Saturday, February 2, 2019 Day 33

Exodus 25-27            OFFERING: GOOD MOTIVE ADDS VALUE

The blessing of the Lord is unquantifiable, invaluable, immeasurable and inestimable. It is not an element of happiness but of fulness of joy. It elates the spirit of man. It is a thing of the spirit with enduring physical evidences. It outlives the recipient. It adds value to material possession. It affects all aspects of live. Money cannot be used to quantify. The greatest experience of this blessing in internal peace. This is the reason the way of the blessing should be taught appropriately without any selfish ambition.

Exodus 24:12 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.”

The children of Israel have their role to play and the priests have their responsibilities in the covenant. The prophets also have their part to play.

In Exodus chapter 24, you read of the levels of leadership set by God.

1. The Prophet
2. The Priests: Aaron, Nadab and Abihu
3. The minister
4. Elders of Israel

Though they all saw the glory of God, but it was from afar. Only Moses, the Prophet could get nearer. Seeing a glory is not the same as hearing His voice. One could be on the mountain, but not hear the Lord. the priests did eat and drink, but Moses was engulfed in the cloud of God.

Moses ran some courses or subjects in God’s classes. These are:

1. Types of offerings
2. The architectural design of the Ark
3. The design of the Table
4. The design of the candlestick
5. The design of the Tabernacle
6. The design of the Altar
7. The design of the court of the Tabernacle
8. The use of oil
9. The design of the priests’ garments
10. Consecration
11. The altar of incense
12. How to conduct Anointing service
13. Human resources; appointment of workers such as Bezaleel
14. The Sabbath

All in the space of 40 days and 40 nights. Each subject was well detailed, and it will take a great deal of patience to receive it; this is the type of spirit that is useful to the Lord. a meek and gentle spirit.

In the school of the Almighty, orderliness and sequence is the pattern. This is a thing the called must first realized. As for Moses, the first subject was the offering. in this subject, the first topic was, “WILLINGNESS”

Exodus 25:1-2 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 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.”

Willingness is a disposition or inclination of the heart to do something without any expectation attached to it. That is, not compelled to give for reward. For instance, if an influential man came to town for business and I offered him a room in my house, my gesture, though kind, could be influenced by the personality of the man and a motive rooted in personal gain in hosting such. On the other hand, if I saw a homeless man on the street, and I am inclined to get the man comfortable. This is might not be motivated for any gain, but just to see him of the street. The rich man could get a room for himself in the hotel. My gesture towards the rich man cannot weigh equally with that towards the homeless man. That of the homeless man weighs more. Holy Willingness is weighed by motive. Our offering is weighed by the motive behind it.

Jesus practical explained it in the synagogue whilst He walked here on earth.

Luke 21:1-4 “And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say to you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in to the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”

The widow, unlike the rich men, regarded her offering as a faith obligation. The rich men wanted fame and recognition; that was there reward. Their gifts were not accepted before God.

God told Moses, my offering must be from a willing heart and not from a cajoled heart. In most cases, cajolery is used to maneuver an unwilling heart. It does not mean that the heart is of good spirit even after it has been persuaded. A good spirit is of a cheerful heart. This is what God wants when it comes to giving to him. A cajoled heart can end up being sorrowful; God cannot owe anyone.

Proverbs 15:13 “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”

When a spirit is broken, such loses contact with God.

2 Corinthians 9:7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

Listen, beloved, when a heart grudges after being compelled or cajoled into giving, such hearts send curses along with the gift. And sorrowfulness of heart is a concern to God.

Ministers must know that cajoling into giving makes offerings unacceptable to the Lord. Cajoling carries lies with it. It is deceptive. God is not a gambler as to be seen as one who wouldn’t bless unless you give money. What ministers need to do is to teach them of willingness and not to cajole.

He gave Moses the list of what could be brought into the house of God, Exodus 25: 3-7. And the purpose was to build a sanctuary for the Lord; not for riotous living like the prodigal son, Luke 15:13.

Exodus 25:8-9 “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” God who gives the vision will always give the provision proportional to the vision. There is not any need for cajoling. Once cajoling comes into funding a vision, He removes His hand even though it still looks as if He is there. Those with willing hearts are those He has chosen. He chose Bezaleel by His Spirit

Supo Abayode

MFM, Delaware, USA