Can I ask you some questions?  How do you talk to your friends?  Do you have friends that always have their hands out wanting something from you?  Do you have friends that you have to be guarded with?  Do you have friends that you can totally be yourself with; tell them anything – anything at all – and know that they won’t judge you and that they’ll still love you and name you as friend?  I’d like to share today about a friend of mine. He loves me; I can be myself around Him.  There’s no pretending, no showing off, no cowering, no bossing around or being bossed around, and if we’re both silent, it’s still comfortable to be in His presence.  I’d love for you to meet Him, so please keep reading.

            In Hebrews 4:16 we read: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.  KJV.  I’ve read this verse several times, and lately I’ve been hearing it at just about every church service I’ve attended.  Recently, however I believe that God gave me a revelation about this verse.  Bear with me as I try to convey what God revealed. 

            I would dare to generalize that most preachers like words like “boldly”.  Come into God’s presence boldly.  Write sermons boldly, speak boldly, etc.  My own pastor has said regarding this verse, “Come into God’s presence boldly and with confidence.”  (That is, as you’ll see in a moment a correct reading of this verse).  But when I hear the word boldness or even confidence, I think of a cockiness or strutting – which is definitely NOT how to approach the throne of God. 

            Remember me asking you about your friends?  What if one of your friends was a wealthy ruler of a vast kingdom?  How would you approach him?  That would greatly depend on what sort of RELATIONSHIP you have, wouldn’t it?  If you were more acquaintances, you’d be very aware of each movement you made, how you spoke, how you looked….  If however, you were the best of pals and you’d been in his presence before, you’d say hello to the guards, walk in, and greet your friend.  You’d know that you had a right to be there.  You’d not be nearly so guarded of yourself as in the first example.  You’d have respect for your friend and not do anything to embarrass him (he is after all a king), but you’d be yourself.

            That’s what God revealed to me about Hebrews 4:16.  This “boldness” that we come with is a lifting of the head; an acknowledgement that you are able to be there. (Jesus has died to prepare the way for this very thing). 

Ps 3:3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. AMP

Job 11:14-15 If you put sin out of your hand and far away from you and let not evil dwell in your tents; 15 Then can you lift up your face to Him without stain [of sin, and unashamed]; yes, you shall be steadfast and secure; you shall not fear.  AMP

            Author’s note: we are welcome into God’s presence, but if we are coming in sin-conscious, we will not feel worthy to be there.  I don’t have to be keenly aware of the worm that I am.  I can lift my head, shoulders back, and know that no one has the right to kick me out.  I don’t have to announce it, I can know it within myself and walk up to God and chat.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. KJV

            Why is there no fear in love?  Fear involves tormenting thoughts and feelings.  Fear involves not knowing an outcome (what’s going to happen next?) or a conclusion.  On the other hand, love is comforting.  Even if I don’t know the outcome, or what’s happening, I can trust that it’s going to come out all right because I am loved.  The word “perfect” in the Greek means a conclusion, an endpoint, goal.  One of the words for “torment” in the Greek is “dwarf”.  Fear makes you feel small, unimportant, judged.  Love (and here “love” is agape – the God kind of love) lets you know that you are important, and you can lift up your head.

            For a great portion of my life, I’ve felt uncomfortable in my own skin.  I got to know God, and I started to change.  What people thought (or what I thought they thought) was no longer so important to me.  Recently, I’ve gone through another “growth spurt”, metaphorically speaking.  I was told that I needed to be friendlier (I’m an introvert by nature); I needed to be more concise, and I needed to be less detail-oriented.  I tried to do these things.  (Note the word “tried”).  I felt like a failure for months.  As God showed me the verse in Hebrews, I began to be more comfortable with myself.  I began to see that God made me a certain way, and He LOVES His work.  Even if I am punished, I know that God loves me and that ultimately it will work out for my good.  I will grow into the person God wants me to be.  As John said in 1John, I’ll be “perfected in love”. 

Do you see how exciting this is?  I am free to be me in God’s presence!  THAT is true  freedom!

            Let me quickly share with you the rest of Hebrews 4:16’s revelation to me.  Here’s the verse again: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.  “Come boldly” we’ve covered.  It also means “with full and open speech” and “with frankness”.

“throne of grace” – grace is God’s power or ability.  It is also something given that we don’t deserve.

“mercy” – punishment that is NOT given for something we DO deserve. 

Here’s a quick example from my Pastor about grace and mercy.  You’re caught speeding.  The police officer does NOT give you a ticket - that’s mercy.  He then gives you a free gift certificate to a store – that’s grace.

            So, here is my version of this verse:  Let us without reservation and with full and open speech, just be ourselves.  Come to the throne (where the King sits, supreme in authority).  It is a throne named “GRACE”.  Here we will find something undeserved given to us, and we will find our punishment for things we DO deserve, removed from us.  We will find seasonal, well-timed help.  Our speech with God here will reflect what relationship we have.  Are we (as T.D. Jakes would say) naked and not ashamed? Or are we politically correct, or speak in “churchese” or King James?

            I asked you at the beginning about your friends.  What kind of a friend are you with God?  Are you always coming with your hand out?  Are you guarded?  Do you feel judged?  Are you open, being completely yourself talking and listening?  Are you comfortable in His presence, even if neither one of you are talking?  Do you know my best friend, Jesus?  Here, I’ll introduce you…  Jesus, this is ____ (say your name).  New friend, this is Jesus.  He died and rose again so that He could be your friend.  He’d do it all again, too…even if you were the only one He got to be friends with.  You guys go talk.

Prov 18:24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  NIV

(His name is Jesus).

Heb 4:16

6 Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].

AMP

-Submitted by Angie

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