Access by Grace

I've been awed by God before, in fact there have been multiple occasions where God has absolutely taken my breath away. Today, however, marks an occasion very unique and different on all accounts. With choir music blasting through the house, I was intently cleaning and trying to have the house spotless for the return of my family from their trip, when I just had an overwhelming urge to worship, and a few seconds later to pray. Would God really be calling me at 11 a.m. to prayer? After all our church is involved in a "revival" style prayer meeting that began Thursday night, and will continue through tonight. I've always been an advocate for "in house" prayer. That's the prayers you pray in your house with nobody around. This type of prayer differs greatly from public prayer, where our words are altered to meet the criteria of "apostolic prayer". In house prayer is usually more intimate prayer. Here you can say things you wouldn't want the person sitting next to you to hear. It was in this secret place where God began to draw me close, and i heard him whisper, "how close do you want to be". I was amazed! Up until this point I've always been the one pleading with God to come closer, was God actually now asking me to come closer? How could I? He's God? After all, Psalm 113:6 declares that he humbles himself to behold the things in Heaven and in the Earth. How could i get that close to him without him coming down to me? That's when God took me to Ephesians chapter 2.

Paul is writing to the church of Ephesus, and he is reminding them that in times past they were prisoners of sin, and sin brought death. Not physical death, but spiritual. But God, who is rich in mercy (vs 4) has pardoned our sins, and has made us alive again through the new birth experience. And now he has called us up to sit in heavenly places (vs 6) so that he might show the world the exceeding riches of his grace! Then in verses 12-22 he explains what he meant. He tells them, when you were without Christ (living your way) you were excluded from the citizenship of Israel, or simply you weren't considered a Christian. You also were strangers to the promise of God. Not only did God exclude you from his people, he also excluded you from his promises, and the Bible said we had no hope and no God in this world (vs 12). So this illustrates to us that the absence of submission to God, results in the absence of God's sovereignty in our world. Its not God who should be blamed for terrorists, its not God who should be blamed for murders, deaths, suicides, abortions, school shootings, etc.. What should be blamed is a selfish generation of people who refuse to submit to God's laws, instead of their own. But now, through the blood of Jesus, we are no longer strangers, but fellow citizens in the household of God! We are heirs with God, and have been made joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) And we have been given access into the supernatural world of heaven (Ephesians 2:18). My acceptance of his blood, through the obedience to his word, allows me the right to sit with him in Heavenly places, and to be a citizen in the household of God! So let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need (Hebrews 4:16)!

We, as apostolic Christians have a key to the throne room. In the Book of Esther, Haman was out to destroy the Jews altogether, and Mordecai was pleading with Esther to do something. We have no where else to turn, if we don't get to the King's presence we will all be destroyed! Sound a lot like our world huh? But Esther was aware of the Kings laws. He did not take kindly to people barging into his secret chambers. If you came into his presence without first being called, you were killed. It was required that your name be placed on the roll 30 days in advance, and then the King would call you in. But what Esther failed to realize is that many are called, but few are chosen. She was called once, but when she found favor in the eyes of the King, she became chosen.

There is a world of so-called Christians awaiting the calling from God. But if you've been born of the water and the spirit (John 3: Acts 2:38) and live a submitted life to him, then you are chosen! 1 Peter 2:9 tells us that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people. And we are commissioned to show forth the praises of him who has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light! If you've been called out of sin, and live a holy consecrated live, you are now chosen. If we really believed this then we wouldn't have rehearsed prayers. A rehearsed prayer, is a pointless prayer. Imagine a husband standing in front of his wife after having been unfaithful to her, his eyes dry, his mannerisms stiff, as he pointlessly confesses his love for her while reciting cliche after cliche. Nothing from the heart, no tears, no shaking, no pleading, no desperation. And he has the gall to profess to her, well I'm not emotional. Your not emotional huh? So let's play a scenario game for a second. Pretend there's a knock on the door, and standing at the door is a news camera crew and a man holding a check. To your astonishment you find your the recipient of 1,000,000 dollars. Am I supposed to believe that your inability to show emotion would force you to stand callused and cold? Or would the excitement and realization of receiving a gift you don't deserve push you into an extreme mode of thankfulness and joy? Amazingly, everyone would react with some style of unscripted, and unrehearsed dancing, shouting, and perhaps even crying, over the unprecedented joy you suddenly feel. The camera's wouldn't matter, the people standing around would disappear as you would get lost in the joy of the moment.

We don't deserve grace, and we definitely do not deserve access into heavenly places, but he gave it to us anyhow. Will we miss out on this incredible opportunity because we're too prideful and too worried about being labeled a radical? If you have a problem with how passionate I worship, then that's a you problem. But I stand in awe, and I stand amazed at the realization... I've been given access to His throne room. I have been chosen.....