1. Few months ago I preached a message about the tabernacle. The tabernacle was built because the people had willing hearts, wise hearts, and stirred-up hearts.
2. Five hundred years passed. And then King David desired to build a house for the Lord, not a tabernacle that could be transported from one place to another, not a tent in the wilderness, but a glorious temple in Jerusalem (cf. I Chron.17:1,2).
3. If you know your Bible, you know that God would not allow David to build the temple; it was his son King Solomon who had that honor (cf. I Chron.28:3,9,10).
4. Please take note of the words, "perfect heart." When God instructed the Israelites to build the tabernacle, He wanted men and women with willing hearts, wise hearts, and stirred-up hearts. Today, I want to focus on the words "perfect heart" (28:9; cf. 29:9).
5. The Bible says, "Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD.." (I Chron.29:9).
6. A perfect heart is not a sinless heart, for nobody in this world is perfectly sinless. When the Bible speaks of a perfect heart, it means a heart totally devoted to God; it means a sincere heart, an "upright heart" (29:17), a heart that offers willingly to God (29:17).
7. Please allow me to make an application: We are in the midst of a big project. We need God’s help; we need God’s guidance; we need God’s direction; and we need God’s power.
8. And we need to go to the Word of God for help. We need to really understand what the Bible means when it says, "With a perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD"?

1. THIS INVOLVES FAITH (28:20).

1. I have had to go back to this Scripture many times in the past week or so. And I had to substitute my name for Solomon’s (28:20).
2. The Lord gave me this Scripture and I sent an e-mail message to Pastor Jim Bickel keeping him up to date on our situation. In my e-mail I mentioned that God gave me this verse and I was greatly encouraged. He sent me back a reply and told me that God gave him the same verse years ago back in Connecticut when his church was in a similar project.

Doubt sees the obstacles; Faith sees the way!
Doubt sees the darkest night; Faith sees the day!
Doubt dreads to take a step; Faith soars on high!
Doubt questions, "Who believes?" Faith answers, "I."

3. "A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; a great faith will bring heaven to your soul" – C.H.S.
4. Someone else has said: "Faith is not believing that God can, but that God will."
5. Everything Solomon needed for the great building project was provided by the Lord through David: the plans for the building, the organization, the building materials, and the workers to do the job (28:11,19).
6. David assured Solomon that the people were with him in this project (28:21). That is important, but even more important – God was with him (28:20).

2. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS GOD’S WORK (29:1).

1. Over and over I have to remind myself that this is not my project or your project, or our project – but God’s project. This building at 779 Elmont Road is not for me or you or any man or woman – it is for God (29:1).
2. David challenged the people to give towards the building project, but first he reminded them that he himself was giving. He set a good example (I Chron.29:2,3).
3. David set a good example by giving generously, then he challenged the people to give. Beloved, it is not this preacher, or King David, or any man that is going to challenge you and move you – it is God that is putting this challenge before you (cf. Malachi 3:8-10).
4. I heard a cute story about a little girl with ten pennies. She told her mother: This one is for Jesus, and this one is for you Mommy; this one is for Daddy, and these six are for my brothers and sisters, and this last one is for Jesus." Her mother said: "But, honey, you already gave one to Jesus." The little girl replied, "Yes, Mommy, but that first one belonged to Jesus; this one is a present!" That little girl understands more about tithes and offerings than many grown-ups do!
5. "All that is in the heaven and in the earth" is God’s (I Chron.29:11). That certainly includes a building on Elmont Road, and your house or car or wallet or pocketbook or whatever – it all belongs to God.
6. Do you know who the store "Lord and Taylors" is named after?
7. Money always seems to be a big problem in situations like this building program we’re in. We need to get on our knees and pray because it isn’t a problem for God (29:12-14).
8. Let us also consider something else: if the Lord tarries, our children, the next generation, will be running this church (cf. I Chron.28:8-10). Many of us will be gone – promoted to glory – what will we leave behind for the next generation?

3. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE STRANGERS AND SOJOURNERS ON THIS EARTH (29:15).

1. This is a major theme of the Bible (cf. James 4:14; I Peter 2:11).
2. If we are only strangers in this world passing through this weary life on our way to heaven, then why should we become preoccupied with money and material things? (cf. Matt.6:19-34).
3. We will certainly leave this world with nothing. So let us "lay up" for ourselves treasures in heaven (Matt.6:20,21).
4. Some people fail to realize this until it is too late. I heard about a conversation between a cow and a pig. The pig said to the cow: "I don’t understand it. People are always talking about how generous you are, giving them cream and milk and butter for their dinner table. But what about me? I give a lot more than you do – ham and bacon, pork chops, sausages, and other goodies. But all anybody does around here is make fun of me and call me a fat pig. It’s not fair!" The cow replied, "Perhaps the difference is that I do my giving while I’m still living."
5. Beloved, do your giving while you’re living. Someone wisely said: "Do your giving while you’re living, then you’ll be knowing where it’s going."

1. In I Chronicles 29:5, David asks this question: "And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD?"
2. We see that the people responded immediately (29:6-9).
3. Please allow me to put the same question to you today: Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD?