— When Finances Run Dry, Does Faith Still Put God First?
📖 Summary
God does not look at the amount you give but the heart that trusts.
Tithing is not an obligation but an expression of faith.
When you have no income or are repaying debt,
God does not demand money—but He still desires trust and priority.
1️⃣ Introduction | “I can barely make ends meet—do I still have to tithe?”
Bills, debt, uncertainty—it’s easy to feel that giving is impossible.
But the question is not financial; it’s relational.
Who sits first in your trust—God or your circumstances?
God never ignores our needs,
but He uses scarcity to test whether we still believe He provides.
2️⃣ Biblical Foundation | God Accepts the Heart, Not the Amount
📘 Luke 21:1–4 (ESV)
“This poor widow has put in more than all of them.”
→ Jesus measured generosity not by value but by sacrifice.
📘 2 Corinthians 8:12 (ESV)
“If the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what one has.”
→ God does not ask what you don’t have—He asks for a willing heart.
📘 Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
“Seek first the kingdom of God… and all these things will be added to you.”
→ Faith places God first, even when finances say otherwise.
3️⃣ Theological Insight | Giving Is a Discipline of Trust
📜 John MacArthur — God’s Plan for Giving
“For the poor, giving is not a burden but a declaration of dependence.”
📜 R.C. Sproul — The Reformation Study Bible
“Our generosity mirrors our faith in God’s provision.”
📜 John Piper — Desiring God: Giving When It Hurts
“God builds trust in scarcity through faithful giving.”
📜 Tim Keller — Counterfeit Gods
“Money exposes what we really rely on.
Hardship reveals who truly reigns.”
→ Giving is not about release of money—it’s retention of trust.
4️⃣ Misconceptions vs Biblical Truth
| Misconception | Cause | Biblical Truth |
|---|---|---|
| “I’ll give when things improve.” | Situational faith | God values readiness over abundance (2 Cor 8:12) |
| “Pay debt first; give later.” | Worldly logic | Trusting God must precede financial logic (Matt 6:33) |
| “God understands; He’ll wait.” | Self-justification | God understands—but still trains faith through giving (Mal 3:10) |
| “Small giving doesn’t matter.” | Comparison | God honors the heart, not the amount (Luke 21:1–4) |
5️⃣ Application | Faithful Giving in Hard Seasons
1️⃣ Shift Perspective
- Giving is not about meeting God’s need—it’s about meeting our need for faith.
2️⃣ Change Attitude
- When money cannot be given, offer prayer, time, or service.
- Keep God first in intention, even when you can’t in finance.
3️⃣ Act Wisely
- If you’re in debt, set a plan for gradual recovery while maintaining gratitude offerings.
- Teach your family that faith precedes finance.
4️⃣ Reflection Questions
- Do I trust God only when I have enough?
- How does my financial life reveal my priorities of worship?
6️⃣ Conclusion | Scarcity Is the Test of Trust
God never demands what you don’t have.
He desires that your faith stays generous even when your wallet cannot.
“When you give out of little,
your offering smells like faith itself.” — Revito
Faith. Work. Renewal. — Revito
📧 revito247@gmail.com
🌐 www.revito.co.kr
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