37 lines
4.6 KiB
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37 lines
4.6 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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November 16
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<h1>"Unusual" Consequences of Accessing Grace through Faith</h1>
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<div class="block"><i><b>Still</b> <b>others</b> had trial of <b>mockings</b> and <b>scourgings</b>, yes, and of <b>chains</b> and <b>imprisonment</b>. They were <b>stoned</b>, they were <b>sawn</b> in two, were <b>tempted</b>, were <b>slain</b> with the sword. They <b>wandered</b> about in sheepskins and goatskins, being <b>destitute</b>, <b>afflicted</b>, <b>tormented</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Hbr', 11, '36-37');">Hebrews 11:36-37</a>)</div>
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<p>Very often, when people are trusting in the Lord to work by His grace, they anticipate many delightful workings of God (such as we have seen in the testimonies of <a onClick="return mV('Hbr', 11, '-');">Hebrews 11</a>). These saints <i>"subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Hbr', 11, '33-34');">Hebrews 11:33-34</a>). Yet, others experienced what might be called "<b>unusual</b>" <b>consequences of accessing grace through faith</b>. They had to trust in the Lord when the aforementioned blessings did not occur. They had to trust God to sustain them in and through great difficulties of life.</p>
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<p>Some had to endure by faith <i>"<b>trial</b> of <b>mockings</b> and <b>scourgings</b>, yes, and of <b>chains</b> and <b>imprisonment</b>."</i> Jeremiah exemplifies these. <i>"O LORD…I am in <b>derision</b> daily; everyone <b>mocks</b> me…Therefore the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and they <b>struck</b> him and put him in <b>prison</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jer', 20, '7-7');">Jeremiah 20:7</a>; <a onClick="return mV('Jer', 37, '15-15');">37:15</a>). Some <i>"were <b>stoned</b>."</i> Zechariah was killed in this fashion when he gave warnings from the Lord. <i>"So they conspired against him, and…stoned him with stones"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('2Ch', 24, '21-21');">2 Chronicles 24:21</a>). Some <i>"were <b>sawn</b> in two."</i> Tradition tells us that Isaiah died in this vicious manner. Some <i>"were <b>tempted</b>."</i> In the midst of their sufferings, they were further pained by enticements to ungodly responses. Job endured this through bad counsel from his own wife. <i>"Do you still hold to your integrity? <b>Curse God</b> and die!"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Job', 2, '9-9');">Job 2:9</a>). Some <i>"were <b>slain</b> with the sword."</i> King Saul ordered godly priests to be executed this way, because they were loyal to David: <i>"</i> <i>'…kill the priests!' So Doeg the Edomite…killed on that day eighty-five men…."</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Sa', 22, '18-18');">1 Samuel 22:18</a>). Others <i>"<b>wandered</b> about in sheepskins and goatskins, being <b>destitute</b>, <b>afflicted</b>, <b>tormented</b>."</i> By faith, these saints had to endure homelessness, poverty, distress, and harassment.</p>
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<p>These servants of the Lord (who are <b>all</b> examples of living by <b>faith</b>!) are a reminder to us that our trials, sufferings, and anguishing impossibilities do not necessarily mean we are failing to trust God. These challenges often mean that we are being given an opportunity to humbly, dependently, draw upon the grace of God in ways that we need to experience or others need to observe.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Lord God of the "unusual" blessing, please give me the wisdom to discern and the grace to endure when Your answer to my prayer is to allow a mocking, a verbal stoning, an affliction, or a season of lack, in Jesus' name, Amen.</div>
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