COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE

COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE

"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."
Hebrews 4:16

I've told you before that I am thick-headed and a slow learner. Yesterday I had one of those "duh!" moments. We are going through some tough days financially as a ministry. We've been here many times before in the life cycle of the ministry, and God has always been faithful.

I have really tried not to worry and fret over this, but at times, it gets pretty overwhelming. For 11 years we have not had to borrow any money from the bank which is a God thing. At our Board meeting last Friday, someone mentioned taking out a line of credit and inwardly I cringed. Thankfully we all agreed - we are going to trust God!

Yesterday I was really feeling in that overwhelmed state and I said to myself (that's for you Brian ...) "I wish my friend Pastor Conant was around. I'd call him and get him to pray!" Then there was that moment we've all experienced. My son Zach calls it the "duh" moment - when the light clicks on. What did I write in Freedom Fighter yesterday about having "a private audience" with the God? Did I not read that yesterday morning? "DUH!"

Pastor Conant was a great prayer warrior because he had confidence to go directly to the throne of grace. Jesus made it possible for him to do that. But I have that same privilege and opportunity to do that at any time of the day or night. I can solicit others to pray about issues with me - but I need to be praying myself.

Did you ever find yourself asking someone to tell someone else something for you? "Hey, in your meeting, tell so and so _____________," only to have the person say - "Tell them yourself!" Well isn't that what I was doing?

I knew that I would get hit this morning - so here is what I read:

"We are to rely on HIM as our VIGILANT PROVIDER, who 'supplies all our need' (Philippians 4:19; Psalm 34:22). He does not always employ ravens to feed His Elijah's, but by one means or another, He sustains them if they really rely on Him. We would not eulogize poverty, yet one of its blessings is that it keeps us more directly looking to God, and thus occasions more evidences that our extremities are God's opportunities.

But we are obliged to add a qualifying word. Our relying on God must be marked by three characteristics. First it must be a REAL relying; not merely pretended or imagined. Second it must be CONSTANT. We must be like the godly man of Psalm 112:7: 'His heart is FIXED, trusting in (relying on) Jehovah!" Third, our relying must be UNADMIXED! It must be on our LORD ALONE! A willy-nilly faith dishonors God and leaves its double-minded exerciser self-frustrated. We must learn to say with David, 'He ONLY is my Rock ... My soul wait thou ONLY upon God ... He ONLY is my defense.' (Psalm 62:2, 5, 6)" from AWAKE, MY HEART by J.
Sidlow Baxter (Zondervan)

I am thankful that today is a new day! I will continue to ask people to join me in prayer, but they are going WITH ME to the throne of grace! "Forgive me, Lord, for depending on others to pray when I have the privilege of a having "a private audience with you. Thank You, for this reminder, Lord."

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: "Give me a hundred men who fear nothing but God, and who hate nothing but sin, and who know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and I will shake the world." John Wesley

HEAD'S UP - Next week we are traveling with 45 senior citizens to the beautiful islands of Hawaii. Pastor George Van Sandt, my pastor growing up, will be our guest Freedom Fighter writer for the week. Pastor John Strain will be sharing with you both weekends.