Orange Moon Friday, April 4, 2025 Grace - the Favor Of Our Father"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

"Grace - the Favor Of Our Father"          

    

    When a born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ wanders from walking faithfully with God, the issue always involves God's grace.  The matter involves both doctrine and practice.

   "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:6-7).

    "Let us have grace, that we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear" (Hebrews 12:28).

    The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that spiritually births us also nurtures and matures us, and will one day perfect us in His direct presence.  Our spiritual enemies know this, and from the moment of our new birth seek to divert us from following the Apostle Paul's mandate: "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him" (Colossians 2:6).  How did we receive our Savior and His salvation?  By grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).  How do we "serve God acceptably?  "Let us have grace."  The devil knows this and ever seeks to distract us to "another gospel" that is no gospel at all.  We had better know the truth of grace as well if we are to access the power of God to live in a manner that glorifies and pleases Him.  Paul stated the truth plainly regarding his calling, "I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power" (Ephesians 3:7).

   The word "grace" means favor, which the New Testament reveals to be a free and undeserved gift of God's disposition toward the believer granted through the Lord Jesus, and including all the benefits of His acceptance and presence in our lives.  Paul affirmed such a marvel in his prayer for the Ephesians, "that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7).  We live from this abundance of God's heart and hand as our Heavenly Father views us as "in Christ" and "accepted in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:3-6).  His working in our lives always proceeds primarily from the Lord Jesus' working on our behalf, which does not preclude our privileged response of faith and submission.  We play a role in the relationship, working our that which God works in (Philippians 2:12-13).  However, we work from the grace of our Father's disposition and dispensation, realizing and affirming that we do not act in order to live, but rather live in order to act (Romans 10:4-10).

   The living God dwells in the believer through the presence of the Holy Spirit.  In the moment of our new birth, His entrance into our spirits bequeathed all the grace we will ever require in both this life and eternity (II Peter 1:3).  To live accordingly requires our awareness and accessing by faith of such favor and its abundant provision.  Again, our spiritual enemies are well aware of this dynamic means of life that has bludgeoned them so often and so severely throughout the history of the church.  Expect, therefore, their attempts to distract and deceive regarding grace, tellingly referred to by Paul as a "bewitching" (Galatians 3:1).  Expect even more God's working to reveal and magnify His grace in the Lord Jesus, as affirmed by His Word and applied by His Spirit.  Yes, our Savior made possible the favor of our Father toward us, with all it's provisions and benefits.  May nothing distract or deceive us from this, "His unspeakable gift" (II Corinthians 9:15).

"And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

(John 1:16-17)

Weekly Memory Verse

    I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."

 (I Timothy 2:1-2).

  

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Orange Moon Thursday, April 3, 2025 "Call Me Father"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

"Call Me Father"          

    

    "Call me Robert."

     I have long thought of him only as "Mr. Wilson."  More than forty years ago, I worked at the same bank with the gentleman, although I didn't know him well. I have prayed for Mr. Wilson since that time, along with others from my time at the bank, and recently he moved into a retirement community where we conduct services.  Mr. Wilson approached me after a meeting one day, reintroduced himself after so many years, and indicated he had been going through some difficult times lately.  We prayed together in an overwhelming moment after having prayed for him for so long from afar.

    Yesterday, he approached me again.  "Hello, Mr. Wilson," I said,  "it's great to see you."  

     "Call me, Robert" he said.  I was blessed by his request, and also realized in the moment that a glorious spiritual truth presented itself through Robert's graciousness.

    "Our Father, which art in Heaven" (Matthew 6:9).

    The Lord Jesus Christ taught believers to refer to God in the most personal terms.  Indeed, if we could hear our Creator's voice in this lifetime, He might well say, "Call Me Father."  Overwhelming indeed, especially in the light of several blessed considerations.

   First, the One who beckons us to address Him in such personal terms is the infinite, eternal God whose being transcends all understanding.  "I am undone" declared the prophet Isaiah upon seeing this glorious One (Isaiah 6:5).  Moreover, the Apostle John fell "as dead" at the feet of the Lord Jesus upon seeing Him in His glory" (Revelation 1:17).  To realize that so great a God calls us to know Him in the most personal terms should astound and bewilder us upon first consideration.  "Our Father?"  Wondrous, and may we ever realize the staggering marvel of the invitation.

    The God who calls in such personal terms is also the God against whom we have sinned, to the degree we are all responsible for the suffering and death of His beloved Son.  "He died for all," rendering every human being culpable for Christ's sacrifice (II Corinthians 5:14).  Of course, the Lord's death serves as the means of grace whereby He redeems us from our sins unto newness of life, and yes, unto family relationship with God whereby He becomes our Father.  Former enemies with blood on their hands become redeemed sons and daughters with Christ in our hearts, "dear children" privileged to address God as "Our Father" (Ephesians 5:1).  

    A final thought.  Relating to God as Father powerfully motivates and enables our devotion to Him.  It speaks of grace and our completely undeserved place in "the whole family of Heaven and earth" (Ephesians 3:15).  It also bears witness to truth, the reality of "how great salvation" blesses the believer by so great a Savior (Hebrews 2:3).  Indeed, when we consider the measures our God undertook to spiritually birth us as sons and daughters, how can we not seek to respond in love to the One who desires we know Him in such personal terms.  As the old saying suggests, to become our Creator, God had to speak.  To become our Father, His Son had to bleed.  

   "Call me Robert."  I won't forget the moment, when an old colleague became a friend.  Nor will I forget the ray of light glimmering in Robert's words that also caused me to think of the One who would say to those who trust Him, "Call Me Father.'

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God."

(I John 3:2)

"Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

(Galatians 4:7)

Weekly Memory Verse

    I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."

 (I Timothy 2:1-2).

  

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Orange Moon Wednesday, April 2, 2025 "Confidence and Humility"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

(a repeat and rewrite from 2021)

"Confidence and Humility"          

    

    I recently heard a sermon by a preacher in which he said to his congregation, "I will never compromise.  I will never fail you.  I will never let you down."  He received a long ovation for his confident affirmation.

 

    Contrast this with the Apostle Paul, who confessed after decades of ministry, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (I Corinthians 9:27).

 

    The preacher mentioned purported himself as being beyond the possibility of failure.  Conversely, the Apostle recognized that no human being can guarantee ongoing faithfulness to God or people.  One failed to understand the Biblical doctrine regarding our ongoing susceptibility to temptation and sin.  The other realized the truth that as long as a "law of sin" remains in our fleshly members and faculties inherited from Adam, every believer remains susceptible to the possibility of sin and failure (Romans 7:18-25).  One, while perhaps well meaning in his intentions, set himself up for failure by pride and confidence in his own integrity (and has actually already fallen into the snare of pride).  The other, far better informed by God and His truth, longed to serve the Lord and people faithfully.  However, like Paul, he also realized that even after many years of faithful service, he could still be cast away from genuine ministry by succumbing to devilish and fleshly temptations.

 

   "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).

 

    Born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should have much confidence in God's keeping and enabling regarding our walk in faith and faithfulness.   We attempt to frequently affirm such grace in these messages:

 

    "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (II Peter 1:3).

 

     No believer, however, can vow to God or human beings that we will never fail or compromise.

 

    "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (I Corinthians 10:12).

 

    Both confidence and humility must pave the path of righteousness upon which we walk.  Neither faithfulness or failure are inevitable.  No less than Paul affirmed his Christ-enabled capacity for godliness and his fleshly potential for ungodliness.  The day will come at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ when we will be able to confess, solely for the glory of the One who perfects us, "I will never again fail or compromise!"  This is not that day.  This is the day to rejoice in God's promised guidance and enabling.  It is also the day to take heed lest we fall.  Confidence and humility.  Both sensibilities form the rails of truth upon which we journey with our Lord in seeking to serve Him and people. 

    A final thought: what could or should the preacher have said to his congregation?  

 

   "My brothers and sisters, I greatly desire to faithfully serve God and you, a longing I believe He has wrought in my heart by the Holy Spirit.  I desire to not fail Him or you.  However, I know that as long as we are in this present world, none of us can guarantee our faithfulness.  Please pray for me, as I do for you, that I will consistently and increasingly honor our Lord, serving Him and you in a manner that reveals His grace and truth.  Hold me accountable, and seek to be a good example of faith and faithfulness to me, even as I seek to be to you.  Thereby, we will together give all glory to Him as we trust Christ and Christ alone to be our perfect model of godliness, truth, and integrity."

 

"God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."

(II Corinthians 9:8)

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." 

(I John 1:8)

Weekly Memory Verse

    I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."

 (I Timothy 2:1-2).

  

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