HEAVENLY INCLINED...: SUNDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS: THE LOVE OF *GOD*...

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...

SUNDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS: THE LOVE OF GOD...

The fourth and last Sunday of the Advent season is on December 23, 2012. The day is called the Fourth Sunday of Advent. The fourth candle is lit on this day along with the first three. It is the Bethlehem candle, reminding that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. It is the CHRIST candle, or, the candle of LOVE, or, the Angel's candle. O COME, O COME EMMANUEL...

Advent is all about preparing for the second coming of CHRIST, our LORD *GOD*! It is about RECEIVING HIM, mastering HIS example, learning, and living in HIS LOVE as intended, and becoming the best you feasible, from the spirit outwardly; to HONOUR HIM, and to proclaim HIM as THE LORD, THE KING OF KINGS, THE PERFECT "I AM"!!!

To me, preparing to receive HIM is opening UP to HIM, in ALL respects! It is studying, learning, pondering, meditating, and, is like dress rehearsal for the biggest event ever to be staged! In which case, we are understudies of THE MASTER! It is about correction, even perfection, though we will not be perfect until we are in HIS HOLY company, instead it is about embracing the ideal of perfection OVER the imperfection of the corrupt world, while utilizing the tools given, towards the manifestation of this ideal. It is not easy, no one said it would be, for we are in this world, ever assaulted, ever distracted, ever confused, yet, HE HAS SAID IN HIM, WE TOO, SHALL OVERCOME this world, thus, let HIM be our focus, vision, inspiration, and our destination!!!

THIS IS CHRISTmas:
JOHN 1: 14...
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.

The incarnate Word is the new mode of God's presence among his people. The Greek verb has the same consonants as the Aramaic word for God's presence (Shekinah). Glory: God's visible manifestation of majesty in power, which once filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34) and the temple (1 Kings 8:10-11, 27), is now centered in Jesus.

There is NO escaping the presence of *GOD* in this world, for, rightly, this IS HIS world, full of HIS people, whom the enemy has designated as prey, as unworthy, yet, THE LORD *GOD* IS SUPREME RULER OVER ALL, and, EVERYTHING, and so, HAS made HIMSELF a dwelling upon this Earth, for the duration, for HIS GLORY, born of LOVE, eternally!!!

OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL, JOYFUL and TRIUMPHANT, OH COME ALL YE CITIZENS OF HEAVEN ABOVE! PRAISE HIM, WORSHIP HIM, HONOUR HIM, THANK HIM, and, REJOICE IN HIM, for HE, ALONE IS WORTHY, HE, ALONE IS BEGINNING WITHOUT END, HE IS THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, who LOVES us without fail, and so, we celebrate this LOVE with LOVE!!!

MERRY CHRISTmas, I will not be back until CHRISTmas Day, so, take care, *GOD* BE WITH US ALL, MUCH LOVE, PEACE, and, may you find reason for JOY in this time!!! XOXOXO

REV. LWINSOR © 2012
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS