Is This It? Part 6

We continued again this week in the “Is This It?” series regarding our growth in the wilderness phase of our Christian walk. This week we discussed the importance of transitioning from slave mentality to servant-ruler mentality.

 

In Exodus 25, God begins instructing the people to build a tabernacle for Him to dwell with them. However, after a few chapters of “you shalls” and “you shall nots” He makes this assignment an “If you want to.” There is a reason for this. Remember that the Israelites had been slaves for 10 generations. They knew nothing but being slaves. Everything you did was because you had to. Now they find themselves free in the wilderness with no “have tos.” He needed them to change their “want tos” to the right things. He wanted them to WANT to build His house.

 

Keep in mind that all of the things He asked for them to contribute came from what they took from the Egyptians on their way out. And the wealth of Egypt came from what Joseph, a slave with a ruler mentality, had wisely acquired.   

 

God wants us to want to serve Him and give to Him. In Genesis 4, God looks with favor on the offering of Abel because it was the best he had to offer and it took faith to give the best he had. It took trust in God that giving the best of his flock was not going to diminish the quality of his flock moving forward. Cain gave of what he had gained, but not his best.  God did not reject Cain's offering. He simply did not look at with the same favor that He did Abel’s. Abel’s offering moved God. The Hebrew word for the phrase to look at with favor is sh’ah. In ancient Hebrew it paints a picture of God looking at the offering, consuming it and sighing. It moved Him.

 

God wants a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). He doesn’t want forced, compulsory giving. He wants us to give him our best because we want to – our best resources, our time, energy, finances, etc…

 

Finally, we serve. Colossians 3:23-24 tells us that we should work as unto the Lord in all things. Stop working FOR your boss and stop working hard if you don’t think you are being appreciated. Work for God. He WILL see and you will be rewarded.

 

 

 To listen to the entire sermon go to http://ahwatukeechurch.com/media.php.  To learn more about Living Word Ahwatukee, visit http://ahwatukeechurch.com/.