When we are struggling to make it, we have a choice as to where to turn our attention. We can turn outward to the world and seek guidance and assurance there, or we can turn inward and focus on God.

“¹O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. ²So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. ³Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. ⁴So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.” – Psalm 63:1-4 (ESV)

We may find temporary relief in the world and all around us, but our true relief is found in God. When we seek Him and spend time with Him. I know that when I am struggling, my time here with His word is a place of communion and a place of safety and comfort. Out in the world, it is a constant barrage of persecution and attack. When we are in the presence of God, we find ourselves, like David, in that place that is “better than life”.

When you find yourself in a difficult spot, where are you turning? Are you looking to the world? Are you looking to God, which is better?

God is in the business of providing for his children. I am going to be a bit direct this morning.

“²Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.” – Psalm 111:2 (ESV)

There is no guesswork here. The Lords works are great and everyone gets the opportunity to delight in those works.

“⁴He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful. ⁵He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. ⁶He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations.” – Psalm 111:4-6 (ESV)

And, this is where I get a little direct. You see in the 3 verses just above that God fully provides for his family (“those who fear him…his people…the inheritance”). So those that are in the family of God and those that “fear” Him are provided for. Not just those that go to church on Sunday and the static Holidays (Easter and Christmas), but those that are and have chosen a life of Christ.

I am not going to deny anyone the opportunity to come, for God also wants us all. We are all accepted, and I mean ALL. The thing is, we have to choose to accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. Once we have, we dive into that choice of a life of Christ and follow faithfully. And then, we are able to experience the provisions and “inheritance of the nations”.

Will you be provided for by God? Will you accept the salvation given freely by God? Will you be a part of the family of God and allow Him to provide?

“⁸But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than and unbeliever.” – 1 Timothy 5:8 (ESV)

Our first priority should be, must be caring for and providing for our family. This is one that I think might be missing by and large in our society.

I have witnessed on a number of occasions, mom or dad with the best of clothing (name brands), flashy automobiles, pounds of jewelry, only to have their children, or relatives living in/with less considerable conditions.

Having a giving heart and sacrificing for yourself a bit would be much more in line with Paul’s instructions to the church in the verses of this passage. We should be exhausting ourselves in pursuit of providing for those closest to us first and then work outward.

I have to be clear here as when you read my words above, the wrong idea may come about. I am not saying that we are to completely deny ourselves. When there is a need, we should work within God’s plan to provide for that need. If we have satisfied the provision for those closest to us, then a little nicety for ourselves is ok. We just have to be careful and make sure that ALL of the needs for our family have been met prior to indulging in our wants.

When you look at yourself, are you seeing someone that is sacrificing for the good of the family around you? Are you giving up so that family can have? Are you looking to provide for family first?

I know that I have been tempted and things have looked pretty bleak from time to time.

“¹³No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

There is nowhere in God’s Word where life is intended to be easy or without difficulty. Adversity, challenges, temptations, and persecution are going to be present in our lives. But, with our acceptance of the gift of salvation and adoption into the family of God, we are presented the way out.

We have to be careful not to expect complete deliverance from any of the hardships that come our way, we are only to know that our ultimate reward is not what we have here, but our home in heaven. Our escape may not be the way out we expected it to be. We must remember that we are on God’s plan and timeline, not our own.

When you think of the temptations that have come your way, what is your view of the way out? What is your expectation of deliverance? Are you looking to God to provide?

God provides for our needs and I am pretty sure that some of us have that mistaken with having more.

“²³Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, ²⁴for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations? ²⁵When the grass is gone and the new growth appears and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered, ²⁶the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field. ²⁷There will be enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of you household and maintenance for your girls.” – Proverbs 27:23-27 (ESV)

When things are good, the flow of purchases and ownership of things is a grand thing. The wise King Solomon understood the value of what he had, and wanted to be sure and pass that knowledge and value on. Having the large herds of sheep and goats was great to boast about. You could sell a number of them to gather more “wants” and “possessions”, however Solomon knew that if things got tough, he could use the sheep’s wool to make clothing and the goat’s milk for sustenance.

How often are we looking at what we have and trying to figure out how to get more or “better” items? I will say that I like a nice shirt and expensive items to make a statement, but looking at my needs, do those really fit?

God provides for our needs and it is up to us to realize that he has provided. I think that sometimes we are looking to have more and question why God has not given us the more, when clearly he has provided for our needs.

When you look at what you have, are you looking to how you can use that for your needs? Are you content with the provision for your needs and are you grateful for that provision? What is your idea of “provide”?

In the business world, when putting together plans I make it a practice to put together the plan and then the contingency or “what if” plan. God always has the plan fully laid out and does not need any contingencies.

“⁷And Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Her am I, my son.’ He said, ‘Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ ⁸Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’ So they went both of them together.” – Genesis 22:7-8 (ESV)

When I look at these verses and the complete passage, I see the planning taking place for the action Abraham is to take. He gathers the supplies for the offering, including the sacrificial item itself, Isaac. He follows the plan of going to the place and preparing for the action. He begins to go through with the action.

“⁹When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰Then Abraham reach out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. ¹¹But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here am I.’” – Genesis 22:9-11 (ESV)

Abraham continued with the plan until he was stopped. Now I have no doubt there was a huge sigh of relief with Abraham at this point. He was about to kill his own son, and was stopped just before the action was completed.

Abraham was following through with the plan laid out for Him as instructed by God. Was he hopeful of a contingency plan in verse 8 where he indicated to Isaac that the lamb would be provided? You bet, but he was following through with the original plan as instructed.

“¹²He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ ¹³And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham wen and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.” – Genesis 22:12-13 (ESV)

We have a plan that has been laid out for us by God and it is our obligation to follow through with that plan. When God sees out obedience, He provides for our needs at that moment. The key thing for us is to continue following the plans laid out and listening for the Word of God in case there is any contingency He would like us to take.

When you are doing God’s will, are you looking for a way out? Are you seeking for some other plan to be presented and hesitating? Are you aware that if there is another way, that God will provide?

I am going to throw out some caution this morning. As I continue to study the word “accepted”, God has led me to the passage in the first half of 2 Corinthians 11. Paul is discussing and warning of false prophets. I was reminded to remember to dig for truth as opposed to loud rhetoric.

“³But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the on you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.” – 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 (ESV)

Paul was the real deal in his approach to speaking the gospel. He was arrested and jailed numerous times. He did not require anything of the people, only preached to them the goodness of Christ and warnings of the challenges they would encounter for their acceptance of Christ.

There are plenty of “wolves in sheep’s clothing” out there working to “steal” you away from the truth. They will promise you the moon and avoid the difficulty of getting there. They will be happy to share more, for a price. They will make you feel as though you are not getting what you “deserve” and therefore should try their path to “goodness”. “The gospel of Paul’s opponents may have promised everyone health and wealth but no suffering, contrary to Paul’s message and experiences” (ESV Commentary).

I have to remind myself to be careful of these silver tongued charlatans and take a look at the substance behind what they share. “Many unsuspecting people follow smooth-talking, Bible quoting leaders into cults that alienate them from their families and lead them into the practice of immorality and deceit. Don’t be fooled by external appearances.” (NIV Commentary)

What are you looking for in your walk with Christ? Are you careful to look for the truth in the words and actions of those who come to you proclaiming? Would you do diligence to look for the truth in those you might accept?

“⁶…everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—⁷these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” – Isaiah 56:6-7 (ESV)

Here it is made clear that acceptance is for everyone. Not just those that are a part of the right religious sect, or upbringing, or country of origin, or understood group; but everyone who satisfies the basic criteria, “keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant” (Those who accept the gift of salvation from Christ and live that gift each day).

Talk about inclusion. I can be of another country, I can be from the other side of the tracks, I can look different from you, I can act different from you, I can be of/from a different socio-economic group, and I can drive a different vehicle and still be accepted.

“⁸The Lord God, who gather the outcasts of Israel, declares, ‘I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.’” – Isaiah 56:8 (ESV)

And He is not done with just those that have come so far.

So, if you have felt that you don’t belong, you don’t look the same, you don’t act the same, you are just different, God loves you as well as those around you and you are welcome to come to Him and be accepted.

Are you feeling as an outcast? Are you aware that you are accepted? Are you aware and spreading that ALL are accepted by God?

Have you ever been wrong and accepted anyway? The answer is a resounding YES.

“⁷After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: ‘My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. ⁸Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.’” – Job 42:7-8 (ESV)

You can see here that Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Maamithite were rebuked by God for not speaking of God in the proper way. God rightly is angered and could deal with them harshly if He so desired. But, He chose to treat them with love and accept them at the intercession of their friend Job.

“⁹So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Maamithite when and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.” – Job 42:9 (ESV)

The three friends of Job were clearly wrong in their actions, yet God provided a path of acceptance for them. The price was high, sacrifices of significant value, not to mention the outward admittance they were wrong. There was also the work of Job in the process of acceptance.

I wonder how much of the acceptance was for the benefit of Job. The men were wrong and had to admit as much openly to their friend and they were accepted in spite of that wrong.

We are wrong on a regular basis and yet, God provided acceptance and continues to accept us.

When you go through your days, are you aware of your wrong? Are you willing to admit and pay the price for that wrong? Are you aware that you are accepted though wrong?

“²¹And when anyone offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the herd or from the flock, to be accepted if must be perfect; there shall be no blemish in it.” – Leviticus 22:21 (ESV)

When we look at the verse above alone, it seems to indicate that God will not accept offerings from us unless they are “perfect”. And, if this were the times of Leviticus, that would be true based on The Old Covenant.

When I read the passage and this verse, I thought of how the “perfect” sacrifice mirrors Jesus and the sacrifice He gave of Himself for us. Perfect Jesus was presented as a sacrifice for our sin so that we did not have to be perfect ourselves (cause we are far from it). The perfect Lamb of God was sacrificed and accepted by God for our sins to be washed away.

As for us, we are to continue to offer our sacrifices to the Lord, however He will accept them and us with all the blemishes that are a part of us. When we confess to our Lord and accept that our debt has been paid by the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, we are accepted and washed clean.

We are to still offer to our Lord. “When we give out best time, talent, and treasures to God rather than what is tarnished or common, we show the true meaning of worship and testify to God’s supreme worth. (NIV Commentary) Our offerings to God are not to be what we have left, but from the top and our best (talents, time, and things).

Are you aware of the worth of the offerings you give to our Lord? Are you aware that Jesus, perfect and without blemish, was the perfect sacrifice for you? Whereas we are certainly not without blemish, are we giving the best of what we have to our Lord?