Don't Take God's Test — Bring It

Meta Description: What if tithing isn't a rule to follow but a promise to stand on? Discover how putting God first transforms your finances—and your heart. URL Slug: dont-take-gods-test-bring-it Featured Image: A pair of open hands held upward, lit warmly from above — symbolizing surrender, generosity, and receiving; clean and modern with a neutral background

For 1,500 years, people believed the earth was the center of the universe. It made sense to them — after all, it was the only reality they could observe. But they were wrong. And I think a lot of us are living with the same kind of blind spot when it comes to our finances and our faith.

This past Sunday, I had the privilege of sharing a message that I believe has the power to change not just how you think about money, but how you experience God. The title came to me as I was studying Malachi 3:10, and I want you to sit with it: Don't take God's test. Bring it.

The World Doesn't Revolve Around You — And That's Good News

Nicholas Copernicus spent decades trying to convince people that the earth was not the center of the universe. He delayed publishing his findings for thirteen years because he knew people couldn't handle it. When he finally did, he was buried in an unmarked grave. They literally hid the man who told them the truth.

Here's the uncomfortable parallel: the geocentric model may be dead, but the me-o-centric model is alive and well. We naturally default to placing ourselves at the center — our wants, our plans, our financial decisions. And when we do that, we miss how God actually works.

God works through principles, patterns, and promises. His principles reveal his nature. His patterns reveal his ways. His promises reveal his faithfulness. And his desire is for us to stand on his principles and practice his patterns so we are prepared to receive his promises.

God Prepares What He Plans to Fill

One of the clearest patterns in all of scripture is this: God prepares and orders what he plans to fill. We see it in creation — he separates, names, and organizes, and then he fills. We see it with Noah's ark, Moses' tabernacle, Solomon's temple. He creates space, then he fills it.

This matters for us personally, because there are resources and opportunities God has assigned to your life — but he won't bless a space that hasn't been prepared and put in order.

We often want to put in an order with God like he's Amazon Prime. God, do this. God, do that. But God isn't asking us to put in an order. He's asking us to put it in order. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." That word "first" is doing a lot of work in that sentence.

Your Tithe Is About Lordship, Not Just Stewardship

I want to be honest with you — when I was planting our church, I was terrified to talk about money. I was ready to preach vision, values, the Word of God. But God challenged me with this: "If you're unwilling to preach the authority of scripture in this area, you will not have authority to preach in any area."

So here it is, plainly: the Bible speaks loudly about money. Jesus spoke about wealth and possessions more than almost any other topic, because he knew our hearts would be connected to them. He said it plainly in Matthew 6:24 — "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

The tithe — giving the first 10% of your income back to God — is the foundational pattern God has given us to keep our hearts in order. But here's what I want you to understand: your budget is about stewardship. Your tithe is about lordship.

In Malachi 3:10, God says something remarkable: "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

Do you see it? The pattern is bringing the whole tithe. The principle is provision for God's people. And the result is an open heaven — the promise.

But here's the part that unlocked something in me: this is not a test God is giving you. It's a test you give to God. He's not waiting to see if you'll pass. He's inviting you to bring the tithe back from the blessing he's already provided — and then watch what he does.

From Transaction to Transformation

Most teaching on tithing presents it as a transaction. Give 10%, get blessed. But tithing isn't about transaction. Tithing is about transformation.

When I was 23, I finally started tithing — not because I had it all figured out, but because something shifted in my heart. I stopped asking, "God, can I trust you?" He had already proven himself faithful. The real question became, "God, can you trust me?"

Abraham didn't tithe to be blessed. He tithed because he recognized the blessing of God already at work in his life. It was a response to grace already given. Proverbs 3:9 echoes this: "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops."

When you bring your tithe to the church, you're not just giving to the church. You're giving through the church. Hebrews 7:8 reminds us that the tithe ultimately goes not to people, but to the One who is declared to be living — Jesus himself.

And here's what I've found to be true: more than God receiving your money, you receive his heart.

Open Hands, Not Just Lifted Hands

We have to grow in our faith to the point that we're willing to worship God not just with lifted hands, but with open hands. The tithe is where that journey begins.

If you've been explaining this away, rationalizing it, or pushing it off — I want to invite you to try something different. Bring the tithe. Test God in this. Let your faith meet the power and the promise, and see if his provision doesn't become real in your life.

If you're ready to take that step, you can set up your giving through the Life Church app. And if you gave your life to Jesus for the first time recently, we have a free 21-day devotional called You Said Yes waiting for you — scan the QR code on our website to get it sent straight to your inbox.

The world doesn't revolve around us. And honestly? That's the best news there is. Because the One at the center is faithful, generous, and good — and he's inviting us into something far better than anything we could build on our own.

Social Media Excerpt (Facebook/Instagram): For 1,500 years, people believed the earth was the center of the universe — and they were wrong. A lot of us are making the same mistake with our finances and our faith. This week's message will challenge the way you think about money, generosity, and what it really means to put God first. Read the full post at the link in bio.

Hashtags: #FirstThingsFirst #Tithing #PutGodFirst #OpenHands #LifeChurch