Thoughts on Stewardship
Lesson No. 14 from Exodus
Take an Offering Only From Those Who Have a Willing Heart!

Foundation Scripture: Exodus 35 verses 5 – 29

‘Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; 7 ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; 8 oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; 9 onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. 10 ‘All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all that the LORD has commanded: 11 the tabernacle, its tent, its covering, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; 12 the ark and its poles, with the mercy seat, and the veil of the covering; 13 the table and its poles, all its utensils, and the showbread; 14 also the lampstand for the light, its utensils, its lamps, and the oil for the light; 15 the incense altar, its poles, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, and the screen for the door at the entrance of the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles, all its utensils, and the laver and its base; 17 the hangings of the court, its pillars, their sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle, the pegs of the court, and their cords; 19 the garments of ministry, for ministering in the holy place — the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests.’” 20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21 Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. 22 They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made an offering of gold to the LORD. 23 And every man, with whom was found blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, goats’ hair, red skins of rams, and badger skins, brought them. 24 Everyone who offered an offering of silver or bronze brought the LORD’s offering. And everyone with whom was found acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it. 25 All the women who were gifted artisans spun yarn with their hands, and brought what they had spun, of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. 26 And all the women whose hearts stirred with wisdom spun yarn of goats’ hair. 27 The rulers brought onyx stones, and the stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate, 28 and spices and oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. 29 The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the LORD, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the LORD, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done. Exodus 35:5-29 NKJV

1. God told Moses to take an offering from the children of Israel—only from those who had a willing heart.

a. Why did God do this?

 

b. He did this because God does not want us to give Him an offering out of compulsion—He wants us to give Him an offering out of our love for Him, just as He blesses us out of His love for us.

 

c. He gave them a choice to bring what they had—from the costliest of treasures, down to acacia wood, to goat’s hair. Every type of offering was needed for a different aspect of God’s house. Every offering was welcomed and received.

2. Verse 29 says that the children of Israel brought to the Lord a freewill offering—those whose hearts made them willing were the ones who gave.

a. Everyone whose heart was stirred, and whose spirit was willing came with something.

 

b. Many brought bracelets, earrings, rings, tablets, and jewels of gold.

 

c. God is looking for willing vessels—those who will come to Him and give to Him of their treasure, their time, and their talents.

N.B. Let us always be willing to give God our best.

Pastor Adonica’s Thoughts:

The Lord did not want anything in His house that was given grudgingly—with an attitude of unwillingness or resentment. He wanted only those things that were presented to Him with love and joy. Whatever you give—always give with a willing heart.

Pastor Rodney’s Thoughts:

I have often watched, with interest, as the offering is being received, at how people respond. Some people act like they believe they are giving to a man, or a church, or an organization and either expect something back from them or they give without willingness. I am sure that some only give so others don’t see them not giving. However, I have come to realize that people don’t really get the big picture—for some reason they don’t realize that it is God they are giving their gifts to when they give to His work and His Kingdom. They don’t realize that God sees what they are doing and even looks into their heart at their attitude and intent as they do it. Your giving is totally between you and God. Do it like God is watching. Do it with a willing heart.

Prayer and Confession:

Father I pray that my heart will always be willing to serve You and obey You. In my giving, I will worship You and I give my best to You. All that I have is Yours. I am Yours and my heart has made me willing!

Thoughts on Stewardship
Lesson No. 9 from Deuteronomy

And baptism, which is a figure [of their deliverance], does now also save you [from inward questionings and fears], not by the removing of outward body filth [bathing], but by [providing you with] the answer of a good and clear conscience (inward cleanness and peace) before God [because you are demonstrating what you believe to be yours] through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  1 Peter 3:21 AMP

There is nothing finer than living with a clear conscience! It is a stress-free, totally peace-filled life. No money in the world can buy a clear conscience, but through the power of God and the blood of Jesus, we can be blessed with inward cleanness and peace. Through our faith in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and our obedience to go through the waters of baptism, something actually happens in our soul. Baptism saves us from inward questionings and fears—it is as if our head has a resurrection—washing away every thought and desire that are contrary to the word and will of the Father.

Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom and confidence to enter into the [Holy of] Holies [by the power and virtue] in the blood of Jesus, 20 By this fresh (new) and living way which He initiated and dedicated and opened for us through the separating curtain (veil of the Holy of Holies), that is, through His flesh, 21 And since we have [such] a great and wonderful and noble Priest [Who rules] over the house of God, 22 Let us all come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith (by that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water.  Hebrews 10:19-22 AMP

Thank God for the blood of Jesus! It enables us to have full freedom and confidence to enter into God’s very presence. This is a fresh, new, and living way! Jesus is our High Priest and through Him, our hearts are purified from an evil and guilty conscience. There is no way you can come into God’s presence with sin in your heart and with a guilty conscience. The Lord has made a way for us to come into His presence by washing our heart and conscience clean.

Keep praying for us, for we are convinced that we have a good (clear) conscience, that we want to walk uprightly and live a noble life, acting honorably and in complete honesty in all things.  Hebrews 13:18 AMP

If you want to live an honest, noble life—walking uprightly and acting honorably—you can only do it if you protect your conscience. Honesty in all things begins with, and is dependant on, a good, clear conscience before God.

[And see to it that] your conscience is entirely clear (unimpaired), so that, when you are falsely accused as evildoers, those who threaten you abusively and revile your right behavior in Christ may come to be ashamed [of slandering your good lives]. 17 For [it is] better to suffer [unjustly] for doing right, if that should be God’s will, than to suffer [justly] for doing wrong.  1 Peter 3:16-17 AMP

Keep your heart right and your conscience clear and then even though you may experience persecution, through the evidence of your good life, your critics will be put to shame. If you have done wrong then your punishment is justified. If you have not done wrong, no matter what you go through, the Lord will vindicate you; He will reward you for your righteous, uncompromising stand.

I thank God Whom I worship with a pure conscience, in the spirit of my fathers, when without ceasing I remember you night and day in my prayers. 2 Timothy 1:3 AMP
 
Worship God with a clear conscience. Your faith in Him—your unqualified assurance and absolute conviction in the truth of His word—will give you the confidence to come boldly into His presence and ask Him for the things you need. The faith and confidence you walk in as a result of your clear conscience will provide an answer to your prayers. 

Hebrews 12:11 AMP says, “For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Discipline – consisting of instruction, training, and correction – is not pleasant at the time it is being administered, but it produces righteousness in the person being disciplined and ultimately it produces peace. If you value and desire the fruit of righteousness and peace in your life, you must submit to God’s discipline – through His Word and His Spirit.

My son, do not despise or shrink from the chastening of the Lord [His correction by punishment or by subjection to suffering or trial]; neither be weary of or impatient about or loathe or abhor His reproof, 12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
Proverbs 3:11-12 AMP

The dictionary meaning of chastening or chastisement is: to discipline; punish; humble; purify; simplify; to correct by punishment or reproof; to take to task; to restrain, to subdue; to rid of excess; refine. Chastening or chastisement is an infliction of punishment, usually in the form of a whipping or a beating. In the Bible, the term chastisement usually refers to punishment or discipline inflicted by God for the purpose of education, instruction, and training and corrective guidance and discipline. Chastisement, discipline and correction are not done for the benefit of the Father, but for the benefit of the child – to quench the will and desires of the flesh, and to bring them under control, and bring forth and release the fruit of the Spirit.

David was a wise man – a man after God’s own heart – and he passed that wisdom on to Solomon. David’s wisdom came from God’s Word as he spent time in God’s Word; as he submitted himself to it; as he applied it to his life. Don’t shrink from the Lord’s chastening; don’t avoid God’s correction and discipline; don’t get tired of, or impatient with, or despise, God’s reproof. Remember that God only corrects those He loves.

Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].  Revelation 3:19 AMP

God corrects us for our good. We should love, welcome, and embrace His discipline; being willing and eager to repent; burning with zeal to be like Him – to be pure as He is pure. We must be hungry for righteousness. We must be enthusiastic about getting right with God, having clean hands and a pure heart. When the Lord corrects us, we should not be petulant or defensive; we should not pout or try to justify our actions. We should rather welcome the positive input, cheerfully make the corrections in our attitude and our life, and be grateful that we have received the truth because we know that all of it is for our good and benefit!

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, 13 That You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity, until the [inevitable] pit of corruption is dug for the wicked.  Psalms 94:12-13 AMP

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.  2 Timothy 1:7 AMP

The person on the receiving end of God’s discipline and instruction is a blessed person. God’s discipline and instruction gives you the power to keep calm when everything goes wrong around you. God blesses us with a Spirit of power, of love, of a calm and well-balanced mind, discipline, and self-control. As we receive God’s discipline, we grow and learn and our senses and mental faculties become trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is good and evil (Hebrews 5:14). God disciplines us and trains us, bringing us to a place of self-discipline. Discipline should come from within and, until it does, it must come from without. Outer boundaries must be in effect until inner boundaries are properly established. Immature people need outer boundaries; mature people have developed appropriate and effective inner boundaries.

For if we searchingly examined ourselves [detecting our shortcomings and recognizing our own condition], we should not be judged and penalty decreed [by the divine judgment]. 32 But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined and chastened, so that we may not [finally] be condemned [to eternal punishment along] with the world.  1 Corinthians 11:31-32 AMP

We must humble ourselves, search our own heart and judge ourselves and, then when we fall short, we must welcome God’s discipline and yield to it. The Lord wants to have the opportunity to burn with His holy fire through us, burning up sin and rebellion and every ungodly presence and force. He wants us to have His fire now so we don’t have to burn with hell’s fire later. God’s judgment and chastisements, here on earth, are a much better option than eternal judgment. You do not want to be judged and punished with the world! God has no desire to condemn you or judge you – He only desires to pour his mercy out on you (John 3:17-18). By respecting and submitting to His authority, you give Him that privilege and opportunity.

A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman–who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls. Proverbs 31:10 AMP

She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction]. 27 She looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat.  Proverbs 31:26-27 AMP

There is such a thing as a virtuous woman. She is a woman who loves God and loves His Word. She has submitted herself to the Holy Spirit and she is strong in the Lord and the power of His might! It is a blessed and wise man who can find himself such a wife. She is more valuable and precious than any worldly wealth.

One of the things that makes her such a godly, wonderful, wise woman is the fact that she has control over her attitude and over her mouth. We always end up speaking that which is in our heart, so our heart must first be yielded and submitted to God. When she speaks, she speaks with kindness and graciousness – on her tongue is the Law of Kindness. The Law of Kindness is the Law of Love. Her mouth only speaks things that will bless and benefit others, even if it is a rebuke. She speaks the truth in love.

She minds her own business and does not poke her nose into other people’s affairs, but when asked, she speaks forth with skillful and godly wisdom. She gives godly counsel and instruction. She takes good care of her family and makes sure that their needs are met. She is not lazy and does not waste her time gossiping or complaining; neither does she listen to others gossip and complain. She is not manipulative, nor does she dwell on the negatives or feel sorry for herself. She enriches the lives of others. She is a woman to look up to.

For the commandment is a lamp, and the whole teaching [of the law] is light, and reproofs of discipline are the way of life, 24 To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a loose woman. 25 Lust not after her beauty in your heart, neither let her capture you with her eyelids. 26 For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adulteress stalks and snares [as with a hook] the precious life [of a man].
Proverbs 6:23-26 AMP

The mouth of a loose woman is a deep pit [for ensnaring wild animals]; he with whom the Lord is indignant and who is abhorrent to Him will fall into it. Proverbs 22:14 AMP

A lying tongue hates those it wounds and crushes, and a flattering mouth works ruin.  Proverbs 26:28 AMP

A loose, ungodly woman is another story entirely. She has no virtues. She does not love God or His Word. She has yielded herself to the lusts of the flesh and her carnal desires. She has given the devil place in her life. It is a foolish and doomed man who falls for her “charms.” There is no truth or wisdom in her mouth. Her heart is full of evil and her mouth is full of deceit. She is a flatterer and cares nothing for the man she is enticing. She is a user and a manipulator and thinks only of herself. The Law of Kindness is definitely not in her mouth! All kinds of negatives come out of her mouth. She will turn on you to destroy you, in a heartbeat. Her mouth is a deep pit! She is lazy and always looks for the easy way even if it means hurting or using others. A man may lust after her, but he will never be filled or satisfied. He will leave her presence emptier than before.

[The] women likewise must be worthy of respect and serious, not gossipers, but temperate and self-controlled, [thoroughly] trustworthy in all things. 1 Timothy 3:11 AMP

Your mouth can get you into all kinds of trouble if you are not careful. A woman (or a man), who wants to be used by God, must put a guard on her (or his) lips. Generally, women love to talk and interact with others much more than men. If they are not careful, they can say too much and end up hurting people. A mature person is a person who has control over their tongue. An immature person speaks before they think and speaks too much. We cannot lead others until we have some maturity in our own lives. The things that come out of our mouths are an indicator of our level of maturity and also of what is mostly in our heart. A person – man or woman – who is loose with their mouth is a person who cannot be trusted to minister to others or to have a position of authority in the Body of Christ.

Colossians 4:6 says that your speech should always be gracious and seasoned with salt so that you know how to answer any one you speak to. Proverbs 15:4 says that a gentle tongue has healing power and is a tree of life. Proverbs 12:18 says that the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Let us submit our mouths and our tongues to the Holy Spirit; let our minds and hearts be filled with the Word of God; so that we can be a blessing to the Lord and to those around us. Let us build up with our mouths and not tear down. Let us leave people in a better way that we found them. Let the Law of kindness be on our lips!

I am a virtuous wife and a true daughter of Sarah, who honored and respected her husband as the head of their home and family
I covenant with God to love, honor and respect my husband as the head of our home, in obedience to the Word of God
I covenant to be faithful to him
By faith, I submit to my husband’s authority in our home
I do this as a service to the Lord
I subordinate myself to my husband so that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach, blasphemed or discredited
I trust my husband’s leadership and choose to depend on him   
The Lord will protect me and provide for me, because I trust Him enough to obey His Word
Therefore I am not anxious or wrought up
I will do right and let nothing terrify me
I will not give way to hysterical fears or let anxieties unnerve me
I adapt myself to my husband
I make myself beautiful for my husband, but I know that true beauty comes from within
I have a gentle and peaceful spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God
I am temperate and disciplined and I exercise self-control
I love righteousness
By the grace of God:
I am pure and modest and discreet
I am good-natured and kind-hearted
I am gracious and good
I am wise, understanding and prudent
I am earnest and strong in character
I am a crowning joy to my husband
I am trustworthy
I do not give him an occasion to be ashamed of me
My husband can confidently trust in me and securely rely on me
The secrets of his heart are safe with me

I love my husband
I reverence him
I respect him
I regard him
I notice him and pay attention to him
I am sensitive to his needs and desires
I build my husband up
I encourage him
I prefer him
I defer to him
I revere him
I honor him
I esteem him
I venerate him
I appreciate him
I prize him
I adore him
I admire him exceedingly
I praise him
I am devoted to him
I deeply love him
I enjoy my husband

I belong to my husband and my husband belongs to me
My body belongs to my husband and my husband’s body belongs to me
My desire is toward my husband and my earnest desire is to please him
My husband is my best friend
He is a great blessing to me
Thank You Lord for my husband

I’m a part of the fellowship of the unashamed.
I have Holy Spirit Power.  The die has been cast.
I have stepped over the line.  The decision has been made.
I’m a disciple of His.
I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure.
I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning,
smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions,
mundane talking, cheap living and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions,
plaudits, or popularity.  I don’t have to be right, first, tops,
recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded.  I now live by faith,
lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back,
deluded or delayed.  I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up,
prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus.  I must go till He comes, give till I drop,
preach till all know, and work till He stops me.
And when He comes for His own, He will have
no problems recognizing me—my banner will be clear!  

Written by a young African pastor and tacked on the wall of his house

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 KJV

Religious history has portrayed Jesus Christ as a skinny, pale-faced shepherd with a lamb under His arm and Elizabethan English coming out of His mouth. The connotation is that He is weak, but that could not be further from the truth. The Bible says that people marveled at the authority with which He spoke. Luke 4:32 AMP says that, “they were amazed at His teaching, for His word was with authority and ability and weight and power.” People were healed as He spoke the word to them. He also commanded demons to come out and they did.

He was powerfully anointed, commanding respect wherever He went. They tried to kill Him before His time and could not. Jesus was not weak. He was meek – humble, lowly, and gentle. Meek means: enduring injury with patience and without resentment. Jesus did exactly that – He endured the shame, humiliation, agony, and indignity of the cross for every one of us!

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.

3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

9 And they made His grave with the wicked –But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:1-12 NKJV

Jesus went meekly to the cross. He endured the injury and shame with patience and without resentment. He could have called ten thousand angels to His aid, but He chose to die alone – for you and me. That takes a man of powerful character. He did it because, by faith, He saw the final outcome! He saw you and me. He saw us in Him as He died and was resurrected. He saw the joy of our resurrection – our redemption and restoration into the family and kingdom of God! You and I are His joy and His prize!

Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,

2 Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3 AMP

If then you have died with Christ to material ways of looking at things and have escaped from the world’s crude and elemental notions and teachings of externalism, why do you live as if you still belong to the world? [Why do you submit to rules and regulations?--such as]

21 Do not handle [this], Do not taste [that], Do not even touch [them],

22 Referring to things all of which perish with being used. To do this is to follow human precepts and doctrines.

23 Such [practices] have indeed the outward appearance [that popularly passes] for wisdom, in promoting self-imposed rigor of devotion and delight in self-humiliation and severity of discipline of the body, but they are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh (the lower nature). [Instead, they do not honor God but serve only to indulge the flesh.] Colossians 2:20-23 AMP

When we were living in the flesh (mere physical lives), the sinful passions that were awakened and aroused up by [what] the Law [makes sin] were constantly operating in our natural powers (in our bodily organs, in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh), so that we bore fruit for death.

6 But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life]. Romans 7:5-6 AMP

You can be saved and still be a carnal Christian rather than a spiritual Christian. There is a difference between a carnal Christian and a spiritual Christian:

-Carnal Christians have not renewed their mind with the Word of God, or allowed the Holy Spirit to change them.

-They think, talk, and act, like the rest of the world and follow the world’s way of doing things.

-They allow their flesh and fleshly impulses to control them.

-They only function in the sense realm – what they can see, hear, touch, smell and taste.

-They only trust what they can see; they judge things by outward appearance.

-They try to keep God’s Law in their own ability.

-They try to control behavior without changing the heart.

-They try to serve God their way.

-They are afraid of God’s wrath.

-They do not have a revelation of God’s love for them, or His grace and mercy extended toward them, or the freedom that is available to them.

By mercy and love, truth and fidelity [to God and man--not by sacrificial offerings], iniquity is purged out of the heart, and by the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord men depart from and avoid evil. Proverbs 16:6 AMP

In contrast, the spiritual Christian has submitted themselves to the Word of God and the Spirit of God, to be taught and to be changed into His image:

-They have died to material ways of looking at things.

-They function not just in the earthly realm, but also in the Spirit realm.

-They trust the unseen – the Holy Spirit.

-They trust the Word of God.

-They know God loves them and they love Him.

-They joyfully submit themselves to God’s Word, obey God’s commands, and serve Him.

-They act on the Word, doing what it commands.

-They practice the love walk.

-They enjoy the liberty of the Spirit.

-They are not afraid of God or His wrath, because they believe His Word.

-They have a revelation of His grace and mercy extended to all who believe. -They think, talk, and act like Jesus.

-They have a revelation of their place in God’s family.

-They see themselves as God sees them.

-They humbly acknowledge that they are nothing without Him and that

He is always to be glorified and lifted up in their lives.

-At the same time, they are bold to stand up and declare and decree a thing, knowing that Heaven stands behind them to carry it out.

-They serve – not under obedience to the old code of written regulations – but under obedience to the promptings of the Spirit in newness of life.

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,

2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.

3 About the Ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.

6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”

7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.

8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.

10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance

11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.

12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.

13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”

15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate.

18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.

19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you.

20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” Acts 10:1-20 NKJV

Cornelius was an Italian, a gentile by birth, but he was a God-fearing man and also a generous one. Because the honor he showed the Lord; because of his continual prayers and his generous, consistent giving; he got God’s attention. God promised Abraham that through his Seed – Jesus – ALL the nations of the earth would be blessed.

It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from: when you humble yourself before Almighty God and you seek him and act in accordance with His word, God will make a way to get to you and show Himself real and alive to you.

God had showed Himself to the Israelites and made them many promises. He had a special plan for them. He would use their nation to be a blessing to all nations through Jesus Christ of Nazareth, an Israelite by birth.

However, they did not appreciate this honor. They took God for granted and did not serve Him with their whole heart. Many of them were downright rebellious and prostituted themselves with foreign gods. They forgot that God blessed them by choice, not because they were anything special themselves. God’s grace extended to them was a privilege, not a right.

By the time Jesus was born, many Israelites were very religious – pious on the outside and rotten on the inside. They were judgmental and exclusive. They wanted God to be a respecter of persons, but God wanted to include ALL and so He gives ALL an opportunity to receive Him – not by works or by lineage – but by faith alone. Faith is the great equalizer – all men have the exact same opportunity to receive God’s precious gift of Life.

The Israelites wanted all of God’s favor for themselves, but they did not honor or serve Him. We must do the opposite – honor and serve Him and reach out to ALL men from every nation, on His behalf! Do not judge another man after the flesh. Do not exclude anyone. If any are to be excluded, let it be by their own choice. You share the Gospel to ALL men and give ALL men the same opportunity to receive the Lord. Jesus paid the price for every person in every nation!

When God showed Peter the vision and told him not to call common and unclean that which God called clean, He was not talking abut food, He was talking about MEN. God was thinking about the three men who were sent by Cornelius at the direction of the angel. God was thinking about Cornelius and his household – his family, friends, and servants. God was thinking about millions of people who now had an opportunity to receive the Son of promise.

God was thinking about you and me! For generations before Jesus was born, God had bided His time, waiting for this moment when people from ALL the nations would enter into His blessing by receiving new life through their faith in Jesus: faith the blood of Jesus; faith in His death, burial, and resurrection!

Through faith in Jesus Christ you are clean! Let no man call unclean what God has called clean!