At the beginning of a new year, many of us are looking for ways to experience breakthrough and fruitfulness in our finances. Today’s message is foundational. What does it truly mean to put God first, and how does priority determine fruitfulness? When God is first, everything else begins to fall into place. This isn't just about having more money—it's about having the right mindset toward the possessions that God has entrusted to us.

Living fruitfully means producing good results that are visible and measurable. When we talk about fruitfulness in our finances, we're not just talking about feeling better about money—we're talking about seeing actual evidence of God's blessing and provision in our lives.

Just like a healthy tree naturally bears fruit, a life aligned with God's principles will naturally produce fruitfulness. The fruit speaks for itself, and you don't have to convince anyone when they can see the results for themselves.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10:30-37, we can identify three distinct mindsets that people have toward their generosity and a fourth that is most desirable. Understanding these mindsets can help us evaluate our own approach to life and how we live it.

The robbers in the parable of the Good Samaritan saw the traveler and thought, "What's yours is mine—I'm going to take it." While most of us wouldn't consider ourselves robbers, we all have some selfishness in us from birth.

Interestingly, God addresses this mindset in Malachi 3:8-10, where He asks, "Why do you rob me?" He explains that we rob Him through our tithes and offerings. When we don't honor God with the first 10% of our income, we're essentially taking what belongs to Him.

The religious leaders in the story saw the beaten man but passed by on the other side. Their mindset was, "What's mine is mine—I'm going to keep it." This represents a stingy, selfish approach to life.

Proverbs 11:24 tells us that "the world of the generous gets larger and larger, while the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller." When we hold tightly to what we have, whether it is time, talent, or possessions, we actually limit our capacity to receive more.

The Samaritan saw the same situation, a man lying in the road severely beaten, but responded differently. His mindset was, "What's mine is yours—I'm going to give it." He understood that if he didn't stop, the man would die, but if he did stop, he could make a difference. This generous mindset recognizes that we have the power to impact others' lives through our willingness to share what we have.

The mindsets demonstrated in the parable teach us a lot about our possible responses in any given situation. But, the most mature and fruitful mindset is understanding that "what's mine isn't even mine—I'm just here to manage it." This perspective recognizes that everything we have comes from God and belongs to God, and that we are simply stewards of His resources.

Psalm 24:1 declares, "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world and all its people belong to Him." When we truly understand this, giving becomes much easier because we're not giving away our time or possessions but we are being good stewards of what is on loan to us.

In regard to our finances, why does God ask for the tithe? Tithing isn't primarily about money—it's about trust. When God asks for the first 10% of our income, He's testing whether we truly trust Him with our lives. It reveals if we believe His promises and are willing to put Him first.

God offers us a guarantee in Malachi 3:10: "Test me in this and see if I won't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams." This is the only place in Scripture where God invites us to test Him.

God doesn't just ask for 10%—He asks for the first 10%. This means honoring Him before paying bills, before other expenses, before anything else. This requires faith because it means trusting that God will provide for our needs with the remaining 90%.

When we give God our leftovers instead of our first fruits, we're not really tithing. We're just giving God what we don't need rather than demonstrating that He's truly first in our lives.

When we struggle with giving or tithing, we've forgotten that our possessions aren't really ours. The entire battle over money and possessions comes down to one question: Do we really trust God?

If we trust God with our eternal salvation, why wouldn't we trust Him with our temporary finances? If we believe He can save our souls, surely we can believe He can provide for our needs.

What are some practical steps to fruitfulness in the area of finances?

1. Start with Obedience - The path to financial blessing begins with obedience to God's principles. This means honoring Him with our tithe, managing our money wisely, and being generous with others.

2. Change Your Mindset - Move from thinking "this is mine" to understanding "this is God's, and I'm stewarding it." This shift in perspective makes giving joyful rather than painful.

3. Put God First - Make your tithe the first thing that comes out of your income, not the last. Set up automatic giving so that God gets His portion before you're tempted to spend it elsewhere.

This week, challenge yourself to examine your mindset about possessions. Are you operating from a "what's mine is mine" mentality, or have you embraced the truth that everything belongs to God?

Consider taking our 90-day tithing challenge. For the next three months, commit to honoring God with the first 10% of your income. Give Him enough time to show Himself faithful in your life. Track the ways He blesses and provides during this time.

Remember, the greatest breakthroughs often don't start with a miracle—they start with a decision. A decision to trust God, to put Him first, and to obey His word even when it feels uncomfortable. 

You will never regret trusting God. You may regret not believing, disobeying, or delaying obedience, but you will never regret putting your trust in Him. Take the step of faith today and watch how God honors His promises in your life.