HEAVENLY INCLINED...: TRUE HAPPINESS, MONEY, THINGS, *GOD*...

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...

TRUE HAPPINESS, MONEY, THINGS, GOD...

TRUE happiness comes by way of THE LORD, yet, we don't understand this, or accept it, for the most part, as we look around, in our wants, and needs...

Money, and things CAN'T buy you happiness, but we are SO convinced that they make life wonderful! It is said that those who are most sure that money buys you happiness, are the ones who have none!!!

*GOD* could have made us all wealthy, in fact, before the sin in the Garden, that was the plan, but, the human condition finds impatience, temptation, and defiance at every turn! Since we proved to be so easily misled by the evil one, the world has become a testing ground, and so, some are well off, and others are impoverished beyond understanding, although, IF we LIVED in HIM, there would be a BALANCE THROUGH the LOVING generosity, and sharing of ALL!!!

Many say it is unfair that some are rich beyond imagination, but, HE says NOT to be envious of these people; we have read HIS take on the rich, especially those that are NOT IN HIM, and have NO intention of forwarding what they have! Again, they are being proven in their lives, just as EACH of us is...

I have had the taste of wealth, and I have, surely, had the taste of being dirt poor, and the middle, too! All in all, TRUE HAPPINESS stems from a PEACE of mind, and spirit! SO imperative IS HIS teachings on CONTENTMENT! YES, HE KNOWS, and I do, too, that it is VERY difficult to be content when you live in complete poverty, yet, THE CONTENTMENT DERIVES NOT FROM CIRCUMSTANCE, but FROM THE LORD, HIS PROMISES, and HIS PRESENCE in our hearts, and lives!!!

There are several things we need to study, embrace, and begin to incorporate into our lives, in order to arise from the shackles that money, or lack of money creates in our lives! The first is HUMILITY, the second is RELIANCE ON THE LORD, the third is FAITH IN HIM, the fourth is LOVE, and all which comprises a life aligned TO HIM! When we humble ourselves before HIM, does our net worth matter? No! What matters, is our heart of hearts! When we RELY UPON HIM, we TRUST HIM, implicitly in ALL matters concerning our lives! When we have FAITH IN HIM, we BELIEVE HE IS PROVIDING for us, and in HIS lessons of enduring, and persevering! When we LOVE HIM, then others, we are existing in a state of *GODLINESS*, which invokes HIS PLEASURE! Such does NOT come easily to us; we have a most difficult time with the basic teachings, because they are so far removed from what the world has taught us...

Seek ye first the KINGDOM of *GOD*, and HE will add to ye! What does this mean? There are about 14 cross references to this message; let us look deeper into it...

There is scarcely any sin against which our Lord Jesus more warns his disciples, than disquieting, distracting, distrustful cares about the things of this life. This often ensnares the poor as much as the love of wealth does the rich.

But there is a carefulness about temporal things which is a duty, though we must not carry these lawful cares too far. Take no thought for your life. Not about the length of it; but refer it to God to lengthen or shorten it as he pleases; our times are in his hand, and they are in a good hand. Not about the comforts of this life; but leave it to God to make it bitter or sweet as he pleases. Food and raiment God has promised, therefore we may expect them.

Take no thought for the morrow, for the time to come. Be not anxious for the future, how you shall live next year, or when you are old, or what you shall leave behind you. As we must not boast of tomorrow, so we must not care for to-morrow, or the events of it. God has given us life, and has given us the body. And what can he not do for us, who did that?

If we take care about our souls and for eternity, which are more than the body and its life, we may leave it to God to provide for us food and raiment, which are less.

Improve this as an encouragement to trust in God. We must reconcile ourselves to our worldly estate, as we do to our stature. We cannot alter the disposals of Providence, therefore we must submit and resign ourselves to them.

Thoughtfulness for our souls is the best cure of thoughtfulness for the world. Seek first the kingdom of God, and make religion your business: say not that this is the way to starve; no, it is the way to be well provided for, even in this world.

The conclusion of the whole matter is, that it is the will and command of the Lord Jesus, that by daily prayers we may get strength to bear us up under our daily troubles, and to arm us against the temptations that attend them, and then let none of these things move us. Happy are those who take the Lord for their God, and make full proof of it by trusting themselves wholly to his wise disposal. Let thy Spirit convince us of sin in the want of this disposition, and take away the worldliness of our hearts.

Again I say, NOT easy for us, who have almost reverse understanding, thanks be to the world, in it's deception, and delusional lies!!!

I DETEST human suffering, but, a large part of the problems therein, ARE our fault, due to LACK of LOVE, understanding, and LIVING IN HIM! We CAN change things, all we have to do, is TO LIVE IN HIM!!!

Let us PRAY, then PRAISE, and WORSHIP! ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE 'WITH' *GOD*, so let us TRUST HIM, and RELY UPON HIM, and LOVE as HE has LOVED us!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013

BIBLICAL, and/or, other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS