HEAVENLY INCLINED...: BY FAITH WE ARE SAVED, THROUGH FAITHFULNESS WE ARE TRANSFORMED...

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...

BY FAITH WE ARE SAVED, THROUGH FAITHFULNESS WE ARE TRANSFORMED...

By FAITH we KNOW we are Children of *GOD*, by FAITHFULNESS we evidence being HIS own!!!

It is LOVE which has founded, grounded, and sheltered FAITHFULNESS; LOVE for HIM, then, LOVE for others; a LOVE which PROMPTS us to fulfill HIS WILL, in the best of our capacities...

CHRIST JESUS IS THE PERFECT model, or example of fulfilling the WILL of THE FATHER, whom we are to imitate in the best of our knowledge, and understanding, for DIVERSE reasons, but mostly because HE HAS PROVEN that we CAN, most certainly, DO the WILL of *GOD*, despite the onslaught of deceptive oppression of this time. HE PERFECTLY PROVED FAITH IN ACTION, which is FAITHFULNESS...

Apostle Paul quite effectively said (PHILIPPIANS 3) that while he has not obtained perfection, he will ever strive for it, because he LOVES *GOD*, and KNOWS he HAS the capacity to do so! He compares his ongoing improving to running a race with the expectation of winning! THIS is a model mindset for the Christian to embrace, as it ALLOWS for growth, development, and honest gain in the face of the struggles of this time...

FAITHFULNESS SEES us on course, training, and working towards our goal! We work out our salvation with the fear, and trembling of humility, assured that we are saved, yet, also with the knowledge that we are branches of the vine, expectant of producing fruit! Once CHRIST has touched our hearts, our lives ARE changed towards achieving the prize, towards reflecting HIM, and towards living in HIS WILL, in the best of our capacities, and understanding! It is NOT that we will be perfect, or HOLY, is that we are STRIVING towards that end, for we are no longer bound by the world, instead, part of that Royal Priesthood, that Chosen race, that faultless KINGDOM of *GOD*!!!

You see, *GOD* KNOWS the good within, for HE placed it there, and so, it is natural to bring it forth in HIS name, for the building UP of THE CHURCH, HIS GLORY, and the good of ALL! HE KNOWS what we are made of, and bids that we discover, far past the carnal being, the abundant spirit CREATED by HIM, for DIVINE purpose, and orchestration to the WHOLE of HIS WILL! EACH of HIS people, as with all else in CREATION has a function of purpose, and reason TO THE WHOLE, and TO HIS GLORY!!!

CHRIST JESUS, THE LORD *GOD*, and SAVIOUR SHOWED us that it IS possible to be victoriously one with HIM by HIS own life, and the lives of HIS Disciples/Apostles, and TO come INTO the being HE CREATED; to be transformed! The shrouds of deception, and the layers of the world's influence ATTEMPT to blind us to our reality, but HE HAS SHOWN us, and TAUGHT us THE TRUTH, THE WAY, and HAS LIGHTED THE PATH for our greater ease of abilities TO ARISE!!!

HIS SPIRIT resides within to guide us, to aid us, to intervene for us, to PROVIDE for us, when the going gets tough, confusing, and is interfered with! HE KNOWS we CAN SHINE brighter than the stars in the sky! HE KNOWS we CAN win the race, after all, HE HAS our crowns awaiting us, and a celebration ensues; a celebration unprecedented, and eternal!!!

YES, FAITHFULNESS is difficult, but it keeps us busy with *GOD* instead of things of the world, and IS POSSIBLE because HE HAS WILLED it so!!!

NO, we will never be perfect, yet, that is NOT the point, the point is that we are pressing on towards what we KNOW lies ahead; a PERFECT KINGDOM of HOLINESS, from *GOD* all the way through the ranks, along with ALL benevolences therein! In our LOVE of *GOD*, there exists the DESIRE to PLEASE HIM, to HONOUR HIM, to EXEMPLIFY HIM, and to GLORIFY HIM; not exactly out of duty, although duty CERTAINLY exists in the Christian life, instead because LOVE DRIVES us to do so!!!

From my own experience, I believe that it is innate to oneness with HIM to grow INTO the being HE CREATED, which lies beneath the many layers of the world, and it's influence, AND, HE HAS led me past many of these layers already, often without me being quite aware of it, until after the fact, but, I KNOW it is happening as I reflect upon the improvements manifested in my being, and life!!!

IF I am one with CHRIST JESUS, I am dead to the world, but ALIVE in spirit, FOR HIM, BY HIM, and THROUGH HIM! HE Chose me, and IS working IN me towards the end goal, the prize, the crown of LIFE! BLESSED IS THE FAITHFUL LORD, PRAISE, and WORSHIP HIS HOLY name, and REJOICE in HIS PLAN which BRINGS us into our reality, founded, grounded, and sheltered in LOVE! AMEN!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2014
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS