HEAVENLY INCLINED...: HAPPY LABOR DAY: THE GIFT OF LABORING!!!

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...

HAPPY LABOR DAY: THE GIFT OF LABORING!!!

It is Labor Day weekend, along with the winding down of Summer activities, as schools resume, and people fall into a less flexible routine.

It is a time to be reminded that whatever our labors are, they are significant in *GOD'S* PLAN, and add greatly to societies as a whole...

Many people don't like their jobs, some do, but TRUTH is, ALL of our labouring IS important! Even those whose jobs are perceived as menial, are contributing to the overall good of the world, and NO job is insignificant, except in our own minds! IF there weren't people working in diverse fields, certain areas of maintaining this world, keeping it safe, clean, and so forth, would not exist, THEREFORE, even the least of these is great to the whole, and in fact, would disrupt our existence if no one attended to them...

*GOD* gave us work to do for many reasons, sound reasons, and believe me, I know, sometimes we feel like failures having to take particular jobs to survive, but I tell you what, when we give 100% to even the lowest of them, we are doing right in HIS sight, and we are learning, as well as growing. Our egocentric being likes to remind us that we are above certain jobs, positions, and other such, but TRUTH is, ALL work is good for us, and our overall well-being!!!

So, on this Labor Day, give yourself some honour, and appreciate the fact that you ARE contributing to the good of our society, and ARE pleasing *GOD* by doing so! Your contribution IS noteworthy, even if it is rarely commended, or even thought about by others! Be thankful for having work at all, even if it is not what you would like to be doing; right now, it is serving great purpose! Give it your best, and be content, and let what you do shape you for something greater...

In this country in particular, at times it seems like all we do is work, eat, and sleep, but isn't that kind of the way it is meant to be? Too much leisure time is not good, total impoverishment is not good, and lack of work is not good for the body, the mind, the spirit, or the heart, THEREFORE, be encouraged by the opportunity before you, and be the best whatever it is you are doing!!!

There are almost 70 BIBLE verses concerning work, though not all pertain directly to work! How we view our work is like an attitude, you know! *GOD'S* purpose for our labour involves our abilities, and capacities to help others, and IS FOR HIS GLORY, and our own good! Remember, there are plenty of people who can't find work at all, and would give anything to the have the job you have! There IS pleasure to be found in toil, and toil raises us UP to greater BLESSINGS! And IF we are of *GOD*, whatever we do, we do for HIM, and so, we can REJOICE in our work, as we do in the fruits of our labours, however simply that might be!!!

HAPPY LABOR DAY! *GOD* BLESS, and BE with us all! Let us HONOUR HIM with our minds, hearts, souls, bodies, and our diligent labouring for the good of all, and for the very Earth on which we reside! PRAISE THE LORD ALWAYS, WORSHIP HIS HOLINESS, and REJOICE for ALL HE HAS, and DOES PROVIDE for us in HIS LOVING CARE!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2014