The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Grace For Grace, Faith To Faith"
"And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace" John 1:16).
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17).
"Grace for grace" motivates and empowers "faith to faith." An ongoing reception of the former leads to an ongoing expression of the latter. We began our Christian life by receiving God's grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). We continue that life by ongoing reception, eliciting greater and greater confidence and determinations to trust our Lord. "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him" (Colossians 2:6). The Apostle Peter succinctly states our need for greater reception of grace, based on growing knowledge of the Lord Jesus.
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" (II Peter 3:18).
As are all others, this day offers "grace for grace," resulting in "faith to faith." How does the process work? Peter's command tells us: "the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." The exercise of faith results from the reception of grace. We receive grace by knowing the Lord Jesus, that is, who He is and His doings on behalf of God the Father and ourselves. Peter again illuminates our consideration: "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (II Peter 1:3).
Through Christ, God has fully equipped believers to face every contingency of life. Our experience of such grace, however, depends on our "knowledge of Him." This presents great challenge in a life wherein we "walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7). Knowing our Lord involves spiritual reality rather than sensory perception. Such reality flows unto us upon the current of God's grace in the Lord Jesus. It flows within us upon the current of our faith in Him. "Grace for grace.. faith to faith." God continually administers the former that we may consistently apply the latter. His light and life in Christ empowers the process, making absolutely necessary our determination to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
(Romans 5:1-2)
Weekly Memory Verse
And the heavens shall praise Thy wonders, O Lord, Thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
(Psalm 89:5)
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