HEAVENLY INCLINED...: AS 2020 FADES AWAY...

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...

AS 2020 FADES AWAY...

2020 is rapidly coming to an end; this very complex, troubled, and strange year will be gone, but will any of the challenges go with it?---

Funny how we raise our HOPES with a new year, and expect great things to happen with each of them, as if the crossing of an eve into a day might be that powerful:))) I think most of us light up with that HOPE, which is alright, except it our HOPE lies in THE LORD *GOD*, NOT a moment, hour, day, month, or year...

A LOT of our troubles might pass, and disappear, IF we TURNED TO *GOD* OVER all else, but alas, most don't, or won't, even though they have some knowledge of it being TRUTH, and FACT!!!

WHAT people fail to recognize is that LIFE begins AFTER this journey through this realm, and that the best is YET to come, which will FAR greater than everything pleasant on this Earth combined! What we fail to acknowledge is that this is NOT about us, nor is it a gratification implementation! The navigation through this plane is for THE GLORY OF *GOD*, and for what is right, just, and good, albeit evil rages all about us! We forget what is HOLY; we forget what is ahead; we forget nearly EVERY PROMISE as we chase dreams, ideologies, passions, and other worldly desires, which places us in danger of eternal loss of LIFE, and TRUE JOY!!!

It would be SO nice IF many people have taken this past year to heart, and have stopped long enough to ponder our vulnerability, our fragility, and our NEED OF THE LORD! IF that happens, then we can begin to look forward, FREE of the sorrows weighing us down as of this hour!!!

Humans OUGHT to acknowledge themselves, and to assess themselves completely, for in doing so, there is wisdom, humility, and understanding enough to GROW UP! As long as everyone is in denial of their own shortcomings, flaws, and faults, there can be NO growth, and NO flourishing, because we are prone to judging, nit-picking, and scorning others when we IMAGINE ourselves to be without defect(s)!!!

NOW IS TIME TO SEEK *GOD* BEFORE it is too late, and while we are being brought low! Affliction is eradicated THROUGH HIM, or prolonged through clinging to what is NOT OF HIM!!!

WE CAN MAKE this world a better place, but we HAVE to ponder WHY we are at this point of chaos, unrest, pain, suffering, agony, and worse, and SEE OUR role therein, THEN, make necessary changes TO advance for our sake, and that of the entire planet!!!

At any rate, those of us yet here, HAVE survived this far, BY THE GRACE OF *GOD*, in which case, I PRAY we have learned some valuable lessons, and have dug deeper into the being! I WISH we could do a reset, but we cannot, and so, our greatest advantage IS to approach the new year with a fresh, healthy, and wholesome approach, WHILE renouncing all which HAS led us to the edge of even more problems!!!

Sending you LOVE, PEACE, and RESILIENCE! May *GOD* BLESS & BE WITH us, but mostly, may we BLESS & BE WITH HIM! GIVE of your heart, and gain from that!!!