GOD IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE BELIEVER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY DECEMBER 13, 2021.

SUBJECT: GOD IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE BELIEVER!

Memory verse: “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.” (Ephesians 3 vs 12.) 

READ: Ephesians 2 vs 14 - 18:

2:14: For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 

2:15: having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 

2:16: and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 

2:17: And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 

2:18: For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father."

INTIMATION:

We were separated from God by our sins which was the consequence of the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, at the garden of Eden, and further worsened by our own evil tendencies. God, in His loving kindness, sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, as a propitiation for our sins. His death on the cross was accepted by God as the “Supreme Sacrifice” for our sins. Consequently, He abolished the separation through the gift of salvation by His death on the cross. We who were far off have been brought near in Christ Jesus by the blood of Christ.

Jesus was born of a woman—He was human. He was born as a Jew—He was subject to God’s law and fulfilled it perfectly. Thus, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice because, although He was fully human, He never sinned; He ‘was without spots nor wrinkles.’ He, therefore, became a perfect Lamb for sacrifice for our sins. His death bought freedom for us who were enslaved to sin so that we could be adopted into God’s family.

Christ has destroyed the barrier that formally existed between God and us by that “Supreme Sacrifice” on the cross. Because the wages of sin had been paid for us, our separation from God has been abolished, and we are reconciled to God through Christ. This is true reconciliation. Because of Christ’s death, we are all one; our enmity against each other has been put to death; we can all have access to the Father by the Holy Spirit; we are no longer strangers or foreigners to God; and we are all being built into a holy temple with Christ as our Chief Cornerstone. 

When you read Leviticus 16 vs 1 - 25, in the Bible, you will understand the strict instructions God gave to the high priest regarding the necessary preparations for appearing before the Lord in the Holiest of all in the tabernacle. Aaron had to spend hours preparing himself to meet God. Now, the way to God has been opened to us by Christ. We can approach God anytime. What a privilege! We are offered easier access to God than the high priests of Old Testament times! Still, we must never forget that God is holy nor let this privilege cause us to approach God carelessly. Easy access to God does not eliminate our need to prepare our hearts as we draw near in prayer.

It is an awesome privilege to be able to approach God with freedom and confidence. Most of us would be apprehensive in the presence of a powerful ruler such as the president of your country. But thanks to Christ, by faith we can enter directly into God’s presence through prayer. We know we will be welcomed with open arms because we are God’s children through our union with Christ. Don’t be afraid of God. Talk with Him about everything. He is waiting to hear from you. 

God’s loving concern does not begin on the day we are born and conclude on the day we die. It reaches back to those days before we were born and reaches ahead along the unending path of eternity. Our only sure help comes from a God whose concern for us reaches beyond our eternal existence. God is in His creation and close to every one of us. But He is not trapped in His creation—He is transcendent. God is the Creator, not the creation. This means that God is sovereign and in control, while at the same time He is close and personal. Let the Creator of the universe rule your life. 

Prayer is our approach to God, and we are to come “boldly.” Some Christians approach God meekly with heads hung low, afraid to ask Him to meet their needs. Others pray flippantly, giving little thought to what they say. Come with reverence, because He is your King. But also come with bold assurance because He is your Friend and Counselor .

The Bible makes it clear that your own body is God’s temple. Your spirit needs, and wants closeness with God. You want to know the living God personally, not as an idea or concept, not as a distant monarch. You can draw near to God through worship—prayer, praise, Bible study, and meditation. You need not live a monk, but you probably need more prayer in your life. The habit of worship should be imbibed by us, not as a convenience to be wedged between sports and recreations. Instead, make worship your top priority. The Scripture says, “Pray without ceasing” (First Thessalonians 5 vs 17). Bible meditation may include verse memory, songs, and quiet personal reading. The Bible is the Word of God for you. Use it every day and you will draw nearer and nearer to God.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the privilege of easy access given to us in Christ Jesus. O God, I do not take for granted this privilege. I pray for the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit to be with me always, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!