HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THE LORD DOES NOT PROMISE US THE WORLD, HE PROMISES MORE, MUCH MORE!!!

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...

THE LORD DOES NOT PROMISE US THE WORLD, HE PROMISES MORE, MUCH MORE!!!

*GOD* does not promise us the world, HE promises THE KINGDOM...

Affliction, and, infirmities are the evil one's hold on us, and he, cunningly, WILL promise us the world, but beware, for the world WILL be a ball of fire, come THE KINGDOM...

*GOD* DOES tell us that IF we turn to HIM, with our WHOLE being, HE will add to us, though, to what extent, is part, and, parcel with HIS WILL! We are NOT to live FOR the world, instead, to seek THE KINGDOM, in which case, because our RELIANCE is TOTALLY on HIM, HE WILL provide exceeding for our lives...

HE does not promise us a rose garden, HE GAVE us a garden of perfection, long ago, which, we neglected, in order to appease our own desires, because we ignored HIM, and listened to the devious chatter of the enemy...

HIS LOVE has forgiven those who seek HIM, all others will be like stubble, and, cease to exist, thus, today IS the day for recognizing the vast difference between the false promises of one who does NOT have our best interests in mind, instead, our imprisonment to that which, is diminishing day, by day, and, the FAITHFUL promises of THE LORD, our *GOD*...

*GOD* has LOVED us with an everlasting LOVE, thus, HE gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, and, the ONLY thing that can separate us from HIS LOVE, is wrong choices! Again, HE tells us there is HOPE for our future, but, this HOPE is premised upon our choice to LOVE, fear, and obey HIM, with FAITH, and, fidelity, or, choose what is of this world...

One day, we have to reckon with HIM, one day, after putting HIM in the far corners of our being, we will cry out to HIM, and, HE will say, "I knew you not", in which case, there will be no one to blame, but ourselves! THE TRUTH IS visible, obtainable, and, within our grasp, therefore, be wise, and choose what is EVERLASTING, not what is empty, and, ever passing away...

No, HE did NOT promise us the world, HE promised us MORE, MUCH MORE! This world, and, it's enticements, multiplied by millions, could NOT hold a flicker to the GLORY of what IS to come! PRAISE, and, WORSHIP HIM, for HE, ALONE, HOLDS LIFE, abundantly, for those who choose it!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2012