Where Willingness Starts

Exodus 35:22

And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.

No church will go beyond the willingness of the people. We see in the work of the tabernacle that there was a willingness of people to build this tabernacle. It says in the verse above, as many as were willing hearted. In this chapter, we see that the people had a willing heart, they had a willing spirit, and they were a serving people. All of these are critical to God's work being done. But, where did all of this begin? It began with the willingness of God's people to give an offering. You notice in verse 24 it says, Every one that did offer an offering…. The offering is what sets up the rest of this chapter. Without the offering, they would've had no supplies to build a tabernacle. Without supplies, they would not need people to build. The willing heartedness of these people is what led to the building of the tabernacle and the completion of it. Had these people been unwilling to give their offerings, they would not have had a willing heart, and they would not have had a willing spirit, and they would not have had service to the LORD.

Let me apply this to the local church. Every local church needs willing hearted people, and every local church needs people who have a willing spirit. Furthermore, every church needs people who will serve, for the work of the Lord cannot be done without people serving. However, all of these will not be done if God's people are not willing to give financially in tithes and offerings.

I recently conducted a survey in my own Sunday school class to identify the key to the difference between faithful and unfaithful members. I asked my secretary to find out who in my Sunday school class was tithing. What I found out didn't really shock me. I found that those who were faithful to Sunday school were those who tithed, and those who didn’t give were hit-and-miss in their attendance. You cannot separate faithfulness to church and tithing, because if you tithe your heart will be involved in your church.

A person who tithes will have a willing heart. Your heart affects the issues of your life; therefore, you are investing your heart into the Lord's work when you tithe. Tithing is more than just financial giving; it is heart-giving to God. You show me the person who will not tithe, and I will show you the person who will not give their heart to God. Tithing is a spiritual act because it is giving your heart to God.

Moreover, if you are willing to give your heart to God, you will find your spirit will be willing to do whatever God wants you to do. Your heart does affect your spirit; therefore. If you want to have a willing spirit, then you must give your heart to God, which means you must start tithing.

Furthermore, if you have a willing spirit, you will be willing to serve the Lord in ministry. It is rare to find a person serving the Lord in ministry who is not giving financially to their church. To serve the Lord in ministry is investing your life into the ministry. An investment of spirit results in an investment of your life through service to God. My friend, it comes down to your willingness to give. Always remember that giving tithes and offerings results in a willing heart, which results in a willing spirit, which results in your willingness to serve the Lord in ministry; you cannot separate this pattern.