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26 lines
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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 12</div></div>
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<h2>Enriched with Grace by Christ</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>I thank my God always concerning you for the <b>grace of God</b> which was given to you <b>by Christ Jesus</b>, that you were <b>enriched</b> in everything <b>by Him</b> in all utterance and all knowledge…you <b>abound</b> in <b>everything</b>—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Cr',1,4,5);">1 Corinthians 1:4-5</a> and <a onClick="return mV('2Cr',8,7);">2 Corinthians 8:7</a>)</div>
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<p>As we have seen, the new covenant of grace is essentially about developing a <b>relationship</b> with the Lord Jesus Christ. Our God desires to impart His <b>grace</b> into our lives through this acquaintanceship with His Son: <i>"the <b>grace of God</b> which was given to you <b>by Christ Jesus</b>."</i> This phrase (<i>"<b>by Christ Jesus</b>"</i>) points once again to the intimate relational aspect of living in Christ by grace. God's grace flows into our lives <i>"<b>by</b> Christ Jesus."</i> It might be helpful to restate this truth. God's grace comes into our experience <b>by means of</b> another person, the Lord Jesus. The limitless grace of our great God is available to us on the basis of who Jesus is and all that He has done for us. It is accessed whenever we humbly, dependently relate to Him.</p>
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<p>The resources that continually await us are so rich. The believers at Corinth found this to be true. <i>"You were <b>enriched</b> in <b>everything</b> by Him."</i> Two areas of God's rich grace are mentioned here: <i>"<b>enriched</b>…in all <b>utterance</b> and all <b>knowledge</b>."</i> God's grace had enriched them with a great capacity to know the things of God and to put the wonder of those things into appropriate words.</p>
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<p>When Paul wrote these saints on a later occasion, he elaborated upon the richness of grace that had become their personal experience. <i>"You <b>abound</b> in <b>everything</b>—in <b>faith</b>, in <b>speech</b>, in <b>knowledge</b>, in all <b>diligence</b>, and in your <b>love</b> for us."</i> Three aspects are added here to the previous list: <i>"<b>faith</b>, <b>diligence</b>, <b>love</b>."</i> By the grace of God at work in them, their capacity to trust in Him had been enlarged. By the grace of God at work in them, their attentive perseverance had grown.</p>
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<p>By the grace of God at work in them, their loving concern for Paul and his missionary team had developed further.</p>
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<p>When Paul prayed for other disciples of the Lord Jesus, he prayed in a manner that fits this picture. He prayed that their lives might be <i>"<b>filled</b> with the <b>fruits of righteousness</b> which are <b>by Jesus Christ</b>, to the glory and praise of God"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Phl',1,11);">Philippians 1:11</a>). Righteous fruit, such as the Corinthians were enjoying, comes from Jesus Christ imparting His grace into our lives.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Heavenly Father, I again see that Your grace enriches my life by means of Your beloved Son. Lord Jesus, I humbly depend upon You to fill my life with Your righteous fruit, in Your holy name, Amen.</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/04/0411.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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