HEAVENLY INCLINED...: SATURDAY'S SOUNDNESS: TAKE UP YOUR CROSS...

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...

SATURDAY'S SOUNDNESS: TAKE UP YOUR CROSS...

CHRIST, our LORD, and, SAVIOUR, our DELIVERER, and, our ROCK, bore the weight of our inequities, in ways we can only imagine, being ridiculed, tortured, lashed, and, nailed to suffer an agonizing death, ALL BECAUSE HE LOVES US! We can never hope to repay HIM, but, as HE has said, "Whoever LOVES me, will KEEP my COMMANDMENTS!" This is a powerful message of our role in the most beautiful GIFT, and, COVENANT, ever known to CREATION! HIS COMMANDMENTS are premised upon LOVE, which then, KEEP us in a state of goodness, worthy of HIS calling, and, claim on us! We are to LOVE THE FATHER/HIM, and, one another! You see, LOVE is alive THROUGH what is wholesome, and, good, becoming MORE powerful with each righteous act in the whole! *GOD* IS LOVE, LOVE is therefore, PURE, and, VOID of DEFILEMENT of ANY sort, which means, ALL within LOVE, not only AIM to ADD to the wholesome state, but, to embrace, and, enjoy that state! Those who exist in LOVE, are WILLING to succumb TO it's advantageous benevolence! It is written that when we proclaim CHRIST, as our LORD, and, SAVIOUR, through baptism, we have died WITH HIM, to the world, and, have become ALIVE WITH HIM, in spirit, thus, to EVIDENCE this SUPERNATURALLY DIVINE state, we ARE to BECOME as is HE, HOLY, and, ever improving the spirit!!!

We can NEVER repay HIM, but, we CAN HONOUR HIM, body, mind, and, spirit, BY adhering to, and, conforming to, the conduct according to HIS WILL! We CAN REFLECT HIM, in the best of our heartfelt intentions, BY becoming as is outlined for us, void of the egocentricity which, rebels against the fact of what IS wholesome, right, and, good!!!

We should STUDY *GOD*/CHRIST deliberately; taking in the available insights into HIS Magnificent being! We should KNOW what HE expects of us, with understanding, that, we ARE able to act in ways, pleasing, and, HONOURABLE to HIM, which in turn, inspires others, as they notice something unique about our ways! We have the power to inadvertently, at all times, guide others TO HIM, THROUGH HIM in us! It would seem, that as our LORD CHRIST, we are to BE THE GOSPEL ALIVE, in letter, and, deed, to share life with others!!!

It is NOT about guilt, as in the PURITY of LOVE, there is no guilt: instead, it is about INTELLIGENCE, the intelligence of understanding THAT HIS WILL is THE MOST BENEFICIAL state to exist in, NOW, and, forever!!!

It is NOT a state of yet, living in the flesh, being defiled by our own desires; it IS a state of controlling, and, overcoming those desires which, have the ability to overtake us, thus, the spirit! It is a state of REALIZING that the spirits NEEDS are more lofty, than those of the flesh, and, are NOT as readily obtained, for they HAVE to become ingrained, and, intrinsic TO HIM, through our hearts, minds, and, intentions! Years ago, I would have been confused, even scoffing at what I believe today, BECAUSE I WAS misinformed, and, without understanding, but, today, it MAKES SENSE that IF I am OF *GOD*, I SHOULD BE *GODLY* in thought, action, and, reaction! And yes, I KNOW, and, for sure, HE KNOWS, I am NOT going to fulfill this quest to any remarkable degree, yet, that, IN my heart, and, my consciousness, I KNOW THE TRUTH, and, STRIVE to BE THAT TRUTH, accounts for HIS pleasure in me! The MORE I exist in LOVE, the more I am reflecting HIM, and, gathering from that LOVE!!!

MATTHEW 16: 24-28...

24/ Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

25/ For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

26/ What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?

27/ For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.

28/ Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

Deny himself: to deny someone is to disown him (see Matthew 10:33; 26:34-35) and to deny oneself is to disown oneself as the center of one's existence.

KEEP discovering THE WORD, THE WAY, THE LIGHT, THE BREADTH, HEIGHT, and, FULL MEASURE OF LOVE, and, you will be as worthy branches in THE VINE, TRUE DISCIPLES of THE LORD, our *GOD*!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2012