I was reading in Exodus 25 where God is giving instructions on how to build the tabernacle.
Three of the verses I want to share with you are,
Three of the verses I want to share with you are,
Exodus 25:2 “Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution.
Exodus 25:10-11 “And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding around it.”
Exodus 25:40 “And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.” (God speaking to Moses, as always I suggest you read the entire chapter for yourself)
The first verse God is asking for anyone who is willing to give toward building the temple,
a man whose heart moves him. I realized that request has not changed in all these years.
The first temple of course was a building where God would dwell and meet with His people.
a man whose heart moves him. I realized that request has not changed in all these years.
The first temple of course was a building where God would dwell and meet with His people.
The temple today is our bodies, we are the temple where God dwells but to become that
you still have to offer “a heart that moves” you toward Him.
you still have to offer “a heart that moves” you toward Him.
It is your decision no one can make you have a relationship with your Creator. Over time
you have to have this same heart to grow toward a more intimate relationship with God.
you have to have this same heart to grow toward a more intimate relationship with God.
For me personally there have been some pretty hard times of deciding to have “a heart that
moves me” to draw closer to God. I was reminded of such a time a few days ago.
moves me” to draw closer to God. I was reminded of such a time a few days ago.
It was about 13 years ago, I felt like the Lord was asking me to move from Florida to
Johnson City TN. The circumstances to that decision are too many to tell but there was a
definite series of events pointing to that decision.
Johnson City TN. The circumstances to that decision are too many to tell but there was a
definite series of events pointing to that decision.
started middle school. I called my ex-husband and wanted to set up a time we could talk
about it and figure out a plan that would work for both of us.
about it and figure out a plan that would work for both of us.
Instead of talking to me he spoke to an attorney and days later I was summoned to court. My oldest daughter Amanda came with me for support and I thought for sure the judge would tell me to go. It was God’s plan after all so what could go wrong???
I was told by the judge that I was not allowed to move my children to TN and was given
a warning of jail time if I didn’t obey the law.
a warning of jail time if I didn’t obey the law.
logistics of the relationship with my ex or his with the kids but keeping them apart was not
my ultimate goal.
I cried and prayed all the way home and as I pulled into my driveway I heard the Lord say
again "I have a plan, do you trust me?"
again "I have a plan, do you trust me?"
I sat my sweet children down and explained to them I knew I had to follow God. I would trust
on His mercy for my heart as He knew better than anyone how important being a mother to
my children was to me.
on His mercy for my heart as He knew better than anyone how important being a mother to
my children was to me.
I continued to pack up my house and make a plan for Johnson City. My ex saw the boxes
when he picked up the kids that weekend and called to remind me I couldn’t
move to which I responded, “Yes I can.”
when he picked up the kids that weekend and called to remind me I couldn’t
move to which I responded, “Yes I can.”
He reminded me I could not move the children to which I responded “I won’t be.”
I told him I had to follow God and I would be bringing the kids to live with him.
Gems if you think that was an easy decision you are WRONG! It about broke me. The thing
is like the temple that was being built with wood my temple was currently made with wood,
worry, fear, doubt, BUT God eventually covered it with pure gold inside and out. He filled
me with His Holy Spirit to have the power to follow Him. He also took my offering of
obedience and returned it with mercy. After I let go of my children the Lord changed the
plan and moved us to Tampa, Tennessee would come later.
is like the temple that was being built with wood my temple was currently made with wood,
worry, fear, doubt, BUT God eventually covered it with pure gold inside and out. He filled
me with His Holy Spirit to have the power to follow Him. He also took my offering of
obedience and returned it with mercy. After I let go of my children the Lord changed the
plan and moved us to Tampa, Tennessee would come later.
I think the “heart that moves Him” is a constant development. How close you want to be with
God begins with a decision of going from wood to gold and continues as you walk out your
journey with Him. I believe going to court was part of God's plan to test my faith. I needed
to see there was no way this would work out without His intervention.
God begins with a decision of going from wood to gold and continues as you walk out your
to see there was no way this would work out without His intervention.
like he was shown on the mountain.
We know God didn’t give him a Polaroid or an architect design to show him so it must
have been a vision or mental picture, I don't know for sure. I do know the people had to trust
that Moses knew what God showed him.
have been a vision or mental picture, I don't know for sure. I do know the people had to trust
that Moses knew what God showed him.
This same passage also applies today. Gems God shows you things at times that He
doesn’t show anyone else. You have to trust that you saw the whole picture when you
can’t even figure out how to make the first piece work.
doesn’t show anyone else. You have to trust that you saw the whole picture when you
can’t even figure out how to make the first piece work.
On my last adventure in Tennessee the Holy Spirit told me to meet with a man He
introduced me to on my journey 4 years prior and pray with him. I was like OK Lord but I
have no idea where to find this man and just out of curiosity what do you want us to pray
about?
Gems this wasn’t just any guy, this man is very well known in the Messianic community
both in the U.S. and Israel and did I mention I had no idea what we were supposed to pray
about.
introduced me to on my journey 4 years prior and pray with him. I was like OK Lord but I
have no idea where to find this man and just out of curiosity what do you want us to pray
about?
Gems this wasn’t just any guy, this man is very well known in the Messianic community
both in the U.S. and Israel and did I mention I had no idea what we were supposed to pray
about.
The only thing I knew for sure was I had a vision in my minds eye of us praying and trust
me, it had to be God because there was no way this man would even listen to me without
the Holy Spirit's leading, it had crazy written all over it.
me, it had to be God because there was no way this man would even listen to me without
the Holy Spirit's leading, it had crazy written all over it.
A couple of weeks later I was visiting a church with a friend and guess who was the guest
speaker….. I spoke with him after the service and told him we needed to meet and pray,
the Holy Spirit did what He does best, makes what the world thinks is crazy and turns it
into His plan. We both had to trust we saw something from God.
I love that while God is working on our wood temple it’s just between the two of us. He speaker….. I spoke with him after the service and told him we needed to meet and pray,
the Holy Spirit did what He does best, makes what the world thinks is crazy and turns it
into His plan. We both had to trust we saw something from God.
works on the inside of us with the power of the Holy Spirit and then when we have passed
that test he covers us with gold, inside and out for the world to see His masterpiece.
He even puts gold molding around it!
I recently moved back to Florida from Tennessee. After 14 months of "sleep overs" the Lord
showed me an apartment and told me to move in. He supplied a job but it would be a
couple of weeks before I would get a pay check. I went to the apartment complex in faith,
wearing my gold, because I knew the Lord said "don't delay."
I was given my first months rent free as part of a leasing promotion. When we move with a
heart for God He is all we need.
that test he covers us with gold, inside and out for the world to see His masterpiece.
He even puts gold molding around it!
I recently moved back to Florida from Tennessee. After 14 months of "sleep overs" the Lord
showed me an apartment and told me to move in. He supplied a job but it would be a
couple of weeks before I would get a pay check. I went to the apartment complex in faith,
wearing my gold, because I knew the Lord said "don't delay."
I was given my first months rent free as part of a leasing promotion. When we move with a
heart for God He is all we need.
Gems I pray this will encourage you to keep your heart moving toward God.
Exactly what I needed today. And I mean exactly. Can't wait to talk to you.
ReplyDeleteAwesome word!
ReplyDeleteThis is encouraging to me in my own journey of faith. I so admire your trust and obedience, and I am learning from you. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDelete