HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THE WAY OF THE SPIRIT...

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 WAY OF THE SPIRIT...

In everything which THE LORD *GOD* bids of us there IS great logic, sound reason, and absolute optimizing purpose---

IF only we could understand WHY HIS instructions work for the good! We have great need to embrace the facts that while things might be acceptable in societies, and handed down through the generations, they are NOT right with *GOD*, and do not work in accordance to HIS WILL! YES, it IS SO difficult for us to understand, but HE IS NOT of the world, and neither are those who are of HIM....

Let's begin with pride, and self-inclination: such IS what has distanced us from our LORD, and IS what opens up to err, and to being snared by this world! IF we step away from the self, and pride, there are endless benefits for everyone! You see, pride, and selfishness destroy what is right, just, and good, because the self is more important than others, and their state of existence! IF ALL people existed IN THE LORD honestly, pride, and self-inclination would no longer combat what is wholesome, and optimal! IF we LOVED as HE HAS taught us to, pride, and selfishness WOULD diminish, and be eradicated! But here we are, in a world where pride, and self-inclination is paramount, and so, extreme suffering is found all over the world...

IF we are OF CHRIST JESUS, we are NO longer flesh, instead we are spirit, and so, pride, and self-inclination do NOT fit into the picture! The spirit is NOT concerned about the flesh, at least not more than necessary, instead it's focus is upon THE LORD, THE KINGDOM, and the soul, and not only individually speaking, but there is concern for other souls as well!!!

SO much pride, and self-inclination exists in this time; people are very into themselves, and while they may, at times, care for others, the main focus is upon the self, and what can be gained to please the self! A Christian's aim SHOULD reside in pleasing THE LORD *GOD*, for UNTO HIM do our souls belong, and in spirit do we find our likeness to HIM!!!

There are hundreds of BIBLE verses which deal with pride, self, self-inclination, and that which is related; EACH instructing us to HUMBLE ourselves, and have more concern for others than the self, which in turn, BLESSES! PHILIPPIANS 2: 3-11...
3+++Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
4+++do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
5+++Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6+++who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7+++but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8+++Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9+++For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
10+++so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11+++and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Here are further exhortations to Christian duties; to like-mindedness and lowly-mindedness, according to the example of the Lord Jesus. Kindness is the law of Christ's kingdom, the lesson of his school, the livery of his family. Several motives to brotherly love are mentioned. If you expect or experience the benefit of God's compassions to yourselves, be compassionate one to another. It is the joy of ministers to see people like-minded. Christ came to humble us, let there not be among us a spirit of pride. We must be severe upon our own faults, and quick in observing our own defects, but ready to make favourable allowances for others. We must kindly care for others, but not be busy-bodies in other men's matters. Neither inward nor outward peace can be enjoyed, without lowliness of mind.

The example of our Lord Jesus Christ is set before us. We must resemble him in his life, if we would have the benefit of his death. Notice the two natures of Christ; his Divine nature, and human nature. Who being in the form of God, partaking the Divine nature, as the eternal and only-begotten Son of God, Joh 1:1, had not thought it a robbery to be equal with God, and to receive Divine worship from men. His human nature; herein he became like us in all things except sin.

Thus low, of his own will, he stooped from the glory he had with the Father before the world was. Christ's two states, of humiliation and exaltation, are noticed. Christ not only took upon him the likeness and fashion, or form of a man, but of one in a low state; not appearing in splendour. His whole life was a life of poverty and suffering. But the lowest step was his dying the death of the cross, the death of a malefactor and a slave; exposed to public hatred and scorn. The exaltation was of Christ's human nature, in union with the Divine. At the name of Jesus, not the mere sound of the word, but the authority of Jesus, all should pay solemn homage. It is to the glory of God the Father, to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; for it is his will, that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father, Joh 5:23. Here we see such motives to self-denying love as nothing else can supply. Do we thus love and obey the Son of God?

This IS important knowledge to gain! We OUGHT to understand that EMPTYING the self leads to FULLNESS of spirit, which IS the onset of eternal BLESSEDNESS!!!

TRULY, IF we took the time to KNOW THE LORD, HIS WAYS, HIS WILL, HIS WORD, and EXISTED IN HIM, IN LOVE, there wouldn't be the problems, and troubles we see, and experience; first hand, or otherwise! MICAH 6: 8...
He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

Over and over again, throughout the entire BIBLE we are bid to care for those who are needy, homeless, hungry, downtrodden, afflicted, orphaned, widowed, and so on! Let us not forget that *GOD* placed Mankind as caretakers of this Earth, and ALL which is on it! Not only that, as HE HAS GRACE, and MERCY upon us, we are to have the same for others, which those filled with pride, and self-inclination are NOT able to fulfill, for obvious reasons...

Too many EXPECT *GOD* to fix the world, but they don't understand that we HAVE our role in HIS PLAN, and HIS WILL, AS WELL AS, our thoughts, actions, and reactions REVEAL our heart like nothing else can, hence, we ARE given the choice to exist IN THE LORD *GOD*, or in the world, each of which determines the placement of the soul in eternity! It would be SO easy for HIM to just make everything better, but would we be? Through our work in this realm we grow, and develop into THE TRUTH of our existence, PRODUCING fruits WORTHY of THE VINE, and increasing what is right, just, and good in this darkened, deceptive world...

THE WAY OF THE SPIRIT IS our REALITY, which begins NOW in this realm, and our purpose IS crucial TO HIS GLORY, and the good of all whom HE has chosen! Therefore, we TAKE OFF the fleshy being, and PUT ON the spirit, ever seeking THE WILL of THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY!!!

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