HEAVENLY INCLINED...: *GOD'S* PEOPLE: SOJOURNERS, ONE & ALL!!!

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...

GOD'S PEOPLE: SOJOURNERS, ONE & ALL!!!

The ancients were nomadic, as should we be, for our home is not on this planet, in this time, in this realm. NOTHING of this world, save for what is the measure of the spirit of each person, will be taken home with us...

We are sojourners, aliens, and foreigners in this world. Our guide is the ALMIGHTY LORD *GOD*, who DOES provide for us along the journey, in ways we are not inclined to recognize, or understand, partly because of the prevailing human condition, the egocentric, carnal flesh...

This is an adventure that we are not even aware of because we are easily distracted by what the world holds! We IMAGINE that because we are HERE, in this land, and time, we too, should acquire what is of the world, or, what is there for the taking! TRUTH says we need NOTHING of the world, ONLY THE LORD, for HE WILL provide for us, abundantly, as we make our way home...

We ARE comparable to the Israelites as they made their way through the desert, with *GOD* as their lead, to the PROMISED land, there is NO doubt about it! And, like them, we travel with drudgery, anguish, even anger, because we WANT more than we see!!!

It is perplexing, confusing, and confounding, to live in this world, but to reject it, yet, there IS great purpose for this, to learn, and understand that THE LORD, ALONE, IS ALL WE NEED, and to TRUST THAT HE WILL provide for us, and IF we follow HIM as prescribed, our reward will be SO magnified over the limited offerings of the world!!!

As Christians, we are NOT of this world, so, does it make sense to be slowed, or distracted by what is of the world? Shouldn't we place importance where it belongs, IN the FAITH that we ARE heading home, a MOST GLORIOUS home, and KEEP this AS our sight along the way???

There are some CRUCIAL, and VITAL lessons to be learned from the EXODUS of the Israelites, in conjunction with our growth, and flourishing on THE VINE! Truly, we CAN relate to their discomfort, yet, we as they, are NOT being led without purpose, or reward, AND, we CAN learn valuable lessons CONCERNING our journey, from their mistakes, and the GLORIOUS LORD who led them...

ALL of *GOD'S* people ARE sojourners, aliens, foreigners to this world, but, the elemental powers of this world, work deliberately, and endlessly, to divert our thoughts from what is TRUTH!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013