HEAVENLY INCLINED...: WEDNESDAY'S WISDOM: WE NEVER KNOW HOW *GOD* IS WORKING IN OUR LIVES...

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: WE NEVER KNOW HOW GOD IS WORKING IN OUR LIVES...

Joseph, after being sold into slavery to the Egyptians, was BLESSED by *GOD*, and after a time, rose to be the second most powerful Man in Egypt, under the Pharaoh! Joseph was brilliantly wise, and saved Egypt, as well as other countries from a very harsh famine, while obtaining all of the livestock, and property of the people for the Pharaoh, as they ran out of money, and came to him for rations! He was highly favoured, and esteemed by all, thanks be to *GOD*...

When his own Brothers showed up to obtain food for their people's, after a few meetings, Joseph revealed himself to them as the Brother they had sold into slavery! They were fearful of him, and faint with worry for their fate, but, he told them not to worry, for it was obvious to him that THE LORD had led him to save their lives in the times of extreme famine, as well as the lives of countless others! He held nothing against them, instead, he lavished them with land, gifts, and free rights to fertile grounds, with the Pharaoh's permission, and insistence...

POINT: We NEVER know HOW *GOD* is working in our lives, and sometimes, what seems a disaster is turned into success! We MIGHT suffer for a while, but IF we stand in FAITH, and are FAITHFUL to HIM, HE IS FAITHFUL to us! Joseph was in Egypt 22 years before his Brothers showed up, and though initially, suffered his lot of being sold into slavery by his jealous Brothers, he had RISEN by the hand of THE ALMIGHTY *GOD*!!!

It really doesn't do any good to resist what is, because HIS WILL SHALL BE DONE! In resisting, HE will add lessons to whatever is occurring SO that, we LEARN to TRUST HIM, and ULTIMATELY RELY UPON HIM! Certain of the ancients are fine examples of the power of obedience, and complying with THE LORD, on HIS terms, in HIS timeline, and they illustrate the ways HE BLESSES those who do so!!!

It is difficult at times, no doubt; life is full of surprises, pain, agony, suffering, and other negatives, yet, those that wait on THE LORD, SHALL be BLESSED! Waiting on HIM includes FAITH, and the ability to KEEP on keepin' on, WHILE waiting on HIM, NOT chained to despair, and disappointment!!!

Sometimes THE LORD takes wealthy, established people, and removes their status, their luxuries, their last penny, because HE has something DIVINE in store for them! Such people are going to suffer, you bet, but, IF they KNOW HIM, and TRUST HIM, they will be gaining in the process! Other times, HE takes people of extreme poverty, and places them in high places, in palaces, to fulfill great works of HIS WILL! HE uses people, places, and things to LEAD HIS PEOPLE, and we CAN'T be like many of the ancients, whining, defiant, and then, turning from HIM; never forget the fate many of them met in doing so, which is an illustration of what is to come for those that haven't the heart to await HIM...

I could sit here for days and tell you stories of how *GOD* LED me to this day! Some of the times, in retrospect, are fascinating, and I have to THANK HIM for HIS hand during those times! I never expected to be where I am today, it is WAY different than I would have foreseen my life, yet, I BELIEVE that I AM RIGHT WHERE HE WILLS me to be! It doesn't matter to me that I am not wealthy, I had those opportunities! It doesn't matter to me, that life is different all the way around than I thought it would be, I TRUST HIM, and I AM IN HIS hands, and care!!!

As HE moved me through times of hardships, I LEARNED a WHOLE LOT of life, and spirit! I AM grateful for the internal riches HE HAS bestowed in me! It is not easy to explain, but, HE IS AMAZING, and RIGHT ON IN ALL OF HIS DEALINGS!!!

DEUTERONOMY 28: 1-6...
1/ "Thus, then, shall it be: if you continue to heed the voice of the LORD, your God, and are careful to observe all his commandments which I enjoin on you today, the LORD, your God, will raise you high above all the nations of the earth.
2/ When you hearken to the voice of the LORD, your God, all these blessings will come upon you and overwhelm you:
3/ "May you be blessed in the city, and blessed in the country!
4/ "Blessed be the fruit of your womb, the produce of your soil and the offspring of your livestock, the issue of your herds and the young of your flocks!
5/ "Blessed be your grain bin and your kneading bowl!
6/ "May you be blessed in your coming in, and blessed in your going out!

AMEN! I am not one who hears HIS voice, though I often, FEEL HIS movement in my life, or better yet, I am able to recognize when HE is working in me, through me, and around me, as time goes by! I SENSE HIM, and acknowledge HIM, while ALLOWING HIM TO BE THE LORD *GOD* HE IS, because I SEE from my studies, and the course of my life to this date, that HIS WILL SHALL BE DONE, and that it ain't gonna hurt me to learn what I need to learn for my own sake, and HIS GLORY! I PRAISE HIM no matter what, I WORSHIP HIS HOLY name, I REJOICE IN HIS PRESENCE in my life, and I REMAIN IN FAITH of HIS MASTERY!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013