Your First Deposit: Five Day Devotional

Here are a few additional resources to guide your quiet time this week:

• Watch the replay of "Your First Deposit" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr

• Use this small group discussion guide with family, friends and co-workers.

• Join us for our 6 AM Prayer Call, Monday through Friday (EST)

Day 1: Your First Deposit

Based on the Message: "Your First Deposit" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us." - 2 Corinthians 8:5

Devotional: In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul describes the churches of Macedonia as people who were afflicted, persecuted, and in “deep poverty”. Yet, out of that difficulty, they overflowed in generosity. The secret wasn’t that they suddenly came into money. The secret was that they first gave themselves to the Lord. Their first “deposit” wasn’t money, it was surrender. They didn’t just put something in God’s hand; they put themselves in His hand. That’s where true wealth begins. Not with a bigger paycheck, a better budget, or a new business. True wealth starts when you decide, “Lord, all of me belongs to You; my heart, my habits, my money, my decisions, my family, and my future.”

Many of us want God to fix our money but don’t want Him to touch our motives. We want Him to bless our finances but not challenge our priorities. The Macedonian believers show us that kingdom generosity flows from a surrendered life. When God has you, He won’t have to wrestle with your wallet, your calendar, or your obedience. You’ll begin to ask, “Lord, what do You want from me in this season?”, and then respond in faith, even when it stretches you.

Today is not just about what you give; it’s about who you give. Before God asks you to adjust your budget, He invites you to adjust your posture. Your first deposit is not a number. Your first deposit is you.

Quote: "They first gave themselves to the Lord. Their first deposit in God's bank was their life." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: Have you truly given yourself to the Lord, or are there parts of your life (especially your finances) that you still keep off-limits from Him?

Prayer: Lord, today I offer myself to You as my first deposit. I surrender my heart, my plans, and my finances. I confess that everything I have belongs to You. Teach me to trust You more than money, more than comfort, and more than my own understanding. Let my generosity be the overflow of a surrendered life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 2: The Foundation of True Wealth

Based on the Message: "Your First Deposit" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"A good person leaves an inheritance for their children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous."- Proverbs 13:22

Devotional: What if everything you thought you knew about wealth was incomplete? Many people chase money thinking it will solve their problems, but true wealth is actually built on three pillars: morality, mentality, and money. Without the first two, the third becomes meaningless.

Morality forms the bedrock of generational wealth. It's about living with integrity, making decisions based on biblical principles, and maintaining character even when no one is watching. This isn't about being perfect; it's about being grounded in a relationship with God that shapes how you handle resources. When morality is absent, wealth often disappears within a single generation. We've all heard stories of lottery winners who lose everything or wealthy families whose fortunes crumble due to poor choices. The difference isn't luck or circumstances, it's character.

Building wealth God's way means asking different questions: Is this decision honoring to God? Will this choice benefit not just me, but future generations? Am I being a faithful steward of what He's entrusted to me? This foundation of morality doesn't limit your financial potential; it actually expands it.

When you operate with integrity, people trust you. When you make decisions based on biblical wisdom, you avoid costly mistakes. When you put God first, He opens doors you never imagined possible. Remember, you're not just building wealth for yourself. You're creating a legacy that will impact your children and grandchildren. That legacy starts with the moral foundation you lay today.

Quote: "The foundation of true wealth begins with God." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr

Question: How might your approach to money change if you viewed every financial decision as an opportunity to demonstrate godly character to the next generation?

Prayer: Father, thank You for trusting me with influence beyond my own lifetime. Help me to think generationally, not just emotionally or impulsively. Shape my morality, renew my mentality, and teach me to handle money Your way. Let my life be a bridge of blessing to my children and my children’s children. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 3: Your Role as First Teacher

Based on the Message: "Your First Deposit" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."- Proverbs 22:6

Devotional: Who taught you about money? Was it your parents, your friends, or did you learn through trial and error? The truth is, as a parent, you hold one of the most important roles in your child's financial future: you are their first teacher about money.

This responsibility can feel overwhelming, especially if you're still figuring things out yourself. But here's the encouraging truth: you don't have to be perfect to be effective. You just need to be intentional about passing on godly principles and helping your children develop a strong identity in Christ.

When children know who they are in God, they become less susceptible to external pressures. They don't need society or peer groups to define their worth because their parents have already established their identity. This confidence becomes crucial when they face financial decisions later in life.

Teaching your children about money isn't just about budgeting or saving, though those skills are important. It's about helping them understand that everything belongs to God, that we are stewards of His resources, and that generosity brings joy. It's about modeling integrity in your own financial decisions and showing them what it looks like to seek God's guidance.

Don't wait for the school system to teach these lessons. Start early, be consistent, and remember that your example speaks louder than your words. Every conversation about money is an opportunity to shape their understanding of stewardship and generosity. You have the privilege of laying the foundation for their financial future. What kind of legacy will you build?

Quote: "You are responsible for teaching your kids about money, not the school system." - Pastor Dexter B Upshaw Jr.

Question: If you are a parent, uncle, aunt or mentor, what specific steps can you take this week to begin intentionally teaching the children in your life about biblical principles of money management?

Prayer: Lord, help me be a faithful teacher to the children You've placed in my life. Give me wisdom to model good stewardship and the courage to have important conversations about money. Help me build their identity in You so they can make wise decisions throughout their lives. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Day 4: Welcome To the Cave

Based on the Message: "Your First Deposit" by Pastor Dexter B Upshaw Jr.

"For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own."— 2 Corinthians 8:3

Devotional: Are you facing financial difficulties right now? Feeling overwhelmed by debt, stressed by rising costs, or wondering how you’ll ever get ahead? If so, you are not alone. More importantly, you are not forgotten by God. The Macedonian believers knew what financial hardship felt like. Scripture says they lived in deep poverty, yet they still overflowed with generosity. How? Because God gave them the grace and the strength to trust Him beyond their natural ability.

Their story reminds us of another moment in Scripture: David in the cave of Adullam. David didn’t enter the cave as a champion. He entered as a man running for his life, surrounded by people who were distressed, in debt, and discontented. It was a dark season that felt confining, painful, and hopeless.

Just like David, you may feel like your finances have pushed you into a cave season, tight places, overdue bills, pressure from every side, and uncertainty about the future. But what if God is not punishing you? What if He’s preparing you? What if He is developing something in you that couldn’t be developed any other way; discipline, obedience, wisdom, spiritual maturity, and trust that money alone could never teach you? What if He’s strengthening you for a level of blessing you’re not yet ready to carry? What if the cave is not a coffin, but a classroom?

Your cave season is not the end of you. It is the place where God strengthens you, shapes you, prepares you, and teaches you to hear His voice, even about your finances. So, welcome to the cave. Your Captain is speaking. And He has a plan for your breakthrough.

Quote: "God will send you to the cave in darkness to develop you. By the time you come out, you'll be stronger than you ever were before." - Dexter B Upshaw Jr.

Question: How might God be using your current financial pressure to build discipline, faith, and trust for the blessings He wants to release into your future?

Prayer: Lord, thank You for meeting me in my cave. Even in my financial stress and uncertainty, You are working in ways I cannot see. Give me the grace to trust You beyond my ability and to obey You even when it stretches me. Develop my character, strengthen my faith, and prepare me for the blessings ahead. I believe You are developing me, not destroying me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 5: Breaking The Curse

Based on the Message: "Your First Deposit" by Pastor Dexter B Upshaw Jr.

"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us." - Galatians 3:13

Devotional: Have you ever felt trapped by generational patterns of financial struggle? Maybe your family has always lived paycheck to paycheck, or perhaps there's a history of poor financial decisions that seems to repeat itself. The good news is that through Christ, you have the power to break these cycles and create a new legacy.

The Bible tells us that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. This means that we can be free form any and every curse, including generational curses that may have affected your family's relationship with money. You don't have to accept poverty, debt, or financial dysfunction as your permanent reality. Through God's grace and biblical principles, you can write a new story.

Breaking generational patterns requires intentionality. It means choosing to learn biblical principles of stewardship even if your parents never taught them. It means developing new habits around money management, even if they feel uncomfortable at first. It means believing that God has good plans for your financial future, even if your past tells a different story.

This transformation doesn't happen overnight, but it does happen. As you apply God's principles to your finances (giving generously, saving wisely, spending carefully, and seeking His guidance) you begin to see breakthrough. You start building the kind of wealth that can bless not just you, but your children and grandchildren.

Remember, you're not just changing your own financial future. You're breaking chains that may have bound your family for generations. You're creating a new inheritance; one built on godly principles that will last for generations to come. The curse is broken. Your new financial legacy starts today.

Quote: "We are not here to manipulate you; we are here to develop you. Some of you are called to be cycle breakers within your family." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: What specific generational financial patterns do you need to break, and what is one practical step you can take this week to begin creating a new legacy?

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for redeeming me from every curse, including financial ones that may have affected my family. Give me the wisdom and strength to break negative patterns and create a godly legacy. Help me trust in Your power to transform my financial future. In Jesus' name, Amen.