First place

When Jesus addressed the crowds during His famous sermon on the mount, He told them to ‘seek first His kingdom and His righteousness’ and everything else will be added. Matt 6:31-33. When we offer our time, money and resources to the Lord, it is the means by which the kingdom of God grows but it is also the evidence of our reliance on Him. Contrary to popular belief, God is not obliged to look after us and do whatever we want just because we become Christians. In fact, we have no rights apart from the righteousness that He attributes to us when we seek first His kingdom and put Him first; or as Paul said to the Colossians, give Him ‘first place in everything’. Col 1:18. It is interesting to note that the word ‘place’ is not found in the original text, which simply says to ‘make Him first’ referring of course to His position as the firstborn Son and the firstfruits in the language of the Old Testament. Col 1:15. 1 Cor 15:20, 23. As the firstborn Son of the Father, Christ is the heir of all things; and as the firstfruits of the new creation, He is our assurance of the resurrection and eternal life. The letter to the Hebrews actually calls all Christians in every time and place, ‘the church of the firstborn’ which confirms our position as co-heirs with Christ.

Heb 12:23. Rom 8:17. We read in the Gospel of Luke that everything that is ‘first’ is holy to the Lord and, therefore, belongs to Him; so we can rightly assume that we are protected when we become part of the ‘first’. Luke 2:23. When we offer, we make Him first because we are not serving our own interests or agendas before His. Nevertheless, our provision is ensured and we, therefore, have no need to rebuke demons and devils because everything is answered in the miracle of offering. In the book of Malachi, we learn that God promises to rebuke the devourer and bless us abundantly when we bring our tithes and offerings into His storehouse. Mal 3:8-10.

David Falk

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Feature Articles
March 2010

First Place

In and out

Facing our fears

First love

Fronting up!

Are you the one?

Seek Him first

The first and the best

When the axe is blunt

Come home

Familiarity breeds contempt