God is Missing

On January 27, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Job 23: 2

If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his throne and talk with him there.

Is this not heart-breaking? How sad! Have you read Job recently? It is quite the read. If you decide it is time for you to read it again, let me caution you. Do not take your doctrine from Job’s “friends.” You will see that God was none too pleased with their advice. Anyway, it is a very interesting book to read. We are in a very different place theologically than Job but some of the similarities are alarming.

You know the story, Job was living the high life and he loved God. Then Satan came along and destroyed everything Job had and loved, including his family. Job became very confused and eventually bitter. He worked it out in the end but throughout the book you hear him voice many of the doubts and complaints we have all thought.

Now, in his eighth speech he confesses plainly, “I don’t know where God is.” In the midst of his pain and devastation, he cannot find God. Let me ask you, where was God during this time? We believe God was within reach the whole time. Job was so busy blaming God that he couldn’t find him. I don’t think he tried. He believed God was in some far off place in the clouds separated from the woes of people.

We think differently today and yet . . . I would wager that over 90% of the people reading today’s devotional have thought the same thing Job said and felt as Job must have felt. Where is this God who is supposed to love us so immensely? Why is He allowing me to suffer?

Do you know where to find God? Do you know how to get to His throne room? Do you have a place you can go to speak with God? This is a matter that must be resolved! We cannot leave this to chance any longer. You are entitled to speak with God all the time and you need to.

When I first began learning to talk with God face to face, I had to get out of his throne room. When I was in the throne room, I always felt like a conscripted soldier kneeling at the throne awaiting my marching orders. This was not the posture of a love relationship. It was servitude. I am happy to serve my God, but He was not happy. He didn’t want a servant, nor a soldier. He wanted a child. I was not ready to be a vulnerable, loving child at that time, but I needed to learn to meet Him on more level ground; I needed to be able to speak with Him, actually talk with Him.

I began by picturing the two of us sitting at my conference room table. I could look across the table and see Him. He was in the dimensions of a normal person rather than a gigantic God. I could look at Him and not be intimidated or humbled into servitude. We began there. I could sit in the comfort of my living room but still picture us at the conference room table. With my mind’s eye trained on Him, I could talk with Him, and I began to learn to hear Him.

We’ve come a long way since then. Now He rides my bike with me. Imagine the picture of me, Yahweh, the Holy Spirit and Jesus all riding my bike together. Hilarious, right? I tried leaving Jesus and HS home, but they go everywhere I go, and they go everywhere He goes so we just had to invite them too. Then there was the day I was aware of angels with me too. Look how far we have come from kneeling at the foot of the throne. Now we look like a circus act.

Where is God Job? Where is His throne room? He is right there with you right now. He doesn’t need a throne or a throne room. He is happier sitting beside the creek or on the beach with you. Close your eyes. Picture Yahweh in a cozy chair across from you where you are both seated next to a crackling fire in the fireplace. Or picture the two of you in a two person kayak. Whatever your comfort spot is, close your eyes and see it. Then see Yahweh right there with you. Now, open up your mouth and say, right out loud, whatever it is you’ve been wanting to talk with Him about. Leave the holy prayers for Sunday and just speak. Talk with your best friend. He is right there with you, right now. How’s that?

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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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Sunshine

On August 23, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Job 11: 16 – 17

For you would forget your trouble, as waters that have passed by, you would remember it. And your life would be brighter than noonday; darkness would be like the morning.

This is how I think it is best to conclude our thoughts and musings over Psalm 35. We have a vindicator. Better still, we have a father who loves us with an infinite love. In the end, we win. There may be sorrow today but the sun will arise in the morning. Then your grief, your woe will be as the waters of the river. Yesterday’s water is long gone and with it your remembrance of yesterday’s distress. The sun will shine on you again. So bright will your life be that even your darkness is as bright as the morning sun.

This is God, the Father’s will for you. He wants to be light in a dark place for you. He wants to rescue you from your deepest depression. He wants to give you wings to that you can change your plight to flight. He will give you wings of eagles with which you cease flapping and learn to soar.

For our part, we have to increase in trust and decrease in control. There is ultimate power in surrender but oh, what a strong person it takes to surrender their will to God. Ego is a sounding death knell and that bell tolls for us.

What does it take to actually install God on the throne of our lives? How do we surrender our will and our brilliance to the degree that there is room for Him to work in our lives? Our miracles are in our cessation of managing our lives. Once we finally learn how to let go and allow Yahweh to actually function as the God of our lives, then we will live in peace, power and harmony. This is my prayer for you today.

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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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Sit Down with Mercy

On June 11, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 3: 25                 (God’s Word Translation)

God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy where God’s approval is given through faith in Christ’s blood. In his patience God waited to deal with sins committed in the past.

 There is a new mercy seat and his name is Jesus. In the Old Testament we read about the mercy seat which was the top of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark held, among other things, the tablets of law which were given to Moses. God in His great love and compassion for His people covered the law with the Mercy Seat. Now He has done it a second time in the person and sacrifice of Jesus.

 We are seated in the heavens with Jesus (Ephesians 2: 6). That is what it means to abide in Christ. We are in Him and He is in us. We abide together. We are again covered by mercy. God has given us His approval because of our faith in the victory of Jesus’ shed blood. It does require our confidence in Jesus’ victory however, but once we have faith in the blood of the perfect lamb then we are seated with him in the mercy seat. No longer does our sin condemn us. God withheld judgment until He could get the perfect sacrifice into place. Now the blood of Jesus speaks for us and completely washes away our sin. God has covered us with His overflowing mercy.

Order your personal theology so that you do not perceive yourself as a sinner but rather as the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5: 21). We are saved by grace. When we embrace the truth of our righteousness in Jesus we will not be drawn to sin. We are humbled by his magnanimity and though we may make mistakes we sure don’t seek out sin. Righteousness makes you righteous. Sit down in mercy and arise in His righteousness.

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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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