Orange Moon Monday, March 31, 2025 "A Man and His Murderer"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

"A Man and His Murderer"       

     

    

   The Apostle Paul commanded the believers of his day to pray for the man who would one day put him to death.

    "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (I Timothy 2:1-2).

   Of course, Paul did not know that Nero, as a member of "all that are in authority," would one day have him executed.  He did know the possibility existed and that the Lord Jesus Christ calls His people to "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).  He also knew the love of Christ dwelled within his heart to enable such grace (Romans 5:5).  Paul knew the command and He knew the Christ that makes conformity to the command possible.  "God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (II Corinthians 9:8).  

    Obedience to God requires awareness of His will, and then the access of His motivation, guidance, and power to obey.  It would be a cruel injustice if our Heavenly Father called us to the life He commands apart from the enabling He supplies.  Indeed, in the very moment of our new birth, the entrance of the indwelling Holy Spirit into our hearts brings with it "all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (II Peter 1:3).  We may or may not avail ourselves of such grace as we face the temptations and challenges of life in a fallen world.  However, we must establish as a conviction of faith that the power to obey entered our hearts as God's gift of grace in Christ no less than pardon for sin and assurance of eternity with Him - "all things that pertain unto life and godliness."

    By the enabling of such grace, Paul could pray for an enemy who would one day put him to death.  He followed His Lord by His Lord dwelling within him to make such a step of obedience possible.  We may wonder what Paul thought as the Holy Spirit inspired the words to Timothy.  "Pray for all men?"  Paul may or may not have thought about Nero in the moment.  We can be sure, however, that before the emperor had Paul killed, the apostle interceded for Nero at the throne of grace. Paul prayed for Nero through the Savior's guiding, motivating, and empowering presence.  "Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).  Only thereby could such intercession for an enemy arise in Paul's heart unto God.

   It is a wonderful thing to pray for family, fellow believers, friends, colleagues, and others with whom we have good relations.  It is a thing of wonder, however, to pray for enemies.  The Lord Jesus did so while hanging upon His cross - "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).  His Spirit now dwells within our hearts, empowering in us His devotion to God and people.  All obedience to our Heavenly Father's commands flows with this current of Christ moving within us.  Our calling involves the response of faith and submission, and then resultant thoughts, words, attitudes, deeds, sacrifices, and prayers that would never never occur apart from "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).  Long ago, such grace enabled a man to pray for one who would become his murderer.  That man would tell us, as all his writings affirm, "Through Christ.  Only through Christ."

"By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

(I Corinthians 15:10)

Weekly Memory Verse

    I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."

 (I Timothy 2:1-2).

  

7436

 

Orange Moon Saturday, March 29, 2025 "This Day"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

"This Day"       

     

    

   "His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:3-4).

    Our Savior is "the Son of God with power" regarding God's "eternal purpose" (Ephesians 3:11).  He is the same regarding the temporal matters that face us in this day…

    "That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee" (Proverbs 22:19).

    Born again believers in the Lord Jesus live every day and moment in the light that shines from the empty tomb.  Our Heavenly Father ever works to make known to us "this day" wherein the greatest truth of our existence remains true, as it always will.  Indeed, the resurrection of Christ applies to every matter of life, many in which we experience its power in ways we cannot see.  Others, however, require our applied faith and submission to "the Spirit of holiness" who beckons us to believe that we live from the triumph of a sad and dark hold that became the scene of the most sublime glory.  Indeed, a day that may be full of trials and troubles is also a day when a tomb just outside Jerusalem remains empty.  So long as this is true, believers live from victory rather than for it.  "God always causeth us to triumph in Christ" (II Corinthians 2:14).

   We do well to remember that the absolute worst thing that ever occurred in history became for us the best thing.  The innocent Lord Jesus died, providing atonement for our sins and rescue from eternal condemnation.  The worst thing also served as prelude to the resurrection that forever bears witness that nothing of jeopardy or danger can occur in God's creation beyond His ability to gloriously overcome.  Torture and murder His Son?  Prepare for a greater revelation of His glory that occurred because the Lord Jesus suffered and died.  Yes, the worst thing became the best thing in this most ultimate of God's purpose and working.  All other matters, regardless of their severity and impact, can and must be known as far less a challenge for our Lord to reveal His glorious triumph.  "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us" (Romans 8:37).

   This day glistens with the light shining from the great scene of our Lord's triumph.  We must view the glory by faith, but it shines no less brightly because we presently see with the heart rather than the eye.  Neither our Lord's cross or tomb are occupied.  He is no longer the One "crucified through weakness" (II Corinthians 13:4).  No, the Lord Jesus is "the Son of God with power," and He is so in this day regarding every matter of our lives.

Sometimes it seems that the enemy of our soul wins

over and over and over and over again.

But if we could see the truth much more clearly, my friend,

we'd see Christ triumph over death, hell, and sin

over and over and over and over again.

The tomb is empty, the Throne above occupied.

For Christ is risen again, from death glorified.

Oh remember when hot, stinging tears fill your eyes,

the triumph He's shown so many times in our lives,

Over and over and over and over again.

Forever draws nigh, we will be with Him there soon, my friend.

The trials of this life will be gone when we're with Him in Heaven.

Great glories we'll see, majesty without end,

that sing the glad truth, Christ is risen again,

Over and over and over and over again.

"And though they found no cause of death in Him, yet desired they Pilate that He should be slain.  And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree, and laid Him in a sepulchre.  But God raised Him from the dead."

(Acts 13:28-30)

Weekly Memory Verse

   When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

(Psalm 27:8)

  

7435

 

Orange Moon Friday, March 28, 2025 "This"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe

"This"       

     

    

   The great quest and question of our life is "Who?"

    This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

   What, why, how, where, and when matter much.  But not as much as "Who?"  We exist to live in the truest definition of the term, the deepest and most vibrant mode and measure.  In the declaration above, the Lord Jesus pares down the essence of such life to His Father and Himself  (as revealed by the Holy Spirit - I Corinthians 2:11).  "This is life eternal" He declares.

   "He is thy life" (Deuteronomy 30:20).

   "Christ is our life" (Colossians 3:4).  

   "To live is Christ" (Philippians 1:21).

    We do many things as the expression of life.  Only one thing constitutes its essence, however, that is, the reality of God and our response to Him.  We are either existing and waiting to die (while making the most we can of such limited experience).  Or we are living - through Christ - and waiting to be glorified in His direct presence (I John 3:2).   The life of God dwelling within us and our knowledge by faith of this "hope of glory" constitutes life as having forever existed in God, and now resident within us through the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit (Colossians 1:27).  No middle ground exists between these two pathways of experiencing our existence.   Only "This" is life in our hearts made for the presence of God, and saved from being "alienated from the life of God" through faith in the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 4:18).

   "God giveth us richly all things to enjoy" (I Timothy 6:17).  He gives only Himself, however, as the Life of our lives.  Nothing else can serve as "This."  Our knowledge and experience of such a gift may be limited in our present lives.  Our conviction, however, can and must be planted and nurtured deeply within our hearts by faith.  God declares Himself as the I AM of life.  Scripture affirms "He IS."  We must respond with our personal "YOU ARE" of our being and existence.   "This" is life.  He is life.  The Holy Spirit ever works in us to lead us to "This," the only reality whereby we can view ourselves as genuinely and vibrantly alive.

You are the life, the  Life of my life, 

the joy of my spirit. 

A Voice speaks by Your Word. 

I more and more hear it.

To live is Christ, it says, nothing else is.

I kneel to draw near it,

To hear and respond, in the truth of Your light,

the grace of Your Spirit…

You are the Life, the Life of my life.

 "Jesus saith unto Him, I am… the life."

(John 14:6)

"I cried unto thee, o Lord I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living."

(Psalm 142:5)

Weekly Memory Verse

   When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

(Psalm 27:8)

  

7434