Orange Moon Monday, April 27, 2026 "Wholly Holy"

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

“Wholly Holy”          

   

     "We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:10).      

    

     "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thessalonians 5:23).           

    Why does the Apostle Paul ask God to fully sanctify - “make holy" - those whom the writer of Hebrews declares to be sanctified "once for all?"    

    The answer involves one of the relational truths of belonging to God, as opposed to our practical response to the fact.  We first acknowledge and affirm our holiness to Him, based on the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus.  Believers belong to God in terms of truth and relationship, regardless of how we live.  “Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus” declared Paul to the Corinthians he also indicted as “carnal” (I Corinthians 1:30; 3:3). In the sense of belonging, born again believers become as sanctified as we will ever be when we trust the Lord Jesus - “once for all.”   We are God’s "purchased possession,” no matter what.  Nothing changes this reality of relationship, and the more we discover the Biblical truth that we belong to Another, the more likely we are to think, speak, act, and relate accordingly.  "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).   

     Conversely, the experience and outworking of holiness requires a lifetime of growth in the grace and knowledge of our Savior.  Our sanctified being may or may not result in sanctified behavior.  We can - and do - sometimes think, speak, act, and relate as if we belong to ourselves (I John 1:8).  Our marvelous freedom in Christ makes real love for God possible.  However, it also makes possible our not loving Him in this less than perfect present existence.  Nothing changes the fact that we belong to God -"sanctified once for all."  Behaving accordingly, however, requires God's working in us to “sanctify you wholly.”  Grace gave to us the blessed gift of belonging to our rightful Owner and Master.  Growth in grace gives to us the blessing of a life that practically reflects such truth.  We thus do well to echo Paul's prayer for each other concerning a whole sanctification, even as we also thank God for the truth of a "once for all" sanctification.  Our Heavenly Father ever works to align our being and behavior for the glory of the Lord Jesus and the peace of being wholly holy unto Him.

"Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light.”                                                                                             (Ephesians 5:8)

Weekly Memory Verse

          And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 (I Thessalonians 5:23). 

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Orange Moon Saturday, April 26, 2026 "Light In the Darkness"

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

“Light In the Darkness”         

     

   

     Our memory verse for the week tells us that the Scriptures - “a more sure word of prophecy” - serve as “a light that shineth in a dark place” (II Peter 1:19).

    “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

      We do well to view the Bible accordingly.  We give thanks for darkness already overcome through its shining pages.  We also prayerfully seek greater illumination in readings and ponderings to come.  The latter quest requires our recognition that regardless of how well we perceive ourselves to know Scriptural truth, darkness still remains in our knowledge and understanding.  Indeed, of himself and all, the Apostle Paul confessed, “if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know” (I Corinthians 8:2).  Be it matters of doctrine, or of personal response and application of God’s Word, we all require the “light that shineth” to illuminate our hearts and minds.

   What have I missed?  What have I misunderstood or misinterpreted?  What have I not been ready to see, but perhaps now might be prepared to behold?  Most importantly, what of God’s infinite being, nature, and way still awaits to be discovered on the sacred pages as I acknowledge the glory of an unending journey into the light of the Lord Jesus Christ?  The Holy Spirit will gladly answer as we avail ourselves of His “light that shineth” by rejoicing in glimmers already seen, and confessing our great need to frequently pray as did the Psalmist…

“God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause His face to shine upon us.”

(Psalm 67:1)

“The Lord will enlighten my darkness.”

(Psalm 18:28)

Weekly Memory Verse

    “We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (II Peter 1:19).

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Orange Moon Friday, April 24, 2026 "For Him, From Him"

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

“For Him, From Him”         

     

   “I also labor, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily” (Colossians 1:29).

     The Christian life involves our dedicated working and striving, but all from God’s working and our confidence in His dynamically active presence.  We began our relationship with God accordingly - “freely ye have received.”  We continue with Him in faith and faithfulness according to the same grace - “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Matthew 10:8; Ephesians 2:10).  Thankfully, we did not awaken to this day with the unbearable burden of “Be strong in yourself and in the power of your own might.”  We rather arose with the more than bearable blessing of “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10).

    God does not call His trusting sons and daughters in Christ to make bricks without straw, as it were.  Whatever His will may be, He has given the indwelling Holy Spirit to not only live in us.  “I will… walk in them” (II Corinthians 6:16).  This includes every aspect of our being and behavior.  Indeed, it must.  “Without Me, ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).  Our Heavenly Father calls us to think, speak, act, and relate in the assurance that “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Ephesians 2:13).  Be it the most seemingly insignificant act of faithful obedience, or unto martyrdom itself, the will of God requires the work of God as the vibrantly dynamic engine that empowers all faithfulness.  “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 2:13; emphasis added).

   Certainly, we play a vital role in the matter by faith, submission to God’s will, and the expectation He will act in us as promised, leading us to act by Him as commanded.  Regardless of past experience, present feeling, or future concerns, we choose to believe that Christ lives in us so that we may live through Him (I John 4:9).  In most cases, He will act so quietly and inauspiciously that it will seem as if we are originating and fulfilling obedience to God.  Upon even the most cursory reflection, however, we will know the real truth of the matter.  For Him, from Him.  God made and redeemed us for this “hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).  He works in us mightily to fulfill such glorious purpose.  Let us believe the truth because it is true, and because so much of Christ’s character, nature, and way will be revealed in us as the “for” ever and forever proceeds by the “from."

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”

(II Corinthians 9:8)

Weekly Memory Verse

    “We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (II Peter 1:19).

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