HEAVENLY INCLINED...: LET US THRIVE...

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...

LET US THRIVE...

2014 has gotten off to a strange start, in many respects! I was drawn to dub this year as the year to thrive---
and while one part of thriving means to prosper, or so forth, to thrive can also mean to strongly grow, despite conditions; to flourish, to survive any condition, or circumstance, such as the lovely flowers in the photo above, growing in the cracked, arid desert, or those, as in the photo below, bursting out of frozen, cold snow!!!

Thriving to me, means to move forward, and UPward, regardless of what might hold me down, or back; to reach for the LIGHT, when the darkness tries to dissuade my sight; to remain focused, when all is chaotic, and so on. This sort of thriving is what marks the FAITHFUL, and what allows them PEACE in the midst of the drone of confusion, as it attempts to drown out the voice of TRUTH!!!

There is much going on around us, signs of the times, with absolute clarity that something in this world is amiss! I won't go on about the daily tragedies, but it is clear that many people are not being raised in *GOD*, or have forsaken HIM, or are at a point where the too many Doctrines of humanity, have influenced too much. There certainly, is not enough LOVE, which heals, restores, and inspires...

And so, we HAVE to thrive, no matter what; speaking to those of THE FAITH! We have to thrive to help what is good, what is right, what is just, to increase, for the good of all, and for *GOD'S* GLORY! If it gets worse in future years, it is going to be a very dark planet we will exist on, but AS HIS reflections, we will be as beacons to THE WAY for those who might, finally, tire of the evil, wicked, coldness of the darkness!!!

All which is *GODLY* is being challenged, day by day!

THE CHURCH HAS to thrive in these uncertain, volatile, and selfish times! It is MORE than what happens in the brick, and mortar buildings; it HAS to be taken out into the world, 24/7, at EVERY feasible crack, and crevice of this Earth, THAT no one whom is meant to reach their home, is lost!!!

THRIVE, we MUST thrive! Part of thriving is PERSISTENCE! At every opportunity, we must use our *GOD* given knowledge to nip the bud of what is being unleashed in this world! It is TIME for us to SHINE THE LIGHT, brighter than the darkness can stand; we must BE HIS TRUTH revealed, in thought, action, and reaction! There are souls to be found, and restored to their rightful inheritance!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2014