HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THE HEART OF HUMANITY VS THE HEART OF *GOD*...

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...

THE HEART OF HUMANITY VS THE HEART OF GOD...

It begins with LOVE, and having a heart for THE LORD *GOD*, that we might exist in a state of bliss---

Humans have always chased every dream, passion, desire, and thought seeking paradise, not realizing it is found within the heart...

When we LOVE as *GOD* WILLS, and heed HIS WAYS, we are that much closer to the reality of our ideal, and in that, we acknowledge HIM, and others as more significant, as more deserving, as welcomed receivers of the best that we might offer, of ourselves, and of our gifts, talents, and so on. We KNOW that LOVE MUST forward itself, with great purpose, and we know that what we give freely WILL return to us a hundredfold...

The world has its ways of taking us far, far from the beautiful GRACE OF LOVE; twisting it into something we have determined it to be, and based upon how we have bungled it, thus, many scoff LOVE as if it were but a false hope, without ever taking the time to scratch more than its surface, or to dig deep into its roots...

From beginning to end, LOVE IS ALL THERE IS, AND LOVE IS THE ANSWER, and ANTIDOTE to all which breaks us! FEW are those inclined to probe the core of LOVE, *GOD*, since few have been inspired, or compelled to do so! Bogus narratives have granted bogus beliefs, hence, bogus hope in lies, deception, and charades of every feasible kind, leaving more than most to EXPECT more than they are willing to give, to share, or to partake in...

PRIDE IS AN ENEMY, to *GOD*, and to others as well! Pride causes people to imagine they are something more than they are, and that they deserve more than they get, or can get! Pride leads to every sort of err, and eventually, rends the proud empty! Pride is totally in opposition to LOVE, and to what is optimal for the being, and for existence itself! When there are numbers of proud people, there is conflict, contention, and so forth as these compete to fulfill their every prideful need! All err increases as people become more self-inclined, self-absorbed, and selfish...

In this 'ME', or 'I' generation, we are witnessing LOVE waxing cold, just as THE LORD said it would, because the focus is NOT on what is beneficial for all, instead centered on the self, which is an extremely limited part of the whole, despite the many whom believe they are larger than the whole! And so, the negativity surges, and the problems swell, in which case, woes are constant, and the QUALITY of existence diminishes greatly, for one, and for all...

No one seems to care where we are headed in this time as long as most can do what they want, when they want, how they want, while disregarding consequences, or repercussions! It is going to get REALLY ugly in the near future as people place prestige upon themselves, disregarding, and disrespecting everyone else! This happened quickly, and HAS spread like fueled wildfires, only to make the days full of anxiety, confusion, and tension, none of which aids us, or is productive...

LOVE SEEMS to be THE most difficult value, or standard for humans to learn, appreciative, embrace, and utilize, YET it IS THE MOST CRUCIAL!!!

Hatred IS derived from pride, and IS destructive, both for those who hate, and those who are hated! It IS as nasty, vile, and negative as can be, leaving nothing but devastating loss in its wake! Still, it IS learned, embraced, and utilized AS IF it were basic, when nothing is farther from the truth!!!

The human condition IS confounding, and bewildering! We revere what is lies, what is wrong, what weakens us, what destroys us, and so forth, BUT we ABSOLUTELY IGNORE that which would grant us HEAVEN on Earth! I have spent MANY years TRYING to figure it out, and there is no tangible reason other than that people REJECT THE LORD *GOD*, and HIS WILL, because they have NOT been SHOWN THE WAY, though they HEAR of it!!!

Let us PRAY, and let those who will, step INTO *GOD*, LOVE, and ALL which is right, good, and just, ENOUGH that our hearts REFLECT TRUTH, and HOPE, and THE WAY, FOR the sake of PERHAPS reaching even one lost being in this realm, FOR THE GLORY OF *GOD*!!!