38 lines
4.2 KiB
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38 lines
4.2 KiB
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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Day By Day By Grace
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Bob Hoekstra
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August 26
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<h1>More on the Most Precious Promise of Shared Life</h1>
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<div class="block"><i>By which have been given to us <b>exceedingly great and precious promises</b>, that <b>through these</b> you may be <b>partakers of the divine nature</b>…<b>Abide</b> in <b>Me</b>, and I in you. As the branch <b>cannot</b> bear fruit <b>of itself</b>, unless it abides in the vine, <b>neither</b> can <b>you</b>, unless you <b>abide</b> in <b>Me</b>. I am the <b>vine</b>, you are the <b>branches</b>. He who <b>abides</b> in Me, and I in him, <b>bears</b> much <b>fruit</b>; for <b>without Me</b> you can do <b>nothing</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('2Pe', 1, '4-4');">2 Peter 1:4</a> and <a onClick="return mV('Jhn', 15, '4-5');">John 15:4-5</a>)</div>
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<p>This <b>promise of shared life</b> is so <i>"<b>exceedingly great and precious</b>"</i> that we would do well to consider it further. Being <i>"<b>partakers of the divine nature</b>"</i> (without becoming divine ourselves) is a difficult concept to grasp. The Scriptures clearly invite us to live day by day through Christ sharing His life in us. <i>"It is no longer I who live, but <b>Christ lives in me</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Gal', 2, '20-20');">Galatians 2:20</a>). Yet, how to walk in this truth can seem quite elusive. In His teaching on the vine and the branches, Jesus provided a wonderful physical illustration of this tremendous spiritual reality.</p>
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<p>Jesus' visible example involves actual grapevines, grape branches, and the grapes that can potentially result. For grapes to grow, the appropriate life source must be accessed by the branches. The grape branches do not have this life in themselves. <i>"The branch <b>cannot</b> bear fruit <b>of itself</b>."</i> In order to bear grapes, the grape branch must share in the life of the vine. <i>"The branch <b>cannot</b> bear fruit… <b>unless</b> it <b>abides</b> in the <b>vine</b>."</i> This can be irrefutably demonstrated by separating a grape branch from its vine. No grapes can ever be produced on the branches, if the life of the vine is not flowing through the branches. The life of the vine is essential.</p>
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<p>The spiritual application specifies Jesus as the vine and us as the branches. <i>"I am the <b>vine</b>, you are the <b>branches</b>."</i> For Christlike fruit to develop in us, the appropriate life source must be accessed by us. We branches do not have this life in us: <i>"<b>neither</b> can <b>you</b></i> [bear fruit]<i>, <b>unless</b> you <b>abide</b> in <b>Me</b>."</i> This truth is lamentably demonstrated daily by Christians who live self-sufficiently, not depending upon the life that is in Jesus, the vine. <i>"<b>Without Me</b> you can do <b>nothing</b>."</i> Day by day Christian living is only possible by the <b>shared life</b> of Jesus at work through us.</p>
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<p>Once again, we are reminded that <b>humility</b> and <b>faith</b> are the practical application for living as God intends. We must humbly depend upon Jesus for true fruitful living, just as grape branches must depend upon their vine for grapes.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear Lord Jesus, I thank You that I do not have to produce true life in and of myself. Teach me to live by Your shared life. I want to humbly and dependently abide in You, that You might live in and through me, for Your glory, Amen.</div>
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