Willing To Do Work For God Dedicated Hearts and Skillful Hands

Willing To Do Work For God Dedicated Hearts and Skillful Hands Exodus 36.1-7 Last week we talked about free will giving. This morning we are talking about free will working. The people had brought the materials to the point they had to restrain them from bringing any more. This is opposite of what Paul, the Apostle, wrote to the Corinthians that their giving should not be forced. Here in Exodus they had to be restrained from bringing gifts. Working for the LORD is wonderful filled. Using our God given abilities for Him and His Kingdom is sublime. He gives us strength, wisdom and hands and minds to do His will. This is part of sanctification. Giving ourselves to Him, body, soul and spirit as we are prayed in I Thessalonians 5. 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He Who calls you is faithful, Who also will do it. Acts 10.38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Jesus said, “Freely you have received. Freely give.” Matthew 10.8 * Working For God Is To Be Done Freely. v.2 Using your talents, giving your time without charge is willingly doing work for God. The building you are in was built by the men of this church in the 1970’s. Bob Pawson would get up early Saturday morning, put his boat in the bay and fish. He would bring the fish he caught and the ladies of the church would clean them and later cook them on charcoal grills outside, complete with all the trimmings. They did this while Pastor Bob Rapaljie (He was a General Contractor) led the men in building. They worked from 8am until noon each Saturday. At noon they would eat the food the ladies had prepared. Everyone was on his way home by 12:30/1. There was a plumber by the name of Artie Swenson. He was Edie Raevis’ Dad. Then there was an electrician, Al Cole, also a manger of Penney’s. Herbert Lindstrom worked with wood. He was a carpenter. The crosses were all made by him. The work of these men are with us today. They built the church without ever going to the bank. We never had a mortgage! There has been done and continues to be done work on these grounds and buildings that are a labor of love. The cleaning of the church, the food ministry the bulletin being produced are all done by people giving themselves to God. Throughout the week, every day of the week now gatherings and work is being done by willing hands. Give yourself to God’s work and long after you are gone your work will last. When we were in Haiti rebuilding the church, the little children were watching. Pastor Art said to me, “Long after we are gone to Heaven these kids will tell their children about the white missionaries who came from America and rebuilt their church.” Wow! Up to that point I had not thought of that! Those who built this building are in Heaven but we are talking about it this morning. We have flower beds around the property that need to be weeded, kept up… 4 of them. Take one on. What are you doing today that will outlast you. If you are raising children they are learning from you. Girls are learning to be loving mothers. Boys are going to become men. I have been thinking about my parents now that they are both in Heaven. I read the Proverbs and I cannot help think about them. They were not perfect but they set a good example by their lives. They loved Jesus and worked for Him. My Dad played the uke. My nephew has it now. My Dad led singing in Sunday School and family gatherings. He loved doing that. * God’s Work Will Never Lack God’s Supply vs.3-6 Things came in with such abundance that they had too much. This is the way it is when God is at work! There is not a begging for people to give, there is an abundance. John 10.10 I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly (to the full) Overflowing with thanksgiving Colossians 2. 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. There is a rejoicing when we see God supply. Not by our efforts but by His Hand. If you serve the LORD, if you serve freely, if you allow Him to supply, you will be so thankful. Overflowing= to exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over and above a certain number or measure. Because God abundantly supplies our thanksgiving will too. I’ve surrendered all my talents now,to Him I have made this vow. This shows how blessed giving can be when free from human manipulation and tricks. Willing hearts will always give enough as God blesses the work. Mary anointing Jesus at Bethany. She freely poured out a blessing upon Jesus that we are talking about 2,000 years later. David’s sharing of his moving to Indiana. * When We Serve the LORD We Will Always Have All We Need. v.7 We should work with what the LORD gives us. He will see we have all we need. Be willing to do work for God shows us He is working through us. Being willing to work for God shows us He is doing the works that He has prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved,through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,which God prepared in advance for us to do. God has the plan. God provides the material through His people. God provides the skills. Find out what these works are and your life will be a blessing and you will be blessed! Goldilocks can make some awesome deviled eggs! I love them. I believe that her future holds making food for people and comforting their souls. What a great ministry! She loves cooking for us. My ministry around the world may come down to “just” being an encourager to 19 year old Sunday School Teachers and 25 year old pastors. If I am to be like Barnabas, a Son of Encouragement, and not an apostle, worldwide, I am fine with that. Years ago I said to my friend, Pastor John Smith, that I just want to live in seclusion and send encouraging emails out each day. Now I a still pastoring the church and getting to pray on Messenger Video and other platforms with those all over the Earth. Praise the LORD. My Intercessory Prayers are doing much more than I can imagine. That is what God’s Word tells me. Here, in this fellowship, there are talented people. Let’s make this a place where those with abilities could be used for God’s glory. If you have some ability to offer, talk to me. Artistic, practical, spiritual. Let’s make this place attractive for the Glory of God A final word about skilled hands… Rich Pawson and my son-in-law were talking about tools used for carpentry. Belt, Sanders and other kind of Sanders. I had no idea what they were talking about for the most part. I wish I knew how to use wood tools and iron tools and even welding, but I don’t. I can relate to this scripture though about Sheppard from the man after God’s own heart. Psalm 78. 70  He chose David his servant     and took him from the sheep pens; 71 from tending the sheep he brought him     to be the shepherd of his people Jacob,     of Israel his inheritance. 72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart;     with skillful hands he led them. I know what it is to be up all night in a hospital with a family when their loved one is between life and death. Some of those that I spent time with over the past 4 1/2 decades have left this flock for other another flock. I have had people come to me and say after all you have done for them look at what they did to you. I didn’t do it for them. While some of you are here that I’ve sat in the hospital rooms with leading to the night and I love you deeply, I did it all for Jesus. It’s from him I will receive,my reward one day.