Life.Church with Craig Groeschel - Why Won’t God Bless the Mess in Your Finances? | First Things First: Part 2

Episode Date: October 18, 2026

Feel like you can’t get ahead, no matter how hard you try? Whether it’s work, money, or a relationship, it’s easy to wonder what God wants from you. The good news is, He’s not asking you to figure it out alone. You can trust God with every step.NEXT STEPSHave you made the decision to follow Jesus? You might be wondering what’s next for you. We want to help! Check out these resources to ​​discover what saying yes to Jesus means: https://go2.lc/podcastcommittochristYou’re Invited to Neighborhood Fall FestCozy fall vibes, great snacks, fun games, and a chance to make new friends—that's Neighborhood Fall Fest at Life.Church! Whether you attend at a Life.Church location or with our online community at Life.Church Online, you’ll have the opportunity to meet your neighbors and hear an encouraging message from Pastor Craig. Find a location and service time at https://www.life.church/fallfestABOUT THIS MESSAGEIf you looked at where your time and energy actually go, would it match what you say matters most? So often, we let the loudest thing win instead of the most important one. Let's take an honest look at what's competing for our attention and learn how to put First Things First.Do you ever feel anxious about your finances? Then ask God for help, guidance, and wisdom. Here are some example prayers to help you get started. https://finds.life.church/5-prayers-for-finances-to-overcome-money-stress/ ABOUT LIFE.CHURCHWherever you are in life, you have a purpose. Life.Church wants to help you find your next step. Our hope is that your journey will include joining us at a Life.Church location throughout the United States or globally online at https://www.live.life.church Find locations, videos, and more info about us at https://www.life.church or download the Life.Church app at https://www.life.church/app/download  FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/life.church Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/life.church TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifechurchYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@life.church  CONNECT WITH PASTOR CRAIG GROESCHELYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/craiggroeschel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craiggroeschel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craiggroeschel TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@craiggroeschelLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/35447748/  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I need to let you guys know today, and you'll be shocked by this, but I'm not a big space guy. Not a big space guy. I don't know a lot about astrology, astronomy, space shuttles. Not really my emphasis. I actually think my adoration and affection for space peaked at space jam. Shout out MJ. But in preparing for this message, I got curious. because I could recall one of my history teachers talking something about some theory that dominated

the understanding of most people for centuries. This idea that the earth was the center of the universe, that the sun and the moon and the stars all revolved around it. They actually called this, I looked it up, the geocentric model. Okay, and it was the result of the only reality that those people could observe. Their limited ability to see a reality beyond themselves resonated with a deeper notion that if all they were experiencing were themselves, then that must be all that there is to experience. And if they are the center of their personal world, then the logic would follow that they are the center of the universe. That was the prevailing belief for 1,500 years.

These Greeks had what I call a Toby Keith anointing. It's all about me. It's all about I. It's all about number one, me, oh, me, my... Y'all don't know about Toby Keith. Let me get back on track. It's all about me. This idea was the prevailing belief for 1,500 years.

And it wasn't until the 16th century that, history introduces us to a man named Nicholas Copernicus, one of the most fantastic names in human history, I'm convinced. He challenged this geocentric model, and he proposed that the earth and the other planets actually revolve around the sun. What's interesting about Copernicus' story is that he intentionally delayed the publication of his findings in 1530 until 13 years later, the year of his death, because he knew that people would not be able to tolerate the possibility that the world did not revolve around them. In fact, Martin Luther scoffed at him. This is recorded the Vatican banned his findings because even the religious couldn't comprehend an existence in which

they were not the center. It wasn't until the 17th century that the Copernican theory began to solidify. And get this, it wasn't until 2010 that Nicholas Copernicus remains in an unmarked grave were celebrated with a hero's burial. Don't miss it, y'all. In an unmarked grave, they buried the man that told them the world did not revolve around them. Now, the geocentric model is as dead as its creators, but the meocentric model is alive and well. And so we're going to discuss some things today. we're going to discuss a principle and a pattern that God has put into place to remind us

that the world of the Christian does not revolve around the Christian, that God is at the center. And if God is at the center, we should be interested in who he is and how he works. Now, the house that I grew up in had rules. Okay, when I started driving, I had to be home by 10 p.m. When I started talking on the phone, you know what I'm saying? The phone had to be back on the charger at 9 p.m. It was a cordless phone, by the way, not a cell phone. Y'all don't know about that.

On Saturdays, I was not allowed to leave my house until my sister and I had cleaned it thoroughly. Okay, we had rules in the house we grew up in. wrong with rules. Rules are not bad. Lorna and I have four boys, 13, 10, 8, and 5, and we have rules. Now, they break them or bend them all, but we have them. My oldest son, he's 13 years old, and things are starting to shift with him. It's starting to become less about the rules and more about the principles beneath them that the rule was created to enforce. Because really, We don't just need rules to tell them to live by. They need principles that they can stand on.

This is actually how God works. God works through principles. He works through patterns and he works through promises. He works through principles. He works through patterns and he works through promises. God's principles reveal his nature. God's patterns reveal his ways. God's promises reveal his faithfulness, and his desire for everyone under the sound of my voice

today is for his people to stand on his principles, practice his patterns, so that we are prepared to receive his promises into our lives. Here's what you have to understand. A principle is a guiding value. A pattern is a regular practice that protects the principle. and prepares us to receive God's promises. God has principles. There are actually too many to list, but let's consider one. Let's consider one principle. The principle is this. God prepares and orders what he plans to fill. God prepares and orders what he plans to fill. You see this principle and

pattern all over scripture starting in Genesis. God creates the heavens, the earth, the sky, the sea, the land, he separates dark and light, evening and morning. So you see God creating space, creating categories, naming things. And then he organizes it all to fill it. He fills the heavens with stars. He fills the sky with birds. He fills the sea with Nemo and Shamu and all of their friends. He fills the earth with vegetation and livestock. He prepares. He orders. he fills. He prepares, he orders, he fills. It's a pattern. And we see the principle displayed in the pattern of the building of the ark. Noah prepares the ark. God fills it with animals. Moses prepares a tabernacle in the wilderness. God's spirit fills it. Solomon prepares a temple. God's presence

fills it. I know that's all Old Testament. You're so in the Old Testament. Let's go to the New Testament. Remember the New Testament when the girl had died and Jesus walks into the room? What does he do? He clears the room and then he breathes life into her again. What is he doing? He's creating space and he's filling it. I love this. This is actually fun. Let's do one more. Remember when all the people were listening to Jesus and they got hungry? There was no door dash where they could get Chick-fil-A delivered so they jumped a little boy and stole his sack lunch and brought it before they handed it out to everybody, what they do? They put them in groups, and then the miracle and multiplication happened. Why? Because organization precedes multiplication. And you might be asking, we understand, but why are you drilling down on this point? Because there are resources and opportunities that God has assigned to your life. But he won't bless. a space that has not been prepared and put in order. See, see, we get it flipped. We get it

flip. We often want to put an order in with God. Like he's Amazon Prime. I'm just going to prime it real quick. I'm just going to put an order in with God. God do this, God do that. God move here, God moved there. When actually God is asking us not to put in an order, he's asking us to put it in order. You want order in your relationships and you want to be blessed by God? You got to put it in order. You got to put God first and allow the love that you receive from God to be poured out over your significant other. You want to grow your business. You don't grow your business by focusing more on your business and making at first? No, the scripture says, seek ye first. The kingdom of God and all his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. You want your finances to flourish? You have to put

them in order. You got to learn how to ball on a budget. And the first line item on that budget's got to be 10% goes back to God. The tithe. The scripture says, Bring the tithe into the storehouse. Test me in this. See if I won't open up the heavens and pour out more blessings than you can contain. Listen, if you prepare your finances and put them in order, God can fill that area of your life. See, God uses financial principles and patterns to prepare us for his promises.

And here's what you have to note today. If you ignore the principle and you disregard, the pattern, you risk discarding the promise. As I was preparing to plant our church in Austin, Texas, I honestly struggled with the idea of talking about money and finances and resources. It was terrifying, honestly, to talk to people taller than you about how they spend their money. And I was ready to preach on everything else. I was ready to preach about vision. I was ready to preach about values, ready to preach the word of God, but I did not want to talk about finances until God challenged me with this idea. He said, if you're unwilling to preach the authority of

scripture in this area of money, you will not have authority to preach in any area. A wise old pastor once told me, speak loudly where the Bible speaks loudly. Speak softly where the Bible speaks softly. Be silent where the Bible speaks softly. Be silent where the is silent. I don't know if you realize this, but the Bible speaks loudly about money. You've got 500 verses that pertain to faith and prayer. You've got 2,350-ish verses that pertain to wealth, money, and possessions. Jesus spoke about money, wealth, and possessions because he knew our hearts would be connected to them. Jesus gives us these words, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. See, money turns your heart inside out, and it reveals what you

value most. There are principles all throughout scripture about money and the foundational principle and pattern is the tithe. Tithe means. 10th. I was introduced to this idea as a kid. My dad would lay out his tithe check on Fridays after work every week. And I didn't really understand the magnitude of what he was doing. I knew that we were supposed to bring 10% of our paychecks of my birthday money back to God and give it through the church. But I honestly, I struggled in this. area like didn't do it until I was like 23 years old. I'd always take the money I had and folded up, put it in my wallet in a different location because I was going to give it later.

It seemed like a pointless rule to me. But in retrospect, I can tell you, I struggled financially greatly in the early years of adulthood. And so I want you to understand today what I didn't then. First of all, Tithing prioritizes God. See, Jesus is in first place. The Bible language for this is preeminent. That means he is surpassing all others. Like he's not just high, he's the highest.

He's not just great. He's the greatest. He's not even just like first. He's like first, first. He's so first you can't even measure the distance between him and second. He is preeminent. So he doesn't just want to be high on our priority list. He wants to be highest. He doesn't just want to be a good part of our good life. No, he wants to be the greatest part of the greatest life possible. This is why you have Jesus saying

wild things like love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your strength. All, all, all. Wild things. Like Matthew 624, no one can serve two masters. For he will either hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. See, he says, you cannot serve God and Mammon, money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord. So tithing isn't just about stewardship. It's actually more about lordship. Your budget is about stewardship. Your tithe is about lordship.

And Jesus gets first. He gets first. He gets the first. He can't be second. He won't take second. And I'm going to show you a couple areas in the Bible where God reveals this idea, this principle of the first. Starting with the first born, the first born. Exodus 13 verse 1 and 2 this is a paraphrase dedicate to me every first born the first offspring both human and animal belongs to God

belongs to God Exodus 13 13 a firstborn donkey may be redeemed with a lamb why because the donkey was an unclean animal and the lamb was a clean animal so you you could sacrifice the clean sacrifice to redeem that which was unclean. The first redeemed the whole. The first redeemed the whole. This was a principle and a pattern that set our eyes toward the promise of Jesus. Jesus was the spotless lamb, the lamb slain from the foundations of the earth, so that we who were unclean could be redeemed. the clean was sacrificed for the unclean the first redeemed the whole principle pattern this isn't just

held in the work of salvation on the cross of jesus christ and his resurrection no it's to be expressed throughout every area of our life even in our finances when we surrender the first of our income to God, we acknowledge that everything belongs to him and he blesses the rest. Here's the second principle, the principle of the first fruits. You find this in Genesis 4. We see the first tithe and offering ever offered in Scripture. The scripture says, Abel brings the first and the best of his flock. Kane brings some of his crops. The scripture says that God accepts Abel's tithe, but he says, but he says, he rejects Cain's offering. Why? Because Abel brought the first and the best. Cain brought some.

And here's the third principle of the first, the principle of the first tenth or the tithe. This principle pattern and promise of bringing God the first 10% actually predates the law. It's included in the law and it exists after the law. We see the first. tithe 500 years before the law of Moses was given. Abraham tithed. The scripture says that he actually tithed because he was blessed by a priest of God. And because he was blessed, he brought a tithe. This is an important distinction for us to understand. Abram didn't tithe to be blessed. He tithed because he recognized the blessing of God that already existed in his life. It was a response to work that had already been done for him.

And then when you look at Proverbs 3-9, Proverbs is post-law, honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops. Then, of course, the clearest and most famous verse on tithing, Malachi 310, maybe you scribbled this out of your Bible, but it's still there. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me. Everybody say test me. And 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.

Look it. You can see principle, pattern, and promise in this scripture. Bring the whole tithe. That's the pattern. that there may be food in my house. That's the principle, the principle of provision for God's people. And then what happens? An open heaven, the promise. See, tithing is a test, but here's where many of us get it flipped. It's not a test God is giving you. It's a test that you give to God. Tithing is not a test God is giving you. It's a test you're giving God. He said, test me in this. And I save the title of my message for this moment right here.

Because somebody needs to hear this today, don't take God's test. Don't take God's test. The tithe isn't a test you take. It's a test you bring. This is why this verse transcends the category of the law, because he's inviting you to bring the tithe back from a blessing he's already provided to allow him to do the work of blessing you more. See, the problem with most teaching on tithing is that it's presented as a transaction with God. But tithing isn't about transaction. Tithing is about transformation. When you give God the first and the best, your heart is formed and shaped around God's heart and God's priorities.

Now, I invited a few of my friends here today to help me with this illustration. I remember where I was sitting when I heard this illustration for the first time as a 23-year-old who had a, I would like to think, enter his heart, but had a gap in understanding and revelation around this subject. And it wasn't until I experienced the generosity of God and labeled it as that, not as the work of my own hands, own strength, or some random coincidence. But when I experienced generosity and realized that was actually from the Lord, and I learned more about it, something unlocked in my heart. It goes like this. I'm going on a trip, fellas. I might go to like Barbados or something. You know what I'm saying? It's going to be an extended trip, but my wife is going to have FOMO because I'm not taking

her on this one. But I want to make sure that she is taking care of while I'm gone. And so I'm going to commit to you. I'm going to send each of you $10,000 every month. I'll check you. I'll check with Pastor Craig, he's going to sign the checks. We should be good. And so I'm going to get you that $10,000 a month, and all I'm asking is that you give $1,000 to my wife, each of you, $1,000 to my wife, because I want to make sure she's cared for in my absence.

So I go on my trip, and I start sending them checks. And a few months go by and I call Lorna and it's been a few months. So, you know what I'm saying? Hey, girl. Hey, hey, girl, what's up? And then we get down to the business. Say, are you being taken care of financially? Yeah, I am actually.

The first guy that you entrusted with the $10,000, he sends that $1,000 that you told him to send every month. I mean, it's clockwork, it is there, it is on time. The second guy, I don't know what it is. I don't know if you've known him longer. He sends $2,000 every month. He goes above and beyond. It's actually kind of crazy.

The third guy we're going to have to talk about. Because the first month, he sent $800. Then the next month he sent $300. And then last month, I didn't get anything. as a husband who wants to care for and provide for my bride, do you think that I am going to be pleased with the execution of what I have asked them to do? In fact, what I have provided for him to do.

I gave them all the $10,000. It was not theirs to begin with, and that's all they had to do. And so I would start looking at some things and adjusting some things. I'd say, you know what? You've been faithful with the thousand. I'm going to keep the thousand coming. I'm going to go to the third guy and say, my boy, I thought I could trust you with managing and stewarding, not the resources, but the well-being of what I care about.

And since you were unable to do that, I'm actually going to take from you the $10,000 I've been sending you. and I am going to give it to the man who didn't just get my money, but he got my heart. See, Jesus is preparing a place for the people who are following him. And yet he has created a relationship with a called-out group of people here called the church. And the church is the bride of Christ. And he has entrusted each of us different quantities, but an equal opportunity to bless his bribe.

And some of you may be upset with me right now. You may be upset with God thinking, you know what, I don't think God would take it away from one person and give it to another. Should we go to the authority of our lives? Matthew 25, 29, to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. They will have an abundance. but from those who do nothing, even the little they have will be taken away. And this is what unlocked for me at 23 years old.

The posture of my heart became, not God, can I trust you? He had already proven that. The posture of my heart became, God, can you trust me? And it was a realization that if God was going to send it to, someone, he had to first send it through someone. And if he was looking for someone with open hands and a tender heart, I signed up that day to be that type of person. And I can tell you, not only has the condition of my life changed, that is a surface level byproduct, the deeper work of the Holy Spirit through the act of generosity and tithiness, my heart changed. Can you give these

gentlemen, a round of applause. Thank you. The reality is, when you bring your tithe to the church, you're not just giving to the church. You're giving through the church. Hebrew 7-8 says, in one case, the 10th is collected by people who die, talking about those who manage the resources of the church. But in the other case, by him who was declared to be living. you know what that scripture is telling us you don't just bring your resources to people when you tithe you bring it to god and a transformation begins to take place more than god receiving your money he actually you actually receive his heart so what if the question today and i know that this plays out all over social media in different spaces

What if the question really isn't about is tithing a command or a law? Is tithing a command or a law that we have to follow? What if the question is, could tithing possibly be a promise that he invites us to stand on? What if it's a promise he's been inviting you to stand on? and because you can't get there intellectually, logically, you're missing out on what God wants to bring into your life, an act of worship, a purification of motives, a reorienting of our will to put Jesus back at the center. Here's the reality, y'all. We can't just be comfortable worshiping God with lifted hands.

We have to grow in our faith to the point that we're willing to worship God with open hands. And the tithe is the foundational place you begin this journey. Now, I want to pray for you, but I want to pray that God gives you an impartation in this moment, a revelation of what he wants to do in and through your life, through your open heart and your open hands. Would you pray with me? Lord, we just bring our hearts and our minds, our wills before you. We open up every area, even areas of our treasure, of our resources, and we recommit them again to you. Would you take it and do so much more with it than we ever could?

We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. God bless you. Well, that's an emotional message to me. I remember the very first time that I trusted God in that way. And I want to talk to those of you that you know you are followers of Jesus. You're committed to him. And you generally want to put him first.

I'm going to pray, God, in this holy moment, in every area of the world, our lives, help us to prioritize the preeminence of your son, our king. Not in a financial transaction, God, but in a heart transformation in every single area of our lives. Help us to put you first. Praying today without looking around all of our churches, those of you that you are a committed follower of Jesus and you want to put him first in every area of your life. Lift your hands right now. Just lift them up, lift them up, lift them up, lift them up, put him down. This may be in your mouth in the words you speak. This may be in your time. You seek him first in the day. This may be in your year. You seek him first at the beginning of the year when a fast.

This may be in your finances. And some of you, this is an area that you've pushed off. You've explained a way. You've rationalized. And maybe today you heard it in a different way. And your faith will meet the power and the promise of God. You'll step into the principle and the promise will become real, his provision, his goodness. Jesus, we want to put you first. We want to honor you today. And God, for those who might give their very first tithe ever, God, meet them in their moment of faith. And we thank you, God, that once again, you'll prove yourself faithful. Holy Spirit, have your way. Teach us to put you first. As you keep praying today, there are those of you here that he is not first. your life and you know it. For some of you like the beginning of the message, you're first.

What you want is first. Your desires are first. And there's something drawing you to him today. You're feeling drawn to the things of God. What is that? That is the Holy Spirit of God who loves you and sent his son to reveal his goodness to you. If you recognize in your life that you're not putting him first, there's a separation. The thing that separates, us from God is what the Bible calls sin. And the reality is, all of us have sinned. You have, I have. And sin separates us from a holy God. But God in his grace, he sent his first born son. Jesus, the sinless son of God. The sinless son of God. The first, the clean one was sent so the rest could be redeemed. That's us. Jesus, the son of God died on a cross for the forgiveness of our sins. God raised him from the dead so that anyone,

and this includes you, no matter what you've done, no matter how dark your life is, who calls on the name of the Lord. You would be saved, you would be forgiven, and you would be made new. And the great news is there are those of you that God brought here for this very moment. You can sense it.

You want His grace. You want His forgiveness. You want His life. Today, just step away from your sin. Call out on His name. And when you do, he'll hear your prayer, forgive your sins, and make you brand new. You're not just a better version.

You're new. the old is gone and the new comes. What are we doing? We're confessing our sin and we're putting him first above our desires, above our will, above our wants. We're putting him first.

All of our churches, you recognize he's not there today. You're being drawn to God. We're stepping away from our sin. We're calling on Him, Jesus be first, forgive me, be the Lord of my life. That's your prayer today. Would you lift your hands high right now?

All over the place, lift him up and say yes. That's my prayer. Praise God for you. Others of you. Right back over there. Oh, my goodness. there. Others today saying, yes, Jesus, be the Lord of my life. Praise God for you. Come on. Come on. Online, you can just type in the comment section. I'm surrendering my life to Christ. Just type that in

the comment section. Will you pray with those around you? Pray Heavenly Father, I surrender my whole life and confess my sins. Jesus saved me. Forgive me. Fill me with your spirit so I could know you and put you first. Thank you for new life. I give you all of mine. In Jesus name, I pray. Could somebody celebrate right now. Welcome those born into God's family.