UNDERSTANDING THE FIRSTFRUIT PRINCIPLE
"Honour 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." Proverbs 3:9-10 (NKJV)
BIBLE READING:
DEUTERONOMY 26:3-10; 1KINGS 17:8-16; HAGGAI 1:1-11; ROMANS 11:16
Welcome to the year 2025. As Authentic Christian believers, we require an Understanding of Stewardship, which is established upon certain Basic Principles. One of the Most Important Principles with which one can secure one's year is the Principle of the Firstfruit. The Concept of Firstfruits is concerned with dedicating the Initial salary, profit, commission, or any form of increase received at the start of any given year by an individual or corporate body. It covers all the initial blessings and income received. Firstfruits could also relate to the first or initial proceeds from an intellectual property or the initial income preceded by a salary raise. It also signifies the first material blessings received or experienced for the very first time. The Holy Scriptures emphasize that Firstfruits are Holy and Sanctified unto God. Hence, they are not mere Freewill Offerings. (Jer. 2:3).
The Principle of the Firstfruit expresses God's Way of instilling within us the habit of prioritizing Him and putting Him First in every area of our lives. Whenever we present our Firstfruits before the Lord God Almighty, we are symbolically placing Him First in our lives and honouring Him (Prov. 3:10). Firstfruits are not limited exclusively to Finances. We must also honour God with our Time, acknowledging it as a significant aspect of our existence on Earth. For example , today is the First Day of the Year 2025 hence it is also a Firstfruit of the remaining days till December. The Principle of the Firstfruit emphasizes the fact that whatever happens to the first eventually sets the pattern for the rest as exemplified in the life of the first man Adam. The same way Adam's Fall impacted all of humanity, the Second Adam in the Person of the Lord Jesus as the Firstfruit redeemed us, and as He is in Heaven, so are we on Earth (1Jn. 4:17b).
A typical instance from the Holy Scriptures is revealed in the story of Cain and Abel. Cain offered unto God crops from his fields while Abel presented the Firstfruits of his lambs. God respected Abel's offering but had absolutely no regard for Cain's (Gen. 4:3-5). Whenever you give your Firstfruit, you honour God, inviting an overflow in your career and business as well as open doors to new relationships and strategies (1Kgs. 17:13-16). These Established Scriptural Truths serve as a Solid Foundation for understanding the Firstfruit and guiding our Covenant Relationship with God, regardless of public or social media views on the topic. It is imperative, therefore, to study the Referenced Scriptures and re-examine any preconceived notions about Firstfruit in order to avoid being deceived by false doctrines being spread like a virus these End Times.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, we come before You this First Day of the First month of the year 2025 with a heart of Repentance, acknowledging how often we have fallen short in our Commitment to paying our Firstfruits in Your Kingdom. We ask for Your Forgiveness for any past defaults in this regard. We receive Your Mercy, Grace and Strength to be completely committed and Faithful in presenting our Firstfruits as an Act of Obedience and Worship in Your Kingdom. We commit to prioritize You by placing You First in every aspect of our lives, especially in the area of Stewardship in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.