From or to, which way are you going?

Last Saturday we looked at Psalm 91 which talks about the security, protection and provision that is provided to those who dwell and abide in the presence of God. We've looked recently at the intimate loving relationship God wants to have with us as Abba, Daddy.

Today let's look at a statement that the writer of Hebrews makes concerning our place  in God's presence and our approaching Him there. Hebrews 4:15-16 says

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ 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.

These two verses are so rich in the treasures of God's truth that we could spend days digging through them and related verses. So let's begin finding our nugget for the day. The first thing we see here is that Jesus, our high priest has been tempted in all things yet without sin. That is why Jesus is qualified to pay the price for every sin of every man, women and child. It says He sympathizes with our weaknesses. Let's understand that there is a difference between sympathizing  with our weakness and tolorating our sin. It is not a sin to feel temptation. Remember what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:13  " No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."  We are all tempted in many ways, and as the verse in Hebrews 4 says Jesus Himself was tempted in all things. There is a tendency to think about Jesus temptation and think of the account in Matthew 4:1-11

4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. ³ And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” ⁴ But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”⁵ Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶ and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,‘He will command His angels concerning You’;and‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”⁷ Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”⁸ Again, the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; ⁹ and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” ¹⁰ Then Jesus *said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” ¹¹ Then the devil *left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

It says at the end of that account that the devil left Him. That doesn't mean that Jesus was never tempted again. Jesus lived His life here on earth in a body of flesh and so He was subject to every temptation and desire that comes through the flesh. Yet He walked without sin. So He sympathizes with our weakness and our temptation, but the Corinthians verse says also that God provides the way out. Continuing in our sin means that we are not following God and the way He has provided out of our temptation. Continuing in sin is an affront to the cross of Christ. But sin is deceptive in so many ways. First because sin seperates us from the presence of God. We see in Exodus 33 when Moses asked to see God's face  Exodus 33:19-20

¹⁹ And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” ²⁰ But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” So there is a seperation that occurs when we have given in to temptation and commtted sin. Our natural tendency then is to do what Adam and Eve did when they sinned, Genesis 3:8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

We can't hide from God and our hiding and running from Him will only seperate us farther. That certainly is not the answer. 1 Corithians 10:13 says that God provides the way out. So what is the way out? The answer lies in the text in Hebrews 4. It says we should "DRAW NEAR WITH CONFIDENCE TO THE THRONE OF GRACE", some translations say "COME BOLDLY" The throne of grace is the way out that God provides.

No matter where you find yourself, whether at a point struggling with temptation our fallen deeply into sin, Don't run from God! Run to Him! He provides the way out!

HE IS THE WAY OUT!

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit I come to you today. My prayer is the prayer of the Psalmist -