Get ready to experience the greatest harvest of your life as you position yourself to see:
Position yourself for manifold increase in every area of your life!
Firstfruits, or Yom HaBikkurim, is a Biblical Jewish festival offered in celebration and recognition for God’s hand of blessing and provision extended over His people (Leviticus 23:9-14). Also referred to as the Feast of Weeks in the Bible, Firstfruits is recognized at the start of the Jewish religious calendar every year, and has been in practice throughout Jesus’ time, and into the twenty first century.
The word firstfruits actually means “a promise to come,” and is the most mentioned day in the Bible, except for Passover. However, the actual practice and celebration of firstfruits involved painstaking efforts and eager involvement of each household. In fact, the process of gathering the firstfruits required each family to carefully watch their fields. And, at the sight of the first-budding fruit or grain, they would immediately “mark” each species of maturing fruit by tying a piece of red yarn around the branch, limb or vine; designating them as the first and most progressed in the growing process for the new year – a firstfruit sacrifice.
Once the firstfruit crop had matured and was harvested, it was brought to the Temple, where the High Priest would accept their gift, and lifting it above his head, waved the sacrifice before Jehovah in thanksgiving and recognition for His continued provision and blessing. It was only after this firstfruit sacrifice had been made that the people could consume the remainder of the harvest, because the first had sanctified the rest!
Special Note: Remember, this is your year for the greatest comeback ever mentioned to man. Rebuild | Restore | Revive | Release (Isaiah 58:11-12; 1Peter 5:10) Receive all that God has in store for you in 2023!
Bishop Dr. Douglas AlexanderSenior PastorThe New Church Without Walls InternationalP.O. Box 367, Hernando, FL 34442
Firstfruits
“For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.” (Romans 11:16)
One of the most important laws of the Bible involves the principle of Firstfruits. It is the law of firsts things first and it has a fundamental impact on everything in your life. Understanding and living by this law helps you position yourself to receive the promise God has for you.
The Fundamentals of Firstfruits
A firstfruit literally means “a promise to come.” Whatever you do with firstfruits governs the rest and sets the pattern, or the promise, to come for the rest of whatever you establish. And first things always belong to God. In Genesis 22:2, God told Abraham, “Give me thy son, thine only son, Isaac.” First Corinthians 15:23 says, “But every man in his own order.” Romans 8:29 says, “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Jesus was the firstborn and this He was the firstfruit.
God wanted a family; He sowed a Son. That’s why Jesus ascended from hell. He said to Mary Magdelene, “You can’t touch Me because I have not ascended unto the Father yet.” (John 20:17) He had to present Himself to God the Father as the firstfruit. Mary understandably wanted to grasp Jesus tightly and keep Him with her, but He had to be the spotless Lamb without blemish. He couldn’t be tarnished. He became the firstfruit offering so we might become sons of God.
We can learn more about firstfruits in Exodus 13:11-13. It says:
“And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, that thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S. And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck; and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.”
This verse is saying every firstborn thing is devoted to God in a covenantal way. In other words, when you get your breakthrough, when you get that increase at your job, when anything new is established in your life you must acknowledge the source of that increase. The first of that whole increase is devoted to God.
The firstfruit is not a tithe of the increase. It’s the whole increase.
What you must understand now is all first things belong to God, even the first part of your day. That’s why the Bible says in Psalm 5:3:
“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
The first of everything belongs to God. He lays claim to it. Any time something is called a “first thing,” a “firstfruit,” a “devoted thing,” God always lays claim to it because God sees the first thing as representing what comes after it. The principle is that God sees all things according to how the first things are treated.
Romans 11:16 says:
“For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches.”
Exodus 22:29-30 says:
“Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors; the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep; seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it to me.”
Jesus fulfilled this old covenant way of obeying this mandate. We don’t sacrifice the firstlings of our sheep at the temple anymore or redeem our firstborn sons with gold. Jesus paid for all needed redemption. But, the principle established by the Exodus mandate remains. Today, we dedicate all our children to God, pleading the blessings of His new covenant over them. It may be appropriate, however, to make a special offering to the storehouse of God for your firstborn child, just to acknowledge that all your children are a gift from God.
God says first things belong to Him and He pursues covenant with first things to establish redeeming covenant with everything that comes after it. God said it is better to destroy a firstfruit than to use it for your own personal gain. If you touch a holy thing, it will bring a curse on you, and God says it is better to destroy that thing rather than let it curse you.
Tithe vs. Firstfruits
I believe the body of Christ has been missed. You may have been taught that firstfruit is your tithe. But your tithe is not your firstfruit.
Firstfruit is mentioned 32 times in the Bible. In Genesis 4, it is mentioned as “firstlings” or “firstfruits.” Tithe is also mentioned 32 times in the Bible, but your tithe is first mentioned when Abram pays his tithe to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:20. The firstfruit is different.
The tithe is the first tenth of God’s daily provision (your regular paycheck or a bonus or any ordinary income or increase that comes as a regular part of God’s provision for you). The firstfruit is the whole of something given to you by God that represents all that comes after it.
When I started this ministry, I received a substantial gift of money in support. Instead of using it to support the ministry, I firstfruited it to God to establish His covenant with the whole of my ministry. I gave the whole gift to Him and didn’t use any of it in my own ministry. I believe this act of obedience is the reason my ministry prospers.
If the firstfruits are sanctified to God – relinquished to Him in some way that worships Him – then all that comes after will be blessed. But if the firstfruits aren’t sanctified to God, then they are judged as withheld from Him and fruit that comes after will be cursed. Proverbs 3:9-10 says:
“Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”
God says your tithe and your firstfruits are not the same thing. The firstfruit is the first of everything. After that, you tithe on everything else. I’m not just talking about your money either. I’m talking about the first hours of your day, the first Sunday of every month, the first month of every year, the first of everything that sanctifies all that follows. The first belongs to God and the first establishes the blessing or cursing of everything else.
First things first. That’s why the Bible says to remember the Lord thy God. “Firstfruit” the Lord thy God. That same Hebrew word, Zakar, is found when Noah was spared. The Word says the Lord remembered. The Lord firstfruited Noah for His covenant’s sake. It says to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Zakar (firstfruit) the Sabbath and keep it holy. It’s God’s day.
It’s a holy day and you firstfruit it to the Lord. Do this and all your days will be holy in God’s eyes. What you do first thing in the morning sets the rest of the day. You don’t need to get up, get your coffee, and start doing your own thing. You need to say, “Good morning, Holy Spirit. I bless You today.” You need to worship your Lord and hear from Him. Then, go get your day started.
For further exploration of the Principle of Firstfruits, see these passages of scripture:
Rebuild Restore Revive Release
2023
Isaiah 58:11-12
11 The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
1 Peter 5:10
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Hello Saints, Affiliates, Friends and Ministry Partners!
This year 2023, our theme is Rebuild, Restore, Revive, Release. Join us for fasting (Daniel Fast) and prayer for 21 days, beginning January 9 through January 29.
The fast will consist of:
FIRST FRUITS CELEBRATION GIVING
January through March
We will be celebrating our special First Fruit offering again this year.
Thank you greatly for your support as we press into this year 2023 – Rebuild, Restore, Revive, Release – at The New Church Without Walls International.
Serving Together in Jesus’ Name,
Bishop Douglas Alexander Sr. & Lady “T” Alexander
YOU FASTING WILL PUT YOUR PRAYER LIFE IN FOCUS
Never Take Fasting Lightly
THE PURPOSE
SPIRITUAL RESULTS
Salvation
Healing
Discipline
Spiritual Breakthroughs
Deliverance
Walk in the counsel of God
Grow Spiritually
Members to acquire: Homes, Businesses, New Jobs, Pay Increases, Promotions, Scholarships, Fellowships
Church Growth
Miracles
For the overflow of blessings to come in the New Church Building and its funding
Fasting will help establish one’s authority in the word of God.
Fasting and Prayer also aid in the release of God’s power in your life.
Fasting allows God to give you fresh revelation.
Fasting will place you (church) in a position to receive spiritual direction.
Fasting will release your finances that the enemy has stolen.
Fasting will undo unbelief.
Fasting will bring explosive church growth.
Fasting and prayer bring boldness.
PHYSICAL RESULTS
DAILY SCRIPTURE READING
Cleans out your body
Lowers your cholesterol level
Makes you feel and look better physically
Sharpens your mental processes
Lowers your blood pressure
Psalms - Read one chapter
Proverbs - Read one chapter
Isaiah 58
Special Notice: Please pray and read your bible.
Daniel’s Food List
100% Fruit and Vegetable Juices All VegetablesNuts – all unsaltedBaked Potato (regular and sweet),Brown Rice,Whole Grain Oatmeal,Quinoa and other Whole Grains
Fruits
Water – including naturally flavored & sparkling
Any Soy Products
Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Oat Milk, etc. (All nut-based milk products)
Salad Dressing (Italian {no creamy or ranch style}, Oil & Vinegar and Vinaigrettes)
All plant-based products and seafood
All Beans (lentils, red beans, black beans, white beans, black eyed peas, pinto, etc.) NO PORK AND BEANS or any beans that have been precooked or that sits in any animal oils.)
Olive, Canola and Coconut Oil (for cooking purposes) NO VEGETABLE OIL
ITEMS NOT ALLOWED:
Butter, Saturated oils, White Flour, Peanut Butter, Meat (poultry, pork, beef, veal, etc.), Fried Foods, Eggs, Cheese, Dairy Milk, Fast Foods, Caffeine, Alcohol, Cookies, Cakes or any other dessert.
