HEAVENLY INCLINED...: TUESDAY'S THOUGHTS: CHRISTIAN CONDUCT; 1 PETER 3: 8-12...

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...

TUESDAY'S THOUGHTS: CHRISTIAN CONDUCT; 1 PETER 3: 8-12...

1 PETER 3: 8-12...
8/ Finally, all of you, be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate, humble.
9/ Do not return evil for evil, or insult for insult; but, on the contrary, a blessing, because to this you were called, that you might inherit a blessing.
10/ For: "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep the tongue from evil and the lips from speaking deceit,
11/ must turn from evil and do good, seek peace and follow after it.
12/ For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears turned to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against evildoers."

For the proper ordering of Christian life in its various aspects as described in 1 Peter 2:11-3:9, there is promised the blessing expressed in Psalm 34:13-17. In the Old Testament this refers to longevity and prosperity; here, it also refers to eternal life.

There is a LOT of instruction connected to these simple, clear verses, but to keep it short, a Christian should BE the evidence of THE CHURCH, CHRIST JESUS, LORD, and SAVIOUR, in continued UNITY, with deliberate consideration towards one another, as LOVE would have it, to HONOUR HIM, and to HIS GLORY! We should BE what we HOPE to receive...

Righteousness is conduct in conformity TO HIS WILL, and CHRIST, our LORD, left us a PERFECT model in which to adapt to; HE LIVED in this world, TO FULFILL THE WILL of THE FATHER, without deviation from accomplishing HIS purpose! Some keep telling me that we are NOT CHRIST, duh, I KNOW that, but we ARE to BECOME CHRIST like, in the best of our understanding, and abilities! Does Scripture such as the above, NOT depict this clearly???

I am a firm believer that the central theme is EFFORT; DOING the BEST we can DO, premised upon HIS WILL, and HIS WORD!!!

We are instructed to turn from evil, which is anything against HIS WILL, and DO good, while seeking PEACE, and following after it! Christians are called to BEING good people, without room for denial of their goodness, which, can ONLY be done BY BECOMING as much like HIM, as is feasible, through HIM, HIS WILL, and HIS WORD...

*GOD* BE WITH US, and BLESS us EVERY step of this journey home! MUCH LOVE, and PEACE be with us...

REV. LWINSOR © 2013