"Thou
shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the
firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me." (Exodus 22:29).
Someone once asked if it was
necessary to give the first-fruit offering only at the beginning of the year:
Couldn’t one give it any other time of the year? First, you have to understand
that God is not a man; He is a Spirit being (John 4:24), and the Bible
refers to Him as "…the Father of spirits..." (Hebrews
12:9). So you don’t deal with Him as you would a man. When such a spiritual
instruction comes to you in your local assembly, to give your first fruit at
the beginning of the year, put it into action immediately. Delay or
procrastination in giving your first fruits or other offerings to God is
actually a delay in receiving from Him.
This is important at the beginning
of the year, but as the Lord blesses you in the process of time, perhaps you
received a raise in your salary, or a blessing of any kind, you should separate
the first fruit unto the Lord, and pay it as well.
Romans 11:16 says "For if the first fruit be holy, the lump
is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches." If
you give God your first fruit at the appropriate time, the Lord will watch over
the entire lump—your entire resources. He will sanctify, separate and consecrate
everything you receive afterwards. He will see to it that you don’t encounter
austere moments or dryness in your finances.
Always be prompt to pay your first
fruits, tithes, and seed-offerings. Remember, the Word says "...God
loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to
abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, "prompt to do
it") giver [whose heart is in his giving]" (2 Corinthians
9:7 AMP). When you give, there is a promise for a harvest. Proverbs
3:9-10 says "Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the
first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with
plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." This is one of the
surefire recipes for financial abundance. So be excited to give your
first-fruit offering, for it is holy unto the Lord.
Further Study:
Psalm 116:12-14
Proverbs 3:9-10
Andy Agim
Christ Realities
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