𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗨𝗣

• Recall a time when you bought a present for a loved one with money that you worked hard for. How did they react?

• What did you do with the first salary you earned or with the first allowance you received?

• How do you manage your time, finances, or resources? Tell us more about it.

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝟯:𝟵–𝟭𝟬

(Read also 𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗦 𝟭, 𝗡𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝟭𝟱:𝟮𝟬–𝟮𝟭, and 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟭𝟭:𝟭𝟲.)

In a world full of material things, it can be easy to forget that everything belongs to God. David writes in one of his psalms that the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein (Psalm 24:1). Our possessions, resources, and even our lives are not really ours but God’s. All things were created through him and for him (Colossians 1:16). As His stewards, we are to give back to God, in gratitude, what He has first given us. Today, we will look at how we can honor God by setting apart all that we have for Him, including our wealth and finances.

𝟭. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗱.

𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝟯:𝟵–𝟭𝟬

In biblical times, the Israelites offered their first harvest of crops to express their reverence to God and to acknowledge that He was the source of everything they had. Giving our first fruits means unconditionally setting apart the first and the best of what we have to honor God. It means trusting Him by placing all that we have in His hands. This is how God’s people understood what giving the first fruits does—it sets apart everything that we own and allows God’s grace and spiritual blessings to abound in us (Romans 11:16). How has putting God first in your finances made an impact in your life? How has it changed the way you view wealth?

𝟮. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗱.

𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗕𝗦 𝟯:𝟵–𝟭𝟬

Since God is the owner of all that we are and all that we have, we are to honor Him with everything He has blessed us with—not just with our first fruits or tithes. We are called to faithfully steward even the 90% that we have been privileged to manage. In fact, the Bible is filled with ways on how we are to steward everything we have been given. Whether we are in plenty or in want, we are called to practice generosity and handle our finances wisely. It is when we honor God with both the first fruits and with all the rest of our possessions that we see an overflow of God’s provision—allowing us to honor Him more. In your life, how have you honored God, not just with the 10%, but with everything that you have?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• How will the understanding that God owns everything change the way you look at money and the material possessions you have now? How will it help you trust God more?

• Give some thought to how much God has blessed you. How can you honor Him with all the things that He has placed in your hands?

• How can you put God first and give your best to Him faithfully, whatever the circumstance? How can you encourage others to do the same this week?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Praise God for everything He has made and blessed you with. Thank Him for His goodness and provision.

• Ask God to give you the grace to set apart all that you have for Him. Pray that you will always be a faithful steward of His blessings.

• Seek God as you profess through your giving and devotion that He is first above all. Pray for opportunities to minister to others as you honor God with your wealth.