HEAVENLY INCLINED...: FAITH ENOUGH...

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...

FAITH ENOUGH...

In ALL times, unshakable, unbreakable FAITH is necessary, though, in certain times, such as these, there seems to be a rush of the adversary to test ours! FAITH is mandatory to a relationship with *GOD*, in more than word, or thought; instead, it should be solid enough to withstand anything that this old world might throw our way!!!

Our FAITH should be worked on daily, until it is strong enough to reflect THE LORD, and to deny what is not of HIM, much like the example of DANIEL 3, in which, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refused to worship the King's golden image, and were thrown into a fiery furnace, which the King had stoked to be so hot, it burnt distanced bystanders! These Men PRAYED to *GOD*, with such FAITH, that HE sent them an Angel to care for them, and to prove to the King, whom was worthy of WORSHIP: THE LORD, *GOD* ALMIGHTY! Their FAITH not only spared them, it moved King Nebuchadnezzar, and proved THE LORD'S MIGHT!!!

It's NOT easy to develop FAITH as strong as a mountain, yet, it is to our own advantage to do so! Incorruptible, indestructible FAITH such as the example above, is FUELED by SINCERE, HONEST DEVOTION, LOVE, and TOTAL TRUST IN THE MIGHT OF THE LORD! It is STRENGTHENED with PRAYER, and is for better, or for worse! NOTHING in this life would be worth risking our relationship with *GOD* for, and so, as in the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they REMAIN LOYAL TO THE LORD, despite even the threat of death; for they understood, and KNEW that to save their mortal body, and do wrong in the sight of *GOD*, would mean to lose their TRUE LIFE, and so, based upon their diligent, and deliberately sought relationship with THE MOST HIGH *GOD*, their physical body was insignificant if it would mean permanent separation from HIM...

CHRIST says in MATTHEW 10: 39...
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

This verse has several layers of meaning, and yet, it comes out the same; AS CHRIST SO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US, we also, embrace the same for HIM, borne of LOVE, in which case, we KNOW that NOTHING in this mortal world, can take away our TRUE LIFE...

The 3 Men in this great example of FAITH, KNEW that it was futile for the enemy to try to sway their FAITH by threatening physical death, for they would live FOREVER WITH THE LORD, and so, their FAITH WAS INCREASED, all the days of their lives...

In every day life, there are tests of FAITH, though, in these particular times, the world over, Christian FAITH is being put to the test, as people are given choices to turn from CHRIST, or to perish! To save their mortal lives, many HAVE turned from THE LORD, and thus, have given up TRUE LIFE; others refuse to be swayed, and have perished! It is all very sad, and very silly on the part of the adversary, really, yet, we ARE being tried, and tested, and refined FOR THE GLORY OF *GOD*!!!

FAITH, coupled with the DEVOTION of LOVE, humility, and obedience, not only inspires us to elevated heights of existence, such ADDS to our existence, in the now, and forever! Some fear the world so much, or seeing the choice to retain worldly life, they are crushed by the pressures around them, which proves the extent of their FAITH in the first place! FAITH CAN be shaken, though it is not feasible to destroy TRUE FAITH, for one has *GOD* to aid them!!!

In the case of the fiery furnace, the 3 Men asked *GOD* to SHOW the enemy HIS PRESENCE, and HIS SAVING POWER, through CONVICTED PRAYER, PETITION, THANKS, PRAISE, and WORSHIP, which they lifted UP the whole time in that furnace; even singing, and dancing, REJOICING as they WAITED ON *GOD*! They RELIED UPON HIM, they TRUSTED HIM, and they ALLOWED HIS WILL TO BE DONE! They did not cave into fear, they did not wonder at their FAITH; they SIMPLY, LET *GOD* BE *GOD*, and, in this particular instance, *GOD* SHOWED HIS POWERS to the adversaries! Sometimes, HE doesn't TANGIBLY show HIMSELF, though THROUGH THE FAITHFUL, HE IS BEING SHOWN! AMEN!!!

FAITH should be developed to the point of no return! It should be as the gateway beyond the world, and the strength to endure what is of it! It should be the knowledge that this world CAN'T take our lives, for our LIFE is yet to come! FAITH should be able to look fear in the eye, while increasing! Oh yes, FAITH is a mighty resource of THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, for the sake of HIS own, and most worthy of caring for, and to cultivate as the precious GIFT IT IS!!!

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