Positioned for increased income - at Church

B. In your church:

This post is, from my personal experience, an absolute must when positioning yourself for increase.

Take a look (Prov 3:9-10) Honor the Lord from your wealth, And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

It’s an action, then a consequence.. Do this.. so you will get that.

One commentator says this,
“Many people give God their leftovers. If they can afford to donate anything after the bills are paid, they do so. These people may be sincere and contribute willingly, but they are not obeying what God says. God wants the first part of our income. This demonstrates that God, not possessions, has first place in our life and that our resources belong to him (we are only managers). Giving to God helps us conquer greed, helps us properly manage God's resources, and opens us up to receive God's special blessings.”

How do we put God first, or give Him the first fruits? Let’s look at another organisation that puts themself first with our income.. the tax department. They know what you’re like. If they asked you to pay your tax at the end of every pay week, they’d have no chance of collecting it. They take out their portion first to ensure it gets paid (before you spend it on other stuff)!

That’s the view I take when giving God my first fruits. Every 2nd Saturday, after our pays go in, an automatic direct debit goes from my account to the storehouse – so that the first fruits of my labour are my honour gift to God.. I can’t forget it.. I can’t overlook it.. No excuses.. it happens..

There’s my action... and I’m glad to do it! Because what’s the consequence – SO THAT MY BARNS WILL BE FULL!

Positioning yourself for increase means being obedient to the spiritual principles of giving into the storehouse.

Some people says – God if you’d give me more money, then I’d give you some money. But look at Luke – You give, and then it will be given back to you.

Luk 6:38 "give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again."

Generosity breeds Blessing.. The more generous, the more you’re blessed. However, there is a qualification here..

How would you feel if someone came up to you with a present and said ‘here you go.. merry christmas’.. dumped a present in your lap, huffed and walked out. You almost would think – why bother?

Same goes with us - 2Co 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

We position ourselves for increase when we cheerfully, not out of obligation, Honour God with the first fruits of our labour

Important question: Should we keep tithing in a recession?

My answer is without doubt yes! If I stop giving, will God stop giving back? Why would the laws of sowing and reaping change .. is God part of our recession? No! God’s ways are higher than our ways – His thoughts are higher than our thoughts..

He can make a way where there seems to be nothing but barrenness.. just look up and you will see.