HEAVENLY INCLINED...: RUN A GOOD RACE...

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...

RUN A GOOD RACE...

Don't play for safety. It's the most dangerous thing in the world.
~ Hugh Walpole~

PHILIPPIANS 3:12-21...
12/ It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ (Jesus).
13/ Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead,
14/ I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God's upward calling, in Christ Jesus.
15/ Let us, then, who are "perfectly mature" adopt this attitude. And if you have a different attitude, this too God will reveal to you.
16/ Only, with regard to what we have attained, continue on the same course.
17/ Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us.
18/ For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19/ Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their "shame." Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
20/ But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
21/ He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.

EVER to improve the spirit, out of LOVE, respect, regard, and, honour for the LORD, our *GOD*, IS the goal of the race against time, conditions, elemental rulers, and, powers of this world, along with it's deceptive authorities, SO that, come that DAY of RECKONING, our EFFORT, and, DELIBERATE steadfastness IN THE WORD, finds favour in the eyes, and, SPIRIT of *GOD*!!!

MANY believe that they are already perfected, and so, do NOT feel the need to further improve upon what they THINK they understand, or, know! These are the people we MOST need to reach, but, alas, they are as hard as rocks to penetrate, but, that doesn't mean it is impossible!!!

There will come a time, when, we WILL be put to the test; in these times we SHOULD, already, be girded in the FULL ARMOR of *GOD*, but, many will not be, because, they did NOT dive INTO THE WORD, LEARN it, UNDERSTAND it, EMBRACE it, and, UTILIZE it. They don't understand that there is going to be a GREAT war between *GOD*, and, evil, and, that evil is going to capture many supposedly, devout souls! We are to LEARN, then, HONE our FAITH, and, FAITHFULNESS, to the point of it, being as a MIGHTY SHIELD, against the final, highly wicked devices of the evil one, and, his followers! This can ONLY happen, when we are DILIGENTLY INVOLVED IN OUR SALVATION!!!

Take NOTHING for granted, ESPECIALLY, your salvation! IF you have NOT turned to *GOD*, FULLY, and, therefore, have NOT LEARNED the rules of engagement, you ARE at risk! That old serpent is BENT on stealing souls; ESPECIALLY those bound to CHRIST, and, come those days BEFORE JUDGEMENT, he is going to TOY with us in ways that, IF FAITH and, OBEDIENCE, are NOT HONED soundly, and, near to perfection, he will be, victorious. READ THE WORD, ALL OF IT, and, you will discover, what is to come!!!

Life IS APOCALYPTIC people, BECAUSE, we KNOW NOT when our days are through! THEREFORE, THIS TIME IS THE ONLY TIME we HAVE to prepare for what lies ahead, and, to perfect our spirits in the maturity of CHRIST! DON'T take this time for granted, we waste too much of it, as it is! GET INTO THE WORD, and, HONE your BEINGS into being ABLE to resist all which is away from *GOD*!!!

PHILIPPIANS 1:27-29...
27/ Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear news of you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind struggling together for the faith of the gospel,
28/ not intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is proof to them of destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God's doing.
29/ For to you has been granted, for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him.

NOTICE it says, in verse 29, for the sake of CHRIST, not ONLY to believe in HIM, but, also, to suffer FOR HIM!!!

PHILIPPIANS 2:3-8...
3/ Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
4/ each looking out not for his own interests, but (also) everyone for those of others.
5/ Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus,
6/ Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
7/ Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance,
8/ he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.

PHILIPPIANS 2:12...
12/ So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

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.

I recommend reading EPHESIANS in it's entirety, also! May *GOD* BE with, and, BLESS us ALL! Thank YOU CHRIST JESUS, for YOUR LOVE, and, THE WAY TO *GOD*!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2012
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS