The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Straight Into the Face"
"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Psalm 14:1).
"With the heart, man believeth unto righteousness" (Romans 10:10).
In contrast to the fool who looks straight into the face of undeniable reality and denies its (His) existence, born again believers have said in our hearts, "There is a God, and He is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ." Through the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, the church, and God's personal working in our lives, we have looked by faith straight into the face of undeniable reality - and have seen. Thereby, we have begun an unending eternity of walking in the truth. However, the new birth constitutes only a beginning. In our present existence, we can still yield to the temptation to live as if God does not exist. In contrast to our Christ-inhabited hearts, we can tacitly say in our flesh "There is no God" - "The flesh lusteth against the spirit" (Galatians 5:17). We can "act a fool," as the saying goes, thinking, speaking, behaving, and relating as if God does not exist. Thus, we must "fight the good fight of faith" upon and within the battlefield of our own being (I Timothy 6:12).
The conflict involves certain questions as we view God, ourselves, others, the world, circumstances, situations, and conditions. Does our Lord exist? Is He who He declares Himself to be? Is His Word true? Is He present, involved, and actively engaged in fulfilling His promises in our hearts and lives? Is Christ the very Life of our lives? Believers will either answer "Yes" with our heart, or "No" if we yield to the temptations of the flesh (our members and faculties inherited from Adam). We can act as the fool, as the atheist, despite having entered into the light of Christ. "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die" declared Paul to the Roman believers. The Apostle , referenced not salvation in this statement, but rather the fact that Christians can fail to avail ourselves of the risen life of the Lord Jesus ever present within our hearts, and ever available to enliven and empower our steps. Conversely, Paul affirmed the presence and working of Christ's risen life known by faith as we trust and submit to God - "If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:13).
Straight into the face of God, as His countenance shines in the Scriptures and in our hearts - this is our calling for this day, and for all to come. The atheist looks and fails to see. We have looked and have seen enough to be born into the light of God forevermore. However, our walk continues to challenge our seeing regarding the life to which He calls us. We can live in a practical atheism, as it were, despite having trusted the Lord Jesus. Or, by faith we can heed Paul's mandate: "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25). The opportunity and challenge will confront us until the end of this present life as we engage in the good fight of faith.
"He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
(Hebrews 11:6)
"Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light."
(Ephesians 5:8)
Weekly Memory Verse
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
(Galatians 5:25)
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