26 lines
4.6 KiB
HTML
26 lines
4.6 KiB
HTML
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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 22</div></div>
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<h2>The Holy Spirit Giving Life</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>"It is the <b>Spirit who gives life</b>"…[God] also made us sufficient as ministers of the <b>new covenant</b>, not of the letter but of the <b>Spirit</b>; for the letter kills, but the <b>Spirit gives life</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',6,63);">John 6:63</a> and <a onClick="return mV('2Cr',3,6);">2 Corinthians 3:6</a>)</div>
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<p>The Lord's new covenant of <b>grace</b> is a covenant of the <b>Spirit</b>: <i>"</i>[God] <i>also made us sufficient as ministers of the <b>new covenant</b>…of the <b>Spirit</b>."</i> Any approach to God other than by the Spirit results in spiritual deadness.</p>
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<p>People need <b>life</b>, initially and continually. We need it <b>initially</b>, because we were <b>spiritually dead</b> due to <b>sin</b> and <b>guilt</b>. <i>"And you…were <b>dead</b> in <b>trespasses</b> and <b>sins</b>, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the <b>sons of disobedience</b>, among whom also <b>we all</b> once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh…and were by <b>nature</b> children of <b>wrath</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Eph',2,'1-3');">Ephesians 2:1-3</a>). The only remedy for such spiritual <b>death</b> is spiritual <b>life</b>. <i>"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when <b>we were dead</b> in trespasses, <b>made us alive together with Christ</b> (by grace you have been saved)"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Eph',2,4,5);">Ephesians 2:4-5</a>).</p>
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<p>People also need life <b>continually</b>, <i>"for the <b>letter kills</b>."</i> If we were left to our best efforts after we were given new life in Christ, we would be struggling under a human performance bondage of rules and regulations. That is spiritually <b>deadening</b>.</p>
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<p>Jesus came to earth to offer people <b>fullness</b> of <b>life</b>. <i>"I have come that they may have <b>life</b>, and that they may have it more <b>abundantly</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',10,10);">John 10:10</a>). Jesus taught that if we looked to Him for our spiritual nutrition, we would find ongoing life. <i>"And Jesus said to them, 'I am the <b>bread</b> of <b>life</b>'"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',6,35);">John 6:35</a>). Jesus did not refer to Himself as a leader establishing a new religion. Rather, <i>"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the <b>life</b>'"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',14,'6-6');">John 14:6</a>). When the early disciples were freed from prison, they were not told to recruit members to a movement. Instead, they were instructed to <i>"Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this <b>life</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Act',5,20);">Acts 5:20</a>).</p>
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<p>The life Jesus provides is <b>His</b> life <b>expressed</b> in and through <b>us</b>: <i>"Christ who is <b>our life</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col',3,44);">Colossians 3:4</a>). That life produces a lifestyle marked by His love, His joy, His peace, His wisdom, His courage—and whatever else is of His holy character. The new covenant of His grace holds forth this life, and the Holy Spirit delivers that life into humble, trusting hearts. <i>"It is the <b>Spirit who gives life</b>."</i></p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Lord Jesus,You are my life. I have no other hope or source for finding true life. I praise You for Your patience with me when I try to produce a Christlike life by rules and regulations. Lord, just as You gave me life initially, please flood me now with new measures of Your life, as I humbly rely upon Your Spirit, Amen.</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/02/0221.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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