NUGGETS: Greetings In Jesus And A Blessed New Year

We are about to embark into a new year. This is a time when we all began to evaluate our past year and make new resolutions for the year to come. The Bible says “They will know us by our fruits” (Matthew 7:16). There is much to be learned about “firstfruit” in the Bible. “For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy (Romans 11:16). “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15:20). “ 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). We see in this, that if the first part of something is holy, then the portion that remains is holy.

All through the Word we are taught to give the firstfruit to the Lord (Leviticus 23:10). “Honor God with your possessions and the firstfruits of all your increase (Proverbs 3:9). This tells us to give God the first of all we have or ever will have time effort money.

We possess time. So if we give Him the first of our time, then our remaining time will be blessed. The first day of the week given to the Lord will cause the remaining six days to be blessed. Our first hour of the day, in time with Him, will cause the remaining twenty three hours to be better.

If we are breathing, we have energy and strength to labor. We can ask Jesus what He wants us to do. If we give Him the first labor of our hands, our words and our thoughts then the remaining effort will be blessed. Clergy and laity are manmade phrases. There is a responsibility in the Lords Kingdom for each one of us. Joy comes from serving.

We have increase or we couldn’t exist in this world. Giving Him the first part of our increase causes the remaining part to be blessed. God also calls in a tithe. He said ten percent of our income belongs to Him. But He loves a cheerful giver. It will not be blessed if we give it grudgingly. However if we hold it back from Him, He charges twenty percent interest. “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord. If any man wants at all to redeem, (hold back) any of his tithe, he shall add one fifth to it” (Leviticus 27:30). This is not under the law of Moses. Abram gave tithe before the law. (Genesis 14:18-20). This came into the New Testament by Jesus of the same order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1-19). There is a difference in the Firstfruit and the Tithe, both very important if we want blessings.

If we are having trouble in any area of our life, time, money, job or relationships, it could possibly be we have not given the first part of that area of our life to God.

Instead of making new resolutions this year, why not make “new commitments” to the “One” that really matters. Sunday is the first day of this year. Go to church this first day of the week, and let the Lord bless your whole week. Make a commitment to give Him the first day of every week, the first hour of every day. Choose to “be blessed in 2012.”