Bold Access: Embracing Our Relationship with God

Devotional

Day 1: Created for Deep Relationship with God

We are created for a profound relationship with the Creator of the universe, a relationship that goes beyond mere knowledge of facts about God. This relationship is about truly knowing Him, experiencing His presence, and allowing His love to fill the void in our souls that nothing else can satisfy. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, we have been granted access to this relationship, a privilege that transforms our lives. This access is not based on our merit but on the grace and love of God, inviting us into a deeper connection with Him. As we embrace this relationship, we find our true identity and purpose, living in the fullness of His love and grace. [44:29]

Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV): "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Reflection: Think about your current relationship with God. What steps can you take today to deepen this relationship and experience His presence more fully in your life?

Day 2: Journey to Freedom in Christ

Beyond a relationship with God, we are called to experience freedom in Christ. This freedom is a journey of transformation, where we are continually stepping out of darkness and into the marvelous light of God. It is a freedom from sin, shame, and fear, allowing us to live in the truth and grace of Jesus. As we embrace this freedom, we are empowered to live boldly and confidently, knowing that we are no longer bound by the chains of our past. This journey requires faith and courage, as we trust in God's promises and walk in His light. [46:40]

Galatians 5:1 (ESV): "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where you feel bound or restricted. How can you invite God's light into this area and begin to walk in the freedom He offers?

Day 3: Bold Access to God's Presence

Through Jesus, we have bold access to the most holy place, the very presence of God. This access is not based on our merit but on the blood of Jesus, allowing us to confidently approach God, knowing we are welcomed and wanted in His presence. This access is a profound privilege, transforming our understanding of who we are and how we relate to God. It invites us to live with confidence and assurance, knowing that we are never alone and that God is always with us. As we embrace this access, we are empowered to live boldly and courageously, trusting in God's love and grace. [01:01:37]

Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV): "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

Reflection: Reflect on how you approach God in prayer and worship. How can you cultivate a greater sense of confidence and assurance in His presence today?

Day 4: Living with Awareness of God's Omnipresence

Our access to God is not confined to a building or a specific time; we can meet with God anytime, anywhere. This awareness of God's omnipresence should transform how we live, making us consistent in our faith and aware of His constant presence in our lives. It invites us to live with a sense of purpose and intentionality, knowing that God is always with us, guiding and directing our steps. As we cultivate this awareness, we are empowered to live with greater faith and trust, knowing that God is always near. [01:05:34]

Psalm 139:7-10 (ESV): "Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me."

Reflection: Consider how often you are aware of God's presence throughout your day. What practices can you incorporate to remind yourself of His constant presence and guidance?

Day 5: Transformation through Access to God

Access to God's presence results in hope, motivation, and love, transforming us and aligning our hearts with His promises, purposes, and people. This transformation is a continual process as we engage with God daily, allowing His presence to shape our thoughts, actions, and relationships. As we embrace this transformation, we are empowered to live with greater purpose and intentionality, reflecting God's love and grace to those around us. This transformation is not just a theological concept but a practical reality, inviting us to live in the fullness of God's love and grace. [01:11:14]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

Reflection: Reflect on how your relationship with God has transformed you. What areas of your life still need to be aligned with His promises and purposes, and how can you invite His transforming presence into those areas today?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound truth that we are made for more than just a mundane existence. We are made for a relationship with God, freedom from the chains that bind us, and today, we delved into the concept of access. This access is not just any access; it is a bold, confident access to the presence of God, made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We reflected on the privilege of being able to enter into the most sacred space, not through our own merit, but through the blood of Jesus. This access is not limited to a physical location or a specific time; it is available to us anytime, anywhere.

We shared the story of Kiera, a young woman called to be a campus missionary, and how her journey exemplifies the call to make disciples who make disciples. Her story is a testament to the power of God working through individuals who are willing to step out in faith and embrace the access they have to God's presence and purpose.

We also discussed the historical context of access in the Jewish temple, where only the high priest could enter the most holy place once a year. This exclusivity highlighted the significance of the access we now have through Jesus. We are no longer outsiders; we are invited into the very presence of God. This access transforms us, giving us hope in God's promises, motivation for His purposes, and love for His people.

As we concluded, we were reminded that this access is not just a theological concept but a practical reality. We can call upon the name of Jesus at any moment, and He hears us. We are encouraged to live with the awareness of this access, to boldly enter into God's presence, and to let it shape our lives and our interactions with others.

Key Takeaways

1. Relationship with God: We are created for a relationship with the Creator of the universe. This relationship is not about knowing facts about God but truly knowing Him. Through Jesus' sacrifice, we have access to this relationship, filling the void in our souls that nothing else can satisfy. [44:29]
2. Freedom in Christ: Beyond relationship, we are made for freedom. God calls us out of darkness into His marvelous light, freeing us from sin, shame, and fear. This freedom is a journey of transformation, where we continually step into the light of Christ. [46:40]
3. Bold Access to God: Through Jesus, we have bold access to the most holy place. This access is not based on our merit but on the blood of Jesus. It allows us to confidently approach God, knowing we are welcomed and wanted in His presence. [61:37]
4. Living with Awareness of Access: Our access to God is not confined to a building or a specific time. We can meet with God anytime, anywhere. This awareness should transform how we live, making us consistent in our faith and aware of God's omnipresence. [65:34]
5. Transformation through Access: Access to God's presence results in hope, motivation, and love. It changes us, aligning our hearts with God's promises, purposes, and people. This transformation is a continual process as we engage with God daily. [01:11:14]
** [71:14]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[35:29] - Introduction to Kiera
[40:43] - Kiera's Story and Mission
[44:29] - Made for Relationship
[46:40] - Made for Freedom
[51:08] - Personal Story of Access
[52:24] - Understanding Royal Priesthood
[54:13] - The Temple and Access
[56:14] - Gentile Exclusion and Access
[59:24] - Jesus' Sacrifice and Our Access
[61:37] - Bold Access through Jesus
[65:34] - Misconceptions about God's Presence
[69:01] - Engaging with God's Presence
[71:14] - Transformation through Access
[74:12] - Invitation to Know Jesus
[79:59] - Closing and Blessing

Sermon Clips

1) "The premise is that you're made for more than just average, ho-hum mediocrity. That God has a calling. He has a purpose for your life. That Scripture says even before you were born, as you were being knit together in your mother's womb, God saw you, and he has a purpose for you. And so in this series, we've been talking about the fact that Scripture is very clear. You are made for more. We've been talking about four. Well, we're going to, by the end of the series, talk about four mores that you are made for." [44:29] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "You are made for relationship. Now, notice I said relationship singular. Now, of course we're made for relationships. God wants us to be in community. He doesn't want us to be isolated and lonely. But first and foremost, we're made for a relationship with the creator of the universe, that we can actually know God. I love one of the things. Kiera said that happened to her at the University of Toledo as her roommate invited her to Chi Alpha. She discovered God wants a relationship with her. And that we can not just know facts or information about God, we can actually know God." [44:29] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "You are made for freedom. Not only does he want a relationship with you, he wants to see you. He wants to set you free from the kingdom of darkness that you once lived in. He's calling you out of the kingdom of darkness into his wonderful light. And he wants to free you from sin and shame. He wants to free you from addictions, from fear, from insecurity. He's calling you into his wonderful light, into his glorious and amazing light. You are made for freedom." [44:29] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. And we've been talking about several of those phrases throughout the last couple weeks, but this week I want to highlight a phrase that really doesn't seem that important to us reading it today, but it's that phrase that you are a royal priesthood. You are a royal priesthood. You are a what? You are a royal priesthood, right? You're a royal priesthood." [52:24] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "You were made for more. You were made for what? You were made for access. See, Jesus, when Jesus, he didn't just live a great life. He didn't just teach incredible, you know, sermons. He didn't just heal people and perform miracles. When Jesus died on the cross, something significant happened. We were given access." [59:24] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "We can boldly enter heaven's most holy place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way, through the curtain into the most holy place and since we have a great high priest who rules over god's house let us go right into the presence of god with sincere hearts fully trusting him for our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with christ's blood to make us clean and our bodies have been washed with pure water." [01:01:37] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "You call out the name of Jesus and you have instant access. to the presence of God. You have his attention. You can boldly enter his throne room. I think this is important because if we're not, in fact, I want to read you a quote from Eric Geiger. He wrote a great book called Identity, and he talks about some of these issues. And Eric Geiger says this. He says, the problem with viewing a building as God's house is that if we're not careful, we live as different people everywhere else. Let that sink in." [01:05:34] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8) "You have access to the presence of God any day, any time, anywhere. You don't have to wait until Sunday morning. Sometimes I hear people say, oh, I've just been waiting all week for this pastor. I really need to be in the house of the Lord this morning. And I get what they're saying. But I also want you to realize you have access to the most holy place any time. Any time. In the middle of the night, you can call out Jesus." [01:06:49] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9) "Through the blood of Jesus, we have access to the most holy place. How? How do we get access to the most holy place? Begin to pray in the name and authority of Jesus. Begin reading scripture. I'll have people who will say, hey, can you come to my house? There's some evil stuff going on in my house. Would you come and just anoint some stuff, pray over some stuff? I'm glad to do it. I usually send Pastor Aaron. No, I'm just joking." [01:07:50] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10) "What if this was on our radar more often than it has been, that we have an all-access pass to the presence of God through Jesus, through the death and resurrection of Jesus at any time, anywhere, that I can meet with the God of the universe? It doesn't have to be, you don't have to be super eloquent. I find lately the prayer I keep praying is, God, I need you. God, I need you. I pray, in one prayer, I pray it 20 times. God, I need you. God, I need you. I need wisdom. I need help. God, I don't even know what to do here. God, I need you. But you know what? I'm entering into a throne room. I'm entering into a throne room." [01:14:12] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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