HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THURSDAY'S TRIUMPHS: THE MIGHTY VICTORY OF FAITH...

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 TRIUMPHS: THE MIGHTY VICTORY OF FAITH...

In all times, though, especially in these times, FAITH, and FAITHFULNESS are more than necessary, they are ESSENTIAL, and VITAL to our walk with *GOD*!

Study through the entire WORD, and take note of those who were, and remained FAITHFUL in the worst of times, for there are valuable lessons therein! Those whom most LOVED THE LORD *GOD*, endured, and persevered some MIGHTY challenges, obstacles, and opposition! Instead of wavering, and attempting to make things work on their own, most turned, immediately, to PRAYER, and PETITION, IN FAITH, and acted FAITHFULLY FOR HIS ANSWER, and HIS DELIVERANCE; rarely, unless they had sinned, and did not repent, did *GOD* withhold HIS PRESENCE from these...

Some of these, such as Abraham, did not see the full rewards of their FAITH, in their days, and some of these had their FAITH CONSTANTLY challenged, yet, they, in their LOVE, and TRUST of *GOD*, REMAINED FAITHFUL to the end of their mortal lives! One must remember that FAITH is not exclusive to this time, but to eternity...

Then, we see the continuance through the Disciples, and Apostles, as they took up where CHRIST left off, and built UPON HIM, in a totally resistant world...

Modern people consider FAITH, and FAITHFULNESS, almost nonchalantly, partially, and incompletely! We don't seem to grasp the CRITICAL advantages, and empowerment therein, and then, we are discouraged, much of the time! CHRIST says that if we have FAITH the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains, but alas, we for the most part, IGNORE the SOUND PRINCIPLES in this lesson, acting as if these were mere words! If we don't understand, or really believe in the POWER of FAITH, HOW then, can we expect that we are being FAITHFUL???

The Disciples, and Apostles might have freaked out with the responsibilities that CHRIST left them with, and they struggled no doubt with the kind of FAITH, and FAITHFULNESS to DO their work, yet, they persisted, and remained diligently devoted TO HIM, and HIS WILL, and so, the POWERS of FAITH began to show themselves, to them, and to the resistant world around them, as they performed signs, wonders, and miracles IN HIS NAME...

FAITH DOESN'T necessarily mean that all we wish for will come to us, but it DOES mean that ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF *GOD*, we will be furnished, supplied, and provided for, in EVERY manner, in order FOR HIS WILL TO BE DONE! FAITH IS NOT A WISHING WELL, it is an ocean of empowerment!!!

We are to have the kind of FAITH that TRUSTS that *GOD* IS FAITHFUL, and that we CAN be, by living through HIS example, increasingly MORE FAITHFUL! Joshua and his people, through FAITH, and FAITHFULNESS, downed the walls of Jericho, NOT by their own powers, or because they were suddenly magical, but because Joshua SO RELIED ON *GOD*, in a FAITH that made him, and KEPT him FAITHFUL TO THE LORD, in ALL ways! *GOD* DELIVERS those that RELY ON HIM, and LOOK TO HIM for ALL they need! FAITH is a powerful invoker of THE LORD! FAITHFULNESS is the will, and the patience to wait on THE LORD, WHILE living according TO HIS WILL!!!

We lack in KEY areas of understanding, such as LOVE, FAITH, FAITHFULNESS, and PURE BELIEF IN THE FAITHFULNESS of THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY! IF we spend MORE time studying, learning, embracing, and utilizing what HE has set before us, we GROW INTO HIM, thus, what HE requires of us, WHICH THEN, PROVIDES exceeding for us, in diverse ways!!!

Fear is the enemy of FAITH, and LORD KNOWS, the enemy is working deliberately, by the nano-second to weave fear into the tapestry of the human condition, like a web, to entrap, and debilitate us! All around us there IS reason to fear, IF we are NOT strong IN *GOD*, but for those who KNOW THE SUM OF THE TRUTH, that fear IS diminished, if not eradicated, as THE LORD DELIVERS HIS OWN!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013