HEAVENLY INCLINED...: KNOWING REQUIRES EFFORT ALWAYS...

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...

KNOWING REQUIRES EFFORT ALWAYS...

KNOWING our LORD *GOD* and SAVIOUR is more than superficial knowledge of HIM, or mere acceptance of HIM, and HIS GIFT(S)---

For instance, lets use this an example: There are some people have known me for 35 years, yet, they know NOTHING about me, for they have never gone past the surface, and still, they will insist they know me. They don't even know my last, or middle name, but they ASSUME they know my heart, my mind, my soul. Everything they imagine they know is presumptive, and often, false, for they have NOT put forth any effort to get beneath the exterior, albeit, I am a pretty open book, these have spent NO time with me other than in passing, and so, their claim to know me is not valid. There are but a couple of people who know my heart and being, and these, out of LOVE, took the time to do so, as well as the interest to dig deeper...

You see? There is WAY MORE TO THE LORD *GOD* than there is to any human, so, if we cannot, or do not exert any energy in knowing each other, how much do you think we put into knowing HIM?!!

THE LORD IS NOT to be taken lightly, nor to be ignored! EVERYTHING comes OF HIM, and so, complex IS HIS nature! Lip service is NOT enough; neither is an effortless relationship with HIM!!!

*GOD* IS OUR FATHER, our SAVIOUR, our TOTAL PROVIDER, and on, and on, it goes, SO, it only makes sense that IS A LOT to learn to get to KNOW HIM FOR REAL! This IS WHY we have THE BIBLE, THAT we might better learn of HIM IN ALL OF HIS GLORY! AND THE WORD takes ON LIFE as we learn it, devour it, and take it deep into the being!!!

The evil of this world takes FULL advantage of our lack of KNOWING THE LORD, and HIS WILL, believe it, as we are vulnerable, and unprotected, therefore, endangered WITHOUT THE LORD AS our PROTECTOR/PROTECTION! Thus, we are EASILY ensnared by what is of the world, even though we might feel safe in our hasty, incomplete knowledge of *GOD*...

People REALLY need to understand COVENANT as a PARTNERSHIP! THE LORD *GOD* HAS FULFILLED HIS end of it, and we DO have duties, and responsibilities therein! FAITH IS MORE than a proclamation, it IS a GROWING INTO HIM, and HIS WILL! It is FAITHFULNESS TO HIM, and if we don't know HIM, how can we begin to thrive, and bear fruit worthy of HIM?!!

Misunderstood IS the one accepted fact that 'IT IS FINISHED', or that all who call on HIM are SAVED: it IS TRUTH, YET, as with most BIBLICAL knowledge, there IS depth, and instruction BEHIND the words, which HAVE been manipulated throughout time to appease the people who DON'T WANT to put much effort INTO this HOLY, and BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIP, which by the way, a relationship requires BOTH sides TO contribute, and continue!!!

We SHOULD BE ON FIRE FOR THE LORD, and FOR HIS WORD! We SHOULD BE REFLECTING HIM, and HIS WILL! We SHOULD BE DOING our share IN HIS PLAN, and this we do NOT do to impress HIM, nor others, but FULLY OF LOVE, and because we KNOW we ARE OF HIM, and HIS KINGDOM! The battle IS HIS, but we ARE on the battlefield, and there ARE souls lost, misled, and endangered, hence, OUR position to REACH others, IF we HAVE knowledge, understanding, and HIS WISDOM AS our guides, and directives...

There is MUCH instruction in THE NEW TESTAMENT OF HOW we SHOULD exist AS HIS own, yet most of this is bypassed in favour of appeasing human beings, when in fact, that is putting them in danger, and peril! AS we LEARN HIM, it becomes natural to assume our role AS HIS HOLY PRIESTHOOD, even though THE PROCESS IS long, and marked with crucial lessons THAT each IS taken to the depths of the being, and acted upon!!!

THINK about how much, or how little you KNOW THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, then examine whether you are IN THE FAITH; test yourself (2 CORINTHIANS 13: 5)! Though it is God's gracious method to bear long with sinners, yet he will not bear always; at length he will come, and will not spare those who remain obstinate and impenitent. Christ at his crucifixion, appeared as only a weak and helpless man, but his resurrection and life showed his Divine power. So the apostles, how mean and contemptible soever they appeared to the world, yet, as instruments, they manifested the power of God. Let them prove their tempers, conduct, and experience, as gold is assayed or proved by the touchstone. If they could prove themselves not to be reprobates, not to be rejected of Christ, he trusted they would know that he was not a reprobate, not disowned by Christ. They ought to know if Christ Jesus was in them, by the influences, graces, and indwelling of his Spirit, by his kingdom set up in their hearts. Let us question our own souls; either we are true Christians, or we are deceivers. Unless Christ be in us by his Spirit, and power of his love, our faith is dead, and we are yet disapproved by our Judge.

BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS