TITHES AND OFFERINGS
Malachi 3:4-11
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and He shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
Tithe is a tenth part (10%) of your total income or increase. It is paid and not given because it belongs to God. He comes looking for it when you don't pay and gets it some other way. He always collects it.
Like we saw in the Scripture above, it is a commandment from God ...Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse...Malachi 3:10. He says all and not some of it. So don't owe God. Its robbery, Malachi 3:1.
BENEFITS OF TITHING
Malachi 3:10-11, Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not
* ...open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it....
* ...And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and He shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
OFFERINGS
It is a freewill gift unto the Lord.
It is very essential to bring something as an offering when we come into the presence of God. This demonstrates how much we appreciate Him and will ultimately determine how He responds to us, Luke 6:38. Someone once said “that if all failed, try giving an offering “.
We read in the bible how men like David and Noah touched the heart of God through their offerings (2 Samuel. 24:24; Genesis.8:20-22).
You must understand that your giving us determined by the revelation of God's Word and not on the amount of money you receive. The Bible says where the Spirit if the Lord is, there's liberty.
TYPES OF OFFERINGS
* Freewill offering (Luke 6:38).
* Collection and contribution (Exodus 35 :4-9, Acts 4:32-37).
* Giving to the poor (Proverbs 19:17, Leviticus. 23:22).
* Seed offering (Psalm 126:1-6).
* Partnership (Philippians. 4:15, Colossians 1:1-4).
* Prophetic seed (1 Kings 17:7-16, Ezekiel 44:30).
* Others (Thanksgiving offering, offering at the alter, offering for dedication, offering for naming etc).
FIRSTFRUITS
The firstfruit is the initial or the first harvest of one’s labor and does not necessarily refer to agricultural produce, but whatsoever benefits that comes to us as a result of our labor or service rendered.
In ither words it’s the first income or an addition you receive at a certain time, which could be at the beginning of the year or after promotion. It is the first and the best.
The firstfruit offering is to God a way of demonstrating the principle of putting Him first in all things. It shows the act of loving the Lord with all of your heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:36-38).
The revelation of firstfruit actually came before the Law of Moses. It is a principle in God's Kingdom. In Genesis 4 we read about two brothers who came before the Lord with their sacrifice. The Bible says Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain (Hebrews 11:4) because he gave his firstfruit.
God being righteous in all His ways didn’t just ask us to give our firstfruit, He also demonstrated the power of the firstfruit when He gave His first begotten son for the sins of the world (John 3:16; John 1:34).
ABOUT THE FIRSTFRUITS:
* It is holy and consecrated unto God. Romans 11: 16 says, For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
'Holy' means, sanctified, separated and consecrated! In other words, if you give God your firstfruits, He'll sanctify the entire lump. When you receive a raise in your salary or a blessing of any kind, and you separate the firstfruits unto God, the Bible says everything you receive afterwards is sanctified as well. That means He'll watch over the remaining resources.
For anything to be presented to God, it has to be sanctified that be presented through the Holy Spirit.
Pray over your firstfruit, speak God’s word concerning it before presenting it to God (Romans 15: 16).
* It is the best (Numbers. 18:12-13).
In Genesis 4:3-5, God rejected Cain’s offering because it was not the best quality of what he got. God is concerned about the quality of your firstfruit (Deuteronomy 15:19- 22).
* It is given in whole, not in parts. It is compulsory for you to bring in everything, you are not to take from it (Deuteronomy 26:2).
* It is brought in without delay.
Don’t postpone giving of your firstfruit (Exodus 22:29).
* It brought in with an attitude of thanksgiving; for God loves a cheerful and prompt to do it giver, whose heart is in his giving. (2 Corinthians. 9:7, Deuteronomy. 26:10-11)
BENEFITS OF FIRSTFRUITS
We are commanded to give our firstfruits (Proverbs 3:9-10, Exodus 22: 29).
You secure and sanctify the rest of your fruits with it (Romans. 11:16).
As we give our firstfruits the blessing of God rests upon us (Ezekiel. 44:30)
By giving it, you demonstrate your appreciation for God and the things He has done in your life (Deuteronomy 26:10-11). It releases the anointing upon your life. The bible says thy presses shall burst out with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10).
New wine symbolizes the anointing
God is delighted in our obedience to His word; for it is better to obey than to sacrifice (I Samuel 15: 22).
When you don’t give your firstfruit, God will go after it because it belongs to Him (Exodus 4:22-23).
Anyone who holds back his firstfruit exposes himself to evil. As God said to Israel in Jeremiah 2:3, Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.
WHERE TO TAKE THE FIRSTFRUITS
Deuteronomy. 26:1-4
And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein;
That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there. And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us.
And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God.
It should be taken to the house of God.
And not just anyone in the house of God should receive it, only the priest.
(Nehemiah 10: 35-37).
The Priest (Pastor) receives it and proclaims the blessing upon you (Ezekiel 44: 30)
(See also Leviticus 23:20, Deuteronomy 18: 3-5)
HOW TO GIVE FIRSTFRUITS
First salary package of a new job.
First salary or first income (for none-salary earners), in a new year.
When you get a promotion from old job,
Your increase (Firstfruit) = Old Salary - New Salary
If your heart condemns you can go ahead and give all of the new salary. He will multiply it back to you.
Note that giving your firstfruit offering may also be a personal revelation, and there are times the Holy Ghost will instruct you in a way that is not common to everyone else around you. For example, a business person may give firstfruit offerings severally, every time he experiences an increase or receives new goods.
If God gets your firstfruit, it means nobody can touch your money; nobody can touch your property because God will watch over it by Himself.