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The first fruits offering honors God. It is an act of love and devotion to the One Who gives you everything. By generously and cheerfully giving back to the Lord your God you show Him that you love Him. You honor Him with an additional offering out of every sale that you make He in turn will overflow the vats of your business . This is a promise from God. Scripture is clear.
"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..." (Proverbs 3:9-10 NKJV) |
A "first fruits" offering is not the same as a tithe. A tithe is the first tenth of your earnings and is required by God. A first fruits offering is an additional offering also required by the Lord however God does not specify how much of an offering should be made. He allows us to decide how much we want to offer.
This is made clear to us by Paul in speaking to the church at Corinth. Paul was appealing to the church to be generous and cheerful givers. He pointed out to them the benefits of and the results of generous giving. This applies to us today as much as it did to the Corinthians.
Remember this-a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure, “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully”. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” (2 Corinthians 9:6 NLT)
In the Old Testament accounts the people gave the first fruits of their income or harvest. They gave of the first fruits of their crops. They brought wheat, wine, oil, flour and the other fruits of their labors. Today our income or harvest is in the form of money and we as Christians give our tithes and to fill the store houses we give also of our increases. The principle is the same. The promises from God are the same.
"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.'"( Leviticus 23:9-10)
God's Word also tells us that a first fruit offering is holy. By offering the first piece it makes the entire piece holy. In other words if the first piece of each sale is holy then the entire sale is holy. If the sale is holy then the business is holy. Ultimately the owner of the business and his family (the branches) are holy.
"If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too." (Romans 11:16)
Oral Roberts has called this “seed faith giving”. Based o the principle and the promise from God that we reap what we sow. Giving back to God and reaping the benefits of generous first fruits giving is a matter of faith and believing that God’s promises are true.
A devout Christian man named Samuel Smiles once wrote in his book, Life and Labor, “Sow a thought and you reap and act, sow an act and you reap a habit, sow a habit and you reap a character, sow a character and you reap a destiny.” First fruit offerings are never forgotten by God. By honoring God the blessings will follow generation to generation.
When you offer God your first fruits and bring Him the fullness of the first, you establish the foundation that the "whole thing" — your entire life — will be holy and blessed. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33 KJV)
To biblically position yourself for a first fruits blessing, make the choice to offer the first piece of each sale. Have it automatically sent to the church or Christian ministry of your choice. |
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