HEAVENLY INCLINED...: 2021: THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT: JOY IS ANCHORED IN THE HEART OF THE FAITHFUL FOREVERMORE, SO REJOICE...

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 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT: JOY IS ANCHORED IN THE HEART OF THE FAITHFUL FOREVERMORE, SO REJOICE...

Remember, despite all of the conflict, destruction, and disasters on this Earth, CHRIST JESUS yet gives JOY to the heart, and to existence---

AND it is DUE TO the negatives of this realm that HE DOES SO! *GOD* CREATED a PERFECT world, humans altered that state, and have continued to do so from the very start. Which is exacerbated when we invoke HIS anger, and wrath! This doesn't change HIS LOVE for us, NOR the ultimate result of HIS PLAN, yet it DOES bring us more than we might deal with IF we refrained from doing that which causes HIM to teach us, and bring us low...

We have been dealing with all sorts of woes, but how many people have TURNED TO THE LORD *GOD* in the process? Not many, and in fact, it seems more, more, and more are doing just the opposite, since they blame HIM, or listen to the lying whispers of the world, thus, HE WILL continue to HUMBLE as many as will be humbled, which means suffering, and sorrows, brought on through HIS PROMISES OF CURSES in means such as plagues, pestilence, natural disasters, and much worse. You see, HE WILL NOT just give up on humans; HE WILL reach as many as HE can because HE KNOWS the score, and the end...

WE HAVE caused the troubles we face, and endure, MOSTLY because we ignore, or refuse THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, and HIS WILL, along with HIS WAYS WHICH LEAD us aright, and KEEP us free from HIS fury, hence calamities! UNTIL we acknowledge HIM, then ourselves, well, things are going to go downhill, especially since we have abandoned morals, integrity, ethics, and other right mindedness!!!

I am writing this on the 3RD ADVENT Sunday because of the awful tornadoes, violence, and other adversities we have experienced recently TO REMIND us that even though we are afflicted, THE JOY THAT CHRIST JESUS BRINGS to THE HEART REMAINS, and LENDS us PEACE enough TO move forward, and to right what we might! IN THE LORD there ARE millions of reasons to REJOICE, though humans find even more reasons to cling to the hardships of the world!!!

HIS LOVE NEVER STOPS, NOR CHANGES, AND HE IS THERE FOR those who seek HIM, LOVE HIM, HONOUR HIM, PRAISE HIM, and WORSHIP HIM IN TRUTH, and IN SPIRIT! Therefore, let those OF HIM, PRAY WITHOUT END, and DO what GOOD possible, FOR HIS GLORY, and for all...

Let us REJOICE, and PRAISE THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, for HE IS LORD OF LORDS, KING OF KINGS, and our ALL, and EVERYTHING, AND ONLY HE CAN take us through, and past the increasing distress of these times! THANK THE LORD IN EVERY WAY, EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!