Bible Study: Venture Out 03.20.10

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Today is Saturday March 20, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Joshua, chapters 20 & 21. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-march-20

Title: Bible Study: Venture Out
Jesus chooses His disciples, we do not choose Him, He actually chooses us, we are not contained in a city of refuge, but live amongst everyone else all over the world. One may wonder why we are scattered, but if we were all in one place we would never venture out of our comfort zone and do what is needed for God. We are all here for a purpose and as disciples we are given the most important task of all and that is to teach the Gospel to all nations. While it would be a lot easier to be in a city of refuge we would not do much for God if we were.

God appointed cites throughout the land for people who killed someone in order to have a place of refuge before they stood trial. If they were found to have deliberately killed someone, they would face an instant death penalty, but should they be found to have done it by accident they had to reside in the city of refuge until the high priest died and then were free to join the rest of their family. “The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses: That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.” - Joshua 20:1-5. This is where the phrase, innocent until proven guilty comes in at, while a family member of the victim was able to avenge his brother, he was not allowed to do it before he was found guilty. This is why the accused were sent to the city of refuge until he stood trial and if the person was found innocent he was to stay there until the high priest died as people are not so forgiving as God and would have someone would have avenged him regardless of the outcome.

You know, once we get labeled, whether it is something we did or did not do, it stays with us forever, regardless of how much we try to do to clear our name, and we are always going to come across someone who thinks they know us and tries to cause trouble for us. It is very important as Christians that we stay away from any appearance of evil as people will stop at nothing to give us a bad name and God as well. We are to do as the Apostle Paul says, “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - I Thessalonians 5:15-23. We may have a past, but everyone else has a past as well, the difference between us and the world is that we have turned to Jesus to save us from our past and, Praise God, He no longer remembers all of those things. As long as we are doing our best at changing our lives and the situations we get ourselves into God knows who we are and it does not matter what people think. We are testimonies of just how faithful, loving, and forgiving God is to all, murders, adulterers, prostitutes, drug dealers, homosexuals, and every one in between. He is not a respecter of persons, just wants His children to come to Him and He will change anyone's life as long as they truly want to change and seek Him.

Many people will come to Jesus and ask Him to forgive them and save them from hell and as long as they truly meant it from the bottom of their heart, they are forgiven and saved, even if they never change. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:13. Praise God, that He is more forgiving than we are or we would all be facing a death sentence by someone who wants to revenge on us. However, among those people a few will change their lives and actually serve God and this is why His disciples are scattered all over the world.

Before Jesus came, God appointed the Levites to work in His ministry and serve Him, this was their inheritance. “Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel; And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle. And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.” - Joshua 21:1-3. The Levites were divided into three groups according to the descendants of Levi's three sons, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, only those who were descendants through Kohath's could be priests and serve in the Tabernacle. The priests were responsible for preserving, transcribing, teaching, and interpreting the Law. They were also the civil officers responsible for the administration of the Law. Some of these descendants were physically disqualified to be ministers at the altar because of disabilities and defects, and some were spiritually disqualified because they violated one or more of the Commandments. However, all the Levites, were given cities to dwell in amongst the rest of the tribes and this is how they became scattered all over the country. Why did God scatter them? Because the land was so great that some of the people would not be able to get ministered to until they got to the Tabernacle. Now that the Levites were scattered abroad they were able to minister to the people all over the nation. Today, God scatters His disciples in order to reach the people in our surrounding cities and in our nations so that we can reach all nations as Jesus commanded. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” - Matthew 28:19,20. As disciples of Christ we are to venture out of our comfort zone and minister to all who do not know Him. God blesses all who venture out and serve as Jesus did while He was here.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and the first day of spring.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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