39 lines
4.3 KiB
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39 lines
4.3 KiB
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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
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Bob Hoekstra
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July 25
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<h1>Even More on God's Faithfulness and His Promises</h1>
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<div class="block"><i>The <b>Lord</b> is <b>faithful</b>, who <b>will establish you</b> and <b>guard you</b> from the evil one.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('2Th', 3, '3-3');">2 Thessalonians 3:3</a>)</div>
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<p>Perhaps, a word of reflection upon our context would be helpful. In our daily studies on <b>growing in the grace of God</b>, we have been looking at the <b>promises</b> of God. Living by God's promises is comparable to living by His grace. In both perspectives, the critical matter is having <b>God at work</b> in our lives, doing what <b>He alone</b> can do, doing what <b>we</b> could <b>never deserve</b> or <b>never produce</b> on our <b>own</b>. In considering God's promises, we have allowed the Lord to increase our confidence in His promises by focusing first on His <b>ability</b>, and now on His <b>faithfulness</b>. Our present verse proclaims God's faithfulness, while adding a <b>two-fold promise</b> concerning high priority issues of Christian living.</p>
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<p>The faithfulness of God is one of the grand themes of Scripture. <i>"The <b>Lord</b> is <b>faithful</b>."</i> Our God is <b>reliable</b>, so we can rely upon Him and His abundant promises. <i>"<b>God</b> is <b>faithful</b>, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Cr', 1, '9-9');">1 Corinthians 1:9</a>). The true and eternal God, who has invited us into an intimate relationship with His Son, is <b>trustworthy</b>, so we can trust in Him and His bountiful promises.</p>
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<p>For example, we can trust in His promise to bring <b>spiritual stability</b> to our lives. <i>"The <b>Lord</b> is <b>faithful</b>, who <b>will establish you</b>."</i> This is one of the major needs in people's lives. On our own, we can easily be unstable and inconsistent. The Lord wants to turn us into responsible and steadfast servants of God. He will be faithful to do this, if we humbly open our hearts to the work of His word and His Spirit.</p>
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<p>Another example of how God wants to demonstrate His faithfulness is in <b>protecting</b> us from the <b>evil one</b>. <i>"The <b>Lord</b> is <b>faithful</b>, who <b>will…guard you</b> from the <b>evil one</b>."</i> We are God's sheep. <i>"Know that the LORD, He is God…We are His people and the <b>sheep</b> of His pasture"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Psa', 100, '3-3');">Psalm 100:3</a>). Our enemy is like a <b>lion</b>, who wants to consume us. <i>"Your adversary the devil walks about like a <b>roaring lion</b>, seeking whom he may <b>devour</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Pe', 5, '8-8');">1 Peter 5:8</a>). Sheep do not do well against lions. However, we have a wonderful shepherd, who will not flee when the attack comes. <i>"The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the <b>good shepherd</b>; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn', 10, '13-14');">John 10:13-14</a>).</p>
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<p>Our Lord wants us to know that we can <b>count on Him</b> to be <b>faithful</b> to keep His <b>promises</b> to <b>establish</b> us and to <b>guard</b> us.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear Lord, my Good Shepherd, on my own I am as vulnerable as a sheep and as unsteady as ater. In light of Your faithfulness, I rely upon Your promises to protect me from the enemy and to build into my life spiritual stability.</div>
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<a href="./devotions/daybyday/07/0724.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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<a href="./devotions/daybyday/07/0726.html">Tomorrow's Reading</a>
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