HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THE ROAD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: FROM ROMANS TO REVELATION...

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...

THE ROAD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: FROM ROMANS TO REVELATION...

All of Mankind exists in ways contrary to THE LORD; all have sinned; all have erred; all find it most difficult to adhere totally to the WILL of *GOD*---

We have the need for self-examination, daily, sometimes hourly, especially the Christian people; because like everyone, we do what we don't want to do, or mean to do, but we CAN, through THE LORD, and THE HOLY SPIRIT, grow...

KNOWING that we are prone to do this, or do that, along with KNOWING THE LORD'S WILL, and WAYS, should be enough to keep us diligently seeking improvement, but alas, we are ever distracted, as well as thinking on the move, quick to act, and to react, and so, daily we must take a look at ourselves to see what areas we are hindered by, or how much progress we have made...

We are like the one who looks at themselves in a mirror, and when they walk away, they forget what kind of person they are (JAMES 1: 23-24)! We are in perpetual distraction, and unless we ROOT IN THE LORD, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, HIS WORD, we forget, we ignore what is known deep within, and we place ourselves in the direct line of assault from the enemy!!!

Some say that reading the whole BIBLE once, should be adequate, yet, how easily we forget things! We have a tendency to bury things within the subconscious, and then HOPE to pull them up as needed, or necessary, yet for many, this is not possible, because a mountain of other information by way of distraction has gotten in the way! One SHOULD study THE WORD daily, and take it to heart, as well as dig deeper into HOW it all ties together to LEAD us past this world, and ourselves! Like LOVE, THE WORD KEEPS us FAITHFUL TO THE LORD, and ON THE PATH; growing, and developing INTO HIS REFLECTION FOR HIS GLORY, and for the good of those yet lost in the darkness!!!

*GOD* has HIGH HOPES for HIS Children; HE bids that we NOT take HIS LOVE, GRACE, and MERCY, as a sign to sin all the more! HIS HOPE is that our LOVE FOR HIM is REAL enough, and DEEP enough to see us longing to sin no more, despite that sin is ever near! LOVE IS the bond which SEALS THE COVENANT of RECONCILIATION, to which we ARE partners, and thus, we DO have responsibilities, and duties TO upholding, with integrity! Guilt is NOT the basis on which we adhere TO HIS WILL, instead it is PURELY, LOVE! Our guilt already exists, and CANNOT be denied; it is our LOVE FOR HIM which HE desires, as it places us IN our REALITY, which is NOT of this world, as citizens of THE KINGDOM OF *GOD*!!!

THE LORD'S WILL for our time on this Earth; for our overall existence, IS manifest, and IS known to us; we only have to heed, and comply! Many will, no doubt, excuse themselves from allegiance, and adherence, feigning lack of knowledge of THE ONE TRUE *GOD*, or HIS WILL, but, such is not possible, because THE TRUTH IS EVIDENT, and IS planted in the being!!!

The BOOK OF ROMANS reveals the answers to important questions and supplies information on many topics, such as salvation, the sovereignty of God, judgment, spiritual growth, and the righteousness of God. The theme of the book centers on the Gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16,17). Paul is deeply concerned that his readers understand how a sinner may be received as righteous by a righteous God; and how a justified sinner should live daily to the glory of God...

Note; HOW a justified sinner should live DAILY to the GLORY OF *GOD*! This ideal indicates that we HAVE a ROLE in THE COVENANT, and why wouldn't we, when it IS a binding contract between two or more parties? *GOD* HAS fulfilled HIS end, may we also, fulfill ours! Of course, we cannot do it on our own, nor by earning it, instead LOVE becomes us, and IN that LOVE, we meld into the WISDOM of *GOD* and HIS GRACE; we BECOME MORE LIKE HIM, all the more easily the more we learn, understand, know, and utilize! Through ALL HE IS, we take ON every aspect of HIS INFINITE nature, at least in part! It is LOVE TO LOVE, GRACE TO GRACE, MERCY TO MERCY, and so on; as we ARE brought INTO our REALITY AS HEIRS OF A HOLY, and DIVINE KINGDOM!!!

Apostle Paul LOVED THE LORD with ALL he was; despite his beginnings, and THE HOLY SPIRIT worked through him more than effectively, THAT ALL people might begin to meld into THE TRUTH! Paul teaches that FAITH is justification, which many take to mean that it is the whole in a nutshell, but as we study further, he teaches that works DO accompany FAITH, as he stresses that we, now dead to the world, are dead to sin, and therefore, exist accordingly! ALL of Paul's works teach us HOW to exist as people of righteousness...

MANY do not see the need for devotion TO THE LORD, and yet, we are taught to do EVERYTHING IN THE NAME OF LORD JESUS, giving thanks to *GOD* THE FATHER through HIM (COLOSSIANS 3: 17)! In word, and DEED, we HONOUR THE LORD: does that indicate that we can live contrary to HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, HIS WORD???

A large part of our ROLE in HIS GRACE, and MERCY IS to AID those in need, those who are lost, those who are suffering, those who are weak, those who are left at the hands of the destroyer; NONE of which we can do WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, understanding, and TRUTH of existing IN HIM! Therefore, ONLY through constant, and diligent study, and conforming TO HIS WORD, with THE HOLY SPIRIT, can we fulfill HIS WILL!!!

YES, THROUGH FAITH we are justified; it IS as a DOOR which we enter, THEN take ON IN TRUTH ALL which IS OF THE LORD! We, THROUGH FAITH GAIN ACCESS TO HIM, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, and MELD INTO HIM THAT we ARE REFLECTIONS, and PROOFS of HIM IN us! This means, righteousness SHOWS in all we think, say, or do, AS our sight is restored, and our ears are opened unto HIM! By word, and deeds, we are VIABLE indicators OF HIM!!!

In the horrid depravity of the heathen, the truth of our Lord's words was shown: Light was come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil; for he that doeth evil hateth the light. The truth was not to their taste. And we all know how soon a man will contrive, against the strongest evidence, to reason himself out of the belief of what he dislikes. But a man cannot be brought to greater slavery than to be given up to his own lusts. As the Gentiles did not like to keep God in their knowledge, they committed crimes wholly against reason and their own welfare.

The nature of man, whether pagan or Christian, is still the same; and the charges of the apostle apply more or less to the state and character of men at all times, till they are brought to full submission to the faith of Christ, and renewed by Divine power. There never yet was a man, who had not reason to lament his strong corruptions, and his secret dislike to the will of God. Therefore this chapter (ROMANS 1) is a call to self-examination, the end of which should be, a deep conviction of sin, and of the necessity of deliverance from a state of condemnation.

In the coming weeks, we will take a journey from ROMANS through REVELATION, for there IS much which has been sifted from the overall message of SALVATION, which endangers too many, and leaves us with questions, even doubts, and worse, the probability of wandering off THE PATH! An open mind, and a receiving heart ARE necessary to step beyond the chatter of the mind INTO the SOUND and practical WISDOM of TRUTH, THAT it takes root, and anchors us! This time is to be used PROACTIVELY IN HIS NAME, FOR HIS GLORY, and the greater good of others, as we PRAISE, WORSHIP, REJOICE, and HOLD FAST TO HIM, our BLESSED HOPE!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2016
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS