HEAVENLY INCLINED...: MONDAY'S MEETING OF THE MINDS: TO BE CHRISTIAN IS TO UNDERSTAND & 'LEARN' TO BE KIND ...

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...

MONDAY'S MEETING OF THE MINDS: TO BE CHRISTIAN IS TO UNDERSTAND & 'LEARN' TO BE KIND ...

One bad whisper about a person to another, even void of fact, or truth, spirals forth, and before you know it, a great number of people have heard something negative about that person, whether it is warranted, correct, or not...

People IMAGINE that if someone they know, or someone in their Family line tells them something, it is true, after all, why would someone they know, tell them something that is not so? Few people ever stop to consider that there are at least, 2 sides to everything, and that not all of what we hear, read, or see is accurate, or the full truth. Then, this is further complicated when people WANT to find a reason to dislike someone, or are followers of someone who doesn't like, or accept someone...

*GOD* DOESN'T like gossip, slander, prejudice, bias, or any behaviour which is unfair, and unjust towards another! Of course, it is doubtful that anyone has managed to keep themselves out of this snare, yet, as one matures IN HIM, one should DEFINITELY be studying the roots of the soundness of WHY THE LORD doesn't allow for such! One should take the time to notice the many lives which have been TOTALLY ruined by such, the lives that have been shattered by such, and the spirits which have been broken by such, including high numbers of our youth! IF we LOVE as HE has bid us to, and IF we LOVE HIM, we OUGHT to be able to understand HOW such behaviours are against LOVE, as well as the massive damage such does...

Many people lie about people to cover up their own mistakes, faults, and flaws; many lie to keep attention from themselves; many lie to purposely cause someone else pain; many lie to make themselves appear to be elevated; many lie because they enjoy causing problems for others, and on the list could go! Sadly, many of the troublemakers of this world are people that others admire, are popular, or respected, and so forth, therefore, what they utter IS accepted as truth, even without anyone researching, or considering the other side of the story. In recent years, LOTS of people have taken their own lives after suffering greatly from the damages of gossip, slander, and those behaviours THE LORD is against, because they weren't able to deal with the agony of not being believed, trusted, or accepted, because one, or more, decided to disrupt their lives...

Compounding the problems for the person being attacked, is the fact that much of the gossip, slander, bias, prejudice, and so forth, is as hidden as possible, and there is little chance of confronting those who are causing damage, though the victim certainly, senses it, sees it, and has to deal with various things because of it! Great frustration sets in, for it is like battling an unseen force, and if none of the perpetrators are willing to deal with it head on, there is no getting past it, nor proving one's innocence, and so, the person, little by little, is broken...

There are 52 references for gossip in THE BIBLE, 100 for gossiping, 100 for slander, 41 for slandering, 29 for false witness, 56 for false witnessing, 58 for busybodies, 21 for prejudice, 100 for bias, 100 for deception, 90 for deceiving, and on, and on it goes, although more than a few of these verses cross over into all categories. The point is, THE LORD HAS LOTS to say about those who create problems for others, especially with their mouths, and that which is unsubstantiated, for wrong-minded purposes!!!

This world, today, is full of people who like to bully, to pick on others, to put others down, and to cause problems for others, AND, many Adults, such as Parents, even Teachers, are setting the standard for Children, for they learn by example, and so, it is getting quite out of hand! I know people whom actually, have their young Daughters eavesdropping, and spying on others, so that they can put together some juicy gossip, which they do way too frequently, and build upon with just a smidgeon of information, and before you know it, lots of people have determined that the person who is their target, is not worthy. Just sad, and a bit crazy...

One can't really fight against such behaviours, and if one is the target of these behaviours, they need to PRAY, and become as strong as a mountain, because it will spiral forth, and disrupt their lives greatly. They need to stand strong, and not be shaken, though when there are lots of people against someone, it can be most difficult! They need to keep on being whom they are, and to continue on being the best person that they can be, and they need to realize that the ONE JUDGE, *GOD* KNOWS their truth! They need to truly embrace the message that we live NOT for the world, instead for *GOD*, and we are NOT here to please the world, instead our LORD, though again, it is a most difficult task, and they need to forgive, to continue in LOVE, and to BLESS those who harm them!!!

It is awful that so many THINK they are something, and that others are nothing, but as is written, For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself (GALATIANS 6:3), and they WILL discover their truth too! Also, whatever one conspires against another, has a way of coming back on their own heads, be that in this time, or when they stand before THE LORD, for HE will NOT be mocked, and KNOWS our truth, thus what we sow, we reap...

REV. LWINSOR © 2014

BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS

Basically, when we damage, or hurt another person, and their reputation, we are doing wrong against no one but *GOD*, and it IS a fearful thing to be in HIS disfavour...

IF we had respect, and regard for one another, we would realize that a persons reputation, takes years to build up, but is quickly destroyed by one bad whisper, which is especially wrong IF that person is never allowed to share their side of the story, or to prove their integrity! When someone spreads falsehoods, or unsubstantiated rumors about someone to everyone they know, or meet, they are acting unaligned TO *GOD*, and causing permanent hardship, in which case, there IS consequence...

We should aim to KNOW before we speak, act, and react! Quite often, those most fired up about someone, don't have anything but their passions to go on, and if they took the time to KNOW the truth about those they wish to destroy, quickly the flames would be extinguished...