Enter In

On September 9, 2024   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Hebrews 4: 16

Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

What would you think if you heard the author of Hebrews preach this sermon in your church Sunday? Would it sound odd to you? He seems to say that we can enter God’s throne room now even while we still live on this earth. How do we accomplish that?

I believe the writer of Hebrews is telling us that we should be entering God’s throne room now. Not only that but also that we should enter confidently. We are spiritual beings even though we are currently housed in physical bodies. We can, therefore, participate in spiritual exercises like we do physical ones. For example, is prayer a physical or a spiritual exercise? The answer may have something to do with our own spiritual maturity, but I think most of us would say that it is a spiritual exercise. Most people probably recognize that we exist in the spiritual realm even while we reside in the physical realm. This should not be too hard to comprehend. After all, we can exercise mentally and physically at the same time so, also, we can exercise spiritually. Now, what I will say is that most of us spend more time on our minds and bodies than we do our spirits. None the less, you and I can operate spiritually, and we should. So, how do we actually enter God’s throne room?

The answer is that we do so in our spirits by and through prayer. How, though, does one actually accomplish this? It’s not exactly “natural” is it? Actually, it is just a step above natural and it is called supernatural. When you pray, imagine yourself walking into God’s throne room. See yourself invited and accepted. Then just talk with your father. Can you picture yourself driving a red Ferrari? You probably did even as you read “Ferrari.” You use the same method in seeing yourself in the throne room only, it is applied through the spirit and prayer. See yourself walking into God’s presence. Watch yourself boldly enter His throne room. You can still operate in humility even while you confidently approach God because your confidence is in Jesus. He has paved the way for you to enter into Father’s presence. Go forth confidently; knowing that Jesus has prepared this avenue for you. Go be with your Dad and talk with Him. He would love to spend time with you.

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Forgiven

On December 2, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 51: 1 – 4

Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithfulness; according to the greatness of Your compassion, wipe out my wrongdoings. Wash me thoroughly from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my wrongdoings, and my sin is constantly before me.

Please consider the following passage: “Behold, for my own welfare I had great bitterness; But You have kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, For You have hurled all my sins behind Your back” (Isaiah 38: 17). The reason I wanted you to consider these two passages together is so that we can get at the root of guilt and forgiveness. Notice from the Psalm that it was writer’s own guilt and remorse which plagued him. It was not God’s judgment which tormented him. His sin was constantly before his own eyes. He could not escape it. Contrast that with the passage from Isaiah. Here the speaker was well aware of God’s grace and lovingkindness. He recognized that we deserve the pit of nothingness, to be cast out into the darkness, but that God, despite our many faults and shortcomings has chosen to turn His back on our sins. He has forgiven us and not because we deserve it, for which I am grateful, but rather because of His magnanimity.

I am grateful it is unnecessary to earn the graciousness of God for surely, I would fail. Better that He is kind and generous with forgiveness. The struggle, then, is to let go of our own guilt. It is our guilt and sin consciousness which separates us from God. I chose this Old Testament example so as to frame the New Testament miracle of Christ and his sacrifice. I cannot find the right word to characterize what the Father and Jesus did for us at Calvary because it is so big and so wonderous. What is also worthy of comment, though, is that this great divine exchange of Jesus’ life for our sin began with a Father who, in the Old Testament, chose to cast our sins to His back. He chose not to put them before His eyes. Knowing how flawed we are, He chose, none the less, to put His only child on a crucificial cross.

God paid the ultimate price for us to have our conscience cleansed. He removed the guilt which separates us from Him by giving us a way to purge ourselves of the sin consciousness. This is the great miracle, that we can be guilty and yet clean; that we can boldly draw close to Him. Paul said it this way, “Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need,” (Hebrews 4: 16). We have the right to approach the throne of grace and we can do so confidently because the Father has forgiven our sin and washed us clean. There is nothing we can do to earn this favor. There is no 7-step forgiveness plan. It is done. Yahweh has already done what was needed. Now, we must accept His great sacrifice and receive the miracle of forgiveness, allowing our consciousness to be renewed in Christ.

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Supremacy

On August 24, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 114: 7 – 8

Tremble, O earth, before the Lord, before the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of water.

This psalm is about how the earth yielded to the command of the Lord when Israel fled from Egypt. The sea parted, the river stood back, and rocks even produced drinking water. This may be a good meditation for a world overrun by a viral enemy. Everything which has a name must bow to the Lord. That includes mountains, rivers, seas, and viruses.

Tell me, what distinguishes the time of the Exodus from our time? The Israelites saw many miracles. Is there any reason we should not? We seem to experience fewer miracles in our everyday existence but is it true that they are not happening? And, if they are, why are they happening in some circumstances and not everywhere and prolifically?

I do believe this new “Christ in us” life has changed the playing field. The Israelites had an intercessor, someone who spoke to God on their behalf. Moses and Aaron were appointed by God to speak for the people. We, however, no longer need a priest to go before God for us. We have direct access to the High Priest, Jesus Himself. Moreover we have been invited to “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace,” (Hebrews 4: 16). We do not have to stand outside the gate and beg admittance or solicit someone else to make intercession for us.

This change is great for us, but I wonder, too, if it doesn’t place a greater responsibility upon each of us as individual priestly servants unto the Lord. God is still on His throne and He is as interested in us individually and collectively as ever. The earth does tremble before Him and rivers will pause in their course. He will even heal a nation or an entire world. But how? And what role do we play in it?

Our God is all powerful and mighty in deed. I want to see His power reigning in the earth. I want to see His victorious triumph. Show yourself, Lord, to a hungry people. Make the earth stand up and take notice of your greatness. Heal the land, Father, and all who dwell upon it. Lead us and teach us to serve your goals and desires. Give the victory into our hand through our faith and devotion to you. Bless your people O, Lord, as we learn to live in Your ways.

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Throne of Grace

On May 9, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Hebrews 4: 16

Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

God is sitting on the throne of grace. Did you know that? He is not sitting on the throne of judgment nor the throne of condemnation. No, His choice of thrones is the one of grace. That should set someone free right there. Glory!!

Additionally, we are invited, no, instructed, to draw unto that throne so that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. I used to picture myself entering the throne room of God. But in re-reading this scripture I realize that we are not to draw near to the throne room but rather to the throne itself. I was often satisfied just entering the throne room when God has said, “Come on up to the throne where I am.” Are you getting a revelation of this? God wants us to draw nigh to Him so that He can extend His mercy and grace and so that He can help us with every challenge. That ought to radicalize your thinking. You ought to get a breakthrough just realizing at a greater level how sincerely and longingly He wants you to run into His arms like a little child so that He can help you with everything.

Do you know what the word “grace” actually means? It means “unmerited favor”. So God is saying to you, “Come receive my favor. Let us put my favor on you and on whatever situations you are facing.” He is trying to get you to go to Him with your needs. He wants to be your helper. Look, He could have chosen any throne He wanted but He chose to sit on the throne of unmerited favor so that He could bless you without you having to earn it. So, who will be the first to run into the throne room and up to that throne today? Will it be you?

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The Throne Room

On June 29, 2017   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Hebrews 4: 16

Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

I do interactive journaling for www.bornofthespirit.today. I recently asked God about this verse and what He would like to reveal to me about it. Click on the link above to see what He said to me. As I pondered all that He said to me, I knew I wanted to use this same verse for a Word of the Day.

The Protestant Reformation was supposed to usher in a time of approachability to God. No longer do we need a priest to speak to God for us or to tell us what God says to us. This is not to minimize the operation of spiritual gifts; that is another topic entirely. This discussion focuses on the necessity of another human to facilitate the conversation between us and the Father. You can speak directly to Him and more importantly you can hear from Him yourself.

Before Christ, only the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies where the presence of God resided. Even then, he could only enter at the appointed time and after the proper preparation. Jesus tore the dividing veil asunder, literally, and now each of us has an open invitation into the very presence of God. We have a pass which entitles us to enter into His throne room at any time of the day or night, weekdays and weekends. There is not one minute of one day when the doors of the throne room are closed to us. Don’t you find that amazing?

We all need more of God. We need Him morning, noon and night and this verse shows us that we have availability to Him. Whatever you are doing right now, pause and take a moment to see yourself walk through the giant doors, which equally gigantic angels hold open for you. See your Father on His throne, beaming with His smile of welcome. Go to Him. Enjoy His presence and return frequently.

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Free Admission

On January 11, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Hebrews 4: 16

Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Do you know that you can enter God’s throne room? Do you realize that you are actually invited to do so? Father God has made access to him available to each one of us so that we may receive the help we need. Not only that, but we are also to enter boldly with confidence. He is our Father not a far off, removed deity. We can be like any child entering her Father’s office. Children just barge into their parent’s offices without waiting just as if it was their own office. In like manner, we are to go boldly to our Father’s office to talk with him and get whatever we need whenever we need it. There is no guard at the door and you do not have to make an appointment. He is waiting there for you even at this moment. Whenever you can free up your schedule, He is available. See yourself in your mind’s eye striding purposefully into throne room. Walk in as a privileged guest, not as a meek servant. Have your audience with the God of the universe, your Dad, and receive all that you need for this day.

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Throne of Grace

On April 14, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Hebrews 4: 16

Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

Did you know that God’s throne is called the throne of grace? That’s right. He sits in grace. But what about the throne of judgment; where is that? Well, I don’t know. I searched the Bible and it turns out its not there. Curious! We have heard about the judgment seat and the throne of judgment for so long that most of us expect it to be real but it turns out that it is just the figment of religion. It is a good device, like the boogey man, to get us to do what religious minds thinks we ought. You know, “Be good or you will fare poorly when you face the throne of judgment. How interesting, though, that God says come before me where I sit on the throne of grace dispensing, well, grace. He isn’t dispensing judgment; He is giving away grace. 

In the Old Testament God had an ark made which was kept in the Holy of Holies and that is where He would meet mankind. The seat of the ark, God called the Mercy seat. It is there in the place of mercy that God chose to meet with people. And what do you suppose is dispensed from the seat of mercy? Yes, mercy. People have this crazy notion of God being an angry, vengeful, judgment dealing God but that is stuff and non-sense. Others believe He is a benevolent God now but maintain that He was mean in the Old Testament. Well, then why did He name His seat, His throne “Mercy”? He chose where He would meet humans and He chose to meet them over mercy.

That is pretty good, but it wasn’t good enough. You see, He had to be the dispenser of mercy because there was no other answer for the sin of man. Aahhh, but we have a new covenant made on better promises by a better mediator (Hebrew 8: 6). So God was able to get a new throne. Hallelujah! He now sits in grace, on the throne of grace, dispensing grace. 

This is where God always wanted to be and thanks to Jesus He is the King of Grace, the God of Grace. Grace, the calling card of our dear Father, is your birthright vis- a-vis the new birth. God invites us into His throne room to receive grace, mercy and help, not judgment. 

Grace is the unmerited favor of God. It cannot be earned but rather is a gift from a loving father. It is the power for things to simply go well for you. It is the invitation for you to hang out with God. Because of grace, because of God’s favor upon you, where once you were an orphan and an outcast, now you abide in the actual presence of the Almighty free from stain or blemish. You are the perfect, redeemed, restored child of the Most High. Grace does all this for you and more. Unmerited favor, mercy, help in time of need, these are all yours through the blood of Christ. They are all pouring out from the Throne of Grace where your beloved is seated.

Get a new image of your father today, the father of grace. Let the idea of grace fill you. Our father has promoted us from mercy to grace and mercy was pretty good. You have been invited into the throne room. Go with the confidence that your father is awaiting you with a smile. But don’t look for the throne of judgment. You won’t find it in Dad’s throne room.

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