HEAVENLY INCLINED...: CHRIST: THE SHEPHERD, HIGH PRIEST, THE LIGHT, THE WAY, THE TRUTH, LIFE...

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...

CHRIST: THE SHEPHERD, HIGH PRIEST, THE LIGHT, THE WAY, THE TRUTH, LIFE...

In this HOLY season, LOVE, or CHRIST JESUS, is the reason! There is NOTHING in this life, to compare to our LORD, and SAVIOUR! One cannot partially embrace the magnitude of HIS GIFT to us, it is simply, AWE inspiring...

HEBREWS 5: 1-10...
1/ Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
2/ He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness
3/ and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people.
4/ No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

5/ In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to him: "You are my son; this day I have begotten you";
6/ just as he says in another place: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

7/ In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
8/ Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;
9/ and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,
10/ declared by God high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

In order to FULLY revere HIS GIFT, understanding of HIS life in the flesh is necessary, for HIS life in the flesh, was NOT one of ease; HE was tried, tested, proven, then, scorned, refuted, rejected, and, it got worse, much worse, with time!!!

HE LEARNED OBEDIENCE from what HE suffered! HE SAW, and, FELT the ways of the world, experiencing it firsthand, FOR, and, TO THE GLORY of *GOD*, and, FOR the GIFT of LOVE to be FULLY elevated, empowered, charged, and, dominant OVER the throes of the world, in order to GLORIFY, and, EXALT the GLORY of THE FATHER, through us, the lost, and confused!!!

CHRIST IS THE SHEPHERD of those seeking MORE than this world! HE hears, and, feels our anguished cries, be they from the mouth, or, from the soul! HIS LIGHT beacons all who are lost, weary, and, suffering from this world; HIS WAY IS THE TRUTH, LEADING us to LIFE! HE HAS DONE HIS work, the rest is up to us; it HAS ALL been revealed to us! HE IS THE PATH, thus, we SHOULD KNOW HIM!!!

PRAISE HIS HOLY name, WORSHIP HIM eternally, and, THANK HIM, without pause! BLESS YOU LORD, let us REJOICE of YOUR GIFT, forevermore!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2012