HEAVENLY INCLINED...: LUKE 6: 43-49: GOOD FRUIT...

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...

LUKE 6: 43-49: GOOD FRUIT...

LUKE 6: 43-49...

43/ "A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.

44/ For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles.

45/ A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.

46/ "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' but not do what I command?

47/ I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them.

48/ That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built.

49/ But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed."

Good deeds exemplify CHRIST in us! One who is IN CHRIST WILL be FAITHFUL in letter, and, deed, to the best of their ability, to HIS COMMANDMENTS! Thus, are HIS Elect known! And, many people LISTEN, but, do NOT believe they are to ACT in any structured way, thus, CHRIST has illustrated the difference between those who OBEY HIM, and, those who do not!!!

Many Doctrines say that what we do in the flesh, has nothing to do with Salvation, yet, if we are to take THE WORD as is written, and, in CHRIST' own words, we SEE, and then, KNOW this is a mistake! For one thing, IF we are ONE with *GOD*/CHRIST, we are dead to the world, and, alive with HIM, in spirit, and, the spirit does NOT act in ways of the world, as we see in SEVERAL Scriptures, such as ROMANS 8, which states that Christian life is therefore the experience of a constant challenge to put to death the evil deeds of the body through life of the spirit (Romans 8:13)...

Throughout THE WORD, the call to obedience is found! Is this to be taken as symbolism? NOT! From the first transgression of humanity, until now, *GOD* has called for obedience of HIS people, which is practical, given the TRUTH of the depth of our LOVE for HIM! IF we LOVE HIM, with our whole mind, and, body, heart, and, soul, we are MOVED to being obedient to HONOUR, and, exemplify our LOVE of HIM; thus, to LOVE IS THE FIRST COMMANDMENT, in both COVENANTS with *GOD*! LOVE is NOT self-inclined, it is HUMBLED, and, WILLING to aim to please HIM, OVER all else in this life, and, KNOWS that TRUTH of existence is TO SERVE, and, WORSHIP *GOD* in CHRIST...

1 PETER 2, and, 1 PETER 4, speak of our place in the GIFT of Salvation.
1 PETER 4: 1-5...

1/ Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same attitude (for whoever suffers in the flesh has broken with sin),

2/ so as not to spend what remains of one's life in the flesh on human desires, but on the will of God.

3/ For the time that has passed is sufficient for doing what the Gentiles like to do: living in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and wanton idolatry.

4/ They are surprised that you do not plunge into the same swamp of profligacy, and they vilify you;

5/ but they will give an account to him who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.

Willingness to suffer with Christ equips the Christian with the power to conquer sin (1). Christ is here portrayed as the judge to whom those guilty of pagan vices must render an account (1 Peter 4:5; John 5:22-27; Acts 10:42; 2 Tim 4:1).

Again, THE WORD PREPARES us to KNOW in discernment, which of the Cloth, we should be sharing our spiritual growth, and, maturity with, as, it is written, in the last times, scoffers will come (to) scoff, living according to their own desires (2 PETER 3:3), and, The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons (1 TIMOTHY 4:1). One should, REALLY be careful, and, KNOW THE WORD, before ascribing to any Doctrine! And be aware, just because a particular Doctrine is widely received, very popular, and, mainstream, does NOT mean it is OF *GOD*/CHRIST!!!

SAFETY is paramount in the conflict between the flesh, and, the spirit, which IN CHRIST, with ALL sincerity, and, adherence, is taught, corrected, and, embraced, but, without TRUE understanding, leaves us in dire conditions, unsafe, and, unworthy of HIS GIFT!!!

I LOVE YOU, *GOD* BLESS and BE with us ALL, and, may we LEARN to use the heart of hearts, OVER the egocentric being to ENSURE our safety IN *GOD*, THROUGH CHRIST! PRAISE HIS HOLY name, and, WORSHIP HIM, always, for HE HAS PROVIDED for us, exceedingly, THE WAY, THE LIGHT, THE TRUTH!!!