FIRSTFRUITS

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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In our continuing study of the wisdom found in Proverbs three, we encounter a call from the Lord to reflect the generosity and faithfulness that the Lord exhibits toward his children. We are clearly called to use our wealth to be a blessing to the Lord and to others. To miss this is to live for earthly treasure, which only brings stress and conflict into our lives.  

We can read this message in the following passage:

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

(Proverbs 3:9-10 NIV11)

Honor

The wisdom being given from the Lord to his people in this proverb calls us to honor the Lord. 

The Hebrew word we translate into English as honor is that of כָּבֵד – Kaved.

This word means many things in the Hebrew but most all of the other forms of this word convey some sort of addition of weight, importance, or substance. 

•  To honor the Lord is to make his name or his nature “heavy”. 
•  We add weight to the Lord as we seek to bring him kaved / honor. 

Wealth

And how are we called to add weight to the Lord’s name? We are to be generous to the Lord with all of our wealth. 

Wealth and riches are neither godly nor evil on their own. Their true value is determined by how we use our wealth. 

•  If we use our riches to bring honor and prestige to our own names, then we will experience all of the trials and tribulations that come with this form of earthly treasure. 
•  But if we use what we possess to be a blessing to others and to honor the name of the Lord, then our wealth enables us to glorify God and to show his generous nature to others. 

Jesus Christ echoed this same idea in the teaching below:

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

(Matthew 6:19-21 NIV11)

Heart

What we seek, store up, and honor in this life shows us the truth about our hearts. If we make the things of this world our most important source of value, this will show up in the way we express ourselves to others. 

If our treasure is of this earth we can expect to see:

•  Wild mood swings that follow the ups and downs of the markets. 
•  Bad treatment of others when we feel our treasure is at risk. 
•  A preoccupation with gathering more and more leading to a lack of contentment, no matter how much we store up. 
•  A prioritization of our things and bank accounts over the people that God places into our care. 

But if we are seeking treasure that belongs only in the hands of God we can expect to see:

•  A happiness in our times of generosity. 
•  Contentment with what the Lord allows us to have in this life. 
•  A desire to be a blessing with the little or the lot. 
•  We will seek to mirror the generosity of Christ in the way we treat others. 

Worship

When we see and receive the generous nature and actions of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will find that the Holy Spirit will create in us a desire to allow God’s generosity to flow through us.  

In this way, our support of our church, our generosity with our families, and our compassion for the lost and hurting becomes an expression of worship. As we reflect God’s heart in this way, we honor the Lord. 

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Works at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

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