HEAVENLY INCLINED...: SUNDAY: THE FUTILITY OF THE PRIDEFUL VS THE FRUITFULNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS...

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...

SUNDAY: THE FUTILITY OF THE PRIDEFUL VS THE FRUITFULNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS...

In this old world there are many who treat others badly, are condescending, arrogant, aggressive, rude, and, smile while belittling! Most of such people are convinced, and proud of themselves, and believe they act rightly, as they remain contrite, condemning, and cold to anyone who doesn't cower to them. They are mean, and will destroy lives, as well as livelihoods, premised upon their disdain, or dislike of certain people, or groups. These have lessons to learn, and hearts to unfreeze, indeed---

Quite a few of them proclaim CHRIST JESUS as their LORD, yet, they are more underhanded than all of the Pharisee's, Scribes, and Sadducee's of ancient times, combined! They are hypocrites beyond hypocrisy, yet declare great numbers of people to be what they are themselves, and this in many ways! They take NO responsibility for their flaws, or faults, still they nit-pik those of everyone else! They are more than proud, they are narcissistic, and walking dangers!!!

TRUE Christians KNOW TRUTH, and aim to exist in it, AND to take the HIGH road, albeit, at times, it IS VERY difficult! There is NO need to stoop to the lowness of those kinds of people, still, when they drag you through hell, smug, and sinister, it IS as if battling Satan himself! I don't think there is anything else more exasperating, or draining than dealing with them! WHOLE lives HAVE been totally destroyed for but a brief contact with such, and for NO reason other than their false sense of rank, which many of them assume!!!

People OF *GOD* HAVE TO REMIND themselves, that the day IS coming, and that the pompous SHALL be judged as they have judged! AND, we HAVE to REMEMBER that VENGEANCE BELONGS TO HIM; HE WILL destroy those who destroy others! We HAVE TO WAIT ON THE LORD, and REMAIN IN HIM, in TRUTH, and in SPIRIT, despite the contentious conflict!!!

These days ARE volatile, and disruptive, HOWEVER, it IS common TO THE PLAN, and TO HIS COMING! SO, we RESIST the urges to engage with the wicked, as we PREPARE for HIM IN the best of our capacities, and understanding, and we PRAY, for them, others, and ourselves, as IN our MIGHTY armour, we fend off the darts, and arrows of evil IN HIS NAME, FOR HIS GLORY, existing peaceably as much as is feasible, and as kind as is HE, even when we are faced with the worst these people unload on us!!!

STAYING IN THE WORD IS CRUCIAL, as it PROVIDES in ENDLESS ways, and LEADS us aright, ALWAYS! Let us TRUST *GOD* with ALL we have!!!

PSALM 52...

1+++Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.

2+++Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit.

3+++You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah.

4+++You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.

5+++But God will break you down forever; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent, And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah.

6+++The righteous will see and fear, And will laugh at him, saying,

7+++“Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire.”

8+++But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.

9+++I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.

Those that glory in sin, glory in their shame. The patience and forbearance of God are abused by sinners, to the hardening of their hearts in their wicked ways. But the enemies in vain boast in their mischief, while we have God's mercy to trust in. It will not save us from the guilt of lying, to be able to say, there was some truth in what we said, if we make it appear otherwise than it was. The more there is of craft and contrivance in any wickedness, the more there is of Satan in it. When good men die, they are transplanted from the land of the living on earth, to heaven, the garden of the Lord, where they shall take root for ever; but when wicked men die, they are rooted out, to perish for ever. The believer sees that God will destroy those who make not him their strength.

Those wretchedly deceive themselves, who think to support themselves in power and wealth without God. The wicked man trusted in the abundance of his riches; he thought his wickedness would help him to keep his wealth. Right or wrong, he would get what he could, and keep what he had, and ruin any one that stood in his way; this he thought would strengthen him; but see what it comes to!

Those who by faith and love dwell in the house of God, shall be like green olive-trees there. And that we may be as green olive-trees, we must live a life of faith and holy confidence in God and his grace. It adds much to the beauty of our profession, and to fruitfulness in every grace, to be much in praising God; and we never can want matter for praise. His name alone can be our refuge and strong tower. It is very good for us to wait on that saving name; there is nothing better to calm and quiet our spirits, when disturbed, and to keep us in the way of duty, when tempted to use any crooked courses for our relief, than to hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. None ever followed his guidance but it ended well.

ONWARD IN CHRIST JESUS, NO MATTER WHAT!!!

BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS