INTRODUCTION

Time is life and it cannot be chained or tied down . Is a great blessing that this word is coming at the beginning of the year in order to help us set a right priority because of the time we are in . We will be discussing from the book of 2Timothy4:1-8.
For everything God created or has made , there is a purpose for it . There is a purpose of God for the time that you and i are in , i pray that you will fulfill your God’s given purpose in Jesus name.

WHAT TIME ARE WE IN?
* We are in a JET AGE where the time flies *We are in the age o fNEW DISCOVERIES
* We are in the age of FAST ACTIONS e.g FAST FOODS
* We are in the age where KNOWLEDGE IS INCREASING FAST and the WISDOM OF MAN IS CONTENDING with the supernatural act of God .

What will make life meaningful and historic is how you live it . The value you add to life or that you are leaving In a time like this count a lot.
In a time like this, there are 3 Sincere questions i will like You to ask yourself:
1. AM I VALUABLE ?
2. AM I WORTHY OF ADDING VALUE ?
3. DO I HAVE ANYTHING TO OFFER ? ( you can’t give what you don’t have )

Our bible text made us to know the things we need to do in a time like this so that we can scale through the negativity of this time.
“But you be watchful in all things , endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” If you and I fail to adhere to the words of this verse of the bible , our essence of existence has been aborted. I pray your essence of coming to this world and knowing Christ will not be aborted in Jesus name.

Brethren , a close and conscious care needs to be taken at such a time like this. It is not enough for you to go to church , read the bible or speak in tongues but most importantly is to full your ministry ( your God’s giving Destiny) .

WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO IN A TIME LIKE THIS?
1. Your spiritual life is critical and important 1peter 2:2-3 . You need to grow from the level you are to a greater level spiritually . Col. 1:9-10, Col. 2:6-7
2. You need to be purposeful and the reason of your existence must be clear to
you . We all have a purpose and none is less – useful .
3. You are purpose built and intentionally constructed by God and He wants you to fulfill that purpose. 1pet 2:9 , Ps. 139:14
4. In time like this, you must be heavenly focused because a heavenly focused and purposeful man cannot be killed, rejected, distracted and hindered.
5. In time like this, you need to develop a lifestyle that is different from the usual 2Tim. 4:7-8 , Jh 17: 4-5 . You and i will give an account on the last day of what we did in a time like this .

On a conclusion, my dear brethren no matter how challenging, tedious or busy this time may be , do not forget that your basic and single essence is to fulfill your essence of creation . Please evaluate yourself and begin to live a Faithful life that your maker ( God ) require from you .

Beloved ” IF YOU ARE NOT BUSY FOR GOD IN SUCH A TIME AS THIS, the Devil will make you busy with things that will lead to your destruction. You will not be destroyed in Jesus name.

GOD BLESS YOU .
Shalom !!

FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING: SECRET OF OVERWHELMING BLESSING.

TEXT: Proverbs 3:9-10; Romans 11:16, Leviticus 23:10.
Proverbs 3:9 says Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the FIRST FRUITS of all thine increase: Verse 10 says: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Rom.11:16 says for if the FIRST FRUITS be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
Leviticus 23:10 says “When you come into the land which I give you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest,”Leviticus 23:10. It is to be set apart as holy unto God.

INTRODUCTION
The Bible is replete with virtually inexhaustible provisions for Man’s comfort here on earth and in eternity. The oldest singular limitation is Man’s refusal to simply obey the WORD of GOD. 3 John 2 for instance reaffirmed God’s persistent intention and plan for man: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prosper. However, God not wanting to appear to man as a Dictator, grants man the freewill to enjoy virtually endless benefits ONLY on the condition of total obedience, to the giver of these benefits -The Almighty GOD.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FIRST FRUIT OFFERING

God instructed Moses to expose the secret of overwhelming blessings to His chosen Nation of Israel. Moses obeyed God by stating the conditions precedent to man enjoying God’s overwhelming blessings. In the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, Moses stated the significance of FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING, in not less than thirteen (13) occasions.

Exodus 23:19 stipulates strict obedience to giving of FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING. He repeated this again in Exodus 34:26. To remove any ambiguity on the significance of FIRST-FRUIT, God expressly instructed Moses again in Leviticus 23:10 that the euphoria of victory and celebration of wonderful accomplishment must not be allowed to obliterate compliance with His instruction on FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING.

For brevity, let us itemize important points to note on FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING:

FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING must be taken to God’s house (Exodus 23:19; 34:26); The FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING must be delivered to the Priest of the Nation (Lev.23:10; Numbers 18:42) otherwise known as the High Priest as at then in Israel (Numbers 3:32);The FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING shall apply to all a man engages in for livelihood (Deuteronomy 18:4);The giving of FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING must be accompanied with worship (Deuteronomy 26:10); It must be offered once and during each cycle of harvest, which was yearly in biblical time (Nehemiah 10:35). It must however be noted that in situations of multiple planting seasons within one year, FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING becomes due after each harvest exercise; The FIRST-FRUIT is the exclusive preserve of the one considered the Nation’s Man of God (II Kings 4:42); and The FIRST-FRUIT in Hebrew is “bikkurim” and literally means “ promise to come.” And there is ONE who never breaks His promise God! That is why the truth behind this “promise to come”in God’s Word is so powerful. Though long overlooked by many, this divine establishment of God’s order of things is actually the root that governs the rest. When you KEEP FIRST THINGS FIRST through faith and obedience, you turn God’s promise into provision⋯ ABUNDANT PROVISION! The giving of FIRST-FRUIT must be done promptly along with payment of tithe (II Chronicles 31:5).

OVERWHELMING BLESSINGS OF GOD

Givers of FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING enjoy God’s comprehensive insurance. Jeremiah 2:3 says God issues automatic judgment on whoever or whatsoever attempts to devour givers of FIRST-FRUIT
Isaiah 61:7, “ Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.”God can be called upon to specially favor the giver of FIRST FRUIT (Nehemiah 13:31); The Old Testament text: Proverbs 3:9-10, state clearly that in addition to God honoring the giver of FIRS-TFRUIT OFFERING, the giver also enjoys overflowing blessings from the Almighty God; The Old Testament text further implies that the honor rendered unto God by the giver of FIRST-FRUITS automatically attracts greater dimension of honor from GOD (I Sam 2:30b).FIRST-FRUITS are giving the first portion to GOD. Romans 11:16 says, “ If the part of a dough offered as FIRST-FRUITS is HOLY, then the whole batch is HOLY; if the root is HOLY, so are the branches”. Giving the first portion of your finances to God will cause all of your finances for the rest of the year to be HOLY. FIRST FRUITS causes God to treat your finances as HOLY giving you favor with GOD because your finances are connected to the FIRST FRUIT OFFERING. Ezekiel 44:30 “ The first of all FIRST-FRUITS of every kind and every contribution of every kind, from all your contributions, shall be for the priests, you shall also give to the priest the first of your dough to cause a blessing to rest on your house.” FIRST-FRUITS impart a blessing on your home. Many times a financial blessing is not our main need or concern. Having a blessing on your home positions you to have healing in your physical, spiritual and emotional needs for you and your family. When you give FIRST-FRUITS not only do you benefit but your saved and unsaved loved ones do also.

CONCLUSION

God’s intention is that Man lives a life of true dominion, comfort and overwhelming blessings. However, realizing this divine desire depends on Man’s prompt, total and consistent obedience to God’s instructions, one of which is giving of FIRST-FRUIT OFFERING.

God bless you All!!!