Orange Moon Cafe "For Us"

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

 

   "For Us"

   

    "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).

 

   Many years ago, a reading of this verse resulted in two words exploding in my heart.  "For us."  The effects of the detonation linger as the Apostle Paul's declaration of God's lovingly supportive heart never fails to strengthen and encourage the resolve to be for Him.

 

   "We love Him because He first loved us" (I John 4:19).

 

   We must maintain this primary focus in relating to God unto ourselves.  How we feel, or how we perceive ourselves as responding to the Lord can become paralyzing if we forget His call to live our Christian lives by "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).  Indeed, we began our relationship with God by renouncing trust in ourselves: "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool" (Proverbs 28:26).  We placed our confidence in the Person and work of the Lord Jesus as our only hope for forgiveness, redemption, and newness of life.  He faithfully fulfilled His promise, and spiritually birthed us into the family of God.  He was for us in our salvation.  In the same manner, He is now for us in our walk with Him.  Maintaining such focus greatly aids us in more consistently and effectively living a life that reflects the truth of Christ's presence in our hearts.

 

    Another explosive statement of Paul confirms this dynamic means of walking with God:

 

    "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:6-7).

 

    Carefully consider the Apostle's mandate.  Whatever began our Christian life is meant to serve as the holy means for living the Christian life.  Thus, if we trusted the Lord Jesus completely to enter life, we are to trust Him completely to engage life.  We will find Him no less faithful today in empowering our walk in the Spirit than we found Him in delivering our birth in the Spirit: "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).  He was for us then, and He is for us now.

 

    May the truth yet again explode in our hearts.  A willing and working God promises by His Word and His Spirit to empower a life lived for His glory, the blessing of others, and the joy of our hearts.  "For us."  Or let us make it personal.  He is for you and for me.  What a wonder, a wonder of grace and mercy proceeding from our Father's loving devotion and commitment to our best interests both now and forevermore…

 

"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" 

(Romans 8:32)

 

Weekly Memory Verse

     "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever."

 (Hebrews 13:8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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