HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THIS IS CHRISTMAS...

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...

THIS IS CHRISTMAS...

WHAT CHRISTMAS IS!!!

Romans 8:1-17...
1/ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2/ because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
3/ For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,
4/ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5/ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
6/ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
7/ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
8/ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
9/ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
10/ But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.
11/ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
12/ Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.
13/ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14/ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
15/ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
16/ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
17/ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
{Please, read this Chapter in full, as it IS the foundation of this GIFT}...

This, to me, IS the entire meaning of CHRISTMAS, in this assemblage by Paul; we SEE clearly the GIFT which *GOD* bestowed upon us with HIS SON, CHRIST JESUS, as well as, the way to UNDERSTANDING THIS GIFT! Romans is a difficult Book to digest, but, the more you read it, the more you realize how imperative it is to your walk with *GOD*, and, as a Christian!!!

Also, this CLEARLY announces that we ARE to live in the SPIRIT, and, not the flesh, which means, we DO have responsibility in receiving this GIFT, this most precious, LOVING GIFT of *GOD*! We cannot have it both ways, and so, especially in this HOLY season, let us reflect upon our responsibilities, not only to *GOD*, FATHER, SON, and, HOLY SPIRIT, but, to self, and, others within this miraculous GIFT which was bestowed upon us, that, from this point forward, we ARE ATTEMPTING to exist as HE would have us to, instead of, as confused, dazed, and, faltering Christians! LET us become the WORD, the LOVE, the GIFT, as was intended!!!

Let us LIVE in this GIFT, sincerely, and, whole-heartedly, with the understanding of it's most commanding measure to ALL of life! Let us embrace OUR ROLE in this GIFT, and, ever begin anew with enlightenment! Let us cherish this GIFT, along with it's benefits, that the world wide, also, can share it! Let us rejoice, let us PRAISE, let us GLORIFY *GOD*, evermore, for HIS LOVE, altogether evident IN this GIFT! Let us give thanks, and, let us enter the New Year with greater appreciation of this *GOD* given time, with thoughts, actions, re-actions, and, LOVE, aligned TO this GIFT! Let us stand in the SPIRIT, as ONE, with HIM, in body, mind, soul, and, honest example!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, with LOVE!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2010
ALL RIGHTS RETAINED/RESERVED IN AUTHORSHIP
*except for BIBLICAL, and/or, other references*