2 Chronicles 6:8 But the Lord said to my father David, “You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name.

This is one of those verses that we need to read in context to find out the deeper meaning. On the surface it is just God telling David He was pleased that David wanted to build a temple.

But when we dig a bit deeper we find out a few secrets; the first being that David was not the one to build the temple because of the sin in his own life.

The second being that God was showing David forgiveness by allowing him to continue to plan and gather everything required for that temple build.

God wants us to grow and not to be held back by the sin in our past.

2 Corinthians 8:12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

Have you ever felt that you don’t give enough to the church or to God? Have you ever wondered if you should be doing more?

We all go through this guilt at some stage or another, but God is not expecting us to give above what we are able. This is something I have struggled with in the past as I try to give everything!

God loves us and He knows our circumstance. As long as we are willing we will find giving is easy; but don’t get stressed about not doing enough because you haven’t got enough!

2 Corinthians 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

We are called to be servants of God, but if we are not going to do so willingly then we are saying that we are slaves.

I think most of us have grown up knowing what slavery is nowadays and we would not like to be slaves to anyone; but there are many people who still are, even in this modern world.

God wants us to come forward willingly to work for Him, just as we would willingly give money to people who need it or to the church to help with its running.

God does not want us as slaves. He overcame that for us.