THE KEY FOR THE LORD'S PROJECTS - WILLINGNESS
Exodus 25:2
"Tell the Israelites that they are to set aside offerings for me. Receive the offerings from everyone who is willing to give.
This is key, I remember preaching a sermon at a Cathedral as a young man, with Clergymen seated I looked at them and the congregation and reminded them that the owner of His church will provide for its keep. We must not be afraid, for fear comes when we trust in man and numbers, our trust is in the Lord, He will always bring the helpers. Those who are willing. For the church is not about the physical building but a community of people, thus when God manifests His power, the reflectors will be the humans who make up the church. The people who are willing!
The mistake we make is that we feel that we are helping the Lord when we chase after money, twist the word received because we do not want to displease the donors. The question we should ask is, who are we serving? Whose business are we running? If it is the Lord's business, then we stick to His kingdom rules.
Listen to that verse again:
Exodus 25:2 (KJV)
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
Exodus 25:2(NLT)
“Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them.
The Lord will always make the people He has called willing to participate in funding His projects. For humans look at the outward show but the Heavenly Father looks at the heart.
When we understand this, we would not give His glory to anyone else. We must understand who is Boss. The caller is the Boss.
So in Exodus 25, we see the Lord showing the plan for the building of the ark of the covenant, one key word here is - attention to details. This is why anyone who is called to lead or pastor cannot live anyhow, he must be a man that follows the details, not careless but attentive in the Spirit to follow the laid down instructions. (No one is forced to become a pastor or to lead! - you are called then you respond)
I believe that the construction must have a resemblance to the Lord's Heavenly throne/abode, for the earth is an extension of the heavens - God's colony. However we are not to be carried away by the physical characteristics, the Heavenly Father is Spirit. Listen to Him:
Isaiah 66:1-2
This is what the Lord says:
“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place?
My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.
Stephen the disciple tried to explain this to the people:
Acts 7:48-50
However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,
‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that?’ asks the Lord.
‘Could you build me such a resting place?
Didn’t my hands make both heaven and earth?’
Again we see Paul reiterate this:
Acts 17:24-25
“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples,
and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.
We hear Jesus tell the Samaritans:
John 4:21,23-24
Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.
For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
Thus I repeat that the present pandemic has taught us some lessons on the spirituality of our worship. There is nothing wrong with the beautiful, gigantic and spacious edifice, they are good. However we must know what is essential, the church is not the building, but the souls.
*[The church is never poor because the people who make up the church are blessed! Do you know that no member of a congregation/fold should go hungry - may the Lord give our spiritual leaders wisdom. They must neither be hungry of word(spiritual food) or physical food.
What is wrong with the spiritual leaders and clergy of our day, is Jesus and the disciples not our example? Wake up church.
However no member is allowed to be lazy or idle, we must strike the balance.]*
We are not moved by sight but by faith, faith makes God's people willing.
Thus I love this statement by David which we use in the celebration of the eucharist, the holy communion:
1Chronicles 29:14
But who [am] I, and what [is] my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things [come] of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
Glory to God for His people will be willing, our hearts shall be fully dedicated to the Lord, we shall be the display of His power.
Psalm 110:3
Thy people [shall be] willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
Glory to God. May we be found willing in the day of His power.
He calls us blessed.
Love
@the watcher.
"Tell the Israelites that they are to set aside offerings for me. Receive the offerings from everyone who is willing to give.
This is key, I remember preaching a sermon at a Cathedral as a young man, with Clergymen seated I looked at them and the congregation and reminded them that the owner of His church will provide for its keep. We must not be afraid, for fear comes when we trust in man and numbers, our trust is in the Lord, He will always bring the helpers. Those who are willing. For the church is not about the physical building but a community of people, thus when God manifests His power, the reflectors will be the humans who make up the church. The people who are willing!
The mistake we make is that we feel that we are helping the Lord when we chase after money, twist the word received because we do not want to displease the donors. The question we should ask is, who are we serving? Whose business are we running? If it is the Lord's business, then we stick to His kingdom rules.
Listen to that verse again:
Exodus 25:2 (KJV)
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
Exodus 25:2(NLT)
“Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them.
The Lord will always make the people He has called willing to participate in funding His projects. For humans look at the outward show but the Heavenly Father looks at the heart.
When we understand this, we would not give His glory to anyone else. We must understand who is Boss. The caller is the Boss.
So in Exodus 25, we see the Lord showing the plan for the building of the ark of the covenant, one key word here is - attention to details. This is why anyone who is called to lead or pastor cannot live anyhow, he must be a man that follows the details, not careless but attentive in the Spirit to follow the laid down instructions. (No one is forced to become a pastor or to lead! - you are called then you respond)
I believe that the construction must have a resemblance to the Lord's Heavenly throne/abode, for the earth is an extension of the heavens - God's colony. However we are not to be carried away by the physical characteristics, the Heavenly Father is Spirit. Listen to Him:
Isaiah 66:1-2
This is what the Lord says:
“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place?
My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.
Stephen the disciple tried to explain this to the people:
Acts 7:48-50
However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,
‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that?’ asks the Lord.
‘Could you build me such a resting place?
Didn’t my hands make both heaven and earth?’
Again we see Paul reiterate this:
Acts 17:24-25
“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples,
and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.
We hear Jesus tell the Samaritans:
John 4:21,23-24
Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.
For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
Thus I repeat that the present pandemic has taught us some lessons on the spirituality of our worship. There is nothing wrong with the beautiful, gigantic and spacious edifice, they are good. However we must know what is essential, the church is not the building, but the souls.
*[The church is never poor because the people who make up the church are blessed! Do you know that no member of a congregation/fold should go hungry - may the Lord give our spiritual leaders wisdom. They must neither be hungry of word(spiritual food) or physical food.
What is wrong with the spiritual leaders and clergy of our day, is Jesus and the disciples not our example? Wake up church.
However no member is allowed to be lazy or idle, we must strike the balance.]*
We are not moved by sight but by faith, faith makes God's people willing.
Thus I love this statement by David which we use in the celebration of the eucharist, the holy communion:
1Chronicles 29:14
But who [am] I, and what [is] my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things [come] of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
Glory to God for His people will be willing, our hearts shall be fully dedicated to the Lord, we shall be the display of His power.
Psalm 110:3
Thy people [shall be] willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
Glory to God. May we be found willing in the day of His power.
He calls us blessed.
Love
@the watcher.
May the Lord count us worthy of His works through blessings from Him
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