HEAVENLY INCLINED...: SUNDAY: DEATH HAS NO VICTORY OVER THOSE OF THE LORD...

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...

SUNDAY: DEATH HAS NO VICTORY OVER THOSE OF THE LORD...

It is Sunday, and another person of my extended Family has left us;
she passed away in the early morning hours after months of complications from an amputation, made worse by diabetes; but she is now made it UP the mountain, and is resting in the PRESENCE of THE MOST HIGH LORD: BLESS her soul...

This has been excruciating for the immediate Family to deal with; they are exhausted, and at least one of them is changed forevermore. May they find the PEACE, and strength they need to heal from their loss, and to move on, with greater understanding...

Time on this plane is short, it is precious, but it is for purpose, and reason, no matter how difficult it is, or how much one suffers. Some people suffer throughout this time, others only suffer a bit, but our JOY lies in THE LORD! I understand that many don't quite 'get it' when someone says that our JOY IS IN THE LORD, but TRULY, ONLY IN HIM, can we find that which leads to a certain JOY despite all else; ONLY IN HIM IS found TRUE PEACE, regardless of our circumstances, situations, afflictions, and conditions! We must remind ourselves daily that ALL IS IN THE HANDS OF THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, WITH GREAT purpose FOR what is to come, and evermore shall be! We must RELY ON HIM for what we need to overcome what would take us under, and keep us submerged...

We are born, and at the end of this is death, but this is merely the death of the body, IF the soul is ONE with THE LORD! Death is that which conjures up many emotions, fears, and reactions in us, yet, it IS imminent, and WILL free the FAITHFUL, eternal! We long to live forever, yet, we forget that TRUE LIFE IS NOT in the fleshy body, instead in the spiritual soul! We must TRUST THE LORD in this matter, and seek to grasp what lies ahead in THE KINGDOM, with HIM as our KING: HE who was obedient even unto death for us!!!

I detest the suffering humanity experiences, but even through the anguish, and tears, I RELY ON THE LORD for the understanding that THIS IS NOT our reality, it IS YET TO COME, at least for those who believe, and stand firm to the end. Death is one thing the evil one intends to sway us with, to use to taunt us, to cause discomfort, and fear with, but we have THE LORD to LIFT us ABOVE these weapons, and as HE says, "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" (1 CORINTHIANS 15: 55)...

All the saints should not die, but all would be changed. In the gospel, many truths, before hidden in mystery, are made known. Death never shall appear in the regions to which our Lord will bear his risen saints. Therefore let us seek the full assurance of faith and hope, that in the midst of pain, and in the prospect of death, we may think calmly on the horrors of the tomb; assured that our bodies will there sleep, and in the mean time our souls will be present with the Redeemer.

Sin gives death all its hurtful power. The sting of death is sin; but Christ, by dying, has taken out this sting; he has made atonement for sin, he has obtained remission of it. The strength of sin is the law. None can answer its demands, endure its curse, or do away his own transgressions. Hence terror and anguish. And hence death is terrible to the unbelieving and the impenitent. Death may seize a believer, but it cannot hold him in its power.

How many springs of joy to the saints, and of thanksgiving to God, are opened by the death and resurrection, the sufferings and conquests of the Redeemer! We have an exhortation, that believers should be stedfast, firm in the faith of that gospel which the apostle preached, and they received. Also, to be unmovable in their hope and expectation of this great privilege, of being raised incorruptible and immortal. And to abound in the work of the Lord, always doing the Lord's service, and obeying the Lord's commands. May Christ give us faith, and increase our faith, that we may not only be safe, but joyful and triumphant.

Some things, such as death are not for perfect understanding, instead for improved, and increased FAITH, as we RELY ON *GOD* to bring us through the valley to the HEIGHTS of THE MOUNTAIN of SALVATION, where a whole new, and perfect world awaits the FAITHFUL! Let us BE JOYFUL in knowledge that we ARE IN HIS HANDS! HIS PLAN IS PERFECT, and death CANNOT interfere with what HE HAS set forth to BRING HIS own into eternal JOY! Let us BLESS HIM, and PRAISE HIM always; let us WORSHIP HIS HOLINESS, and BE THANKFUL for HIS LOVING CARE TO SAVE us from the valley of death, and let us PRAY for ALL necessary to remain IN HIM, no matter what the valley intends to snare us with, and ALWAYS PRAY for one another...

MUCH LOVE, *GOD* BLESS us ALL, and BE with us, take care, and LOVE as HE LOVES; share HIM with the world, even if they reject HIM, for PURELY GOOD IS that left behind in HIS name!!!

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