24 lines
4.6 KiB
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24 lines
4.6 KiB
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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">January 30</div></div>
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<div class="main-just"><div class="pad2030"><h2>The Ability of God's Grace</h2>
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<div class="block"><p><i>And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His <b>grace</b>, which is <b>able</b> to <b>build you up</b> and give you an <b>inheritance</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Act',20,'32-32');">Acts 20:32</a>)</div>
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<p>God's grace has such marvelous ability. It is able to give the <b>eternal inheritance</b> of God to His children. It is also able to <b>build up</b> their lives here on earth for greater service and increased fruitfulness.</p>
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<p>It is by the grace of the Lord that we can anticipate being recipients of a heavenly <b>inheritance</b>. <i>"The word of His <b>grace</b>, which is <b>able</b> to <b>…</b> give you an <b>inheritance</b>."</i> One qualifies for an inheritance by being born into a family. We have been <b>born</b> into the <b>family</b> of <b>God</b>. <i>"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become <b>children of God</b>, even to those who <b>believe in His name</b>: who were <b>born</b>…<b>of God</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',1,'12-13');">John 1:12-13</a>). We who believe in Jesus are God's children, <i>"and if children, then <b>heirs</b>—<b>heirs of God</b> and <b>joint heirs with Christ</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',8,'17-17');">Romans 8:17</a>). We are blessed beyond measure to know that heavenly treasures of fellowship, worship, and service await God's children in glory above. <b>All</b> of these eternal riches are ours by the <b>grace</b> of God <b>alone</b>.</p>
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<p>God's amazing grace also has the ability to <b>build us up</b> as we await our inheritance here on earth below: <i>"The word of His <b>grace</b>, which is <b>able</b> to <b>build you up</b></i>.<i>"</i> This edification process involves having our <b>spiritual roots</b> of <b>hunger</b> and <b>trust</b> growing deep <b>into</b> the <b>Lord</b>. Christ wants our lives to undergo <b>continual spiritual construction</b> and <b>transformation</b>. He wants our <b>character</b> to become increasingly <b>stabilized</b> in <b>the faith</b>, as revealed in His word. <i>"As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, <b>rooted</b> and <b>built up</b> in <b>Him</b> and <b>established</b> in <b>the faith</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col',2,'6-7');">Colossians 2:6-7</a>).</p>
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<p>It is the will of God that we be <b>edified</b>. <i>"Let <b>all things</b> be done for <b>edification</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Cr',14,'26-26');">1 Corinthians 14:26</a>). All along the way from new birth into His family until our full heavenly inheritance as His family, God desires that His children be spiritually strengthened and increasingly developed in Christian maturity. Our <b>ministry</b> to <b>one another</b> can be <b>instrumental</b> in this edification process. <i>"Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may <b>edify</b> another…Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to <b>edification</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',14,'19-19');">Romans 14:19</a>; <a onClick="return mV('Rom',15,'2-2');">15:2</a>). It is <b>essential</b> to <b>remember</b>, however, that God's <b>grace</b> is what <b>accomplishes</b> the building up process: <i>"The word of His <b>grace</b>, which is <b>able</b> to <b>build you up</b>."</i></p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">My God and Father, I rejoice exceedingly as I think of the inheritance that You are preparing for me by Your grace. O Lord, my strength, I need Your mighty work of grace that I might be edified myself and be edifying to Your children. Please purge my life of any matters that are not edifying, all by the grace of Jesus, my Lord, Amen.</div>
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