Put God First, Not What's Left

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Gentlemen, every day is a battle. A battle for your faith, your family, and your purpose. The men who stand strong don't prepare when the battle arrives, they prepare before it begins. Welcome to the Men's Morning Devotional. Let's get into God's word. It's time to man up.

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Good morning, gentlemen. I'm Chris Winya, and it's time for another Man Up Moment. And this week, we're diving into wisdom, with today's devotional being about putting God first, not what's left. So I'm reading from Proverbs chapter 3, verses 9 through 10, and it says, Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all of your produce. Then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine. When most men read this passage, they immediately think this is about money. And it is. But it's about something much deeper than just dollars. It's about priority. This is a topic I really like because I believe in managing our finances, and I believe it's such a big biblical principle, and it reflects a lot of other truths about our life. The key word in this passage is first fruits. In biblical times, farmers would bring their first fruits and the best portion of their harvest to God, not the leftovers after they saw how much they had. It was an act of trust. They were saying, God, before I know if this harvest will be enough, I believe you are my provider. Now that takes faith. Most of us naturally want to make sure our needs are covered first. We pay the mortgage, the car payment, the groceries, the credit cards, and if there's anything left over, we think about giving to God. But God's economy works differently. He doesn't ask us to give because he needs our money, he asks us to give because he wants our hearts. Jesus said, Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Now our spending reveals what we value. If someone were to look at our calendar and our bank statement, what would they conclude is most important in our lives? Because here's the reality. Some trust in their paycheck, some trust in their retirement account, some trust in their investments, some trust in their ability to work harder. But a godly man remembers that every paycheck, every opportunity, every promotion, and every blessing ultimately comes from the Lord. The quote unquote self-made man is not real, or at least it's not the man we should aspire to be. We need others and we need God to provide in our lives. Honoring God with our wealth is an act of worship. It's a declaration that says, God, everything I have belongs to you. I'm simply managing what you've entrusted to me. It also takes the burden off of us and puts it on God. The reality is that it's not easy to live out this principle. But if we can just understand that if we do our parts and trust in God in our first fruits, then he says in his word that he will take care of the rest. Now what a relief to live under that. Notice that the promise in verse 9 and 10 isn't a guarantee that every believer will become wealthy. Proverbs teaches general principles, not formulas. The principle is this when we put God first, he faithfully provides what we truly need. Sometimes that provision is financial, sometimes it's peace, contentment, wisdom, open doors, or protection we never even realize we needed. The greatest blessing isn't a full bank account, because that can fluctuate and God's faithfulness does not. It's knowing you're walking in obedience and trusting the one who owns it all. Real men don't cling tightly to what God has given them. They hold it with an open hand and live their lives with an open heart. So here's your man up challenge. Today, take an honest look at your priorities. Ask yourself, does the way I spend my money and my time show that God is first? Then take one intentional step to honor Him first today. First, tithe. This is a baseline of our trust in God's provision for our life and a principle every believer should be operating in. Number two, if you've been putting off generosity, give to someone in need or an offering to your church. Number three, if you've been consumed with making money, spend intentional time thanking God for his provision. And four, if you've been worrying about finances, replace that worry with prayer and surrender. Remember, honoring God isn't about the amount you give, it's about the condition of your heart. It's about the place he holds in your heart as your provider. So choose today to put him first, not with what's left over, but with your best. So let's pray. Father, everything I have comes from you. Forgive me for the times I've trusted my paycheck more than your promises. Teach me to honor you with my resources, my work, my time, and every blessing you've placed in my hands. Help me to live with an open hand and a generous heart, trusting that you are my provider. May my life reflect that you are first in every area, not just what I say, but in how I live. Make me a man who honors you above all else. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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All right, gentlemen, you've heard God's word. Now go live it. Lead well, stand strong, honor God in everything you do. Share this devotional with another brother. Remember, every day is another opportunity to man up.