25 lines
4.6 KiB
HTML
25 lines
4.6 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 4</div></div>
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<h2>Living by Grace: Humility and Faith</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>God resists the proud, but gives <b>grace</b> to the <b>humble</b>…through whom also we have <b>access by faith</b> into this <b>grace</b> in which we stand.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jam',4,6);">James 4:6</a> and <a onClick="return mV('Rom',5,2);">Romans 5:2</a>)</div>
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<p><b>How</b> does a believer in Jesus Christ <b>access</b> the <b>ongoing</b>, <b>sanctifying grace</b> of God for <b>daily godliness</b>? It is accessed the <b>same way</b> that the <b>initial</b>, <b>justifying grace</b> of God was acquired—by <b>humility</b> and <b>faith</b>. We were justified, declared righteous in God's sight, when we <b>humbly trusted</b> in the Lord Jesus. We <b>humbly</b> agreed with the Lord's account of our guilty condition. <i>"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…For the wages of sin is death"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',3,23);">Romans 3:23</a>; <a onClick="return mV('Rom',6,23);">6:23a</a>). We also put our <b>trust</b> in Christ concerning His offer of life (based upon His death and resurrection on our behalf). <i>"But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',6,23);">Romans 6:23b</a>). Thereby we partook of the justifying grace of God through <b>humility</b> and <b>faith</b>. This is how the Lord wants us to continue to relate to Him for sanctifying grace.</p>
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<p>Our God wants us to walk in <b>humility</b>, because <b>grace</b> is what we need for <b>growth</b> in <b>godly living</b>. Remember this great truth of grace: <i>"But <b>grow in the grace</b>…of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('2Pe',3,18);">2 Peter 3:18</a>). If we are unwilling to walk in humility, we will not enjoy this wondrous sanctifying impact of grace, because <i>"God <b>resists</b> the <b>proud</b>, but gives <b>grace</b> to the <b>humble</b>."</i> When we live by self-sufficiency, God resists us. When we walk in humility, God gives us grace for living.</p>
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<p>Our God also wants us to walk in <b>faith</b>, because faith accesses grace. <i>"Through whom</i> [Christ] <i>also we have <b>access by faith</b> into this <b>grace</b> in which we stand."</i> We now stand in a kingdom that offers <i>"grace upon grace"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',1,16);">John 1:16</a>). Abundant grace is available for every step we are to take. This grace is partaken of by <b>faith</b>. Whenever we <b>trust</b> in the Lord Jesus concerning <b>any</b> issue of life, we are reaching by faith into God's <b>unlimited</b> resources of grace, by which we are <b>enabled</b> to live <b>effectively</b>.</p>
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<p>Hereby we see that living by grace involves <b>two relational realities</b>: <b>humility</b> and <b>faith</b>. We do not produce either. Neither one is a work. <b>Humility</b> admits we <b>cannot</b> do the <b>work</b> (of being holy, loving, perfect). <b>Faith</b> relies upon the <b>work</b> of <b>another</b>, the Lord Jesus Christ. These two attributes become <b>real</b> in our lives through a <b>growing relationship</b> with the Lord. The <b>more</b> we get to <b>know</b> the Lord Jesus Christ, to that degree <b>humility</b> and <b>faith</b> will become <b>realities</b> in our lives.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">O Lord, You are my salvation, from justification throughout a lifetime of sanctification. Forgive me for underestimating my need for You. Forgive me concerning the self-sufficient, self-confident ways by which I have often lived. I humble myself before You. I want to live by trust and confidence in You. I long to live by Your grace, not by my best efforts. Help me to know You, that humility and faith might develop in my life, Amen.</div>
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