"First Fruits" pt 4 - January 23, 2011

FIRSTFRUITS #4

MATT. 6:25-34, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? ²⁶Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? ²⁷Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? ²⁸And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: ²⁹And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? ³¹Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? ³²(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. ³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ³⁴Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

MATT 6:33, ³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

-We MUST Make His PRESENCE our PRIORITY

[C.S. Lewis] ..  “When FIRST things are put FIRST…  Second things are not suppressed but increased”

-God tells us in His Word to [SEEK] =

… “FIRST” = (Gr) = “Foremost or first in time, place & order of importance”

…THE KINGDOM OF GOD… {I.E} = “God’s WAY of doing things”

-God has a method of operation or Divine Patterns  = [I.E] = “An accurate order & arrangement of things…

-When something is arranged = It is put into a proper, systematic order…

…THAT ORDER is ALWAYS in ALL things…

-…“FIRST THINGS FIRST”…

-[OR] = “The Principle of Firstfruits”

-God declares that all FIRST things belong to Him in order to establish REDEEMING Covenant with everything that comes after

What is “THE COVENANT”

Jehovah is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God….. The Bible is a book of covenant.

In fact, both the Old and New Testaments could be called the Old and New Covenants.

A covenant deals with transactions between God and man, or man and his fellow man…. It is a legal, binding contract…. It is God’s law…. It is God’s order…. It is God’s ways.

A divine covenant is a sovereign disposition of God where He establishes an unconditional or declarative compact with man….

He obligates Himself to bring to pass of Himself definite blessings for the covenanted ones….

Or -  it is a proposal of God where He promises in a conditional or mutual contract with man to grant special blessings provided that man fulfills perfectly certain conditions….

- Jesus is the basis and foundation of every covenantal purpose….

All of the covenants consummate in Him who is the Heir and sum of all things (Hebrews 1:2, 8:1). …

Jesus secured the promises made to the fathers—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. …

He then shared His “wealth” with us, the Bride, or the Church!

-All born-again believers are the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:29, 4:1-2) and have a rightful spiritual estate and inheritance….

The Abrahamic Covenant, the Davidic Covenant and the New Covenant are all interrelated;

-Each one is an extension of the other -  All with promises and blessings now offered to us, His Church….

They are legally and permanently ours in Christ.

God cannot and will not deny Himself. He remains faithful to His covenantal Word.

-However, we cannot claim our promised inheritance until we know WHO we are in Christ.

To know “WHO” we are in Christ is to know WHAT we have in Christ.

-It is a covenant with terms and a promise that God will bless you with everything He IS and everything He HAS.

As covenant people, we are joint heirs and co-laborers with Jesus Christ.

He said, “And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom” (Luke 22:29-30, NKJV).

But we cannot expect the multiple blessings of God to manifest in our lives if we are not holding up our end of the covenant.

While God will always fulfill His part….We must ask ourselves: Are you fulfilling yours?

-There are specific requirements for all those who walk by faith…. You have to do it God’s way…  (Or Method of Operation)

Hosea 4:6 declares, “My people perish because of lack of knowledge.”

-What we don’t know can destroy us….

-…You must have real knowledge and wisdom for the application of His patterns, principles and precepts to truly prosper….

-What we learn & APPLY from God’s Word will sustain us, provide for us, care for our families and loved ones, give us victory, direct and protect our dream, set us free, bless us and so much more!

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’” (John 8:31,32, NKJV).

“For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).

According to Proverbs 2:6, knowledge comes from the study of God’s Word.

God gives wisdom, but out of His mouth—from studying and understanding His Word—we gain knowledge.

-God’s covenant (THE WORD) is His law.

-With that covenant we have everything we need, every promise of God is ours when we apply and stand on His Word.

As Peter wrote to those in exile after the resurrection of Jesus:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust (2 Peter 1:2-4, NASB).

God guarantees you these wonderful promises by His Word..

-We can choose whether we will obey or disobey His commands…

-They are laid out to us for blessing . . . for an empowered and fulfilling life.

-They are laid out with consequences.

-If we choose not to obey the instructions God gives us, we face the consequences of those decisions.

[Isaiah 1:19- 20] declares, “If you be willing and obedient you will eat the good of the land . . . But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”

-When you HONOR God in Obedience by presenting to Him all FIRST THINGS..

…  His Presence covers & blesses the rest  (or SANCTIFIES it)

-It is an act of WORSHIP (or offering) in faith & it PROVES the POSITION in which the GIVER holds God & IS HELD by God!

-Anytime something is a FIRST THING, A FIRSTFRUIT (also called a devoted thing)…  GOD ALWAYS LAYS CLAIM TO IT..

[Lev 27:25-33]   26) "'No one, however, may dedicate the firstborn of an animal, since the firstborn already belongs to the Lord; whether an ox or a sheep, it is the Lord's. 27) If it is one of the unclean animals, he may buy it back at its set value, adding a fifth of the value to it. If he does not redeem it, it is to be sold at its set value.   28) "'But nothing that a man owns and devotes to the Lord — whether man or animal or family land — may be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the Lord. 29) "'No person devoted to destruction may be ransomed; he must be put to death.   30) "'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. 31 If a man redeems any of his tithe, he must add a fifth of the value to it.   32) The entire tithe of the herd and flock — every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's rod — will be holy to the Lord.  [NIV]

-Devoted things and FIRST things have the exact same meaning:

-The irrevocable giving over to the Lord

-They are the things that belong to God & God alone

To Devote:  “To commit by a solemn act – To give over (or) to give directly; such things as time, $ or an effort”

-Devotion is the highest expression of dedication to God

-It CANNOT be done without giving (which is the law of loving)

DEVOTION = is Proof of God’s presence being priority

-So, all FIRST THINGS or “devoted things”..   belong to God

[Ex 13:1-3]… The Lord said to Moses, 2) "Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal."  3) Then Moses said to the people, "Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast.

[NIV]

-First,… the people had to: -CONSECRATE  (which means) = “To set in order, to arrange, to appoint to office”

-Then they were to: - COMMEMORATE (or KJV REMEMBER) = “To mark so as to be recognized; (i.e) a  male (of man or animals, as being most noteworthy)

-(i.e) = FIRSTFRUITS

-It is the same word that is found in DT 8:18

[Deut 8:17-18]…And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.  18) 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.[KJV]

-WEALTH = “A force – whether of men, means or other resources (i.e) an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength

v18)  But thou shalt REMEMBER = (I.E) = “To mark as to be recognized”

-God is very serious about First things First: [I.E] “Keeping things & people in their proper order”

[Rom 11:16]… “ For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.”

PRINCIPLE:  The FIRST represents  (re- presents) THE TOTAL

-This means whatever the First portion is used for.. determines what happens to the rest

-The FIRST is so powerful that ADAM’S FALL dictated the entire pattern for all mankind.

[Rom 5:14-15]

“Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.   15) But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

NIV

-Jesus set a NEW ORDER or PATTERN

-Because he was the FIRSTBORN of God (I.E) “A FIRSTFRUIT” he could establish a new governing to mankind

{1 Cor 15:23-24}

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

24) Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

KJV

-You are a partaker of the divine nature of God

-You are a shareholder in His authority

-Because you are being conformed to His image – you will “re-produce” after your own kind…

[Rom 8:29]  … For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

KJV

THE LAW OF THE SEED: “EVERY SEED PRODUCES AFTER ITS OWN KIND”

-Christ set a new pattern for all mankind

-Jesus as the FIRSTFRUITS now governs the rest

(Acts 17:28)  …For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

KJV

-When God looks at you He see’s the image of His Son because of the covenant He made…

-We simply have the right to be the recipient through our obedience

DEUT. 28 THE RESULT OF THAT OBEDIENCE

[Deut 28:1-8 KJV]  28) And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:  2) And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.  3) Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.  4) Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.  5) Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.  6) Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.  7) The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.  8) The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

-There are principles throughout God’s Word, and these principles are key to your receiving and walking in the promise of His covenant blessings.

In other words, as we are obedient to walk in His ways…we will walk in His promises and provision.

-OBEDIENCE IS the KEY to your BLESSING:

-Let’s look at the law of first with Cain & Abel:

- [Gen 4:3-11]… “in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.  4) And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:  5) But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.  6) And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?  7) If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.  8) And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.  9) And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

- 10) And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11) And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;

KJV

-This is not a scriptural text about preference but about OBEDIENCE

[1 Sam 15:22]  “To obey is better than sacrifice”

-Here’s the BIG ?

-What was wrong with Cain’s offering?...  and what happened as a result?

[Gen 4:3]  “In the PROCESS of TIME”

(Heb = lit)  “At the end of days”

-It means when something has ended & now there is a FIRST or a beginning  (I.E = FIRSTFRUITS)

-It continues on to say:  “Cain brought SOME of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord” (NIV)

-Cain brought an offering BUT it was in PART

-Partial obedience is disobedience

-It is not always doing what is wrong that nullifies the provision of God… but not doing enough of what is right

-THERE IS A WAY TO WORSHIP

-[The literal rendering] =   “& Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Jehovah, & Abel brought the same; he also brought of the firstlings of his flock & of their fat”

-Abel brought his FIRSTFRUITS & honored the order or divine & accurate arrangement of God

-Cain gave what He WANTED to give…  ABEL gave what GOD WANTED

{Heb11:4 NIV}  …  “ By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice [LIT = A much more full or complete sacrifice] than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead”

NIV

-This tells us that “BY FAITH” – [i.e. = The activated word & deliberate obedience to follow he commands / truth of the instructions of God]

-Abel offered …  & THEN OBTAINED WITNESS as RIGHTEOUS:

[Gr ] = “Justice (the principle, a decision or it’s execution)

-[I.E] = “A man who made a decision by principle with execution”

[1 John 3:10]…  “no one who does not practice righteousness [who does not conform to God's will in purpose, thought, and action] is of God; neither is anyone who does not love his brother (his fellow believer in Christ).

AMP

-“It is NOT because things are difficult that we do not dare…  It is because we do not dare that things are difficult” [Seneca]

-[Old Proverb]..  “Your teacher can open the door, BUT you must enter for yourself”