Practical Lessons for Understanding the Word of God

Where to Turn in Time of Need

KEY PASSAGE: Hebrews 4:12-16 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 32:1; 139:1-4 | Matthew 6:8 | John 14:6 Romans 3:23 | Hebrews 2:17-18; 9:1-7 | Ephesians 2:8-9

SUMMARY:
Where do you go when you have a need in your life?
Perhaps you retreat to a special place in your home where you can be alone. Maybe you quickly call a friend or family member. You might even resort to ungodly attitudes and behaviors that provide instant relief, but leave you feeling guilty. I want to tell you about the one place where your needs will always be met. Hebrews 4:16 says, 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. When we approach the Lord with our burdens, we can be assured that He will meet our innermost needs and show us how to handle every circumstance in life.

have confidence that He will respond to our cries for help.

Jesus is our High Priest before the throne of God.

Even before the fall of man, the Father had planned to redeem mankind by working through the nation of Israel. In Old Testament times, God provided a system of sacrifices that illustrated the seriousness and cost of sin. People offered sacrifices for the smallest sins to the most serious ones, but they did not have access to the Holy of Holies where the presence of the Lord dwelled. Only the high priest could enter once a year after he had offered a special sacrifice to atone for the sins the people had committed that year (Heb. 9:1-7). When Jesus died on the cross as the ultimate offering for sin, He made a way for humanity to have a personal relationship with God. Today, He is our Great High Priest, the mediator between God and man for those who have accepted Christ as Savior (Heb. 4:14). The Bible teaches that all humans are sinful (Rom. 3:23). Our wrongdoing separates us from our holy God, and good deeds can never justify us in His sight (Eph. 2:8-9). How then can we have a relationship with the Father? The only way to Him is through the grace offered through Christ (John 14:6). What does this have to do with going to God with our needs? Those who reject Jesus do not have the privilege of approaching the Father with their needs. Of course, they may occasionally experience what seems like answered prayer, but the Lord never promises to respond to the petitions of those who reject His gift of salvation.
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SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:
Jesus knows all our needs.
Sometimes we know exactly what to pray; other times, we arent sure what we really need. Reading the Bible reveals to us our real thoughts, secret attitudes, and personal hurtsas well as Gods perspective on them. Hebrews 4:12 says, The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit . . . and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The Lord sees it all:All things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do (Heb. 4:13). He is intimately acquainted with all our ways (Ps. 139:1-4). Because God knows what we need before we even ask (Matt. 6:8), we can

Jesus sympathizes with all our needs.

Our Savior knows what it is like to be human and experience temptation: We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15). Its common to think that Jesus faced temptation only when Satan tested Him in the desert. But He faced the attraction of sin His entire life, just as we do:He himself was tempted . . . He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted (Heb. 2:18). From biblical accounts, we know He experienced sorrow, rejection, loneliness, physical suffering, and the weight of our guilt, among other things. Whatever your hurt, pain, suffering, sorrow, or temptation, Jesus knows exactly how you feel.

Being able to approach God with confidence doesnt mean that we have permission to be irreverent. We should come in an attitude of humility and submission. One way to demonstrate this is to kneel before Him if we are physically able. Does that mean the Lord wont hear us otherwise? No. But bowing before Him is a symbol of our humility. In doing so, we recognize His holiness, righteousness, and perfection. It is also an acknowledgement of the omnipotence of our almighty God: He has the power to change any circumstance of our lives. If you are unwilling to kneel in His presence, you should ask yourself why. Make sure that pride is not keeping you from this humble act of submission. No one can live a godly life apart from the grace and mercy of the Lord.

Jesus is ready, willing, and able to help us with our needs.

As our all-knowing God, Jesus is aware of all we lack. As our all-powerful God, He is uniquely qualified to supply what we need. Hebrews 4:16 says, 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. Notice we dont have to approach the Lord in doubt or hesitation. Instead, we come boldly, knowing that because we are His children, He will hear our petitions. Turn to the Great High Priest when tribulation comes. He can handle whatever you face.

CONCLUSION:
Perhaps you have always been a self-sufficient person, needing little help from others to make it through life. Maybe you have brought that self-reliance into your relationship with God. But the Lord gives the full measure of His blessing to only those who are willing to depend on Him in every area of life. His invitation to each believer is:Come boldly and confidently to the Throne of Grace. Im waiting here to help you. If you have never accepted Gods gift of salvation, this amazing privilege is not yet available to you. You need to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior; only then can you experience the benefits of having Him as your Great High Priest. Through Him, every single one of your needs will be metin His way and in His timing. To reject Christ is to reject your only real, lasting hope. I pray you will accept Him and begin a victorious new chapter of life.

Jesus promises to meet our needs in mercy and grace.

We can only approach Gods throne confidently if we have accepted His gifts of grace and mercy. What is the difference between the two terms? In mercy, the Lord does not give us what we deserve. In other words, He withholds the punishment we deserve for our sins. Through grace, He gives us what we did not earn: eternal life and the opportunity to have an intimate relationship with Him.

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