Proverbs 3:10

Financial prosperity is simple and sure. It is easy and certain. God and King Solomon guarantee it. They put their guarantee in writing. What holds you back? Learn the lesson.

Barns filled with plenty? Presses bursting with new wine? Here are descriptive phrases of financial blessing and economic prosperity. Are you interested? Grasp this financial rule.

Only the Bible has the secret financial wisdom here. The best graduate business schools are too ignorant to know the most important economic and financial factors affecting men and nations. Remember, their research says they came from monkeys. Their analysis says that instead of a long-predicted ice age coming it is now to be global warming.

Jehovah God of the Bible created this world. He gave you life. He gave you ability to get a job or start a business. He sends sunshine and rain at His own discretion (Matt 5:45). He directs hearts of kings as easily as rivers of waters (Pr 21:1). He alters circumstances, influences, opportunities, returns, and anything else as easily as you read this sentence.

The Preacher, who is Solomon, presented God’s certain promise to those who honor Him with their assets and the first portion of income (Pr 3:9). True honor to God is not just singing about your love of Jesus; it is giving to Him of your possessions and cash flow. The earlier verse teaches the duty of giving; this verse teaches how God rewards givers.

If this proverb had been written by a poor man, an unsuccessful man, or a religious leader, you might doubt the truth of the rule. You might think the promise was only to solicit giving, as televangelists and social organizations do today. But these words were written by King Solomon, who had experienced them firsthand with his father David.

In an agricultural society, the barn was where your assets were stored, and the presses were where you converted grapes into valuable wine. These two figures of speech describe a prospering farmer – he has accumulated much, and he has great cash flow. Here is the good life, from a financial perspective, presented by graphic picture language.

This law of financial reward is as true as the law of gravity; it is truer than any money advice you have heard. It is as true as Genesis 1:1 or any other verse of scripture. It is God’s written promise. Believe it fully, and obey it cheerfully and liberally, today. Honor God by giving Him His portion – He will bless you financially; He guarantees it.

Of course, as with all other Bible promises and general laws, God retains the right to apply different laws in your life at different times, all for His glory and your profit. If you think you can give to cover other sins in your life, you are tempting God to judge you. But all other things being equal, the man who gives to God is the man who will prosper.

Still doubting? Your lack of faith is why you do not receive (Heb 11:6; Jas 1:6-7). Bold giving by faith is an act of worship (Phil 4:18), and God will reward it. An important man once doubted God, and believers trampled him to death on the way to the bank (II Kgs 7:16-20). And the Lord killed many Israelites who doubted His ability (Ps 78:17-31).

What kind of return can God give? Isaac’s portfolio grew 10,000% in one year (Gen 26:12). Jacob went from nothing to great substance in 20 years (Gen 32:10). Solomon’s returns were so great that silver in Israel was as common as stones (I Kgs 10:27). It shamed him to drink from silver vessels, so they were all of pure gold (I Kgs 10:21).

The Lord can open heaven’s windows and pour out financial blessing and favor more than you can believe (Mal 3:10). And He dares you to test Him (Mal 3:8-12). He knows a full measure and how to shake it down, pack it down, and pour it over the top (Luke 6:38). He sees your balance sheet and income statement. He sees the intent of your heart and the degree of joy and zeal you have in giving. You cheat Him to your financial peril.

Robert G. Letourneau (1888-1969), one of the greatest American inventors, gave 90% of his income back to God, and he died a rich man. He answered questions about his giving this way, “I shovel my money to God, and He shovels it right back, but He has a bigger shovel!” This man tested God with great faith, but God was greater than his faith. How much faith do you have, reader? Will you walk on financial water at His command?

If you suffer financially, you have sin in your life (Jer 5:25), have not given liberally (II Cor 9:6), or have not done it cheerfully (II Cor 9:7). The LORD has put holes in your bags, and your hard work and wages are falling out (Hag 1:2-11). The only exception to this rule is when God does something else in your life for your greater benefit, but even then the duty to honor God with your assets and give the first fruits still stands (Pr 3:9).

A man will say, “But I gave, and nothing happened.” God is not a candy dispenser waiting for you to give an offering and push the button for your favorite treat. He will laugh and judge such a profane attitude. He wants a commitment to giving (Gen 28:22). He wants to see your sacrifice, which is much more than a little, token gift (II Cor 8:1-4).

Another man will say, “I cannot afford to give.” That is the height of folly – you cannot afford not to give. Will you dig yourself out of a financial hole by cheating the Lord? Hah! If you wait until giving is no sacrifice, it means nothing to the Lord. The Lord rewarded the widow woman who gave two mites, for it was all she had (Luke 21:1-4).

These men are unbelievers. They think they are wise to protect their incomes to get ahead. Hah! Protection and blessings are from God only (Pr 21:31; Ps 4:8). The true and living God can prepare and furnish a table in the desert, and if you doubt it, you are in trouble (Ps 78:10-33). If you hold back to help your cash flow, you are going to poverty; if you give to Him part of what you think you need, He will bless you (Pr 11:24-25).

The reward of this proverb is obtained by obeying the previous proverb (Pr 3:9). Putting a few bucks in the offering plate does not honor God; giving what is left over after your expenses is not firstfruits giving; promising to give if God will bless you does not honor Him; giving of your after-tax income is not firstfruits giving. Examine your heart, reader.

God knows when He attaches a promised reward to a command like He has done here (Pr 3:9-10). He reminds you that the first commandment with a promised reward is honoring parents for a long and good life (Eph 6:2-3). But here He has promised financial gain for honoring Him properly with your giving. Such promises are so sure that He told Israel to mark their calendars when they started giving to see the great difference (Hag 2:15-19).

The LORD God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and everything else beside (Ps 50:10-12). He is able to supply all your needs according to His riches in glory (Phil 4:19). If you think giving a few dollars is hard, then think about the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for sinners. Was He rewarded? He was given great honor, fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore at God’s right hand (Phil 2:5-11; Ps 16:9-11; Heb 12:2).