HEAVENLY INCLINED...: LET'S TALK MONEY & PROSPERITY...

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...

LET'S TALK MONEY & PROSPERITY...

Let's talk money, and acquisition, since SO many people are seeking gain. There are roughly, 56 Scriptures dealing with prosperity, and about 146 concerning money. Of course, there is much intertwined information, and instruction throughout THE WORD, concerning both, which altogether, makes for about 250 verses concerning money, finances, wealth, and gain. Some of these SHOW us the way to being BLESSED BY THE LORD, some show us the dangers of wealth, and some show us how to be content, while others provide various food for thought...

Prosperity teachers introduce, based on Scripture, keys that MIGHT lead to *GOD'S* favour, although, it should be noted, concisely, that the most important key is a TRUE, and SINCERE heart IN *GOD*! IF one places *GOD* FOREMOST, OVER all else, and COMPLIES with HIS WILL, there begins to be a two-sided relationship built, thus, favour from THE LORD!!!

IF one comes to HIM, negligent in humility, obedience, and open living of HIS WILL, seeking favour, they are going to be disappointed! The keys to HIS favour are NOT magical; they are mystical, not magical...

One needs to consider also, what riches, according to HIM, are! Are they tangible, are they intangible? Are they external, or are they internal? Are they for gain, or are they for a loftier reason, and so forth!!!

Money, wealth, and material gain, have INTENSE power to remove a person from *GOD*! We cannot live without money, or material matter, yet, there are behaviours that NEED to be in place, to KEEP them SAFE IN THE LORD! The LOVE of money is a root evil, BECAUSE it places LOVE inappropriately on something of the world, OVER *GOD*! HE says that we cannot serve both HIM, and money, and the soundness in this is critical, because humanity has proven it so, in their inability to LOVE HIM OVER money!!!

CHRIST JESUS COULD have lived in a palace, with the treasury of the entire world, but, HE did NOT! HIS riches were internal, spiritual, and driven by HIS LOVE for HIS FATHER, and the desire to FULFILL HIS WILL! HE left us with MANY points about riches, including the statement that it will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the KINGDOM! Interesting in view of the intense teaching of the prosperity teachers...

*GOD* DID say that TO THE OBEDIENT, HE WOULD ADD TO THEM, no doubt, and HE DOES, however, HIS WAYS are NOT our ways, and most of HIS references to riches do NOT equate our DESIRES to obtain material wealth! YET, that doesn't mean HE doesn't give some all the wealth they can handle, but it IS according TO HIS WILL, that HE does so, and FOR HIS OWN purposes!!!

Let us think about wealth; most of us are wealthy in comparison with the world's most impoverished, and they would give much to have what we take for granted, or consider to be little! I believe there are phases, levels, and layers of HIS PLAN, as it grows in the diligent, and receptive, so, let us consider this! So, we might think that we are deprived because we don't have as much as someone we know; this PROVES something to HIM, and that is, that we lack the understanding of wealth, and contentment, and then, the ability to level UP is stagnated, hindered, and stalled, due to our lack of knowledge, and wisdom concerning such matters! I don't have much according to standards that are set by society, yet, I have more today than I had once upon a time, which might not be here tomorrow, or could be more tomorrow, but, I don't live for tomorrow, I live for today, and for what IS in this day, in gratitude, and contentment, because I have LEARNED to be content, and KNOW that what I have, HE HAS GIVEN me, and so, what I have is precious, and worthy! Then, I KNOW the plight of millions, and millions, and in comparison, I am NOT lacking!!!

My car has been in the shop for months now, off, and on, because they just CAN'T figure out what is wrong with it, and I really need a new one, but, things work out the way HE intends them to. I have other needs too, but, I REMAIN IN HIM, even when it seems I might have to do without something; if only for a while! A few years ago, times were different, I could have went out and bought another car; right now, times are tight, and I am grateful to have what I have, and live as I live, in spite of the difficulties! Get my point??? ONLY *GOD* KNOWS what HE has in store for each of us, and we HAVE to TRUST HIM! HE KNOWS our needs before we do, and grants them according to HIS WILL, in which case, we await HIM, and if it is to be, it will be, if it is not to be, we carry on, KNOWING that HE is LEADING us in another direction, FOR OUR OWN GOOD, well, for the good of our soul...

THE LORD GIVES, and THE LORD TAKES AWAY! There ARE keys to prosperity but it is no magical formula, the formula RELIES ON *GOD* ALONE, and one's allegiance TO HIM! Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, Moses, David, Joseph, and many others PROVED THEMSELVES TO THE LORD, and HE BLESSED THEM ALONG THE WAY, not instantly! Job is one exception, whom after losing it all, was QUICKLY built back UP, even greater than before, AFTER he had gone the course, and repented, but generally, the wealth GREW as with the people involved! We have to STOP looking for instant anything, because it DISTRACTS us, and keeps us DISTANCED FROM THE WHOLE POINT OF LIFE, which IS *GOD*!!!

Well, we will continue this discussion over the next few weeks, because there HAS to be correct understanding in this matter! TOO many are biting into partial promising, which just WON'T provide...

REV. LWINSOR © 2013