ACCESS TO GOD
Psalms 15:1/3
“Who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart, he that back bites not with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor.”
I want to talk about access; ACCESS having the ability to approach, enter or communicate with or making use of. He entered the house because he was given a key. That’s access.
In this age of computers we use a browser to access a website; if I am going to pay my water bill, taxes are car insurance online I must put in my password to gain access.
If we are going to have the favor and the grace of God, we access it through Christ; it is by the Holy Spirit. It is gained through prayer, faith and is a privilege for the Christian. Paul stated in the book of Romans 5:2, “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Jesus went to the cross and gave His life a ransom, paying a debt He did owe, for a debt we could not pay, thus securing for us access to God. This he accomplished by his death, reconciling us to God by the doctrines which he taught, acquainting us with God; and being our intercessor in heaven, where are prayer are heard.
Ephesians 2:18 “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Both Jews and Gentile are permitted to approach God through Jesus Christ.
In John’s gospel we find these words, “Then said Jesus unto them again, verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheepfold.”
We live in a very P. C. society, politically correct where you must not offend anyone with your words or with what you believe. But Jesus said, “I am not come to bring peace, but a sword.” I remember reading where He called some peoples vipers. He would not fit this P. C. world that we live in.
Jesus is the only way to the Father, He is our access.
Having knowledge of this truth we are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.
Knowing that our access is through the shed blood of Jesus, we can come boldly unto the throne of grace where we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
So with boldness, confidence and faith in the finished work of Calvary we have access to the eternal purpose which He purposed through His shed blood, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having a high priest over the house of God.
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised.”
Because we have been born again, we have ability to access classified material hidden in the word of God by the working of the Holy Spirit, how can that be? “The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
To have access is a blessing in the natural and the spiritual. Because of the Sunday Evening service here at Flint Heights, the management has given me a key to the front door so I am able to access the building without waiting for someone to let me in.
In our text David ask the question, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? And then he gave the key to access, stating, he that will walks uprightly, he that works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart, and he that back bites not with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor will have access to God.
So you hold the key to the Kingdom of God; use them now friend, and when you begin. Start with the key that will unlock your heart; open up and let Jesus come in. The master key’s next, my dear neighbor. It’s one you should use every day. Prayer is the key to the great Pearly Gates and you’re unlocking them when you pray.
The first key is to walk uprightly, we are to walk circumspectly, that is looking to the left to the right and keeping our steps in line with the word of the Lord. The scripture teaches us that the steps of a righteous man are order of the Lord.
Then we are to work righteousness, now our righteousness is a fifthly rags in the sight of the Lord. But we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all needful things will be added.
Another key is to speak the truth in our heart. There is a proverb that states, “buy the truth, and sell it not.” Being a truth teller is one of the keys of access, and knowing the truth will set you free.
Keeping our tongue is perhaps one of the hardest things for us to do. It’s such a small member yet it can be so damaging. We are told that back biting is a sin and we must control our tongue.
Someone said, “I don’t gossip I only say it once.” Backbiting, gossiping are deadly twins and you can destroy a person’s reputation with just a few words.
If you plan to have access you must learn to keep your tongue from speaking evil. You must be kind to your neighbor not taking up a reproach against him. You must be a truth teller walking before the Lord uprightly.
Psalms 27:3/6
“Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.”
Because I have access, I can sing, “I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my hearts, I will enter His courts with praise. I will say this is the day that the Lord hath made, I will rejoice for He has made me glad.”
