Firstfruits offering: Whats Bible say about firstfruits?

Firstfruits offering: Whats Bible say about firstfruits?

Posted on December 19, 2008 Updated on December 19, 2008

By Pastor E. Adeboye

Memorise: “Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase:” (Proverbs 3:9)

Read: Proverbs 3:9-10 

Today’s reading says those that know their God honour Him with their first fruits. If you do not pay your first fruits, it is an evidence that you are yet to know who you serve. Those who know God never trivialise His commands because whatever He asks you to do is of utmost importance.

<p When Abraham gave Isaac as an offering to God, he was honouring God with his first fruits. No wonder today, he has countless children all over the world! Your first salary in a new job is your first fruits. The first profit from a new line of business is your first fruits. For those already working, every year, your first salary or profit is your first fruits. When promoted to another level, the difference between your former salary and the new one is your first fruits. Honour God with it. As you faithfully pay it, an abundance is triggered.

“A just weight and balance are the LORD’s: all the weights of the bag are his work” (Proverbs 16:11). Those who will be strong materially never take the money that does not belong to them. They know it will be counter-productive. Lies, falsification of records, and other fraudulent measures cannot add to you. They will work against your financial prosperity.

<p Have you ever sat back to compare how you spend the money that comes clean with the ones that come through the back-door? If you do, you will observe that the former is peaceful, gives joy and is well spent. The latter however, does not give its owner peace of mind. Negative events suddenly erupt and before long such wealth is gone. You cannot use such money to do something truly meaningful. An Alhaji once gave his hall for rent to a Gospel church. After some years, he was under pressure by Muslim leaders to eject the church. He refused, saying the little that the church pays him is clean money. He could not compare it with the millions of dirty money he gets.

Proverbs 15:16 says, “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith”. What most struggling believers do not know is that the rich in the world are envious of them. The CEO of a large establishment was envious of one of his staff who is a believer. The staff was poorly paid and denied his benefits for years, yet the little he has, as well as the clothes he wears, became the envy of his multi-millionaire boss. This year, you will be envied. Your little will be blessed. The Lord will multiply your blessings. You will overtake those ahead of you. But remember to honour the Lord with every increase He brings your way.

Are you owing God first fruits? Pay it today!