HEAVENLY INCLINED...: NEVER LOSE HOPE!!!

Thanksgiving for the LORD's Favor

Psalms 138 (A Psalm of David)
1/ I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2/ I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
3/ In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
4/ All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
5/ Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
6/ Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
7/ Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8/ The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me:
thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands... AMEN!!!

One CANNOT earn GRACE, it is HIS own ESSENCE; a gift, still, IF one claims to be IN HIS GRACE, we ARE to, or, OUGHT to, be reflections of that GRACE! 2 CORINTHIANS 6:1, tells us not to take HIS GRACE in vain! This means, living in LOVE, morality, ethics, virtue, righteousness, and, spiritual improvement, TOWARDS, spiritual maturity, WHILE, visibly BEING as LIGHTS, beaming OF *GOD*, beckoning the world, TO THE LIGHT! Righteousness MEANS, conduct in conformity with *GOD'S* WILL, and, "Be HOLY because I AM HOLY!", therefore, indicating that knowledge, wisdom, and, effort, DO, apply TO the righteous!!! NEVER forget, we were grafted in, and, if we do not bear fruit, as a dead branch, we will be pruned out, just as were, the natural branches!!!

We are not saved by works, instead, works PROVE HIM in us: they identify HIS own...

IF I claim ONENESS with *GOD*, through CHRIST JESUS, I am DEAD TO THE WORLD, THUS, LIVING as HIM, which is, hopefully, witnessed IN, and, THROUGH, my every thought, action, and, reaction; MEANING, I am, THROUGH CONSCIOUS application OF THE WORD, HIS COMMANDS, HIS WILL, REFLECTING righteousness, not, merely, FAITH! I become, the TRULY FRUITFUL branch, of THE VINE, the TRUE member of THE BODY/THE CHURCH, CHRIST JESUS, and, TESTIFY, then, GLORIFY, BOLDLY, BY my thoughts, actions, and, reactions, HIS name, because, HE IS WORTHY, and, IN HIS LOVE, has SHOWN me, how I OUGHT to exist, to which, I eagerly, adapt, and, comply!!!

MATTHEW 5:48...
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect

1 PETER 1:14-16...
14/ Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance
15/ but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct,
16/ for it is written, "Be holy because I (am) holy."

ROMANS 12:2...
Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.

Conduct, in conformity to *GOD'S* WILL, marks the righteous; it is NOT because of guilt, or, ancient Laws, but, because of LOVE; LOVE for *GOD*, self, then, others! CHRIST JESUS gave us Commandments to live by, of which, the first is to LOVE *GOD*, with all of your mind, heart, and, soul; the second is, to LOVE one another!

LOVE COMPELS us to LIVE IN HIM, through conduct which conforms to *GOD*; in other words, morality, ethics, doing good, and, being good, and, ever striving to improve the spirit! It is about REFLECTING THE TRUTH, for ALL to bear witness to, FOR, and, TO HIS GLORY, RADIANTLY SHINING OF HIS POWER, GRACE, and, MERCIES!!!

It IS ALL ABOUT LOVE, baby, all about LOVE!!!

MATTHEW 4: 17...From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

JOHN 14:15..."If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

NOTE: I do not intend to preach, rather to reach; to stir up, awaken, to inspire, and, bring forth, in discussion, that which is, perhaps, dormantly existing in the heart of hearts, thus, little, or, no, sugar coatings, just THE WORD of *GOD*, the TRUTH, along with some of my thoughts. And truth is, I am reminding myself always, as I practice these reminders, in the best of my abilities, and capacities, while RELYING on THE LORD to lead me on that narrow PATH---> MATTHEW 7: 14: "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it... TO *GOD* BE ALL GLORY...

NEVER LOSE HOPE!!!

Romans 8:25...
But if we hope for what is still unseen by us, we wait for it with patience and composure...

HOPE is the foundation on which we stand, it is an intrinsic component to FAITH! FAITH is belief of things unseen, a TRUST in fulfillment of promises, therefore, we exist in HOPE of these things, and, events!!!

A person, be they of the Clergy, or, as a believer/seeker/follower, whom has lost HOPE has lost their way to *GOD*, which might, or, might not, be reconciled! FAITHFUL HOPE is the KEY to *GOD*; to a relationship with HIM, as, in FAITHFUL HOPE, there has been a surrender unto HIM, which opens up to HIS WILL for your life, as well as to the unleashing of HIS gifts/tools/resources!!!

HOPELESSNESS is a dire state of existence for anyone, let alone for those seeking *GOD*! Such a state is of the deceiver, and, consequently, of deception, because, there is ALWAYS HOPE, IF you allow it to become a part of your heart of hearts, that heart of the mind, the egocentric self! I write LOTS about the egocentric self, as, this is the centered aspect of the being in which the evil of life infiltrates, which happens because we are weakened by the chatter of this part of the mind, as, it never relents in trying to convince us of things which ARE far removed from the reality of existence, AND, it IS the part of the being which IS under the influence of FREE WILL, which, consequently, creates rebellion, disdain, and, other negatives TOWARD living in the prescribed reality; *GOD*!!!

HOPE is that which, coupled with FAITH, allows me to believe that in the end, I will come home to *GOD*! HOPE is that which keeps me on that straight, and, narrow path to righteousness, that I HAVE attempted to align to HIM, in my HOPE of coming home to HIM! HOPE is the driving factor of my intentions, and, actions, as, HOPE compels me to live as HE would have me to life, AT LEAST, in the BEST of MY abilities! HOPE is the EVIDENCE of the FAITH I have in HIM, and, HIS promises for my life! HOPE is the foundation on which I BUILD up the spirit in HIS likeness, again, AT LEAST, in the best of my abilities! HOPE is what keeps me seeking, striving, and, growing, as, without HOPE, what is there???

I have been HOPELESS before, it is the most confounding, constricting, and, controlling state to exist in, because there is NOTHING to believe in! What a waste of existence! Still, this is exactly as the evil deceiver would have it; but, know what? He, generally, loses that grip on most people, because they discover that they CANNOT exist without HOPE for long!!! Proverbs 13:12...Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life...

Life is soooooooooooo short, we must make the most of it while we can! We NEED HOPE more than anything, it is a precious, and, imminent supplier, granting us encouragement, support, courage, and, endurance, to name a few! For those of you whom have been devout, and, are losing HOPE, nip that in the bud! Your soul is at risk, and, this might indicate that you are trying to live both in devotion, and, of the world, which is NEVER going to work, as, you cannot have it both ways! When you lose HOPE, come to *GOD* all the more so, and, plead with HIM to help you to retain your HOPE, else, you will become lost in the snares of the deception of that egocentric mind, which is the worst way to exist, and, far removed from *GOD*, your ONLY HOPE in the end!!!

HOPE is also that which we must share freely with one another! One person can provide HOPE for many, never forget this! We have many gifts to share, but, HOPE is imperative to the lives of all!!!

I LOVE YOU, *GOD* BLESS, and, be with us all; PEACE!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2010
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*except for BIBLICAL, and/or, other references*