LeadTip #28 Honor the Lord with your wealth

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

✓ Set your priorities in order to receive all the blessings God has for you and to protect yourself from the temptations of the flesh.

Christian leaders want to lead others into a better life, into the blessings and promises of God. This happens as they set their own priorities in order. The Lord is counting on leaders to be role models and mentors not only to their own family members, but to their church and community.

✓ One of the most important priorities in a believer’s life is a commitment to Biblical giving.

Giving is a measurable display of a person’s faith, trust in God, obedience to His Word, and the condition of the heart.

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Money is mentioned over 800 times in the Bible. God knows the power, importance and danger of money.

We read in 1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

We have seen failure in heeding to the warning of this scripture even among Christians, Christian leaders and ministries.

We see countless examples all around us of the evil of greed, and the destruction the love of money can bring. Satan tempted Jesus in the dessert, as he does mankind, by offering Him the kingdoms of the world and enticing Him with the glitter of wealth and power. Jesus did not fall for it!

Humility, accountability, and obedience to the ways of God in handling money is our divine protection.

✓ The Biblical principle of tithing is one of the brilliant ways God is able to keep us in faith and in proper relationship with money.

Tithing, the giving of 10% of ones income to the Church is a Biblical practice from the days of Abraham and continued on through the New Testament. Some say tithing is an Old Testament practice, but that is not what the Bible says.

Jesus said-

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”. Matthew 5:17

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” Matthew 23:23

Jesus has a way of connecting the heart to the commandments of God. He shows us the importance of love and genuineness over religion and rote practices. Rather than limiting giving to the tithe or 10%, Jesus elevates giving to giving all you have. The New Testament Christians many times did just that.

God is ingenious in all His ways. He knows how to show us our faith and what we truly put our trust in. He also knows how to test us for advancement through something measurable, our giving, our money, our tithes and offering.

Never forget blessing comes from God, not money.