HEAVENLY INCLINED...: 2021: THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT: IN LOVE, WILLINGLY FOLLOW THE LORD, OUR *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...

2021: THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT: IN LOVE, WILLINGLY FOLLOW THE LORD, OUR GOD...

Celebrating CHRISTmas in such unusual, volatile, and strange times IS different! YET, THE REASON FOR the season REMAINS ETERNALLY, the same---

As we HONOUR CHRIST JESUS there is a drone of opposition from far too many as more, and more fall into the game of denying HIM, but, IN TRUTH it is senseless, and should NOT affect HIS people except for maybe sharing HIM even to the most resistant. Enmity towards HIM has ever existed, and though it may have seemed less before, it wasn't, its just that perhaps not so many were as vocal about it, nor as bold in their rejection of HIM, nor of those who ARE OF HIM...

HE TOLD us we would suffer because of HIM, and this in multiple ways! HE TOLD us that the world would hate us because of HIM! AND HE SHOWED us HOW to manage existence while here on Earth, and STAND STRONG IN HIM despite the desire to silence us, or to rid of us! It wasn't easy for HIM, and it won't be easy for us, and look!, HE made it through TOTALLY PURE and undefiled, leaving for us a model to pattern ourselves after; we only need to FOCUS upon HIM, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, and HIS WORD...

We are in days of loss, of agony, of turmoil, of all sorts of negative matters, and circumstances, and so, there are those who are less than enthusiastic about partaking in the festivities this year, but I say, all the more reason TO do so, as it WILL lend to us greater strength, courage, and fortitude to withstand the woes before us!!!

Detaching ourselves from the conflict of the hours BY centering ON HIM WILL teach us, and lead us aright, as well as empower us! All of the world is like smoke and mirrors, with intentions to DIVERT us FROM HIM, from LOVE, and from TRUTH, in which case, as you KNOW, we fall easily into the snare, each and every ploy, thus, THINK about it, and SEE what I mean...

It IS a BEAUTIFUL reason we celebrate every December! *GOD* LOVES us so much that HE MADE SURE that those who LOVE HIM would be forever FREE FROM the world, no matter how hard the world fought to take us! HE CAME as man AND as *GOD* TO eternally establish HIS KINGDOM, along with PROVING evil futile, once, and for all, though that doesn't stop the wicked from their dirty works, in fact, they work overtime, jealously, to corrupt anyone, and everything feasible in the time left to do so...

We are caught in the battle KNOWING the outcome, still we have much to endure as we navigate this realm IN THE LORDS NAME! CHRISTmas IS a BLESSED state, and for me, NOTHING can take it from my heart, mind, or spirit!!!

Right now, we could really use some encouragement, and the JOY which comes OF THE LORD, and HIS WONDROUS GIFT OF LIFE, and so, regardless of the evil ever nearby, let us ENJOY and HONOUR HIM...

IF you open your heart TO HIM, and fall on your knees, you WILL be filled with THE HOLY SPIRIT, which WILL take you to a state of existence FAR GREATER than anything on this planet, all combined, AND it shall be FOREVER, and FOREVER such a state!!!

LOVE; *GOD'S* BLESSED LOVE HAS touched us, and IS LEADING us, IF we ACCEPT HIM, CHRIST JESUS, our LORD, and SAVIOUR, while FOLLOWING HIM WILLINGLY, as CHRIST WILLINGLY came, taught, and died for us!!!

Besides CHRIST JESUS, Abraham, Moses, Noah, Mary, Elizabeth, John the Baptist, and others WILLINGLY FOLLOWED *GOD* THE LORD; not that they did so perfectly as did CHRIST, but that they did so with LOVE FOR HIM, and TRUST IN HIS WILL, and PLAN. We must NEVER lose sight of CHRIST JESUS, and HIS exemplary role in bringing us into THE KINGDOM, as HIS PRESENCE, and precedent ARE ALL we require TO GLORIFY HIM in our ways, all of our days...

It IS CHRISTmas 2021, in a very peculiar, and unstable world, where hatred is prevalent, hence the trove of adversity, STILL LET LOVE RULE! LET LOVE LEAD! LET LOVE THRIVE! LET LOVE SHOW the world EXACTLY WHO THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY IS!!!