Firstfruit Giving
(An Act of Worship)
“Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your will overflow with new wine.”
Proverbs 3:9-10(NKJV)
Why is Firstfruit giving important?
- We are told in scripture to honor the Lord with a firstfruit offering.(Proverbs 3:9)
- God will meet every need and give us more than we ask. God will allow an overflow in one’s life(Proverbs 3:10)
- God will bless our entire family and will allow generations to be blessed and not cursed(Ezekiel 44:30)
What is the relationship between Firstfruit, Tithe, Offering and Sacrificial Giving? God’s giving order, which is biblical, starts with firstfruit giving, tithing, giving an offering and ends with sacrificial giving. Honoring God with our resources is important to God. God understands how alluring resources/money can be and He reminds us to make Him our number one priority and not our resources/money. Too genuinely give a firstfruit gift, a consistent tithe, regular offerings and participate in sacrificial giving to God, is putting Him first and honoring with commitment. As a child of God this is our desire.
- Firstfruit – Giving God the first of everything. The first harvest, the first to open the womb both of man and beast belong to God. After the first is given to God, man is given the rest.(Exodus 13:1-2, Leviticus 27:26, 1 Samuel 1:11) For example the first check in the year belongs to God. Checks thereafter we pay our tithes, offerings and sacrificial giving. (To do a firstfruit offering, in most cases one will need to plan for it) Doing something is better than doing nothing in the sight of God. Everything we have belongs to God.
- Tithe – After having given a firstfruit offering, giving God a tenth on the gross of every check received is what God requires for personal abundance and financial success.(Malachi 3:8-10, Leviticus 27:30-31)
- Offering – Tithe is what we owe God, 10% of what we receive. If we receive a financial settlement or other blessings, 10% is what we owe God. An offering is the seed we sow. God is generous towards us and we have a responsibility as His children to be generous toward our Church, our Pastor and others. The remaining 90% should not be spent solely on ourselves but we should do some sowing into good ground and we sow with an offering. There is no set amount, you decide that according to the Holy Spirit in you. He gives seed to the sower.(2 Corinthians 9:6-9)
- Sacrificial – Giving beyond your ability to give, you really don’t have it because you have other financial responsibilities but you make the sacrifice to give. One sacrifices because their spirit is settled and directed by the Holy Spirit. There was a lady in the bible who did not have enough food for herself and her son. She sacrificed to feed the preacher first and she and her son was tremendously blessed.(1 Kings 17:8-16)
Firstfruit represents the first of the first. Whenever increase shows up for the first time, it belongs to God. Firstfruit is “ALL” of whatever breaks through the womb first, it belongs to God. The Seed Will Never Be Greater Than The Harvest! Firstfruit is the ultimate seed. Firstfruit Signals a Greater Harvest To Come.
What does this all mean? All the methods of giving are important to God. God wanted us to know about them, therefore they are recorded in the WORD. God wants us to apply them to our lives. Firstfruit is just what it implies. You give it once a year at the beginning of the year, but it is very important in laying a foundation for giving the entire year. This firstfruit commitment allows us to expect the supernatural movement of God in our lives. The Tithe is 10% we owe to God. It is God’s continuous plan to support the church throughout the year and to bless you in the process. God tells us to give tithes and offerings so that the house, the church will be blessed. The Offering is the seed we sow to receive blessings and to be a blessing to others. God guarantees overflowing blessings. Sacrificial giving is that which demonstrates total loyalty and commitment to God. The sacrificial giving further confirms to God that He is Lord of our lives and that we are always submit to His will.
Freely allow God to bless your life, your children and all who are connected to you as you embrace Firstfruit Giving.
Bishop J.L. Carter,
Senior Pastor, Ark Church
