Title: A Willing Heart

I Chronicles 29:1-9

Introduction

Jesus said in Matthew 12:34-35

“. . . out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”

Our heart attitude reflects our spiritual condition and spills out into our character and eventually our actions.

What God wants most from us is a willing heart. A heart willing to hear and heed his word and his Spirit.

King David had a number of ups-and-downs in his life but now near the end of this life he focuses on his Lord once more as he turns over what he considered to be the most important work, the building of the temple of the Lord.

Form this text we get an insight in his heart and can learn a lesson on having a willing heart. Especially concerning stewardship and giving because no place in our walk with God nor in our actions towards others is attitude of the heart clearer than in the area of giving.

One man said: The problem with our giving is that we too often give the widow's mite, without the widow's spirit.

David had a willing heart to give and not just with his riches but with his life. Let’s examine David and learn how we too can have a willing heart.

I. A willing heart begins with a willing Acknowledgement of Ownership. (verses 10-14)

We acknowledge God as owner when we

A. Worship his Lordship

Psalm 24:1-2

The earth is the LORD’S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

Romans 14:8

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

B. Recognize Our Purpose

Even the IRS knows their purpose.

Like them or not, they know their purpose for existing. In the 1976 IRS Handbook it states: "During a state of national emergency resulting from enemy attack, the essential functions of the Service will be as follows: assessing, collecting, and recording taxes." So while everyone panics, they'll be about doing what they always do-taking our money. They know their purpose.

What is our purpose?

Deuteronomy 10:12-13

And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

II. A willing heart begins will a Passion for the things of God (verse 3)

Psalm 42:1

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Illus. As the woman sought to touch Jesus

As Zec sought to see Jesus

As Paul was determined to preach at Roman THUS WE SHOULD LONG TO DO THE THINGS OF GOD!

Let me share with you a perfect illustration of Stewardship

In his book of sermons "The Living Faith," Lloyd C. Douglas tells the story of Thomas Hearne, who, "in his journey to the mouth of the Coppermine River, wrote that a few days after they had started on their expedition, a party of Indians stole most of their supplies. His comment on the apparent misfortune was: 'The weight of our baggage being so much lightened, our next day's journey was more swift and pleasant.' Hearne was in route to something very interesting and important; and the loss of a few sides of bacon and a couple of bags of flour meant nothing more than an easing of the load. Had Hearne been holed in somewhere, in a cabin, resolved to spend his last days eking out an existence, and living on capital previously collected, the loss of some of his stores by plunder would probably have worried him almost to death. "How we respond to "losing" some of our resources for God's work depends upon whether we are on the move or waiting for our last stand.

A willing heart has a passion for the things of God.

III. A willing heart Stirs Others

Perhaps the most exciting thing about our text today is how that David’s willing heart stirred others to having willing hearts.

Like the excitement at a Ball Game or a Car race catches on, so does the excitement of a willing heart.

Since David was willing to go the extra mile, his people were willing to do the same.

Now think for a moment. Did God bless their willing heart? I would say so! Israel enjoyed the most peaceful and prosperous time in all of their history.

When God’s people having a willing heart, people are willing to give their life to Christ.

When Deacons, and Teachers, and Trustees have a willing heart, then the people have a willing heart.

It starts here

There is no joy without having the willingness here.

Conclusion

In "Run with the Horses," Eugene Peterson tells how he saw a family of birds teaching their young to fly. Three young swallows were perched on a dead branch that stretched out over a lake.

"One adult swallow got alongside the chicks and started shoving them out toward the end of the branch--pushing, pushing, pushing. The end one fell off. Somewhere between the branch and the water four feet below, the wings started working, and the fledgling was off on his own. Then the second one.

"The third was not to be bullied. At the last possible moment his grip on the branch loosened just enough so that he swung downward, then tightened again, bulldog tenacious. The parent was without sentiment. He pecked at the desperately clinging talons until it was more painful for the poor chick to hang on than risk the insecurities of flying. The grip was released, and the inexperienced wings began pumping. The mature swallow knew what the chick did not--that it would fly--that there was no danger in making it do what it was perfectly designed to do.

"Birds have feet and can walk. Birds have talons and can grasp a branch securely. They can walk; they can cling. But flying is their characteristic action, and not until they fly are they living at their best, gracefully and beautifully.

"Giving is what we do best. It is the air into which we were born. It is the action that was designed into us before our birth.... Some of us try desperately to hold on to ourselves, to live for ourselves. We look so bedraggled and pathetic doing it, hanging on to the dead branch of a bank account for dear life, afraid to risk ourselves on the untried wings of giving. We don't think we can live generously because we have never tried. But the sooner we start, the better, for we are going to have to give up our lives finally, and the longer we wait, the less time we have for the soaring and swooping life of grace."

Some of you are same way concerning salvation. Attempting to hold onto a dead life. Not letting go. Not accepting Christ as savior