HEAVENLY INCLINED...: TESTS, TRIALS, & TRIBULATIONS: THE LOVE OF THE LORD...

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...

TESTS, TRIALS, & TRIBULATIONS: THE LOVE OF THE LORD...

We share in the sufferings of CHRIST, our LORD *GOD*, SAVIOUR, and HOLY SPIRIT; it is part, and parcel to HIS GIFT of LIFE to us! What does this mean, and why is it so???

When we face tests, trials, and tribulations, we are being REFINED; we are being BUILT UP IN CHRIST, we are SHARING IN HIS SACRIFICE, and we are being ELEVATED IN HIM, we are being sanctified, and consecrated! The MORE we become the TRUE self, the spirit, the greater the likelihood of having to endure, and persevere, for the flesh is battling against it's being placed beneath the spirit! Not only that the REFINEMENT PROCESS is ongoing, as FAITH, FIDELITY, and FAITHFULNESS become ONE with our nature, with our thoughts, actions, and reactions! WE are OF CHRIST, dead to the world, though we yet, exist in the world, and so, of course, we are going to be challenged, tested, and tried, FOR our own stability, good, and HIS GLORY! IF it were that ALL the world was OF HIM, and there was no evil within, or without, we would not be subject to refinement, but that is not how it is...

FAITH HAS to be as the most mighty stronghold ever known, THAT there are NO probabilities of the evil of this world shaking this FAITH loose, and come the end times, such forces as we cannot imagine are going to try with their all their power to shake even the most FAITHFUL loose from THE LORD! So, every time we suffer, endure, persevere, and overcome, we are all the more enabled to withstand, and survive what is yet to come...

Come THE LORD, we will be a Royal Priesthood; this means, as CHRIST, we were PROVEN IN *GOD'S* WILL; proven to be loyal, strong, steadfast, dedicated, diligent, and unshakable IN HIM! This can't happen if we are not mature, or strong enough to surpass what the world slings at us, because if we are not spiritually sturdy, we are prone to being overtaken by such! It is through tests, and trials that we LEARN, and then, BECOME victors, as is CHRIST, OVER the world...

CHRIST NEVER complained, despite the rough journey HE had in this world! We are Called to FOLLOW HIM, not in mind, but in imitation of HIS DEVOTION to CARRYING OUT THE WILL OF *GOD*, VOID of resistance, grumbling, or fear, BECAUSE THE WILL OF *GOD* IS PERFECT, EVERLASTING, RIGHT, JUST, GOOD, AND the SOURCE OF LIFE! What is of the world is temporal, corruptible, and the cause of death!!!

We suffer IN CHRIST, to SHARE IN HIS GLORY! HE IS OUR COMFORTER, and our PEACE in these times of tests, trials, and tribulations! IN our sufferings, we are TAUGHT TO RELY ON HIM, SOLELY, and WHOLLY! HE IS THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, thus we, in our sufferings, are being SHOWN HIS infinite POWER, GENIUS, PLAN, and DELIVERANCE! We CAN'T make it through this world without HIM, because what rules the world does not intend to let any of us reach our FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN!!!

We are MARKED for greatness, and greatness does NOT come easy, nor without blood, sweat, and tears! Just BELIEVE, HAVE FAITH, PRAISE, and WORSHIP THE LORD for LOVING us SO much that HE CARES enough to bend us, shape us, mold us, form us, refine us, then harvest us INTO HIS WILL, HIS GLORY, and ETERNITY! Keep in mind, and heart, the alternative!!!

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