HEAVENLY INCLINED...: EVEN WHEN DARKNESS IS EVIDENT, THE LIGHT PREVAILS...

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...

EVEN WHEN DARKNESS IS EVIDENT, THE LIGHT PREVAILS...

While the day is full of bad news, tragedy, and other downers, we MUST remind ourselves that there IS good news, healing, and what is UPLIFTING, beautiful, and POSITIVE in the mix! You see, we humans have a TENDENCY to take what is bad, wrong, or negative, and hold onto to such! We are quite EASILY enmeshed in the dark side of time, in which case, we nearly forget, or ignore THE LIGHT, which SHINES, and OUT SHINES, continually...

I have said before, and I will say it again, CLING TO WHAT IS RIGHT, JUST, and GOOD, NO MATTER what; it is the HEALTHY thing to do, and IS the evidence of FAITH in action! There IS balance, for instance, one perishes, another is born; the waters freeze, and they melt, all natural to the PROCESS of sustaining *GOD'S* CREATION! NOTHING adverse is lasting, unless we take this to heart OVER what is favourable! We have the CHOICE to be subject to what is gloomy, or to what is bright!!!

Of course, we react to what happens around is, that is to be expected, but to CLING to what is downing, is NOT healthy, healing, or optimal! Our optimization lies in what is GOOD for us, and I tell you, solemnly, there IS something good to be found in even the most awful of times: THIS is what we SHOULD cling to, run with, and allow to shape us...

I will never figure out WHY we give more power to what is debilitating to the being, when it is within us to step into the power of what is strengthening, mending, and rejuvenating! It, simply, perplexes me! Every single day, I get bad news, or have problems, and troubles to deal with, but, in the best of my *GOD* given understanding, I SEEK the good, and move as quickly through the murk as I can, towards THE LIGHT, because I have NO desire to be chained by anything, especially that which has the potential to break my spirit, and see me crippled with fear, and other such, as FAITH, HOPE, TRUST, BELIEF, and LOVE guide me through, and heal me, TO the point of being ABLE to avoid the pitfalls of devastation, and other negatives. PRAISE THE LORD for lending me the ability to do so!!!

IF something happens that brings tears, I cry, but I WON'T be overtaken! I WON'T be dominated by that which might trap me, FIRST because I TRUST *GOD*, and secondly because I DON'T WANT to be subjected to the adverse, nor to the adversary!!!

EVERY storm passes, and the less we cling to the storms, the faster they pass! SOME things will impact us more than others, no doubt, still we ARE empowered BY THE LORD to ARISE, maintain CONTROL, and to move past such, not void of it's truth, instead, rescued by THE TRUTH! AMEN!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2014

THE LORD HAS equipped us, exceptionally, to withstand the matters of this time, and when we find ourselves slipping into darkness, IF we CALL UPON HIM, HE WILL lead us through! THE LIGHT is FAR SUPERIOR to darkness, and by intrinsic powers, ALWAYS OVERTAKES the darkness; as we see in the aftermath of a storm, or the dawn of day!!!