HEAVENLY INCLINED...: MARY: MOTHER OF CHRIST OUR 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...

MARY: MOTHER OF CHRIST OUR LORD...

Can you imagine what it must of been like to be approached by an angel of THE ALMIGHTY *GOD*, and told that you would bear a Son, though quite young, and a virgin, and HE would be The SAVIOUR of the world; THE MESSIAH???---

Mary was unsettled when the angel Gabriel came to her; it troubled her, and caused her fear. Yet, she was obedient, and believed, even though she did not understand how this was to happen! *GOD* CHOSE a young Woman to be the Mother of CHRIST JESUS, who was Devout, honest, and possessed a rare strength in her TRUST of HIM, and her obedience to HIM! When the angel appeared and told her the baby would be God's Son, Mary replied, "I am the Lord's servant ... may it be to me as you have said." (LUKE 1: 38)...

Just like THE SON OF *GOD*, CHRIST JESUS whom was lessened by worldly minds and reasons, the people would not give Mary much honour because she was poor, young, and female! But *GOD* held her in esteem based on her qualities of TRUST IN HIM, and obedience to HIM! *GOD* holds dear those whose hearts are with HIM, and are willing to heed HIM...

It is said she was quite young; some say 12 or 13, and she had just become engaged to a Man named Joseph, thus, she was fearful of how this would all play out, after all, she was going to be impregnated, and it wouldn't be his Child, which gave him the right to Divorce her, and even to stone her to death! The fear and thoughts which must have gone through her being! But, ever loyal to *GOD*, she was willing to do as HE had bid...

Really, can you imagine being the Mother of THE LORD, CHRIST JESUS? Most of us can't even fulfill simple obligations to *GOD*, let alone something of this nature! Several of the Prophets who were CALLED by HIM begged HIM NOT to chose them; even arguing with HIM, so it IS amazing that this young girl was willing, no matter what was involved, to heed *GOD*! We could all learn from her...

Mary submitted FULLY to *GOD*, without hesitation, and greatly REJOICED all the while! Imagine what she felt when she went to visit Elizabeth, and Zecharias(h), only to find that Elizabeth was also pregnant (John the Baptist), and to hear her exclaim:
LUKE 1: 39-45...
39+++Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah,
40+++and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41+++When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42+++And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43+++“And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me?
44+++“For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.
45+++“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

Mary magnified *GOD*, and HIS WILL over herself, and thus was able to fulfill her role in the most BLESSED event ever known: TRUE HUMILITY!!!

Mary's betrothed, Joseph, became distressed by all of this, but was also visited by the angel Gabriel, and told that marrying Mary was *GOD'S* WILL, to which Joseph was obedient, though he knew the public humiliation he would have to bear. He was a Man of integrity, and righteousness, whose lineage is imperative to his role in it all; a direct descendant of the house of David, who was a direct descendant of the house of Abraham...

All those involved in the arrival, life, and death of CHRIST JESUS, LORD and SAVIOUR, were handpicked, by standards far beyond human understanding, and scrutiny, and most were MORE than willing to PLEASE *GOD*, obedient in their roles, and submitting to HIM completely! Zecharias(h) being one who was doubtful, and defiant, and consequently, was made mute until after his son, John was born, though he was a Priest in the temple in Jerusalem...

Mary the Mother of CHRIST JESUS suffered greatly in her role as HIS Mother, but that suffering was born of the LOVE OF *GOD*, and a willingness to partake IN HIS WILL! I know from my experience as a Mother, that it would have been a difficult trek through time for the heart, to endure what she did with CHRIST JESUS as her Son! See, many of us would have interfered in *GOD'S* PLAN due to the temptation of human emotions, but Mary held fast to *GOD*, and TRULY fulfilled HIS WILL for her life, thus, she is definitely worthy of our thought, and consideration as we inch closer to *GOD*! THE BIBLE is filled with examples for us to consider, and to include in our WORSHIP of THE MOST HIGH *GOD*, but especially crucial is the example of CHRIST JESUS, the PERFECT model of *GOD'S* WILL!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2015
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS