Thank you Jesus for……

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.

I believe it was Adrian Rogers who said, “Grace is God giving us what we do not deserve. Mercy is God not giving us what we do deserve.” You are born into sin, and your heart is bad no matter how much of a good person you feel that you are. There is a false religion out there saying we are all good at heart, and why would God make us bad. Our freedom of choice is where we fell into sin in the garden with Adam and Eve, and like it or not you are a descendent of them; therefore you are born into sin.

Now the good news: A humble, repentant heart can be saved from eternal punishment by the way of Christ. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever will believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. This paves the way for us to obtain that grace and mercy. Matthew Henry summarizes it well. “Mercy and grace are the things we want; mercy to pardon all our sins, and grace to purify our souls. Besides our daily dependence upon God for present supplies, there are seasons for which we should provide in our prayers; times of temptation, either by adversity or prosperity, and especially our dying time. We are to come with reverence and godly fear, yet not as if dragged to the seat of justice, but as kindly invited to the mercy-seat, where grace reigns. We have boldness to enter into the holiest only by the blood of Jesus; he is our Advocate, and has purchased all our souls want or can desire.”

The scriptures before Hebrews 4:16 are speaking of the power of God’s Word. Both in the context of Christ as the Word, and the context of His written Word. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.You must come to know Christ in your heart before the written Word is revealed to you. His Spirit will dwell inside of you and begin to reveal His written Word as never before. You can’t have one without the other, and grace and mercy are found in both.