We're in a new year and a new decade, 2020. I declare to you freedom in your household, deliverance over everything that the enemy has held you back with, and that this year you will live the blessed life as you put God first you're going to see his promises. First things first is a principle in God's word that we want to share with you today. Whatever you do with the first governs what happens to the rest. Matthew 6:33, says Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and then all these things will be added to you.Transcript: Unknown Speaker 0:01 Welcome to the Paula today podcast brought to you by life network for women. We hope that your life is transformed as Paula shares inspirational messages and powerful keys so you can overcome and thrive in every area of your life. And now, Paula TodayPaula White-Cain 0:20 we're in a new year and a new decade 2020 and I declare to you freedom in your household, deliverance over everything that the enemy has held you back with, and that this year you will live the blessed life as you put God first you're going to see his promises.Jonathan Cain 0:37 It's a principle and God's word we want to share with you today.Paula White-Cain 0:40 john and i are so honored to be with you. You know we're going to talk about the principle first fruits because whatever you do with the first governs what happens to the rest. Matthew chapter six, verse 33, says Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and then all these things will be added to you. It's interesting because that scripture, they were really concerned about everyday living, like, how am I going to pay my mortgage? How am I going to take care of my kids? What am I going to wear? What am I going to eat? Just the everyday necessities and God goes into this kind of long sermon, so to speak, and says, Hey, don't worry about this, do I not close the fields greater than, you know, I raid Solomon's glory. And he tells it to the birds who don't know how to sow or reap or they not taking care of. And then he says to them, that when we seek when we crave when we seek God and His kingdom, which I love the message version, because it literally says, when you seek and know God and His way of doing things, you don't fuss over these things. So when you understand God's way of doing things, and you know who God is, then you don't fuss over these things. So that principle first fruits means It all first things belong to God. Now a lot of people will get confused because in the beginning of the year, it's so important. This is kind of time to reset, right? It's a time that we can go, Hey, God, we put you first so people tend to go, God. First, then family, then finances or business or ministry, but it shouldn't be God first God first and family, God first and finances. What do you think? I thinkJonathan Cain 2:29 you're right. You know, the Hebrew literal translation for first root is degrom, which means literally translated, promise to come. So you're investing in your future. I mean, the Israelites were hearing the voice of God promising them a brand new future promising them freedom, promising them abundance. So when we observe it today, we're sowing into our future. We're actually sharing the storehouse the harvest from the year This year or the previous year, we're sharing what we've harvested with God saying thank you for last year. Yeah, this year. Yep. Amen.Paula White-Cain 3:08 And then think about that. So it's a promise to come. So what God's saying is, it signals your future pretty much to say, as you honor God, His presence covers the rest so that's why God first in your family God first your finances God first and your business God first in your ministry. So I'm going to share a few scriptures and then I know you've got a lot of things to share and then I want to get to some really exciting things about where do you see distinction when people put God first versus they don't so there's first fruit feast there's the first fruit offering there's Jesus was the first fruit of many brother and there's many different first fruit the tide is a first fruit the 10th but then there's a first should offerJonathan Cain 3:51 us believers are his first were first set apart.Paula White-Cain 3:55 Oh, see, we're gonna get into all that. This is going to be fun, says the principal. You've got to get this of all first belong to God. And he really lays claim. Now we're going to talk about what does that mean as a New Testament believer, but john, look at the scriptures. So when we honor God by putting him first, right, whether it's in our finances, with our time with our family, and our marriage, and anything his presence covers, blesses sanctifies the rest. So basically, the principle is whatever you give to God first first hours of your day, first minutes of your our first month of the year, first of your income, whether it's the whole whether it's a part of it, then his presence covers and blesses. So it basically sets the destiny and governs what happens to the rest. So all throughout the Word of God you see this happen and the activation of it, and I want to read some scriptures examples of honoring God with first fruits, and easy Gil chapter 44, verse 38 says blessings will rest on your house to cause a blessing to rest on your home. When you bring him the first fruit the priests divorce was mandated in the Old Testament because they had to was by law.Jonathan Cain 5:11 Yeah, is by law many rules.Paula White-Cain 5:13 So today this is not a heaven or hell issue. This is not you have to this is you get toJonathan Cain 5:20 exactly be choose to Yeah, that's even better you choose. But isn't it amazing that throughout the Bible, we have these great holy men, we have prophets, we have apostles, where the Holy Spirit is downloading the same message. Yeah, the same message, you know, there will be ample provisions in the temple, test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessingsPaula White-Cain 5:44 that there's not even room enough to receive and thisJonathan Cain 5:46 happens over and over and over again the same message from the Holy Spirit by many, many different men of faith and you know, powerful man.Paula White-Cain 5:54 And so God says over when you honor me and put me first these are My blessing says, How many of us want the blessing glory to rest in our house? And you know what that word means? generation generations. Yeah. So it's not just like God resting on your home. It means like your kids acting up right now. Or, for me, I remember when Brad was an atheist, and people like all is a face. No, it wasn't a face, very academic. And I mean, he was crack addict. He tells his own story and testimony and I would put, I would honor God with the first route offering the beginning of the year for all my children.Unknown Speaker 6:33 I wouldPaula White-Cain 6:34 pray over him but those anointed old cloth in his commerce sneakers laying on his bed for hours, fast, 21 days during January, because I believe God I now he's 34. He's pastoring. He's a powerful voice to this generation. But I believe that our prayers and honoring God first works so the blessing the Lord rests upon my generation, my legacy, my lineage, watch these other provinces. Love this an angel will go before you to prepare the way to tackle your adversaries for you. Exodus chapter 23, verse 20, Behold, I send the angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I've prepared. All this ties in to first fruits, you'll receive multiplication of provision for more than enough to meet your needs completely. JOHN Six, five through 13. Think about the two fish and five loaves and I'm going to show you how so much ties into first fruit, you'll have the power to get wealth, and you shall remember it means to mark as to be recognized. It's, it's a similar word to As for schrute, you're marking it to recognizing it's not just like, Oh, I have a memory, you should mark to recognize the Lord your God for its he who gives you power or an anointing, to get wealth that he may establish His covenant, which he swore to your father's as it is this day, Deuteronomy 818. You will experience good health they hold I pray that you may prosper in all things and being good health even as your soul prospers. Verse third john two. So putting God first in all things is really an act of worship. It's an offering. And and by faith, what God's saying is it proves the position of the giver and the faith that they have, as they honor God to say, God, I trust you more than this world system. I trust you more than myself. And so there's so many promises connected to us first fruits.Jonathan Cain 8:27 Well, you know, I planted a vineyard when I lived in California, above my house and the first harvest was my first fruit that was 2011 and going to sell the house and what happened was the fruit actually was bottled and then I gave it to charity. So knowing that, that was my first fruit off the hillside. The next four years, there was an abundance of wine more every year. There was a bigger yield a bigger yield. And finally, there was a full barrel. So I went from a half a barrel in four years to a full barrel. And that is because I was obedient with the first fruit and and just gave that all to charity and I'm still giving this wine to charity, because it's God's wine.Paula White-Cain 9:17 And what you did was you said, Okay, here, I'm going to bless charity. bless the poor, which first fruits has a lot to do with the reason why God told people to give the entire because we were like, Oh, you asked for the entire The reason that God said, I don't ask for anything. I just tell people be obedient to whatever God says, See, but the first read is the whole of everything. They had to get the whole entire of it. Because Listen, when you take care of the poor and the needy, in your day of trouble, God will deliver you. There are so many hidden mysteries tied to first fruits. I love to teach about it. I've written books about it. I have lots of tapes. I'm a brand new series. is out about it. I want to take you into the contrast between Cain and Abel. How one brought a first fruit one didn't and what happened? But look here, Stephanie from Maryland writes, I sent him my first fruits offering. Two weeks later I received watch this $2,400 I was only expecting 1500 but not 20 402 weeks after that I received 1300 dollars from my universityJonathan Cain 10:28 she invested in her future. Well,Paula White-Cain 10:30 I mean, just testimony afterJonathan Cain 10:32 testimony. We have Tiffany from Texas, who says I saw your TV broadcast and was led to sow a first fruit offering. I was offered a job and I started working. It wasn't even one week had passed since I sold my seed. And God movedPaula White-Cain 10:47 in a garden so faithful. I mean, it is a principle and you see when you honor God and put him first certain things that happened and I love let's go back and look at the very first time in the Word of God. Genesis chapter 14, enable Yep, here it starts. So if we jump over to Hebrews, chapter 11, verse four, it says, By faith Abel, offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous. God testified of his gift. And by it, he does yet speak it now I could do a whole show on that. But let's go back to Genesis chapter four and find out what happened. And why was it so significant? So it starts out it says, In the course of time, let's stop right there. Because in the course of time means one thing has ended and another thing has began. So if you break the etymology down to what that means, it's like, first fruits. It's like we're coming. We came to the end of the year. So December 2019, passed away, January 2020. We're starting a new year, a new decade. So not just a new year, an entire new decade. So anytime there's an ending to one thing in a beginning, God says First belong to me. That's why when Joshua and then went over to possess the land, they cross Jericho. They go to this little town called AI, Joshua, chapter six, Joshua, chapter seven, they should have just had an easy defeat, right? But what happens? Now they start getting their behind kicked. Why? Because aken took the goods to himself. And Joshua is praying and God says, stop praying, can you imagine God's like, stop praying? It's not going to work. Why? Because you have disobeyed me the principle, right? You've broken the principle, right? And when you do that, there's consequences. And it's like we can, you can love God. But if you violate a principle, there's going to be certain consequences ofJonathan Cain 12:43 the attitude in which you getPaula White-Cain 12:44 very much so I'm going to get to thatJonathan Cain 12:46 open hand or the tight fist, you know, so give freely good with gladness, right?Paula White-Cain 12:51 That is a huge part of it, because that's what the treasures of our heart It's about our attitude. It's about so much. So again. Joshua gets up and says somebody touched and they call it an a curse thing, which is the same as a devoted thing, which is the same as the first fruit. Because that God would always say, Okay, take all the goods of the Syrians take all the goods of the enemy take all the goods of these people, they were always allowed to take them, but not in this situation. Why? Cuz it was the first city. So Cain and Abel in the course of time, one things ended and other things beginning just like you've got a brand new beginning, what are you going to do? Are you going to say, God, I put you first in my day, I put you first with my time, put you first in my heart, that you first in my family, I put you first with my finances. I put you first in my life. This is a time because it's very important because that promise to come it that that's what first fruits is what is ahead of you is largely dependent on what you do now. So Cain brings some of the fruits of the soul as an offering to the Lord. So Cain brings a grain offering right. And then what does Abel do? Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. So Abel brings to him a first fruits offering. It's called first fruits because the firstborn always belongs to God, the first of all males, the first of all animals, the first the land, the first of you know all first belong to God is the Aerie vocable, giving over to God. So then the Lord look with favor on a bow and is offering but on Canaan is offering he did not look with favor. Now, God's no respecter of persons, the Word of God is truth. It's infallible. So it's not like he's going, Oh, I just happened to like, Abel more than I do Cain know, Abel did what was right before God because it's a first fruit season. It's a first fruit time. It's a new beginning. And so he honors God with the first fruit offering. And watch what happens. Cain was angry and his face was downcast. So instead of being like, Okay, let me get this right. It's angry about it didn't have a good attitude. I'd say not Not at all. No, he doesn't. He doesn't repent right there. And this is God's grace. The Lord said to Cain, why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, and I'm going to tell you what that means, we will you not be accepted, but if you do not do what is right sin is crouching extra door it desires to have you, but that that's a whole hidden message right there. It means it's sinking get you, but it's waiting for you. And it desires to have you now Cain sent his brother Abel, let's go up to the field. You know what he does? He attacks him, he kills him. The Lord says to Cain, where's your brother? And he says, I don't know my my brother's keeper. And the Lord said, What have you done? Listen, your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you're under curse, and driven from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood. So in verse seven, when it says if you do what's right, it would be accepted. What that literally means is an elevation Mark of excitation. So what God's saying is, I really want to elevate you. I want to get you out of this. This is about obedience. Like you've said, God says, I desire your obedience more than your sacrifice. This is about honor. And Genesis chapter four in the course of time, one thing and ended another thing begin. And Cain brings a grain offering Abel brings a first fruit because there is a way to worship and this is important. And God says, watch God in His mercy and grace said to Cain, if they'll do as well or if you do what is right. So if you do what well, it literally means is if you retrace your steps and Consider your ways, find out where you went wrong, and amend your offering in your intention accordingly. Think about that grace. God said, God, good. And just thinking you're done withJonathan Cain 16:56 your attitude.Paula White-Cain 16:57 Yeah, exactly. He said, years of we go on year after year after year and God's saying, hey, I want you to consider your ways I want you to retrace your thing. Are you ready for repeat year that it's not going to work too well on your behalf because you're doing it your way, and not my way. And so when Cain violated God's principle, basically, look what happened. There were four, there were four or five major things to the last. And somehow, you know, these principles I go, it's it's not that we do so much. Sometimes even What's wrong, we don't do enough of what's right. And he was, he was unwilling to be repented to honor God first. So, four things happen. Number one, he lost the presence of God, that that's going to be the worst thing in the world. He lost the presence and he cries out, he goes, God, this is too much to bear. And he says, I'll be killed and God says no, you will not be killed, but you're going to have lost in your life. You lost the presence God. He was expelled from the Presence of God. Number two, he lost connection with his family. So there were family connections that were lost. His relationships went south. He missed out on the promises of God. Cain lost the security of his fixed position. He had to flee from his place. The Bible said he had no secure residence. He had no secure place, no places safety first life, and you ready he lost his harvest. The ground was cursed. So it was not to yield any adequate recompense for tillage, when we just go about doing business our way and we don't seek first the kingdom of God. There are consequences and we don't we love those promises that that God will rest upon your house. They'll be generational blessings, that there's help. There's goodness, there's all these things, but we don't ever want to talk about when we decide to put ourself first and save God first. There's consequences, losing the presence of God. relationship, his harvest and his fixed position and putting God in His mercy. I mean, he told him get this right. And God in His mercy said, but they're not going to be able to kill you, which shows me extreme mercy and grace, that that's still God saying, you're going to struggle with a struggle You didn't have to struggle with, but you're still mind. Whoo, there's so much teaching. Okay. I want to talk because the contrast between April and cain is so significant because he Bruce puts Abel in the basically, Hall of Fame. You know, I mean, he's in the greatest chapter of that Hall of Fame for our faith heroes. And it's because he honored God with putting things first.Jonathan Cain 19:44 JOHN, you had some really practical revelation this morning, as you were studying when I was studying the agents had so many rules and laws regarding you know, the harvesting were the first route had to go to temple and the priests well today First fruit for us is the choice to give first to God. So we choose we choose for a sewing of our promise blessings. How awesome is that? So we don't have laws regulating. We do this with our heart, we do it out of obedience because we are hearing a voice from the Lord.Paula White-Cain 20:21 And you know, that's what God really wants. He wants a truthful prayer. He wants a heart that's after him. And you say, Well, I don't get all this first fruits and I haven't made God first because I don't even have a real relationship with him. Romans chapter 10, verse 1910, says that if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, that he's the son of God, you will be saved. If you pray this prayer right now. I want to welcome you and bring you into the family of God to say, Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus, forgive me for all of my sin, Holy Spirit, fill me and baptize me that I may have power to serve God until I see him face to face to Jesus, I receive you as my personal Lord and Savior. With that prayer. Welcome to the family of God. I would love to help you. I have a free digital download that tells you what is salvation about? What is it to become a new creation? What is it to be born again? What How do I walk with God? What is faith? So just, you can go right on the web there and always visit us at Paula white.org and find out when I'm going to be in a city in your area, or doing some great things here. We've got a big conference coming up. There's always something going on that we're doing great things for God and I'd love to be connected. Part of that is doing a daily devotional that I give to you, john, and I love you. We believe 2020 is going to be a great year for you and that you're going to see the blessings and goodness of God.Unknown Speaker 21:53 We will be right back with more of the Paula Today podcast.Paula White-Cain 21:57 Hello, I'm Paula white cane I am so excited that I get to be a part of launching life network for women. It is not just a website digital, but it's a global community that will be interactive, that it'll be for you. It'll be for me. It'll be business leaders, ministers, global voices that will impact us. You see, I believe that God is using women right now to come together. We know that we are of the same tribe because we'll share the same language. That's how you identify your tribe, that we really can spearhead spirituality and make a real difference. I want you to get information about it. You simply go to lfw.tv life network for women, and so let your friends know about it. You're going to see great voices on here. Like we let a few of the guys on to like Jensen Franklin and Dr. Tim Clinton, but you're going to have pushy Watson myself. You're going to have some the world class leading women voices on here, some new people that maybe you don't know, but I know that they have something to offer you. So check it out, get the word out, and you want to be a part. This is really a movement. God put this in my heart. I mean in my spirit years ago, and just see when something's been in your heart and your spirit actually come into fruition. This is for you so that you can be a better mom, a better wife, how I managed my family balance of business opportunities. What do I do? How do I break the Bible down? I mean, it is all issues pertaining to us as women today. I mean, when I think about the true power, of femininity, and what a real woman is all about, you're gonna find out on life network for women, so check it
[email protected] it's going to be fabulous to be a part of the movement.Unknown Speaker 23:55 We now return to the poet today podcast,Paula White-Cain 23:58 john or yourself. excited to have you on and to talk about a very practical principle. But it's really serious all throughout God's word. It's the principle of First things first, the principle of what we call first fruits. Now, there from Genesis to Revelation, you'll see a first fruits offering a first fruit season. A Jesus is the first fruit of many brothers, that we are the first fruit, the church ELC, this principle I mean, all throughout the Word of God, you see in Deuteronomy chapter 13, that all first belong to God. See, then easy to chapter 44. You see, then Leviticus chapter 27, God lays claim to everything that is first and he says, It belongs to me. And you think why why does he do this? Why not the third why not the 10th Why not? The You know, this month, why the first month. Now let me give you why it's so important because January in the Western world and on our calendar, because there's a solar calendar, there's a lunar calendar. January is the beginning. It's not only the beginning of a new year for us is the beginning of a new decade. And this is vitally important because what we do with the first determines what happens to the rest. And there is the core principle that you'll find why God says all first belong to Him, because God who is good, God who is good, God's presence, God's love, God's grace, God's mercy. God came to redeem man, why because sin God inside the world, we'll talk about this later. And when evil entered in, there's this curse upon all the earth. And so God says, okay, you have to redeem you have to purchase back. How did that happen through His Son, Jesus Christ. So when God's presence cover something, it redeems the rest of what is left from the curse of the fallen state of man. In a nutshell, there's the principle of first fruits, so When you honor with God with anything that's first and say, here, God, it's yours. Then he says, Okay, I bless this and it governs what happens to the rest. Therefore, we talked about on a previous show, that it also when the Hebrew words means a promise to come. So I want to read a quick scripture. And then john, you are giving some phenomenal things I want you to teach about Matthew chapter six, of course, in verse 33, says, Take note thought, for these things. So it says, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. Now what things is he talking about? He's talking about, you know, where are you going to live? What are you going to wear? How are you going to pay your bills, your mortgage, those kind of things. I've got to be honest, there been times in my life. I've taken thought I've been anxious. I've been worried about things. But God tells us not to and I'm going to read the message and let you take it from there because it says this, the message version saying in verse 31 through 30 For after he tells you all these things, verse 25, through verse 34, he's saying, don't take any thought, which is means don't be over anxious with their life, what you eat what you're aware. Watch it in the message version, verse 31. What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving people who don't know God, this is the key and the way he works fast over these things. But you know, both God and how he works so steep your life and God reality God initiative, God provisions Don't worry about missing out, you'll find all your everyday human needs and concerns will be met. So it's really interesting because he says those who don't know God or the way he works in obsessing over these things. So if we find ourselves fussing, then chances are we don't Understand either who got is, or how God works to put things first. So the principle first roots is when you honor God with what is first, then it blesses and covers everything else with his presence.Jonathan Cain 28:17 It's amazing, you know, way back in ancient days when Paul was teaching in Corinth, he used the first fruits idea as a metaphor to help convince the CorinthiansPaula White-Cain 28:30 so metaphor meaning a way of teaching,Jonathan Cain 28:32 the teaching, teaching the Corinthians that Jesus Christ was first fruit. AndPaula White-Cain 28:39 because they had a hard time believing it,Jonathan Cain 28:41 I believe in the resurrection. And as soon as he brought up the idea of Jesus, equaling first fruit, they all went, Oh, the light went on and said, Oh, yeah, Jesus, the first fruit. And he goes on, you know in Romans 823 states not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have first fruits of The spirit. So this this first fruit is a teaching that shows up again and again we see it. Matthew tells us that we should be responsible with his blessing. This would include giving for a purpose giving by leading the Bible and the Holy Spirit, giving for the spread of the gospel and the aid of the needy giving cheerfully This is teaching coming from the ages, you know, and And finally, James, which I thought was so cool. James writes, a believers facing great trials who see themselves as first fruits of the New World to Come. My goodness. So if you're facing a trial, you know, you have promised blessings to come so so you become the first fruit. And I challenge everybody watching the show today to to look at your life and and look at the first fruit blessings that already have appeared in your life and so into that into the blessingsPaula White-Cain 30:01 when let's go back to Paul for me, okay? So when they were being challenged with believing the resurrection, and he says, But Jesus is the first fruit of many brother to the church at Corinth, why did they get that? What was it out of the Old Testament? And because under the law, it was necessary, they had to follow first fruit feast. They had the gift first fruit offering,Jonathan Cain 30:25 because it was a certainty that it was a certainty in their lives. It was a an every year an evergreen kind of event. It was a season it was an observation that they all believed in the principle of the promise blessing. And they went, uh huh, we get it,Paula White-Cain 30:42 because I saw it saw because Israel was blessed beyond any other nation every year. Yeah. And Israel was blessed because they said, We take our entire first harvest, and we are mandated by God to give it to him. And because of that, God set this Not only because of that, but because they honor God. Part of the first route was God said, I set you apart. I make you a holy nation, my people, and therefore you are set apart. SoJonathan Cain 31:15 they were the evidence. So they were so so the Israel's where the evidence of God's promise blessing.Paula White-Cain 31:21 And so God carries this pattern over into the New Testament, but we don't have to do it under the law. James says that we're not bound to the law, the rituals, we don't have to this is not a heaven or hell issue but we get to, we choose to, I like that we choose to because it really has to do with our attitude and our decisions determine how we live in life, determine what our destiny is going to be. And so what begins to happen here, I want to teach a little bit on is of course, CS Lewis said when you put First things first, then second things are not suppressed, but they literally are increased. So When you honor God and you put him first, then all these other things get added to your life. And we only have a minute here. So I'm going to come back and teach you. But I really want you to understand what happens in your life on an everyday practical when you say, alright god, I'm going to put you first thing this month, I'm going to it's not going to be God than family, then business than money. It's God first, God first and family God first and business God first and ministry, God first and money. When I do that, you have a promise to come. There are things that I see happen in my life. And I'm going to teach you that because this principle is carried from Genesis to Revelation. And we get to we're not under the mandate of all that we have to we get to have the opportunity to honor God by putting him first first thing first part of the day, put God first first month of the year, put God first and we You begin to change that around. You're going to see transformation in your life now from Texas says I sewed my first root seed into your ministry. This past year my home went into foreclosure. The Sheriff's Department came and posted a 24 hour notice on my door I did not leave I still God's Word made confessions prayed in the Holy Spirit and trust in God. Guess what? No eviction. God turned it all around for me and I live in my home right now. He made away I'm telling you what God is such a faithful God. You know, sometimes we can get ourselves in situations. But that's where we activate that faith by that choice. And and faith is crazy to the world andJonathan Cain 33:41 just powerful principle. Sherry a California wanted to believe God for her son's tuition for two years. Well, her son came home with a scholarship that we worded for him for the next school year. $10,000 a year. It's amazing. Our full miracle. Promise blessings,Paula White-Cain 33:59 you know, all Always know you can get a Paula white.org and send us your prayer requests are your praise reports. We love hearing this. And if you The Bible says that the judge shall live by faith. So the gesture those that are in right standing, you have a relationship with God. Well, people that are not of God, or maybe their religion, they don't understand our ways of doing things because God's ways are not man's ways. And we go back to that Matthew sikhi First, it means have a lifestyle of worship, that honors God first foremost. Now this is an important principle because first has to do with foremost first chiefUnknown Speaker 34:42 ofPaula White-Cain 34:43 first foremost importance in your life and state position, time and everything else. And when you don't have that kind of relationship or walk with God, your own family members sometimes look at you like what are you doing? Why would you bring your tied to the house God, why would you give her first fruits offering? Why would you get up an hour early? And pray? Why would you go in? And, you know, dedicate you and your husband? Why would you say this year, we honor God, we renew our wedding vows or whatever it is we put our marriage with God in the center of it as First,Jonathan Cain 35:19 I believe we're wired to give. I believe that God, we can be the most like the Holy Spirit when we give when we offer. You know, our storehouse to God. In other words, he made us in His image, we are wired to give were wired to give offering.Paula White-Cain 35:38 And so it says, honor the Lord with your first fruit and your barns shall be filled. So think about that. You're saying we're we're wired. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. So he tells us over and over about this pattern. And what's important is because a pattern is it what he says is People that don't know God fuss over these things. So this pattern is that God has made a divine accurate order and arrangement of things. Now you're a musician. All right? Tell me how important in a song The arrangement is?Jonathan Cain 36:14 Well, it's very important. And I think, you know, to have the correct key to have the correct lyric to have the title first. To have the key First, the idea that seed is so important for the success of your song.Paula White-Cain 36:29 So as a man who has written the number one downloaded ever classic rock song along with Neil and Steve, think about what you're saying. So if a musician say, starts in if God is playing deaky, right, are my god right? KMD and I'm over here playing a we're singing in a singing a that's a better thing. Yes. Okay, what would that sound like?Jonathan Cain 36:58 That would be a word called cacophony. What's a noise? noise? says a bunch of noise ramble noise. Yeah, just just dissonance, you know? So dissonance is the opposite of harmony. So you know, it's very, this is good. So the order of things matter. And for me, I'm one of those title guys. I like that my title first.Paula White-Cain 37:18 Oh, wait a minute, let's sound dissonance. Okay, so it's a bunch of noise. So spiritually, our life often because we don't put God first sounds like a bunch of noise in the spirit,Jonathan Cain 37:32 not only to us, but to him.Paula White-Cain 37:33 That's what I'm saying. So it's like, we're wondering, why are prayers getting answered? or Why don't I see blessing or breakthrough? God has a divine accurate order and arrangement of things. So if God is playing in D, and I'm singing in a, what's it called? prokop, dissonance, dissonance and what's that other word that often he would take me three programs. So that word which basically says This thing isn't working. It is just,Jonathan Cain 38:02 I guess it would be like static, you know, you just have a lot of static, there you go. But that's understanding the principle and obeying it. And the promise blessing that follows. So,Paula White-Cain 38:16 here's the problem. A lot of people are living static lives, right? Instead of abundant lives, because God's in D key and we're over here singing in a and what I'm trying to say is God says there's a divine accurate order and arrangement. This is what first fruits literally means john, it means the first fruits of the crop hasty fruit, to give the birthright, the best or the choice part, the first in place, the first and time their first an order, or rank. It also means beginning chief or principal thing, Captain forefront fundamental. A fundamental is a basic essential, serving as a basis that supports evidence. So when you don't have The basis of something, you're expecting evidence. And this is the biggest frustration and a lot of believers life because they have expectation and no evidence. And they go, why doesn't my expectation? or Why does my evidence look like my expectation, but there's no basis to support essential. So how can I build if I don't have a foundation? And first fruits is your foundation that's why if you don't have a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, you can't build a spiritual life. Sorry, he is the way the truth the lie. If you don't honor God with the first 10th Well, the barrel gets to keep on Conan and robbing and stealing. If you don't put God first in your marriage, the two of you probably are not going to have the tools to work it out. And that's why we see 50 something percent divorce rate, if We hit January, and it's just another month. Now we know God has a different calendar than our Western calendar. And that's why there's a first fruit season. But we hit January, and we go, well, it's just another year, and we don't go up. I maybe missed it some places back in 2019. But I'm not going to do that repeat. I'm not going to have a groundhog day I'm putting you first God. We're making a bunch of noise, we're going to have another static year, because again, these are choices we get to make. And when we get in God's divine order, in his divine arrangement, then instead of a bunch of noise, we actually have harmony. And harmony is God has great blessing for you. God wants your household and your generations blessed. He wants your body blessed your mind. Your helpless, your finances, bless. He wants it all. Because God wants to say, Look, you're the light of the world, the salt of the earth. This is my chosen dark My cousin's son and you shouldn't be always sour. I mean, everything should be going wrong in your life. You might have resistance and warfare. But the reality is none of it is greater than the God that you serve. But if you don't put God first, it's not God. It's us. It's our decision and our choice. Because first fruits are devoted things, which are holy things, and they belong to God and making a first fruit offering allows God to open it open us up in our lives,Jonathan Cain 41:31 allows the blessing to come forth the promise blessing to give God with open hands rather than clenched fist and be obedient will only bless us.Paula White-Cain 41:43 Well think about that when we open our hands. You know, purpose has a lot to do with to open your hand. And so when you open your hand, and there's a lot of teaching we get into because hands figuratively and literally means power. When you open your life. Open. hand or clinch it, it's a lot of your disposition to God. And so giving life as Okay, bring an open hand and open heart to me. And maybe your hearts clenched right now, maybe your heart is in a place that you came out of an abusive relationship or you had a bad father, or you went through hell. I mean, whatever the situation, you don't have a real relationship with God, and your hands not only clinched Your heart is, and God wants you to open that up right now, and to receive Him as your Lord and Savior. In fact, someone's been asking God, do you really love me? Are you there for me? And it's not coincidence. You might have even tuned in just sarcastically to go well, what about this girl, Paul? Or what about this thing, and God right now is tugging on your heart, because Romans chapter not 10 verse nine. And 10 says that if you confess the Lord Jesus Christ with your mouth, and believe in your heart, that is the Son of God, then you'll be saved. See, let's pray this prayer together because I invite you to the same God, the Holy Spirit right now is knocking on that clenched heart and saying, open up and allow me in. Say, Father, I come to you, in the name of Jesus, forgive me for all my sin. I repent, and I receive Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. You know, if you prayed that prayer, Welcome to the family of God. You say it's that simple. It really is. It's the beginning step. Now there's a lot more steps to take place that I'd like to help you with. I'd love to be your online pastor. I'd love to be here with you. I'd love to help disciple you have a free digital download that tells you what it is, what to be born again, what salvation is about what that prayer that you just prayed is about. So just go on, go on the website. They'll give you all the information and I'll get you that free digital download, love to also pray over you. Send us your praise reports and know that john and i love you. We're praying for you and this is Going to be your best year yet.Unknown Speaker 44:03 Thank you for listening to the life network for women, Paula today podcast. Remember to visit Paula on the web at Paula white.org where you can send your prayer request get ministry updates and support the worldwide ministry and outreach of Paula white ministries. Remember to download the life network for women app today for loads of free content right on your phone or tablet. And don't forget to follow her on all social media. We love you. We are praying for you and we hope you are empowered by today's teaching.
