25 lines
4.3 KiB
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25 lines
4.3 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">March 30</div></div>
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<h2>Reigning in Life through Christ</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>For if by the one man's offense <b>death reigned</b> through the one, <b>much more</b> those who receive <b>abundance of grace</b> and of the <b>gift of righteousness</b> will <b>reign in life</b> through the One, <b>Jesus Christ</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',5,17);">Romans 5:17</a>)</div>
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<p>The Lord wants us to grow in the magnificent blessing of <b>living victoriously through Him</b>. Having a <b>triumphant</b> Christian walk can only be realized from a <b>developing acquaintanceship</b> with the Lord, because we are only able to <i>"reign in life <b>through the One</b>, Jesus Christ."</i></p>
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<p>Significant spiritual issues are set against a victorious life: <i>"By the one man's offense <b>death reigned</b> through the one."</i> Because of Adam's sin, spiritual deadness rules over the family of man. The enemy of men's souls uses this deadness to dominate and destroy lives. Elsewhere, Jesus likened him to a thief. <i>"The <b>thief</b> does not come except to <b>steal</b>, and to <b>kill</b>, and to <b>destroy</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',10,10);">John 10:10</a>). This is why lives, households, and nations experience such deadly defeats and crushing failures. A tyrant dictator, <i>"<b>death</b>,"</i> dominates all lives that are only born once in Adam. They can only draw upon Adam's fallen, sinful, inadequate life source.</p>
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<p>A new and greater resource is needed and is found in Christ. <i>"<b>Much more</b> those who receive <b>abundance of grace</b> and of the <b>gift of righteousness</b> will <b>reign in life</b> through the One, <b>Jesus Christ</b>."</i> These heavenly provisions are <i>"<b>much more</b>"</i> than is needed to replace the defeats of Adam with the victories of Christ. The resources are two-fold: <i>"<b>abundance of grace</b> and of the <b>gift of righteousness</b>."</i></p>
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<p>One of these two is possessed by every believer in Christ: <i>"the <b>gift of righteousness</b>."</i> This is the righteousness of the Lord Jesus, given to us by faith. That allows us to stand accepted before a holy God: <i>"found <b>in Him</b>, <b>not</b> having my <b>own</b> righteousness, which is <b>from</b> the <b>law</b>, but that which is through <b>faith</b> in <b>Christ</b>, the <b>righteousness</b> which is from <b>God</b> by <b>faith</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Phl',3,9);">Philippians 3:9</a>). Every believer has this gift, but not every believer is victorious. Thus, the key variable is to be receiving <i>"<b>abundance of grace</b>."</i> Every Christian has been the recipient of grace. Yet, <b>many</b> of God's people do <b>not</b> live day by day by <b>grace</b>. They walk according to the flesh, thereby drawing upon Adam's natural bankrupt resources.</p>
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<p>Remember, living by grace involves <b>humility</b> and <b>faith</b>. God <i>"gives <b>grace</b> to the <b>humble</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jam',4,6);">James 4:6</a>). Likewise, through Jesus, "<i>we have <b>access</b> by <b>faith</b> into this <b>grace</b> in which we stand"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',5,2);">Romans 5:2</a>).</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Lord God of grace, the reign of death has certainly assailed my life, bringing defeat and failure. Teach me to draw upon the abundant measures of Your grace, that I might reign in life, living victoriously, through Your Son, Christ Jesus, Amen.</div></div></div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/03/0329.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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