Life Plan Devotion #40 [F.I.R.S.T. Place]

Hi, Everyone.
Today's topic is one where if you are doing it, you'll agree, and if you're not, you'll have a negative emotional reaction (annoyed, at the very least).  I pray you will be challenged.

Life Plan Devotion #40 [F.I.R.S.T. Place]

     Quick! What's the first commandment? Did you remember that the first of the 10 Commandments is "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3)? A "god" is an idol, defined in The Strong's Dictionary of Bible Words as "a fashioned idol, likeness, the worship of such," and, interestingly, "pain." An idol is anything or anyone that takes the place of God.
     God commands and demands that He be first in your life. Does God have first place in your life? How can you know? Here's an acronym, F.I.R.S.T., and some questions, to assist you in knowing the place God has in 5 major areas of your life. We'll look at one area per day, for 5 days.
     Finances--Take a look at your checkbook register, and you'll get a good idea where your heart is. It is true that "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:21). Do you tithe? Do you tithe 10 percent? Do you tithe from your gross or the net pay? Is your tithe check the first check you write, after getting paid, or the last? Do you give to other godly causes, as an offering, above your tithe? Do you sow into good ground/good ministries? Do you prayerfully ask God what He would have you give and then trust Him to provide? Is God first in your finances?
     In these uncertain economic times, the best way to recession-proof your finances is to put God first in them. There is only one place in the Bible where you are invited to test God, and that is in the area of tithing. Read Malachi 3:10, and if you're a regular tither, claim the promise. If you're not, consider taking God up on His challenge. Just know that the blessing may not happen right away, but it will happen, and part of that blessing is God taking care of your needs, no matter what's going on in your life (Philippians 4:19).

Matthew 6:33
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

What this has to do with weight loss:  It's expensive to have weight-loss surgery, and it's not cheap to live with it. There are vitamins and supplements to take, protein shakes and other protein-enriched foods to purchase, yearly bloodwork and follow-up visits, and that's only the beginning. The best way to be able to afford all of that is to put God first in your finances, for when you do that, He promises to give you "all these things." Prove Him on it.

Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, when I look at the state of the economy, it can sure get scary, but I thank You that there is no recession where You live. Since Your Word says that we believers are "seated in heavenly places" (Ephesians 2:6), there shouldn't be recession issues with us. Thank You for Your Word that teaches me that if I put You first, everything else will work out. Lord, I know that Your children are not immune to trials, but I praise You that You have promised "never to leave [us] nor forsake [us]" (Hebrews 13:5). I don't have to worry about finances, as long as I put my trust in You and seek You first. I know You are worthy of my trust. Help me to do what I should do, put You first place in my life, so You can do all You have promised. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen."

Go forth today, putting God first in your finances.

Blessings,
Mary

Hi Mary,

I had to chuckle when I saw the title of today's devotional.  This morning I was wondering to myself if you were familiar with a weight loss program called "First Place".  It is a program that I have tried to follow, but there is not a group nearby.  Your devotionals remind me of the program, and I truly enjoy them.

Not that your actual thread was related to my thought directly, but since the book it's based on is called "Putting Christ in First Place", I think we must be in tune again today.

BTW, I totally agree with you on today's topic.  And his promises are sure.

Have a beautiful day,
Vickie

Hi, Vickie.
While I've heard of the First Place weight-loss program, I've never read specific information on it nor attended a class. I'm sure it's awesome, if it says to put Christ first in your life. :)
Thank you for reading and replying. Yes, His promises are sure. I'm so glad!
Blessings,
May

It always amazes me how many people claim the title of Christian yet don't do something as simple as tithe. It's just so simple to do and the blessings we receive from it are far more than what money we give back to God. I guess alot of folks don't think of it as God's money and figure they earned it so they should be able to keep it. I know from experience that God blesses in volumes of wonders when that first check of the month goes to Him. I can't imagine not tithing. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!

My husband and I were true believers, but we were not faithful tithers. That went on for many years, and I can remember feeling very uncomfortable during the pastor's yearly sermon on tithing. It wasn't that we didn't want to tithe--we did, but we just couldn't reconcile the Word with our checkbook. It didn't make sense to tithe when we couldn't pay our bills at the same time. It was a faith issue, a trust issue, and, yes, even a lack-of-revelation issue. Once we decided to take God at His Word, we were able to "prove" Him.
It was hard, at first. It was very scary, because we saw ourselves going deeper and deeper down the path of not being able to pay our bills. However, we just kept trusting that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do. We didn't give up, and, somehow, God's math took over. We began to be blessed. My husband got a raise and more overtime hours. He gave us some thrifty ideas, and we began to see that we were getting caught up and more. We never looked back, after that. :)
What a blessing tithing has been! Thanks for reading and replying, my friend.
Blessings,
Mary