HEAVENLY INCLINED...: WEDNESDAY'S WISDOM: SACRED SCRIPTURE, IT'S INSPIRATION AND DIVINE INTERPRETATION...

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...

WEDNESDAY'S WISDOM: SACRED SCRIPTURE, IT'S INSPIRATION AND DIVINE INTERPRETATION...

Those divinely revealed realities which are contained and presented in SACRED Scripture have been committed to writing under the inspiration of THE HOLY SPIRIT. Relying upon the belief of the Apostles (JOHN 20:31; 2 TIMOTHY 3: 16, 2 PETER 1: 19-20, & 3: 15-16), holds that the books of both the OLD, and NEW TESTAMENTS in their entirety, with all their parts ARE SACRED, and CANONICAL because, written under inspiration of THE HOLY SPIRIT, they have *GOD* as their Author and have been handed on as such to the Church itself. In composing the SACRED books, *GOD* CHOSE Men and while employed by HIM, they made use of their powers and abilities, so that WITH HIM acting in the and through them, they, as true Authors, consigned to writing everything and only those things which HE wanted...

Therefore, since everything asserted by the inspired Authors or SACRED writers much be held to be asserted by THE HOLY SPIRIT, it follow that the books of Scripture must be acknowledged as teaching solidly, FAITHFULLY, and without error that TRUTH which *GOD* wanted to put into the SACRED writings for the sake of our Salvation. Therefore, ALL Scripture is divinely inspired and has its use for teaching THE TRUTH, and refuting error, for reformation of manners and discipline in right living, so that the Man who belongs to *GOD* may be efficient, and equipped for good work of every kind (2 TIMOTHY 3: 16-17).

However, since *GOD* speaks in SACRED Scripture through Men in human fashion, the interpreter of SACRED Scripture, in order to see clearly what *GOD* wanted to communicate to us, should carefully investigate what meaning the SACRED writers really intended, and what *GOD* wanted to manifest by means of their words...

To search out the intention of the SACRED writers, attention should be given, among other things, to 'literary forms.' For TRUTH is set forth and expressed differently in texts which are variously historical, prophetic, poetic, or of other forms of discourse. The interpreter must investigate what meaning the SACRED writer intended to express and actually expressed in particular circumstances by using contemporary literary forms in accordance with the situation of his own time and culture. For the correct understanding of what the SACRED Author wanted to assert, due attention must be paid to the customary and characteristic styles of feeling, speaking and narrating which prevailed at the time of the writer, and to the patterns Men normally employed at that period in their everyday dealings with one another...

In SACRED Scripture therefore, while THE TRUTH, and HOLINESS of *GOD* always remains intact, the marvelous condescension of eternal WISDOM is clearly shown, that we may learn the gentle kindness of *GOD* which words cannot express, and how far HE has gone in adapting HIS language with thoughtful concern for our weak human nature. For the words of *GOD* expressed in human language have been made like human discourse, just as the WORD of THE ETERNAL FATHER, when HE took to HIMSELF the flesh of human weakness, was in every way made like Men...

The BIBLE is rich in diversity, using various literary forms, symbolism, proverbs, psalms, hymns, riddles, parables, and more, as well as examples, often elaborately illustrated to drive home a message, or lesson, that it more readily takes root in our distracted mentalities. It is a MASTERPIECE, magnificently so! It requires an open mind, open heart, and open spirit to take from THE WORD what *GOD* has placed there for each individual, and the comm'UNITY' as a whole! Fascinating, beautiful, and inspiring IS THE WORD OF *GOD*!!!

There are hundreds of BIBLICAL translations, millions of theological assertions, and on it goes, so, while there ARE some reliable commentaries, and trustworthy Scholars, it is very optimal to STUDY THE WORD, daily, for greater ability to determine THE TRUTH in WHOLE, not in part, and to glean what THE LORD has opened UP to you, exclusively!!!

BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS