I have given (tithed) all my life.  But I have also been frustrated with the level of prosperity in my life. I have heard many reasons for this, but a few years ago I began to see the problem.

God, without a doubt, blesses our lives back as we give, BUT he expects us to SAVE part of the surplus as it comes in.  You might say, “I have no surplus,” but that is because we spend everything He gives us and then some.  That is not good stewardship of the supply God provides back to us as we give.  There is more understanding to be gained from God’s Word about finances than learning to give only.

There is a law or principle that God set up from the beginning that works for all that apply it.  Saint and sinner alike as some might say.  It says that to those that hath, more shall be given.

Luke 19:12-26 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

In Matthew 13 Jesus Christ is explaining the parable of The Sower and the Seed and states this principle or law again.  Here, he uses it in the context of understanding.

Matthew 13:10-13 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath (understanding), to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not (understanding), from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

So, we see Jesus teaches this law/principle in the context of both money and understanding.  That is because it is a law that God established from the beginning, and Jesus is teaching us how it works. A practical example of this law in action is:

Deuteronomy 28:8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

A storehouse would be a place where a person or kingdom stored the surplus they had.

Storehouses are spoken about all through the Bible.  They are called barns, treasuries, storehouses and armories. They stored food, oil, wine, horses, chariots, gold and silver and precious stones.  David stored material for Solomon to use to build the Temple.  Nehemiah stored things in the temple’s treasure houses.  God has a great many things stored up also.  Therefore, He never runs out of blessings for His people. God is a God of abundance not a God of scarcity.

Joseph stored grain in the great storehouses of Egypt against the famine that was to come.  The verse that I first saw this in was in Proverbs 3.

Proverbs 3:9-10 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So, shall thy barns (storehouses) be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine

First, we give and then as the surplus comes back, God expects us to save part of it.  So prosperity includes both giving and saving! How much?  There is no set amount spoken of in God’s Word.  Joseph saved 20% each year.  If you are in great debt, start with a dollar.  But start.  If God is to command His blessing upon your storehouse (bank account) you must have one!  He can even bless a dollar if that is all you can start with.

It was this verse in Proverbs 3 where I realized that I had honored the Lord with the first fruits of my increase all my life (tithed), but I did not have a barn/storehouse for Him to fill. We are not only to believe the Word, but also, we are to do it. Once I understood that God expected us to save part of what comes in, my wife and I opened some new savings accounts. So, we had believed and done the first part, but we had not believed nor prepared to do the second part of providing a storehouse.

What happened over time was amazing.  Where we had had trouble paying our bills, even though we gave all our lives, they now became easier to pay.  As our storehouses grew, our understanding of the biblical principles of finances grew also.  It was amazing! Saving part of the surplus shows good stewardship of God’s blessing.  It is not all spent.  Once God sees that you will be faithful in stewarding and saving the small amounts, the amounts you have to save will grow as will your understanding of how to biblically deal with money.  He will teach you as you are willing and desiring to learn.

Jesus taught:  To them that hath more shall be given.  God said He would command His blessing on what you HAVE.  So, decide today to HAVE!  Open a savings account to put money in that you will never spend for anything.  As you believe and do what God has said, expect Him to teach you more about money – your attitude, how to handle what you have and how to get out of debt.  Expect Him to teach you, to walk with you in this whole area of finance, and you will experience much more of The Prosperous Life.