These two verses are the fifth of six couplets of commands and promises at the beginning of chapter three. There is a single command here with two parts focusing on my attitude about my stuff and God.
The command is that I’m supposed to honor God with all my stuff – both what I already have (“wealth”) and what I am going to get (“crops”). How do I do that? Certainly I can do so by using it in ministry and for the direct advancement of His kingdom.
But, as responsible adults, we probably use the bulk of our stuff to sustain ourselves and our loved ones. So, these verses are probably also talking about something more.
I suggest the real focus here goes beyond what I do for ministry. I’m supposed to use all I have the way He wants. It is as if He is the owner and I am just the manager – it’s His call and I am to simply do what He wants me to do with His stuff.
If I can learn to live this way (and once I got started, it has worked out pretty well for me), then the promise kicks in – He said he will put more and more stuff at our disposal to manage for Him. The fact is that everything thing in my “barns” and “vats” has come from Him (Job 1:21) and He can give more or take back anytime He wants!
And when He gives, He really gives – “filled to overflowing” and “brimming over” is how God likes to do things for us. I have all kinds of issues and do not deserve anything I have. Yet, I have tried to follow this concept and He has continued to over-abundantly bless me. I can’t explain it, but it really works!