A Willing Heart

1. A Willing Heart And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying: 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… (Ex. 35:4-5). 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.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 (Ex. 35:21-22).

2. Willing To Serve As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever (1 Chron. 28:9). And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul (Deut. 10:12). Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (Heb. 12:28). If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor (Jn. 12:26). knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ (Col. 3:24). For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another (Gal. 5:13).

3. Willing To Teach And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2). And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient (2 Tim. 2:24). Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matt. 28:19-20). No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.” Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me (Jn. 6:44-45).

4. Willing To Teach The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, That they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children (Tit. 2:3-4). You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates (Deut. 6:7-9). And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4).

5. Willing To Work So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work (Neh. 4:6). She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands (Prov.31:13). Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need (Eph. 4:28). That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you (1 Thess. 4:11). For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat (2 Thess. 3:10).

6. Willing To Work Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (Jn. 4:34). I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work (Jn. 9:4). Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58).

7. Willing To Pray Pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever (Jn. 14:16). Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, (Lk. 18:1). Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer (Rom. 12:12).

8. Willing To Study These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so (Acts 17:11). Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:32). And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:15-16).

9. Willing To Sing What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding (1 Cor. 14:15). Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord (Eph. 5:19). Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Col. 3:16). Saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You" (Heb. 2:12).

10. Willing To Give "Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering (Ex. 25:2). Then the leaders of the fathers' houses, leaders of the tribes of Israel, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the officers over the king's work, offered willingly (1 Chron. 29:6). And his leaders gave willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred from the flock, and three hundred cattle (2 Chron. 35:8). For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God (2 Cor. 8:3-5). So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7).

11. Willing To Obey Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness (Rom. 6:16-18). But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Heb. 5:9). in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (2 Thess. 1:8-9).