Week 10 - Day 4

July 07, 2008 
Day 4/ Week 10
Praises of the Great Assembly

Today's Treasure – 1 Chronicles 29: 11

"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything made in heaven and earth is yours."

Today, David concludes his assembly to the people, and it is an amazing motivational speech. His passion encourages his leaders to give of their resources as freely as he has given. The people rejoice to see their leaders give so sincerely and wholeheartedly. We need to remember these verses if we a leaders in the church. Always take into account that others are watching you. Giving is not only tithing. We give of our time, our talents and gifts. If others see you give with joy, it will motivate them to give also. Parents, think of the example you are creating for your children as you give of yourself. If they hear you and your spouse argue about going to an event at church to volunteer or not having enough money to tithe, do you think they see joy in giving?

Read 1 Chronicles 29: 1 – 9. What do you think motivated the leaders to give so freely?

A: The leaders were motivated by David's (their leader) gracious giving

According to verse 9, why did the people rejoice?

A: They rejoiced to see their leaders give so willingly and wholeheartedly

In Exodus 35 God asked for freewill offerings, or personal offerings given from the heart, for the building of the tabernacle. Why did God want offerings from the heart for the construction of His dwelling places?

A: If our hearts are pure, then the rest of our lives will be pure. If people gave from their heart, then their reasons for giving would be pure; therefore, the materials would be pure. The tabernacle would not be tainted by selfish desire.

Has a leader in your life ever motivated you to give your time, talents, gifts, or treasures by his or her own example? Who was she/he and how has the example affected you? 
 
A: I was blessed enough to be raised in a church led by Max Pendleton. There are very few pastors with the ability to penetrate your heart and mind with their words the way Pastor Max can. He has a gift, and I can still remember his voice by only closing my eyes for a few moments. Max is a true example of someone that loves the Lord with all of his heart. Sitting in his presence so many years ago, changed my life. I did not realize or appreciate it then. Sometimes you couldn't even convince me that I was listening as a child. Yet, when I think of him, I think of his the example that I do remember and cherish. I was listening and absorbing, whether I realized it or not. I will always think of him as a motivator through example.

Read 1 Chronicles 29: 10 – 20. Consider verses 10 – 13 carefully. Condense in one sentence what you believe David was saying.

A: Everything we are blessed with belonged to God first. He is the creator of all good things, and we would have nothing if it were not given to us by the creator. All of these offerings being given for the temple rightfully belonged to the Lord.

Read verse 14. What reflects David's words in this verse?

A: Everything we give to God comes from His own hand.

In verse 17 David acknowledged the importance of integrity to God. What does the word integrity mean to you?

A: That our actions are as pure as we state them to be. We have only a desire to please God with our actions, and they have no ulterior motive.

What two things did David request from God in verse 18?

A: Keep the desire to please God in their hearts and keep their hearts loyal to God

Explain your understanding of the joint work of God and man in establishing a wholehearted devotion toward God.

A: The person must be willing to receive the direction of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit must remain in the willing hearts. Do you remember when God removed His spirit from Saul because he did not have a willing heart? If we remain true and pure of heart, God will not remove His spirit from us.

When David said, "Praise the Lord your God," what did the people do in verse 20?

A: They praised God and fell prostrate before the Lord and the king

Have you ever wondered why God demands our praises? God is completely God. He does not demand our praises to make himself feel more like God. There is nothing that comes from this earth that could ever make him feel more like God than He already does. Beth gives us two vital reasons why God demands our praises:

1. Praise reminds us who He is. We should remember His wonders in the lives of those recorded in the Word, His wonders in your own life, and His wonders in the lives of those you know. In Jeremiah 32: 17, it states: "Oh, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you."

2. Praise reminds us who we are. It is an exercise in perspective. In 1 Chronicles 29: 14 it states, "But who am I". When we truly praise, it changes the enormity of God to one that we cannot even fathom.

 
Read David's words in Psalm 8: 1 – 4. What caused David to gain a fresh perspective?
A: Considering the heavens, the work of God's fingers, and the moon in the stars which God set in place.
 
In Isaiah 29: 16 God describes how wrong our perceptions can be.  

"You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be the clay. Shall what was formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me"? Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing".

This is a powerful verse to remember when people challenge us on our faith. Who are we to question God…our creator? Can we question His will or ways knowing that he created everything we look upon?
 
The last two questions in this study are personal reflections on what you have learned during the past 10 weeks. Please take time to do them. 

As we leave, remember the following words from Beth:

"He told us to delight ourselves in Him. (Deut. 30: 6). He is the only One who can supply us with delight. He told us to serve Him with our spiritual gifts. (Ps. 37:4). We receive our gifts from Him. Everything we give to God we must first get from God."