HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THURSDAY'S TRIUMPHS: ONLY ONE WAY TO TRUE VICTORY...

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...

THURSDAY'S TRIUMPHS: ONLY ONE WAY TO TRUE VICTORY...

There is truly, only one triumph in this time, and that is found in CHRIST JESUS, THE LORD *GOD*, who triumphed over the world, and over death! As we become one with HIM, HIS WILL, HIS WAY, HIS WORD, HIS example, and live as HE would have us to, we triumph more, and more! ONLY THROUGH HIM is there victory; in this time, and eternally...

There is NO victory in the world, and so...

1 JOHN 2: 15...
Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

The things of the world may be desired and possessed for the uses and purposes which God intended, and they are to be used by his grace, and to his glory; but believers must not seek or value them for those purposes to which sin abuses them.

The world draws the heart from God; and the more the love of the world prevails, the more the love of God decays.

The things of the world are classed according to the three ruling inclinations of depraved nature.
1. The lust of the flesh, of the body: wrong desires of the heart, the appetite of indulging all things that excite and inflame sensual pleasures.
2. The lust of the eyes: the eyes are delighted with riches and rich possessions; this is the lust of covetousness.
3. The pride of life: a vain man craves the grandeur and pomp of a vain-glorious life; this includes thirst after honour and applause. The things of the world quickly fade and die away; desire itself will ere long fail and cease, but holy affection is not like the lust that passes away.

The love of God shall never fail. Many vain efforts have been made to evade the force of this passage by limitations, distinctions, or exceptions. Many have tried to show how far we may be carnally-minded, and love the world; but the plain meaning of these verses cannot easily be mistaken. Unless this victory over the world is begun in the heart, a man has no root in himself, but will fall away, or at most remain an unfruitful professor. Yet these vanities are so alluring to the corruption in our hearts, that without constant watching and prayer, we cannot escape the world, or obtain victory over the god and prince of it.

CHRIST, our LORD, though ABOVE all, humbled HIMSELF, and deliberately fulfilled the WILL of HIS FATHER; not because HE had to, instead, because of LOVE; LOVE of HOLINESS, LOVE of THE FATHER, LOVE of HIS CREATION, and LOVE of us! HE was tempted, oh, HE was tempted, as nothing we have known, and yet, THE WILL of *GOD* was as HIS own skin to HIM, and LOVE does not forsake! In the face of evil, as powerful as it was turned against HIM, HE sinned not, HE condemned not, HE faltered not! Thus, HE IS our model, our PERFECT example, and guide TO triumphing over the world! IF we can only imitate HIM in the least, we are victorious, though, once you get started, oh, it's hard to stop:)))

IF we can get to know HIM, and to understand HIS WILL, and WAY, we are equipped FOR triumph, as what is OF HIM, IS triumphant! As we walk this land of brokenness, this land of broken dreams, this land of broken promises, this brokenness blinds us effectively enough to keep us confused, deluded, and defeated by despair, by this brokenness! IF we TRAIN IN HIM, our vision is NOT obscured, our hearing is NOT deafened, and our steps are NOT hindered! IF we CENTER ON HIM, HE IS WITH US, and IS TEACHING us, as HE IS GUIDING US, via THE HOLY SPIRIT! IF we AIM HIGH, that is where we will be! ONLY through ALLOWING the world to detain us, to shackle us, with it's deception, lies, and falsehoods, can we be kept low!!!

No matter how it is presented, no matter how one views it, THE TRUTH IS, ONLY THROUGH CHRIST do we triumph, now, and forever! Therefore, HEED HIM, and FOLLOW HIM, and then, all will be well!!!

PRAISE THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY! WORSHIP HIM ALWAYS! REJOICE IN HIS LOVE FOR US, HIS PRESENCE WITH US, and HIS COMPASSIONATE CARE in leading us! THANK HIM, and be grateful for ALL HE HAS PROVIDED for us! HONOUR HIM BY becoming HIS REFLECTION, THAT HE IS GLORIFIED, and EXALTED, FOR HE, ALONE HAS shown us THE WAY TO VICTORY!!! AMEN!!!

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