Orange Moon Friday, February 13, 2026 "Merits That Abide"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

"Merits That Abide"   

   

    457 times in the Bible, the term "came to pass" speaks of events that occurred, but which would not abide forever in the present realm.

    "And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord" (Genesis 4:3).

    The first mention of this ephemeral nature of passing things in the present world involves the rejected offering of Cain.  Adam's firstborn brought a sacrifice wrought by his own hands and gathered from the ground God had cursed (Genesis 3:17).  He approached the Lord futilely, as opposed to Abel his brother, who came to God effectually bearing the blood sacrifice of another (Genesis 4:4). While not recorded in Scripture, we can be sure that the Lord had communicated the way of approach to Himself, one honored by Abel and ignored by Cain.  Cain's fleshly sacrifice "came to pass," even as Abel's acceptable offering came to abide in the annals of eternity as the first metaphorical type of the Lord Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.  "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No man cometh unto the Father but by Me" (John 14:6).  

    On our seemingly best days, we can only approach God by the person and work of the Lamb of God, slain for our sins and declared as "the one Mediator between God and men" (I Timothy 2:5).  On our worst days, we may come nonetheless, so long as we make our approach in faith, humility, repentance, and the confession so beautifully expressed by the hymnwriter, "Nothing in my hands I bring, only to Thy cross I cling."  In either case, when we approach God by faith in the Lord Jesus, eternal consequences occur that "come to abide" rather than "come to pass."  We see relatively little of the measure of grace God bestows as we look to Him by faith.  We can be sure, however, that His enduring provision of "exceeding, abundantly above all we ask or think" blesses our hearts and lives as we trust our Father (Ephesians 3:20). 

     By and by, we will better understand such things as our Lord accomplishes abiding glories "according to the power that worketh in us."   Thereby, we empty our hands of our own merits, in order to fill our hearts with faith in the merits of the Lord Jesus, merits that result in glories that eternally abide rather come to pass. 

"They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever."

(Psalm 125:1)

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

(I Peter 1:23)

Weekly Memory Verse 

   Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

(Hebrews 13:8)

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Orange Moon Thursday, February 12, 2026 "The Word and the Word"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

"The Word and the Word"   

    

    The Holy Spirit miraculously conceived the living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the virgin womb of Mary.

    "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.  Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35).

     The same Holy Spirit miraculously conceived the written Word, the Bible, in the hearts of the prophets and apostles.

    "No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (II Peter 1:20-21)

     It has been said that the Bible is Christ in print, and Christ is the Bible personified.  The Lord Jesus directed His hearers to God's written Word, promising that the written Word would direct them to Himself:

    "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39).

        

     In this light of the personal and written Word, we relate to God. We cannot understand the Bible apart from living relationship with God through Christ.  Nor can we rightly relate to Christ apart from the revelation and authority of Scripture.  We "worship the Father in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23).  God made us with hearts to know, and minds to understand.  He also gave the Holy Spirit to dwell within us when we believed in the Lord Jesus, whereby the One who conceived the living Word and inspired the written Word leads us in our fellowship with God.  Thereby, we come to the Bible through Christ, and to Christ through the Bible.  "In Thy light shall we see light" (Psalm 36:9).  

    Keeping this living and written Word in heart and mind greatly illuminates the path of righteousness upon which we "walk in the Spirit" and "walk in truth" (Galatians 5:16; III John 1:4).  The Spirit who ignited both beams of holy Light will guide us to know our Lord in living fellowship and vital understanding as we seek the Word in the Word, and the Word by the Word.

 "And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures."

(Luke 24:44-45)

Weekly Memory Verse 

   Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

(Hebrews 13:8)

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Orange Moon Wednesday, February 11, 2026 "This Day"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

"This Day"   

    

    We can only begin from where we are.

    "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee" (Isaiah 60:1).

    We cannot change yesterday.  Tomorrow in this present world is not guaranteed.  We have only today in which to "arise, shine," whatever this moment in time may hold of condition, circumstance, and situation.  God called Israel long ago to avail itself of this glory "risen upon thee."  His Word beckons now to born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom an even greater measure of grace abides…

    "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

    To whatever degree we have availed ourselves of this most wondrous of gifts in days gone by, the day upon us promises and commands that we live in the light of reality.  It is factual that the Spirit of the Lord Jesus lives and walks in us (Galatians 4:6; II Corinthians 6:16).  Will we experience "the hope of glory" in actual terms?  Will we believe in such glory risen within us, namely, the risen Christ given by God as the very Life of our lives?  We must, regardless of yesterday, and mindful that opportunity to walk in truth and reality tomorrow will not be available until we arrive at its doorstep.  "Now is the day of salvation" declared the Apostle Paul, a declaration that applies to unbelievers in the reception of God's grace, and to believers in the realization of its presence and power to lead us in the day, the hour, and the moment at hand (I Corinthians 6:2).

    The Spirit of God presently beckons to every believer: "Arise, shine."  The grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus enables us to look back with thanksgiving for grace already given, and repentance for failure if necessary.  His hope allows us to view the future with expectation of His presence and promise.  Most of all, He lives with and within us in this day, the only time we have in which to "arise, shine" for the glory of the Lord Jesus, as led and enabled by the indwelling hope of glory He is to us ever and always.  Including the only day we have to "walk in the light, as He is in the light" (I John 1:7).  Today.

"That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee."

(Proverbs 22:19)

Weekly Memory Verse 

   Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

(Hebrews 13:8)

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