A High Form of Worship
At this time of year, many people choose to make a firstfruit offering. First mean beginning – therefore because we are on the calendar we are on today, this is indeed the beginning for us. For those who choose to give a firstfruit offering – they are simply honoring God with their income and revenue at what is the beginning of the year for us.
I want to take a look at firstfruits today; for many people if you even mention money or giving they tune out – it’s funny to me, because many of the problems in the Body of Christ revolve around money or the lack thereof. It makes sense to me that we would want to find the problem or leak and fix it.
God’s word is clear, Jesus became poor so that we didn’t have to be – but we have to do things His way to walk in His abundance…that’s where many fail.
First of all, let me say one thing. Tithing and giving is not part of the law. Abraham gave his first tithe over 400 years before the law. God was so impressed that Abraham chose to honor God in such a way that God released a blessing. Since that day, a blessing, or the blessing has been linked to the tithe.
Years later in Deuteronomy, God commanded His people to give a firstfruit of all their increase. The word first means the beginning. The word fruit means your income or revenue. In 2 Chronicles and in Nehemiah you will find that God sees the tithe different from offerings or firstfruit – the firstfruit was at the beginning of something – for us, it would make sense that it would be the beginning of a new job or the beginning of a new year.
Whether you choose to tithe or not, whether you choose to give a firstfruit offering or not really doesn’t matter to me – except for the fact that I desire to see you walk in the abundance of God and come out of lack and debt once and for all – for that reason I encourage you to follow God’s ways in finances.
You do not have to tithe and give any more than you have to pray or study the word of God – but if you fail to, please do not expect to walk in the blessing of God. The bible says in Romans when the first part is holy, then and only then is the rest holy. If you choose you keep your 10% instead of give it to God – you are exactly correct in saying it is yours and you can do with it what you want – God doesn’t force anyone to tithe or give, however, according to His word, do not expect the rest to be holy or set apart unto God. What you compromise to keep is often lost.
Proverbs 3 says this:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones. Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”
First of all, anyone who gives and tithes is doing the first part of this scripture, trusting in the Lord, leaning on His ways and not our own. Also, we are acknowledging Him with our increase and allowing Him to direct our path. Then we are honoring Him with our substance and in giving a beginning of the year offering we are giving Him our firstfruits. Then and only then are our barns filled with plenty. Then and only then will we see overflow.
Years ago when I first begin learning about a firstfruit offering – I was taught that in giving that firstfruit it guaranteed the remainder of my harvest would come in – I have seen that truth manifest year after year – His word is truth – if we honor Him we will see His word concerning finances manifest in our life.
Another thing I have found, as you will find throughout the Bible, giving was a high form of worship – it was then and it still is now. It is one of the ways I not only honor God but worship Him as well.
In Nehemiah 13, Nehemiah said ‘for the first fruits, remember us O God.’ It reminds me of the scripture in the New Testament where Jesus told Cornelius that his prayers and his alms had come up as a memorial before Him. His prayers alone didn’t do it, but his prayers along with his alms came up as a memorial before God. What does that mean? It means it caused God to remember Him. Any time in the Bible where we read that God remembered someone, just after He remember them, great deliverance came.
Sowing firstfruits has become a way of life for me. If you choose to sow a firstfruit offering this year – be sure to prayer over your seed – “for the firstfruits O God, remember us!” God is and always will be faithful over His word to perform it. How great is our God?
