"For God... From God"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe….

"For God… From God"

   

      As each day begins, God offers born again believers with the privilege of living from the resources He provides by His Son, His Spirit, and His Scriptures.

     "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness" (II Peter 1:3).

    Of course, we can neglect such grace, forgetting or ignoring that "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works" (Ephesians 2:10).  During our present earthly lifetime, we can still walk after the flesh despite the truth that "ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you" (Romans 8:9).  Our spiritual enemies cannot steal our relationship with God through Christ.  They can, however, tempt us to forfeit our experience of His indwelling life by attacks of distraction and discouragement.  Failure to realize and remember such assaults by the world, the devil, and flesh results in our seeking to live from carnal resources that cannot begin to supply the strength required for living according to God's standards.  "Walk even as He walked" mandated the Apostle John, referring to the Lord Jesus (I John 2:6).  Even a cursory consideration of this command requires that we take our shoes off, as it were, on such holy ground (Exodus 3:5).  Our feet are not capable for the journey of life to which our Heavenly Father calls us.  Our Savior must rather walk in us so that we may walk by Him.

    "I will dwell in them and walk in them… As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him" (II Corinthians 6:16; Colossians 2:6).

   What if God privileges us to take our next step through Christ?  And the next?  And all others thereafter?  He does.  He calls us to pray, as enabled by His Spirit.  He beckons us to read and absorb His Word, as enabled by His Spirit.  He commands that we love our family, as enabled by His Spirit.  We are to fulfill our earthly responsibilities, as enabled by His Spirit.  We overcome temptation thereby, we maintain our hearts in peace and joy through Christ, and the list goes on and on.  Indeed, we live for God by living from God.  No other hope exists for the life to which our Heavenly Father calls us.  "Without Me, ye can do nothing" declared the Lord Jesus to His disciples (John 15:5).  Many years later, however, the Apostle Paul would utter his exultant affirmation, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).  Yes, Christ lives in us so that we may "live through Him" (Galatians 2:20; I John 4:9).  No other resources are available for the quality of life to which God calls us.  Nor are any other necessary.  This is the gift our Father offers to us as each day begins, and as it continues.  May we more consistently and increasingly avail ourselves of the grace that began our relationship with Him, and which leads us into the blessed realization that "to live is Christ" (Philippians 1:21).

"Let us have grace, that we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear."

(Hebrews 12:28)

"By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace which was bestowed on me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

(I Corinthians 15:5)

Weekly Memory Verse

   In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. 

(Isaiah 30:15).

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