HEAVENLY INCLINED...: MONDAY'S MEDITATIONS: WHY CHRIST???

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...

MONDAY'S MEDITATIONS: WHY CHRIST???

Why is CHRIST JESUS the PERFECT SAVIOUR, ADVOCATE, MEDIATOR, and LORD of our lives, besides the OBVIOUS reason that HE IS *GOD*? BECAUSE HE KNOWS, from first hand knowledge, and experience, all we face; because HE LOVES us, and has given HIMSELF in that LOVE...

HE KNOWS what we go through; the trials, tribulations, pains, agonies, unfairness, and everything we experience in this life, because HE CAME to Earth as Man, absolutely affected by the human condition...

HIS SHARING of the human condition brought HIM great agony, tears, and fervent PRAYERS on our behalf! HE SHARED our condition, but NOT to the point of being overcome by it, for HIS WILL IS ABOVE ours, yet, enough that HE KNOWS, incontestably, our plight, struggles, and all we are subject to of the world...

And yet, HE OVERCAME the evil of this world, and condemned it, once and for all! So, those who ARE OF HIM, are removed from that condemnation, IF they live according to HIS WILL, in LOVE, reverence, and understanding of HIS WAYS...

HE, in knowledge of our weaknesses, has left us a model to imitate, and FOLLOW, because HE KNOWS our strengths, IN HIM, are increased! HE has left HIMSELF, THE SPIRIT, in HIS people, to GUIDE them through the crazy, afflicted maze of this world, with MANY invocations available FOR THE FAITHFUL! HE has PROMISED HIS PRESENCE in the lives of THE FAITHFUL! And HE IS FAITHFUL BEYOND comprehension, description, or understanding, since our FAITHFULNESS is imperfect, yet CAN become more perfect IN HIM...

CHRIST IS OUR LIFE! Without HIM, there is NO life! HE IS our gentle MASTER, LOVING, and FULL of every kind of compassion for us! IF we are HONEST with HIM, and CONFESS our errs, or weaknesses, HE WILL PROVIDE abundantly for us! We should NEVER imagine that HOLY abundance is necessarily tangible, yet, has tangible results, in the now, and forevermore!!!

What is the option, anyway? Time wasted in selfishness, pride, chasing desires, and all sorts of things that have NOTHING to do with LIFE? Time wasted in deception, lies, disappointment, distortion, negatives???

People find people as their heroes, and to idolize, but surely, NO ONE COMPARES to CHRIST JESUS, our LORD, and SAVIOUR, THE ALMIGHTY *GOD*, and HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM HAS LOVED beyond the call, and HAS placed at our discretion, LIFE, RICHES, and ALL we could HOPE for, IF we TURN TO HIM, TRUST HIM, LOVE HIM, OBEY HIM, and FOLLOW IN HIS WILL! Our ENERGY SHOULD be REFLECTING HIM, in ALL matters, at ALL times!!!

PRAISE HIM, WORSHIP HIM, REJOICE IN HIM, and HONOUR HIM all the days of your lives, for HE ALONE, IS!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013