15 lines
4.6 KiB
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15 lines
4.6 KiB
HTML
<html><head><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">December 21</div></div>
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<h1>Once More on Following Jesus as a Disciple</h1>
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<div class="block"><i>"<b>If</b> anyone <b>desires</b> to <b>come after Me</b>, let him <b>deny himself</b>, and take up <b>his cross</b> <b>daily</b>, and <b>follow Me</b>…My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they <b>follow Me</b>."</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Luk', 9, '23-23');">Luke 9:23</a> and <a onClick="return mV('Jhn', 10, '27-27');">John 10:27</a>)</div>
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<p>As we have seen, following Jesus as a disciple is another way to relate rightly to the Lord in humility and faith. Discipleship begins with renouncing the self-life and confessing death for the self-life. <i>"<b>If</b> anyone <b>desires</b> to <b>come after Me</b>, let him <b>deny himself</b>, and take up <b>his cross daily</b>."</i> Initially and continually, these <b>humble</b> and <b>trusting</b> responses to Jesus deal with <b>self</b>, which is the <b>basic obstruction</b> to <b>following Him</b>. Ultimately, three simple words express the very heart of discipleship: <i>"and <b>follow Me</b>."</i></p><p>All of the Christian life can be summed up and fulfilled in this profound relationship—a humble, dependent walk with the Lord. It is the will of God that we grow in His all-sufficient grace. <i>"But <b>grow</b> in the <b>grace</b> and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('2Pe', 3, '18-18');">2 Peter 3:18</a>). Jesus came overflowing with that grace. <i>"And the <b>Word</b> became flesh and dwelt among us…<b>full</b> of <b>grace</b> and truth"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn', 1, '14-14');">John 1:14</a>). As we follow Him in humble dependence, He pours His grace into our lives.</p><p>Jesus has all that we need. In Him, the complete resources of the Godhead for our personal wholeness reside. <i>"For in Him dwells <b>all</b> the <b>fullness</b> of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col', 2, '9-10');">Colossians 2:9-10</a>). In Him, all wisdom and knowledge are contained: <i>"in whom are hidden <b>all</b> the <b>treasures</b> of <b>wisdom</b> and <b>knowledge</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col', 2, '3-3');">Colossians 2:3</a>). Jesus is the very life that we are called to live: <i>"<b>Christ</b> who <b>is our life</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col', 3, '4-4');">Colossians 3:4</a>). He is our <i>"<b>all</b> and <b>in all</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col', 3, '11-11');">Colossians 3:11</a>).</p><p>We need the Lord Jesus like sheep need a shepherd. In fact, our discipleship walk with Christ is portrayed in Scripture as sheep following a shepherd. Those who are in the world are like sheep without a shepherd. What a needy picture that is. <i>"But when He saw the <b>multitudes</b>, He was moved with <b>compassion</b> for them, because they were <b>weary</b> and <b>scattered</b>, like <b>sheep</b> having <b>no shepherd</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Mat', 9, '36-36');">Matthew 9:36</a>). Jesus, our shepherd, is the ultimate shepherd. <i>"I am the <b>good shepherd</b>. The <b>good shepherd</b> gives <b>His life</b> for the <b>sheep</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn', 10, '11-11');">John 10:11</a>). Having died for us, our shepherd wants to lead us throughout our lives. <i>"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they <b>follow Me</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn', 10, '27-27');">John 10:27</a>). In <b>humble dependence</b>, we can hear His voice through His word and be led by His Spirit. Thereby, we enter into the <b>fullness</b> of the <b>grace</b> that God has for us during our pilgrimage here on this earth.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Jesus, my Good Shepherd, I need You like a sheep needs a shepherd. I humbly trust You to lead me through life, pouring out upon me the fullness of Your grace, in Your wonderful name, Amen.</div></div></div><div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/12/1220.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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<a href="./devotions/daybyday/12/1222.html">Tomorrow's Reading</a></div></div>
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