Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 35:20-29.
“20 Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel departed from Moses’ presence. 21 Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the Lord’s contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments. 22 Then all whose hearts moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and bracelets, all articles of gold; so did every man who presented an offering of gold to the Lord. 23 Every man, who had in his possession blue and purple and scarlet material and fine linen and goats’ hair and rams’ skins dyed red and porpoise skins, brought them. 24 Everyone who could make a contribution of silver and bronze brought the Lord’s contribution; and every man who had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service brought it. 25 All the skilled women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue and purple and scarlet material and in fine linen. 26 All the women whose heart stirred with a skill spun the goats’ hair. 27 The rulers brought the onyx stones and the stones for setting for the ephod and for the breastpiece; 28 and the spice and the oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 29 The Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work, which the Lord had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a freewill offering to the Lord.” Exodus 35:20-29.
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God moves hearts. God stirs hearts. “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.” Proverbs 21:1.
In today’s Scripture, we see God stirred hearts a/k/a softened hearts to do good. But, God also hardens hearts. “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.” Romans 9:17-18. God is sovereign!
But today, we are focused on our hope of “Irresistable Grace”, the “I” of “TULIP, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation. Today’s Scripture pounds the table that hearts were moved, hearts were stirred, to make those freewill offerings. And, we know Who did the moving and stirring.
What a hope we have! “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13.
The only freewill there is in Scripture is to make a freewill offering. Check it out – http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?version=NASB&search=freewill&searchtype=all&language1=en&spanbegin=1&spanend=73
And, today’s Scripture makes it abundantly clear how that “freewill offering” could be made.
“Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the Lord’s contribution …” Verse 21.
“Then all whose hearts moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and bracelets, all articles of gold …” Verse 22.
“All the women whose heart stirred with a skill spun the goats’ hair.” Verse 26.
“The Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work …” Verse 29.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 