The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Grace - Beginning and Continuing"
That which occurred in the first moment of our relationship with God must continue to occur in all subsequent moments.
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:6-7).
Faith in the Lord Jesus delivers us from the delusion that we can somehow make ourselves right with God by our own dedication, effort, and determination. We came to Him helpless and hopeless, acknowledging He had to do something for us we could not do for ourselves. The Holy Spirit shined the spotlight on the Savior's person and work, leading us to hear in the depths of our hearts, "I am thy salvation" (Psalm 35:3). We responded, "He is become my salvation" (Exodus 15:2).
The same means of grace calls to us in this day. We can no more live the Christian life by our own means than we could have begun it. "Let us have grace, that we my serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear" (Hebrews 12:28). The standard of being and life is far too high, and infinitely beyond our means - "Walk even as He walked" (I John 2:6). We cannot think, pray, speak, act, or relate apart from the presence and power of God. "Without Me, ye can do nothing." Through Christ, however, we can "do all things" that glorify God and fulfill His will. "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (John 15:5; Philippians 4:13; II Corinthians 9:8).
"All grace - every good work." An inextricable bond exists between God's freely given favor in the Lord Jesus and the life of godliness to which He calls us. Our calling today involves the same response that led us to first receive the saving grace of the Savior. Growth proceeds from birth by the life - the life of Christ - that alone supplies our hope. He lives in us, we live through Him, and a walk far beyond our human means results from grace received through faith. Thereby, God is glorified, our hearts are filled and fulfilled, and others are blessed as the grace that originated our relationship with Him serves as the power by which it is forever - and in this day - perpetuated.
"It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace."
(Hebrews 13:9)
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen."
(II Peter 3:18)
Weekly Memory Verse
Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor."
(Ephesians 5:2)
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