The Throne of Grace..... Craig Denison

 The Throne of Grace

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

Grace is a gift most of us don’t know how to receive. We’ve been so inundated with the earthly systems of give-and-get and work-and-earn that grace is a concept few ever fully grasp. Yet it’s grace alone that has the power to transform lives. Grace alone has the power to bring freedom to the captives. By grace alone we are saved. There could be no better use of our time than consistently and passionately pursuing a greater revelation of God’s grace.

Scripture:“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Devotional:

What do you picture in your mind’s eye when I talk about God sitting on his throne? I always picture a massive throne with tiny little me staring up at a distant face feeling about the size of God’s pinky toe. The idea of a throne makes God seem too large to be near to me, as if he was too big to notice me.

There is Scripture that speaks about how large and majestic God is on his throne, to be sure! Isaiah 6:1 says, “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” And Revelation 20:11 says, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.”

Seemingly in contrast to the previous ideas, Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” After reading Hebrews 4:16, I get a completely different picture of God on his throne. Hebrews paints for us a picture of a throne of grace rather than a distant ruler. It speaks of a throne from which comes mercy and help for those in need. And it commands us to come before the throne of the King of Kings, Creator and Ruler of all, with confidence. Hebrews 4:16 makes me love how huge God is on his throne because the bigger he is, the more grace and mercy there is.

Your God is full of both power and compassion. His presence brings both fear and grace. He is a God whose voice both commands obedience and is full of the richest kind of love. And he is beckoning you to draw near to him today so that he can offer you grace, mercy, and help.

James 4:8 tells us, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” The same God whose robe fills the temple longs for you as his child to simply get wrapped up in his arms.You can boldly come before the Lord of Lords and tell him all of your needs. David understood this when he wrote in Psalm 40:17, “As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!” And Jesus teaches us in Matthew 7:7-11:

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

So where do you need God’s help today? Where do you need his mercy and grace in your life? Know that he is not a God who is distant but one who is closer than your own heartbeat. He’s a God who knows all and is full of love and mercy. He’s a Father who gives the best gifts to his children. Whatever you have need of today, come before the throne of grace and boldly ask for it. If you hunger for righteousness, you will be satisfied. If you need provision, God has promised to take care of your every need. Your heavenly Father loves you and longs to bless you with every good and perfect gift.

Guided Prayer:

1. Renew your mind to God’s incredible gift of grace.

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

2. Ask God for whatever need you have. What do you have need of? Where do you need God’s help?

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:7-11

3. Come before the throne of God with confidence and receive the help he desires to give you. Draw near to him, and let his presence satisfy your need for love, forgiveness, and attention.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8

Whenever you need help today you can run with confidence to your heavenly Father’s throne room. Take time throughout your day and ask for his help. If the enemy attacks with temptation, come before the throne of grace and allow God to satisfy you. If you come up against a wall, ask God to show you how to conquer it! He is with you always, and he longs to help you in his limitless grace and love for you. Don’t live your life today as if God wasn’t right there with you. Seek his help in every situation and follow his leadership in whatever way he provides it.

Extended Reading: Hebrews 4

Who Were Jesus' Friends?..... By Meg Bucher

 Who Were Jesus' Friends?

By Meg Bucher

“You are my friends, if you do what I command.” (John 15:14)

It’s important to consider what friendship meant in Bible times. The NKJV Chronological Study Bible Notes say, “In the Roman world, a ‘friend’ was often a political ally who owed one a favor, or a more powerful patron on whom one could depend.”

But we don’t often think of the friends of Jesus as political allies or business acquaintances. Jesus took a concept familiar to those that surrounded Him at the time, and redefined what it meant to be a friend. “Jesus is our model for love… If believers obey His command to love, they enjoy the intimacy of His friendship. Friendship… is not a once-for-all gift, but develops as the result of obeying Jesus’ command to love” (NKJV Study Bible).

The Twelve
“Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter’s brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James’s brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus.” (Matthew 10:2-3)

The apostles held no qualifications to be apprentices of the Savior of the world. They were average men at best. But Jesus saw something in them, as He does in us, unknown even to them. They left everything to follow Him, and with that simple step of obedience, He molded them into fishers of men.

The Big Three
Scripture reveals a lot about Jesus’ friendships with Peter, James, and John. James and John were brothers, and the three of them had been called to follow Christ while out fishing on John’s father’s boat. (Luke 5:1-11)

These three were present for miracles that the others were not. Jesus specifically brings only those three along with him to Jarius’ house, where He raised his daughter from the dead. “He allowed no one to go with Him but Peter and James and John.” (Mark 5:37) They were also taken up the mountain for the miraculous transfiguration of Jesus. “Jesus took with Him Peter and James and his brother John.” (Matthew 17:1)

They all turned out to be leaders of the early church. Though we are all followers of Jesus, not all are called to lead the founding of churches and write Gospel accounts. Perhaps Jesus took the extra care to personalize their apprenticeship, knowing what lay ahead for them.

The One Jesus Loved
The Apostle John referred to himself as “the one Jesus loved” (John 14:13). But John’s loyalty as a friend to Jesus surpassed his speech. He was there for Him in the Garden, and the only one of the 12 at the foot of the cross.

“When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son, and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on this disciple took her into his home.” (John 19:26-27)

He was called just like the other 12, and witnessed miracles alongside the big three. John, however, was the only apostle that wasn’t martyred. He was given the vision that we study in the book of Revelation. John wrote something particularly touching about Jesus at the foot washing at the Last Supper: “Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.” (John 13:1b)

Perhaps John was the most eloquent with words, among his other gifts. Though we get a very matter of fact view of the Gospel account from Mark, John wrote a palpable picture of what it felt to like to be close to Jesus… an important quality to embrace and understand as we seek our own friendship with Him.

Armor 'n Enemies..... By Shawn McEvoy

 Armor 'n Enemies

By Shawn McEvoy

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. - Ephesians 6:13-19

Six pieces of armor. Five primarily defensive, one primarily offensive. And yet...

Have you ever used the chest-bumper of righteousness on someone? How about the head-butter of salvation? The bludgeoner of faith? The shin-kicker of readiness or the gut-puncher of holiness?

Even the sword of the spirit has its proper purpose: to fight our enemies. Which are?

Other Christians? Unbelievers? Mean people?

While we humans can be so hard on each other, no. One verse earlier, Paul tells us what we're fighting:

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil (v. 12).

Quite convicting, really. Not only do I clearly go into many days without getting completely dressed, even when I do, I'm mis-using my equipment, fighting in the dark, swinging blindly, or wounding with friendly fire.

I don't know about you, but for me, the elemental Bible verses I first learned as a youth (like today's verse) are the ones I need to continually reconsider, because they're the ones I tend to just believe without acting upon.

When times come - like these days we're in now - where there is fierce political thought and lines being drawn and opinions spouted as truth, including the opinion that there is no truth - it's just so easy to get drawn in before we remember to put on our armor or be trained in using it. When that happens, we tend to view our enemies as each other, and forget or deny that the war is still spiritual. And therefore more serious, more wearying, not less.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Get dressed this morning, and tomorrow morning. Once equipped, try emphasizing the defensive uses of most of the armor. Stand up for someone. Protect the reputation of another. Shelter someone in loving truth. Run quickly to someone in need. I pray you'll begin to survive your days much less scathed.

Further Reading: Romans 8:38-39

A Prayer for Clarity about Your God-Given Purpose..... By Heather Caliri

 A Prayer for Clarity about Your God-Given Purpose

By Heather Caliri

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” – Psalm 138:8

My old friend Pedro leaned against my kitchen counter, drink in hand, and asked me a question I knew I should be able to answer.

“How is God using you these days, Heather?”

At the time, I didn’t give myself credit for how I already served God. I couldn’t recognize God’s purpose in my ordinary life because I didn’t really understand what purpose was. I couldn’t see it, even though it was right under my feet.

Here’s what I got wrong about finding my purpose.

1. I thought "purpose" was a fancy destination, not a long, dusty journey.

For most of my Christian life, I assumed finding my purpose was like a cosmic job search. I should put together a mental resume and seek out job openings (ministry or service opportunities) that fit my profile. When I landed a “purpose,” I should keep it for life.

In truth, our purpose is an ever-evolving, multifaceted apprenticeship to Jesus, not a single, clearly defined role that lasts forever.

I’ve found great comfort in realizing that the ebbs and flows of my life are both modeled in Scripture (wandering the desert, anyone?) and reflected in nature (the cycles of tides, moons, and even my own body.) I’m on a long journey towards God’s kingdom, not parked ‘til retirement in a cosmic cubicle.

2. I thought "purpose" would be prestigious, but I’ve often found it in the mundane.

Your mundane, purpose-driven but less-than-loved tasks might look different than mine—making peace with singleness, caring for an elderly parent, or enduring financial hardship. We all live ordinary lives with ordinary, necessary, but not-fun challenges.

3. I thought ‘purpose’ was deadly serious, but it's brought me deep joy.

Serving God is ultimately pleasurable. Seeking his purpose should bring us deep joy.

That does not mean it’s a walk in the park; we will endure hardship, work humbly at thankless tasks, and be braver than we prefer. But if our purpose doesn’t, on the whole, make us alive, something is terribly wrong.

4. I thought finding "my purpose" was up to me, but God brings purpose to our lives.

God creates in us every gift and ability that allows us to be useful. His Spirit gives us bravery, wisdom, and fortitude. He shepherds and guides us. We can do nothing apart from His power.

Let’s Pray:

Lord, thank you for helping me find clarity about my purpose. Help me remember that I ultimately can find satisfying purpose when I seek after you. Lord, as I work to understand my purpose more fully, I pray that your joy would be present. I pray for grace and wisdom. Help me long to serve you above myself, even above others. Help me walk daily in dependence of you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.