Why can "believers" come to God in confidence? Why do they? Hebrews 1-4

When it comes to prayer and approaching God with our requests, this verse from Hebrews seems to sum up our entire theology of prayer:

Hebrews 4:16

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

It is a great verse to quote and put our faith upon.   However, this verse ends the last four chapters in which the writer warns the reader to be careful that they fail to enter into a "rest" from there works that God has provided through the work of His Son.   Christ came to finish the work and purify us.   Through faith, then, we are to cease from our works (like God did after He created the world and rested on the seventh day) and take rest in that finished work.  When the writer begins this verse, above, with the word "therefore" we have to realize this is a summary statement as to what he has just outlined for us.   We can draw near in confidence to the throne of grace and find mercy because the Son has provided it.  Our faith in that fact and historical and theological event is essential for us to cease from our own works.  We are not to "fall back" into the trap of practicing faithless worship and believe our works will bring us closer to God.   Remember, this book was written to the Hebrews.  They were tempted to think that the worship system they left in Judaism was necessary to approach God.  They missed the fact that this system, that God gave them, was to show them the "picture" of coming to God, not the "method."   Christ is the ultimate method and He provides the way.  Cease from your work and allow the Son to finish His work in you by having faith in His work.  

What is the real message of the Church? Acts 1-2

As a professional speaker I have had much training and much experience delivering a speech or talk to a large crowd.   This training has taught me to do the three things every good speaker is told to do:  1) Tell the audience what you are going to tell them (the Big Idea); 2) Then, tell them what you told them you were going to tell them; 3) And then, in conclusion, tell them what you have told them.   Peter, the first preacher of Christ's church, a simply fishermen, is used by the Spirit to deliver the first "talk" or "speech" or "sermon" to a large crowd (Since 3,000 will get saved when he is done and some didn't receive the message we have to believe it was a very, very large crowd).   Perhaps this message is where we developed the three keys to a good speech mentioned above.  Peter, like any good speaker, begins with the Big Idea and then develops it and concludes with it.   But, it is not only his Big Idea, it is the Big Idea of the entire gospel and the Church of Christ.    Note how simply he outlines his message and our mission:

Acts 2:24

But God raised Him (Christ) up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

The resurrection of Christ and thus the defeat of death is the gospel message.  Christ came to save us from death.   That is the Big Idea of the gospel and should be the Big Idea of every sermon we preach.   God has, through His son, defeated sin and death.  We can rejoice in that message and can proclaim that message as our mission.   It was "impossible" for Him to held in death's power.  That makes us free from death's grip since we were "in" Christ.   

Brains and Brawn can't save you! Obadiah

People spend billions of dollars on their health and their education in this country.   Those two "idols" have been worshipped for centuries and will continue to plot the demise of many.   The problem is not with being healthy and with being educated, it is what those two tend to foster: Self reliance and self worship. We think because we are strong and smart; healthy and heady, we can conquer all and be all.  That is what happen with historic Edom, which is no more.  They had thought their strength and education (there understanding of all things) could rescue them from all things.  But, that was not so, according to God (who gives strength and smarts).  Note God's words through Obadiah in regard to His future punishment of them for their bitter attitude toward His people:

Obadiah 1:8

“Will I not on that day,” declares the Lord,

“ Destroy wise men from Edom

And understanding from the mountain of Esau?

When God is on the hunt nothing can save you but God.   God isn't impressed with your rational mind or your ruckus might.  He is the God of the Universe.  He created what you study.  He formed what you work out.   He sustains what you fail to realize will fail and is failing: Mind and Body.   Paul told us in his epistle to not focus on the body for the body will perish (1 Corinthians 6).   We are to focus on the Spirit and on the mind of Christ.   We are to exercise and educate but for the sole purpose of worshiping God and offering a more acceptable sacrifice to Him.  Don't make the mistake of the Edomites who thought their brawn and brain would save them in the Day of The Lord.  Rather use your faculties to honor and worship God and humbly seek Him.   

Do you know you have a thorn in your hand? Proverbs 26-27

Proverbs 26:9

Like a thorn which falls into the hand of a drunkard,

So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

A drunkard state is celebrated by our society.   At least it would seem.   The Friday, Saturday night party is as common as the cold and the outcome about the same.   The majority of people can't wait to relax with a drink in their hands, and whereas the majority don't get drunk they laugh and enjoy the one who does.   There is nothing so funny as a drunk man who gets up on a picnic table to make fun of himself ... and others.   The drunkard doesn't realize he is funny.   He/she only realized ... well, correction, they don't realize and that is the point of this proverb.   Like a drunk man or women who doesn't realize what is happening to them so too a fool who is quoting a proverb; or, has the proverb at their very lips.   A drunkard could get a thorn stuck in his/her hand and not even know it.    They don't know the pain or the problem.   How many stories are told by people who wake up and don't remember the pain they caused or had inflicted to them because they were drunk the night before.  So, too, someone who denies the power of an awesome God, does not fear God and says there is no God.   That person is a fool and you can give him/her point blank truth and they will not realize what they have.   They won't realize the pain (like a thorn in the paw) that denying the truth they have will cause them.   They don't see that they are in deep trouble for rejecting God and His truth.  They only are high on their own thoughts and drunk with their own rational.  Don't be a fool:  Everyone is getting drunk on something when they are drinking in the Water of the Word.  

God has you on His mind! Psalm 114-116

Psalms 115:12

The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us;

He will bless the house of Israel;

He will bless the house of Aaron.

The fact that God is mindful of  us is a humbling and compelling thought.   The God of the universe has all the universe to enjoy and to care for, yet He takes thoughts in us.  We are the focus of His attention.  We are the object of His love.   He not only is mindful of us, He also chooses to bless us.  Like the nation of Israel and the house of Aaron, God loves His people.   God bends down to lift us up.  God sent His son to redeem us.   Of course, Him being mindful of us has the other side.   He is mindful about everything about us.  He sees the dark side and the bright side.   He wants us to love him for what He has done because He sacrificed for us.   We can rejoice that God is mindful or we can fear.   Today we read about a God who not only writes to us but has a concern for us.   He is mindful of us.  Rejoice!  

We are God's hands - 2 Chronicles 6-10

We are the hand of God.   After Solomon had built the temple he dedicated it to the Lord.   Solomon recognized that God had fulfilled his father, David's desire through him.  God promised He would complete the temple, not through David, but through David's Son.   But, note the way he articulates God working within this project:

2 Chronicles 6:15

(God) who has kept with Your servant David, my father, that which You have promised him; indeed You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with "Your hand", as it is this day.

Solomon recognizes that it was God who completed the temple.  God fulfilled what He promised with His "mouth" and fulfilled it with His "hands."  But, who's hands actually did the work?  It was God working through the hands of the nation of Israel that fulfilled the promise.   God's hands are the actions of His obedient people.   When God needs to build something he chooses to do so through our hands.  When God needs to touch someone He does so through our hands.   When God needs to care for someone He does so through our hands.   We are the hands of God.  In 1 Corinthians 12 we read about the Body of Christ and the Body Parts of God.   We all fulfill those parts.   Today as we interact with God we may be called to be His mouth, His hands, His feet, His legs, His back.   God is glorified when we allow Him to use us to accomplish His desire.  

The reason the Saturday night party destroys Sunday morning worship! Numbers 25-28

It is easier to seduce than to strike. Seduction is trickery than confrontation. In 25:1-9 we see that the Moabites finally got the best of the Israelites using the seduction method. The King of the Moabites had asked Balaam the Prophet to curse the Israelites, but God would not allow it. Instead, Balaam gave the Moabites the idea to through a party and invites the Israelites. Parties always work to deceive the beloved. How many believers fail to show up Sunday morning because of the party they attended Saturday night? The reason Saturday night has been so evil is the way it keeps the pews empty from hearing God's Word on Sunday morning. In this case the Moabites were successful to get them to attend party after party. So much so that the Israelites began to intermarry with the party goers. God invented fellowship. God designed the aspect of enjoyment. So, the party is not the issue. But, in this case they began to worship the god of the Moabites. The problem with the party mindset is that clouds the mind and causes us to make poor decisions. Don't let the world suck you into their party. It isn't the party that is the problem ... its the poor decisions that come with it.