HEAVENLY INCLINED...: GOOD FRIDAY FROM THE HEART TO THE KING OF KINGS!!!

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...

GOOD FRIDAY FROM THE HEART TO THE KING OF KINGS!!!

CHRIST and HIS Disciples headed to the Garden of Gethsemane to PRAY---

JESUS told them to stay awake, and to PRAY that they were not tempted, but they could not stay awake...

Our LORD was shaken by what was about to happen; HIS PRAYERS were fervent. HE was moved by the event in which HE would suffer; HE wept, and asked THE FATHER to take this cup from HIM, IF that was HIS WILL, not once, but three times. HIS tears and sweat became as blood, and angels from on HIGH attended to HIM; intense hours were spent alone, as HE came to grips with the enormity of what HE was about to do BECAUSE OF LOVE, and FOR our sake...

Then HE went and found the Disciples sleeping, and chastised them for being so weak, and as they started to exit the garden, a large group was coming to arrest HIM...

HE was taken to Pontius Pilate, who after questioning HIM, found no guilt in HIM, and therefore, told the people so, but they would not listen; they had been incited by the elders. There was a tradition that one prisoner be released during the festival, and they chose Barabbas. So, CHRIST was taken away, in which case HE was mocked, flogged, and treated with extreme cruelty, to which HE did not respond, and so, by the time they were ready to take HIM to Golgotha, HE was bloody, and battered, wearing a crown of thorns, spit upon, and belittled...

It is absolutely a sign of the evil in this world that mobs, without proof, or truth, would condemn someone to death, ESPECIALLY THE LORD HIMSELF, YET, THIS IS WHY HE came, and died for us, and as ugly, and wicked as it is, WAS NECESSARY TO SAVING us from ourselves, and the evil ruler of this realm!!!

Such a beautiful, gentle, kind, caring, compassionate LORD we have, still, the majority did not accept HIM, and instead, were hostile to HIM, as their perception was marred, and their hearts as ice...

It is now, nearly the time that HE would give up the spirit. HE is hanging on a cross, next to 2 criminals, and is still being taunted by many. In just a short while, when HE dies, the temple will be destroyed, and the veil will be torn, and some will then, realize that HE WAS, and IS, THE KING OF KINGS, but most will not understand, no matter what...

Long ago, while I LOVED the gist of this HOLY, SELFLESS event, I did NOT take it to heart like I do today, and part of that was the ignorance in which I existed, which was because I was never taught aright, and so, while I appreciated the GIFT OF LIFE which HE GAVE HIS LIFE for, I did NOT respond accordingly; I took it for granted more than anything, and that IS wrong! Now that I am more mature as a Christian, I FEEL HIS SUFFERING, and very much STRIVE to HONOUR HIM in my ways, all of my days, for there is little else I can offer HIM in return, AND I HAVE discovered that I AM OF HIM, therefore it IS fitting that I AM changed in allegiance TO HIM, even though I am NOT yet perfected, I surrender TO HIM, and the PROCESS of HIM making me so!!!

Our world right now is in total chaos, and so, I think it is appropriate that Christians, especially, TRULY take to the depths of the soul, this BLESSED, and HOLY GIFT; one that HAS DEFIED death, and HAS SAVED those who CHOOSE to be! Let us NEVER FORGET, NOR WEARY in our journey HOME, and let us EVER LEARN, for there IS a battle before us that we MUST understand, THAT we might endure to the very end!!!

FREEDOM IS found IN THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY; a freedom that the world could never reproduce, let alone offer! LIFE IS HIS GIFT, and is NOTHING like what we call life in this realm! We OUGHT to ALWAYS REMAIN IN HIM, THAT HE REMAINS IN us! And let us adhere, as best as we might, TO HIM, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, and HIS WORD, FOR HIS UNDISPUTED, and PERFECT GLORY, as well as for the sake of those lost in the darkness...

THANK YOU LORD FOR ALL YOU ARE, and ALL YOU HAVE DONE, and DO! I will PRAISE YOU, WORSHIP YOU, HONOUR YOU, GLORIFY YOU, GIVE THANKS, and REJOICE IN YOU, all of the days of my time on this Earth, and FOREVER after!!!

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY! HALLELUJAH, BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD! BLESSED IS THE KING, OUR SAVIOUR, OUR LORD!!!