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">February 10</div></div>
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<h2>Grace and Spiritual Fruit</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>The word of the truth of the <b>gospel</b>, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and <b>is bringing forth fruit</b>, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the <b>grace of God</b> in truth.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col',1,5,6);">Colossians 1:5-6</a>)</div>
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<p>The Lord wants His children to have <b>significant measures</b> of <b>spiritual fruit</b> developing in their lives. <i>"By this My Father is glorified, that you bear <b>much fruit</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',15,8);">John 15:8</a>). Fruit is described in the Scriptures in various ways. It includes godly <b>character</b> qualities. <i>"The <b>fruit</b> of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Gal',5,22);">Galatians 5:22</a>). Also, it involves <b>worship</b> offered to God. <i>"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the <b>fruit</b> of our lips, giving thanks to His name"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Hbr',13,15);">Hebrews 13:15</a>). Additionally, it encompasses <b>lives</b> being touched by our ministry to them. <i>"I often planned to come to you…that I might have some <b>fruit</b> among you also, just as among the other Gentiles"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',1,13);">Romans 1:13</a>).</p>
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<p>Such spiritual fruit is a <b>consequence</b> of God's <b>grace</b> at work in and through us. <a onClick="return mV('Col',1,5,6);">Colossians 1:5-6</a> addresses this fact. <i>"The word of the truth of the <b>gospel</b>, which has come to you…<b>is bringing forth fruit</b>."</i> The good news of Jesus Christ not only brings forgiveness of sin and the gift of eternal life, it also produces fruit in those who believe. All of this is <b>grace</b> operating in trusting hearts: <i>"Since the day you heard and knew the <b>grace of God</b> in truth."</i></p>
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<p><a onClick="return mV('Rom',7,4);">Romans 7:4</a> describes this same glorious process, using different terms. <i>"Therefore, my brethren, you also have become <b>dead to the law</b> through the body of Christ, that you may be <b>married to another</b>, even to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should <b>bear fruit to God</b>."</i> In order to bear fruit unto the Lord, we had to <b>first</b> be released from our dead relationship to the law. We could not perform effectively under that demanding standard. Thus, our lives were spiritually fruitless before God. <b>Next</b>, we needed to be joined in a new, living relationship with the risen Christ, that we might partake of His grace resources for living. We have experienced <b>both</b> through faith in the Lord Jesus. Now, the risen Christ works by His grace in and through our lives, as we <b>humbly depend upon Him</b>.</p>
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<p>Yes, the <b>grace</b> of God is His <b>designated dynamic</b> for producing <b>spiritual fruit</b> in our everyday lives.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Lord God of my salvation, thank You for the glorious message of the gospel. What good news it is to have forgiveness, eternal life, and daily transformation through Your grace. I embrace Your will that I bear much fruit. Lord Jesus, I rejoice that You have taken me out from under the law. I now look to You, the risen Lord, to bring forth spiritual fruit in and through my life, in Your exalted name, Amen.</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/02/0209.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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<a href="./devotions/daybyday/02/0211.html">Tomorrow's Reading</a>
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