Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”
Today we’re going to look at God’s principles of First Fruits: First Things First.
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In this new year, I believe God for greater increase in your life, your best year yet. I believe that God will just show His goodness and His grace, and that it will be prosperous, that it will be a safe, that it’ll be an abundant year of God’s goodness for you.
But in order to do that, we’ve got to get it right according to Scripture. And whenever we have a new beginning, First Things First, we have to practice and literally put it into work in our lives, as a principle. This is the Principle of First Fruits. That means putting God first and all things!
Do Not Be Anxious
Matthew 6:25-33,“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[g] 28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Sometimes we get stressed out, and God’s saying, “Hold up! Reset… Brand new year, old things have passed away, I want you to focus on this principle.” I’m going to teach you because there’s principles, there’s patterns, there’s timing… a principle is a ‘root rule’, which means it has dominion and establishing governs over what happens with everything else.
He wants to see YOU succeed and prosper! …but He desires it HIS WAY, not ours… It is all about Him, not us.
The Bible references first fruits or first things or devoted things no less than 32 times…
“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)…
The first represents the total. All firsts belong to God! and there is a reason why… “Honor 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…” (Proverbs 3:9–10 NKJV). Blessings flow through your obedience!
This divine establishment of God’s order is actually the root, the foundation that governs the rest. “For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches”(Romans 11:16 NKJV).
God claims the first of all things, It rightfully belongs to Him. And when we apply the Principle of First Fruits, we see that all firsts should be given to the Lord: the first of the day, week (Sabbath), month, and the first of our harvest. It is a principle…
Jesus declared, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness… all these things will be added to you,” (Matthew 6:33). God adds the “things” to you when the foundation is in place to be built upon.
I want to direct your attention to a key scripture having to do with first fruits. “And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18, KJV).
God is the only One who has the power to give wealth, which is a word of wholeness that is nothing missing and nothing broken, and blessings—that is a life of empowerment. But it is exciting to know that He has given us the knowledge we need to receive those blessings. His truths are available to you. His commands and blessings are outlined in God’s Word for all who will search them out to see.
-Paula White-Cain
Are you ready to honor God?
