HEAVENLY INCLINED...: "COME, FOLLOW ME!"

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...

"COME, FOLLOW ME!"

And, CHRIST, our LORD, JESUS, said, "Come, follow me!"

HE spoke not only to HIS Disciples, but, to the world, telling us to take up HIS yoke, which, is easy, and, the burden light (MATTHEW 11:30). This is an invitation to becoming ONE with HIM, THE *GODHEAD*, existing IN HIS COMMANDS (1 JOHN 5:3), which, are NOT burdensome, but, eternally, beneficial! In taking up the yoke/cross of CHRIST JESUS, we die to the world, just as did HE, and, become renewed BY the HOLY SPIRIT, meaning, we are to LEAVE the world, and, it's throes, behind, WHILE, focusing UPON PLEASING *GOD*! We are to BECOME as CHRIST, existing IN HIS likeness, TO the best of our abilities, which, the more we apply to becoming like HIM, the more enabling we receive from THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!

CHRIST was a MASTER, we are HIS servants/slaves, FOR, and, TO, THE GLORY OF *GOD*! IF it seems to be burdensome to FOLLOW in HIS footsteps, and, comply WITH HIS WAYS, then, the truth of our existence, has been revealed! On the other hand, those who ARE ONE with HIM, find it easy, even pleasurable, to IMPROVE their beings, along with their state of life, FOR the sake of HIS COMMANDS, and, HIS GLORY!!!

CHRIST said, "Follow me, for I am THE TRUTH, THE WAY, THE LIGHT of the world!", meaning, HE, ALONE, IS THE LIGHT, shining OVER the darkness of deception, and, ONLY, THROUGH HIM, because of our fleshy nature, IS THE WAY TO *GOD*; *GOD* IS LIFE, and, there IS NO other way TO LIFE:
JOHN 14...
1/ "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
2/ In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
3/ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.
4/ Where (I) am going you know the way."
5/ Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?"
6/ Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7/ If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
8/ Philip said to him, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."
9/ Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
10/ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
11/ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.
12/ Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.
13/ And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14/ If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.
15/ "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
16/ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
17/ the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you.
18/ I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
19/ In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
20/ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you.21/ Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him."
22/ Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, "Master, (then) what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?"
23/ Jesus answered and said to him, "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
24/ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.
25/ "I have told you this while I am with you.
26/ The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name--he will teach you everything and remind you of all that (I) told you.
27/ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
28/ You heard me tell you, 'I am going away and I will come back to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.
29/ And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe.
30/ I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me,
31/ but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me. Get up, let us go.

The TRUTH of taking up the yoke/cross of CHRIST JESUS, lies in this verse; 12/ Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.

PRAISE *GOD* for HIS GENIUS plan! Thank YOU CHRIST JESUS, for YOUR LIGHT, YOUR WAY, and, for sharing THE TRUTH with this troubled world, and, for YOUR MOST AMAZING proof of YOUR LOVE for us, in the torturous SACRIFICE YOU endured, that we might find life! PRAISE YOUR name, ALL in existence, now, and, forevermore, and, let us, also, shine in YOUR reflection, with the boldness of confidence IN YOUR name! AMEN!!!

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