A LIFE CHANGING TRUTH
These past twelve months have probably been the most momentous life changing period in my whole life. I have never had so many physical challenges because of contracting the staph infection. As the Lord is Sovereign He has used these many painful experiences to speak to me and also do a work of Grace in my life. The very first scripture the Lord began to speak to me from was:
Hebrews 4.16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”.
Like a beautiful rose bud this verse has just continued to open up and give me more understanding, this truth I believe has changed my life.
I struggled for months with the thought, how can I come BOLDY to God in prayer, when I have sinned either unwittingly or wilfully ? I know the depravity of my own heart (Jer. 17.9) and also so aware of “cheap grace” teaching that to me abuses the grace of God and treats things so lightly.
I started to see I could at least come to God CONFIDENTLY because:
God is always true to His Word
God is always true to His promises
God’s nature is consistent
The work of the cross is complete
The Blood of Christ will never lose its ancient power
Being born again I have an inheritance in Christ that guarantees me all the help I need.
So CONFIDENCE has grown to BOLDNESS when I saw it was nothing to do with me, but EVERYTHING TO DO WITH GOD.
This is a liberating truth.
We know Grace is God’s unmerited love and mercy towards us. We really do not have an excuse we can live an empowered holy victorious pure life as we understand what a glorious inheritance we have in Christ.
Some years ago, I heard an fantastic sermon but a Welsh preacher. His topic was Covenant. We know God instituted the whole principle of Covenant when He cut the animals and walked between them in Genesis 15.
Covenant became a common Eastern practice, we read in 1 Samuel 18 David and Jonathan made a covenant between them, many Theologians believe they cut their wrists and put their wrists together letting their blood flow together. They then exchanged garments saying these clothes represent me, “all that I have is available to you, they then exchanged swords, saying my strength is your strength, I will ALWAYS be available to you.
We know David was devastated when he received the news that Jonathan had died in battle. David became king, fought many battles, and brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. When at last he could relax, He remembers the covenant he had made with Jonathan, and in 2 Samuel 9 he cries out, Is there anyone left of Saul’s household, a servant heard him and said Jonathan has a son Mephibosheth, he is crippled. David said bring him to me.
When he was brought before David, many believe David said, do you see this wound on my wrist ? do you know what it is ? His reply would have been that is a covenant scar, then David could have asked do you know who I am in covenant with ? The answer would probably have been no, David would have said, I was in covenant with your father, and because of this I want to invite you to come and live in the palace, I will meet your every need.
Did you know the great British missionary David Livingstone entered into a covenant with the tribe he worked with. Instead of killing him (like they did so many missionaries) they worked in perfect harmony as he brought the Gospel to them.
Like Mephibosheth we are crippled and Jesus says look at the scars, they are COVENANT SCARS made for you, COME BOLDLY receive all you need, for I will meet your needs according to my Father’s riches in glory.
