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Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra June 12 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More Reflections on Obedience by God's Grace Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?... Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. Galatians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 3:5 Once again, let's reflect on previously studied passages that show how obedience to God is related to His grace. Galatians 3:3 fits in this helpful category. Our beginning with God was brought about by the work of His Spirit....

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra June 4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Obedience and the Life of Jesus And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him…Christ in you, the hope of glory. John 8:29; Colossians 1:27 Our Lord Jesus wants His followers to live in obedience to His will: "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20a). Our Lord is also with us every step of our pilgrimage, granting us His grace unto obedience. "I am with you always…through whom we...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra June 3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Obedience and the Lordship of Jesus But why do you call Me "Lord, Lord," and do not do the things which I say?…Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them…[and] teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Luke 6:46; Matthew 28:19-20 As servants of the new covenant of grace, the Lordship of Jesus is part of our message. "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord"...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra June 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Work of the Holy Spirit unto Obedience I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Ezekiel 36:27 When we placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we were born again. We were made new in Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). We received a new spiritual heart, as promised of old. "I...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra June 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The New Covenant Promise of a New Heart I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 To live in obedience to the will of God, man needs more than his own best efforts and intentions. The history of Israel emphatically demonstrates this. God gave His law. He commanded them, saying,"Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them" (Ezekiel 20:19). Israel had promised...

Israel's Response to the Law's Demand Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient"... Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice. (Exodus 24:7; Deuteronomy 26:17) God's law demands wholehearted obedience. "This day the LORD your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to...

The Old Covenant Demand of Obedience And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?…This day the LORD your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy...

Obedience under the New Covenant of Grace For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:14) Obedience is a vital issue for every believer. Throughout the scriptures we see that God's desire is for His children to walk in obedience. Moses wrote of this truth. "You shall obey the voice of the LORD your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today" (Deuteronomy 27:10). Samuel confirmed this truth. "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 28 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Temporary Visible Things, Eternal Invisible Things For our light affliction... is working for us... [an] eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 Our gracious God wants to use the trials in our lives ("our light affliction") to produce for us eternal blessings ("eternal weight of glory"). He intends to use our daily difficulties to...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 27 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Momentary Light Afflictions, Eternal Weight of Glory For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4:17 Believers in Jesus Christ are "ministers [servants] of the new covenant" (2 Corinthians 3:6). We serve God by His grace, experiencing it and passing it on to others. "For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 4:15). One astounding...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 26 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Outer Man Perishing, Inner Man Renewed Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16 Those who learn to live by the grace of God are increasingly protected from discouragement. "Therefore we do not lose heart." This truth was touched upon in an earlier verse from this fourth chapter of 2 Corinthians. "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart" (2 Corinthians 4:1). The protection...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 25 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Encouragement for Others, Glory for God So then death is working in us, but life in you... For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:12, 15 We who live under the new covenant of grace are earthen vessels. We have no true spiritual life in ourselves. "You have no life in you" (John 6:53). The treasure who lives within us (Jesus) is our daily source of spiritual life: "Christ who is...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 24 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- An Action Carried out toward Earthen Vessels For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 2 Corinthians 4:11 The treasure who lives within us (Jesus) is to get glory and honor as we trust Him to live in, and be manifested through, the vessels of our humanity. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). Our...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 23 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- An Attitude Carried about by Earthen Vessels Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:10 As earthen vessels, we are to live by trusting in the treasure (the Lord Jesus) who dwells within us: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels" (2 Corinthians 4:7). Also, we are to give Him all honor and glory as He sustains us day by day through the trials of life: "that the excellence of...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 22 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Process that Magnifies the Treasure But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 New covenant servants (followers of Jesus Christ) are "earthen vessels" (ordinary clay pots). Yet, in the container of their redeemed humanity dwells "this treasure" (the Son of God Himself). This arrangement calls for...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 21 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Power within Redeemed Earthen Vessels But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 In our previous meditation on this same verse, we saw that God has placed extraordinary heavenly treasure in ordinary earthen vessels. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels." This is true of every person who has been redeemed by the blood of Christ. The Lord has arranged it this way so that the vessels (you and me) must...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 20 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Heavenly Treasure in Earthen Vessels But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 We who serve the Lord under His new covenant of grace live with heavenly treasure in earthen vessels. We are "earthen vessels." Though we are born again through faith in Christ, we still have the same physical body that we had in Adam. "For we know that if our earthly house, this tent [that is, our natural human body], is...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 19 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Miracle of Our Ministry For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 As new covenant servants, we proclaim "the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:4). While holding forth this magnificent message, we earnestly pray that God will prepare darkened hearts to embrace the redeeming light of His grace. Each person who...

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 18 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Message in Ministry Lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 2 Corinthians 4:4b-5 The enemy of men's souls wants to keep perishing people in spiritual blindness. "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4a)....

Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra May 17 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Those We Hope to Reach through Ministry But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4a In this servants-of-grace ministry God has given us, He wants to use us to reach people. These people are in a desperate spiritual condition. Those we hope to reach are perishing, spiritually blind, and unbelieving. Those who do not know the grace of God in Jesus Christ are "perishing." They are spiritually...