HEAVENLY INCLINED...: I AM GROWING 'UP' TO BE THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD *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...

I AM GROWING 'UP' TO BE THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD GOD!!!

I, the carnal being, am nothing but a puff of smoke in the sight of THE LORD *GOD*; it is in my spirit that HE studies me. IF I am humbled before HIM, REALIZING that the carnal being is not the focus of my life, that HE IS, and IF I begin to develop my spirit according to HIS WILL, my humility ELEVATES me in HIS sight, and HOPEFULLY then, my physical package, becomes as a temple for HIM to reside in, and to LORD OVER...

There is no need for me to chase dreams of the night, no need for me to acquire vast wealth, no need for me to pursue what is acceptable to the world, for there is something much greater to work through, to embrace, to perfect, to watch over, and manage; my deepest being, the heart of hearts, the spirit, the soul, WHICH belongs to THE LORD *GOD*, NOT myself, nor, the world. It MIGHT be that in my development that HE deems that I be BLESSED with some of the above mentioned, but my HOPE lies IN HIM, OVER all else...

It should be my constant intent to clean up, purify, and make ready HIS temple! This should be the center of my activities in this time, for HE, even more than I, KNOWS how desecrated HIS temple is! To understand this, is more than humbling, it is shaming, though, because I KNOW that HE forgives those who TURN to HIM with their whole being, I am inspired to move past the guilt, and instead, begin, and continue the task of restoring, refurbishing, and rebuilding HIS temple, as my LOVE of HIM so desires HIS continual presence, and company...

Unworthy am I, in the carnal being, of HIM, still the spirit me, IS HIS Child, and I long for my FATHER! The world, and it's ways, nearly robbed me of my inheritance, because ignorance, like a bond, was placed upon me, with a sort of apparatus that not only limits sight, but trains the senses to believe what is not even real, or right! Thanks BE to HIM, for rescuing me when it was necessary to do so, and after taking me down to my knees, raising me with HIS LOVE, and guidance! I shudder in gained knowledge, as I see just how close I was to forsaking my inheritance, due to the ways the world formed my life...

As I grow in HIM, and overcome certain chains that the oppressor had on me, I am often surprised to find yet another area that the deceiver will infiltrate to shake up my progress! For instance, I have overcome some mighty tough obstacles, but now he is placing more subtle ones in my way; such placing hostile people in my path, and so forth...

I have said this before, and I will surely, say it again; a lifetime is NOT enough time to undo the damage incurred by the world, and for sure, CHRIST IS OUR HOPE, our TRUTH, our LIGHT, our WAY, for there is NO other way that we, alone, could handle this! Just LOOK WHAT HE HAD to endure for us! It is AMAZING! What LOVE HE has for us! What GENIUS! Thus, SINCE I am not only appreciative OF HIS GIFT, and LOVE HIM, I SEE what needs to be done, and I, WILLINGLY strive to, in semblance, prepare HIS temple to the magnificence of the one Solomon constructed for HIM! IF I remain diligent, dedicated, vigilant, FAITHFUL, humble, HOPEFUL, ever PRAYING, and conscientious TO this task, WITH HIM, it shall be done, *GOD* WILLING!!!

LUKE 11: 24-26...
24/ "When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, 'I shall return to my home from which I came.'
25/ But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.
26/ Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that person is worse than the first."

Christ's thus casting out the devils, was really the destroying of their power. The heart of every unconverted sinner is the devil's palace, where he dwells, and where he rules. There is a kind of peace in the heart of an unconverted soul, while the devil, as a strong man armed, keeps it. The sinner is secure, has no doubt concerning the goodness of his state, nor any dread of the judgment to come.

But observe the wonderful change made in conversion. The conversion of a soul to God, is Christ's victory over the devil and his power in that soul, restoring the soul to its liberty, and recovering his own interest in it and power over it. All the endowments of mind of body are now employed for Christ.

Here is the condition of a hypocrite. The house is swept from common sins, by a forced confession, as Pharaoh's; by a feigned contrition, as Ahab's; or by a partial reformation, as Herod's. The house is swept, but it is not washed; the heart is not made holy. Sweeping takes off only the loose dirt, while the sin that besets the sinner, the beloved sin, is untouched. The house is garnished with common gifts and graces. It is not furnished with any true grace; it is all paint and varnish, not real nor lasting. It was never given up to Christ, nor dwelt in by the Spirit.

Let us take heed of resting in that which a man may have, and yet come short of heaven. The wicked spirits enter in without any difficulty; they are welcomed, and they dwell there; there they work, there they rule. From such an awful state let all earnestly pray to be delivered.

SEE? AMEN!!!