25 lines
4.5 KiB
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25 lines
4.5 KiB
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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<div class="head">Day By Day By Grace</div>
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<div class="subhead">Bob Hoekstra</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020">February 18</div></div>
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<h2>A Reminder Concerning the Word of God's Grace</h2>
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<div class="block"><i><b>The word of His grace</b>, which is <b>able</b> to <b>build</b> you up and <b>give</b> you an inheritance…<b>The word of the truth</b> of the gospel…is bringing forth <b>fruit</b>…<b>faith</b> comes by hearing, and hearing by <b>the word of God</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Act',20,32);">Acts 20:32</a>; <a onClick="return mV('Col',1,5,6);">Colossians 1:5-6</a>; and <a onClick="return mV('Rom',10,17);">Romans 10:17</a>)</div>
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<p>These three Scriptures, interspersed in our previous meditations, indicate how God wants to use <b>His word</b> to impact us with <b>His grace</b>. The first passage describes God's word as <i>"the <b>word of His grace</b>."</i> God explains His grace to us through His word. He offers His grace to us through His word. He works His grace within us as we are nurtured in His word, trusting in what the Lord has to say to us. As God's word is taken in, its capabilities are unleashed, demonstrating that it is <i>"<b>able</b> to <b>build you up</b> and <b>give you an inheritance</b>."</i> The believers at Thessalonica had such an experience with the Scriptures. <i>"For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received <b>the word of God</b> which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, <b>the word of God</b>, which also <b>effectively works in you who believe</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Th',2,13);">1 Thessalonians 2:13</a>).</p>
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<p>The second passage declares that the word can produce <b>fruitfulness</b> in God's people. <i>"<b>The word of the truth</b> of the gospel…is bringing forth <b>fruit</b>."</i> Such fruit is the consequence of spiritual life maturing within us. Jesus taught that this life is brought to us by His word. <i>"The <b>words that I speak</b> to you are <b>spirit</b>, and they are <b>life</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',6,63);">John 6:63</a>). The word of the Lord brings this life to us initially: <i>"Having been <b>born again</b>…<b>through the word of God</b> which lives and abides forever"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Pe',1,23);">1 Peter 1:23</a>). God's word then nurtures the life it originally brought to us. <i>"As newborn babes, desire <b>the pure milk of the word</b>, that you may <b>grow thereby</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Pe',2,2);">1 Peter 2:2</a>).</p>
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<p>The third passage gives insight on <b>faith</b>, which is a vital element of living by grace. As we have seen, faith accesses grace. <i>"We have access <b>by faith</b> into this grace in which we stand"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',5,2);">Romans 5:2</a>). Here in the third Scripture, we are told how faith develops in our lives. <i>"<b>Faith</b> comes by hearing, and hearing by <b>the word of God</b>."</i> As we humbly receive God's word into our lives, our faith in His proclamations grows.</p>
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<p>In light of these grand truths concerning the Scriptures, we would be wise to cultivate the same perspective that Job had toward God's word. <i>"I have <b>treasured</b> the <b>words</b> of <b>His mouth more than</b> my <b>necessary</b> food"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Job',23,12);">Job 23:12</a>).</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">O Lord of grace and truth, thank You for giving us Your word, which is grace and truth. Forgive me, Lord, for the times I have not cherished Your word as highly as I should. Everything that Your word can do, I am unable to do on my own. I cry out earnestly to You. Please work in me a deepening hunger for Your living and eternal word, in the name of Jesus, Amen.</div>
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