An Act of Acknowledgement

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Genesis 14:18-20 (NIV) 

Abram gave ten percent of everything he had of his possessions to make one declarative, bold statement: I’m only here because God made a way for me. 

God provided strength and strategy. God provided people and power. God provided might and motivation. God’s provisions brought the victory.

Abram gives because, apparently, he believes that when God provides, there has to be an offering. He doesn’t see money or possessions as disconnected from how he acknowledges his testimony.

God gives, God empowers, God motivates, God inspires. God provides, you benefit, and you demonstrate that with an offering because money is one of the ways God has provided for you. So you then acknowledge God with your resources. We can’t live blessed by a gracious God and not acknowledge that it is way more than any of us deserves.

Money management is closely connected to carrying a spiritual conviction about where your life and resources really come from. Giving, money management, generosity in every way, shape, and form are all connected to carrying a clear spiritual discernment, conviction, and understanding that your life and all of its strengths are really nothing more than a testimony to the provision of a beneficent God.

We honor God by giving of what we have because we acknowledge that God provided everything in our lives.