Orange Moon Thursday, March 19, 2026 "Presence"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

"Presence"   

     Wherever we go in this day or forevermore, God awaits born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as the greatest reality of our destination.  Moreover, He will accompany us in our journey as His greatest gift to us is presence.

    "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20).

    Of course, we do not see, hear, or touch this reality in our present existence.  "We walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7).  The reality abides no less, even as innumerable physical realities (atoms), unseen and unperceived, comprise our physical bodies.  The redeeming work of the Lord Jesus through the cross, resurrection, and ascension made possible His gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit to all who believe.  In the new birth, the God whom "the heaven of heavens cannot contain" somehow imparts His presence into the very depths of the Christian's innermost being.  "God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts" (II Chronicles 6:18; Galatians 4:6).  He made humanity for this immanence to serve as the very Life of our lives.  Through Christ, such glorious purpose becomes the gracious presence that abides with us always, regardless of our perception of it (Him).  

    "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).

    Remembering the truth and availing ourselves of its hope both blesses and challenges us.  We do not consciously think of the fact always, nor do we continually sense God's presence.  Much of our experience may even seem to belie the truth as our Lord may sometimes seem far away.  He never is, of course, but the "seem" can sorely tempt us in times of difficulty and perplexity.  We must often "awake to righteousness" by remembering and affirming that God is near, God is hear, and He also promises an even greater assurance…

    "I will dwell in them and walk in them" (I Corinthians 15:34; II Corinthians 6:16; emphasis added).

     An active Holy Spirit dwells within us, the One who "moved upon the face of the waters" in the physical act of creation, and the One who moves within the hearts of the spiritual "new creature" we are in Christ (Genesis 1:2; II Corinthians 5:17).  This we must believe, first because it is true, and then because even as we walk by faith rather than sight, we will be more aware of our Lord's presence and working as we believe.  At times, that awareness may seem but a mustard seed of faith.  However, that will be enough to guide us in peace through the promise of His presence, His active presence.  

    The day will come when "we shall see Him as He is," and when the fact of His indwelling will be far more known within us (I John 3:2).  Until then, we walk by faith and the remembrance of the most marvelous of all gifts freely given in Christ.  Presence.  The presence of God.  With us.  Within us.  Wonder of all wonders, grace of all grace, and the very Life of our lives.

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him."

(I John 4:16)

Weekly Memory Verse 

    O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles.  Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy.

(Psalm 43:3-4)

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Orange Moon Wednesday, March 18, 2026 “Scripture and Hope”

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

"Scripture and Hope" 

  

     "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope" (Romans 15:4).

    We open our Bibles for many reasons, not the least of which is to "have hope."  Our proper expectation of the future ever lies in "the patience and comfort of the Scriptures" as they reveal the assurance found in who God is, what He has done, is doing, and promises to do forevermore.

     "For this God is our God forever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death" (Psalm 48:14).  

    The Psalmist declares the Lord to be "our God" in terms of both eternity and every moment of this life.  This believers know and affirm as a matter of doctrine and principle.  However, we all require ongoing reminders and encouragement regarding our Lord's faithfulness that must be found along the challenging pathways of our personal experience.  "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17).  Life comes at us fast and hard, with troubles that tempt us to forget or neglect the truth we know to be true.  Namely, God is who He is.  He does what He does.  He cannot lie, He will not disappoint anyone who trusts Him, and "all the promises of God in Him (Christ) are yea" (II Corinthians 1:20).  We find such hope "in the patience and comfort of the Scriptures" as the Holy Spirit applies their grace to our hearts in time of need.

    What Biblical promises apply to the present challenges of our lives?  All of them, actually.  Some, however, pointedly address truth we must know in this day so that we might view its moments to come with hope.  "My expectation is from Him" declared the Psalmist who did not have the Bible as do we ourselves (Psalm 62:5).  How much clearer then should we view the future with confidence and hope?   Vividly clearer.   An open Bible, read in humility and faith, shines with bright and unmistakable light regarding the perfectly faithful God who has filled the pages of His Word with "exceeding great and precious promises" (II Peter 1:4).   Let us then open the Cover, turn the Pages, and be strengthened with promises made by the God who "cannot lie" (Titus 1:2).   Yes, hope ever awaits us in the Lord Jesus, as found in "the patience and comfort of the Scriptures."  

"Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Thy Word."

(Psalm 119:114

Weekly Memory Verse 

    O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles.  Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy.

(Psalm 43:3-4)

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Orange Moon Tuesday, March 17, 2026 “The Primary Questions”

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

"The Primary Questions" 

  

     The Lord Jesus Christ is the God who became man, and the man remains God.  Forever.

    "God was manifest in the flesh" (I Timothy 3:16).    

    "There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 2:5).

   What sacrifice was involved in the infinite, eternal God taking upon Himself the limitations of humanity?  What sacrifice continues eternally?  We do not know.  We can imagine, but even our highest attempts to consider the reality fall so short that we can hardly say we have begun.  "Great is the mystery" declared the Apostle Paul of this wonder beyond all wonders (I Timothy 3:16).  The union of divinity and humanity seems beyond the possible, and it would be except for the fact that "with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).  In Christ, God and man, the eternal and the temporal, the infinite and the finite, glory and humility, all unite in one sublime Being never to be fully understood, but forever to be pondered and and considered as the greatest of all mysteries.

    "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" (II Peter 3:18).

    The Apostle Peter declares that grace leads to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus.  "Who is He?  What has He done?  What is He doing?  What will He do forevermore in devotion to His Father and to us?  We can give our hearts and minds to no greater inquiry.  We must do so.  God made us for His Son, that is, to love Him, trust Him, obey Him, and shine with His glory in our countenance, demeanor, attitudes, words, and deeds.  We can only do so as we "learn Christ" (Ephesians 4:20).  Our great Teacher, the Holy Spirit, devotes every lesson to the subject.  "He shall testify of Me" declared the Savior of the Spirit (John 15:26).  Indeed, be it love, grace, faith, prayer, righteousness, holiness, salvation, peace, joy, prophecy, judgment, or any and all truth, the Lord Jesus shines as the Light of every light.  To know about all, we recognize and affirm Him as the theme of every subject.  "I am the truth" (John 14:6).

    We do well to often ask the primary questions of our existence.  Again, "Who is Christ?  What has He done?  What is He doing?  What will He do forevermore in devotion to His Father and to us?  Answers will be forthcoming in this life and forevermore as we seek to know and understand the glory beyond all knowledge and understanding.  God's "eternal purpose" forever flows with the current of "Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:11).  May we join Him in our own eternal purpose of response as we ponder the mystery of "God… manifest in the flesh," and as we more and more realize that…

"To live is Christ."

(Philippians 1:21)

"The truth is in Jesus."

(Ephesians 4:21)

Weekly Memory Verse 

    O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles.  Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy.

(Psalm 43:3-4)

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