Firstfruits-Part 1

The firstfruits of your grain and your new wine and your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him.
Deuteronomy 18:4 (NKJV)

Q:    Have you ever wondered what God has planned for your life?
Q:    Have you ever wondered what was next after accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?
Q:    Do you know what the New Covenant means for your life?

Good questions for sure--questions each of us should know as Christian men and women.  Let's take a look at the some of the fundamentals and how we got here first.

God said to Moses, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them; 'When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest" (Lev. 23:10).

It was God's will for His children to bring the first portion of what He had given them back to the temple and give it to the priests.  God had devised a perfect system to assure the needs of both the priest, and His children would be met.  And at the base of this system was the promise of God's provision.  It was the perfect cycle.

• God providing for man
• Man receiving from God
• Man offering the firstfruits of God's provision back to God
• God receiving man's offering

All man had to do to ensure his own provision was to continue his part of the process - to obey God's laws and to give the Firstfruits of what was given to him.   The firstfruits were the first and the best of the crops being harvested.  This was the Old Covenant between God and man as written in the Old Testament. There were actually 613 commandments (The Law) given to man to follow and an amazing blessing was promised if they would simply follow the Lord's plan for their lives.   History records they could not do this, and as such, much hardship was reaped instead of the harvest of God's blessing. 

Truth be told, God knew man could never keep this covenant, and He knew we could not keep the law to earn our salvation.  God had made a way for this, and the provision was temporary atonement.  This would entail bringing forth the offerings of various animals for a living sacrifice to atone for the sin committed in violating the law.   The law was never given to man to show him how to be saved - it was given to show him he needed a savior - someone to pay for the violation of sin.  

Now let's flash forward.  God is faithful and He brings forth a New Covenant.  This new covenant was based on Jesus paying for all sin, once for all so fellowship could be restored between God and man. We see this being spoken of in the book of Hebrews.

Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the peoples, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. Hebrews 7:25-27 (NKJV)

And for those who believe the gospel message contained within His Word (The Bible); for those who accept this offering of Jesus' death - who believe He is the Christ, and who believe He died and was raised on the third day (Rom. 10:9-10) - they are now a part of the Firstfruits of God's bumper crop of created creatures.  

Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. James 1:18 (NKJV)

I never really thought of myself as part of the firstfruits of Jesus' work on the Cross, but God says it is so - and this pretty much settles it. 

Q:    So what does this mean to us as Christians?
Q:    What application should this bring to our life?

We will look at these answers in Part 2 of this devotional. 

Hey Christian, I want to encourage you today to know something very special.  God has chosen you for such a time as this.  Of all the generations to be born, He has chosen you for these last days.  This is amazing in itself.  Think about this - He chose you!  This means He has a plan for your life - a perfect plan.  No matter what you have been through, or are going through, both good and bad, He will use it for good, and to help others if you will let Him.  

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

STUDY QUESTION: According to Hebrews 7:25-27, what does Christ do for those who are saved?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: According to James 1:18, we, as Christians, are firstfruits of Gods creations.  According to Deuteronomy 18:4, what are we to do with the firstfruits?

APPLICATION: Are you giving/living your life to/for God?

Firmly Planted - But Where?

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree   Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. Psalms 1:1-3 (NKJV)

I love landscaping.  I always have and I probably always will.  In truth, I wish I had acres upon acres to plant and cultivate.  I have always liked to take variations of plants, flowers and trees and arrange them in a garden-like setting.  I find it to be relaxing and therapeutic, and very rewarding as the landscaping matures.  

Now I can honestly say, over the years, I have made my share of mistakes when attempting to grow stuff.  Sometimes it has been my insistence on attempting to grow a certain plant not meant for my specific climate zone - the extreme cold was usually the culprit.   While other times, it was a certain disease hindering my success.   But one thing guaranteeing certain failure was when the life-sustaining water was cut off from whatever was planted.  It didn't matter whether it was the grass, the flowers, or a tree - no water equaled the loss of life. 

This principle applies to our spiritual life as well.  In Psalm 1, we are given an analogy of a person who delights in God's Word (Water), and who meditates upon it all the time.  He is viewed as a tree planted by the rivers of life - prospering in whatever he does.  Directly following this, we are then given the contrasting view of another person who chooses not to be planted next to the water of God's Word.  This person is likened to chaff being driven away by the wind.  We can clearly see the results of this choice end in loss as well.  

The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalms 1:4-6 (NKJV)

So we can clearly see God's ways will lead to prosperity and success, as we will be refreshed and bringing forth fruit from our Christian walk.   But by following man's ways, we are assured it will lead to death.  God spoke these same truths to the Israelites through the profit Jeremiah.  He gave them stern warning not to trust in their own abilities apart from Him, and against trusting in their own physical strength.  

Thus says the LORD:  "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. Jeremiah 17:5-6 (NKJV)

Again, God gives us an analogy - this time there is a shrub and a tree. The shrub is the person who undertakes life on his own, apart from God.  He is the one who lacks water and will end up stunted in his growth and will continue to live in salt land, which is not inhabited. But the analogy given to Jeremiah finishes with a promise of blessing for those whose hope is in the LORD. 

 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD.  For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NKJV)

So, just like in the case of the flowers, plants, trees and grass, either we find so we can grow and flourish, or we try to make a go of it without any water - choose to walk independently from God.  

Hey Christian, I don't know about you, but I don't want to walk through life relying solely on my own abilities and seeking to live a selfish and self-serving lifestyle.  I don't want to be filled with anxiety about the times of drought, which many people are feeling now with money drying up.   I want to place my confidence in the One who directs the weather patterns.   I want to know with total assurance I am abiding in God's plan for my life.  I guess you could say, I want to be firmly planted in Him.  

STUDY QUESTION: According to Jeremiah 17:7-8, what blessings are awaiting those who put their full trust into the Lord?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you fully trusting God, or are you being tempted to doubt by the things you are seeing, or hearing?

APPLICATION: Seek the Lord and read your bibles daily.  Trust God and His promises of provision and blessing.  He loves you more than you can ever know.  When you really begin to trust Him, you will stop becoming anxious and fearful.