HEAVENLY INCLINED...: AND THE WORLD SAYS, "WHERE IS/WAS *GOD*?"...

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...

AND THE WORLD SAYS, "WHERE IS/WAS GOD?"...

Throughout this life, we are faced with many tragedies; personal, and impersonal! In these times, many people ask, "Where is/was *GOD*?"...

*GOD* IS ALWAYS near! Are we always near to HIM? Before tragedies, during, and after them, were we near to HIM? Were we PRAYING without ceasing? Were we RELYING on HIM? Did we have TRUE FAITH in HIM? Did we stand strong IN HIM? Did we WORSHIP HIM? PRAISE HIM? Give HIM THANKS? Did we do much to bond our relationship with HIM? And then, as soon as something awful happens, we turn from HIM, and put the blame on HIM. This matter is worthy of consideration, indeed...

THE LORD'S WILL SHALL be done, and sometimes, there is tragedy involved, which, IF we KNEW HIM, and were close to HIM, we might begin to understand! And, sometimes what seems tragic to human perception, is anything but in the HEAVENS, and in HIS PLAN for us!!!

I am a sensitive being, I FEEL the suffering of the world, but, this I turn to *GOD*, in tears, in PRAYERS, in TRUST, in HOPE, and in TOTAL FAITH OF HIM, and HIS powers! I could never question HIM, or turn from HIM, because without HIM, there is nothing! Instead, I attempt to understand HIM, HIS WILL, and THE WAY, that I am better prepared to deal with what is of this life, and I again, TURN to HIM for what I need to make it through whatever...

PRAYER IS POWERFUL, and SHOULD be as our very breath, intricately woven into the minutes, and hours of time! PRAYER is OPEN communication with THE LORD, in which case, the bond between one PRAYING, and THE LORD is strengthened, especially when the communication is HONEST, SINCERE, and ON-GOING!!!

I don't know how HE deals with us! We LOVE HIM when things are good, we deny HIM when things are not good! We blame HIM for everything, and then, we still want HIM to comfort us! Where is the sense in us? It's alright to get angry, but, that anger should NOT be turned to *GOD*, at least not in the context of destroying our relationship with HIM! It is better to TURN to HIM, as a Child, with the HOPE, and BELIEF of HIS hand in ALL matters...

Never forget, this world is a testing ground, and we WILL be tested, in MANY ways, but especially, our LOVE, and FAITH IN HIM! Sometimes the evil one is doing the testing, SURE that we will fail, and so... If we turn away from *GOD* one second too long, we are in danger; the evil one is also, ever near....

Tragedy, trials, tests, and tribulations ARE part of this realm, and LORD knows I, also, have had more than my share, yet, HE also KNOWS, I have NEVER faltered in FAITH OF HIM, and HIS MIGHTY POWERS TO DELIVER! I have NEVER denied HIM, and I have NEVER put blame on HIM, because HE, ALONE HOLDS ALL POWER to protect, comfort, heal, lead, guide, strengthen, and LOVE as I need! HE, ALONE IS THE ONE I NEED at ALL times, and, I couldn't allow anything to jeopardize the bond I have worked SO hard to develop with HIM, and FOR HIS GLORY!!!

HE NEVER turns from those who REMAIN in HIM; HE IS FAITHFUL to the FAITHFUL, and besides this, HE IS THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, and given what else is available to RELY ON, MY WHOLE chooses HIM!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013

1 comment:

Lynda said...: HE bids that we PRAY without ceasing!
1 THESSALONIANS 5: 17..
Pray without ceasing.

We are to rejoice in creature-comforts, as if we rejoiced not, and must not expect to live many years, and rejoice in them all; but if we do rejoice in God, we may do that evermore.

A truly religious life is a life of constant joy. And we should rejoice more, if we prayed more.

Prayer will help forward all lawful business, and every good work. If we pray without ceasing, we shall not want matter for thanksgiving in every thing. We shall see cause to give thanks for sparing and preventing, for common and uncommon, past and present, temporal and spiritual mercies. Not only for prosperous and pleasing, but also for afflicting providences, for chastisements and corrections; for God designs all for our good, though we at present see not how they tend to it.

Quench not the Spirit. Christians are said to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He worketh as fire, by enlightening, enlivening, and purifying the souls of men. As fire is put out by taking away fuel, and as it is quenched by pouring water, or putting a great deal of earth upon it; so we must be careful not to quench the Holy Spirit, by indulging carnal lusts and affections, minding only earthly things.

Believers often hinder their growth in grace, by not giving themselves up to the spiritual affections raised in their hearts by the Holy Spirit.

TO ME, PRAYER is like an inner Sanctuary that prevails against all opposing me, or my walk with *GOD*, and is a shield against the onslaught of the attempts of the evil of this world, and a safe-haven of comfort, of PEACE, or assurance, which finds me well in all times, and all circumstances, AND it KEEPS me IN direct contact with my SOLE help, deliverer, restorer, and redeemer...; July 18, 2013 at 9:33 AM