Orange Moon Wednesday, June 10, 2026 "Not Unto Us"

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

(Thanks to Fred C. for inspiration on this one)

   

“Not Unto Us”   

                                  

      “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31).

     We live in a generation wherein one can become known to millions of people in mere seconds.  “People know my name!” said one famous entertainer regarding her successful quest to garner attention, affirmation, and accolade.  

     The Psalmist affirmed a different emphasis and quest:

    “Not unto us, o Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name give glory, for Thy mercy and for Thy truth’s sake” (Psalm 115:1).

   The Holy Spirit works in believers to make precious the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in our hearts, and then through us to elicit the same devotion in others.  For well over 99% of Christians in the history of the church, this has involved anonymity rather than notoriety.  Even in our current day of instant dissemination of information and image, this remains true.  Relatively few believers are known outside their limited sphere of influence.  In nearly all, God answers the Psalmist’s “Not unto us” plea for a life that quietly and for the most part secretly directs attention to the “Name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9).  This does not necessarily suggest criticism toward the few whose names become known to many, so long as they do not intentionally seek the glory that belongs to one Name only.

   His name alone is excellent” (Psalm 148:13).

    Another whose name found its way into the world’s lights once said that he wanted to become famous - until 5 seconds after it happened.  While enjoying the trappings of fame and its fleeting moments of happiness and benefit, he realized that no joy can be found in notoriety.  How could it?  Human beings exist not to garner attention to ourselves, for which none of us are worthy, but rather to exalt the completely deserved fame of Another.  This is joy.  “Let them that love Thy Name be joyful in Thee” (Psalm 5:11).  This day offers the opportunity for such a full heart, based on devotion to such a glorious Name.  “Not unto us” indeed.  But rather…

“I will glorify Thy Name forevermore.”

(Psalm 86:12)

Weekly Memory Verse

   Great is our Lord, and of great power.  His understanding is infinite.

(Psalm 147:5)

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Orange Mon Tuesday, June 9, 2026 "A Place of Grace"

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

   

“A Place of Grace”   

                                  

      “When He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not My Father's house an house of merchandise” (John 2:15-16).

   One of the most familiar incidents of the New Testament carries a message of the most vital importance to every human heart.  Namely, the temple of God is not a place of barter. It rather stands as a most holy place of giving and receiving.  It is a place of grace.

    “We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).

    The spirits of born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ now serve as God’s temple.  “God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father” (Galatians 4:6).  We thereby seek to live our lives as the recipients and receptacles of our Heavenly Father’s freely given favor provided through His Son, and administered by the Holy Spirit.  We do not seek to barter with God, as much as our natural sensibilities seem to tell us how obligated we are to Him, and how much we owe Him.  How could we not feel this way, considering the enormity of His blessing in our lives?  It remains true, however, that our Father has no interest in a quid pro quo relationship whereby we seek to purchase His provision by our seemingly due diligence.

    “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5).

    We did not earn our relationship and fellowship with God by barter.  Nor do we maintain it thereby.  “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).  We rather seek to walk in faithful service to God as a matter of ongoing reception of His freely given grace.  This results in a growing and ongoing response to God not in terms of mere servile obligation, in which He has no interest.  We rather walk with Him in genuinely loving devotion, in He has complete interest.

   “Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things, therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee” (Deuteronomy 28:47-48)

 

   “Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” (Ephesians 6:24).

    The Lord will overturn the tables of our hearts if he sees thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs of barter therein.  No possibility exists of a quid pro quo with a God whose standards infinitely transcend the highest cost we could remit.  Thus, He works in us that we might “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18).  Thereby, the faith and faithfulness of truth and sincerity arises within us as we “look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).  Only God’s freely given grace and truth in Christ produces such reality within our spirits that serve as His place of grace.  He is interested in no other response.  Neither should we be.

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

(Hebrews 12:28)

Weekly Memory Verse

   Great is our Lord, and of great power.  His understanding is infinite.

(Psalm 147:5)

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Orange Moon Monday, June 8, 2026. "Anticipated Lives"

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

   

“Anticipated Lives”   

                                  

      We live anticipated lives.

     “His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5).

     No moment of our existence will ever catch our Heavenly Father off guard or unsuspecting.  Never will He exclaim “What?!” or “Oh no!” about anything that comes our way, all of which He has either determined or allowed in the full assurance that He can fulfill the promise cherished by all who trust the Lord Jesus Christ:

   “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:28-29).

    “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever” (Psalm 138:3).

    Nothing has come our way in the past along the pathways of providence that will fail to fit into the “for good” of making us like the Lord Jesus in character, nature, and way.  Nothing presently comes our way, nor will anything approach us in the future that does not fall under the purview of God’s overarching purposes in Christ.  Nothing.  Perfect knowledge, perfect wisdom, perfect purpose, perfect power, and perfect planning and expectation, based on infinite knowledge, makes certain the fulfillment of our Father’s eternal purpose in Christ as it relates to creation, and to all who trust the Lord Jesus.  

    “Thou knowest all things” (John 21:17).

    One can plan well when one has good knowledge of things to come.  One can plan perfectly with perfect knowledge.  God’s expectations and anticipations accord with the immeasurable measure of His knowledge and understanding.  Thus, the One to whom we have entrusted time and eternity will not - cannot - fail us regarding anything that comes our way.  All pass through the inspection of His providence, whether determined or allowed, and all will indeed “work together for good.”  Include this moment in the blessedness of such assurance.  Look back on those  already passed, and look forward to all that will find their way to our doorstep.  Not one has been, is, or will not be perfectly expected by He who promises to coordinate all for the glory of His Son and our benefit.  This is peace, the peace of the Prince of peace, and the hope that so strengthens us to live for His glory and will.  Yes, we live anticipated lives.

“Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.”

(Acts 15:18)

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6)

Weekly Memory Verse

   Great is our Lord, and of great power.  His understanding is infinite.

(Psalm 147:5)

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