24 lines
4.2 KiB
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24 lines
4.2 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">April 7</div></div>
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<h2>Christ in Us, Our Hope of Glory</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>To them God willed to make known what are the <b>riches</b> of the <b>glory</b> of this <b>mystery</b> among the <b>Gentiles</b>: which is <b>Christ in you</b>, the <b>hope of glory</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col',1,27);">Colossians 1:27</a>)</div>
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<p>We have been considering the wondrous truth that we who believe in Jesus are <b>in Christ</b>. <i>"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who <b>has blessed us</b> with <b>every spiritual blessing</b> in the heavenly places <b>in Christ</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Eph',1,3);">Ephesians 1:3</a>). All that God has for us is ours <i>"<b>in Christ.</b>"</i> We can now enjoy the benefits of who Christ is and all that He has accomplished for us, because we are <b>in Him</b>. Our present verse adds another extraordinary dimension. Not only are we <i>"<b>in Christ</b>,"</i> but <b>Christ</b> is <b>also</b> in <b>us</b>: <i>"<b>Christ in you</b>, the <b>hope of glory</b>."</i></p>
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<p>God wants to make something known among all the nations: <i>"to make known </i>…among the <b>Gentiles</b>." The message He desires to reveal is glorious in spiritual richness: <i>"the <b>riches</b> of the <b>glory</b> of this <b>mystery</b>."</i> However, it truly is a mystery, in the New Testament use of that term. A biblical mystery is something that can <b>only</b> be known by the <b>revealing</b> work of <b>God</b>. The mysteries of the Scriptures cannot be discovered or understood by intellectual investigation or personal experience. God Himself must make them known. The Lord does this through the grace-empowered, Spirit-empowered proclamation of <b>His word</b>. Here, the great mystery God wants to unfold is <i>"<b>Christ in you</b>, the <b>hope of glory</b>."</i></p>
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<p>What a <b>grand hope</b> this message brings! Jesus, the Son of God, is willing to come and dwell within us to assure us of making it to glory (heaven) some day. Meanwhile, Christ wants to reside at the very core of our being: <i>"that <b>Christ</b> may <b>dwell</b> in your <b>hearts</b> by <b>faith</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Eph',3,17);">Ephesians 3:17</a>). As we are trusting in Him, He is living in, and working through, our hearts. Then, from this strategic point of intimacy and access, He gives us <b>heavenly hope</b>. That confident expectation includes the joyous fact that He is coming again: <i>"looking for the <b>blessed hope</b> and glorious <b>appearing</b> of our great God and Savior <b>Jesus Christ</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Tts',2,13);">Titus 2:13</a>). Yet, His return is not our only hope. <b>He Himself</b> is our <b>day by day hope</b>: <i>"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and <b>the Lord Jesus Christ</b>, our <b>hope</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Ti',1,1);">1 Timothy 1:1</a>). <b>Jesus</b> is our <b>comprehensive hope</b>!</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Lord Jesus, my hope, I praise You for the hope You give—anticipation of Your return, assurance of heaven, and daily confidence in Your working in me. Forgive me, Lord, for the times I place my hope and confidence elsewhere. Teach me, help me to put my hope in You alone, in Your faithful name I pray, Amen.</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/04/0406.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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<a href="./devotions/daybyday/04/0408.html">Tomorrow's Reading</a>
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