Living Under Heaven's Open Windows: The Power of Giving

May 03, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Two Mites in the Temple Treasury

A widow approached the temple offering box. Her calloused hands trembled as she dropped two copper coins—her entire livelihood. Jesus watched her sacrifice while wealthy men clinked large sums into the treasury. He called His disciples close: "This poor widow has put in more than all the others." Her surrender revealed radical trust in God’s provision over human calculation. [26:26]

Jesus measures gifts by sacrifice, not size. The widow’s mites demonstrated total dependence—she held nothing back from God. Her offering became an eternal witness of faith prioritized over survival. While others gave from excess, she gave from emptiness, trusting the Father to fill her.

Many clutch their "last coins" today—emergency funds, retirement accounts, or time reserves—fearing scarcity if they release them. Jesus still observes what we withhold and what we surrender. What if your greatest act of trust isn’t what you give, but what you dare to release? When did you last give something that required faith instead of convenience?

"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, 'Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.'"
(Mark 12:41-43, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal any area where fear—not faith—governs your generosity.

Challenge: Give an offering today that feels uncomfortably sacrificial, even if small.

Day 2: Barns of Plenty, Vats of New Wine

Solomon instructed his son: "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops." Farmers brought the initial harvest portion to the temple before storing the rest. Their obedience activated a promise: "Your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." Firstfruits required faith that God would multiply what remained. [13:35]

God claims first place, not leftovers. Giving firstfruits breaks the lie that our security lies in stockpiles. When we prioritize God’s house, He prioritizes our households. The overflowing barns weren’t just about abundance—they equipped greater generosity.

You schedule bills, vacations, and savings—but do you schedule honoring God first? Financial stress often stems from rearranging His order. What if you treated tithes like mortgage payments—non-negotiable and calendar-blocked? Where does your budget reveal misplaced trust in human provision over divine partnership?

"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."
(Proverbs 3:9-10, NIV)

Prayer: Confess areas where you’ve delayed or diminished firstfruits giving.

Challenge: Write “FIRSTFRUITS” on your next paycheck envelope or banking app before budgeting.

Day 3: Seed in the Famine

Elijah confronted a starving widow: "Make me a small cake first." Her handful of flour and drops of oil were her final meal. Yet she obeyed, grinding grain for the prophet before feeding herself. As she sowed her last seed, God multiplied her provisions. Jars of flour and oil kept replenishing until the drought ended. [28:08]

God multiplies seed, not storage. The widow’s act defied logic—giving her last meal to a stranger. But faith recognizes that seed planted in famine yields harvests in due season. Her empty jars became perpetual reminders of God’s faithfulness to those who risk scarcity for obedience.

You face droughts—relational, financial, or emotional. The enemy whispers, "Conserve! Survive!" But Christ invites, "Sow! Trust!" What "last jar" are you hoarding that God wants to use as seed? When have you seen Him sustain those who give boldly in barren seasons?

"Elijah said to her, 'Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: "The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land."'"
(1 Kings 17:13-14, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for His faithfulness in past seasons of scarcity.

Challenge: Identify one resource you’re rationing and share it unexpectedly today.

Day 4: Pressed-Down Measures

Jesus watched farmers pour grain into measuring baskets. They’d press, shake, and overfill containers to maximize volume. He borrowed this image: "Give, and it will be given to you—a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over." The principle wasn’t about getting rich but receiving enough to keep giving. [58:30]

God’s economy thrives on circulation, not accumulation. Pressed-down measures ensure no empty spaces in our blessings. Shaking settles abundance so more can be added. The overflow isn’t for hoarding but for spilling into others’ lives through radical generosity.

You’ve felt "shaken" seasons—job losses, crises, or unexpected bills. What if God allowed those tremors to settle His blessings deeper into your life? How might your current overflow (time, skills, or resources) be designed to refresh someone else’s drought?

"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."
(Luke 6:38, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal any hoarded blessings He wants you to redistribute.

Challenge: Fill a bag with nonperishables—press, shake, add more—then donate it.

Day 5: Receiving in the Rear

The Levites carried the ark into the Jordan River. As their feet touched water, God parted the river. He instructed them to collect twelve stones from the riverbed—not on the bank but mid-current. The memorial wasn’t built after crossing but during obedience. Provision came while they stood firm in the flow. [22:41]

Miracles often arrive mid-obedience, not post-crisis. The stones memorialized God’s faithfulness during active trust, not after rescue. The priests didn’t wait for dry land to gather evidence—they collected proof while waters still raged around them.

You’re facing your own Jordan—financial, relational, or spiritual. God says, "Step in before I part waters." What "stones" of faithfulness is He asking you to gather amid uncertainty? When have you seen Him provide not after, but during your obedience?

"The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground... Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood."
(Joshua 3:17; 4:9, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for His past faithfulness during uncertain obediences.

Challenge: Write down one step of obedience you’ve delayed and take it within 24 hours.

Sermon Summary

The teaching centers on the spiritual and practical power of giving, presenting giving as both a reflection of the heart and a means by which God partners with people to provide blessing. It begins by inviting worship and community as contexts where God meets needs and then moves into clear biblical instruction: God is a giver, and giving is an act that aligns a person with God’s nature. Giving serves as tangible proof of trust; when people release resources, they demonstrate where their ultimate reliance lies and invite God to act on their behalf. Scripture anchors the message, with repeated appeals to Jesus’ focus on money, Paul’s teachings on generous sowing, and Old Testament promises about first fruits and tithes.

Practical principles shape the argument. First fruits teaching calls for placing God first in budgets so that provision follows; honoring God with the initial portion of increase signals trust more than mere compliance. The law of sowing and reaping is presented as a present spiritual dynamic: the measure given helps determine measure received, and generous, cheerful giving opens avenues for multiplied return. The Malachi challenge is highlighted as an invitation to test God by consistent tithing, promising that obedience triggers the opening of heaven’s windows and rebukes the forces that would devour provision.

Real-life illustrations and pastoral counsel emphasize faith in action. Testimonies and biblical examples, including the widow who gave all, underscore that sacrificial giving often precedes supernatural supply. Tithing is framed not as legalism but as covenantal partnership with God; it is a faith discipline that reorders allegiance from temporary sources to a sovereign provider. Finally, the teaching moves to invitation and response: faith must move from hearing to doing, and the call is to begin honoring God with first fruits, trusting that obedience will produce not only provision for personal needs but also overflow for kingdom work and generous blessing toward others.

Key Takeaways

1. Giving reveals the condition of the heart Giving of resources exposes priorities and trust in a way words cannot. Money touches daily decisions, relationships, and identity; releasing finances to God shows whether life is anchored in eternal values or temporary comforts. Giving thus becomes a barometer for spiritual maturity and a corrective means for misplaced affections. [44:16]
2. God invites testing through tithing Scripture uniquely challenges believers to test God in the area of provision by faithfully bringing tithes and offerings. That invitation flips the usual human posture of demanding proof; instead it asks for obedient risk so God can demonstrate faithfulness. Testing God here is a covenantal experiment that proves whether divine promises hold in ordinary life. [75:07]
3. First fruits demonstrate trust in God Prioritizing first fruits in income rearranges the budget of the heart and declares God as primary source. Giving the initial portion communicates dependence before need becomes urgent, transforming scarcity thinking into expectancy. This discipline trains eyes to seek heaven’s provision first, not last. [63:16]
4. Generous sowing yields greater harvests The biblical law of sowing and reaping links the scope of giving to the scope of return, not as a mechanical economy but as a spiritual principle shaped by mercy and wisdom. Generosity enlarges capacity for blessing because it invites multiplication rather than mere redistribution. The challenge becomes choosing measures that cultivate abundance for both personal need and communal mission. [59:49]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:00] - Joy of Assembling
[32:59] - God Present Among Believers
[36:36] - Partnership and Giving
[40:27] - Love and Go Series Overview
[42:26] - Why Giving Matters to God
[49:20] - Giving as Faith Demonstrated
[58:30] - Sowing and Reaping Principle
[62:42] - First Fruits and Priorities
[71:18] - Malachi: Test Me in This
[88:08] - Widow’s Sacrificial Example
[91:18] - Invitation and Response

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Malachi 3:10 (ESV)
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (ESV)
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Mark 12:41-44 (ESV)
And [Jesus] sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Observation Questions

According to Malachi 3:10, what specific action does God invite people to take, and what does He promise in response?
In 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, how does Paul describe the relationship between sowing and reaping? What attitude does he emphasize for giving?
What contrast does Jesus highlight in Mark 12:41-44 between the widow’s offering and the offerings of the wealthy?
The sermon emphasized that “giving reveals the condition of the heart” ([44:16]). What examples or explanations were given to support this idea?

Interpretation Questions

Why might God uniquely invite people to “test” Him in the area of tithing (Malachi 3:10) but not other areas of faith?
How does the principle of “first fruits” (Proverbs 3:9-10) differ from simply giving leftovers? What does prioritizing God first communicate about trust?
The sermon stated, “You’ll never be able to afford to tithe until you tithe” ([21:47]). How does this paradox reflect the relationship between faith and obedience in financial stewardship?
Why might Jesus use agricultural language like “sowing and reaping” to describe generosity? How does this metaphor deepen our understanding of God’s economy?

Application Questions

What practical step could you take this week to prioritize God as “first” in your budget or financial decisions, rather than an afterthought? How might this shift your perspective on provision?
If “the measure you use determines the measure you receive” ([59:03]), how could you intentionally increase generosity in a specific area (time, resources, or money) to reflect trust in God’s multiplication?
The widow gave “all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44). Where do you currently hold back out of fear of scarcity, and what would it look like to surrender that area to God’s care?
The sermon challenged listeners to view tithing as a “covenantal experiment” ([15:07]). If you’ve never tithed consistently, what would it look like to commit to a 3-month “test” of this principle? What hesitations do you need to address?
How could you cultivate a “cheerful” or “hilarious” attitude (2 Corinthians 9:7) toward giving, even in seasons of financial strain? What reminders or practices would help reframe generosity as joy?
The pastor said, “God can do more with your 90% after you tithe than you can with your 100%” ([17:59]). How have you seen this principle play out—or how could you step into it—in your own life?

Sermon Clips

33s

#BecomeAGiver

“Here's why I'm telling you this, because you are never more like god than when you give. We're supposed to be like him. Our god is a giving god. You are never more like god than when you give. God wants you to be a giver so you break that spirit of selfishness from your life. Amen? And the cool thing is that that god promises that whatever you give, he wants you to be a giver. But watch this. He promises that whatever you give, he'll bless and multiply back to you in return.”

27s

#GivingProvesFaith

“And before I go any further in this and just we start getting into the heart of everything today, I want you to know this. Whenever it comes to you having faith, there is nothing that proves your faith in God more than your giving. Amen? You can come here on Sunday morning when you're going through a bad day and sing a song in faith. You can offer up the sacrifice of praise and do that in faith and believe God's gonna meet your need. That's one thing.”

30s

#GiveFromHeart

“Each of you everybody say each of you. Each you. Not a few of us. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion because I'm twisting your arm. If that's how you feel like, you know, we're, you know, twisting your arm, don't give. Each of you should give what you've decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for god loves everybody say a cheerful giver. A cheerful giver. A cheerful giver.”

31s

#TitheToThrive

“So just because it's in the old testament doesn't mean that it's an invalid principle. It's a very valid principle, and it's actually a principle that is throughout the word. Amen? The other reason people give for why they don't tithe is because they'll say, I can't afford to tithe and you're right. You'll never be able to afford to tithe until you tithe. Amen? Because the devourer cannot get rebuked from your finances and the windows of heaven can't be opened up over your life until you start tithing.”

61s

#GodGivesAllThings

“Come on, folks. God will do some crazy things for his kids. He will richly give us all things to enjoy. He gives us the victory. How many of you are glad he gives you victory? He gives us a song. How many of you are glad when you're sad, he gives you a song to sing in the night? That's actually what it says. He gives us rest from sorrow and fear. Thank you, Jesus. He gives us peace. He gives us grace and glory. He gives us what we need.”

34s

#GiveOutOfLiving

“Can I tell you, people who give, you know, and it doesn't really hurt, I don't know how much faith is there, but can I tell you there's a great deal of faith where you're giving out of your living, amen, and trusting god to bless you because you have? Man, that woman's gotta be looking to god as her source. Otherwise, there's she's hold otherwise, she's holding on to those 2 pennies with everything she's got because it's all she's got. But you know what? If you're in that position, how many know it's not enough to meet your need anyway?”

30s

#UseYourSeed

“Anytime you get into a place where what you've got is not enough to meet your need, there's a good chance that what you've got is your seed. And what god is looking for you to do is take that and instead of trying to hold on to it tightly, seat it. Somebody says, pastor, you're talking about listen. Let me show you the number of times in the Old Testament, New Testament, both where the little woman who is going to make a cake and then eat it, her son her and her son are gonna eat it, and they're gonna die because that's all they got left.”

40s

#ActInFaithNow

“So in other words, it's not enough to think, you know what? I get it. I I hear you, pastor. I I really believe god will do that and then sit there today and not do anything. I think, you know, I'll start next week. No. You won't. Because you'll walk out of here because you didn't act on the word in faith. You'll walk out of here and you'll talk yourself out of it, and the enemy will see to that between now and next week. You'll have you'll have something come up as a need that you weren't expecting. You're just asking for something to break down. Come on.”

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Living Under Heaven's Open Windows: The Power of Giving

Devotional

Day 1: Two Mites in the Temple Treasury

Day 2: Barns of Plenty, Vats of New Wine

Day 3: Seed in the Famine

Day 4: Pressed-Down Measures

Day 5: Receiving in the Rear

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Living Under Heaven's Open Windows: The Power of Giving

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