Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We come before You with grateful hearts, acknowledging that You are the source of our life, our provision, and our salvation. Thank You for Your Word that teaches us to put You first in all things. As we study today, open our hearts and minds to understand Your truth more deeply. Help us not only to hear, but to respond with faith and obedience. Teach us to trust You fully, even when it is difficult, and to honor You with the first and best of our lives. May Your Spirit guide us and align our hearts with Yours.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

If God is truly first in your life, everything begins to fall into its proper place. That doesn’t mean life will be free from problems or difficulties, but it means you will face them with the right perspective, strength, and guidance from God.

EXODUS 13:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.”... 12 that you shall set apart to the Lord all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the Lord’s. 13 But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.

1. The Firstborn Must be Sacrificed or Redeemed.

This passage reveals a foundational truth: what comes first belongs to God because He is the giver of life and the One who rescues. The command to consecrate or redeem the firstborn points to a deeper spiritual reality—humanity, unable to make itself acceptable before God, needs redemption. This ultimately points to Christ, who takes the place of the unclean so they may be spared. Honoring God first, therefore, is not just a ritual, but a response to His grace and a recognition that everything belongs to Him.

The illustration of the donkey and the lamb clarifies this truth. The donkey, an unclean animal, could not be offered to God unless it was redeemed by a clean substitute—the lamb. In the same way, we are born with a sinful nature and cannot present ourselves as acceptable to God on our own. Jesus, who is pure and without sin, became the perfect sacrifice so that we could be redeemed. The clean was given for the unclean, showing that salvation has always been God’s plan.

This principle also reveals the importance of putting God first. When God asks for the first, it requires faith because nothing else has yet been secured. Yet this act of trust brings blessing upon what remains. It reflects the same principle seen in tithing—not as a mere obligation, but as an expression of faith and trust in God as provider. In this sense, Jesus is the ultimate example: God gave His Son first, before humanity responded, demonstrating His love and setting the pattern of giving first. Even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, showing that God initiates redemption and invites us to trust Him fully.

2. The First fruits Must be Offered.

PROVERBS 3:9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

EXODUS 23:19 The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.

These verses emphasize that honoring God with the first portion is an act of trust and worship. By giving the first and best, a person acknowledges God as provider rather than relying on personal security. The promise of provision is not a formula for wealth, but a reflection of God’s faithfulness to those who put Him first. It teaches that proper order in the heart—placing God above possessions—results in a life aligned with His provision and blessing.

When God talks about tithing, He never uses the word give. He uses the word bring because you can’t give what does not belong to you; you can only bring it. Tithing is returning to God what belongs to Him.

LUKE 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

This passage highlights the conflict of loyalty within the human heart. It shows that devotion cannot be divided between God and worldly security, represented by mammon. The issue is not wealth itself, but what rules the heart. When God is truly first, material things lose their power to control decisions, and the believer is freed to live in wholehearted devotion rather than divided allegiance.

GENESIS 4:3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

It doesn’t say first fruit.

Here, the contrast between two offerings reveals that God values the heart and attitude behind the act. One offering reflects priority and faith, while the other reflects mere obligation. This demonstrates that worship is not measured by the act alone, but by whether God is truly given first place. It teaches that acceptable worship flows from a heart that honors God above all else.

MALACHI 3:6 “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

This verse reinforces the unchanging nature of God, which gives consistency to His principles. Because He does not change, His standards of honor, worship, and devotion remain constant across generations. This assures believers that placing God first is not based on shifting expectations, but on the steady character of God Himself.

3. The Tithe Must be First.

LEVITICUS 27:30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.

This passage affirms that a portion is set apart as belonging to God, emphasizing His ownership over all provision. Recognizing this cultivates humility and stewardship, reminding believers that they are caretakers rather than owners. Setting apart the first portion reflects a heart that acknowledges God’s rightful place and trusts Him with the rest.

LUKE 34:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This verse connects outward actions with inward reality, showing that what a person values most reveals the true condition of the heart. When God is first, it is evident not only in words but in priorities and choices. It calls for self-examination, urging believers to align their hearts with their confession of faith.

EXODUS 13:14 So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

This passage explains the purpose behind the practice—remembrance and testimony. It teaches that honoring God with the first is a way of passing down the story of His deliverance to the next generation. The act becomes a visible reminder that everything they have comes from God’s power and grace, shaping a legacy of faith centered on Him.

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We come before You with grateful hearts, acknowledging that You are the source of our life, our provision, and our salvation. Thank You for Your Word that teaches us to put You first in all things. As we study today, open our hearts and minds to understand Your truth more deeply. Help us not only to hear, but to respond with faith and obedience. Teach us to trust You fully, even when it is difficult, and to honor You with the first and best of our lives. May Your Spirit guide us and align our hearts with Yours.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

The content of this article is adapted from the source below:

First Things First