“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10)
In most of the old African household there was a tradition where once the day’s dish was uncovered the best portion of food was first passed on to the head of the house, before the rest dug in. For a father this was recognition of his leadership and pleasing to him. Though one may express concern about children coming last, this tradition in a way made them realize life has a pecking order.
Creaming off the first and best portion to a leader was not just limited to African households but also features a lot in the way God deals with man. The Lord assigned his people to take care of the priests first before anything. “You are to give them the first fruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep, for the Lord your God has chosen them and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the Lord’s name always” (Deuteronomy 18:4-5). This tradition followed up to Nehemiah’s time. “We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree. As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there” (Nehemiah 10:35-36).
In the kingdom of God, there is a pecking order, quite obvious, “But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ” (1 Cor 15:23). The Apostle James encouraged believers, “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures” (James 1:18).
One writer put it, “the first fruits offering opens things up to work in our favor on the income side of the equation. Our barns are filled so there will be provision there when we need it. And our vats are overflowing as more and more income comes our way over time!’ How about taking up God on that!
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, I thank you for all the blessings in my life, and help me honor you with the first fruit, to receive your protection and be blessed even more, this I pray in Jesus’s name.
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18/04/2024 - 19/04/2024 All day“In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:26-7).
Once a certain gentleman saw a small mount of soil rising in one of his sparsely used bed rooms in his country house. He went back to the city unbothered. Upon his return he was shocked to find that what was once a small soil mount had grown into a huge anthill almost blocking the entrance. How did it get this big!” he whistled with disbelief.
Anyone who has leveled anthills knows that you need to dig up one down to the very bottom and seize the queen ant. So, in this case, it meant he had to excavate to the very foundations of the house. It was a costly venture involving destroying much of the original infrastructure.
So, what had begun as a small foothold in his house almost caused the gentleman to lose his entire beautiful country house. After all was done, he regretted why he had not attacked that small mount of soil the day he had spotted it but then ignored. He would have saved himself all this huge cost.
When the Bible cautions us, “and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27), it is not speaking of some big and overwhelming sin that is gripping a believer. Just as with that soil mount a foothold starts as a small poisonous seed dropped into one’s life appearing harmless at the start. But ignored it gradually grows into one huge tree with deep roots that to uproot it a life may go with it altogether.
For Believers there are all kinds of footholds. It could be unwholesome little talk spaced with curses. Sometimes it is occasional dabbling into harmful alcoholic beverages or dangerous drugs. There could be that small habit of helping oneself with company funds against policy. There is also that seemingly innocent peep into porn sites, after all, no harm!
Ignored, the once small foothold gradually extends into one huge and terrifying mountain, not that easy to level as it now completely controls its victim. To level it down would come at such a stiff price. For this reason, do not take lightly any temptations that come your way. The moment you give the devil an inch you are in for a long ride!
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, I pray to guard myself against any foothold the devil might trap me with, to live a victorious life in Christ, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
