Been thinking a bit about first-fruits this last week or so...If this concept is new to you, here's a brief explanation. In the Old Testament, God required his people to give the first-fruits (whatever the vegetation produced at the beginning) of their harvest to Him. That necessitated that they not only be self-sacrificing and more patient, but also trusting that the Lord would indeed provide. We are no longer under that system, but the idea of first-fruits is still beneficial.
Nowadays, though, we need to give God the first-fruits of our time, money, and talents. It is very sad to see how anemic the church is, yet how vibrant social/sports/media activities are. God is likely to only receive the leftovers, if anything, in our busy, over-filled lives. Giving God the first and best of what we have still takes self-sacrifice, patience, and trust. But, if we truly recognize what miserable sinners we were and now what blessed saints we have been made into, making God our first priority should be our delight, not our grudging duty.
So, set that alarm a little earlier to spend some time in prayer and the Word. Cancel that outing so you can serve someone in need. Skip your favorite show so you can spend that time discipling your children. Pass on another meal out so you can contribute more to the missionary. Stop surfing the Internet and go write a note of spiritual encouragement to someone. Choose to please God first, and I'm sure you won't regret it.
Some more super pics from my friend...Nowadays, though, we need to give God the first-fruits of our time, money, and talents. It is very sad to see how anemic the church is, yet how vibrant social/sports/media activities are. God is likely to only receive the leftovers, if anything, in our busy, over-filled lives. Giving God the first and best of what we have still takes self-sacrifice, patience, and trust. But, if we truly recognize what miserable sinners we were and now what blessed saints we have been made into, making God our first priority should be our delight, not our grudging duty.
So, set that alarm a little earlier to spend some time in prayer and the Word. Cancel that outing so you can serve someone in need. Skip your favorite show so you can spend that time discipling your children. Pass on another meal out so you can contribute more to the missionary. Stop surfing the Internet and go write a note of spiritual encouragement to someone. Choose to please God first, and I'm sure you won't regret it.
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