HEAVENLY INCLINED...: HUMBLED HUMILITY; IMPERATIVE, NOT EASY!!!

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...

HUMBLED HUMILITY; IMPERATIVE, NOT EASY!!!

Being HUMBLE before THE LORD, is to realize our place in HIS DIVINE ORDER; we are NOTHING without HIM! HUMILITY is the antidote for SELFISHNESS, PRIDE, ARROGANCE, and the deadly sins, which we are born into, but which, ARE correctable, ESPECIALLY IF we CLAIM HIM as our SAVIOUR, FATHER, and *GOD*! It doesn't mean that we think less of ourselves, it means we think MORE of HIM!!!

HUMILITY, MEEKNESS, and OBEDIENCE are synonymous IN our walk with HIM! These behaviours ALLOW us to RELY SOLELY UPON HIM for ALL we need, in this journey, but ESPECIALLY, our Salvation, which is a GIFT of HIS LOVING, and MERCIFUL GRACE!!!

It is NOT easy for us to relinquish our self-inclination, but to do so, finds us in far greater circumstances, now, and, FOREVER! The egocentric being is SURE it is the center of the Universe, so, it IS difficult to train it to understand THE TRUTH; *GOD* IS THE CENTER OF ALL, and EVERYTHING, of which we are but, a minuscule part, FOR HIS OWN PURPOSE, and REASON...

We are to be humble, not only before HIM, but, before one another as well! Meekness is NOT socially acceptable, but know what? We DON'T live for society, we live FOR *GOD*! Since society does NOT embrace the humble, nor meek, you can be SURE this is one of those testing grounds OF THE FAITHFUL, thus, we MUSTN'T ALLOW society to intimidate, or influence us, EVER!!!

CHRIST tells us in MATTHEW 5: 39-44, that we are to RESIST evil at ALL costs! HE said, " When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.", and so on! VERY difficult for a person remaining in the world, but not so for the person in the spirit! HE FORBIDS retaliation of ANY kind! As was HIS example, we are to remain calm, compassionate, kind, truthful, and resistant TO the traps of evil...

Today we find very aggressive, bold, arrogant, and downright insolent people claiming THE LORD as their own, which is creating trouble the world over! Mistaken is the message that we to boldly proclaim HIM! This means that we should never shy away from proclaiming HIM, it does not mean we are to stir up hatred to proclaim HIM! Our disposition is to remain humble, and meek, no matter what, for HE, ALONE, has it ALL in HIS control, and SEES what is right, what is wrong!!!

Our role is to SHINE like HIS LIGHT before the world of darkness, MATTHEW 5: 14-16, THAT THE TRUTH OF THE WAY is evident for HIS own to be guided TO HIM! NOT a RADICAL light, instead a STEADY, REVERENT, LOVING light of PEACE, and ALL things just, right, and good, so as to INSPIRE, not create dissension, disgust, or rebellion...

It is SO difficult for people to understand the MANY things we SHOULD be IN HIS name, yet, we must ALWAYS be reminded so that, we don't become dull in hearing, seeing, or in the process of thought, action, and reaction, for then, we would be like the salt that lost it's flavour, which HE mentions, MATTHEW 5: 13...

Just as HE did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it, HE left behind instructions, which we, HIS people, who died in HIM, in the flesh, SHOULD be tending to in the spirit, because we LOVE HIM, and the BEST way to PROVE LOVE is in ACTION. As HE said: JOHN 14: 15... If you love me, you will keep my commandments...

REV. LWINSOR © 2013
BIBLICAL, and/or, other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS