HONORING GOD WITH OUR SUBSTANCE

WILL ALWAYS BRING GOD’S BLESSING IN AN ABUNDANT FASTION!

Proverbs 3:9 – 10

INTRO:
Almost weekly I receive information one way or another on how to get rich quick. You have too, I am
sure! The most prevailing lure is the one on television that says, “MAKE $5,000.00 RIGHT FROM
YOUR OWN HOUSE”. Wow! Have any of you ever checked into that? There are so many “get rich
quick” schemes out there that are nothing more than the secular way to appeal to the greed of the sinful
heart. And, because all of us have a sinful heart, some of those schemes may be tempting. But are they
biblical? Are they in accordance with the will of God? Do they represent the way God wants us to
increase in our wealth? THOSE ARE SOME CRUCIAL QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER! The point must
be made, however, that GOD’S WAY FOR US TO INCREASE IN OUR WEALTH IS NOT
THROUGH SOME SECULAR SCHEME. RATHER, IT IS THROUGH GIVING TO HIM AND
HIS WORK FIRST! That is emphasized numerous times in the Scriptures and our study in Proverbs is
right not leading us right into the midst of such a practical biblical principle. Let us never forget that
HONORING GOD WITH OUR SUBSTANCE WILL ALWAYS BRING GOD’S BLESSING IN AN
ABUNDANT FASHION INTO OUR LIVES!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I. THE HONORING OF GOD (vs. 9)

THE WORD “HONOR”
The word “HONOR” carries two significant ideas:
1. The root of the word involves the idea of “responsibility”. In other words,
applied to this context, it is OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HONOR GOD
ALWAYS WITH ALL THAT WE ARE AND HAVE!
2. The application of the word in this context involves the idea to respect God
BY GIVING THE APPROPRIATE ATTENTION AND OBEDIENCE
DUE HIS NAME.
A. What does this mean?
1. This is an Exhortation to “SELF SACRIFICING”
devotion and use of material goods to the service
of the Lord.
2. This is an Injunction showing the “EXTERNAL
ELEMENT” of worshipping God by dedicating
all of our material value to Him.
3. This is a Reminder that “ALL” things belong to
God in the first place and that we are only giving
back to Him what is rightfully His own!
I Chronicles 29:14
B. What does this involve?
1. It involves our substance
a. God’s plan is for us to give ALL of
our substance to Him in order to be
used by Him and for Him! Wow!
Do we?
b. CONTEMPLATE THE REALITY
OF THAT! Giving our substance
to God in HIS METHOD, DESIGNED
BY HIM, TO SEE THAT HIS WORK
NEVER GOES UNDONE AT ANY
TIME! GOD GIVES US ALL THE
RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED
TO DO HIS WORK…IF ONLY WE
WOULD OBEY AND RELEASE ALL
 OF OUR GOD-GIVEN RESOURCES
BACK TO HIM! (I wonder how much
we have sinned against God and His
cause by greedily keeping our substance
for ourselves?)
2. It involves our first fruits
a. Consider the Jewish “LAW OF THE
FIRST FRUITS” in Exodus 23:19
1. The Israelites gave the
FIRST FRUITS of their
goods to the Temple as a
token of gratitude for God’s
provision and care.
2. The Israelites giving of their
FIRST FRUITS also
signifies the idea of giving
God their BEST!
b. THE POINT IS: THE FIRST PART OF
ANY INCREASE WE RECEIVE AND THE
BEST OF ALL WE HAVE IS TO BE GIVEN
TO THE WORK OF THE LORD! THAT IS
A COMMANDMENT OF GOD WITH NO
OPTIONS TO CONSIDER!
NOTE: EVERYTHING WE HAVE BELONGS TO GOD!
WE ARE THEREFORE UNDER A DIVINE
OBLIGATION TO DEDICATE ALL THAT WE
HAVE TO HIM AND HIS USAGE!
QUESTION: WHERE DO YOU NEED TO START
RIGHT NOW?
APPLICATION: HONOR GOD WITH ALL YOU HAVE!

II. THE BLESSING OF GOD (vs 10)

NOTE: These two verses show the DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SECULAR AND
THE SPIRITUAL WAY OF GETTING INCREASE! To the unsaved or the
unspiritual mind, this would sound ridiculous! But to the saved and the spiritual
mind, it is recognized that this is the ONLY BIBLICAL WAY TO GO!
CONSIDER: Proverbs 11:25; Malachi 3:10 – 12; II Corinthians 9:6 – 8; Philippians
4:14 -19
A. When honoring God, our barns will be filled with plenty (barns are storehouses)
1. When God is honored, He sees that we will receive an OVER
ABUNDANT SATURATION OF BLESSING!
2. The one who gives his substance and first fruits to God will be
“RICHLY SATISFIED” by the outpouring of God’s blessing!
B. When honoring God, our presses will burst out with new wine (the wine press
was where grapes were collected and pressed into juice by people tramping
on the grapes and smashing them. This was usually accompanied with
singing and happy shouting).
1. “Burst out with new wine” means “to extend and overflow
with a constant influx of new grapes”.
2. The one who gives his substance and first fruits to God will
be overflowing with a constant influx of blessing and provision
from God!
NOTE: GOD WANTS AND DESERVES ALL WE HAVE! WHEN HE HAS OUR ALL,
WE HAVE ALL OF HIS BLESSING! THE CHOICE IS YOURS!
APPLICATION: THE LEVEL OF HONOR SHOWS THE LEVEL OF BLESSING.