Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: A Willing Heart
Date: Thursday January 26, 2012
Today's Chapters: Exodus 35-37
Preview of Today's Message: God loves a willing heart, in fact, if a heart is not willing He rather it not do anything for Him than do it and not enjoy it. All Scripture quoted from the King James Version.

Hello My Friend,

Jesus Christ is the chief Shepherd of the whole flock and heritage of God. All those that faithfully serve Him will receive a crown of unfading glory, infinitely better and more honorable than all the authority, wealth, and pleasure of the world combine. The key to receiving such glory is having a willing heart, willing means with free will, cheerfully of ones own choice. God wants a cheerful, servant coming to Him with their own free will.

“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away...Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” -1 Peter 5:2-4,8-11.

The time had come for the tabernacle to be built, just as God instructed Moses to the exact specifications, Moses instructed the people. God did not force anyone to participate He wanted people of a willing heart to build His dwelling place. “And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,..And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded;” - Exodus 35:4,5,10.

God will never force anyone to come to Him, just as He wants a willing heart to do His work He wants a willing heart to accept Him into their lives. “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” - Mark 12:30.

God stirred the hearts of many, whatever skill they had, men, women, and children came eager to make and do the things that needed to be build for the tabernacle, which by the way, they would never enter or work in. “And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD. And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them.” - Exodus 35:21-23.

God will use anyone willing to work for Him, while there are some things that He only wants men or women to do specifically, He will put anyone to work for Him that have a willing heart to do so. In fact, He gives us the skills that we have today to be used of His purpose. For example, I am a website designer, God uses me to build websites specifically for the service of spreading the Gospel and the truths of His Word. Everything we are good at is a gift from God. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” - Ephesians 4:11,12.

Much of what we read today is a replay of what we read a couple of days ago, while it may seem a waste of time it is important. Why? It shows that every detail from the very last candle stick was made according to God's specifications and that we can be obedient to everyone of God's commands. God chose Bezaleel and Aholiab to build the parts that would go in the tabernacle.

“Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded. And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it: And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.” - Exodus 36:1-3.

Bezaleel's name means master builder or carpenter, Moses was in charge of making sure every piece was built to God's specifications. Today, Jesus is our master builder, when we accept Him into our hearts and allow Him to work through us we are built to God's specifications too. “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 3:9-11.

The Tabernacle was more than a worship center, this was the place where the Spirit of God would dwell and the only place that the people could come to communicate with God, that is unless you were one of the select few that God had used to be His mouth and guide others to Him. Today, God still dwells in the tabernacle of every person who has accepted His Son, Jesus Christ, as their Savior. “If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” - 1 Corinthians 3:15-17.

Incidentally, the design of the tabernacle was a foreshadow of Christ. The Ark, Mercy Seat, Table of Showbread, the Candlesticks, the Altar, and everything within the Tabernacle represented a part of Christ. Christ was placed upon the altar (tree) and became the sin sacrifice that would redeem the sinner who believes in Him, permanently. “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect...Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” - Hebrews 10:1,9,10. Praise God!

Today's Psalm: 9:1 - ”I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.”

Today's Proverb: 16:1 - “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.”

Today's Prayer: God, thank You for enlisting us as Your servants in the kingdom of God here on earth. You do not require a royal title or a fancy degree to serve You. You look for willing hearts whose love and commitment to Christ spill over into their words and deeds in every day life. Thank You for the many testimonies of lives that are fully yielded to Your purpose as they glorify You while influencing others to have willing hearts. Lord, lead me and guide me, prepare my heart, help me to be eager to diligently study Your Word so that I can effectively serve You in the areas of Your calling. I love You and ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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