Tag Archives: god

The Throne of Grace

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Hebrews 4:11-16 – The Throne of Grace

Hebrews 4:11-16 – Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.  Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

What a privilege to enter into the very presence of God. To bring our petitions, our cares, worries, concerns to him. What a comfort to know that he understands our weaknesses because he experienced them also, but without giving in to them. We enter that rest via the veil – the flesh/body of Christ. 

Sin is the greatest hindrance to prayer.  Sin separates us from Christ.  Sin is defeated through the blood of Jesus.  Being set free from sin through his blood allows us to enter into his presence. 

The throne of grace is that special place where we can become one with our Lord.  After confession of sins – sins of omission (things we should have done but did not) and commission (things we should not have done but did) we can enjoy fulness of joy, peace of mind.  We can have satisfaction knowing that our relationship with the Lord is one that cannot be compared to any other relationship we might have experienced.

His grace is enough to satisfy your soul, to make you whole and complete.  His grace is the soothing ointment from above that will meet all your cares and needs.  

Want a Blessing?

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James 1:12-14 – Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

  • Endure temptation – You will be blessed
  • Do not give into Satan – You will be blessed
  • Do not give into temptation – You will be blessed
  • Live a holy, Godly life – You will be blessed

Temptations are like a Lay’s potato chip bag…you can’t eat just one! Temptations are like a snowball rolling down a hill…it grows and grows and grows more and more when we let it have its way! Temptations are like a bag of chocolates when you skipped lunch because you have just gone on a diet! Temptations are near impossible to resists…but we are able to resist through the strength which God has given us. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Four steps to temptation:

  • Enticement
  • Ensnarement
  • Entanglement
  • Enslavement

Six steps on your Christian journey:

  • Encounter – Meet the risen Christ
  • Let the Word be engraved in your heart
  • Be enabled through a relationship with Christ
  • Encourage one another
  • Endeavor to keep the peace with all ment
  • Endure to the end

Oh! The Sin of One Oreo Cookie!

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Fad diets are the rage of the land.  Fitness centers all across our country are the in place to be.  Exercise and workout programs abound and yet we eat, eat, eat and our waistlines keep on telling us we need to change.  We simply cannot, for the most part, stop the continued trend of stuffing our face.

Here is a sample of one diet crazed day:

Breakfast

  • One cup of coffee – black
  • One piece of whole wheat toast – dry – no butter, no jelly
  • ½ grapefruit without sweetener

Lunch

  • Two small raw carrots
  • One glass of iced tea without sugar
  • One water cress sandwich on bran toast – no mayonnaise or other spread, you know just bland disgusting stuff to fill the vast expanse of our targeted area.

Afternoon snack – 2:00 PM

  • One Oreo cookie

Approximately 30 minutes later

  • The rest of the bag of Oreo cookies
  • One extra-large helping of rocky road ice cream with an over-sized helping of marshmallow sauce added
  • Washed down by a large vanilla milkshake
  • Two slices of cold left-over pizza
  • A helping of cherry cheesecake
  • Two Babe Ruth candy bars
  • Followed by a large Pepsi

Oh, the sin of that one lonely Oreo cookie! 

That is sometimes a close example of our spiritual life also.  In 2 Samuel 11 we find the story of King David’s great slip from godly living.  In that story, David looks out from his castle onto the roof of a distant building where he sees the beautiful Bathsheba bathing and desire takes hold of his heart.  David goes on to commit adultery after that one look, then on to plotting the murder of Bathsheba’s husband.  All that after one momentary glance, but a glance that consumed him and became his mortal downfall. 

Nathan the prophet came and told David a little story about a rich man taking a poor man’s only lamb and David became enraged.  Nathan responded, “You are the man.”  David owned up to his being responsible and did the right thing.  He confessed his sin, made things right.  But like us, the memory of past sin sometimes lasts forever.  In fact, even knowing our sins are forgiven, the thought of failure burns a scar on our memory that often pains us and wears us down.  And Satan makes sure that you remember.

Galatians, chapter 5, has something to say about the lust of the flesh and enumerates several, eighteen to be exact, although this is not an all-inclusive list of sins that separate us from God.  At the close of this brief passage it states, “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Galatians 5:21.  That is a warning.  But at the beginning of that passage is the hope for all of us in verse 16 where it simply tells us to “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

Now, back to the Oreo cookies.  Did you know that there are on the market more than a dozen different kinds of Oreo cookies?  Of course, there is the original kind of chocolate with white crème filling….you know the kind we who are over the hill grew up on back in the dark ages.  They were the kind all the guys in junior high used to get the entire chocolate cookie all over their teeth and then smile real big at the girls and try to gross them out.  Oh, for the good old days.  Now there is the same chocolate kind with double stuff filling, chocolate crème, golden crème, sugar free, spring yellow crème, reduced fat, peanut butter crème, and on and on. 

You know, there was a time when the demarcation of right and wrong was a whole lot simpler than today.  Like the one choice of Oreo cookies we had back when some of us grew up.  Now the young people are confronted with so much more that appeals to their generation.  If one type does not appeal to you, another will.  Satan’s variety pack is up and running.   We did not have the internet or MTV or Victoria’s Secret commercials bombarding us a generation ago. 

It’s all out there…words we only saw scrawled on bathroom walls a generation or two ago are the regular language of kids in kindergarten.  Sin is there and it is dangerous.  It blasts at us from all directions.

But thank God, we are not alone in our battle to overcome temptation.

Hebrews 4:15 – For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

And when we blow it – when we eat that one Oreo cookie – we have someone to turn to.

1 John 2:1 – My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Little Word – Big Meaning

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“If” is a little word with a big meaning.

The first espitle of John is full of “if” statements. They all require action on our part. God has already done His part by sending His son as the redeemer for all mankind. “If” we believe. “if” we respond.

Check out some of these “if” statements and take a moment to see if you have responded to the action required.

  • 1 John 1:6 – If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
  • 1 John 1:7 – But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
  • 1 John 1:8 – If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
  • 1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
  • 1 John 1:10 – If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

John makes it clear that walking with Jesus requires our obedience.

  • 1 John 2:3 – Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
  • 1 John 2:15 – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

John’s “if” statements show that our relationship with God does not depend on what others do or do not do. “if” our heart is true, God receives us.

  • 1 John 3:20 – For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
  • 1 John 3:21 – Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

As we have accepted the love of God and His forgiveness, we must love. No debate, no waffling – we must.

  • 1 John 4:11-12 – Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
  • 1 John 4:20 – If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

Confidence in Him who gave us new life will be the witness within that in all things His plans/design will be made know. As we understand His will we can go with confidence before with our needs.

  • 1 John 5:9 – If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son.
  • 1 John 5:14-16 – Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 

Salt and Light

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“You are the earth’s salt. But if the salt should become tasteless, what can make it salt again? It is completely useless and can only be thrown out of doors and stamped under foot.” “You are the world’s light—it is impossible to hide a town built on the top of a hill. Men do not light a lamp and put it under a bucket. They put it on a lamp-stand and it gives light for everybody in the house. “Let your light shine like that in the sight of men. Let them see the good things you do and praise your Father in Heaven.”

You are the salt of the earth

  • Salt is distinctive

Romans 12:2 – And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

1 John 2:15-16 – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

  • Salt preserves

1 Peter 1:22-25 – Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

  • Salt changes and penetrates

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Ephesians 4:24 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

  • Salt flavors

Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

  • Salt spreads

Acts 4:20 – For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

1 Peter 3:15 — But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

  • Salt is irrepressible

Isaiah 55:10-11 – “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there,
but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

You are the light of the world

  • Light is clear and pure

Ephesians 5:8-9 – For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

  • Light penetrates

1 Thessalonians 5:5 – You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

  • Light enlightens

John 12:35 – Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.

  • Light reveals

John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 12:36 – While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

  • Light guides

John 12:46 – I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

  • Light strips away darkness

John 3:19-20 – And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

  • Light routs the chaos

Philippians 2:15 – that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

  • Light discriminates between right and wrong

John 8:12 – Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

  • Light warns

Ephesians 5:11-14 – And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather  expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says:  “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

  • Light protects

Romans 13:12 – The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

Salt and Light’s Area of Ministry

Luke 10:2 – Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

Philippians 2:15 – that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Galatians 6:9 – And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

John 4:35 – Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

Act 13:47 – For so the Lord has commanded us:  ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Your life without salt

Luke 9:62 – But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Hebrews 10:38 – Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

1 Corinthians 9:27 – But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

  • Tasteless, bland, without flavor
  • Doomed to ruin, useless, good for nothing

Your life without light

2 Corinthians 4:6 – For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:13-14 – But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

  • Unclear, stumbling, falling, groping in darkness,
    • chaos, danger

Our obligation to the Word of God to be salt and light

John 15:8 – By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

John 15:16 – You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

1 Corinthians 6:20 – For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Follow Me

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An old Christian hymn has the lines, “I will follow Thee My Lord, follow every passing day.  My tomorrows are all known to Thee My Lord, I will follow you today.”  Another hymn has the line, “I traveled down a lonely road, and no one seemed to care.  The burden on my weary back had bowed me to despair.  I oft complained to Jesus how folks were treating me, and then I heard Him say so tenderly.  My feet were also weary as I traveled Calvary’s road.  The cross became so heavy, I fell beneath the load.  Be faithful weary pilgrim, the morning I can see.  Just take My hand and follow close to Me.”

  1.  The call of the disciples

Matthew 4:18-22 – And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Matthew 8:18-23 – And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”  And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”  Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”  But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Matthew 9:9-13 – As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So, he arose and followed Him.  Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

There are many stories to discuss, but here is the one I want you to focus on:

  • In the first story, Jesus called Peter and Andrew to leave their life’s occupation, their means of support and follow Him.  He instructed James and John to similarly abandon their lifelong occupations, their sources of income, and their father in order to follow Him.
  • In the second story, Jesus saw two disciples who were eager to follow Him.  Jesus told them both that they would have nothing if they followed Him.  The second one He told basically to not let anything, even the death of a loved one, prevent him from following Jesus.
  • In the last three scripture portions Jesus called Matthew, also known as Levi, the tax collector, to leave his very lucrative occupation and his sinner friends and follow Him.
  • Your occupation, location, and social standing do not matter.  Jesus is calling for you to follow Him.  You may need to leave your job, family, friends, grief, and sin behind.  Make no mistake.  Jesus calls to each of us and He wants nothing else but for us to follow Him.  He calls all of us to follow Him in a closer daily walk with Him. 

The Universal Call – What is Required?

Mark 8:34-37 – When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Luke 9:61-62 – And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”  But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Jesus is calling us to follow Him, but more than just follow Him.  He is calling us to a life separate from the world and wholly His.  This means more than saying “yes” to God and “no” to sin today and then going our way and forgetting all our promises to Him.  He is calling us to more than being baptized or joining the church or just sitting in the pew.

  • He calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross DAILY and follow Him.
  • He says that unless we forsake all, unless we forsake family, occupation, cares of the world personal desires, rid ourselves of everything, take up our cross daily, deny ourselves and follow Him, we are not worthy of Him.
  • This is a big thing He is asking.  Or is it?  All He is asking is for us to put Him first in our life.  To put Him before riches, family, things of this world.  Is that too much to ask if we are to be His disciples, especially after what He did for us on the cross.

Revelations 3:20 – Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.