HEAVENLY INCLINED...: CHRIST JESUS' FINAL WEEK IN JERUSALEM...

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...

CHRIST JESUS' FINAL WEEK IN JERUSALEM...

Much happened in CHRIST JESUS' last week in Jerusalem, and HIS being was heavy with many things, including that of HIS sorrow for those HE came to lead, but whom did not accept HIM, the Israelites---

After having triumphantly entered Jerusalem, JESUS embarks on a breathless round of activities, and teaching. Most dramatic in MATTHEW, MARK, and LUKE is HIS overthrowing of the moneychangers tables in the Temple. That event precipitates plans for HIS death, and seems to be linked to HIS prediction (MARK 13: 2) that the Temple would be destroyed. JESUS also has conflicts with the authorities over HIS teaching (MATTHEW 21: 23). HE blasts the fig tree; HE utters laments over Jerusalem; there are woes over scribes and Pharisees. All of these themes of judgement and destruction heighten the tension in the days leading up to GOOD FRIDAY...

JESUS' teaching includes many parables (the Great Supper, the Two Sons, and others), and there are questions to JESUS about paying taxes to Caesar, HIS relationship to David, and belief in resurrection. Most noticeable is the extended piece of teaching about the End Time in MATTHEW 24, MARK 13, and LUKE 21. This apocalyptic discourse warns about the events that will announce the Second Coming. Conversely, JESUS also urges caution about misunderstanding disasters that are not eschatological. All of JESUS' teaching about the arrival of GOD'S KINGDOM and HIS actions in Jerusalem hasten the calls for HIS arrest, and death...

There is much to reflect on as we enter the day of THE LAST SUPPER! CHRIST gave HIS entire being TO reaching, and teaching the lost of the world! HE cried, HE PRAYED, HIS heart was tormented despite having known all this before HE entered the world to SAVE it; so rampant was the blindness, and deafness of the masses! How HE LONGED to take all in HIS embrace, and gather them to HIMSELF (LUKE 13: 34), but they were obstinate, and could not accept HIS TRUTH...

After spending the few days teaching, and so forth, CHRIST JESUS would spend the evening in Bethany/the Mount of Olives, which was HIS custom whenever in the vicinity of Jerusalem...

We will now enter into THE LAST SUPPER...

LWINSOR © 2020
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS