“Access By Faith"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

"Access By Faith"

     "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1-2).

   Regarding this day - and this moment - we have "access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice."  It matters not the nature of the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, our Heavenly Father calls His trusting children in Christ to avail ourselves of His involved presence and promise to be everything we need Him to be in all things.  "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

   The first issue of this day simply involves whether or not we will live in such a manner as to glorify and honor our Lord.  "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31).  Will we consistently trust and obey Him in the power of the Holy Spirit and in accordance with Scripture in this day?  Regardless of how large other matters loom, this is always the first issue.  Thus, we must avail ourselves of the access through Christ whereby we "seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33).

   We may then approach the rightly named Throne of grace regarding all other matters of life.  Be it blessing or challenge, small matters or large, we do well to consciously seek God's guidance and  enabling regarding the path that lies ahead of us in this day.  Why would we want to live life apart from "this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God?"  Of course, such glory will meet us in ways we cannot expect, and thus beyond our prayerful awareness and expectation.  Doubtless our Heavenly Father has us covered regarding such matters.  However, since James teaches that "ye have not because ye ask not," we can be sure that in some matters of life, our Father withholds our experience of grace because we fail to seek His freely given favor and provision (James 4:2).  We are free and conscious sons and daughters in Christ rather than robots.  Relationship with God thus privileges and requires that we respond to our Lord's offer of grace if we are to fully receive His grace and honor Him in all things.

   Finally, let us recall that our approach to God came by way of the Lord Jesus Christ being denied such access on the cross of Calvary.  "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?!" (Matthew 27:46).  To the degree our Lord was abandoned to suffer and die alone, believers will never be forsaken.  The promise of "I am with you always" came by way of the greatest sorrow of loneliness any conscious being will ever know (Matthew 28:20).  Our access cost the Lord Jesus His agony.  Thus, we avail ourselves not only to receive grace, but to requite the suffering that made it available.  In such holy light, the path to God shines ever more brightly, and with ever more assurance of the grace that awaits us when we avail ourselves of "access by faith into this grace."

"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."

(Ephesians 2:18)

"Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him."

(Ephesians 3:11-12)

Weekly Memory Verse

   "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." 

(Ephesians 1:3)