Put God First

19 August 2012

1. Introduction

· Mt.6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other”.

· There is a battle for your heart over the issue of money – a daily on-going battle.

· Mammon is a spirit that seeks to capture your heart, loyalty and love.

· Mammon = Aramaic word = “riches”, wealth (assets, possessions, earnings).

· Spirit of Mammon:

Speaks to you                           Overwhelms people with fear and anxiety

Promises you much                  Desires to take place of God in your life

Seeks to enslave you

· Money has a spirit power operating behind it – Spirit Mammon – or Spirit of God.

· Associated Spirits

Spirit of Pride – I worked hard to get all this, I am entitled to these things.

Spirit of Poverty – Not enough, why should you have those things and not me.

· V26 - God is generous – He is a giver – it is His nature – He is extravagant.

· V33 – “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you”.

Put God first in your heart and financial matters – faith not fear (anxiety).

2. The First Portion belongs to God

·  What should I do with money? – Give the first portion to God and steward the rest.

(a) Ex.13:2 “Consecrate to me all the first born”

- Every first born animal was either sacrificed or redeemed with a lamb

- This was an act of faith – did not know whether animal would produce more

- Didn’t want to give until had 10 lambs and give one – gave the first born in faith

- The offering of the first born redeemed the rest – all others are now blessed.

(b) Rom. 5:8,18 God demonstrates His own love towards us in that while we were still sinners – Christ died for us

- Jesus was referred to by John the Baptist as the “Lamb of God”

- No one took Jesus’ life He offered it up – He is the first born

- God gave the first born so the rest could be blessed

(c) Lev. 27:30 “All the tithe of the land is the Lord’s”

The first portion belongs to the Lord – it is the Lord’s

The first portion is devoted – set apart for the Lord

3. The First Portion determines the nature of the rest

(a) Rom. 11:16 “If the first fruit is holy, the lump also is holy; when we give the first to the Lord all the rest is blessed. When we withhold the first from the Lord the rest is cursed.

(b) Josh 6:18-19 Jericho – all the silver and gold and vessels of bronze and iron are consecrated to the Lord – they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.

· Jericho – was the first city. All its contents were first fruits to the Lord.

· It took faith to give the silver and gold to God – what if they win no other battle?

· They did not wait to conquer other cities and then give tithe to the Lord.

· Achan took what was devoted to the Lord

Money: Devoted before he took it                   Choice 100% kept all cursed

             Cursed after he took it                        Choice 90% kept all blessed

Result was no spiritual power to prevail in warfare

V2 Key sin:       Covetous – greed and deception.

4. Giving the First Portion is an Issue of the Heart

· Giving the tithe, the first portion to God is a heart issue.

· Is God going to be first in my life, have my love and loyalty?

· Key Heart Issues

(i) Honour               - Will I honour God and place Him first? (Prov.3:19)

- What value do I place on God and my relationship?

(ii) Faith                   - Will I trust God with who He is – a generous provider

- Will I trust God by giving my first 10^th – tithe?

e.g.      Gen.22:1 Abraham gave his first born son

                        Gen 4:4 Abel gave his first born animal

(iii) Gratitude            - Am I grateful to God for all that He has given to me?

e.g.      Gen.14:18 Abraham gave tithe out of gratitude to blessing

(iv)       Willing                - Will I give out of a willing heart or out of duty, fear

                                       e.g.      Ex. 35,5 Israel brought with a willing heart

                                                   1 Cor.8:12 First a willing mind

· Without exception tithers say – I am blessed God has blessed me

· Without exception non tithers say – I cannot afford to tithe

· The first portion carries the blessing that redeems the rest

· Mt.23:23 “These things (tithe) ought to have done and not neglected the weightier matters of the law justice, mercy, faith”

· Mal.3:8-9 “Prove me in this – bring the whole tithe into the storehouse”