Exodus Chapter 36 Verse 1
• Ok, I love what we just read. “In whom the Lord has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary…” In terms of ministry, in terms of building the church and building up the saints, tending the flock and feeding the sheep, without the leadership of the Holy Spirit, may I just confess, I have no single idea what to do! HA!
• Often times I reflect back on what the Lord has done here in this church, with and for me specifically, and it’s continually a moment of wonder and incredible (I’m going to use the word) surprise! HA! How on God’s green earth has all of this happened! I’m not talking about the chairs and the coffee and the facilities specifically but rather the atmosphere of love, strong fortuitous faith among the saints here in this church and unity in the Lord! That’s what’s amazing here!
• And fruit of that, results of that are the facilities and the awesome tools of ministry we have and the powerful youth group and admirable programs for kids, men, and women! And week after week folks are so kind to me, telling me how blessed they are by the ministry, the leaders here, the Bible teachings…almost thanking me…when truly, literally, completely, entirely I’m over here going, “It’s all the Lord!” I’m thankful. I’m elated. And if we or I or you have any wisdom or understanding or skill or ability to teach the Bible or administrate the church of God or to do ANY MANNER of work for the service in this church or anything good in this life for that maater…it is because of, from and by Jesus alone and so to Him goes the glory!
• So, do that! If you’re blessed by C4 or any other ministry, offer your kindness to those that are working hard for the Lord, don’t undo that…kindness and encouragement mean so much to me and all those laboring in the ministry…but when you leave, when you’re at home, in your life, thank God for what He’s doing here or there… That’s the right thing to do and on top of that, it’s good for you and for the ministry! You can’t help but deepen in your love for whatever you are thanking God for…
Exodus Chapter 36 Verse 2
• When you sense the stirring of the Lord, jump! Take action! Do something! Because that is a trigger, a signal that the Lord wants to use you! Be afraid, be very afraid! HA! But look, you don’t need to know how you’re going to do it or understand everything…all you need is faith! A stirring of the heart is a notification to you that God wants to pour some wisdom in…some ability…some knowledge. Don’t let fear shut you down… And if fear has stopped you or shut you down and yet you’re still stirred up…today is the day!
• I can, as I’m sure so many others, can tell you story after story of faith shutting down fear and God working mightily through my life not because I knew what I was doing or how I was going to do it but simply because God stirred me up! Told me to go! Gave me a strong desire to do the thing! And so, I prayed and deployed!
• Planting this church! We’re Calvary Chapel! We teach verse by verse through the Bible. Do you think as a 5-year-old Christian (that’s how old I was in the Lord when we planted this church) do you think I knew the entire Bible (like I do today!? HA WHAT A JOKE!!). No way!! Many of the teachings I’ve given over the past ten years have been primary teachings…if you know what I’m saying! I’m learning these things real-time…but God drops knowledge and wisdom and ability and then I look back like MAN I’m SO BLESSED!
• Getting this facility! We went from a school to a small strip-mall space where kids met in the garage, HA, to this multiroom multi-floor facility…many times over more in terms of cost…and yet God stirred Lezli’s heart specifically to force me to call on this space (I didn’t have the faith for it)! And now look, five or six years later and not only have we done the thing but we have been able to significantly upgrade the space! Why? Because at every step I knew what to do and how to do it. WHAT A JOKE! We were stirred…and when you act on the promptings of the Holy Spirit, He then delivers everything else needed to do the thing unto the Lord and for the glory of God!
• Now look, Luke 16:10 says, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.” If you’re stirred into something big then you best make sure you’re willing to do the small things of faithfulness as well…or you’ll be a disaster in something public…so be stirred, move out…but make sure you are first faithful in the little things.
Exodus Chapter 36 Verses 3 – 7
• Perhaps the only time in history this happened, ha! They’re giving too much. They seal up the tithe boxes. Boy if only we had that problem, ha! But notice, what’s happened…the pattern. God stirs the hearts. The hearts respond. God delivers ability, gifts, wisdom…and then the people respond as well. This is the pattern of ministry. No, attendance and giving aren’t the focus but I will tell you this, they are a message. Are we doing what the Lord would have us to do?
• No, I’m not talking about gaining the approval of people. We minister unto the Lord and we seek to serve Him above anything and anyone else. BUT, there is a truth here…that the people of God will respond, support and rally behind a genuine work of the Spirit of God.
Exodus Chapter 36 Verses 8 – 38
• This description of the work completed in the building of the tabernacle is entirely word-for-word the same as was the instruction given by God in Exodus 26. I believe there is a very important and critical point here to make. The work of God must always be in alignment with the commandments of God, or, it’s not the work of God at all. If the veil had been made ty-dyed…or if the sockets of silver had of been done in aluminum, then what was built would have been a deviation from what God had commanded.
• We cannot allow that. Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” This is the sure way to discern whether a minister, a Christian, a ministry, a church is a work of the Holy Spirit and therefore true…are they, is it, is he/she in alignment with the commandments of God. In building my life, my marriage, my parenthood, my ministry, my performance on the job…it’s not difficult, Jesus said His yoke is easy and burden is light, He made it easy on us…love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength and as a result, akin to that, love others as yourself.
• Set your mind to obey the Lord…the directions on how to build and when to build and where to build and what materials to use…they’ve been given to us clearly in His Word…resist the temptation to go cheap (aluminum) or ty-dye everything (ha), and build as the Lord has commanded. He will provide. And interestingly enough, stirring you up in your heart is in many ways a promise from God of His provision IF you will move forward, aligned with His Word, and do the work.