“Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Prov. 3:9-10).
Most Christians are very familiar with Proverbs 3:6-8, which says, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” But they are not as familiar with verses 9 and 10, which are also very important, especially when it comes to giving.
What is a barn? A barn is a big empty room. Verse 9 is saying, “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of thine increase.” First fruits are seeding seed. Notice that verse “So shall thy barns” is talking about barns plural. Well, what do you need the “s” for? To have enough room to store the harvest – to store the “more!”
Just imagine a farmer who goes out and has an unexpectedly good yield. He harvests the crop, but then he doesn’t have enough storage capacity to properly store the crop. What happens to the crop? It spoils. So what does the farmer need? More room. He needs more room, which equals more barns – plural!
In Proverbs 18:16 God is saying that your gift will make room for you. And in Proverbs 3:10, He’s still saying your gift will make room. But not just one room – rooms!
What do you need more barns for? You need more barns because you are getting more yield. When you get more yield, it means you have to have more barns. And your gift, as you continue to give, will make room for more and more!
Scripture References: Proverbs 18:16; Genesis 8:22
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Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).