"STUFF"
Turn with me tonight to Exodus 36:4-7
Exod 36:4-7
4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;
5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.
6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
(KJV)
God is the giver of all "STUFF"
Ps 92:1
1 It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High,
(NIV)
James 1:17
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
(NIV)
*** God simply requires us to give only that which he has required.
The reason they had to stop giving is found in Exodus 35:21
Exod 35:21
21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.
(NIV)
There is another stirring talked about in God’s word found in Acts 2:33:
Acts 2:33
33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
(NIV)
Acts 2:42-47
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
(NIV)
These people took "STUFF" and turned cities and the known world at that time on it’s ear.
Why are we not seeing the same affect today?
It is the same Gospel and anointing, I believe the answer comes from word itself:
2 Chr 7:14-15
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
(NIV)
Matt 7:7-11
7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
(NIV)
James 4:2-3
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
(KJV)
When they entered into fellowship with the brethren we notice one thing right away, there was always "UNITY"!
Webster defines Unity as: having the same foundation or one
They gathered in the upper room in one accord till the promise came in and filled all of them.
It is a strange contrast between the church of acts and the body of Christ today.
It’s hard to get people to stay in one accord for two hours
In marriage we unite the two into one flesh,
But even though I was united with my wife into one flesh, she still maintained her own will for along time after we were married.
We’re that way even in church,
Some will sing out of the book,
Some will sing if their chorus’,
Some will sing out of memory,
Some will sing out of tune.
Yet, our hearts must be stirred up!
The Apostle Paul writing to a young Pastor Timothy :
2 Tim 1:5-8
5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
(KJV)
We need to come to the point of stirring where we are willing to give up all our "STUFF" for the Gospel.
For when God moves on your heart, you’ll move in realms of faith like never before.
I reminded of a story of faith that moved me to my core.
ILL. One our missionaries went to Trinidad on their own. They sold
everything they had to go and preach the gospel to someone who had no Gospel. He
became ill and our General headquarters demanded he come home and receive treatment.
He reluctantly came home only after they had established 17 churches and 35 outstations.
When he walked off the plane from Trinidad to the U.S. , he looked at Mission’s Director and said "Trinidad is fine."
He was home just a few weeks then went on to his reward.
When when you invest the "STUFF", God has given you, you’ll have peace.
But, Trinidad was in the hole $11,300.00 and he was coming home to raise the needed money, but was called home to Glory. The week after he died a man walked into the General headquarters pulled out his check book and wrote a check for $11,300.00 dollars, the exact amount of deficit.
God make me willing,
God make me willing,
I said God make me willing!
We used to sing a song that said " I’m willing Lord to go, I’m willing Lord to stay, I’m
willing Lord to do thy perfect will".
All around this globe people are stepping out,
You don’t have to pay them to Praise,
At the first note, they jump to their feet and worship,
Why? Because God has given them the right "Stuff"
Now all they have they’re investing in worship.
When God gives you "STUFF" he is not looking at whether you are male or female
The bible says they came both male and female
This "STUFF" we have has the Power to transform lives
When you see people on the streets looking for love, for a high, looking for peace, they’re really just looking for God. The only problem is they’re looking in all the wrong places.
John 3:16-18
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
(KJV)
Oh brother Crandall, my self confidence comes only when I’m using drugs:
Eph. 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his might.
I need that drink to give me Peace:
Ps. 119:165 Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble
The god of this world money will never satisfy the void in your life:
Acts 8:20-21
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for
(KJV)
Repentance is the stuff that God through his spirit puts in man.
Everything else just fades…
Invitation:
