First Things First

Okay guys, today's teaching is Kingdom First Things First.

So here's what we need to recognize that the kingdom assigns great value to placing first

things first. The kingdom assigns great value to placing first things first. Now that may

not be very clear but as we talk about it you'll see what I mean. The kingdom assigns

great value to placing first things first. In fact, much busyness, much sweat, much wasted

opportunity, time, strength, results when we don't practice this principle of placing first

things first. As in you end up being much busier, spending more time, wasting many opportunities,

engaging in more toil and sweat than necessary, squandering strength when you don't place

first things first. And the kingship of God, as in the kingdom of God, when we say the

kingdom of God we mean the rule and reign of God or the kingship of God. The kingship

of God outlines some simple firsts in the Bible that we need to follow and if you do

it will simplify your life and it will enrich your life. The kingship of God or the rulership

of God, as in putting it simply, God says, hey Jacob, there are some firsts that I want

you to take note of and if you take note of these firsts that I've mentioned in my word,

you'll find that your life is relatively simplified and guess what, it's not just simplified,

you'll find that your life is rich. You'll find that your life is rich. And so I've categorized

these firsts under two headings, one's called responsible firsts and the second one is called

representative firsts. Should I change Mike's mat or are we okay? Okay. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Okay so, responsible firsts and representative firsts, that's how I've categorized it. You

can call it anything else that best helps you understand it. This makes sense to me.

And what do I mean by responsible firsts? Responsible firsts that are mentioned in the

Bible are basically where God says, hey do this first and the onus is on you to be responsible

to do it first and if you do it, look at the outcome, I'll do this for you. That's

what he says. And representative firsts are when God says, hey here's how I see things

Jacob. I see, if you give me a portion of this, I'll see it as representative of the

whole. So why don't you engage in some representative firsts? Let me simplify it. Responsible firsts

are when God says, okay here's a responsible first. Jason, if you take this scripture and

apply it this way, this is what's going to happen. Now suddenly the onus is on Jason.

If Jason is responsible to do this scripture first, then the rest of it will happen. Here's

a representative first. Hey Jason, Gabriel's just been born. Why don't you dedicate her

to the Lord? But why should I dedicate her to the Lord? When you place your child before

God and say, here I'm dedicating this child to God, what you're saying is, she's only

a few months. Check, check, check. Yeah, thanks man. After all that I still said thank you.

Amazing. Check, check, check. Check, check, check, check. Yeah, it's good. No video today

so I can do these things. Yeah. And today my name is Jacob, at least thus far. So representative

firsts are when Jason brings his baby to church and says, I want to dedicate this baby. And

what is Jason trying to say to us and to God? That the rest of this baby's life now awaits,

another 80 or 90 years. But in dedication we are saying, oh God you send this baby and

in bringing you this baby we are saying could you bless the rest of the baby's life. That's

why we call her representative first. Do you understand the difference? Any questions

on that before we go on? You can call it anything but I seem to like longer words. Responsible

firsts is like a very simple one. I'll give you more examples but this is just one example.

And so God says to you, hey you want things added into your life? That's the outcome.

Let me give you a first. Seek first the kingdom of God. The onus is suddenly put on you. Seek

first and all other things shall be added. He shows you the outcome and says, Jacob this

is the outcome. I really want to give it to you but here, be responsible. So let's talk

about some responsible firsts. I'm only going through some. Maybe one of the things you

can do is list down a whole lot of other firsts that you see in the Bible. So here's one responsible

first. Seek first the kingdom. Matthew 6.33. Seek first the kingdom. And what will happen?

All other things shall be added unto you. Seek first the kingdom. I mean I'll just give

you five. Even if we were to follow these five, you will find that the whole year will

be different. Seek first the kingdom and all other things shall be added unto you. Here's

another one from Matthew 5.23. First, make sure that you're reconciled with your brother

then bring your gift and place it before God. As in first your brother then your gift.

Simple principle. If I were to practice that, I would find that my life would be ridiculously

blessed. First my brother then the gift. As in if I have a problem with you, I need to

settle that with you first before I bring God in. Offering. You'll find that life will

take on a different way of living when I place you first before myself or even before

my offering to God. And that's just in Matthew 5.23. There are variations of that in the

Bible. Esteem someone else more than you. Love your brother as you love yourself. First

your brother then you and your gift. Jesus, I've come to serve not to be served. If anyone

wants to be first, let him be last. These are just variations of the same thing. First

your brother then yourself and your gift. As in Jacob, you want to be first? Well, then

let me tell you a first last principle. Be last and you'll be first. Oh Jacob, you want

to do well. First your brother then your gift and yourself. Another one. First judge yourself

then others. Matthew 7.3. First judge yourself then others. As in take the plank out of your

eye before you look at the... Oh Prashanth, there's a speck in your eye. But before I

do that, I've got to take the plank out then. Mine. A plank is like massive, eh? So first

judge yourself before you judge others. What a simple principle. I'm quick to judge others

but I've got to judge myself and then judge others. First judge yourself then judge others.

Here's another one. Matthew 8.21. First follow Jesus then the others. Jesus was going around

towns and there's a guy who comes and says, can I first bury my father and then I'll follow

you. Jesus said, let the dead bury there. Dead. You come and follow me. Another guy

said, but I've got a field to plough. Jesus said, if you don't know how to set your focus

and follow me then don't bother following me because you ain't going to follow me anyways.

Another guy was looking for comfort and Jesus said, foxes have holes but the son of man

has no place to. Lay his head. So when it comes to... Here's another first then. First

I follow Jesus then others. Guys it works wonders eh? First follow Jesus then others.

As in whatever Jesus says, do that first and then everything else after. Doesn't matter

whether it's your family, whether it's... And when I say family I don't mean abandoning

your wife or leaving your wife. When I say family I'm talking about family outside of

your wife. Because one of the mistakes we make, many pastors make is, oh I feel the

Lord calling me and the other spouse doesn't agree. So the pastor sometimes takes off and

marries someone else. That's ridiculous. I'm not talking about husband and wife. They have

to be one on almost everything. Unless the husband or wife is doing something that is

ungodly. Then you can challenge it. But otherwise husband and wife have to be one on most decisions

they make. I'm talking about family pressures from outside. Guys you have no idea how many

times I've had to take a stance against family. I mean I remember when I knew God was asking

me to come to Canada, my dad told me that he was going to cut me off and send me back

to India. As in cut me off as in you're on your own, no help from me. I remember that.

I remember when I got baptized. He threatened to throw me out of the house and not have

me back. Thank God it changed. So big deal man. It's not even a choice. We don't have

options in this. We don't even have options. We do this because our first allegiance is

to the Lamb. First Jesus then follow others. Look at how life works out there. It's brilliant.

First Jesus then friends. First Jesus and then your parents. Here's another first. First

the inside then the outside. Sorry, I gave you the wrong scriptures. First the kingdom

was Matthew 633. First your brother is Matthew 523. First judge yourself is Matthew 7-3.

No I gave you the right scriptures. I don't know the last one. First the inside then the

outside. Jesus says, hey Jacob I don't want you to polish your outside. I want you to

be pure inside. First the inside then the outside. Hypocrisy is when the outside is

shining and the inside is a tomb full of bones. First the inside then the outside. I couldn't

care less how you look on the outside but clean up the inside. For Jesus this is super

important. We were talking about it yesterday. Don't bring me lip service Jacob. Don't bring

me rituals and observances. Don't bring me sweet smelling sacrifices. What good are your

sweet smelling sacrifices if your inside is not clean. Sure Jacob you cried a little today

in worship and yeah it was so sweet and such beautiful worship but I know you're inside

Jacob. Shape up. First the inside then the outside. God really doesn't care about the

outside guys. It's like a secondary tertiary thing in his eyes. It's the inside that matters.

Any questions on these? Any other firsts you can think of? When you do this and God says

you be responsible for this and I'll show you the outcome. Any other firsts? First obedience

then sacrifice. As in before you bring me your sweet sacrifices give me your obedience.

Obey is better than sacrifice. I don't need your money I need your life. Keith Green.

Any other firsts? First the son then a servant. Great. First the son then a servant. First

give and then it will be given back to you. Press down shaken together running over. Crazy

so many firsts. If you took down a few firsts and practiced them for the year you'll find

a significant change in life because these firsts are sent by God and these are responsible

firsts. You do it and the rest works out. First a son then a servant. As in first I

should approach God as a son and then I should be a servant because a servant first doesn't

work. Jesus was a son first then he became a servant and he's our model. First give and

then you receive. Press down shaken together running over. Any other firsts? First forgiven

then you shall be forgiven. Yeah first acknowledge me and honor me and I will acknowledge and

honor you. Any other firsts? Yeah first so and then you receive. First give and then

you shall reap. So many simple firsts man. Think of them. Fonder on them. Practice one

every ten days and see how things are different. These are God commanded things. What about

representative firsts? Representative firsts are for instance the first day of the week.

As in it was natural for people when the fledgling church began in the book of Acts they would

set aside the first day of the week and they would turn up in an assembly because they

knew that to neglect the assembling of saints was a bad idea. So on the first day of the

week they would set the day aside not as a sabbath where you don't cook, don't shop,

don't watch TV. That's the we've talked about that. That ain't sabbath. Sabbath is being

at rest but the first day of the week was set aside. Why? Because this is where it's

a representative first as in I bring you this as a token of the entire thing and I say in

bringing you this I'm saying I'm giving you I'm dedicating a portion of it would you bless

the rest. We'll talk about that more. But the first day of the week. The first of the

harvest. The first hour of the day. I mean one of the things guys that I've been practicing

now for a while is as soon as I get up despite how busy I may be and how little time I have

I'll make sure that I say to him father here I come with the first portion of the day.

And in coming to you with the first portion of the day be it five minutes or be it an

hour. I'm saying to you here is a small portion of the entire thing but I want to give it

to you first. It might only be for five minutes or it might be for an hour but I want him

to have the first. And we'll talk about why we need to give him the first. But this is

another principle where you take a portion and you say this is yours. Representative

of the first. This is what we do dedications for. Here is a child eight days old and Jesus

is taken to the temple and dedicated to God. Why? Because the firstborn always belonged

to God. We'll talk about that. But he was taken to the temple and he was dedicated.

A dedication is saying the entire life lies ahead. Here we bring right off the bat and

give to you as a way of recognizing where it's come from. A way of honoring. A way of

trusting you for the rest. Any questions before we go on? The first part of the day,

the first day of the week. You know I was just thinking of this. In the last maybe ten

years that's as far back as I can remember. I have this is not to show you my absence

or presence record or to tell you how holy I am but to show you desire. In the last ten

years that I can remember I have missed assembling with a congregation twice in the last ten

years. So out of 520 week, out of 520 first days of the week as far as I can remember

I missed two. This is not to prove anything to God. You get no brownie points for turning

up to church in heaven. But it is this desire. It doesn't matter where I am. I remember once

being in Bristol where my sister and brother in law had just gone to live. They had just

gotten there. Sunday morning I get up and I got to find a place to assemble with the

saints. Not because if I didn't go anything would happen. But there I was walking through

the streets and you know how much I like walking. And so I googled and I found this particular

church that I thought hmm this sounds like I am walking through like some scary alleys

which I told which I was told later I shouldn't have been walking through. And finally got

to this place. Why? Because the assembling of the saints on the first day of the week

was important to me because that's where I wanted to be. I just want to be where the

saints are. And so on. But the point being you set aside the first day of the week. We

might think church. No no no no. It is we'll talk about that more. Yeah. The first month

of the year, the first of a harvest, first fruit, first bond, first love, first love.

We'll talk about that too. Any questions before we go on? So here are some principles

that govern first things eh. Here are some principles that govern first things. The first

principle is the first always belongs to the Lord. The first always belongs to the Lord.

The first always belongs to the Lord. As in God lays claim to ownership of everything

that is first. God lays claim of ownership to everything that is first. God lays claim.

Guys eh you must understand that this is this is what God says and so if you don't like

it, change your liking quickly. Because he says the first belongs to me. In fact when

you read Exodus 13 2. You know some things I don't even try to reason with God. He does

say come and reason. But some things are too big for me to reason. So if God says it, I

won't try to figure out hmm. I wonder why. Now why would he have said that? Maybe one

day he'll clear it up for me. But I'm not going to wait for him to say that. I'm not

going to clear it up for me. But I'm not going to wait till I reason it out before I obey

it. All I know is that the first always belongs to the Lord. Exodus 13 2. Exodus 13 2. Consecrate

every firstborn to me. The first one to come from the womb among the Israelites. Whether

person or animal is mine. The first things always belong to God. Joshua chapter 6. This

Joshua 6 · chapter mention

is the battle of Jericho. Joshua 1 the battle of. This is a musical today. With every point

comes a song. Joshua chapter 6 verses 14 to 22. Guess what happens? Jericho is the first

Joshua 6:14–22

city in the conquest of the land that Israel is being sent to. And what does God say? This

entire city will be devoted to me. And so first they raise the city down and burn it.

And then in the cities that followed people could take some of the plunder. But in this

case other than the gold, silver and bronze everything had to be destroyed. And the gold,

silver and bronze had to be dedicated to the Lord too. First city. Everything in it belonged

and was devoted or dedicated to the God. Either by fire or the gold, silver and bronze was

placed before him. Now you can understand why Achan Sin was heinous because he knew

that this entire city was dedicated to God. And yet Achan goes and takes some plunder

for himself. And in that he was stoned to death. Joshua 6, 14 to 22. Jericho was the

first city God gave to Israel as he entered the promised land. It therefore belonged to

God and was to be burnt with fire. All the gold and the silver and bronze went to the

Lord because it was consecrated or devoted to the Lord. You can see why Achan's stealing

of items from Jericho was a crime. Because he knew it. It wasn't some guy who didn't

know. He knew the entire thing was devoted to God but he took it for himself. It was

not just taking a few things because my wife needs a good saree. No, no this was more than

that. Second principle. The second principle is that the Lord gave Achan the city of Jericho

this one I love. The first always belongs to the one I love. The first always belongs

to the one I love. As in where my heart is. I know the Bible says where my treasure is

there my heart is. But I'm changing it around. I'm not quoting scripture. I'm just quoting

Jacob. Where my heart is there my treasure will be. Where my heart is there I will place

my time. Where my heart is there I will place my treasure. Where my heart is there I will

place my talent. The first always belongs to the one I love. I remember sometimes sitting

with this person in the past that I used to like. I always talk about this person in the

past who I used to like and you don't even know if the person is real or not. But let's

imagine she is real. So Eddie thinks she is real. Yvonne thinks she is made up. And Paul,

Eddie and Yvonne's son is caught somewhere in between. So we'll leave it at that. It's

an enigma wrapped in a mystery. Wrapped in a squiggle. Okay so here's what happens. So

I used to sit with this person that I really liked and I would wait to see what she liked.

And if she liked something then if that was in my plate I'd easily give it to her. Because

it didn't matter. I mean your mums do it. Your husbands and wives do it. Where you see

something your wife likes. And it's going to cost you more but it doesn't matter. You

will place your time, talent and treasure in the life of the one you love. Doesn't matter

at all. Matt does it always. Which Matt now? The one that's married. So Matt does it always.

Where the first always belongs to the one I love. And that makes it so simple eh. Where

suddenly you realize that father I'm not even coming and giving you the first because you

demand that the first belongs to me. I give it to you because I like you. You deserve

the first. It becomes easy then. Jeremiah 2 says I remember when you were young how

devoted you were. Jeremiah 2.2. This is what the Lord says. I remember the devotion of

your youth. How as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness through

a land not sown. The first belongs to the one I love. And here's our struggle guys.

First John 4.19 says he first loved me therefore I love him. But then there's Revelation 2.14

which says I have one thing against you. You have lost your first love. And when you lose

your first love suddenly the first does not belong anymore to the one you love. It becomes

a chore. I got to get up in the morning and the first thing I have to do when I've got

20 emails waiting is spend 10 minutes with God and read a portion of Psalm 119. Grrr.

But I have to do it. First love is different. I got 20 emails waiting but they can wait

because I got you father. I got to come to you first. You and I got to talk because if

I don't I can't answer any of those emails. So different eh. And he accepts you bad breath

and all. So remember there's a struggle between first love and losing it eh. First John 4.19

versus Revelation 2.4 not 2.14. On one hand it says I love him because he first loved

me. And then there's Revelation 2.4 which says Jesus is saying eh to whom? To us saying

hey you're doing really well. I really notice your service. Your giftings. You're working

really well. Drumming really well. Singing really well. Worshipping really well. Preaching

really well. You're doing really well. You're doing really well. You're doing really well.

You're doing really well. You're singing really well. You're drumming really well.

Singing really well. Worshipping really well. Preaching really well. But listen you've lost

your first love. Ouch. Because that's important to him. Because if the first love is not there

things don't belong to him anymore. Third. First and best in time, importance, and love.

And order. First and best in time, importance and order. As in when I say first or when

God says first not when I say first. When God says first what he means is hey Jacob

when I say first I mean first in time, first in importance, first in order. That's how

I see it Jacob. First in time, first in importance and first in the order of things.

I mean you know really these principles can be applied to marriage too eh. Marriage would

be brilliant if it worked out this way. If both spouses practiced this it would be like

they'd be singing your presence is heaven to me. So the first always, the first and

the best in time, importance and order. First in time, first in importance, first in order.

And what do we mean by best? Best is not a, it's not, you can't quantify best. As in let's

assume I've got a hundred dollars and he's got a two hundred dollars. His best would

be maybe a hundred and fifty. My best would be a hundred. Guess what? I gave everything

I had he only gave one fifty. But if you quantified it he gave more than me. So you can't quantify

best. Best is best as in best in intentionality. Best in, we need an associate pastor to pick

up these pens. So now remember we need an associate pastor. Jason is the assistant pastor

so we needed someone else. Best in intentionality, best in willingness. Silence in the peanut

gallery. Best. No whispers in the second row. Best in intentionality, best in willingness.

Best in intentionality, best in willingness. Silence in the peanut gallery. Best. No whispers

in the second row. Best in generosity, generosity and best in joyfulness. These, you measure

first in time, importance and order. You measure best in terms of, not in terms of quantity

but in terms of how intentional were you in offering your best. This is perhaps where

this guy failed. I mean he didn't offer it with faith either but this is perhaps where

Cain failed. Perhaps. One of his biggest things was what his offering was not an offering

of faith but we'll talk about that. We've talked about it before we'll talk about it

again some other time. But when you offer your best it has to be intentional as in father

I've thought this through. It isn't emotional. Nothing wrong with emotional stuff but it's

not just emotional because tomorrow emotions will change. I've thought this through. This

is what I want to do. Oh father by the way it's very willing. I'm not doing this because

I'm frightened of you. I'm actually doing it because you're God and because I like you.

Oh thirdly, father the best from what I have this is what I can generously give and generosity

always goes with joyfulness as in when I give if I'm not ha ha ha ha ha in my giving then

think about it again. If when you give it's hurting go back. I mean yesterday I was emailing

or texting Heidi and saying we need to give this money to such and such a person and so

I had a mind in my I had a figure in my mind and Heidi had a figure in my mind and Heidi's

figure was higher than mine and so I said hey when it comes to choosing between a reasonable

figure and a higher figure always go for the higher figure. That's the way to do it. The

point being guys that it has to be intentional it has to be willing it has to be generous

and if it's generous it has to be joyful because generosity without joy is not generous. It

is not generous. Generosity without joy is not generous. Hey can I please since the associate

pastor is not here. Thanks. Sorry. Thanks so much. Yeah but this is. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

But this is important. No I agree. I've tried it and it's been fabulous. So these are the

four things that have to come in and may I suggest that Kane didn't perhaps have all

these little things lined up. Sorry go ahead Maria. Okay. So any questions on this before

we go on. So in your talent in your time in your treasure the first thing that you need

the first and best is due him in your talent in your time and in your treasure the first

and best is due him the first and best is due him or in other words in your giftings

in your day in your money the first and best talent time and treasure makes it sound like

something that is heavenly. So let's make it simple. In your gifting in your day and in

your money he deserves the first and the best. So this is why I do this with my day

guys first first thing I do when I wake up and you know what I found out is most people

who live successful Christian lives at least the ones I know have these consistent practices

guys. Some of them are not. No this might be an exaggeration I was going to say some

of them are not half as talented as me. No some of them may not be as talented as me

in every area but they are highly successful because they have practiced some of these

things for 30 years now man. I see Eddie wake up every day when I am traveling with him

and he has traveled the same amount and he is a little older than me and he will wake

up and he will have this Bible thingy happening where he will open and read regardless of

where he is. And I can see why at 73 or 74 he has the life he has because he has practiced

something consistently and it made me decide that okay father I got to do this too. See

guys some of you go to work when I am sleeping like at wake times like 6.30 and 7 that is

when I hit REM. So I realize that for you to wake up in the morning an hour earlier

and I am not asking you to do that because not everybody is like Jesus who likes waking

up in the morning. Some of us were made to be night people but like Pawan and me. Pawan

is his brother. So some of us are made to be night people but it is important when you

wake up to still go and say father I only have 5 minutes but guess what I want to give

to you the first of the day. It is a principle I understand about. I want to give it to you.

Maybe you get only 5 and then later on night you can practice more. But do this. Do it

consistently. Any questions on that? Do you think it is becoming ritualistic? Not really

because when you understand the principle you realize no this is not a ritual. This

is a principle that really helps us. Because what you are doing is you are saying this

is a totality. This is a part and this first part belongs to you and I give it to you.

That is what you are saying. Yeah it is not a ritual if you do it for one you love.

I do it with my day. I do it with the first day of the week. Guys I said this yesterday.

No I didn't say it to you guys yesterday. I said it to someone else yesterday. You know

these are things perhaps you can model from my life. And I said it with such modesty.

Guys I can't remember a Sunday that I have come here and not given 100% of my time. I

don't have 100% of what I have. Every Sunday as far as I can remember when I come here

regardless of the week I have had, regardless of the demands on my life, regardless of whether

it was a lousy week or a good week. When I come here in worship and in teaching I pour

out my life every Sunday. Not just because of who you are but because of what I know

God has placed me and appointed me for. And I do it with great joy. First and best on

the first day of the week. I love giving it to him. And then the rest of the week works

out too. But it is so important. Never have you gotten second best from me at Axe Training.

Never diluted anything. Practice Zaddi. When you give pour out your best. Pour out your

best. Any questions? Even when I travel and come I used to land at 4.30 in the evening

and then I would have a 6 o'clock service at that other place and I would still be saying

father you have got to keep me awake and make me do everything I need to do because I can't

go half baked into this. And it always used to work. Any questions before we go on? Another

thing that I practice and that I want to touch on and it might sound self serving and it's

not. And I really couldn't care even if it was. And I mean that I meant to be as gruff

and rough as I sounded. So it wasn't a mistake. Is first fruits. Some of you guys practiced

this and we talked about it in 2011 December and I haven't brought it up since but since

we are talking about first things first. Wanted to talk about this. First fruits. Guys one

of my greatest joys in the last week was figuring out okay this is how much I received from

you father in 2014. And so since you are not a god who diminishes things but you are

a god who increases things. This is what I believe I will receive in 2015. If anything

it will be more it won't be less. And then right off the first week and let me tell you

my thought process behind doing it right off the bat. In Exodus 22 verse 29 it says you

Exodus 22:29

shall not delay to offer the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses.

You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and the outflow of your presses.

And so in the first week what I will do is I will say father here is what I joyfully

bring to you as my first portion. And it could be the first hour of the entire year. Let's

assume I earn 20 dollars an hour. So it's up to me what I offer. But I come to god saying

here father right off the bat I offer you the first hour of the year. Or right off the

bat I offer you the first day what I would earn on the first day of the year. Or right

off the bat let me offer you what I earn on the first week of the year. Or right off the

bat let me offer you what I earn on the first month of the year. And then there are some

who say right off the bat let me offer you the first two months of the year. Regardless

it's up to you. But it's such an important, cool, awesome principle to practice. And let

me tell you this anybody who practices it never comes off with less guys. So last week

was this busy email PayPal bank thingy that I was doing because I wanted to send Eddie.

And I called up Eddie and then there were two others that have really blessed my life.

So I called them up and I send them my first fruits. Doesn't matter how you calculate it

there's no percentage. There's no formula. It's what you give intentionally, willfully,

joyfully. And what's the fourth one? Generously. All of you were looking.

But practice this guys. You know it's to your advantage guys. It's to your advantage. But

don't circumvent this process. Doesn't matter. Forget how you calculate stuff but practice

it. And it doesn't necessarily. Diana you have a question?

Oh the first fruit goes to, here's what I do. I said father I'm doing this to recognize

what you have done last year and what you are going to do this year. I see you as my

source and I bring this as an offering to you. And what am I saying father? That I don't

even know whether there will be locusts coming this year. I don't know if the rains will

fail. I don't know if the seed may be stolen by some thief. But all I know is regardless

of what the year holds I'm bringing to you my offering, trusting that you are my source

and you will provide. And so what I do is I take this money and I throw it up into heaven.

And then I find it's all come down. So that doesn't work. So that doesn't work. So I

think to myself okay if I can't throw it up to heaven because it comes down, let me give

it to someone who God has placed in my life and who has blessed me. And I'm not talking

about Acts 29. That's separate. The offerings I give to Acts 29 are separate. And so I decide

I've got to give it to someone. So in my mind one of the first guys who comes to mind is

Eddie. So I'll give to Eddie because when you send it to him it doesn't come back. As in

it goes somewhere. You can't throw money up in the air. Then I think of Pastor Mike who's

been a blessing in my life. So I give to him. Then I thought of this pastor in Chennai who's

been not a, he's not been anything but a friend but in conversation he's enriched my life

and I wanted to bless him so I blessed him. And then there was another two people that

I wanted to bless so I blessed them. And I'm not talking about two dollars or three dollars.

I'm not talking about a coffee. It's up to you. If it's a coffee then a coffee but if

it's more than a coffee and so did this. And I remember when I sent it to Eddie, Eddie called

me on the phone and started blessing me. It is the way to do it. It's the first fruit.

Some of you practice it and blessed are you if you practice it. If I ask the people who

practice it to stand up and share you'll be surprised at what results from it. And so

when I receive first fruits what I do is I take it up before the Lord and I say Father

here is a wave offering. The person gave it, the person gave it to you. I lift it up

to you and I pray that you bless their harvest now. They are recognizing you and they are

honoring me but I pray that you bless their harvest that they be plenty. That's how this

works. Any questions? No questions. Okay here's the other thing first fruits does guys. First

fruits relegates mammon to its rightful place. First fruits relegates mammon to its rightful

place. First fruits relegates mammon to its rightful place. As it puts money, let's assume

there's a ladder. Like it or not in today's world the most important thing in the world

is money and security. Right? It runs the world. So what first fruits does is before

you've received your harvest you're giving your first fruits and suddenly you realize

that you've relegated mammon to its rightful place because your security and source of

money is suddenly gone. Okay moving on. The next principle of firsts is the first fruits

represents the totality. The first represents the totality. As in if you read Romans 11

16. Romans 11 16. Romans 11 16. Here's what it says. For if the first fruit is holy the

lump is holy. For if the first fruit is holy the lump is holy. Or it says if the root is

holy so are the branches. So guys it's like let's assume you go to the ocean and you take

a small little bottle, scoop up a little water in the bottle and you bring it back. And now

that little bottle of water represents both the composition of the ocean water, it also

represents the ocean. You're saying here is a little bit of the pacific and I look

at it and think this represents the pacific? Yeah it does because in that is water from

the pacific. It has the same composition as the water. It also represents what the pacific

is. And that's what God is saying here. That if the first part is holy then the lump is

holy. If the root is holy then the branches are holy. As in this that you brought back

as in this that you bring whether it be the first hour of your day, the first day of your

week, the first month of the year, your first fruits, your first bond, your first love,

whatever you bring to him. When that is offered to God in recognition of who he is, in trust,

in thanksgiving then the rest is also deemed as holy. That's the principle here. And it's

a brilliant principle. Because what happens is when I bring the first hour of the day

to him, let's say from 9am to 10am because I wake up around that time. I'm kidding I

wake up early on some days. Who was that? Who was that? Who was that? Who was that?

Who? No I'm kidding. Okay first hour of the day, 9am to 10am. So here's what I do. When

I give this to God, he sees in that one hour the rest of the day and he blesses it. If

my first hour is dedicated to him, if my first hour is dedicated to God, then I bless him

it is like saying, Father I am dedicating the whole day to you. That's literally it

to you. Any questions on that? Two more principles and we're done. Any questions on that? Okay

so when you come to Sunday, church on Sunday from now on, see that setting apart the first

day of the week too. Besides meeting as a body, see that Father the week lies ahead.

I set apart the first day of the week and I thank you that as I give you this portion,

I recognize you as a provider, the person who gives me your presence, my Father God,

I see you as that and God looks down and says, nuts you brought me the first day of the week.

He doesn't say nuts. He says, wow you brought me the first day of the week. Great Jacob,

let me now bless the next six days because you've dedicated the first and the best to

me. These are the days when you should be sitting home with your children and your wife

with your feet up. Instead of waiting at Acts 29 listening to a teaching saying, I hope

it doesn't get over, I hope it doesn't get over. This is so good, let it continue until

12.30 and when he sees that he is very encouraged and so is the pastor. Don't worry, next two

weeks will be relatively shorter because I remember when I called last time, I forgot

it was Jason speaking and you guys had left. Next one, the first God of the week, the first

governs the rest. The first governs the rest. As in the beginning of something sets the

direction for the rest to follow. The beginning of something sets the direction for the rest

to follow. The beginning of something sets the direction of the rest to follow. Why do

people like New Year services? Because they feel that's a great way to start the New Year.

The first governs the rest. The first establishes a platform on which the rest will follow.

What do you do when you get a new vehicle? You dedicate it to God or you bring it to

the one you like and say, hey I brought a new vehicle. Why? Because you want to take

something new and say, here. Here to God or you say here to someone you like. What do

you do when you get a brand new house? You call up the ones that are closest to you and

say, I got a brand new house. I remember when Kamal and Ann got their new house, they called

me up and said, hey Jacob could you come? Unfortunately they had a few white chairs

and I sat on a chair that was very feeble and the first thing I did was break the chair

and fall down on the floor. That's a whole different thing. But the point is, as soon

as they got the house, they wanted to dedicate it to God because they knew that if you dedicate

the first, then it governs the rest. It becomes a foundation on which the rest of the structure

can be built. When we started this place, remember we had a dedication service? It wasn't

because suddenly God's presence will be mowed through all the week. It was, Father you gave

us this, we give it back and we say, it is all yours. How protective and nice he's been.

The first governs the rest guys. This is why look forward to offering him firsts because

it establishes a platform for the rest to be built. The first is the foundation on which

the rest of the structure is built. The beginning of something sets the direction for the rest

to follow. So guys, make it a habit to sanctify or release the part of anything you do. Sanctify

and release it to God as an act of trust. Father I trust you. I know there's miles ahead to

go but I trust you. Father I recognize you and thank you for being the one who brings

every good thing into my life. A thankful recognition. And Father I honor you. And when you do that,

he blesses the root of what you're doing. He blesses the root of what you're doing.

He increases the fruit and guess what? He rebukes the devourer. Because when the devourer

comes to touch it, he says, don't touch that. That was dedicated to me. What happens to

Aiken happens to the devourer. What was Aiken trying to do? Something was devoted to God

and what did he try to do? Aiken came and stole from that which was devoted to God.

And what did God say? Stone the guy. Kill him and his family too. Same principle guys.

When you touch, when the enemy touches something that is devoted to God, God says don't touch

that. That is dedicated to me. And if you touch that, you will be stoned. I can't tell

you the importance of first things first. I mean it's such a simple teaching but it's

so massive and all-encompassing. And finally the last principle. Put first things first

and you will get second things also. I love this. This is C.S. Lewis quote. Put first

things first and you will get the second things also. Put second things first and you lose

both first and second. Guys, just listen to this. It's brilliant and it's true. Put first

things first and you will get the second thing also. Put second things first and you will

also. Put second things first and you will lose both the first and the second.

Take a marriage. Put your spouse first and you will get all the other additional

benefits that come with being married to the one you love. But put second things

first. Put money first before your wife or your husband and you will lose both

your money and your marriage. Solomon happened to him. He put God first, he got

wisdom and then he put his wives and concubines and the rest of them first

and he lost wisdom, money, perhaps a place in heaven and everything else too.

Put first things first and you get the second things. Put second things first

and you lose even the first.

First is to prioritize guys. Your life is determined by your priorities.

Your life is determined by your priorities. Prioritizing simplifies the rest.

Prioritizing simplifies the rest. Prioritizing simplifies the rest.

Yeah, that's it. Any questions? Any questions?

Yeah, yeah. To put something first is to prioritize. To put something first is to

prioritize and your life is a sum total of your priorities or your life is

determined by our priorities. Your life is a sum total of your priorities and

prioritizing something, our prioritizing simplifies life. How? Because everything

now has an order. Let's assume Jason put church first before Mariana. Then here's

what's gonna happen. Instead of being at home of taking care of his wife and

children, he'll be taking care of church. Now is that a right priority? No. Sure,

God comes first but church doesn't come first before the family. The family comes

first. So let's assume he prioritizes church before family. Now what happens is

his family takes second place and now all his priorities revolve around what

is at the center. But if we, it simplifies life and sometimes it results in good

things, sometimes it results in bad things. But priority, your life is a sum

total of your priorities really and prioritizing simplifies life. As in once

I prioritize saying these are the important things, everything else takes

its place. Your job and my job is to make sure that when everything takes its

place, it takes its place in the right godly order. So if he makes church first,

life becomes very simple for him. When it comes to a choice between Mariana and

church, what will he choose? Church. Life is simple for him. Now it's a wrong

choice but it is still simplified. But let's assume he makes right choices. So

now he chooses Mariana and his family over church and now he'll

know when to be with them and how to set aside time for the responsibilities that

he has in church. That's how this works.

That's why at the beginning of the year, if you can begin to have God define your

priorities for you, then you have an idea of, father, oh so these are the things

that are important for me this year, let's go with them. It can be something

as simple as, I'll drink more water this year every day. It will change the way you

function. If you decide that I'll drink eight glasses of water this year, it

could change your health. Because all this for the last 14 years you've been

drinking four glasses of water and you wonder why you look dry. I'm just saying

something as ridiculous as that or something as big as what are my

priorities. This is how it works guys. This is how it works. So what we'll do is

next week we'll break bread. So we won't break bread today. Next week we'll break

bread. I just want to be sent by the church. Any other questions? Any other

questions? Guys if you don't understand any of this or have any questions or

challenges, ask this because it'd be a shame for the sake of two or three

minutes not to ask questions. Do you have any other questions? Part of the reason

I'm skipping breaking a bread is I don't want to do anything in a hurry,

especially something like that. Sometimes we get antsy once it crosses

1220 and so take your time and do it next week and do it early in the service.

When you do it next week have grown-ups and not the kids do it this

time. We don't have to go with kids every time. Let them feel left out next

week and so do it with them. Have grown-ups break it and distribute it and

stuff like that. So guys any other questions with regard to this? It was

important the thesis at the beginning of the year. It'll really benefit you as

you set things right. Any questions?

Okay so