.”

32s

#SearedConscience

“And it's true that we eliminate what threatens our sense of self. We we just get rid of it. We run away. We hide. We we slander. We try to destroy and break people down. And this is the condition of the human heart. What's so so horrifying in the story is that sin sears the conscience of Cain. It burns out any kind of conscience about what he's done. When God comes to Cain and says, hey, listen. Where's your brother? He's like, who knows where my brother is? Am I my brother's keeper?”

50s

#GodWantsYourHeart

“You know, it's interesting. When we talk about giving to the Lord, giving him our first and our best, the reason we do that is because God gave us his first and his best. How could we possibly think that he doesn't deserve ours? If God gave us Jesus, his firstborn son, and gave him so that we could be reconciled to the father, how dare we think that he doesn't deserve it? Ultimately, the reason why we give isn't because we get something but because God wants all of us. The money is just a little bit. You know, the funny thing is that giving changes our heart and God wants your heart more than anything else. God wants your heart. Not just your time, not just your treasure. God wants you.”

35s

#RuleOverSin

“God says, listen, Cain, you look sad. Why are you sad? You can still get a mulligan on this. You can bring an inappropriate offering. He doesn't reject him forever. He's like, just get it right. Just just bring me your first and your best, and you're gonna get that accepted. And Cain's so angry. His pride is so hurt that he can't get over it. God says to him, he says, sin is crouching at your door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it. The image here is that there is a monster waiting to devour him and it's a sin.”

43s

#FirstAndBestGiving

“There's this, like, generosity kind of thing. And I listen. I'm not trying to take money out of the pockets of servers. They work hard. It's a hard job. Like, personally, I think that that that's a tough space for many people to be in. However, I think we tip our servers at a higher rate than we actually give to the lord. Shouldn't that be convicting? Here's the deal. God's not interested in us tipping him. Like, thank you for blessing me. I'm gonna tip you on the overage. That's Cain. Abel is, God, I'm gonna trust you from the first of what I have. Before it even hits my bank account, I'm gonna make a commitment to give you the first and the best.”

42s

#TrustGodWithFinances

“calls us to be people who trust him and bring our first and our best. And we find this over and over again in the scriptures. You know, one of the things that's so fascinating to me is that the bible tells us that trusting god with our finances is one of the most important things we can do because it reveals the very essence of our heart and who we are. And over and over again in the bible till god says, don't test me. Like, it's almost like, hey, don't don't bow up on me. Don't try me. You know you need to know that I'm god. But there is one time in the bible that god actually says, I want you to come and test me. You know what time that is? It's when he's talking about giving our tithes and offerings.”

50s

#FirstAndBestForJesus

“So here's what God wants for you. He just wants you, all of you. So if you never gave in your heart to Jesus, do that first. Everything else is extra. But if you're following Jesus, part of maturity is saying, God, everything I have, my love life, what I watch, my resources, my money, it's a blessing from you. And I wanna use what I have, my time, talent, treasure, resources, all of it for Jesus. My first and my best belong to Jesus. I think church if we do that, we can change the world, saturate Spartanburg, Carolinas and the world with the gospel. God can unleash us to make a difference in this city. God will unleash you to change your world. Let me pray. God, thank you for our church.”

34s

#AutomateYourGiving

“I just kept on getting late on it, like, embarrassingly late. I get a call like, you're gonna lose your water bill. It's not because I didn't have money. It's because I I would just forget to pay my water bill. Has anybody ever done that? It's like, would just come in late and just, like, in this safe space. I'm telling you, like, would forget. And I'd have to walk across the street to the water company. Was right over there and just be like, hey, I'm the And they're like, you're the pastor of First Baptist. I'm like, yes. I didn't pay my water bill. Right? And I'd be like, how much is it? And they'd talk to me about it. And finally, I was like, I'm just gonna automate this thing so I never have to do this again. And I did the same thing with my giving to the Lord.”

35s

#ObedienceChangesWorld

“So I'm just telling you right now, there are so many there's so much room for growth in this in all of our heart. There's no condemnation here. I'm simply inviting you to try something I think will really radically change your life and will allow us to reach more people for Jesus. Together, we can change the world. And it starts right here. Very simple acts of obedience that nobody will see. But I wanna give you guys a warning today. It has not much to do with giving, although it perhaps is. But I will say this about Cain and Abel is that sin destroyed Cain's life and sin can destroy your life.”

34s

#TryTheTithe

“And here's the thing I wanted you just to hear today. I think you should try the tithe. As a satisfied person, I encourage you to do It's it's been life changing for us. But I know this is true. Like, listen, there's always reasons not to. There's like, do I trust the leadership? Do I do I trust, like, that it's gonna go to good purposes? Do I trust that I have it figured out? Do I trust that God's gonna take care of me? Put your trust in the Lord and find out what happens. That's what it means when you say, I'm gonna test the Lord. But here's the the hack that I've learned, which is that I automate the importance. I automate it because otherwise, I would forget.”

39s

#FaithOverFearInGiving

“And so here we find a principle that God wants for us. He wants our first and he wants our best. He doesn't want us to simply give from the overage of what we've received, like Cain, but he wants us to be people who, by faith, trust him with every part of our life, including our offerings and our resources. And this is a really difficult conversation to have because many times when we start talking about money or finances or resources or sacrificing the Lord, many of us can get our guard up because we've been hurt by people or we've seen people take advantage of it or we just don't wanna trust God with areas where we have trust issues with our finances, and these are all true things.”

33s

#SeeYourselfInTheStory

“in this story, we have to understand what's really going on here. Because a lot of us go, okay, obviously murder is bad. Right? When we hear this, we're like, there's a bad thing, first murder. We go from creation of man, the fall, and within a generation, people are taking other people's lives. Tragic story. What's the point for me? Obviously, I'm not gonna murder anybody, so I'm I'm safe on this one. Right? Marked safe from Genesis four. And yet, in the story, we actually find what God really wants from us.”

43s

#GiveFromTheFirst

“Did somebody actually like heard that I was struggling put my name on the outside of it but they didn't write it. They actually had taken scissors and cut out all the letters of my name like it was a ransom note and put it on the front, you know. And I remember opening it up and just being like, wow, God, you do provide. And I took $20 off it, marched down to the business office and handed it to them. And what I found is that giving, you know, at whatever level you start at, it's always the hardest level to start at. You know? Sometimes you're like, man, listen, if I was making a lot more, it'd be easy to give. Like, the principle ultimately is being generous with what God has given you now and trusting in faith that he will provide, not out of the overage, but out of the first and our best.”

57s

#WeNeedJesus

“Later, when God punishes him and says, hey, you're gonna have to wander because of this, he's not even sad. He's just like, this is too much for me to handle. It's not fair. Someone's gonna come kill me. There's this searing of the conscience. Almost like, you know, burning his hand on a stove to the point that he can no longer feel pain. Cain has had his conscience seared and he does not care about his sin. And here's what you need to hear today is that before Jesus, without Jesus Christ, we are all Cain. If you're saying, where are we in this story? You know, a lot of times I like to say, like, we're you know, let's find ourselves in the story. In this story, we are not able. We are Cain. We are people who don't bring our best to the lord, whose hearts wander, who get angry when we're called out, who just have this sense of not being able to be teachable.”

27s

#CainAndAbelLesson

“Now today's message is centered on this story, one that most of us have heard pieces of it. We may be able to tell each other the story, but we may not understand the deeper significance of what it means for our life. So the story begins here. Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden. God promised that he would send a savior through Adam and Eve, and Eve has a son. Names him Cain. She says, I brought forth a man with god's help.”

39s

#TithingIsEntryPoint

“Now a lot of us, when it comes to talking about tithing and offer offerings, we can get uncomfortable. We get like, man, I don't know how how to respond. I don't know what to do with my hands. Feeling so weird. Like, get your hand out of my pocket. Like, I don't know how to deal with this. Just know that the bible teaches this idea of having faith to God with our first and our best. It does it all over the place. And I know some are like, hey, well, what about the New Testament? The word tithe, this doesn't exist in the New Testament. Tithing in the New Testament is actually the entry point. People gave so sacrificially in Acts chapter four that later, Paul actually has to raise up a collection”

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Why did God accept Abel's offering but reject Cain's?

What does God require: faith or formality?

How does giving reveal and transform our hearts?