Orange Moon Saturday, August 1, 2026 “The Realization of Reality”

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

 

    

“The Realization of Reality”

    

     In this lifetime, we often require a splash of cold spiritual water, as it were, to cause us to realize the reality of things.  Our native tendency does not lead us to “think on these things” of God and His truth, but rather to view our lives in terms either erroneous, or not completely according to “Thus saith the Lord” (Philippians 4:8).

   “Cause me to understand wherein I have erred… Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto Thee” (Job 6:24: Psalm 143:8).

    Maintaining a running discourse with our Heavenly Father regarding confirmation and correction of our thinking and subsequent actions serves as a primary necessity of fellowship with Him.  If we walk in truth, we require validation in the light of His Word.  If in error, we need rectification.  Such necessity will be with us for a lifetime as we seek to honor our Lord by rightly trusting, obeying, and representing Him through our lives and words.  “Search me, o God” prayed the Psalmist in the awareness of how wrong he could be in his thinking, and how much he required Another to validate or disqualify his perspectives (Psalm 139:23).  

   By His Spirit, His Word, His church, and His providential presence along the pathways of life, our Heavenly Father will fulfill His promised role of guidance, including His confirmation and correction.  We must avail ourselves of the gifts He has given for such vital illumination, maintaining the humility that acknowledges “if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know” (I Corinthians 8:2).  We serve an infinite God and His infinite truth (Psalm 147:5).  Realizing reality demands our acknowledgement that even in matters wherein we walk in truth, our steps do not yet perfectly tread the path.  Moreover, we keep ever in heart and mind how easily we misstep in our thinking and beliefs.  Cold water, splashed in the face of our hearts and minds, will indeed often get our attention in this present lifetime wherein every believer requires ongoing application of truth and the realization of reality.

“So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before Thee. Nevertheless I am continually with Thee.  Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”

(Psalm 73:22-24)

Weekly Memory Verse

    The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom for many.

 (Matthew 20:28)

    

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Orange Moon Friday, July 31, 2026 "Think On These Things"

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

(Thanks to my brother and friend Hugh V. for inspiration on this one)

 

    

“Think On These Things”

    In this generation, the world presents its information and imagery to us with blinding speed, often tempting us to responses far from the faith to which God calls those who trust the Lord Jesus Christ.  As I confessed to a good friend yesterday, “It makes me crazy!”

     Having written those words to a fellow believer, I then made confession to Another, namely, my Heavenly Father.  I realized how erroneous and completely contrary to God and His truth my comment had been.  Information and imagery cannot “make me crazy.”  No, only unbelief can do that.  Indeed, only sin can result in the failure to know the promised peace of the Prince of peace…

    “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusted in Thee” (Isaiah 26:3).  

    “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

    By no means can we bypass all temptation in this present life.  We can avoid some, particularly overmuch exposure to the barrage of input presently available to our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts.  This does not suggest we do not stay reasonably informed about matters near and far.  It does address the fact that our hearts and minds were not made for constant input from sources that do not edify us with the assurance of God and His Word.  Indeed, we can see or hear true facts that nevertheless do not result in the “walk in truth” that elicits and maintains a heart of peace whereby we glorify our Lord and serve as edification to others (III John 1:4).

   As the old saying goes, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”  Far more, a heart is a terrible thing to overly expose to unnecessary input that does not lead to remembrance and affirmation of God’s presence and working in all things (the very subject and theme, by the way, of yesterday’s devotional - Ephesians 1:11).  Moreover, far greater and better things offer to our heart and mind glories of our Lord that lead to faith rather than unbelief, joy rather than sorrow, light rather than darkness, life rather than death, and yes Glen, peace rather than craziness…

“Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue or any praise, think on these things.”

(Philippians 4:8)

Weekly Memory Verse

    The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom for many.

 (Matthew 20:28)

    

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