If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 

(Romans 11:16).

There is a principle here, which may be applied to many areas of life. If God blesses the root, then the rest is blessed too. Apply this principle in the area of your finances. If you take the first of your paycheck and give it to the Lord, the rest of the money will be blessed.

“Honor the LORD with your wealth and the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine” (Prov. 3:9-10).

This is why we tithe. The tithe is not just 10% but the first 10%. God will bless you with abundance as a result of your faithfulness, not just in the things you need, but in what brings you joy. God will also protect you and your family from the financial destroyer when you tithe.

“I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts.”  The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. (Malachi 3:11).

This means car breakdowns, house repairs, costly illnesses, lawsuits, and other unpredictables. If it happens that the car is in need of repair, the LORD will provide. If the kid gets sick, the LORD will heal.

Giving my first to God is demonstration that I’m not serving money; instead, I dedicate my money to serve God. That’s what “In God We Trust” on our US currency is intended to guard against. “You cannot serve two masters, Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and money.” Give first and you’ll guard against the tendency to love your money, which leads to every kind of evil.

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”   The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. (1 Tim. 6:9-10)