HEAVENLY INCLINED...: MERCY...

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...

MERCY...

HOSEA 6: 6...
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

MATTHEW 9: 13...
Go and learn the meaning of the words, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

MATTHEW 12: 7...
If you knew what this meant, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned these innocent men.

MERCY:

noun, plural mer·cies for 4, 5.

1. compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner.

2. the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing: an adversary wholly without mercy.

3. the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, especially to send to prison rather than invoke the death penalty.

4. an act of kindness, compassion, or favor: She has performed countless small mercies for her friends and neighbors.

5. something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing: It was just a mercy we had our seat belts on when it happened.

MERCY:

One of the basic virtues of chivalry, Christian ethics, Islam, and Judaism, it is also related to concepts of justice and morality in behavior between people.

In the Old Testament God is considered "Merciful and Gracious" and is praised for it, e.g. as in Psalms 103:8. The emphasis on mercy appears in numerous parts of the New Testament, e.g., as in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:7: "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy". In the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) Jesus describes fatherly mercy as "a gratuitous, generous gift". In Ephesians 2:4 Apostle Paul refers to the mercy of God in terms of salvation: "God, being rich in mercy,... even when we were dead through our sins, made us alive together
with Christ".This devotional element of mercy as part of the Christian tradition was echoed by Saint Augustine who called mercy "ever ancient, ever new". The Works of Mercy (seven corporal and seven spiritual works) are part of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.

The Works of Mercy or Acts of Mercy are actions and practices which Christianity, in general,
expects all believers to perform, and are a means of grace, which aid in sanctification.The Works of Mercy have been traditionally divided into two categories, with seven elements each: the Corporal Works of Mercy, which concern the material needs of others, and the Spiritual Works of Mercy, which concern the spiritual needs of others.These duties (e.g., feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless) are enjoined by many Christian churches on their adherents, including Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, Lutheranism, the Anglican Communion, and Methodism.

These works, it is believed, express mercy, and are thus expected to be performed by believers insofar as they are able, in accordance with the Beatitude, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Gospel of Matthew 5:7).
These acts are to keep the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:35-40):
Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him: "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind'. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

In (Matthew 25:34-46), Jesus discusses the importance of the first six corporal works of mercy:
Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'
Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

*GOD* wants us to have mercy upon others, as HE has had upon us! The core of mercy is LOVE, from which is enjoined, charity, and selflessness! MERCY of the *GODLY* kind is the COMPASSION of LOVE, which DRIVES us to CARING, and SHARING that this old world does NOT succeed in it's wickedness, by depriving people of basic needs, and rights! MERCY MOVES MOUNTAINS when coupled with SINCERE LOVE OF THE LORD *GOD*!!!

THE LORD has MERCY upon us, because HE LOVES us, and KNOWS what lack of LOVE does to this world! As HE walked this Earth, HIS MERCY became all the more imperative, as HE experienced, and witnessed what lack does! Thus, HE left us HIS own example to FOLLOW, to embrace, to LIVE within!!!

LOVE is ALL things POSITIVE that DO HEAL, PROVIDE, and RESOLVE what is wrong on this planet! I will NEVER relent in attempting to EMPHASIZE the POWER OF LOVE! LOVE IS THE LAW OF *GOD* FOR THE PURPOSE OF CORRECTING WHAT IS WRONG WITH US, and FOR THE GOOD OF ALL IN CREATION, BECAUSE EACH ADHERENCE TO HIS LOVE, GLORIFIES HIM, and that is what life is all about!!!

Money helps, YES, but, there are a multitude of ways to CARE for the world! Encouragement, HOPE, kindness, and other POSITIVES! We can show people HOW to use their talents, their *GOD* given gifts, HOW to work lifeless soils, and HOW to find food where there seems to be none! The point IS, WE DO SOMETHING, ANYTHING to PROMOTE LOVE, thus, *GOD*!!!

EACH of us has gifts, and talents, some buried deep within, that, sometimes only flourish with the HELP of another person noticing them, or encouraging them! These gifts, and talents CAN provide for any needs we might have! For instance, I have seen with my eyes, and heart, mere Children sitting in the streets of Chicago, pounding out some AMAZING muzik, via disposed food service buckets (bucket drummers), to take care of themselves! There were probably, 10 of them, raking in as much as $100 in few hours, so, they DID provide for themselves, VIA their *GOD* given talents, thanks to encouragement from others! Their CREATIVITY, along with *GOD*, and merciful people, led them to FIND a means, when there was none!!!

MERCY is IMPERATIVE TO A WALK WITH *GOD*, and EQUALLY IMPERATIVE TO LIFE ITSELF! It is the LACK of LOVE, and MERCY that has created the mess of humanity, we are bearing witness to, and for which we ARE ALL accountable for, UNLESS we ARE living in LOVE, and MERCY!!!

The images of the world's suffering is something I DETEST, and which KEEPS me ever reaching to PERFECT THE LOVE *GOD* HAS GIVEN ME! It is SHAMEFUL that we have let things get SO far away from LOVE! IF you study CHRIST, you will SEE that HIS WAY is LOVE, MERCY, and ALL which accompany the FORWARDING of ALL HE HAS bestowed upon us, FOR the GOOD OF ALL, and HIS unending GLORY!!!

As is said, "You get what you give!", and, "What goes around, comes around!", which does not always mean immediate, or tangibly! If you desire MERCY from THE LORD, you have to be merciful! If you want forgiveness from HIM, you have to be forgiving! If you give in the heart of LOVE, your needs will be met!!!

There are a LOT of mechanisms, components, behaviours, and characteristics involved in a walk with *GOD*, in order to manifest HIS PROMISES for our lives, all the way through eternity! Partial understanding, and half-hearted attempts to become like HIM, leave us in limbo, so to speak! When we begin to put it all together, and utilize HIS WISDOM, we begin to see HIS hand working in our lives, in ALL ways!!!

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