HEAVENLY INCLINED...: JOY 'IS' WITH US: HIS NAME IS 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...

JOY 'IS' WITH US: HIS NAME IS THE LORD!!!

I really never thought about it until the past few years, when someone said something about it, just how much I LOVE CHRISTmas!!!---

Maybe, just maybe, it is because for many years, there was no CHRISTmas for me! No Family, no celebrations, no feasts, no gifts, no LOVE; just don't know! All I know is that when I finally was able to have CHRISTmas, and share it with those I LOVE, it grew, and grew, and grew, just like my LOVE FOR THE LORD *GOD*:)))

MANY people will not feel like celebrating CHRISTmas this year; their JOY has been diminished, and I PRAY NOT taken, as we experience unthinkable things, and endure what is NOT necessary! Yet, when HOPE is lessened, it IS the BEST time to turn TO THE LORD with a heart of PRAISE, WORSHIP, and REJOICING! I KNOW it is difficult to understand WHY we should do so, but TRULY, those who DO, FIND PEACE, JOY, HOPE, LOVE, and the WILL to keep on keepin' on, AND our LORD IS GLORIFIED, as we HONOUR HIM, HIS LOVE, HIS GIFT!!!

Don't think I don't know suffering around the HOLYdays; I DO, but I also, know HOW to make the best of any situation, and to HONOUR *GOD* along the way! WHERE ELSE will my strength, health, and ability to go on come from? ONLY HE CAN heal me, sustain me, encourage me, and UPLIFT me, and SO, I URGE EVERYONE who is hesitant, TO experience the SUPERNATURAL time we call CHRISTmas!!!

As I am readying for CHRISTmas, I cry tears of sorrow, I PRAY, oh how I PRAY, for these times ARE hard on the being, BUT WITH *GOD* there IS A WAY, and I am NOT relinquishing my hold on HIM, NO WAY, BECAUSE I KNOW WITH HIM, it is well with my soul, AND, I BELIEVE IN HIM IN EVERY WAY, while I WAIT on HIM!!!

Some have suffered beyond comprehension, no one could deny this, and still, THESE ARE those who MOST NEED to come closer to THE LORD, for HE ALONE, PROVIDES in EVERY way; HE CAN, and DOES LEAD us PAST even the most dire hours! FAITH IS MIRACULOUSLY empowered!!!

As Christians, we are NEVER alone, no matter! We ARE ONE IN CHRIST JESUS, THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, and we are covered in PRAYERS, in HOPE, in FAITHFULNESS AS ONE! Whatever you experience, we FEEL, and RAISE TO HIM, and we stand with you in sincere LOVE!!!

Our JOY is ROOTED IN THE LORD, NOT in the world, and so, in my mind, JOY IS WITH us, and SHALL LEAD us! Let us PRAISE HIM & WORSHIP HIM for HE IS our KING, our SAVIOUR, WHOM GAVE us LIFE!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2015