“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:16

Why do we approach the throne of grace?  Because we are needy people.  We need God’s mercy for all the times we sin.  We need his grace to help us overcome our sin.

We need to recognize that we are needy people – all of the time. It is not that I am fine today, but may need God’s mercy and grace tomorrow.  No, I always need God’s mercy to forgive my sins and I always need God’s grace to overcome the temptations around me.  I am always a needy person.

Consider the following passages, and think about how much you need his mercy for all the times you haven’t lived up to God’s expectations, and how much you need his grace to help you live up to these standards:

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” – II Timothy 3:1-5

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23