Family Worship Center - Raton, NM
This three-week series examines the significance of being a good steward of the resources God provides to us, and of the willingness to give him our best. We follow Christ’s example when we use our money to serve God, rather than serving our money.
Have you ever received a gift and thought to yourself, “How much effort went into this?” Sometimes we receive gifts we don’t really like. Some of those gifts we end up re-gifting to others. In fact, US News & World Report did an article about dos and don’ts of re-gifting. Don’t “re-gift within the family.” Do “package it prettily.” The point is sometimes we receive what we do not want. And we give what we really don’t want.
We do this to God too. Instead of putting our thought and heart into what we offer him, some of us give him half-hearted gifts.
In Genesis 4, a man named Cain decided to give God something he really didn’t want, and it cost him dearly. His brother on the other hand gave his best, which introduces us to the concept of first-fruit offerings.
Genesis 4:2-10 NLT
Big Idea of the Message: God expects us to be good stewards of all he has given us and to show our love for him by offering our first and our best to him.
1) GOD DESERVES OUR FIRSTS, NOT OUR LEFTOVERS
(Write notes below)
2) GOD DESERVES OUR BEST
(Write notes below)
3) GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART
(Write notes below)
Genesis 4:6-7 NLT
4) GOD RESPONDS TO WHOLEHEARTED FAITH
(Write notes below)
Hebrews 11:4 NLT
Application Point: Giving God our best is a reflection of our relationship with him; if we don’t think much of him and what he has done, we are probably not going to give easily or generously.
THIS SPACE IS OPEN FOR MORE NOTES AS PASTOR JOSH GOES ON SOME INTENTIONAL RABBIT TRAILS!!
Proverbs 4:25 ESV