Money Monday - Week 1

The Bible has a lot to say about money, wealth, possessions.  Jesus spoke on the topic many, many times during his ministry.  There are nearly a dozen parables on the topic alone and Proverbs is filled with wisdom on our finances.

I plan to take a Biblical look at money, wealth, possessions every Monday here at 58 degrees to see what God has to say about it all.  Won't you join me?

Proverbs 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.

New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995.

*the Instruction
Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce. 

• Honor - to be heavy, weighty.  The idea of showing how much you respect the Lord or showing how great & wonderful the Lord is.
• Wealth - sufficiency.  It refers to all the money and material possessions we have.  Even if we think we are not "wealthy", if we have anything then we have some measure of "wealth".
•  the first - choicest, finest, best.  In Exodus 23:19, the Israelites were told to bring the VERY BEST of the first harvest to the house the Lord.  In Leviticus 23:15-21 the Law of First Fruits is established.  The first is the very best, the choicest, the prime.  It is not what remains at the end, the left-overs, the second rate what I couldn't use or didn't need.  It is very much what I want, could use, would like to have.  It is the best.
• All - entire, any, every, whole.  
• Produce - crops, revenue, income, increases.  It is our income, our bonuses, our pay raises.  It is what is earned and provided.

*the Promise
So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.

• This promise is the idea of overflowing abundance.  And although it sounds like an abundance of material possessions, God’s purpose for us are not necessarily to make us materially wealthy. Instead, He is interested in developing in us godly character, and His promises are generally given with that idea in mind.  However, this promise has an underlying thought of being satisfied. An abundance, an overflow.  Completely without want.  Full barns and overflowing vats are a sign of satisfaction or a life without want.  Perhaps even better than abundant riches is overwhelming contentment.  Contentment.

Show how great God is by giving to further His Kingdom work with the first and very best of everything you have and earn, not with what's left-over after the bills are paid, the taxes have been collected and there are new shoes in the closet.  Then God will provide all you need to be satisfied and to be overwhelmed by a content life.