HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THE LORD'S OWN: A GOOD & FAITHFUL SERVANT...

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'S OWN: A GOOD & FAITHFUL SERVANT...

Being one of THE LORD *GOD'S* people is a STEWARDSHIP which entails great responsibility! HIS BLESSINGS were NEVER given to Mankind to be used for selfish purposes! *GOD* BLESSES HIS own, that they may become a BLESSING for others! MANY people misinterpret, and misuse HIS BLESSINGS, HIS having Chosen them, then, use the privileges therein, as something they OWN, instead of THE GIFT it is; a gift which has responsibility, FIRST to LOVE, then to wholesomeness, goodness, righteousness, and justness! THE LORD GIVETH, and THE LORD TAKETH AWAY! One mustn't forget this; ALL IS WITHIN HIS DISCRETION, according TO HIS WILL!!!

THE PATH is NARROW, and the gate is SMALL to LIFE, and few will find it! MATTHEW 7: 14...
And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. ISAIAH 35: 8...

Humanity defeats THEMSELVES in their PRIDE, and ARROGANCE! We DON'T want to be told that there IS responsibility TO THE LORD, and HIS BLESSING OF THE COVENANT OF RECONCILIATION! We are DEFIANT in the face of being told that we HAVE to BE HOLY, to SHARE HIS HOLINESS! We are raised in OPPOSITION TO THE TRUTH, thus, THE TRUTH HURTS!!!

No greater task has a person taken than to humble themselves before THE LORD *GOD*, and OPEN their eyes, and ears TO RECEIVE OF HIM! There are dangers, challenges, trials, tests, and tribulations, THOUGH IN OBEDIENT RELIANCE UPON HIM, HE, IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, IS working on our behalf, BECAUSE, the FAITHFUL ARE HIS Chosen, even if, in adoption BY THE NEW COVENANT!!!

It IS against our human condition, and conditioning to submit to THE LORD; NOT because we don't want to, but because we have been brought up in opposition of submitting to that which is NOT of the world, YET, to do so, IS the ONLY RIGHT choice we have, IF we consider HIS return to take back what BELONGS to HIM, and to judge the world...

MANY false, or misinformed have gone out into the world, telling humanity that there is NO responsibility TO *GOD*, nor HIS COVENANT! HOW can this be, when THE WORD CLEARLY depicts our responsibilities??? YES, GRACE saves, but, HIS own ARE evidenced BY their ONENESS TO HIM, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, HIS WORD, NOT that their works save them, but that THROUGH HIS GRACE, they SHINE OF HIM, in ALL they think, do, or say, FOR HIS GLORY, and FOR LIFE ETERNAL!!!

TO LOVE *GOD* IS TO IMITATE HIM, TO FOLLOW HIM, IN ALL HIS GLORY, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, and HIS WORDS, and TO GIVE UP THE WORLD IN FAVOUR OF WHAT IS TO COME!!!

LOVE IS IMPERATIVE TO LEARN, TO PLANT IN THE SOUL, and HEART, then, UTILIZE, because LOVE IS THE WAY, THE LAW, THE PATH, THE LIGHT, THE TRUTH of ALL in existence!!!

FAITH is the beginning of our stewardship, IF it IS ROOTED IN TRUTH, KNOWLEDGE, and UNDERSTANDING, for then, we are EQUIPPED to BE FAITHFUL, and FRUITFUL, evidence OF HIM in us! We are NOT owners of *GOD'S* BLESSINGS, instead we are stewards of them!!!

We are to TRUST in THE LORD *GOD*, and OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS! We are Called to be a HOLY people, and to SERVE *GOD*, NOT self! We are to SHARE THE GIFTS of HIS BLESSINGS with others, with LOVE as our motivation, inspiration, and end gain! We are to BUILD UP THE CHURCH, CHRIST JESUS, WITH HIM AS our model, and knowledge!!!

For EACH of us, the world is here today, gone tomorrow; time is NOT on our side, for we have NO idea when our time is gone, but THE LORD, and HIS KINGDOM ARE FOREVER! The choice doesn't seem to make sense when one considers it honestly!!!

MATTHEW 7: 21-27...
21/ "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
22/ Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?'
23/ Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'
24/ "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
25/ The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
26/ And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
27/ The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

Here the relation is not between saying and doing as in Matthew 7:15-23 but between hearing and doing, and the words of Jesus are applied to every Christian (everyone who listens).

Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. Let us take heed of resting in outward privileges and doings, lest we deceive ourselves, and perish eternally, as multitudes do, with a lie in our right hand. Let every one that names the name of Christ, depart from all sin.

WHY is it SO difficult for us to SEE THE TRUTH, then act on it? I suspect that we are too full of ourselves, and cannot get PAST ourselves ENOUGH to REMAIN FOCUSED, and CENTERED LONG enough TO RETAIN, and FLOURISH IN HIS WILL, WAYS, and WORD! We are EASILY distracted, enticed, and diverted, in pursuit of self, and the tinsel of the world! Thus, TRUE COMMITMENT TO HIM IS KEY, and while this alters our lives dramatically, IT IS THE WAY, and DOES HOLD WAY MORE BENEVOLENCE than the emptiness, of the fleeting, dying world...

JAMES 1: 22-25...
22/ Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.
23/ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.
24/ He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like.
25/ But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does.

We ARE fallible, we NEED THE LORD *GOD*, who IS INFALLIBLE to bring us through ourselves, to our home WITH HIM! Thus, we MUST be obedient, humble, deliberate, diligent, observant, knowledgeable, understanding, able to endure, persevere, strong, LOVING, and ALL which is right, just, and good! NOT easy for us, but WITH HIM, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE, and HE HAS PROMISED to LEAD HIS OWN, so RELY UPON HIM, WHILE becoming as like HIM as is feasible; it is NOT drudgery, instead, it IS FREEDOM to exist as IS intended, as ONE WITH THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, AUTHOR, ARCHITECT, and CREATOR OF ALL IN EXISTENCE!!!

PRAY, PRAISE, WORSHIP, and REJOICE, for THE LORD HAS SET THE STANDARD BEFORE US, we only need to acknowledge, then adjust!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013