HEAVENLY INCLINED...: TUESDAY'S THOUGHTS: JOHN THE BAPTIST, PROPHET, ELIJAH...

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...

TUESDAY'S THOUGHTS: JOHN THE BAPTIST, PROPHET, ELIJAH...

Zechariah, the Father of John The Baptist, also known as Zachary, was a Priest, whom, when in the Sacred Sanctuary of *GOD*, performing his duties, was visited by Gabriel, the Angel of *GOD*, and, was told that his Wife, Elizabeth, a descendent from the Daughters of Aaron, would bear him a son, whom they were to name John, which, Zechariah, did not quite believe, because of his Wife's, and his, advanced years, so, Gabriel told him that surely this would come to be, but, until that time, because of his disbelief, Zechariah would remain mute, unable to speak...

John The Baptist is regarded as a prophet in Christianity, Islam,the Bahá'í Faith, and Mandaeism...

LUKE 1: 57-80...
57/ When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son.
58/ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.
59/ When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
60/ but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John."
61/ But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name."
62/ So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
63/ He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed.
64/ Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.
65/ Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea.

66/ All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.
67/ Then Zechariah his father, filled with the holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:
68/ "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and brought redemption to his people.
69/ He has raised up a horn for our salvation within the house of David his servant,
70/ even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old:
71/ salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72/ to show mercy to our fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant
73/ and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father, and to grant us that,
74/ rescued from the hand of enemies, without fear we might worship him
75/ in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76/ And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77/ to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78/ because of the tender mercy of our God by which the daybreak from on high will visit us
79/ to shine on those who sit in darkness and death's shadow, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
80/ The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.