It is the desire of every child of God to honor the Lord. Our goal is to please Him who has chosen each of us to be a soldier.
There are many ways to please the Lord. One sure way to honor God is by giving Him “the first fruits of all your increase”. As we purpose in our hearts to please the Lord this way, we find that we are likewise given pleasure when we give. How God loves the cheerful giver. When we consider all that He has done for us, how can we be anything less than cheerful givers?
When we give, we are following our heavenly Father’s example. Our lives are full of God’s good and perfect gifts. So, if we purpose to follow Jesus daily, we will find ourselves being givers and not takers. Remember, we receive in the same measure that we give out.
Tough times have hit many of us. Thankfully, the Word of God is eternally young and as fresh today as ever. We need to live by God’s promises. Never doubt in darkness what God has told you in the light. God tells us that if we honor Him, He will fill our barns with plenty and provide an overflow of new wine. The worldly man, however, does not honor God financially and purposes instead to build his own barn, but this to his own detriment. How quickly does the dream elude those who purpose to prosper in this world!
As followers of Jesus, each one of us needs to examine our life and motivation for giving or not giving. We should never give grudgingly or because we “have to”. We should not stop giving because we are afraid the “well will run dry”, but remember that faith is an absolute requirement for godly giving. Nor should we ever make the gross error in thinking that since we tithe, we can now live carelessly and recklessly. Tithing and budgeting are not conflicting choices; they are Scriptural companions.
God knows how to fill your barn. He challenged Israel to prove Him in this. So get blessed, saint – be a giver!
