We have practiced the biblical model of giving a “First Fruits Offering”, since 2003 following the biblical pattern taught to the people of God that when they entered the promise land they were to bring a voluntary offering to God at the beginning of their harvest each year.  The land that Israel possessed would yield two crops every year, sometimes three.  God taught the people that the first fruit of their harvest was to be brought to the Temple and it would be holy to the Lord, or set aside for his purposes.  The Lord promised all the people that when they gave the first fruits to him, the rest of their crops would be abundantly blessed throughout the remainder of the year.

The practical application of this principle for us today is that we set aside a financial offering to give the Lord during the beginning of the year that reflects our faith in God’s ability to increase our finances greatly over the remainder of the year.  Since this has been taught at Skyway, we have seen a great increase in the annual finances of our members because they have gained faith in this biblical principle and are putting it into action.  One of our member’s businesses went from 1million dollars income to over 5 million during the past year!  Now that is a supernatural increase!  Every year, we have seen our First Fruits Offering increase and the annual tithing increase because the family’s annual income is increasing.  This principle from God’s word is truly changing our economic status one person at a time.

This is a free will offering that we are asking God’s people to give according to what they have and according to their faith in what God is going to do in their lives this year.  Each person in the family, including each child, is encouraged to pray and give according to the level of faith that is in their heart regarding this offering.  Look at this promise from the Bible…

Malachi 3:11-12 (KJV) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. [12] And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

Look at the context of the promise. After the tithe and the offering were brought to the Temple, the people went home with more seed to plant in their own fields. The Lord promised to cause those seeds planted in the earth to be abundant and prosperous.  Today we are taught to bring the tithe and offering to the church, but we have failed to teach God’s people to believe that God will bless their financial investments or job situations.  Some examples would be advances in the workplace, personal businesses, stocks, bonds, land, houses, condo’s, real estate, and all the things that creates cash flow.  God wants his children to possess the wealth of the earth so we can be stewards of that wealth to finance the projects of the Kingdom in the last days.  God wants money to work for you, instead of you working for money.  When money works for you, you will have the time to do the things God wants you to do when God wants you to do them.  He uses us at work, but we should not be tied down to the monthly paycheck to survive.  Your seed in the earth is where God can really set you free financially!  God’s ultimate plan is to cause the nations to look at us and say, “You are really blessed! Your God really takes care of you!” I have taught about this topic in the series, “Possessing the Increase parts 1-4.