Bring It | We The Church | Pastor Scott Thomas

Hello, hello, friend. Thank you so much

for tuning in with us here at Free Life

Chapel where we help you discover and

live the free life in Christ. My name is

Kotti and I'm so glad that you decided

to tune in with us. Hey, if you ever get

a chance to come to the Central Florida

area, come visit us. We would love to

connect with you face to face. But until

then, visit our website freelive

chapel.org to find out more about what's

happening at your church today. There's

a phenomenal message in store just for

you. I hope you're encouraged. We are in

a series right now called We the Church.

We the church. I I want to talk to you

today. We're talking on the in this

series, we're talking about the

essentials of what it means to be a

believer. Now, let me help you with

something from John that the the it's

important that you understand this is

not just about you and I having good

behavior.

This is about you and I going spiritual

in a natural world.

>> Making spiritual steps.

>> Not not just trying to does it feel

good, is it natural? No, I'm going to

find out what this book says and I'm

doing this

>> that takes a spiritual decision in life.

And those people who make those steps

are not are are not attending church as

usual. We have to be so very careful

because as people who have been serving

Jesus for a minute, church can become

monotonous and so routine that it loses

bite and traction and impact. And we

have to stir ourself up, awaken ourself

so that we get, if I could put it this

way, our spiritual operating system

brought up, working passionately, firing

on all cylinders. So that in a chaotic,

crazy, unpredictable world, we are still

living the abundant life that Jesus died

to give us. This is what we're talking

about. That you won't have a mundane,

tired tow up from the flow up 2026. We

want you living with power, joy,

excitement, anticipation for everything

God's word says. But you got to go

spiritual on it if it's going to happen.

In other words, we're not guessing for

2026. We're declaring for 2026. We are

expecting. We are pre-deciding.

It's a pre-order. It's Sometimes it's

nice. We'll be flying on a on a flight

somewhere and Heather will hit me and

say, "Uh, the flight wants to know what

your order, your food order is ahead of

time." Great. Tell them, "I want this,

want this, want this." And once I get

there, they don't even come to me to ask

me. They just deliver what it is that we

pre-ordered. It's time for you and I to

put some pre-orders in for 2026 and then

just wait for God to deliver because

when we do it his way, we get his

results. John 17:17 is the anchor point

John 17:17

that really has pulled this this this um

this series together for us. And if you

have your new Bible, since you B Y O B

FL LC, then I want you to open your

Bible and you can underline John 17

verse1 17, the second part of this

verse. Here's what it says. Read it

loud. Read it proud. Your word is truth.

Four words that will change your life if

you actually believe what you read.

Let's read it again. Ready? One, two,

three. Your word is truth. Now say it

like you mean it. Say, just say it with

some grit. I I want you to growl when

you say it. Ready? 1 2 3. Your word is

truth. You can live by that.

>> And if you and I actually believe that

his word is truth, then whatever his

word says is what I'm going to do.

>> I don't have to feel it. I don't have to

like it. I don't have to be convinced of

it. If he said it, it's true.

>> That's really important because

everything in your life is not true.

>> All right? Every conversation you have

is not true.

>> People that you talk to can talk in

deceptions, half-truths, whole lies.

>> They can run you down a road and you can

believe something for so long and then

it end up costing you in the end because

you don't really know what to believe,

what not to believe. Sometimes people

are telling you the best they know, but

they have no way to really back up or

actually do what it is that they

promised the results to be. I need

something that has been proven. It has

been tested. You can build your life on

it. And the Bible says your word is

truth. This matters.

The law of firsts is what I want to talk

to you about today.

Creating this system override that

there's this overarching principle that

runs your life and my life that leads us

forward. In 1776, there was this group

of best way to call them would just be

rebels.

A group of rebels got together and they

signed a document that changed the

world. And it wasn't just a wish list of

cool, good, really neat things to do.

They were establishing a first principle

that we're going to we're going to see

the birth of a brand new nation called

America. And we want to lay a foundation

that everything that comes out of this

nation will be standing on the

foundation of this. and they wrote

what's called the United States

Declaration of Independence.

It was basically the birth certificate

of America is what they were writing.

And four times in that document, they

mentioned God. They were not shy about

declaring who he is. And for God was not

a footnote. He wasn't a just an

additional commentary kind of, well, we

could apply this to God. No, no, no. He

was the source code. He was the

foundation. He was the pillar that this

was built on. Four times they go to him

in the Declaration of Independence

speaking to him. First, they call him

nature's God. In other words, he's the

logic that's behind the universe,

creation, as well as humanity's ability

to even have a moral conscience to know

when something is right and when

something is wrong. They also call him

the creator. He is the patent holder of

your rights. Dr. The king did not decide

that somebody would have rights. God's

word decided that you are fearfully and

wonderfully made. And your rights come

from the Lord. God is the one that

decided that. Doesn't matter what

Washington says. God said it and

therefore it stands. He is also called

the Supreme Judge. He's the final court

of appeals. In other words, everybody

can think one thing about you. But if

God is smiling on your life, can't touch

this. like

like it's just good to know that God is

the has the final word. He's the final

judge in this.

>> And the fourth way that he's spoken of

in in the Declaration of Independence is

he is the divine providence. In other

words, he's the venture capitalist of

your future. He is working in your

future to make sure it pays you,

supplies for you, increases for your

life. This this was the bedrock of Dr.

King's message. He pulled on these God

principles, these biblical principles to

declare in his message that civil rights

belong to all people. But this wasn't

Dr. King's idea. This was a Bible idea.

This was back to the very beginning of

the origin of America. Dr. King was just

reminding us as to what it was that you

said this nation would be founded on and

called us back to that again. Here's the

point. Here's what I'm trying to tell

you. Just as a nation is built on its

first documents,

your life has got to be built on a first

fruit principle.

>> Yeah.

>> There has got to be a standard set for

your life. Because if not, you will go

every which way if there's not a marker

to hold you solid in life. You will

drift. You'll be deceived. You'll be

yanked. Emotions. You'll wake up one day

feel this way. By the afternoon, you

feel a different way. And you're trying

it all. and you look up and all of a

sudden you realize I'm going nowhere in

life. I'm spinning in circles. Because

if the foundation is self, if it's me,

my what I want, then that structure is

going to collapse. It is not promised to

serve you well. Everybody else is

running with that same mindset. You're

going to be aggravated. You're going to

be jacked up because everybody does not

wake up in the morning thinking about

how to make you happy.

>> There's got to be something more there.

I can't be built all on me. No, the

reality is this. There's got to be a

foundation built on the creator. And

when you do that, that structure is

packed with a power that is unstoppable

for your life. Ladies and gentlemen,

God's word is true. It is yes and amen.

If he said it, it must happen or he's a

liar. And he is not going to mar his

reputation for you or me. Let's talk

about this first fruit principle. What

does this look like? Basically, first

things in life matter. They matter.

Pimero.

It's the best I got. Chim Chonga

burrito. There you go. You got you got

my Spanish right there. The the the

first first things first. That's why you

and I, we've got to make sure that we

don't aren't trying to own our life. We

are only stewarding our life. In other

words, watch this. Stewardship isn't

about what you give. It's about what you

bring. Let me show you the

differentiation.

You and I, if we're not careful, we'll

take an ownership mindset instead of a

management mindset.

You don't give anything to God. All you

do is return back to God what he gave

you.

God is the source and you have resource.

God is the one that poured his source

into you. That's the only reason you

have the talent that you have. It's the

only reason you have the energy that you

have. It's the only reason that your

left toe uh your pinky toe goes hard

left on on your left foot like God has

been intricately involved in all areas

of your life. Proof that he has a sense

of humor. And everything your your

ability to learn your your ability to to

if you're into math, God gave you that

ability. If you're a creative, God gave

you that ability. If you can dance, yay

for you. God gave you that ability.

There's nothing that we can go yay look

at me. No. All of that is a resource

that came from the source. And we've got

to realize we're managers of that. We

are not owners of any of it. So I don't

ever give to God. I just return to God.

When a a child gives a parent something

to say I love you or thank you or

whatever. The parent knows that the kid

would have nothing to give the parent if

the parent hadn't first given something

to the kid.

>> The kid can't produce it. It's the same

with you and I. You and I are to bring

back to return to God. Leviticus chapter

23:10 says this, "You are to bring to

the priest a sheath of the first fruit

of your harvest."

He said, "You are to bring it." You see,

giving implies that I own it. But the

Bible uses a specific word that says

bring, not give. It's specific. It's

intentional because bringing means I'm

just a highlevel manager

of all of this amazing wonder and

awesomeness God packed inside of me. I'm

just dripping in finesse is what I'm

trying to tell you. Right. I got I got

to manage all this stuff. Would you look

at someone and tell them managing all

this is hard? Just tell them managing

all this is hard. It's it's just there's

just so much amazing stuff going on

here. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

We know you're amazing. We know you're

great. And we know you're flaky and

fruity sometimes also because all of us

in the room are. That's who we are. But

all we are are managers. And we are

returning to God the dividends that he

requires that he deserves to say thank

you. So this principle of first fruit,

ladies and gentlemen, I want you to

understand the reason it's not got

massive buy in is it's scary for a lot

of people. It's scary. Think about how

this played out in your Bible. In the

Old Testament, the way that this

happened was a farmer had planted a big

crop and he would go out and the very

first part that that turned ripe, like

they haven't had they haven't had any of

this food, any of this crop all through

the winter, now it begins to grow. And

the farmer goes out and he says, "This

first part, man, it looks good. It's

fresh. It's ripe. It's ready to eat. But

I'm not going to eat it. I'm going to

turn it into an offering and honor God

with the first, the principle of the

first." He gets the best, he gets the

first. Why is that scary? Because the

farmer had no way to know whether a

drought was going to hit next week. If

the rest of the crop would be eaten by

insects or bugs, would there even be a

full harvest? And so, for that reason,

some people begin to think, man, just

let it all come in and then give God

something. Make sure that you're hedging

all of your stuff to make sure you're

you're good. You're protected. Mark

that. But but but no, that's not what

the first fruit principle is. They

marked and brought the first fruit while

they were still living in that scary

scarcity zone. Like we don't have a lot.

The first that came in, we're actually

taking it to God. But here's the

principle. Watch this. Don't miss this

folks. This applies to you and me today.

Scarcity says this. Wait until I have

enough and then I'll be obedient.

First fruit says, "I give because God is

enough

>> and I trust him with my life." That's

that's a different ball game, ladies and

gentlemen. It's it's it's almost like

it's almost like your life and my life

being like a cell phone.

You have this thing in your phone called

an operating system.

And you have to update and upgrade those

things every now and then. If you got a

phone and you have never looked in that

settings, general, and see update, and

you probably got like 17 updates waiting

on you since 2022, you got some problems

in your phone right now. I promise you.

Look, people checking their phone right

now like, "Oh my god, what?" Look, you

know, and and can I tell you what

happens in that your operating system is

not updated. Therefore, the apps that

are loaded in your phone are glitching.

Some of them have stopped working. they

because the operating system is what

supports every app inside your phone.

And if the operating system is old, then

the apps either stop working or they're

glitching. They work part of the time,

none of the time. You can't get them to

load. You can't. And it's so

aggravating. Here's what I want you to

understand. You have apps running in

your life. You have an app called a

marriage. You have an app called a

business. You have an app called

Finances. You have an app called Hope.

You have an app called Joy and these

apps are running in your life. But if

you and I allow our operating system to

get old and antiquated and I have not

refreshed it to bring it up that it's

all built on and focused on God. Then

things start shutting down in my life.

And the problem is this. We don't ever

look at the operating system. We think

the apps have gone bad. So we throw

marriages away looking for a new app.

and we throw we throw a job away looking

for a new job as if the apps are the

problem when the truth is it's much

deeper than that. It's the operating

system. It's where I'm putting my faith,

my focus, my trust, my commitment. If I

will get that right, everything else is

going to operate good as well. I can't

have one without the other.

This principle allows every area to to

function. And that's what that's what

first fruits does. When I begin to focus

that God, you get my first, you get my

best, then it begins to change

everything in our life. Here's what I'm

trying to tell you. In 2026, ladies and

gentlemen, as believers, as the church,

choose biblical principles over personal

preferences.

>> Choose God's opinion over yours.

>> Choose his word and his way over your

opinion or over somebody else's.

Stop asking the world what should be

done and not be done and go to God's

word and ask him how should I handle

this situation. This will last forever.

This will produce the right results.

This will give you what you want. This

will never fail. But every other opinion

in this world is fragile and it falls

apart. You got to find something you can

put your weight on. Whether you

understand it or don't, whether you feel

it or whether you don't, whether it's a

Sunday or it's a Thursday, it's going to

work every single time. That's what you

want to build your life on.

>> We've got to make sure that the

operating system is working. Stop living

hoping for blessing in 26

and schedule it.

>> Predecide it that I don't know when it's

going to hit. Oh, baby. but it's going

to be coming because I've already

pre-ordered that thing and it will be

delivered in my life. You can live with

that excitement and an expectation

because the principle of first fruit.

Let's talk let's talk for a minute here

about this this priority. There's a

principle, but let's talk about the

priority or or or the focus of that

first fruit because it gets real

straight. Matthew chapter 6:33. Y'all

know this verse, but I want to show you

firsts and the first principle are

throughout your Bible. Read the first

couple words with me. Ready? But first

be concerned about his kingdom and what

has his approval. Then all these things

will be provided for you.

First

be concerned, focused on do things the

way God wants it done inside his domain

in his kingdom. Then stuff's going to

work for you. Y'all, if you're like I

am, anybody ever tried to skip the first

part and just run straight to the second

part

>> like I'm claiming promises, but the

problem is we're claiming promises while

we're violating principle

>> and those don't work. I can't skip the

first and get to the then because the

then isn't promised until the first is

accomplished. I've got to make sure that

I'm doing my part. God will definitely

do his part, but I got to make sure that

I'm putting God in the prioritization of

my life where he's getting all that I

am. He's priority in my marriage,

priority in my private time, priority in

my business, priority in my finances,

priority in my friendship, priority in

my entertainment, priority in how I

dress, priority on how I deal with

people that are on my last nerve,

priority in all these things.

That's tough. But this is how we

experience then everything will be

provided. We can't claim the then until

we fulfill the first. So, so how do we

execute? H how do we like live out this

stuff in in 26? Well, real quickly,

here's the principle of first fruit for

you starts with your time. Everyone

shout time.

>> Time.

>> Time is the only thing you got. 168

hours a week is what everybody's given.

What are you doing with it?

Everyone doesn't use it the same. Well,

if I have it my way, about 90 of us

going to be spent sleeping. Well, good

for you. Then you you can use it. You

can use it that way. It's all good. I We

all don't get the same out of our hours.

But watch this. When it comes to a first

fruit principle, I want to give the best

thoughts and my first energy to God.

>> That's going to that's going to require

some rearranging

because it doesn't just naturally

happen. Y'all y'all know what we do? We

wake up and before our feet hit the bed,

we've already got a phone checking to

see what life is going to be today. We

we we just grabbing stuff to to to I I I

I just I I want to want to find out who

who text me. I want to see if I got any

DMs. I want to see what's going and and

we just go Can I just help you? Let's

give God the first 15 minutes of our day

so we can enjoy peace for the next 15

hours of that day. How about putting

some God thoughts inside of your mind

the very first thing when you wake up

instead of allowing Instagram to Insta

frame your mind for the rest of the day.

You are made for more than Instagram. I

promise you. And whatever other platform

from your Tik Tok to your Facebook, we

need to upgrade and let God determine my

thought process coming out of bed today

that he's for me and not against me.

That the best is still yet to come. I

need that in my life. You got to give

him your time. Somebody shout time.

>> Time. The second area of this principle

is your talent. Yes, you have some.

Your talents matter. You got to serve

God's kingdom. Serve God's interest with

your superpowers. You are wired with

this, ladies and gentlemen. Use your

talents. Use your skill sets. Use your

education for the kingdom of God. If you

can dance, would you please get up here

and dance for Jesus? If you can sing,

then bring your Do not keep that skill

set locked up back there. Bring it up

here and help us worship. If you can

play an instrument, would you please go

and and join and be a part of this party

and help raise the roof to honor him? If

you love working with kids, we got a

place that you can make radical impact

in the next generation on the way. Why

would you not use some of those skill

sets, that education, that talent to

connect with children? If you're just

nice and you love shaking hands at

Walmart, would you shake hands in the

lobby of Free Life Chapel and hang out

and welcome people when they come on the

parking lot, there are ways that you can

serve right here in this place with your

talent. We know you got it. Use it for

the kingdom. It's a first fruit

principle.

>> Time, talent,

>> treasure.

>> First fruit principle. time, talent,

treasure.

Giving the first part of your income

is important before you pay your Netflix

subscription.

>> Oh, we ain't letting Hulu run out, are

we?

>> No. Paramount, Disney Plus got that

thing on autopay. Can't afford to have

that go down. Not with the kids in the

house. We we we prioritize the things

that are important to us. Yes, sir.

>> Can I encourage you? How about

automating some things that are

important to him?

>> Yes, sir.

>> And I want to bring in my resources and

honor him. If God only gets your

leftovers, then don't be shocked if

you're living in a deficit.

>> I've got to prioritize him. If I'm going

to get his ladies and gentlemen, I love

you enough to tell the truth. This is

not how you win friends and influence

people right here. But this is what I'm

telling you. You can live your life by

this and it will build and it will move

you forward. We've got to get this thing

under under wraps to make sure that the

that the first fruit principle is

operating in all these areas. Time,

talent, treasure. Honor God with that

and watch him honor you back. Sunday,

quite honestly, this day is a is a 3D 3D

first fruits Sunday. Every Sunday has

all of these time, talent, and treasure

in full operation on Sundays. Watch

this. Let me help you. By the way,

Sunday is the first day of the week. So,

I'm not giving him any day. I'm giving

him the first day. I'm prioritizing him

in the beginning. And during that time,

we're going to come in here and we're

going to worship. I'm giving him my time

to worship him. I'm I love that time is

involved on Sundays. And then in your

first day of the week worship on a

Sunday, we've come in and there's people

serving all throughout this building.

That's where they're using their talents

that are building the kingdom of God.

How can I use what I have and who I am

to build your kingdom and make your name

stronger in people's lives? That is time

in operation. That is talent in

operation. And on the first day of the

week, Sundays, we come in this place and

we bring tithe and offering. That's our

treasure. Can I tell you Sundays, the

first day of the week, is literally the

first fruit principle on blast. It is

where time, talent, and treasure are

being displayed through worship,

serving, tithe, and offering. This is

how we live this out. You can know this.

You can live this. You can experience

this. This is not something that you got

to do it on your in a vacuum by yourself

right here on Sundays. You can do this.

This first fruit life declares this

phrase. And I want you to get this in

your spirit. I'm not a slave to the

culture. I'm a citizen of the kingdom.

>> Would you write? Would you would

everyone just just say that with me? Say

it with me. I'm not a slave to the

culture. I'm a citizen of the king. Now,

I want you to say it like you got some

like you got some growl up inside you.

You ready? Here we go. 1 2 3. I'm not a

slave to the culture. I'm a citizen of

the king. Which means we live different.

Everyone doesn't have to understand my

giving. You don't have to understand my

serving. You don't have to understand

why I want to work with children and

help them learn that they don't have to

go down the road that I went down. They

can live better. They can know Jesus

early and avoid the pitfalls in life. We

can do this. I I I want to bring that

message. How can I serve? This is

important stuff. Which leads me to the

first fruit promise.

This f first fruit principle has a

promise. You see, when you and I

participate in first fruits, it's a

power move. Ladies and gentlemen, it's

it's it's a throat punch to culture. It

backs everything up. When first fruits

stepped in, when I prioritize God in my

life, 2016 now has to produce something

for me. It can't stand in the way. Few

weeks ago,

I was researching some new frames for my

glasses. Wanted to see what else is out

there. Find something new out there.

Something funky. Just see what's there.

So, I Googled that thing.

Men's frames glasses. Funky.

What can I tell you? Not only did I get

my little search going on, but every

social media platform that I have

started shooting me stuff about glasses,

frames, funky all. I mean, it was coming

at me left and right. I'm trying to

sleep. Bing. Pick up. What in the world?

The frames like stop it. I mean, it is

everywhere. Amazon stopping. You want

some frames? Like like everybody knew

that I was searching for frames. Would

y'all leave me alone on the frames

thing? My lord. Everybody knew. All I

did was just search it one time. I I I

liked something that I saw. I I Warby

Parker, I like you. That's a cool

friend. And then all of a sudden, bang,

here come the algorithms. I want you to

understand something. The world's

algorithms, they will track what you

like and they will shove more of it in

your face and they will tell you you

can't live without it. But the kingdom,

God's algorithms also track things. But

it tracks your firsts. And when God's

kingdom tracks how you handle the first

sin life, it gives you more of life

because you have prioritized who he is.

You and I can live with the algorithms

of heaven running in our life and

shoving things into our path. You begin

to attract what you respect. You begin

to attract what you honor. It starts

coming at you and all of a sudden you

catch a rhythm of living in a first

fruit mindset. And it becomes so

natural. Well, it's not this hard,

heavy, difficult, in left field idea. It

begins to propel my life forward. And I

begin to wonder how did I live outside

of this to begin with. God is faithful

to his word. And with that, the first

fruit idea, the principle brings a

benefit package with it. And does

anybody like benefit package? Anybody

any like the benefits? That was not a

trick question. That means if you didn't

raise your hand, I'm taking yours right

back. It's all for me. Here's here's an

idea what benefits come with it. There's

a divine direction.

I I would Would it be okay if God became

your GPS system and led you through this

26 year? Told you which people to avoid,

>> Told you which opportunities to take

advantage of. Yeah. In other words, God

wants to get you out of the culdeac

driving in circles.

I'm really busy but going nowhere.

I'm spending gas but I'm not advancing.

caught in a culde-sac. He He wants to

get you out of the dead ends in life and

get you back on the highway. This is

what he's trying to do. It's the benefit

package of divine direction. Watch.

Exodus chapter 23:1 19. This is the

verse. This sounds a little freaky, a

little weird, but I'm going to explain

it to you. Watch this. Bring the best

up. Bring bring don't give. Bring bring

the best of your first fruits of your

soil to the house of the Lord your God.

Read this. Do not cook a young goat in

its mother's milk. What the heck?

Like, who put that in there?

Somebody hijacked your Bible and wrote

that thing in there cuz that don't fit.

And that is weird.

Just so you know, God thinks it's weird.

Also,

let me explain it to you.

The book of Exodus is written as all of

Israel came out of Egypt.

They were in bondage for over 400 years

in Egypt.

While they were in Egypt, immersed in

that Egyptian culture, paganism was

everywhere.

>> They worshiped everything. The sun, the

moon, the stars, the the the the dirt,

uh the the cockroaches in the dirt, uh

the like you name it. whatever it was,

they're going to worship it. They had

all of these gods everywhere. And Israel

was immersed in that. And watch this.

The way that they worshiped regarding

this, do not boil a young goat in its

mother's milk. They would literally take

a young goat, boil in its mother's milk,

and then take the ashes, the residue,

the stuff that came from it, and scatter

it on the fields, and they believe that

it would produce a greater harvest. It

assured a harvest for the next year. It

blessed all the land. if you did this.

>> So now in context, God's word says,

"Bring the first fruit to me. Honor me

with the first." Even when it's scary,

even when you don't have any assurance

that anything is going to come in, honor

me with the first and bring it to my

house. And while you're at it, do not be

playing with the pagan ideas that you

can reinforce your life and there's

always a backup plan that you need to

run to. put the horoscope down and stop

checking to see if I'm going to bless

your life or not.

Ouch. Oh, I felt that cold breeze come

right back at me in this room. That's

okay. We're going to go ahead and go

here. Stop trusting on your education

that you can depend on all of that. Stop

depending on the government on the White

House is going to cover. Stop it. Stop

it. Stop looking to everything and

everybody. Stop thinking that your job

is going to cover you. Stop thinking

your 401k is all you need. Social

Security. You got it all hemmed in. I

don't need nothing, baby. It takes one

crisis in America and everything goes

like a paperier-mâché doll. It is done

and over. The only thing you can depend

on is God, his word, his promise, his

resume, and you got to build your life

on that right there. It's the only thing

that'll get you through. You should know

this. If you live in Florida, we have

hurricanes.

You can't even depend on the power in

your house.

You better get a generator. You got to

back it up because it will flicker and

it will go. We our power went out a

couple of weeks ago, but not because of

a storm. It just went out. I Oh my god.

I had to go fire the generator up to

keep the refrigerator going.

You can't depend on that Verizon. You

can't depend on anybody to keep you

connected or keep you going. The only

connector. And God said, "Do not be

playing with pagan ideas. Do not try to

get away to hedge in in case I drop you.

I got you, boo. I didn't lie to you. I

told you I got you. Do it my way. You'll

get my results. Don't trust in other

sources. Work hard, but trust God.

>> He goes on in Exodus in in the next

verse, verse 20, here's what he says.

See, I'm sending an angel ahead of you

to guard you along the way and bring you

to the place I have prepared.

Bring the first fruit to me. Don't play

with your pagan ideas that think you got

your own life covered. Stop it. If

you'll bring the first fruit, I'm

sending an angel ahead of you this year.

>> This angel is going to lead you to the

place that I plan for your life. Not

what your grandma thinks you should be

doing.

>> Not what your mom and dad thinks you

should be doing. I've got a plan for

your life. I'm going to lead you. I'm

going to be ahead of you, y'all. When

someone says, I got your back, that's

kind of comforting except for the time

they stick knives in your back and like,

I wish you didn't have my back. I've

been down. But when you got one that's

ahead of you making the way ahead of

you, that's exactly what God's word

says. Bring the first fruit and I'm

dispatching an angel ahead of you. I

will walk ahead of you in 2026 and take

you right where I want you to be. It

sounds good to me, but it gets goodter.

Along with this first fruit principle

also comes provision. God wants to be an

abundant supplier in your life. Proverbs

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3, honor the Lord with your

wealth, with the first fruit of all your

crops. Then your barns will be filled to

overflowing and your vats will brim out

with brim over with new wine. I ain't

got no barns and I ain't got no vat,

pastor. No, but you got a bank account.

I promise you do. And you got some other

things in your life. And God just says,

"I know what you need and I know how to

supply in your life. I know how to care

for my own. He's a provider." Another

one, protection. I love this one, by the

way. This is two verses after I'm

sending an angel ahead of you. Two

verses later, listen what it says. I

will be an enemy to your enemies and

will oppose those who oppose you.

It's like, kiss my grits.

No, no, no, no. Can't touch this. Like,

he's got you down. I'm I'm going to I'm

going to deal with those folks. Do not

slap them. I will deal with them. Do not

go off on them. I got this situation. I

know the coworker situation. I can

handle that. I know who you live next

to, Satan, sister, but I can handle that

situation. I know how to get you through

this. I'm going to deal with this.

God knows what he's doing and how to

provide in your life. I'm going to

remove the enemies. That's why Malachi 3

says he's coming to rebuke the devourer,

that that's coming and stealing and

robbing your increase and your advance.

He says, "I'm going to stop the hidden

leaks. The areas of your life that are

leaking. You're leaking joy. You're

leaking hope. You're leaking resources.

The relationships are going sideways.

I'm going to stop the leaks. I'm going

to put it together. I know how to shut

the mouth of the one that's trying to

eat your life."

It's a part of the package that he

promised. He positions us. This is

amazing. It the first fruit principle

positions your entire life under the

blessing of heaven. Romans 11:1 16.

Romans 11:1

Listen, I'm almost done. I'm almost

done. If the first fruit is holy, so is

the lump.

And if the root is holy, so are the

branches.

Here's what the Bible is saying. your

first fruit lifestyle before God, time,

talent, treasure, honoring him. He's

saying this, all I'm asking for is the

first fruit. I didn't ask for 100%. I

asked for the first part. And if you'll

give me the first, I'll bless the rest.

He says, the first fruit is

representative of everything that comes

after it. That's why first fruit in the

Hebrew literally means a promise to

come. It's not there yet. You see, this

is the difference between the tithe and

the first fruit. The tithe is given

after you get the paycheck. You bring

him a tenth to say thank you. The first

fruit is given before the paycheck hits

to say, "I trust you and I honor you."

There's a difference in trust. There's a

difference in playing this out in our

life. And he goes on, if I could just

add one bonus part to the benefit

package, and that's this. There's

household blessing coming. Would it be

okay if you like had angels walk in the

hallways of your house this year? Like

just calm the kids. Yeah. All that. Of

course it would. Ezekiel chapter 44 says

Ezekiel 44 · chapter mention

this. You are to give the priest the

first portion of your grain. The first

portion. Read this. As a result, a

blessing will rest on your household.

Ladies and gentlemen, I didn't write

this into your Bible. That's there. This

is why it's important that you have a

Bible that you can study this for

yourself. My God, it's in my Bible, too.

That must mean God means it. Yeah, he's

kind of serious about his word. Do you

know that Passover, Easter, is the

number one most mentioned day in the

Bible? The number two most mentioned day

in the Bible is first fruit.

It is a powerhouse principle

that is to play out in all of our lives.

See this why this why I'm talking about

it being a principle of time, talent,

and treasure. Because first fruits is

not about your finances. It's about your

focus.

all of my life elevated to know him, to

honor him. And it includes how I handle

my resources as well. But it's so much

more than your resources. It's all that

you are.

In the Old Testament, the way this

played out is they brought that first

fruit and they gave it to the priest.

Leviticus 23 says they would give it to

the priest and the priest would take

that first fruit and he would wave it

above his head and pray over it and God

would release blessings on that that the

priest was holding and celebrating and

honoring because they brought the first

of the brand new harvest. It wasn't at

the end of the harvest. It was at the

very beginning. I have no promise that

it's all going to come out. But God, I

trust you that even if all of this dies,

you're going to provide and bless my

life. I'm know I'm good. And they

brought that and they honor God with it.

Today, we're going to give you that

chance to start that process in your

life. Why do I say a process? Because

how you give that is completely up to

you. The Bible doesn't give us a

specific on what that number is and and

what that is. I I will tell you this

though, history and studies in in in in

in in in Judaism in Jesus's day is they

would bring 150th 150th of that harvest

was considered a first fruit. Now 50

it's an interesting number. Well, you

and I we have 52 weeks in our year. And

so for years, more than 25 years, Cindy

and I have been celebrating first fruits

in our home at the beginning of every

year. And we would bring the equivalent

of one week's salary. 152nd is what we

would bring to honor God in the

beginning of the brand new year.

Declaring that the promise is still yet

to come in my life. That benefit package

is on the way. And by the way, not just

our giving. Time and talent is also

connected. We're pursuing you with our

prayer, with our life, our decisions,

our our friend group. We're going hard

towards you. We're going to throat punch

the next year. And we're scheduling,

we're pre-ordering our blessings to

break loose in this year. That's what

we're going after. But we also initiated

that with a very real substantial thing

that when we gave first fruits, we felt

it leave our life. It was like, dang,

that when I first started giving first

fruits, I was making $450 a week. $450 a

week. That was in the 1900s. $450 a

week. And I couldn't give a full week

salary at that time. That was more than

what we could do. I I That was crazy.

So, we started bringing something and it

began to move forward and we got to the

place that we were bringing one week's

salary, the equivalent of that. Whatever

that looks like for you, I'm I want to

encourage you to do something. I'm not

saying you've got to bring a full week's

salary. Many of you have been doing this

with us since the beginning of Free Life

because we've been doing it ever since

we started in 2011. And I'm challenging

you. If you're in the place where you

know what, it would be a stretch and it

would bite and it would sting a little

bit, but I want to honor God. Then I'm

going to just challenge you to come on

up and move towards him with something

that you can say, "God, I'm honoring you

in this first fruit offering. I dare you

to test God. I dare you to try him and

see if he was true or if he lied to you

and watch God work in your life."

There's a business owner that was

sitting in the second in the second

service, sitting right there in the

middle section. He started giving his

his first fruit. His very first first

first fruit was four years ago. He said,

"It's all I have left in the bank and we

were we just launched a business in the

beginning of January and first fruit was

the end of January. Let's just give it."

He and his wife said, "Let's just let's

just try God. Let's just see." Two days

later, he had his first contract that

was over a million dollars hit. And it's

not stopped since then. And he's saying,

"What the heck is going on?" Can I tell

you who's excited about first fruit this

year? That business owner. He's like,

"Can we go right now? We had people

giving first fruit on New Year's Eve.

They were already giving first fruit

because they're excited because they

know what's on the way. What I'm trying

to tell you is not just my opinion. It's

been proven throughout this auditorium.

And if it's new to you, I get it. But

I'm challenging you. Trust and take a

step towards God. I'm showing you in his

word. There's a podcast that Caleb and I

did on first fruit to lay this out and

teach 35 minutes. You can check it out

on the website. I want you loaded with

scripture. There's there's there's

little brochures that are loaded with

scripture to show you this principle

because I don't want you ignorant in

your giving. I want you to feel, man,

this is what God's word says. Let's go.

We want to equip you, educate you that

you can be strong, and I trust God's

word. It's true. It'll change your life.

>> We hope this message encouraged you. For

more encouraging messages, feel free to

visit our website, freelive chapel.org.

Until then, I hope you have an amazing

day.