HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE HAS ONE ORIGIN, ONE TRUE RESULT...

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...

THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE HAS ONE ORIGIN, ONE TRUE RESULT...

We are encouraged to embrace excellence in the course of our lives, in various ways. Much time, money, and deliberation goes into the pursuit of excellence; there are endless resources towards doing so...

IF as much energy was spent on the embracing of the excellence of THE LORD, and HIS WAYS, this life would take on new meaning, better possibilities, more comforts, and unending PEACE! Alas, we are raised towards worldly matters, then, somewhere along the line, HE fits into the horizon! I could probably never explain this eloquently enough to make a difference, yet, I must try!!!

*GOD*, the CREATOR, the AUTHOR, and GIVER of life, HOLDS in FULL, ALL we need, in EVERY aspect, and regard! HE IS the power of our senses, of the Earth, of what we consume, what we wear, what we are sheltered by, all the way down to the most diminutive details of life itself, then the management, and sustainment therein! HE IS THE LORD, and NOTHING is comparable, yet, HE takes the back end of our thoughts, lives, actions, and reactions!!!

I WISH there were an easy way to cause everyone to think about this, and then, for all to begin anew, with HIM AS the FORERUNNER of our every moment! I am telling you, WITHOUT DOUBT, or HESITATION, this would be a WAY IMPROVED life! ALL HE wants of us, is our undivided LOVE, TRUST, BELIEF, and RELIANCE in HIM, in an unfeigned, open-hearted relationship WITH HIM! IF we could HONOUR HIM, through these actions, HE WOULD BLESS us in ways we can't imagine, and for sure, FAR exceeding what the world as a whole could offer...

LOVE is ALWAYS the beginning with HIM, as LOVE expedites excellence! When we LOVE as we should, we are optimized in EVERY way, with HIM! LOVE LEADS us to a TRUE relationship with HIM, which is HONOURED by our every thought, action, and reaction, at ALL times! Yet, LOVE, the most IMPERATIVE, and DESIRED action of THE LORD, is most difficult for us!!!

HE, more than anyone in CREATION, IS WORTHY, and DESERVING of our LOVE, yet, throughout history, since early on, LOVE has been cast where it does NOT flourish, or belong! As I read through HIS WORD, I see that HE is deeply hurt, and totally perplexed by our lack of LOVE for HIM, and others! HE finally tells the ancients that HE does NOT desire their holocausts, and other traditional forms of worship, HE DESIRES their LOVE! I am sure that MOST of us can relate to HIM, as most of us have experienced desiring LOVE from someone who just WON'T give it to us; it is frustrating, and baffling, though for HIM it is way beyond what I can describe in human terms! Not only all of this, but LOVE PROVIDES the answers to the world's problems!!!

THE LORD has GIVEN us another day, because HE LOVES us; PRAISE HIM, WORSHIP HIM, and LOVE HIM with ALL your being! BE thankful, respectful, regard HIM, and HONOUR HIM, BY stepping into the excellence of LOVE, then wait, and be prepared as HIS delight pours down EVERY goodness of HIS PERFECT heart!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013