HEAVENLY INCLINED...: MY COUNTRY 'TIS OF THEE...

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...

MY COUNTRY 'TIS OF THEE...

Though I am pretty apolitical, I LOVE my country; not only because I was born, and raised in it, but because it HAS qualities unique! I am deeply disturbed by the current state within our borders, yet, I BELIEVE the 'solid' Americans will come together, and we will, with renewed determination, bring some semblance of normalcy to the forefront, that we can begin to heal, and restore the damage done in recent years, and times---

This 4TH of July finds many feeling discouraged, and dismayed due to the virus, chaos, and resistance, still, the underlying importance of our nation, along with it's endless attributes, will motivate us to find the strength to withstand what intends to take us down, and to bring forward resolution to moving past this bump! We will put behind the wicked forces aiming to destroy us, and we WILL make something great of all these wrongs; it IS the American way; we ARE resilient, and we CREATE masterpieces out of heaps, ashes, and dust, indeed!!!

The USA is FULL of spirit, and of *GOD*, albeit the workers of iniquity HAVE disrupted core values, beliefs, and standards! We SHALL OVERCOME, and RISE again; this, I, not only hope for, but believe! AND, the age old wisdom passed through the generations, WILL be retained, at least enough TO keep us working towards what is right, just, and good, FOR ALL, NOT just for some!!!

My country 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA! May *GOD* BLESS us, and most importantly, may we BLESS HIM, and each other! Time on this Earth is far too fleeting to WASTE it on what is substandard, inferior, negative, and hostile! We HAVE the means to MAKE our days optimal, superior, positive, and mellow, we DO!!!

From sea to shining sea,
What has become of thee?
America the land of the free,
Home of welcomed civility,
How we have backtracked, so suddenly;
*GOD* HELP us to see,
What we have done to our beloved country... ljw'20

THINK, and stop the madness before it destroys us! Our nation IS WORTH saving, and promoting beyond all of this! Do we not know just how good we have it? The hissy fits we are witnessing are fueled upon all which denies the heart of the USA, truly! FREEDOM is FAR MORE than is felt, or known by many these days, AND it begins with EACH of us to understand it, cherish it, and secure it!, and WITHOUT *GOD*, well, we are experiencing that!!!

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