HEAVENLY INCLINED...: MISPLACED GLORY=NO GLORY AT ALL!!!

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...

MISPLACED GLORY=NO GLORY AT ALL!!!

IF people would pour as much energy into THE LORD *GOD* as they do into politics, celebrities, entertainers, and other worldliness, we would be in such a great place! There is ONLY ONE TRUE GLORY; HIS NAME IS THE LORD, and through HIM we take on that glory! All worldly glory is temporal, flawed, and fickle, but HIS GLORY IS ETERNAL, PERFECT, and SURE---

Put NOT your trust in mankind; instead put your trust in THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY (PSALM 146), for only HE SHALL LEAD you, provide for you, protect you, and keep you! HOW difficult is it to embrace this TRUTH???

The current state of frenzied involvement in worldliness WILL come crashing down upon us; believe it! When we separate ourselves from *GOD*, we are endangered by ourselves, and the evil of this realm! We LOSE big time, and perhaps eternally! There is SO much to consider in our short time on this Earth, and NONE of it should be bound in what is of the world, because IF we are OF *GOD*, we are NOT of this world, though we are in it!!!

There is a trend to deny, and defy THE LORD, HOWEVER, that is NOT going to take us to a better way, as WITHOUT HIM, there is NOTHING viable, and NOTHING good for us! HE IS AND EVERMORE SHALL BE, and even if all people turn from HIM, in the end, HE WILL BE, while we are lost forever!!!

EACH generation has it's own battles of the flesh, but I tell you what, today's battle is of baffling proportions, PARTLY because we HAVE CHOSEN this battle! We HAVE chosen to exist as if we were all powerful, when it is OBVIOUS we are NOT! We HAVE chosen to imagine superiority over ALL IN CREATION, AS IF that were feasible, let alone probable!!!

Power, greed, lust, wrath, gluttony, envy, and sloth ARE VERY present in this day, and ARE the deadly errs/sins from which wrong/bad behaviours, and existence derive! Instead of developing in virtue, we choose to develop that which is deadly: LOGICALLY, it makes NO sense, but the farther humanity wanders from *GOD*, LOVE, and TRUTH, the greater increase there IS of what is bad, unjust, and wrong, which is passed down, and eventually taken as right, because fewer KNOW *GOD*, or TRUTH!!!

OH, that there were a way to REACH people in the darkness, which there IS, but, they PREFER the darkness OVER THE LIGHT (JOHN 3)! More so now than maybe, ever! Free will, GIVEN by THE LORD, has been translated into freedom perverted by human perception, and lack of discipline, because desire, emotionalism, egotism, and frivolity ARE invoked by unrestrained fascination with sating the being, regardless!!!

We ARE heading into harsh terrain! We ARE vulnerable TO the consequences involved in our choices! HOPE IS EVER PRESENT as long as there IS this day, but WHAT does it take to inspire one to take note of the perilous path they are on, WHEN they believe they have chosen wisely???

I don't understand people anymore; not that I ever truly did, but now, I am REALLY wondering WHY SO MANY opt to enter into the TRAP of darkness, when THE LIGHT is right there, and WILL lead them to more than they ever hoped for!!!

PRAYER IS my resource, and my regulator, which I use constantly, and consistently, for everyone, and everything! As I witness the world today, I am amazed at the foolhardy affection for matters, and things that are insubstantial, and serpentine! *GOD* HELP us, for we are LOST; more lost than we know!!!

KNOW THIS, we DO HAVE THE POWER to change course, and to MAKE time WORTHY for one, and all! We possess MORE GOOD than not, but we have to WANT good in order for it to exist, to flourish, and to thrive, which BEGINS with EACH of us!!!

BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS