HEAVENLY INCLINED...: SUNDAY'S SACRED SCRIPTURES: EVER GIVING THANKS...

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'S SACRED SCRIPTURES: EVER GIVING THANKS...

JAMES 1: 17-18...
17+++Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
18+++In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

PHILIPPIANS 4: 19...
19+++And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

PSALM 104: 14 & 27...
14+++He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the labor of man, So that he may bring forth food from the earth,
27+++They all wait for You, To give them their food in due season.

JOB 38: 41...
41+++“Who prepares for the raven its nourishment, When its young cry to God, And wander about without food?

MATTHEW 6: 25-34...
25“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
27“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
28“And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
30“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
31“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’
32“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

MATTHEW 7: 7-11...
7+++“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8+++“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
9+++“Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?
10+++“Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?
11+++“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

1 TIMOTHY 6: 6-8...
6+++But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
7+++For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
8+++If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

PHILIPPIANS 4: 11-13...
11+++Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
12+++I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
13+++I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

1 THESSALONIANS 5: 16-8...
16+++Rejoice always;
17+++pray without ceasing;
18+++in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

It is Thanksgiving week in the USA, which means diversity in celebration...

There is NO ONE else to thank, or to give GLORY to besides THE LORD, whom of LOVE, compassion, and painstaking care for us, HAS PROVIDED! HE ALONE, manifests EVERYTHING useful which advantages Mankind, and optimizes our very existence! HE ALONE KNEW BEFORE HE CREATED us, the most intricate detail of why, and how to sustain us, though this might be different for each of us! HE ALONE CREATED the waters, the rains, the Earth, the seasons, the conditions suitable for harvest, and plenty, and on it goes! Let us THANK HIM with ALL our hearts, and be GRATEFUL for what HE HAS given us, from basic necessities, all the way through the GIFT of CHRIST JESUS, which IS THE GIFT OF LIFE!!!

I have been nearly starving before, I have had more than enough, and I have been in between the two extremes, and I have always KNOWN that *GOD* was taking care of me, which I have NEVER forgotten, nor ignored, nor taken for granted! Even when I was not as close to HIM as I am now, I CELEBRATED HIM, and HIS GIFT(S)! HE ALONE IS WORTHY, and as a FATHER to ALL, DOES PROVIDE, according to HIS WILL, which we SHOULD take to heart, and count as all JOY!!!

ALL seasons are for giving THANKS TO *GOD*, but this time is set aside to REJOICE in HIM, as we also, enter into the season of celebrating HIS birth, and walk amongst us!!!

With appreciation, let us HONOUR HIM by making HIM the center of our festivities, after all, if it weren't for HIM, there would be NOTHING to celebrate, let alone would we be here!!!

THANK, PRAISE, BLESS, WORSHIP, and REJOICE IN THE LORD, and share with HIM the bounties HE HAS GIVEN, from the heart outward, in FAITH, FAITHFULNESS, and LOVE, FOR HIS GLORY, and the greater good of all!!!