“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth…it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” – Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
When our church began earnestly teaching on the principle of “first fruits” during the Daniel fast one January, as a family, we decided that we would definitely obey God’s Word and give accordingly. In the beginning our faith wavered somewhat because only one party would give first fruits during the year. After a while, our faith increased and one party gave first fruits in January and then one later in the same year.
Beloved, giving your first fruits is an act of faith and a test to see if you really believe the Word of God and will obey what it says. To hasten the testimony, we presently give our first fruits at the beginning of each year as a family (Nehemiah 10:35). I want to report that from the first year we started this journey of faith, we never lacked anything, and we were able to pay all our debts in the months when we decided to give.
To whoever will read or listen to this encouragement, you must know that in order to get to the next level in your relationship with God and to experience bountiful blessings, you need to exercise your faith and launch out into the deep. Do something you never did before and see how God will cause you to prosper. As a family, we needed to experience an increase, so in addition to bringing our tithes, offerings, and gifts to the house of the Lord, we incorporated our first fruits into our giving. You can do the same.
Giving your first fruits is a sacrificial act of faith and obedience that will benefit you now and future generations. It has long-lasting benefits. Today, I encourage you to step out in faith, carefully develop a plan to give more, and see how your God, Jehovah Jireh, will cause you to prosper in every area of your life.
Read: Proverbs 3:9; 2 Corinthians 9:7
Bible Reading Guide: Psalms 107:10-22; Galatians 1; Isaiah 33; Isaiah 34; Isaiah 35
