HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS: HATE, LOVE, FREE WILL, FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES!!!

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...

THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS: HATE, LOVE, FREE WILL, FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES!!!

It is SO easy for people to hate, and SO difficult for us to LOVE as we are COMMANDED to do, and SHOULD do! It SEEMS that everything that is for our own good, and benefit, comes with difficulty, and that which is working against us, is easy to embrace! Whaz up with this???

The ways of the world, the ways we are raised, and the ways we perceive each share in this confounding dilemma! IF we were raised according to THE WILL of THE LORD *GOD*, from our first day in this life, what is good, and beneficial for us, would be intrinsic to our minds, heart, and spirit, thus also, to our bodies, and the POSITIVES of HIM, would rule us, instead of the world!!!

Many people wonder HOW they can LOVE everyone, but think about it, *GOD* LOVES everyone, NO MATTER their sin, their flaw, their errs! THIS is MERCY, which HE HAS COMMANDED us to have for one another, AS HE HAS for us! YES, it is VERY difficult, but, IF we reacted IN HIM, and HIS WILL, LOVE, we would be able to LOVE the sinner, and hate the sin...

When people do bad things, wrong things, things against humanity, and so forth, quite often, they are overtaken by the enemy, and his forces; ignorance, lack of understanding, and knowledge of *GOD*, CAN lead to people being overtaken! The enemy IS on the prowl, looking for ANYONE who might be grabbed, used, and destroyed, and causing people to do things against *GOD*, LOVE, and others IS in his bag of tactics!!!

We don't have to forget what people do, we have to forgive THEM! It is SO difficult to describe in human terms what THE LORD expects from us in regard to LOVING one another, even our enemies, yet, I will continue to attempt to find the way to do so!!!

For instance: Pope John Paul II was the victim of an assassination attempt in 1981; he was shot 4 times, losing LOTS of blood; the shooter was immediately apprehended, and put in prison. The Pope, after healing, not only forgave this person, he visited him frequently while incarcerated, and had a hand in the person being pardoned, and then, deported to Turkey! The Pope followed the example of THE LORD *GOD*, and HIS LOVE, and forgave what most people would allow to fester as hatred, bitterness, and other negatives. In doing so, he BLESSED himself, by forgiving AS *GOD* has forgiven him, and standing IN LOVE, despite the wickedness of the offense against him! We EXPECT *GOD* to forgive us, yet, we cannot understand WHY WE have to forgive others...

As I said, it SEEMS that what is good, and beneficial FOR us, and our relationship WITH HIM, are the most difficult, and challenging! Sometimes headaches, and so forth come as a result of battling to grasp the proper understanding of things that are most difficult for us to align to! We must KEEP on, with FAITH that HE is showing us, teaching us, and empowering us, for HIGHER reasons...

When you hate, you are stepping into darkness, when you LOVE, regardless, you remain IN THE LIGHT, thus, THE LORD! HIS WAYS are NOT our ways, YET, HIS WAYS ARE THE WAY, thus, even if we don't quite 'get it', we should HONOUR HIM BY acting according TO HIS WILL...

HE IS THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, AUTHOR, ARCHITECT, and CREATOR of ALL in existence; PURE GENIUS BEYOND comprehension, PURE LOVE BEYOND corruption, fault, or waver, therefore, we OUGHT to HEED HIS EVERY WORD, and LIVE IN HIS WILL, to the best of our abilities, and when we are lost in lack of understanding, will, or LOVE, we TURN TO HIM for guidance, direction, and assistance!!!

At times, we are, by remaining IN LOVE, merely proving our LOVE for HIM! HE says LOVE never fails, and that HIS WILL is working towards the GOOD of ALL in CREATION, and I BELIEVE IN HIM, therefore I can begin to understand, then grow from HIS WISDOM, and instructions!!!

I LOVE YOU! *GOD* BLESS, and BE with us ALL! PRAISE HIM, WORSHIP HIM, REJOICE IN HIM, THANK HIM, LOVE HIM, and others, and STAY IN HIS WORD, then ALWAYS, let us PRAY!!!