#1298. Proverbs 3:9–10 – Honour the Lord with your wealth (2/7/25)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional where we are continuing in our Wisdom for Life series from Proverbs.

Today, from Proverbs 3:9-10, we learn that the wise listen to God and put Him first in regard to their use of money and resources. 

To watch this devotional, please select the link below. 

Yesterday, we saw how we are warned not to be wise in our own eyes, and in the use of wealth, we are very prone to trusting our own wisdom rather than listening to God. Many of us think of seeking the advice of a financial advisor - even one without faith - before we prayerfully seek to learn from God on this vital subject. 

i. Honour the Lord with your wealth

We are first commanded to honour the Lord with our wealth. This begins by recognising that every good thing we have comes from God — we are not owners, but recipients and stewards of His provision.

When Proverbs speaks of honouring God “with the firstfruits of all your crops,” it points to both our attitude and our trust. We’re not to wait until we’ve taken care of all our needs and then give God whatever is left over — if anything remains. No — we are to give to God first. Our giving should not be an afterthought, but a first priority. The first line in our budgets should be our tithe and offerings to God’s work.

In ancient Israel, the people were to bring the first portion of their harvest — the “firstfruits” — as a way of honouring God and supporting the priesthood. As it says:

“Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.” (Exodus 23:19)

This principle remains true today: we honour God by giving to Him first, not from what’s left.

ii. Then your barns will be filled and overflowing 

Those who honour God with their wealth are promised great prosperity. Those who are truly wise with their wealth will, inevitably, find prosperity. The fool wastes money whilst the wise invest it wisely and so reap a harvest. 

Such a promise must make us check our motives. It’s not honouring to God when we give to get and when we are greedy to be wealthy. Our responsibility is to give with the right heart of worship, and we leave any growth in our wealth to God. 

The question for us is this: can God trust us to be generous with what He gives and with any increase that He gives to us? 

An application for Christians, along with our financial giving, is are we bringing the ‘firstfruits’ of our worship to God? Do we give our hearts and time to be with God’s people to worship and, is Jesus, at the heart of our offering to God? 

Let’s pray together

“Father, I thank you that you are my provider in all realms of life. All good gifts come from you. Forgive me when I’ve not honoured you through thanksgiving and serving you with what you provide. Give me a heart of wisdom, love, and generosity. Amen.” 

Community Group Notes

1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News. 

For your diary: Our next weekend away will be 19th-21st June 2026!!

2. Icebreaker

How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you? 

3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.

4. Study and pray together

Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.

Week #4: Proverbs 3:5-15. Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

1. What themes stand out in this week’s section? Identify key ideas and repeated patterns. What is the focus of this section?

2. What promises does God offer, and what warnings does He give? Look for specific encouragements, blessings, or cautions in the text.

3. How does this speak into our lives today? What are the practical ways we could live this out — individually, in our families, in our community?

4. How is God calling you to respond? Consider what this means for your heart, your choices, and your direction.

5. SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)

• How might the wisdom in this week's section of Proverbs help us to be a light for Jesus?

• Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing testimonies of God at work through us.

  
  

6. Let’s pray together: 

• Let’s pray for one another based on our study, and bring before God any other needs or requests for prayer.

• Pray for one another's SIV opportunities and boldness in following the Spirit's promptings.

• Pray specifically for the 'people of peace' in our lives—asking God to open hearts and provide opportunities to speak life and truth.