HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THINKING HOLINESS...

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...

THINKING HOLINESS...

Though there are guidelines found in THE WORD, and we CAN'T achieve it without HIM, HOLINESS, and it's degrees, are unique to each individual, as is *GOD'S* WILL for each of us! ONLY THE LORD has the right, and the WISDOM to determine each person's HOLINESS, or lack of it, for HE, ALONE, KNOWS the heart, and depth of each person...

How HOLY we become, depends on many factors, one of which is, having, then developing the will to follow THE LORD, in more than word, more than deed, but fully, and to recognize WHY HIS WILL, and WAYS ARE optimally correct OVER all else. This involves ridding the self of worldly binds, and inclinations in favour of more lofty matters, and otherwise retraining the entire being to be geared towards the TRUE self, the spirit, which solely, and completely, BELONGS TO THE LORD...

Time spent WITH *GOD* is time spent effectively! There is MUCH to understand concerning THE WAY, and so, to be busy IN HIM, reaps abundantly! Not that we shouldn't ever have time to live, or enjoy our lives, but that most of the time is spent WITH HIM! HE IS our PROVIDER, and PROVISION of EVERY kind, thus, the closer we are to HIM, the more we gain, now, and forever...

As with anything, the more we apply to something, especially to HIM, the more innate it becomes in our being, and before long, we realize we share ONENESS with HIM! We might have a long, long way to go, but that we are ever inching towards HIM, speaks volumes, and proves us...

It is SO difficult for us to understand that life is NOT about us, instead about HIM, and that this world does NOT hold what we seek, need, or what is good for us, yet, once we begin to understand HIS WILL, and WAY, THE TRUTH awakens within, and we SEE the sense in ARISING from the world...

It almost hurts people to acknowledge that things of this world, such as wealth, and material goods are NOT going to do much for us, and can, in fact, lead us far, far away from what we REALLY need! It confounds us to think that IF we have to choose, the choice has eternal cause, and effect! Yet, does that Lamborghini hold ANY power past it's mileage???

*GOD* MIGHT grant some of HIS own wealth, and material goods, though HE EXPECTS them to UNDERSTAND their insignificance in the long run, and that they CAME FROM HIM, and that they are most satisfying when they are shared with others...

WE are BEST when we are ONE WITH HIM, as only when we are, do we FIND what our depths long for! Riches of the world waste away, as do most tangibles, and as we age, they mean nothing, as many have discovered, but a relationship WITH THE LORD *GOD* is forever benevolent...

HOLINESS becomes what we strive for, what we strain for WHEN we discover the emptiness of what the world offers in comparison to HIM; WHEN we discover that we LOVE HIS LOVE, and SEE HOW HIS LOVE affects us, body, mind, heart, and spirit! HOLINESS IS natural for HIS own, as that IS what we were CREATED in, and to be!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013