HEAVENLY INCLINED...: TRUE WORSHIP: PART 2...

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...

TRUE WORSHIP: PART 2...

JOHN 6: 38...
"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

CHRIST JESUS exists in THE FATHER'S WILL; there is absolute oneness in them, which is not to say that CHRIST, on Earth did not have HIS own WILL, instead that it was HIS pleasure, and intent to fulfill the WILL of THE FATHER...

Since CHRIST IS our model of perfection, THE WILL of *GOD* IS to BE our starting, and finishing point, which spans over every single area of LOVING HIM, WORSHIPING HIM, HONOURING HIM, and pleasing HIM! Thus, TRUE WORSHIP begins with LOVE enough to revere, respect, regard, and KNOW HIM, and HIS WILL. WHAT HONOURING of HIM, or what right can we do when not existing in HIS WILL???

Once we ACCEPT CHRIST into our hearts, we are changed; we are now aware that we do not exist for the self, instead, for THE FATHER, and HIS WILL: HE CREATED us, and our souls/spirit belongs to HIM, though we have free will to either acknowledge our rightful place in HIS PLAN, or not! Because *GOD* IS LOVE, and the FIRST thing HE COMMANDS of us IS LOVE, and LOVE TEACHES us of HIS very nature, which THROUGH ALLEGIANCE to HIM, we take on as well, LOVE SEES us progressing towards LIKENESS of THE FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT; it SEES us EAGER to please HIM, and to imitate HIM, HIS WILL, and HIS WAYS! When we LOVE HIM with our whole heart, our whole mind, and our whole spirit, then, we are drawing near to HIM, in which case, HE draws nearer to us!!!

Key to TRUE WORSHIP is understanding, and knowing THE WILL OF *GOD*, and in striving to DO that WILL in TRUTH, and spirit!!!

JOHN 4: 24...
"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

"God is a spirit"; that is, God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: for taking the words in this light, not one of the persons is to be understood exclusive of the other; for this description, or definition, agrees with each of them, and they are all the object of worship, and to be worshiped in a true and spiritual manner. God is a spirit, and not a body, or a corporeal substance: the nature and essence of God is like a spirit, simple and uncompounded, not made up of parts; nor is it divisible; nor does it admit of any change and alteration.

God, as a spirit, is immaterial, immortal, invisible, and an intelligent, willing, and active being; but differs from other spirits, in that he is not created, but an immense and infinite spirit, and an eternal one, which has neither beginning nor end: he is therefore a spirit by way of eminency, as well as effectively, he being the author and former of all spirits: whatever excellence is in them, must be ascribed to God in the highest manner; and whatever is imperfect in them, must be removed from him: and they that worship him; worship is due to him on account of his nature and perfections, both internal and external; with both the bodies and souls of men; and both private and public; in the closet, in the family, and in the church of God; as prayer, praise, attendance on the word and ordinances: must worship him in spirit and in truth; in the true and spiritual manner before described, which is suitable to his nature, and agreeably to his will.

Worshiping God in spirit means that it must be done from the heart. Worshiping God in truth means that it must be done according as God has specified in the Bible. Worshiping God in spirit and in truth is a serious matter which must not be taken lightly. If we have any regard for our own souls, we will want to make sure we are worshiping God in spirit and in truth.

TRUE WORSHIP is to submit, and surrender the self TO *GOD*, to EXALT, EXTOL, PRAISE, HONOUR, and GLORIFY HIM, and to PLEASE HIM, as we step INTO HIM, and HIS WILL, more, more, and more! The process begins in the heart, and the heart is what THE LORD *GOD* peers into, and finds the truth of our beings!!!

MORE TO COME...

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