Thursday, September 3, 2026 · Chapter 3
Give God the First Slice, Not the Leftovers
Money tests where God really sits in a man’s life. Not what he says on Sunday — what he does with the first dollar that hits his account on Monday.
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
Proverbs 3:9
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Proverbs 3:10
IThe Hebrew, opened up
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to honor — literally “to make heavy,” to give weight and priority to
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substance, wealth, what you actually have in hand — not future income, current stuff
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firstfruits — the first and best portion, handed over before you touch the rest
Kabad means to make heavy — to give something real weight, not a token nod. Hon is your actual on-hand wealth, what’s already in the barn or the bank, not some future windfall you’ll get around to tithing on. And reshith is the first slice, cut off before anything else gets touched — the opposite of giving God whatever happens to be left after rent, groceries, and the credit card. The verse isn’t asking for a feeling. It’s asking for the first cut of real money, on purpose, before you spend a dime on yourself.
IIWhat this actually means
God isn’t asking you to be poor. He’s asking you to prove, with your money, that He’s actually first — not first in your head, first in your bank app. Reshith means the giving happens before the spending, not after. Most guys plan to give “whatever’s left” at the end of the month. There’s never anything left. This verse flips the order: pay God first, off the top, then live on what’s left — and verse 10 says that’s the man whose barns end up full, not empty.
IIIObey it today
The next time money comes in today — a paycheck, a Venmo, cash from a job — peel off your set giving amount right then, before it goes into the account you spend from.
Before you buy anything non-essential today, stop and ask: “Have I given first this week, or am I about to spend money I haven’t honored God with yet?” If the answer’s no, hold off on the purchase and go give first.
Open your bank app or budget for two minutes before noon and set a real number for what “firstfruits” means for your next paycheck — not a vague someday plan, an actual dollar figure you commit to today.
PrayerGod, help me put You first with my actual money today, not just with whatever’s left over.
Keep this in your chest
“Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:”
Proverbs 3:9