HEAVENLY INCLINED...: MY LIFE IS HIDDEN WITH CHRIST, IN *GOD*!!!

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...

MY LIFE IS HIDDEN WITH CHRIST, IN GOD!!!

One of the biggest errs of humanity, is, believing that this life is YOURS to live as YOU choose! This LEADS us right into the snares of the evil one, and, takes us AWAY from *GOD*! Because you were given FREE WILL, you imagine it, to mean, you are free to live as you wish, which IS, PARTLY true, IF you are not yet, aligned to *GOD*, but, IF you have given yourself to *GOD*, in the name of CHRIST JESUS, your life belongs to *GOD*, which, INCIDENTALLY, ALWAYS HAS, even before the foundations of existence were placed...

There is MUCH Scripture, indicative of the FACT, that we are to live IN, and, FOR, *GOD*/CHRIST, let us first look at COLOSSIANS 3:1-10...
1/ If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
2/ Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
3/ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4/ When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.
5/ Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.
6/ Because of these the wrath of God is coming (upon the disobedient).
7/ By these you too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way.
8/ But now you must put them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths.
9/ Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices
10/ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator.

EACH day IS a GIFT from *GOD*, and so, HE MUST be HONOURED, REVERED, PRAISED, THANKED, EXALTED, and, GLORIFIED, BY US, and, THROUGH US! It IS HOW it IS intended to be!!!

We ARE to LIVE as EXAMPLES of HIM, by BEING SHINING IMAGES for ALL to see! In doing so, those outside of *GOD* SEE HIM, THROUGH you, for HIS own reasons! YOUR life has been HIDDEN IN CHRIST, which would indicate, that NOW, you are to walk as would HE! Take a look at COLOSSIANS 3:12-17...
12/ Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
13/ bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
14/ And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.
15/ And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.
16/ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
17/ And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

"And WHATEVER you DO, IN word, or, in deed, do EVERYTHING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS TO *GOD* THE FATHER, THROUGH HIM"!!! VERY IMPERATIVE VERSE is this!!!

PHILIPPIANS 2:14-16...
14/ Do everything without grumbling or questioning,
15/ that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world,
16/ as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Look, we were GIVEN a most BLESSED GIFT, CHRIST, and, when we were BAPTIZED INTO HIM, we DIED with HIM, LEAVING FORMER SELVES, and, SIN, behind! This MEANS, we ARE to LIVE as LIGHTS IN THE WORLD, REFLECTING HIM IN ALL OF OUR THOUGHTS, ACTIONS, and, REACTIONS, PRAISING, UPLIFTING, EXALTING, and, HONOURING HIM, VOID of complaint, grumbling, or, questioning; just BEING CHRISTLIKE for all the world to see, and, hear, that HIS name IS prevalent OVER the elemental powers, and, authorities of this world!!!

HOW do we do this???

We LIVE IN THE WORD, IN HIS COMMANDS, and, spend our time LIVING IN LOVE, PEACE, and, PRAISE of *GOD*! It IS a PROCESS, which requires DILIGENCE, and, DELIBERATION, TO BECOMING AS the WORD, THAT, we ARE, INDEED, LIGHTS of the world! It is written, 1 JOHN 2:3-6...
3/ The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments.
4/ Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5/ But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:
6/ whoever claims to abide in him ought to live (just) as he lived.

We OUGHT TO LIVE JUST AS HE LIVED!!!

This is ONLY done BY KEEPING IN THE WORD, and, PRACTICING THE WORD, AS EVIDENCE of HIM, THROUGH US! LEARN THE WORD, CONSTANTLY, and, DELIBERATELY, that it BECOMES WHOM YOU ARE, and, HE IS BEING GLORIFIED THROUGH YOUR THOUGHTS, AND, DEEDS, CONSISTENTLY, so that, NO ONE, could possibly, QUESTION HIM, based on what HE HAS DONE WITH YOU!!!

It is NOT difficult to LIVE IN *GOD*, and, for sure, if you are NOT LIVING IN *GOD*, while claiming to be, your GIFT in CHRIST is in vain!!!

LOVE, PRAISE, THANKS, CHARITY, PATIENCE, TOLERANCE, COMPASSION, KINDNESS, PRAYER, SUPPLICATION, FAITH, FAITHFULNESS, REPENTANCE, FEAR OF *GOD*, and, ALL THINGS GOOD, SHOULD BE DEVELOPED INTO THE CHARACTER, that we are NOT LIVING IN THE NATURAL SELF, which is tainted with sin, BUT, IN THE SPIRITUAL SELF, which is, BLESSED BY *GOD*, THROUGH CHRIST! To LIVE in this state, takes WORK, which is why it is written that, SURELY, we CAN ENDURE the PRESENT SUFFERINGS, to RECEIVE our GLORIOUS INHERITANCE!!!

PUT *GOD* FIRST in your MIND, BODY, and, SPIRIT; wake with PRAISE, and, THANKS, and, PRAISE, and, THANK, ALL the day long! PRAY, WORSHIP, and, GLORIFY *GOD*, THROUGH YOUR THOUGHTS, ACTIONS, and, REACTIONS, as you WALK IN LOVE, and, PEACE, and, FAITH, GIVING to the world, THE EXAMPLE OF *GOD*, NEVER relenting, never tiring, never faltering, while, ALWAYS developing, or, PERFECTING the spirit to as much LIKENESS to CHRIST, as is, humanly feasible, and, ALWAYS PROCLAIMING HIS name, through ALL means available! Let HIM be the FIRST thought, AND, the LAST thought, of each, and, every day, and, HE WILL GUIDE YOU TO BECOMING PERFECTED, allowing you, greater EASE of BEING an EXAMPLE FOR HIM, plus, HE WILL ADD TO YOUR LIFE, BOUNTIES, and, BLESSINGS according to HIS WILL, and, your needs! HE WILL REWARD you for your efforts, in the now, but, especially, in the hereafter! PRAISE *GOD* FOR HIS MOST GENIUS PLAN to salvage HIS people from the dangers of the world, the evil within!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2011
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