Everything Starts With God

I. Read , , .

1. We need to take special notice of the very first words of the Bible.

What was his great sin?

2. Think about it: The very first thing that the Holy Ghost was to tell us must be pretty important.

3. In , it starts: ‘In the beginning God…’

Was it disobedience? Was it stealing?

4. The Bible begins with God, Creation begins with God, the first day began with God, and the first part of our day should begin with God too.

It was a little bit of both, but it was also something much bigger than these sins too. (see ).

5. Many of our mistakes would not have been made, if we spent as long praying beforehand, as we did crying afterwards.

6. Most people wouldn’t think of dashing off to work without their wallet, without eating breakfast, or taking their vitamins/medicine.

Before they ever went to battle, God had already given Joshua direct commands on what to do with everything won from the spoils.

7. But many plunges headlong into a perilous day without preparing their soul for it!

None were to be kept, but all of it would go into the treasury of the Lord.

8. Everything began with God…how foolish to start anything else without Him.

II. God told us in , that He is the first and the last.

This battle happened right in between 2 Feasts, Passover, and the Feast of Firstfruits.

1. The first commandment He wanted us to know, is we are to have no other gods before Him.

2. Anything we put in front of Him turns into a god.

Since this was the

3. He wants us to worship Him on the first day of our week, to start the week right.

Jericho was the first city that Israel conquered in the newly attained Promised Land.

4. He wants us to give Him the first part of our day, each day before everything else.

5. God instituted the law of first-fruits to help Israel remember to put God first in every part of their lives.

His great sin involved not giving to God what He wants/desires/commands.

6. When the harvest came in, God got the first sheaf, and the first 10 percent/tithe.

It also involved taking that which is the Lord’s, and holding back on God.

7. When the firstlings of the flock were born, they were to be reserved for offering unto God.

8. They were to give their firstborn son unto God, for they were holy unto the Lord.

Because all of Israel knowing this command going into battle, Achan knew he was taking things that belonged to God.

9. God used the first-fruits to take care of the Levites and priests.

He knew that God had already declared it all as His (holy unto Himself).

10. That is why we give the first tenth/tithe unto the Lord, it goes to the work of the ministry.

III. In the account of Achan, why did he and his whole family have to die?

Achan failed to give unto the Lord what He desired.

1. What was his great sin?

2. Was it his disobedience?

He not only stole the stuff, he stole it from the Lord and not man.

3. Was it his stealing?

He was disobedient to God’s command.

4. It was a little bit of both, but it was also something much bigger than these sins.

5. Before they ever went to battle, God had already given Joshua direct commands on what to do with everything won from the spoils.

He knew it was wro

6. Nothing was to be kept, but everything would go into the treasury of the Lord.

He found out that you can’t hide anything from the Lord.

7. This battle happened right in between 2 Feasts, Passover, and the Feast of First-fruits.

8. The first battle of the year was bound by the law of first-fruits.

We need to take special notice of the very first words of the Bible.

9. Since this was the first battle of the year, everything belonged to the Lord through the law of First-fruits.

Think about this: The very first thing that the Holy Ghost was directed to tell us must be pretty important.

10. Jericho was the first city that Israel conquered in the newly attained Promised Land.

IV. If we aren’t careful, we will be as guilty as Achan was.

1. His great sin involved not giving to God what He wants/desires/commands.

In , it says: ‘In the beginning God…’

2. It also involved taking that which is the Lord’s, and holding back on God.

3. Because Israel knew this command going into battle, Achan knew he was taking things that belonged to God.

The Bible begins with God, Creation begins with God, the first day began with God, and the first part of our day should begin with God too.

4. He knew that God had already declared it all as His (holy unto Himself).

Many mistakes would not have been made, if we spent as long praying beforehand, as we do crying afterwards. Most men wouldn’t think of dashing off to work without their wallet, or wi

5. Achan failed to give unto the Lord what He desired.

6. He not only stole the stuff, he stole it from the Lord and not man.

Most men wouldn’t think of dashing off to work without their wallet, or without eating breakfast, or taking their vitamins/medicine.

7. He found out that you can’t take anything from the Lord.

But many plunges headlong into a perilous day without preparing his soul for it!

8. Are we any better than Achan?

9. Do you put God first in your life?

Everything began with God…how foolish to start anything else without Him.

10. It cost Achan more than he could give by taking what was supposed to be God’s.