Sometimes we read scripture and assume we understand topics and words that may mean something we don’t understand, or mean more than we understand. I think the throne of God is one of these subjects. Since we don’t live with kings and queens today the concept and function of a throne is often lost to us. If that is the case, how are we to understand when God uses the idea and function of his throne room in his word?

In history, the throne room was where a ruler conducted business, dispensed laws and took actions, like making proclamations. It was also used to greet dignitaries coming from other countries wanting to do business. On occasion it would be used to dispense justice or mercy when prisoners were presented, or when a legal decision was needed in a public forum. I found a good, concise biblical explanation and thought I would include it here:

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

In this passage there are a few key elements I want to address, especially as I see God challenging his followers to be engaged in them. The first is the challenge to draw near to God’s throne room of grace. The writer of Hebrews is telling us that God’s throne room is a place of power for all believers. That we can, and should, desire His power to handle every situation in life.

Second, if the believer is not aware of how to approach God in this setting, then one can be most assured they will not get the help they seek. Intimacy with God is not a given, but only for those who seek God on his terms and not on ours. I think that often we fail to evaluate our spiritual condition before approaching the throne room, and fail to honor God correctly as well.

Proverbs 3:32

The devious are a abomination to the Lord: But he is intimate with the upright.

If we don’t show the proper respect we are not granted a audience with God. How many times have we sought out God’s presence only to feel like God is not listening or not responsive? Could it be we try to run into God’s presence for help and yet have not shown the proper respect and honor? Could it be we are neglecting the “Protocols” of God’s throne room? Remember, the first thing Jesus taught his disciples in how to pray was to show proper honor to God before anything else.

Look at what David wrote about the “Foundation” of God’s throne room: He says that it is founded on “Righteousness & Justice,” meaning its primary function is to dispense rulings and help based on the merits of ourselves and our cause. It is to this end that he moves on our behalf.

Psalms 89:14

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.

David seems to say that love and faithfulness “Follow” the principles of righteousness and justice. If that is the case and we try to barge into the throne room for grace, but we are not first honoring our king, then his love and faithfulness will not be given or released as we desire.

The prophet Isaiah says that God declares that heaven is his throne room. Many believers seem to think that church is God’s dwelling place, or where his throne dispenses assistance. Isaiah says otherwise. Is it possible that we miss the “Pass Key” into the throne room, whether in church or not, that opens to us access to his power and help? I think it could be the attitude and posturing of our hearts that moves God the most and either honors him or doesn’t.

Isaiah 66:1-2

Thus says the LORD, Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being, declares the LORD. But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.

God is declaring that, though we are challenged and called to “Boldly” come into his throne room, he assumes we have done the basics of respect and honor before doing so. God is not encouraging sloppy behavior just to be a blessing to us. He wants to encourage good behavior, especially when we approach his throne room.

Jesus, when referring to the throne room, paints a picture of great and awesome power where angels are gathered with him. It is in front of the throne of God that justice will be handed out to all the people of the earth. It is at the throne of God that those who have showed love and respect to the Son of God will be rewarded, and those who have not will be cast out into utter darkness. Jesus defines the throne room as being majestic and awesome, not a casual place to hang out in.

Matthew 25:31-3

But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;

The prophet Micaiah was asked by Israel’s king should they go to war? The answer was not favorable to the king because he did not honor the Lord, he only wanted God to rubber stamp his desire to beat his enemy. Listen to what the prophet saw in God’s throne room, and the kind of dynamics that God was revealing about how he operates. When we don’t honor the Lord properly we are at risk of the throne room not being a blessing but a curse.

2 Chronicles 18:18

Then Micaiah continued, Listen to what the LORD says! I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven on his right and on his left.

Lastly, in Isaiah 6 the prophet gets a glimpse of the throne room of God and the majesty, and he realizes how unclean he is. He cries out about his sin and the sin of his people. At this point an angel brings a hot coal and cleans his mouth. That is the Lord purifying his sin.

1] In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2] Seraphim were standing above Him, each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew.3 ]And one called out to another and said,

4] And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. 5] Then I said,

6] Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.7 ]He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your guilt is taken away and atonement is made for your sin.”

In conclusion I am so glad we are encouraged to bodly come to the throne of grace, but let us not do so in ignorance of the place we seek the Lord nor his generosity in offering us his help. Let us come with love and honor in our hearts and show the proper respect an audience with the King of kings deserves lest we be found wanting, like Isaiah did, and realize we have mouths that are unclean before the Lord.

Questions:

1) Have you realized the throne room of God is a majestic and powerful place to meet God? How you approach the throne room will determine your outcome.

2) How often do you seek the Lord in his throne room? Hebrews seems to state that we should do so as often as we have a need. In my mind that means daily.

Seeking to understand God and his ways more clearly,

Pastor Dale

People generally love things that are reliable and predictable but what if a lot of things in life aren’t that way? For Christians, the idea and expectation of a reliable life is heightened by the idea of God setting up our future so reliably that many have bought into the idea of their future being  “Predestined”, which believes our eternity as well as this life is both guaranteed and that no worry or concern is needed. But what if that teaching is an exaggeration of scripture and not biblical? What if life and eternity is only as sure as we continue to trust God rather than just trusting our own thoughts and intentions? What if life is far more unpredictable than we realize? For many, that idea is unsettling and can create fear and anxiety unless people are truly trusting God day by day.

This idea of predestination is really a concept that both secular and religious people wonder about. Many movies wrestle with the idea of our destiny being set or not.  There are many movies that have been made in the last twenty years relating to time travel and trying to figure out if people can change their past or not because people want to know if we are predestined or not.

Many Christians have been taught that God predestines our future so it is set before we are even born. This theology became strongly developed for many Christians because of the reformation and the shift in theology by people like John Calvin, Martin Luther and others in the 1500s. These church leaders were trying to figure out what theology was wrong in the Catholic Church doctrine and they came up with the idea of going back to Augustine in third century for a confirmation in which God predestines people. Much of this shift in my mind came from the hatred of many over the sale of indulgences to wipe away the past, unrepentant sins of those who were about to die or had already passed away.

The strange thing is that these writers and others base this major doctrine over five verses from the New Testament in which the apostle Paul wrote instead of looking at the overall bible context of both the Old and New Testament. The idea of God choosing people for his purpose, also known as “election”, was formulated mostly by Calvin to say that certain people are chosen by God to be saved for eternity and others are predestined to go to hell for eternity regardless of their choices or desire. Once a person was baptized they no longer needed to worry about salvation or their conduct.

Romans 8:28-29

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

One of the problems of this doctrine is that it makes God out to be a liar when he says anyone can choose to follow him, and if we choose him, he will bless us both now and in eternity. Secondly, using Rom:28-29 to support this doctrine fails to look at the context. Paul is referring to people who are living according to God’s purpose, not our own, and they are predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus. Our predestination is about our calling to become like Jesus “NOT” predestined about our future. It is easy to twist scripture when failing to look at the objective and context.

Another verse of scripture about predestination used by many to justify God choosing us before the foundation of the world comes from individuals having a calling before they were born. Unfortunately, they fail to read or acknowledge that the purpose God set before the foundation of the world was about “HOLINESS” to walk in a blameless way with God and thus our adoption is based on what John wrote about a person’s adoption as God’s children.

John 1:11-12

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

Ephesians 1:4-5

Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Lastly, Paul writes in the book of Ephesians about being predestined according to God’s purpose, not being predestined to or for individuals desires. When Paul uses the word predestination it’s always in reference to God’s purpose, not according to some notion of election regardless of our choices. God, throughout the scripture from Genesis to Revelation, is calling man to choose rightly with the promise of blessing and if we choose wrongly the results are punishment and sorrow.

Ephesians 1:11

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

Starting with Adam and Eve, God creates mankind with the potential to make choices, either good or bad, either constructive or destructive. Adam and Eve chose poorly and they suffered for it.  You would think their children would take stock in their mistakes and learn to make right choices. Abel made the right choice and honored God and Cain did not, which resulted in him killing his brother. Here is what God says to Cain when he is so mad and ready to do something so stupid it will cost him for the rest of his life.

Genesis 4:5-7

God did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the LORD said to Cain,

“Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?  “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

God posed to Cain that he was in charge of his future, either good or bad. He challenged him that if his feelings rule in his life he is in trouble and if he listens to God he will be blessed. Throughout scripture, God says the same thing. Our choices set our course, not some notion of being predestined outside of our choices.

God puts great value on our choices. He doesn’t make us choose, he lets us choose. Real love cannot be forced and thus God gave us the potential of choosing to love or hate. Don’t be fooled into thinking you can’t do anything about your future because God says otherwise. He says you have the power to make the future we want. Remember the enemies plan for us.

John 10:10

The thief ( Satan ) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Satan wants to steal our future and to kill any hope of redeeming it, thus destroying our faith in God for change. Remember Jeremiah’s prophetic words to rebellious Israel, who went into captivity because they chose poorly. These were the people of God and yet they did not inherit God’s blessing but his curse.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you and you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

It is better to listen to God’s own words than to listen to theologians who don’t seem to read scripture as it was meant to be read and understood. Your choices mean a great deal to God and they should mean a great deal to us as well.

Questions:

1) Have you believed the lie that people are predestined to heaven and hell regardless of their choices? Study the word of God yourself and discover how important your choices are.

2) Have you bought into the lie that once you’re saved you can never get unsaved? Ask yourself what salvation is about. Is it about letting us live like fools or like Christ?

Loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength,

Pastor Dale

We have been seeing violence on the daily news lately with all the chaos and protesting on university campuses in America, which in my mind is the result of poor parenting. The rioting of students on the university campuses is not a surprise given that parents have believed in the lie that providing college for their kids is the best way to love their kids.  This, I believe, is a clear deception of Satan. When parents turn over their children to atheistic teachers to be indoctrinated in twisted and evil thinking, the end result is that their children become God haters who no longer understand how to reason truth from error.

If we are honest, all of us know we have messed up in some areas of life, and some of us have messed up a lot. When we consider being held accountable for our actions I think we all want, or hope, for mercy to win over judgment.  Just how or why could that be the case if we are brought before a judge about our actions? What about being brought before God over our lifetime of actions and words? Will we receive justice or mercy? How do we define what justice and mercy are?

Some people want to believe that a belief in God is not necessary in order to have good morals. They believe their morals are correct because they want to believe them regardless of whether these morals are based on something more solid than just their feeling. Thinking God is necessary to help us construct good morals is different than thinking that God exists. Remember, Satan believes God exists but he and the other fallen angles don’t live or exist with any morality other than to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10)

This is the third part in a series that asks the question, “Does God change his mind?” The purpose of writing this series is because many believers have been taught a mixture of concepts and doctrines so that their theology doesn’t work in real life. As a result much of what they have learned doesn’t produce the maturity God wants and expects, and our ability to change the culture is, for the most part, nonexistent. Instead of being salt and light to our culture, we are changed by the humanistic culture we live in.

I have been a believer for over 50 years and I have heard a lot of teachings and sermons on receiving a “CALLING” from God.  I think most of those teaching have been about some type of ministry calling yet rarely are they on what Jesus meant when referring to the idea of calling. In my estimation, Jesus rarely talked about ministry calling and almost exclusively talked about the calling that God presents to mankind for relationship.

When I look at the landscape of how people think and act these days, for both non Christians as well as Christians, there seems to be a disconnect between what a person believes or feels and what are the plain facts before them. People don’t seem to be bothered by the inconsistencies in their lives, let alone in the lives of those around them. It seems people just get entrenched in certain lines of thinking without asking themselves if the things they believe are true or false. Maybe we just hate the idea of finding out that we are wrong about something and thus don’t want to know our error.

I don’t write often on subjects like this, but I feel I need to write to those who may be struggling with the darkness around them as they attempt to walk with the Lord. We live in a time when many say these are the “Last Days” and I believe it more true now than ever before. We must be watchful lest we become discouraged in our souls to the point of quitting or running away from our calling in the Lord.  We need to continue to walk as the Lord has directed our souls in scripture.

I wonder how many believers even realize that this world is not our permanent home if we truly have given our hearts to Jesus? Let me unpack what I mean by this and what I don’t want to convey.