Orange Moon Monday, September 22, 2025 “The Power and the Price”

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

"The Power and the Price"

     "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21).

    Upon reading this wondrous affirmation of enabling in the Lord Jesus Christ, born again believers readily arise to affirm "Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think."  However, we may be tempted to less certainty regarding "the power that worketh in us" (emphasis added).  Is God's enabling that near and active?  Or does it just work in Him and in others we perceive as more faithful and astute in spiritual matters?

    The answer actually lies in God's faithfulness and astuteness rather than our own.  His Word frequently declares the power of the Holy Spirit to be resident and abundantly active in all believers.  Indeed, if we could find the most fallen believer on the planet in this moment, one of the saddest aspects of his failure would be that our brother fell not only with no excuse, but with the risen life of Christ teeming within his spirit to enable faithfulness rather than failure.  Even more scandalous, the Lord Jesus suffered and died to make possible His presence within our spirits as the enabling Life of our lives.  "The power that worketh in us" came at a price more horrific than we will ever know.  The wrath of God worked in Christ on the cross, that the power of the Holy Spirit might work in our hearts and lives.  Thus, we must not "neglect so great salvation" that came to us by the price that made possible the power (Hebrews 2:3).

   "He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13:58).  The Lord Jesus' physical presence graced his home of Nazareth.   Tragically, His active presence did not - "because of their unbelief."  The Savior's spiritual presence now graces His home, that is, our hearts.  May it not be said of us that we hinder His active presence by failure to see and believe that our Lord has drawn nearer to us than our next breath.  His life - "the power that worketh in us" - teems within our spirits to enable "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think."  Whatever He would have us do, we can do - through "the power that worketh in us."  May our Lord illuminate, encourage, and challenge us to believe the truth of His enabling, and may it be said of us, "He did many mighty works there because of their belief."

"And 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)

Weekly Memory Verse  

   Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end."

 (Ephesians 3:20-21)

   

7588

 

Orange Moon Saturday, September 20, 2025 Pen and Ink Edition "His Masterpiece"

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

Pen and Ink Edition

"His Masterpiece"

     The Bible exists as the Holy Spirit's biographical masterpiece concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, the theme and subject of every letter, word, sentence, verse, chapter and book of Scripture.

   "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 1:21).  

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

   We open the Scriptures to be led by the Spirit to search for the Savior.  Regardless of whether we consider the nature of God, salvation, godliness, faith, faithfulness, history, prophecy, or any other subject, our quest must be Christ.  We will never understand the Bible - either Old Testament or New - apart from this determination. The Holy Spirit will not illuminate His sacred pages if we fail to seek the sacred Person His Book exalts and reveals.  "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" (Luke 24:27).

   Consider prayer.  The Bible includes many teachings regarding this wondrous gift of communion with God.  What, however, must we first know about prayer in light of the Holy Spirit's resolution to exalt the Lord Jesus regarding every Scriptural matter?

   "And it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples"… God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father" (Luke 11:1;  Galatians 4:6).

    The Lord Jesus exemplifed prayer to believers.  He educated believers about prayer.  He empowers prayer in the hearts of believers.  We either begin here regarding prayer, in the Christ who declares, "I am Alpha… the Beginning."  Or we do not begin at all.  We must "look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Revelation 1:8; Hebrews 12:2).  The Holy Spirit will not have it otherwise, and He will not illuminate the Scriptures if we fail to search for the Savior.  Regarding prayer and the wonder of fellowship with an infinite Being, it cannot be otherwise.  We either find truth, motivation, guidance, and enabling in the Lord Jesus, as revealed in the Bible inspired by the Holy Spirit, or we do not find it at all.  "Withtout Me, ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

   This truth applies to everything in our lives, as illuminated by the Spirit and the Scriptures.  The Bible exists as an intriguing marvel, namely, the biography of an everlasting Being who had no beginning, and will have no end (Hebrews 1:8).  As we join the Holy Spirit, in His love for Christ, recognizing Scripture as the sublime product of His determination to exalt and reveal the Savior, we will read, understand, interpret, and apply in His light.  "He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said" declared the Lord Jesus, who would also tell us, as the Spirit has inspired (John 7:38).  Let us then open the pages of the Holy Spirit's biographical masterpiece in the realization of their blessed purpose, the Scriptures that tell us of the Savior.

"Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you."

(John 16:13-14)

Weekly Memory Verse  

    What shall we say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?"

 (Romans 8:31)

   

7587

 

Orange Moon Friday, September 19, 2025 "Thou Knowest"

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

"Thou Knowest"

     "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for Me?" (Jeremiah 32:27).

    God's rhetorical question regarding His capabilities suggests a characteristic only He possesses, namely, perfect self-knowledge.  Our Lord knows who He is and what He can do, a wondrous awareness considering His infinite being and ability.  Conversely, created beings, dependent and finite in their being and doing, cannot begin to fully understand ourselves.  This reveals a vast gulf between the Creator and those who exist by His determination and power.  He knows Himself and ourselves perfectly.  We do not know Him or ourselves to any degree that approaches complete understanding.

   "His greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3).

   "O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off" (Psalm 139:1-2).

   "If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know" (I Corinthians 8:2)

   Our first response to this truth should result in a flight of faith to our Lord.  We flee to Him because knowledge and understanding are so vital to our existence as conscious beings.  "With all thy getting, get understanding" declared Solomon (Proverbs 4:7).  We seek to know as much as possible.  However, regardless of how much we discover about God and ourselves, we remain limited in our awareness.  The truth of the matter is that the more knowledge and understanding we find, the more it must direct us to trust in the only One who knows all.  The wise realize that the more one knows, the more one realizes he does not know.  Of far greater significance, however, the more we know, the more we realize that God knows.  He knows all about Himself, ourselves, His creation, and His active presence in all things.  "Too wonderful for me" confessed the Psalmist regarding his Lord's knowledge, the awed sensibility that keeps us in the proper frame of heart and mind, namely, humility and faith (Psalm 139:6).

   The more of God we know, the more we know that He knows.  The more we know of ourselves and of all others, the more we know that we do not know.  Thus, we "get understanding" primarily for the purpose of being made more aware of God's knowledge.  In a lifetime and eternity wherein we "live through Him" in dependent faith, this is exactly what we would expect as we realize who He is, who we are, and the wonder of…

"O Lord God, Thou knowest!"

(Ezekiel 37:3)

Weekly Memory Verse  

    What shall we say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?"

 (Romans 8:31)

   

7586