HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THREADS OF THE TAPESTRY: FAITH, FAITHFULNESS & PRAYERS...

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...

THREADS OF THE TAPESTRY: FAITH, FAITHFULNESS & PRAYERS...

HEBREWS 11: 1-3...
1+++Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
2+++For by it the men of old gained approval.
3+++By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

Faith always has been the mark of God's servants, from the beginning of the world. Where the principle is planted by the regenerating Spirit of God, it will cause the truth to be received, concerning justification by the sufferings and merits of Christ. And the same things that are the object of our hope, are the object of our faith.

It is a firm persuasion and expectation, that God will perform all he has promised to us in Christ. This persuasion gives the soul to enjoy those things now; it gives them a subsistence or reality in the soul, by the first-fruits and foretastes of them.

Faith proves to the mind, the reality of things that cannot be seen by the bodily eye. It is a full approval of all God has revealed, as holy, just, and good. This view of faith is explained by many examples of persons in former times, who obtained a good report, or an honourable character in the word of God. Faith was the principle of their holy obedience, remarkable services, and patient sufferings.

The Bible gives the most true and exact account of the origin of all things, and we are to believe it, and not to wrest the Scripture account of the creation, because it does not suit with the differing fancies of men. All that we see of the works of creation, were brought into being by the command of God.

LUKE 17: 5-6...
5+++The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
6+++And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.

---increase our faith; both the faith of working miracles, and the grace of believing in him: by which, as they express their sense of the weakness, and imperfection of their faith; and their great desire to have it increased, which might be for their comfort, and his glory; so they acknowledge his divine power, and that he is the author and finisher of faith; and that as the beginning, so the increase of it is from him: wherefore faith is not of a man's self, or the produce of man's freewill and power, but is the gift of God; and even where it is, it is not in man to increase it, or add to it, or to draw it forth into exercise; this also is the operation of God. And if the apostles had need to put up such a petition to Christ, much more reason have other men.

MARK 11:20-26...
20+++As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21+++Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.”
22+++And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.
23+++“Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.
24+++“Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.
25+++“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.
26+++[“But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”]

The disciples could not think why that fig-tree should so soon wither away; but all wither who reject Christ; it represented the state of the Jewish church. We should rest in no religion that does not make us fruitful in good works.

Christ taught them from hence to pray in faith. It may be applied to that mighty faith with which all true Christians are endued, and which does wonders in spiritual things. It justifies us, and so removes mountains of guilt, never to rise up in judgment against us. It purifies the heart, and so removes mountains of corruption, and makes them plain before the grace of God. One great errand to the throne of grace is to pray for the pardon of our sins; and care about this ought to be our daily concern.

FAITH IS CRUCIAL to our relationship, growth, and development in CHRIST, and to our very communion with HIM! There are hundreds of BIBLE verses concerning FAITH, and PRAYING IN FAITH! FAITH in PRAYER is essential; it becomes SUPERNATURALLY charged, according to HIS WILL, of course, through which, HE PROVIDES one way or another for the FAITHFUL! We MUST hone our FAITH, it is necessary not only to our walk with HIM, and to this time, but to the very reception, and strength of our PRAYERS, as well as for what is to come...

MANY people are lacking in rock solid FAITH, and waver in troubled times; in fact, most of us, at one point or another, have had our FAITH shaken, or we question it! It IS not only wise to work our FAITH to as much perfection as is feasible, but will serve us, *GOD*, and others, more so as it becomes instinctive in us...

PRAYER is FORTIFIED with FAITH, and FAITHFULNESS! FAITHFULNESS SEES us living in a way exemplifying HIM, and HIS WILL, in the best of our understanding, and abilities; it is an ongoing process of improving, and WILL begin anew with each day, and each circumstance, condition, issue, and what else comes into our paths. Like practice makes perfect, so does constancy!!!

PRAYER is the raising of one's mind, and heart to GOD... Through prayer GOD invites each person to enter into a personal encounter with the Creator GOD'S plan of salvation offers a reciprocal relationship between GOD and man, and prayer is integral to that reciprocity...

CHRIST JESUS is the perfect model of prayer in the Bible. In HIM we see examples of solitary prayer, vigil prayer, conventional prayer, repetitious prayer, set prayer, and intercessory prayer. HE prayed often in solitude in desert places and on mountains, and prayed in preparation for the most decisive and important moments of HIS ministry and life, including HIS baptism, the calling of the Twelve, HIS Transfiguration, and HIS Passion. At the Last Supper, JESUS offered a long prayer of petition, and in the Garden of Gethsemane, HE prayed the same prayer three times in a row. On the Cross HE prayed the set words of of Psalm 22:2, Psalm 31: 5...

The prayer life of JESUS is marked by HIS use of the term 'ABBA', which is Aramaic for 'FATHER', to convey HIS intimacy and familiarity with GOD. JESUS thus serves as the supreme model of how to pray especially in times of trial and suffering...

JESUS emphasized the need to approach GOD with FAITH! "Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11: 24). We should pray too, with a disposition to be obedient to the WILL OF THE FATHER (Matthew 7: 21), and thereby to cooperate with the plan of salvation. JESUS also taught that FAITH in the SON serves as the greatest means to enter into knowledge of the FATHER, for JESUS IS 'the way, and the truth, and the life' (John 14: 6)...