Tommy Barnett Giving Messages

Dream City Church: DREAMessages

Quick Sermon (Just Before the Offering)

EXODUS 23:19-20

Every year I read this scripture and remind you of a great truth. Now, folks, I hope you don’t take this for granted. I hope you’ll listen to me because what I’m going to give you today is what you need at the first of the year, if you want the blessings ofGod to follow you this year in your life and your business.

Lots of you experience the blessing and haven’t been heeding the call of God. God’s merciful but when you know the truth, it will set you free or condemn you.

I read from Exodus 23:19: The first of the first fruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God...

When God created man in the Garden of Eden, there was ONE tree (don’t miss this!)that they couldn’t touch, 10 they could touch. See, God was saying you can have it all, but there’s one you can’t touch, one tenth of all the trees belongs to me and that’s the first place you hear of tithing in the Bible.

The second was the children of Israel when they came to the Promised Land. The first city they conquered was Jericho and God said you can’t take anything out of that city – in other battles they could take what they could get. But God is saying the first fruit is mine. Remember Achan? He took something out of the battle and he hid it in the ground and his family was stricken dead. The sin of Achan is he didn’t tithe.

The third was the deliverance of Israel. God gave them one day and “that day is mine and He called it the Sabbath day.” Six days and the 7th day is mine – the first fruit.

Number four. The first animal that was born was called the first fruit; given as a sacrifice up to God.

Number five. The first tenth of the crop was brought in and given to God as the first fruit. The first child that was born was set aside for the priesthood.

Number six. Ten percent of a Christian’s income is too tithe to the local church.

Now why does God want the first fruit? It’s a sign that the rest belongs to God as well. It’s like a wedding ring says “I’m yours”. It also means that the last fruit is alsoGod’s.

Now there’s a promise that’s found in this scripture. (Verse 20) Behold, I send an angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. There’s a promise given to those who have an angel who will go before you, who will keep you on the right path. Here’s how we would like this scripture to read, “Behold I send an angel before you to keep you in the way and keep you in the place which you would like to have prepared.”

Now, if you’ve listened to anything I’ve said, please hear this then I’m done. God is going to control the order and if He has to, He will take you into a place to find out how painful it is not to have an angel in front of us, to go before us, to fight our battles, to prepare the way. I want to say to everyone in the place, I want to urge you all to start the new year giving the first fruit to God.

The promise is that he would open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing you can’t contain. And He sent an angel before you, that’s a promise.

How many of you would like a guardian angel? Well, that’s the promise of the first fruit.