God’s giving principal is universal and works for the Christian, the Jew, and the atheist.

     Proverbs 11:24 says: One gives freely yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

     The wicket are promised money with trouble. Life’s true prosperity will always elude them. No matter how much they accumulate, they will always have a begrudging eye on what others have. Weather others have more or less.

     God wants His people to prosper in every area of life and not be weighed down by the uncertainty of finances. We are given the opportunity to choose God as our financial source by giving 10% of our income. God says test Me in this and see if I do not open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings that you are unable to contain. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake.

     The devourer is the one that causes all those unexpected expenses that pop up on a weekly bases. Not that things won’t ever happen, but when they do God will provide the resources.

     Which brings me to the next point, financial literacy. This subject is not taught in school and can be very expensive to learn through trial and error.

      The vast majority of Americans are taught, to buy now, pay later, on the zero Down easy payment plan. You will never hear a commercial saying this product is worth going into debt for. We can buy courses that teach us how to get out of debt. They advise us to cut up our credit card but after we purchase their course.

     Proverbs 3:9-10 says: Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first-fruit of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

     If we spend everything that comes in, there is nothing left to put in our barns and vats.

     How do we get from where we are now to God’s prosperity?

     Phase one starts with testing Him with 10%.

The question I get from newer believers is; What if I can’t afford to give 10% of my income? Doesn’t God know my heart and intentions? I give my time; doesn’t that make me a special case? If you need time, give time. But if you need money, give money. God does know our hearts and intentions, and they are selfish and self-justifying. God does not bless good intentions and there are no special cases. We can’t test a light fixture without electricity.

     When Jesus fed the 5,000, He thanked the Father for what He already had and God multiplied the fishes and loaves; no one ate steak. God increases whatever we give. Be thankful for what you already have and lift it up to God. Then you will join the millions of prospering tithers that cannot be convinced to stop tithing.

     If you are in debt and your finances are a mess, like mine were, that’s the time to test Him. The bigger the mess the more we trust Him when He turns it around. This principal applies to our time and talents as well. Be generous with your time and talents and they will also increase.

     Our mindset starts shifting, from less than enough, to more than enough and is coupled with God’s continual bailout program. In this initial phase we stay in survival mode and barely squeak by.

     Phase two: Live within our means, keep giving, and start saving, we then become financially stable and God is able to send sustainable increase.

     In phase three: Give a tenth, save a tenth and look for places to give. Ministries and churches where God is moving. God sends increase in the measure that we give. We can give teaspoons or truckloads. I believe God is really testing us. “He who can be trusted with little can be trusted with much.” With financial increase comes increase responsibility and with great wealth comes great responsibility.

     Tithing is God’s concrete principal that changes us from takers to givers.

     God says, bring the tithe to the storehouse so there will be bread in My house. The way I see it is there is two types of bread. God is about benevolence. He wants us to take care of those in need. But His goal is to give them Jesus, the bread of life so they can be changed from takers to givers, knowing that God wants them to live generously trusting His supply.