Fresh Foundation: Tithing & Honoring God First // Fresh Fruit (Part 6) // Michael Todd

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Hi, I’m Charles, and I serve as one of the executive pastors here at Transformation Church. Before we dive into the message, I just want to take a moment to say thank you for tuning in. Your presence means the world to us, whether you’re watching from home or anywhere else. No matter who you are, I believe this message will inspire and strengthen your faith and hopefully transform your life.

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Welcome to Week 6 of our series, Somebody Shouted “Fresh Fruit!” Let’s say it with faith: “Fresh fruit, fresh fruit!” How many of you desire fresh fruit this year? I don’t want anything stale or old in my life, especially in my relationships or marriage. I want fresh fruit, and we’ve been focusing on staying connected to the True Vine—Jesus Christ.

We’ve been talking about the importance of staying connected, so the Gardener (God) can make a fresh cut in our lives. If He wants to prune us, we won’t shy away from it. We’ll understand that the cuts are for our growth, as they remove what could hinder our future progress.

For anyone feeling like you’re losing something, I want to encourage you—that’s a lie. When God is at work pruning you, it’s not loss, but preparation for a “level-up.” You may feel barren right now, but trust that more fruit is coming. So, don’t worry—your growth is ahead.

Last week, I felt a burden to talk about something that’s a regular part of our church culture: generosity, stewardship, and finances. These are important topics, and we often counsel people about relationships, money, and anger. However, I know that when it comes to money, people get nervous. It’s true—whenever the subject of money comes up, many people get uncomfortable, start worrying about what they don’t have, or even feel defensive. But I want to say, relax.

I’m not teaching this from a place of need. Let me clarify: We’re not asking for money because we’re in a building campaign or anything like that. This message isn’t about pressure or manipulation—it’s about understanding the heart of giving. Giving is not about what you have but about your heart.

Some of you might feel like your financial situation is personal between you and God, and that’s understandable. But hear me when I say this—God cares about your finances because how you handle them reflects your priorities. Many of the issues we face in life aren’t because we’re doing everything wrong, but because we’re missing one thing: putting God first in our finances.

For a long time, I struggled because I treated God as just one item on my list, not the top priority. Some of you may think that when you have more, you’ll be generous. But that’s not how it works. If you’re not faithful with a little, God cannot entrust you with much. Trust me, if you want God to bless you with more, start by being faithful with what you have now.