We talk about our faith in God today—how strongly we believe in God. Think of your faith in comparison to this widow. I’ve often thought in reading this, “Why didn’t Elijah say to her, ‘I tell you what you do. You go bake that little cake. You, your son and I will eat it, and then, if you do this, as long as the famine lasts in this land, there will be meal in the barrel for you and your son.” That isn’t what he said. He didn’t say, “You go bake that cake for you, your son and for me.” He said, “You go bake for me the little cake FIRST…”

Now, a question: Why did Elijah ask her to bake for him the little cake FIRST? That was the test of her faith. Why do you suppose Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God and HIS righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you”? Why seek them FIRST? That’s the test of our faith!

In 2 Corinthians, the 8^th chapter, beginning with verse 1, Paul said, “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.” Now notice verse 5: “5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first (there’s our word, “FIRST”) gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the Will of God.”

The context of this reading is that, there was a famine in Judea. The brethren over in Macedonia heard about the famine in Judea, and they prayed that they would let them have a part in it. I’ve often thought in studying this that the brethren in Macedonia were just about as poverty-stricken as the brethren were over in Judea! In Macedonia, there had been higher and higher taxation; there had been civil war after civil war; members of the church were being thrown into prison because of their faith in Christ; members of the church were being dismissed from their jobs; and yet, with all this poverty heaped upon them, when they heard of a need over in Judea, they prayed that they would let them have a part in it!

Now, the question is: Why was Macedonia so concerned about helping those poor people in Judea? Paul explains it in verse 5. He said, “…this they did… (speaking of the Macedonians). “…this they did, not as we hoped, but (they) first gave their own selvesto the Lord….” And let me tell you this, my friends, and listen carefully. Until an individual makes a complete surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ, he will always have a problem with his giving! You can write that DOWN on a piece of paper and put it on your refrigerator!! Until an individual makes a complete surrender to Jesus Christ, he will always have a problem with his giving! BUT, when this individual makes that complete surrender, there is no problem. He’s going to become serious about this thing. He’s going to think about how well he’s been blessed, what God has done for him, and then he’s going to say, “To the very best of my ability, I’m going to give as my God has prospered me.”

Now, let us go back to our text [Proverbs 3:9-10]. Notice: “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all (ALL!) thine increase…”—the bank account; the CDs [Certificates of Deposit]; the cattle; the farm; the land. Think of everything, all the ways that God has blessed us. And then offer to God the FIRST of all these things.

Now, notice verse 10: “So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Someone wants to know, “Brother Black, how can God bless a man for liberal giving?” I…don’t…KNOW!! I just know that God said that He would do it! I know that a promise is no better than the capacity of the individual who made that promise to fulfill it! For instance: If I should say to you, “If you will meet me in Corinth tomorrow, I’ll give you a hundred-thousand dollars ($100,000.00).” Well, I made you the promise, and you say, “I believe Brother Black,” so you meet me in Corinth tomorrow, but I don’t have $100,000—I can’t give you $100,000. Well, what did I do? I made a promise that I do not have the capacity to fulfill.

So, every individual is faced with a problem: Does God have the ability to do what He said He would do? You need not raise your hand, but let me ask you: Do you believe that God has the capacity to do what He said He would do? Now, you just think for a moment. Well, somebody says, “How can God do it?” I don’t know HOW God can do it! That’s not my business! That’s GOD’S business!! But, my point is, do I believe God?

Let me read you another verse. Ecclesiastes 11:1: “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” Now notice Proverbs 11:24: “There is he that scattereth abroad, and yet he increases….” This is one of the strangest verses in the Bible. You think how contrary that is to our selfish nature, to our inverted ego! What?!? Take these things that God puts in my hands; I begin to scatter them, supporting the Lords word?!? Supporting orphan homes?!? Supporting Christian education?!? Supporting every good work to the best of my ability?!? I’ll come up empty handed!! Now, just think for a moment. Isn’t that what selfishness is? God puts these things in my hands; I begin to scatter them, doing good; I’ll come up empty-handed. What did GOD say about it? God says there’s the man “that scattereth abroad, and yet…he…INCREASES”!!

Somebody says, “How in the world could that happen?!” I don’t KNOW! If you ever get to heaven, you can ask GOD about it!! That’s our faith! That’s what God said—“There’s he that scattereth abroad, and yet he increases….” I know it’s true, first of all, because God said it; I know it’s true because I am experiencing it. If you’ve tried it, you know it’s true; if you’ve never tried it, then you’re not competent to talk about it! How in the world would you KNOW if you’ve never tried it?! Those who’ve tried it have testified over and over and OVER that God has blessed them for their liberal giving! They all testify to that fact. Those that don’t testify are those who’ve never tried it.