James Smith

Right views of God in prayer are of great importance; they involve God's glory--and our soul's good. That we may have right and encouraging views--he has revealed himself in Jesus, and wishes us to look at Jesus as his representative. And to encourage us to approach him with courage, confidence, and comfort--he has erected a throne of grace, where as a Sovereign and a Father--he sits to . . .
hear our prayers,
receive our petitions,
and accept our praises.

Before that throne Jesus stands, he represents us, he introduces us, he pleads for us, He procures choice and invaluable blessings for us. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace--that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16 Observes four things,

1. WHERE we should come. Not to a mercy-seat on earth, as the Jew; but to a throne of grace in Heaven.

A throne, which grace erected for the unworthy--that without qualification, or pre-requisite, or preparation--they may come and open their hearts, confess their sins, and seek and obtain God's blessing.

A throne, on which grace sits in majesty and glory--to display its power, sovereignty, and magnificence so that the graceless may be encouraged to come and sue for pardon, peace, and comfort.

A throne where grace is dispensed, dispensed freely, frequently, and plentifully. Grace to pardon, grace to sanctify, and grace to fit us for God's service and praise.

A throne where grace is glorified--and grace is glorified in giving freely, giving plentifully, and giving often . . .
the richest blessings to the most unworthy,
the choicest favors to the most degraded, and
the sweetest comforts to the most miserable of men.

Reader, for such as you the throne of grace was erected. Grace is personified and enthroned on purpose to encourage you. Grace is dispensed to the vilest--without money and without price. When you go to the throne of grace:
go often,
ask for much, and
obtain all that you need.

2. HOW we should come. "Come boldly." There was no boldness under the law--but there should be no dread or fear in coming to God under the gospel. Boldness springs from grace, is encouraged by grace, and is pleasing to the God of grace. God wishes us to come as children, conscious of our acceptance in the Beloved, and to ask great things at his hands. He says, "Open your mouth wide--and I will fill it." The more we feel at home, and the more freely we speak to our God on the throne of grace--the more he considers himself honored.

He would have us to plead earnestly, not to induce him to give, as if he were unwilling--but to show . . .
our sense of need,
the ardency of our desire,
and our faith in his word.

He would have us to feel confident of being heard, not only because He has promised--but because his heart is full of love, and he delights in mercy.

He would have us to rely steadily on Jesus. On his priesthood, which is perpetual, on his promise which is everlasting, and on his presence, for he now appears before God for us.

3. WHY we should thus come. We have a great High Priest, a High Priest who is the Son of God, and He has undertaken to . . .
expiate our sins,
justify our persons,
present our petitions, and
obtain answers of peace for us.

He has finished his work on earth; he has passed through the heavens into his Father's presence; he is now pleading on our behalf with his Father, and ever lives to carry on his work of intercession.

But he is not only the Son of God--having an influence with his Father; but he is the Son of man--having deep compassion for us, his poor, tried brethren on earth. Before his Father, He owns us; with his Father, He pleads for us; and is ever ready to take up our cause. He is a merciful High Priest, feeling at his heart--all the sorrows, sufferings, and woes of his people. He is also a faithful high Priest, true to his word, and always acting in character as the brother and friend of all who come unto God by him.

4. For WHAT we should come. For sympathy--for we always need it--and sometimes look in vain to man for it. But Jesus is touched with the feeling our of infirmities. Mercy supposes sympathy, if therefore we are bidden to come for mercy, it intends that we should come, that our heavenly Father may sympathize with us, soothe our minds, and comfort us with his love. We are to come for mercy . . .
to pardon our daily sins,
to relieve us in all our distresses,
and to comfort us in all our sorrows.

We are to come that we may find grace to help us in time of need.

Grace for duty--that we may perform the precepts given us.

Grace for conflict--that we may contend with, and conquer every evil.

Grace for victory--that we may overcome every foe.

For all grace, and for grace for all purposes--we should come boldly to the throne, bearing in mind, that, let us have received ever so much, or ever so often--he gives more grace.

Beloved, the throne of grace is near. We have no distance to go, for wherever we are--there the throne of grace is. And whenever we need--God is at liberty to attend to us, and is always disposed to bless us.

The throne of grace is always accessible. Be where we may, in whatever state of mind we may--we can come to the throne of grace, and come boldly too--because Jesus is there, and he is there for us.

The throne of grace is always filled by a Father, by our Father--who gave his only begotten Son for us, as a pledge and proof that He will withhold no good thing from us. We should therefore always go to the throne of grace with confidence. We should go as invited, as specially invited. We should go as commanded, for authority unites with love, in welcoming us to the throne of grace, in wishing us to come.

God's paternal heart yearns over us to bless us, and to do us good, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

We should go to the throne as encouraged in every possible way. Greater encouragement, we cannot have; greater inducements cannot be held out, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace--that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in time of need."

Reader do you pray? In prayer, do you go to a throne of grace? Do you approach and plead with God as a Father? Do you really obtain mercy? Pardoning mercy? Do you receive grace--grace to help you in the performance of duty, in enduring trials, and in seeking to honor God in all things? There is an ocean of mercy, an infinite fullness of grace! Go therefore to the throne, assured of acceptance, and obtain a full supply!