Title
First Fruits: From Promise to Provision
Author:
Paula White
Publisher:
Paula White Ministries
Date of Publication:
2006
ISBN:
978-0-9792092-0-8
Rating:
0
Summary:
The book is a drawn out justification for you why you should give, in addition to your tithing (a full 10%), your first month's salary to Without Walls International Church (or whichever prosperity gospel church or megachurch you belong to).
Review:
I attended a meeting at Without Walls just to see what all the fuss was about. On my way out someone handed me a copy of this book. It was free. I took it. I didn't want it, but they gave it to me anyway. I took the 20 minutes it requires to skim the book and realize what it says (see my summary above). It probably wasn't worth my 20 minutes (and my additional 20 minutes to write this review) but hey, why not?
Just so people know I'm not making up what the book's message is, I have a few quotes for you. From page 85, “People ask me why my husband and I set January aside as a season of private and corporate fasting, giving, and prayer. God set the Feast of First Fruits as the beginning of things for Israel... We are offering up that first month unto the Lord to establish what happens in the rest of the year... By presenting God the firstfruits: the first part of your day, the first month of the year, the first of your increase, you are saying “I present this as holy, consecrated to the Lord... and I cannot touch it.” It governs everything else that operates in your life.”
So, technically, what Ms. White (not Mrs. anymore) is saying is that you can determine what your “firstfruits” are going to be: one day's salary, one week's, one month's, etc., but you have to give it in order to be in favor with god. If you don't, well, that's when she introduces the guilt complex (just 7 pages later), from p. 92, “I never want to experience the Lord's absence. I cannot imagine trying to do anything without the Lord being with me.” And from page 93, “When we obey, we are blessed; when we do not, we open ourselves to demonic activity...” If you don't give us your fucking “firstfruits,” god will curse you. Give us more, more, more!!!!!
Oh, and in case there is any question as to who actually gets what you donate, here's her subtle clarification, “But – what happened to all those baskets of fruit afterwards? [the ones donated by the Israelites as firstfruits] They were not consumed by fire. God didn't come down and eat them. So who did? The priests did.” (p. 113) In other words, Give us more, more, more!!!!!
But don't think Paula doesn't give, too, “At the beginning of every year, in the month of January, Randy and I, along with our entire congregation, dedicate ourselves to a holy consecrated fast and the offering of first fruits... We also present our first fruits of the year to the Lord in the form of one day's salary, one week's salary, or even one whole month's salary as each person has the faith and ability to give.” Of course, for Paula, she gives herself her salary, so that's kind of convenient. I wonder how much she sucks out of unwitting victims in a single day?
At the end of the book Ms. White gives examples of people offering their first fruits. Some give tons, others give a little, but not to worry, “God says that all first fruits belong to Him, great or small.” And by “God” Paula means “Paula. She'll take your money if your rich or poor. Doesn't matter to Paula, 'cause it's all about the money.
Usually when I read a book I use a pencil to make very small marks around the paragraphs of interest then indicate where they are with removable post-its. In her book, I used pen and dog-eared the pages. Then I threw it away. You should do the same.
