• Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” 
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Since I often struggle with sleep as a result of my illness, a few months ago (spring 2016) I was driving the fifth-wheel to our next meeting at 3 am while Amy and the kids slept. Because of my health issues, Amy does most of the day-time driving now, but evenings are easier on me with less light and less interaction. However, on this trip, there was a spiritual battle going on. My flesh and spiritual darkness were inserting doubts, discouragements, and dark thoughts. “You’re sick because churches didn’t want you and God doesn’t need you.”, etc, etc, etc…. During these times, my mind can be in a fog and can’t think clearly, so you know what I did? I called out to God. “Please Lord, I am in so much pain. I can’t think clearly, but I know that you can help. Please help me find your grace in this time of need!” Without exaggeration, I testify to you that the spiritual battle ceased for the rest of the trip! 

So far we have dealt with grace as an undeserved, unearned gift from God. The gift enables and empowers the believer in every area of the Christian life from salvation to parenting to paying your bills to pastoring to working a secular job to anger management. Grace is God’s Leatherman suited for any occasion and issue. In the last article, we noticed that faith accesses this grace “wherein we stand.” God’s grace is always accessible to the child of God, but will you receive it and rely upon it?

• Here are some more wonderful truths we learn about grace in Hebrews 4:16.
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• – First, God’s throne is grace. Let’s apply the two truths about grace to God’s throne of grace: #1 – we do not deserve nor can we earn the right to be before God’s throne and #2 – we are enabled and empowered at God’s throne. To further emphasize this, we learn that we can obtain mercy and find grace (neither of which we deserve) from God’s gracious throne.
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Friend, your home, your church, your life, and your country are in a time of need. You must turn to God’s throne of grace in prayer. Oh, how we so often neglect this simple, but powerful step! And even if we do apply prayer to our problems, we fall into the trap of trusting our effort of prayer as the way to earn God’s grace! No, my friends, God’s throne of grace is not worked for, deserved, or earned. No amount of prayer and fasting earns you the right to God’s grace. “Otherwise grace is no more grace.” (Rom. 11:6) Believing prayer (Mk. 11:22-23) simply turns to the One Who can fix every need. So, prayer asks for grace, and faith accesses grace.

• – Secondly, why does it say the believer finds grace? Because we learned from Romans 5:2 that every believer in Christ already stands in grace!  Through seeking and asking prayer, God simply helps us find and see that God already “giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (I Tim. 6:17)!  Through believing prayer, God reminds us that every child of the King is an heir to God’s throne of grace! God simply helps us see it in our times of need just like he did me. 🙂