15 lines
4.7 KiB
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15 lines
4.7 KiB
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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 16</div></div>
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<h1>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>…to the praise of the glory of <b>His grace</b>…the <b>grace</b> of our <b>Lord Jesus Christ</b>…the <b>Spirit</b> of <b>grace</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Pe', 5, '10-10');">1 Peter 5:10</a>; <a onClick="return mV('Eph', 1, '6-6');">Ephesians 1:6</a>; <a onClick="return mV('2Cr', 8, '9-9');">2 Corinthians 8:9</a>; and <a onClick="return mV('Hbr', 10, '29-29');">Hebrews 10:29</a>)</div>
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<p>Our Lord God is <i>"the <b>God</b> of <b>all grace</b>."</i> God's comprehensive and infinite grace is characteristic of all the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The Father will be honored forever for His grace, so we read: <i>"to the praise of the glory of <b>His grace</b>."</i> The Son makes that grace available to all who believe, so it is called <i>"the <b>grace</b> of our <b>Lord Jesus Christ</b>."</i> The Spirit applies that grace in the hearts of those who follow Jesus Christ, so He is called <i>"the <b>Spirit</b> of <b>grace</b>."</i> Grace is found in God alone. Therefore, one must <b>relate rightly to the God of all grace</b> in order to receive all that He has for us in fulfilling His purposes and glorifying His name.</p><p>We relate rightly to the God of grace by developing a personal relationship with Him. Getting to know God is what life with the Lord is all about. <i>"And <b>this is eternal life</b>, that they may <b>know You</b>, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn', 17, '3-3');">John 17:3</a>). In fact, knowing the Lord is man's ultimate treasure in all of creation. Everything else that competes is to be considered as loss. <i>"But what things were <b>gain</b> to me, these I have <b>counted loss</b> for <b>Christ</b>. Yet indeed I also <b>count all</b> things <b>loss</b> for the <b>excellence</b> of the <b>knowledge</b> of <b>Christ Jesus</b> my Lord, for whom I have suffered the <b>loss</b> of <b>all</b> things, and <b>count</b> them as <b>rubbish</b>, that I may <b>gain Christ</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Phl', 3, '7-8');">Philippians 3:7-8</a>). It is not surprising then that getting increasingly acquainted with the Lord is the way that His grace impacts our lives. <i>"<b>Grace</b> and peace be <b>multiplied to you</b> in the <b>knowledge</b> of <b>God</b> and of <b>Jesus</b> our <b>Lord</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('2Pe', 1, '2-2');">2 Peter 1:2</a>).</p><p>As we get to know the God of all grace more and more, He develops in us two strategic relational realities: <b>humility</b> and <b>faith</b>. Relational realities are spiritual qualities that become practically real as a result of a growing relationship with Christ. We have looked at these two spiritual qualities many times throughout our meditations. Repeated reflection on <b>humility</b> and <b>faith</b> is appropriate, since they unfold the practical heart of living daily by God's grace. <i>"Be clothed with <b>humility</b>, for 'God resists the proud, but <b>gives grace</b> to the <b>humble</b>'"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Pe', 5, '5-5');">1 Peter 5:5</a>). God's grace is given to those who <i>"walk <b>humbly</b> with</i> [their] <i>God"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Mic', 6, '8-8');">Micah 6:8</a>). Likewise, faith accesses grace. <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, '2-2');">Romans 5:2</a>). Walking in humble dependence is the way to <b>relate rightly to the God of all grace</b>.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear God of all grace, I want to relate to You rightly that I might live daily by Your grace. Help me to know You more and more that humility and faith might develop in my life. I long to walk before You in humble dependence, in Jesus' name, Amen.</div></div></div><div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/12/1215.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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