30 lines
4.4 KiB
HTML
30 lines
4.4 KiB
HTML
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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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">May 17</div>
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<h2>Those We Hope to Reach through Ministry</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to <b>those who are perishing</b>, whose <b>minds</b> the <b>god</b> of this <b>age</b> has <b>blinded</b>, who do <b>not believe</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('2Cr',4,'3-4');">2 Corinthians 4:3-4a</a>)</div>
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<p>In this servants-of-grace ministry God has given us, He wants to use us to reach <b>people</b>. These people are in a <b>desperate</b> spiritual condition. <b>Those we hope to reach</b> are <b>perishing</b>, spiritually <b>blind</b>, and <b>unbelieving</b>.</p>
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<p>Those who do not know the grace of God in Jesus Christ are <i>"<b>perishing</b>."</i> They are spiritually dead (just as we once were). <i>"And you…were <b>dead</b> in trespasses and sins"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Eph',2,1);">Ephesians 2:1</a>). Even worse, they are heading toward an everlasting death. <i>"The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the <b>second death</b>. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rev',20,'13-15');">Revelation 20:13-15</a>).</p>
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<p>These who are dead (and facing everlasting death) are <b>lost</b>. They are wandering from the fold of God, taking a path of self-service. <i>"All we like sheep have <b>gone astray</b>; we have turned, every one, to his <b>own</b> way"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Isa',53,6);">Isaiah 53:6</a>). They need a shepherd to seek after them. <i>"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is <b>lost</b> until he finds it…for the Son of Man has come to <b>seek</b> and to <b>save</b> that which was <b>lost</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Luk',15,4);">Luke 15:4</a>; <a onClick="return mV('Luk',19,10);">19:10</a>).</p>
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<p>These perishing and lost ones are also spiritually <i>"<b>blinded</b>."</i> This is why they cannot "see" the truth we share with them. <i>"But even if our gospel is <b>veiled</b>, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose <b>minds</b> the <b>god</b> of this <b>age</b> has <b>blinded</b>."</i> The false god of this world (Satan) is blinding people to the truth by feeding them with lies and deceptions. He is constantly offering counterfeit philosophical and religious messages to keep men from embracing the truth.</p>
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<p>Ultimately, the problem with perishing, lost, and blind people is that they <i>"<b>do not believe</b>."</i> Consequently, they already stand guilty. <i>"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who <b>does not believe</b> is condemned already, because he has <b>not believed</b> in the name of the only begotten Son of God"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',3,18);">John 3:18</a>). However, a loving God has provided the remedy. <i>"For God so <b>loved</b> the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever <b>believes</b> in <b>Him</b> should <b>not perish</b> but have <b>everlasting life</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',3,16);">John 3:16</a>). By God's grace, we can proclaim this great message.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear Lord, thank You for all that You did to rescue me from among the perishing, the blind, and the unbelieving. I rejoice now in faith toward You! Open my eyes to see the desperate condition of those all around me, Amen.</div>
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