HEAVENLY INCLINED...: SATURDAY'S SOUNDNESS: HEADING TOWARDS JERUSALEM

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: HEADING TOWARDS JERUSALEM

CHRIST JESUS, HIS Disciples, and those following HIM, had left Galilee, and were headed towards Jerusalem. HE had called aside The Twelve, given them their instructions, advice, and encouragement...

MATTHEW 20: 17: 19...
17/ As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve (disciples) aside by themselves, and said to them on the way,
18/ "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death,
19/ and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."

Cf Mark 10:32-34. This is the third and the most detailed of the passion predictions (Matthew 16:21-23; 17:22-23). It speaks of Jesus' being "handed over to the Gentiles" (Matthew 27:2), his being "mocked" (Matthew 27:27-30), "scourged" (Matthew 27:26), and "crucified" (Matthew 27:31, 35). In all but the last of these points Matthew agrees with his Marcan source, but whereas Mark speaks of Jesus' being killed (Mark 10:34), Matthew has the specific "to be . . . crucified."

Jesus now travels towards Jerusalem for the last time (Mt 20:17; Mk 10:32; Lk 18:31). Passing through Jericho he heals one (or two) blind men (Mt 20:29; Mk 10:46; Lk 18:35) and converts Zacchaeus the tax collector (Lk 19:1).
Reaching Bethany (Jn 12:1) the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, Jesus is anointed by Mary either now (Jn 12:2), or later (Mt 26:6; Mk 14:3) after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Mt 21:1; Mk 11:1; Lk 19:29; Jn 12:12)
During the Easter week, Jesus returns to Jerusalem each day after staying overnight in Bethany on the Mount of Olives (Mt 21:17-18; Mk 11:11-12;19; Lk 21:37).

One can only imagine what is going through HIS mind, but LOVE led HIM on...

As we enter into this HOLY WEEK, let us be reminded of HIS LOVE for us, and HIS COMMANDMENTS of LOVE, that we begin to understand WHY LOVE IS THE LAW, and HOW we can apply HIS LOVE to our lives, FOR the GOOD of others. NO GREATER LOVE EXISTS than that of THE LORD, and while it seems HIGHER than our reach, we better reach for it, because to LIVE IN HIS LOVE, IS the condition of GRACE, and MERCY, and TRUE LIFE...

CHRIST teaches us, and SHOWS us the depths of LOVE:
JOHN 15: 13...
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.

HE is speaking of OUR role IN HIM; of embracing the fact of laying down the flesh, and stepping into the spirit, for IN HIM, we are dead TO the world, and ALIVE IN HIM! Then, because we LOVE HIM, we FOLLOW HIM, by becoming as much like HIM as is feasible, for we ARE to become the salt of the Earth, and as reflections OF HIM! In order to accomplish our role, we have to FIRST, LOVE HIM, then others, and STUDY HIM, fully, to gain knowledge, and understanding of HIS WILL, and WAYS!!!

LOVE as HE depicts, is charged with MANY duties, and MANY *GOD* aligned behaviours! It is NOT easy for Mankind to LOVE as HE has COMMANDED, therefore, effort ensues; study, embracing, and utilizing HIS instructions for our lives, that lead us, TO HIM, and TRUE LIFE...

It is NOT easy, also, because the world rejects the kind of LOVE HE has bid us to exist, and grow in! But, that is part, and parcel TO BEING OF HIM! Thus, HE teaches us KEEP our minds on that ABOVE, NOT on matters of the world, THAT we are NOT drawn into the world's scoffing, mockery, disbelief, and rejection of LOVE, thus HIM, and HIS own...

Let us be MOVED like a mountain FOR HIM, and HIS LOVE, in this HOLY time! Let us EXPERIENCE HIM IN HIS SACRIFICE! Let us BEGIN ANEW, in this time IN the understanding of HIM, HIS WILL, and WAYS! Let us HONOUR HIM, BY stepping into the spirit, and leaving what has condemned us behind; yes, let us STEP UP TO HIM, where we belong!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013
BIBLICAL, and/or, other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS