Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
(Heb. 4:16)
One night Renee and I went to an event that we had been invited to. We had no idea how to dress for it. There was nothing in the invitation to give us direction in how to dress. I was unable to get a hold of the people that had invited us to ask them. We decided to dress nice casual.
When we got there, what Renee had been wearing seemed to fit fine with what everyone else was wearing. For me it was a problem. Most every man had on a tie and jacket or suit coat and I had neither. I felt woefully under dressed and felt self-conscience about it. I apologized repeatedly that night for my dress and never felt comfortable.
I have always loved today’s Fresh Manna verse. “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” This verse is so many things. It is a permission slip to come straight to God. I’ve been recently working to set up an appointment with one of our U.S. Senators and our Congressman. They are people that walk in high offices of authority, have many demands on their time, have many people that want to see and talk with them, and it’s not an easy thing to get an appointment with them. I understand that.
Prior to my receiving Jesus personally as my Lord and my Savior, I ignorantly believed that Almighty God—the God of the universe—the God over all mankind, was high in Heaven on His throne having to respond to billions of people and couldn’t possibly think about or care about all that I was caring for and thinking about in my life. He was up there. I was down here. He was busy. I was insignificant.
My thinking was, bother Him only in extreme emergencies and even then, don’t get your hopes up too high. That was ignorant and blind thinking and has nothing to do with the reality of whom and how God is. That kind of ignorance can hurt us and keep us from God’s love and help. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge….”
The Bible teaches us about the Holy of Holies. It was the second or interior portion of the tabernacle. There was a huge veil—a type of ornate curtain that hung down separating the Holy of Holies from the first tabernacle. No one was permitted to enter it except the high priest. When Jesus died upon the cross, an earthquake happened – powerful spiritual forces were in operation.
We read about them in Matthew 27:
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit. And, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks were split; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints that slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, truly this was the Son of God.”
(Matt. 27:49-54)
In this event we just read, it said, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom….” The significance of this to us is powerful. Jesus giving His life as a sacrifice for our sins, removed that veil—that separation between us and God.
Man previously had to go to a priest to ask and get forgiveness of sin. Now that was abolished through Jesus. Jesus became the priest who offered Himself—the perfect and final sacrifice for all. That is what makes today’s Fresh Manna verse true. This why we now can “…approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
When I come boldly before Him, I live by faith in the fact that Jesus has washed my sins away. That is what allows me to come boldly. The Bible says He has washed me and put His robe of righteousness on me and that is His doing.
Yet, when I come before Him—in the presence of His Holiness, I feel woefully unclean and woefully inadequate. I feel this way because I know the thoughts that run through my head. I know the inappropriate conversations I enter into. I know actions that fall short in my life. I am humbled within His presence. That makes me desire always to love Him more for loving me despite my shortcomings and for cleansing me from this unrighteousness.
My love for Him grows knowing that He desires to help me, love me, and allow me to partake of His grace—His supernatural help of wisdom, resource, and ability when I would otherwise be bankrupt and without hope.
We don’t need an appointment with God. He is not too busy. We won’t be underdressed or unacceptable. God is able to love, cherish, nurture and help countless billions of people—each one personally and with great affection all at the same time. That is what makes Him God. We all receive His attention if we understand that and believe it by faith.
He has removed the veil. He calls out to us. He will help us on every level. That is the Easter message. Isaiah 55:1-7 says it wonderfully.
Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you…. Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
(Isa. 55:1-7)
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Timothy Burt is a pastor, author, and writer. He is best known as the author of Fresh Manna, a daily devotional and online Bible study.
Pastor Tim became a part of the leadership team at Living Word Christian Center in 1984 and was an Associate Pastor from 1989 until May 31st, 2017. He and His wife Renee, also a Pastor at Living Word, resigned after being a part of Living Word for 33 years on May 31, 2017. They felt impressed by God to pursue the tremendous growth of their ministry "Fresh Manna," as well as teaching conferences and seminars and increasing their involvement in the mission field through Tim and Renee Burt Ministries. Tim has a Bachelor of Theology degree and is a Christian blogger who has been writing a daily inspirational and teaching devotion three days a week called "Fresh Manna" for the past 22 years. It has been read in over 227 countries (official countries and territories). Tim was named one of the top 55 blogging Pastors. He is one of the top Social Media influencers in Minnesota with a strong presence on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TimBurt with over 187,000 followers. Between Tim's Fresh Manna Devotional and Twitter influence, he virally averages reaching over 4 million people daily with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of God.
Prior to working at LWCC, he worked at Northwest Airlines for 13 years. In 1985 he founded and was President of American Infant Care Products which marketed his patented invention, the first fold-down commercial infant changing table now used worldwide in public restrooms.
In their tenure at Living Word, Timothy Burt and his wife Renee created a Small Group Ministry when the church was about 800 people in size. Under the leadership of Sr. Pastors Mac and Lynne Hammond, the church grew to over 10,000 people. Pastor Tim and Renee led a diverse Small Group Ministry of over 200 groups. Tim also led weekly men's groups and a monthly Men's Breakfast of 250 plus men called Manhood for 27 years. Tim's responsibilities also included oversight over the Visitor and Member Relations Department, Leadership and Volunteer Development, and the Pastoral Care Department. Pastor Tim was also the Minnesota State Director of Christians United for Israel from 2006 thru 2017.
Tim and Renee are the parents of four children and have seven grandchildren. Tim loves to write, golf, run, and walk, and is a master gardener. He is a five-time marathon finisher. He is also a three-time award-winning gardener winning the Grand Prize in his city for his beautiful home garden and is a Master Gardener for the University of Minnesota's Master Gardener Extension Program.