Series: Accessing the Throne of Grace
Series: Accessing the Throne of Grace
“Let us come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and FIND GRACE to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
Today’s message: Part 3: Three postures of heart to access grace
Ill. Last week a visiting 4-year-old girl asked me after service what is the throne? I told her it is a picture GOD’S throne that is invisible but very real – like GOD who is invisible, kind of like air you are breathing now but you can’t see it.
“For he who comes to GOD must believe HE exists (though invisible) and that HE is a rewarder of those who diligently seek HIM.” Heb. 11:6b
Access to the throne of grace requires:
1. Faith like a child – believe without seeing.
JESUS called a little one to HIS side and said to them, “Learn this well: Unless you dramatically change your way of thinking and become teachable, and learn heaven’s kingdom realm with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, you will never be able to enter in. Whoever continually humbles himself like this gentle child is the greatest one in heaven’s kingdom.” Matthew 18:2-4 TPT
Possible exercise: As you get older you can become less childlike in your faith. You become cynical, doubting. You know there is more, but your heart has been hurt, rejected, disappointed and it is hard for you to receive from GOD like a child like you use to.
GOD wants you to adopt the posture of a heart of a child – this will activate your faith.
Can you drop your guard and do something that might feel foolish? Take a deep breath. IF you can then physically do what I am about to tell you. If not at least imagine it.
Imagine JESUS before you saying, “Come here child.” Hold up your arms like you did when you were wanting your parent to pick you up. Fingers open and face towards sky.
Let Me pick you up and give you what your heart yearns for – the love of a Father Who adores you. Yes I do.
HE holds you. You feel shame and other things just fall off you.
You freely confess, “FATHER, I’ve doubted YOU. I believed I needed to protect myself and have not opened myself fully to YOU. I want to receive YOUR love into all these broken places in my heart now. I surrender to YOU – I surrender to love.
2. Fear of GOD = awareness of HIS Presence.
“When we don’t feel the need to pray, meditate on the WORD, or be in church, we have lost our fear of GOD.”
For leadership:
“When working for GOD becomes more important than our time alone with GOD, we have lost our fear of the LORD.”
“In America you can become a successful pastor and a failure as an apprentice to JESUS; you can gain a church and lose your own soul.” John Mark Comer
Access to the throne of grace requires:
1. Faith like a child – believe without seeing.
2. Fear of GOD = awareness of HIS Presence.
3. Humility that overcomes pride (the sin not one admits).
The Bible always lists pride with the worst of sins – “sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery . . . slander, pride.” Mark 7:21-22
“There are six things the LORD hates, seven are detestable to HIM: a proud look. . .” Proverbs 6:16 KJV
There is a good pride, where we need to take ourselves seriously.
There is a bad pride, taking ourselves too seriously.
ill. While attending Bible College we came back home for a break and attended our church we got married in. Talking to the pastor he must have spotted some pride in me because I never forgot this, “Let me give you some advice, don’t take yourself too seriously.”
I consider myself an apprentice to JESUS. Everyday life is my classroom. GOD has some projects for us that may not seem important but have valuable life lessons we must learn.
PIC: Karate kid and Mr. Myogi
Ill. Like Karate Kid movie. The kid gets beat up by bullies and saved by and little old man, Mr. Myogi. The boy asks the man to teach him martial arts. The man agrees the boy shows up for his first training day and is disappointed because he is to wash and wax his car slowly. IT seems there is no purpose, but there is a great purpose.
Big lessons come in small packages: Proverbs 30:24-28
1. The ant = diligence and preparation
2. The coney = hides from predators in rocks
3. The locust = cooperation w/o a leader
4. The lizard = small but gets into palaces,
also able to let go in order to go on in life.
PIC lizard w/o tail:
Whatever GOD assigns for you to do, HE wants you to FIND grace at HIS throne of grace to do it.
Grace is GOD’S unmerited favor, but also HIS ability, anointing, and power at work in our lives to do what HE assigns us to do.
“The grace of GOD has appeared to all men . . .” Titus 2:11
But not all men receive it. You have to humble yourself at the throne of grace to be able to find the grace you need.
But HE continues to pour out more and more grace upon us. For it says, “GOD resists you when you are proud but continually pours out grace when you are humble. So then submit yourself to GOD, resist the devil and he will flee.” James 4:6-7 TPT
“Let us come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and FIND GRACE to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
3 postures of heart necessary to access GOD’S throne of grace
1. Faith like a child
2. Fear of the LORD
3. Humility