2 Chronicles 29:28

 2 Chronicles 29:29 says, And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.  After the offering was completed, the king and all those with him bowed and worshipped God.  We need to bow in worship as soon as we enter the church building, and I believe we need to bow in worship at the beginning of each day and throughout the day and not just on Sunday at church.  Verse thirty adds, Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.  Though Hezekiah ordered the Levites to sing praises to God with the psalms of David and Asaph, two of the writers of Psalms, they sang with gladness.  We should not have to be ordered to sing praises to God, but we should do so willingly and with gladness.  Verse thirty-one continues, Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the Lord, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the Lord. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.  Hezekiah told them to then bring their sacrifices and thanks offerings and those who would did so willingly, along with free-will burnt offerings.  We should not just sing praises to God willing, but we should bring our tithes and offerings to God.  We always need to bring our tithes to God, but we should willingly go above that and freely bring our offerings as well, though no one should ever be forced to do either.  Verse thirty-two states, And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord.  Seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred lambs were offered as a burnt sacrifice.  I know many people today might say that was animal cruelty and that these people should be punished for it, but God Himself initiated the sacrificial system   Others might say that this was a waste of resources just as giving to the church is in their opinion, but we need to follow what God says and not what the world says.  Verser thirty-three adds, And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.  There were also six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep that were brought and referred to as consecrated things.  I believed that everything we have as Christians should be consecrated to God since He has blessed us with it, and we should use everything under the direction of the Holy Spirit.  Verse thirty-four continues, But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.  There were too many things brought to sacrifice for the priests to do it, so the Levites helped them.  We don't usually have a problem with there being too much given to the church for those in charge of it to deal with.  It also says that the priests had to first sanctify themselves, but the Levites were more upright in their heart and had already purified themselves.  We need to pray that religious leaders today will be upright in their heart and purify themselves, but each individual Christian should also do so as well, even if the leaders are slower at doing so.  Verse thirty-five says, And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the Lord was set in order.  There was plenty for all the offerings and the house of the Lord was set in order.  We need to do all that we can to make sure that the house of the Lord is in order today, starting with our lives as the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus Christ has already provided all the sacrifice for sin that can ever be offered, but if we have put our faith in Him, we need to give to make sure there is always enough resources to carry out His work today.  Verse thirty-six adds, And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.  Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced, especially those that God had prepared to do the work which was necessary because this was done suddenly.  We should be prepared to make the most of every opportunity God gives us to advance His kingdom, even if this opportunity comes to us suddenly.  We should also rejoice in the Lord no matter what is happening in our life.