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Pastor Turns Away Offering?

In a move that has dead pastors rolling in their graves and live pastors shaking their heads, Moses shocked a nation. This is a section in Scripture that your pastor doesn't ever want you to read. In fact, if I suddenly disappear after this post is published, somebody come looking for me. Because I'm going to tell you anyway.

There was once a time when Moses decided not to take more offering from the people of Israel.

WHAT!?!

I know. I hope you were sitting down. It was wrong of me not to ask that ahead of time. (Somebody get that senior pastor an oxygen tank. He doesn't look well.)

You can't make stuff like this up. I've heard senior pastors mention in a circle of other pastors that they considered not taking an offering. Then they pause for effect and all the other pastors start laughing. What's next, Pastor? Are you not going to preach a 32-point sermon either?

Go ahead, look it up. Exodus 36:1-7. It's all there in black and white. But why? Why would Moses do something so crazy as to turn away an offering? Because they already had enough? Yeah, like there could ever be enou....

Oh wait. Actually that is the reason. In fact, it says they had more than enough. Well, that's a new one. They were collecting offerings for building the sanctuary. God had commanded it. The people responded. Imagine that.

Actually imagine a command from God so capturing the heart of His people that they would bring too much for the project. Imagine the Church and other relief organizations having so much that their main problem was figuring out what to solve next. Could it happen? Could a command actually stir our hearts like that.

I've read in several places that we have enough resources to end global poverty. We could solve the world's water and food crisis. With enough research I believe we could stop many diseases. I recall Jesus saying we could move mountains.

Imagine that. It's easy if you try.

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