Our Time of Need

Scripture

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

~Hebrews 4:16, NIV

Quote

No trial is too great, no temptation is too strong, but that Jesus Christ can give us the mercy and grace we need, when we need it.

~Warren W. Wiersbe

Moses did not lead the Israelites into the Promise Land [rest], matter of fact, Moses did not enter himself. Joshua lead Israel into their physical rest [Promise Land] but not into the ultimate spiritual rest. Aaron, the first high priest and all his descendants were unable to lead Israel into this “Spiritual Rest.” Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the ‘Rest’ referred to in Deuteronomy 12:9,10, Joshua 1:13 and Psalms 95:11. The Promise Land was only a shadow of the reality that would come in Jesus.

Aaron and his sons offered thousands of sacrifices but the blood of bulls and goats could not take away our sins. These sacrifices reminded us of our sin but they did not remove our guilt–they simply foreshadowed better things to come. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said:

“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given Me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin.”

Then Jesus said:

“Look, I have come to do Your will, O God—as is written about Me in the Scriptures.”

In light of what Christ has done in our behalf– Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. {Hebrews 4:16, NLT}

Four things we need:

1. Confidence: {parrēsia} freedom to speak openly, frankly, without fear or concealment.
2. Mercy: {eleos} kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them.
3. Grace: {charis} that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, and loveliness. God’s undeserved loving kindness and favor.
4. Help: {boētheia} under-girding. Used twice in NT. Here an Acts 27:17. Refers to the cables or ropes that sailors used to bind or under-gird the hull of the ship to keep it from breaking up.

Jesus, as our Faithful and Sympathetic High Priest can give us all four things.

• Day two of Phase-One went well and God has answered a prayer concerning Phase-Two. With Hope in mind, use the four points above to pray specifically for her.
• We got some bad news from Athens yesterday: my sister Joy’s former son-in-law was killed in a 4-wheeler accident. He was around the age of 45 and had two sons which, of course, are my sister’s grand sons.
• I have a wedding Saturday and for the first time in my life, I am excited in a positive way about a wedding. They called yesterday telling me  it was an Alabama wedding and to wear jeans and an Alabama shirt. Instead of pronouncing them man and wife, I am to say ROLL TIDE. Just kidding on that last part.
• Sunday Schedule: Deacon’s meeting @ 8:15, LCBS @ 9:15, Worship @ 10:15, Business Meeting @ 11:00, AWANA @ 5:30, Visitation @ 5:30 and worship @ 6:15.
• Franklin Graham Prayer Rally this coming Thursday, April 14. I think Joe David said we could leave the church at 9:30 am.

NEW YORK – JUNE 25: Franklin Graham, with Bible in hand, addresses the crowd before his father Billy Graham speaks during his Crusade at Flushing Meadows Corona Park June 25, 2005 in the Queens borough of New York. Flushing Meadows Corona Park is the site for Graham’s sermons on June 24-26, which looks to draw thousands of people from across the country, and will purportedly be the aging Christian evangelist’s final crusade. (Photo by Stephen Chernin/Getty Images)