“…and it shall be acceptable…”

            Heaven is a gift from God.  Those who want to live in heaven, must receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, and beg Him with repentance and true faith to enter into their hearts.  To be accepted by God however, is in my opinion at least as important or perhaps even more so, than to “accept” Him (like some say).

            The offerings and sacrifices of the Israelites had to be without any blemish.  God would not accept any lamb, ram or bull that were sick, lame, blind or defective in any way. God expected and demanded the best.

            Let us probe ourselves to see if what we are doing is acceptable to God.  Do we have a godly attitude?  Are we serving God or looking for fame or approval?  Is there pride in our hearts? The heart must be the first area to be examined for impurities.  Jesus will only accept a clean and pure heart; a heart that is “broken and contrite” (Ps. 51:17).

            We are accepted by Christ, who in turn makes us acceptable unto the Father.  This is the work of God’s grace in our previously “unacceptable” and sinful lifestyle.  We were redeemed by the blood of Jesus, transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, and accepted forever by God the Father.

            If the world despises and rejects us, have no fear for Jesus is here.  Perhaps you will never win an Olympic gold medal (a past dream of mine), or be crowned in a beauty contest, but you are accepted (and loved) by God.

            Desist from pursuing popularity in an effort to be accepted by humans.  You are accepted by God, therefore do works that are acceptable and that bring glory to the Lord.

            A. G.

            “They were married into the clans…”

The sons (or tribe) of Joseph were right.  Marriage outside their clans or families would only lead to confusion:  The family names would get mixed up and their inheritances would be impossible to distribute.

Getting married outside God’s family is even more dangerous; it is a total disaster.  Many have tried it, and have failed miserably, for disobedience always brings terrible consequences (hint: Adam and Eve).

A Christian young woman served God faithfully for many years, and her testimony was very respectable…until the day she “fell” in love with a married man, who was also a practicing spiritualist.

The man also fell for her advances, and married her soon after divorcing his wife. The wedding almost lasted more than the marriage itself.  When the dust settled, there was a child without a father; a defeated Christian; and one more stain to the church of Christ.

What’s sad about this story is that it’s true and it is repeated daily across the world.  Every day (or at least every weekend), Christians are uniting themselves with unbelievers.  Some get married, while others fall into the concept of “living together.”  The rest of us sometimes follow “the advice of the wicked… or sit in the seat of the scoffers;” (Psalm 1:1).

Let us examine our hearts to see if we have a happy union with Christ. The church is the Bride of Christ and believers are united to the Lord forever!

A. G.

            “…to be cities of refuge…”

In whom can we find refuge when the hurricanes of life blow against our wounded soul?  Our only refuge is Jesus.  Money runs out; alcohol knocks us out; and medicines can only drug us out. Even our friends and family desert many of us amid our time of trouble.  Nothing and no one can help us, except Jesus.

The cities of refuge in the days of the Old Testament are a very vivid picture of Jesus, our refuge.  In those cities, unintentional killers could find a hiding place.  They were protected as long as they remained inside the city or they could return home after the death of the high priest.

I imagine that some slayers would have to wait quite a long time for the high priest to die.  Meanwhile they could not go back home, lest the “avenger of blood” would capture and execute them.  What a relief it must have been for them to receive the “good news” of the high priest’s death!

Christ is our eternal and immortal High Priest.  He died once and for all, but God raised him from the dead and now he lives forever.  Therefore he has become our eternal refuge.

Jesus is for us what the ark was for Noah.  He protects us just as the blood of the lintel did for the sons of Israel, and He is the Shepherd that delivers us from the roaring lion.

Without Jesus we would be defenseless little sheep lost and confused.  If you have problems today, come to Jesus and you will find a refuge in him, because Jesus is our Friend.

A. G.

“…defined by its boundaries,”

In the United States and many other countries we can find thousands of rental car agencies.  In these agencies anyone can rent automobiles, trucks or vans, provided they have good credit and money.  You can even choose the model and color of your (rented) car.

At times these agencies offer special deals including “unlimited mileage.”  Multitudes take advantage of this offer, especially those who travel long distances for work or pleasure.

What’s good about this deal is that you pay the same price regardless of how you many miles you drive.  Unfortunately “special deals” usually don’t last very long and the prices go up.

This is not an car rental ad. My purpose is to illustrate God’s infinite grace.

The sons of Israel received an inheritance in Canaan.  The land was distributed according to their tribes and individual families as defined by its boundaries or geographical limitations.

Everything in this world is limited.  Business deals, land, natural resources, etc., but the grace of God knows no bounds.  Romans 5:20 reads, “…but when sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” (Emphasis added).

God’s grace is unlimited over us.  Now we live under the period of Grace, and there is no law against us.  When the devil or storms threaten to drown your “boat” make sure your anchor is fastened in God’s eternal grace.

A. G.

“They set out…and camped”

The Christian life can be compared to alpinism.  Alpinism is also known as the art of mountain climbing that was developed in the Alps in Europe and in other mountains of the world.

To be an alpinist you must be skilled, courageous and patient, for no one can climb a tall mountain in a day.  When a group of mountain climbers attempt to scale a high peak, they are conscious that their mission will take lots of preparation, effort and TIME.

The mountain climbing process is long and tedious at times.  It is a step by step, rock by rock, odyssey.  They begin very early in the morning, weather permitting and camp in the evening.  This time at camp could very well be the most important of all, for there they rest, eat, heal their wounds, and plan the next day’s project.

The Israelites understood the concept of camping every day.  They were not scaling a mountain, but they were traveling an unfriendly wilderness.  They learned about patience and trust as they walked for forty years in the Middle East desert.

In Hebrews 12:1, we are instructed to run with patience or “perseverance.”  The Christian life (or race) is a marathon, not a one hundred meters dash.

Every day is an adventure with God.  We can walk with him, but remember that our road is hard and narrow (Matthew 7:13).  It is necessary then, to “camp” with God to receive new strength.  Tomorrow is another opportunity to climb mountains with Jesus, but today…we are resting in His camp.

A. G.