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15 lines
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<html><head><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">December 18</div></div>
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<h1>Even More on Relating Rightly to the God of All Grace</h1>
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<div class="block"><i>The <b>God</b> of <b>all grace</b>…<b>Not</b> that <b>we</b> are <b>sufficient</b> of <b>ourselves</b> to think of <b>anything</b> as being <b>from ourselves</b>, <b>but</b> our <b>sufficiency</b> is <b>from God</b>…He is also Mediator of a <b>better covenant</b>, which was established on <b>better promises</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Pe', 5, '10-10');">1 Peter 5:10</a>; <a onClick="return mV('2Cr', 3, '5-5');">2 Corinthians 3:5</a>; and <a onClick="return mV('Hbr', 8, '6-6');">Hebrews 8:6</a>)</div>
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<p>If we are going to live by grace as God intends, we must get to know <i>"the <b>God</b> of <b>all grace</b>."</i> As we get to know Him, <b>humility</b> and <b>faith</b> develop in our lives. They are <b>relational realities</b>. They become real in our lives as a result of getting to know the Lord better and better. As we walk with the Lord in humble dependence, we are living by the <b>grace</b> of God. The Lord gives grace to the humble (<a onClick="return mV('1Pe', 5, '5-5');">1 Peter 5:5</a> and <a onClick="return mV('Jam', 4, '6-6');">James 4:6</a>), and faith accesses grace (<a onClick="return mV('Rom', 5, '2-2');">Romans 5:2</a>; <a onClick="return mV('Rom', 4, '16-16');">4:16</a>). The Scriptures indicate that there are <b>many</b> ways to relate rightly to the Lord in <b>humility</b> and <b>faith</b>. In our previous meditation, we saw that <b>living</b> by the <b>Spirit</b> and <b>living</b> by <b>resurrection power</b> are two examples of this truth. Now we will consider two more examples.</p><p><b>Living</b> by the <b>sufficiency</b> of <b>God</b> is a profound opportunity to relate to the Lord in humility and faith. This heavenly perspective begins with a declaration of our own inadequacy. <i>"<b>Not</b> that <b>we</b> are <b>sufficient</b> of <b>ourselves</b> to think of <b>anything</b> as being <b>from ourselves</b>."</i> It is true that we disciples of Jesus Christ are so inadequate that we are <b>unable</b> to produce <b>any</b> of the Christian life <b>ourselves</b>. Jesus Himself taught this radical fact. <i>"<b>Without Me</b> you can do <b>nothing</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn', 15, '5-5');">John 15:5b</a>). If we embrace this humbling truth, we are walking in humility before the Lord. The corresponding declaration points us to the source that we need. <i>"<b>But</b> our <b>sufficiency</b> is <b>from God</b>."</i> Only God's resources are sufficient to produce the kind of fruitful spiritual life that God calls us to live. Jesus taught this great truth as well. <i>"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who <b>abides in Me</b>, and I in him, bears <b>much fruit</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn', 15, '5-5');">John 15:5a</a>). If we accept this encouraging truth, we are walking in faith toward the Lord.</p><p><b>Living</b> by the <b>promises</b> of <b>God</b> offers another significant opportunity to relate to the Lord in humility and faith. <i>"He is also Mediator of a <b>better covenant</b>, which was established on <b>better promises</b>."</i> The promises of the old covenant of law (which are basically, "Do these commands, and you shall live"—see <a onClick="return mV('Lev', 18, '5-5');">Leviticus 18:5</a>) depend on <b>man's ability</b> and <b>faithfulness</b>. The better promises of the new covenant of grace depend upon <b>God's ability</b> and <b>faithfulness</b>. Abraham was <i>"fully convinced that what <b>He</b> had <b>promised</b> He was also <b>able</b> to perform"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom', 4, '21-21');">Romans 4:21</a>). Sarah <i>"judged <b>Him faithful</b> who had <b>promised</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Hbr', 11, '11-11');">Hebrews 11:11</a>). It is <b>humbling</b> to know that we can't perform well enough to enjoy the promises of the law. Contrariwise, it is faith building to know we can <b>trust</b> in the Lord to fulfill all His promises of grace.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear Lord of all grace, I humbly admit that I can only live by Your sufficiency and your promises. By faith, I look to You to do for me and in me what You alone can do, Amen.</div></div></div><div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/12/1217.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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