Giving God Our First
Sermons on tithes and offerings are nothing new, especially if you have been a Christian for a while. During this time of the year, you may also hear about the “First Fruits Offering.” While you can never out-give God, it is good to know why we give when we give.
So what is a First Fruit Offering? It is a Biblical offering that comes from the first produce of harvest. This offering was given to the priest. In modern times, believers are encouraged to bring an additional offering to God’s work.
Consider these Bible verses on First Fruit Offering:
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your increase” (Proverbs 3:9).
“Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow” (Proverbs 3:9–10 NKJV).
“When you come into the land which I gave you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest” (Leviticus 23:9-10).
“For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches” (Romans 11:16 NKJV).
Clearly, this offering is a Bible principle and encourages us to give our first income to God.
If we limit the offering to financial giving, we are taking a shallow approach to a powerful Biblical principle. God does not need your money in order to recognize your love for Him. His promise to bless us does not depend on our giving. In that case, most of us will default because we have all missed opportunities to give. Giving to God is not a duty or an obligation. We give because we love. You can give without loving someone but you cannot love without giving! Before you consider a First Fruit Offering, ask yourself why? Are you giving out of guilt, obligation, or duty? Are you giving in order to receive? The true motivation to give should be because of our love for God. We give because we are grateful for what we have received.
Give God your first in all things! Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God…” (Matthew 6:33). God wants our hearts and not just money. Here are three ways how and where you can give:
- Give God the first of your time.Time is the only commodity you cannot grow, buy, or multiply. When we honor God with the first hours of our day, we are really saying, “Lord, I’m grateful for the time you’ve given me. Thank you for letting me see another day! Today I’ll trade in my time for a paycheck, love my family, and enjoy life.”I strongly encourage you honor God in this manner. I guarantee you that the rest of your day will be more productive as a result.
- Give God your firstborn.We often plan and pray for our children’s education and success. That is a good thing but did you know the Scripture says, “Dedicate to me every firstborn among the Israelites. The first offspring to be born, of both humans and animals, belongs to me”(Exodus 13:2). When was the last time you prayed and dedicated your children to the Lord? Encourage your children to serve and honor God. It is the best thing they can do with their lives. Show them by being an example. More is caught than taught!
- Make God your priority.The secret to having an abundant life filled with God’s love, peace, and joy is to make Him your priority. God told Abraham, “Walk [habitually] before me”(Genesis 17:1). We, too, can do this through the daily habits of giving thanks, praise and worship, prayer, Bible reading, and spending time with God. You can do this in your bed, on the sofa, in the closet, while driving to work, at the gym, while out on a walk, or even while grocery shopping. Spending time with God can take place anywhere and everywhere. When we make God the priority, we begin to prosper in our body, mind, soul, and finances.
Make it your goal to have a deep, intimate relationship with God. When you decide to serve God with your whole heart and make Him the priority, your soul will prosper and your joy will increase. If you look to other people for answers and validation, you may be disappointed. Everything falls into place when we live to please God. When you mess up (and we all do!), do not feel discouraged or let it hold you back. Confess your sins to God, make a U-turn, and keep running towards Him. God is not keeping track of your wrongs. God doesn’t need your possessions; He wants your heart. As we live to please God, He promises to bless our lives and make us prosper.
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2 ESV).
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