Coffee With The Lord

Imagine it… A certified “official looking” envelope delivered to you personally from the most powerful person in the world. You sign for it and open it carefully with heightened anticipation. Inside is a certificate with an access card that grants you personal right of entry into the presence of the important person himself, and to his entire operation and resources where He promises to meet any challenge or need you may be facing! What a privilege – what an opportunity – what a responsibility! Unbelievable eh?

However that is precisely the kind of access to God Christians enjoy through Christ Jesus! I read about it this morning in the Bible during my time of “Coffee with the Lord” (in what I believe to be one of the most incredible passages of Scripture in the Bible)! So here it is right out of the Bible…

First, the right of access:

“THEREFORE SINCE WE HAVE CONFIDENCE TO ENTER THE MOST HOLY PLACE by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is His body, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God…

Then the privileges and responsibilities:

“LET US DRAW NEAR TO GOD with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water…

“LET US HOLD UNSWERVINGLY TO THE HOPE WE PROFESS, for He who promised is faithful!

“AND LET US CONSIDER HOW WE MAY SPUR ONE ANOTHER ON TOWARD LOVE AND GOOD DEEDS, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (From Hebrews 10:19-25 NIV)

THE IMAGERY? Right of access into the very presence of God – into the “Holy of Holies” – the place in the ancient “tabernacle” or temple where the potent, powerful presence of God revealed itself.

THE PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES?

First, to be able to approach the “Living God” with sincerity and faith – having been cleansed from all sin!

Then, having “hope” (a confident expectation) that God will faithfully fulfill all His promises!

Finally, recognizing that we are not the only ones given this wonderful privilege of access, but encouraging others who share it, every time we meet together, to live righteous, godly lives as we await the wonderful day that we will enjoy His presence forever!

My prayer? Oh Lord, may I fully comprehend and appropriate what is mine in Christ Jesus!

“A person may think their ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart!  To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice!” (From Proverbs 21:2-3)

Not many things are “ONCE-FOR-ALL”!!  Most things require maintenance, oversight, care, and repairs.  I think of my lawn (it needs mowing every week in Spring and Summer), our cars (time for an oil change is around the corner), students (face those never-ending assignments), this body of mine (after a good meal, I feel like I could fast for a week…but a few hours later my stomach is growling and if I don’t exercise… well the results aren’t positive)… the list could go on.  All that to say, not many things are “once-for-all”

When something is “once-for-all” it is decisive, conclusive, final, convincing, definitive, finished, done, completed … or as my father used to say, “that settles it, period”!

  Read about a “ONCE FOR ALL” in the Bible this morning that ought to cause us to rejoice!!  The book of Hebrews tells us…

“For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priests here on earth who enter the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.  And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:24-28 NLT)