HEAVENLY INCLINED...: BEHIND GRAY SKIES...

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...

BEHIND GRAY SKIES...

Deep into Autumn, the skies are gray, the winds are blowing, nights see temperatures in the low 30's, the Earth has been stripped of it's plushness, and everything is looking kind of lifeless, weak, and drab...

All seasons have purpose, vitally so, as does each *GOD* given day! If we allow the externals to rule the internal, we have only ourselves to blame! Even when all seems yucky, there IS yet, wondrous pleasure to be found, and such begins within...

When the everything is enveloped in grayness, in my heart, in my spirit, there is radiance! My heart, and spirit are always basking in LIGHT, even though all around me is dark, dreary, and encompassed in drabness! I am fortunate to have this mentality, as it aids in my emotional state! I am sure it is borne of FAITH, and of the POSITIVITY of the GOOD of THE LORD! It has always been with me, even at times when the ceiling of life dropped down on me; it may not be apparent at all times, for I DO experience what happens, still, I don't linger in the direness! I am ENCOURAGED, and INSPIRED DESPITE all else, because an innate HOPE is mine IN THE LORD!!!

This time of the year puts Nature, wildlife, and humans into a dormant phase, with purposes only visible long after! Everything but humans obliges what is natural, with no resistance, and no questioning; all else simply, obliges the order of DIVINITY! And we can surely, do the same, while embracing the sound scheme of how THE LORD has worked everything just so, to optimization of continuance, growth, and renewal! Gray skies, and cold are not favoured by us, yet, they are favourable TO the good of life itself, and so, WHY do we allow such to rule our dispositions, and our time? You see, it IS us that takes from what is characteristic of life, and time, making such work against our own selves!!!

There are MUCH more imperative matters which concern my existence than the externals, and so, these must be the focus of my hours, for these are what lead me beyond this existence into LIFE!!!

When I am affected so readily by things such as gray skies, I am distracted from what really counts! When I am so easily distracted, I have to wonder about my abilities to remain steadfast in this plane! No matter what I do, I can't change the seasons, or anything that is natural to this time, all I have control of is myself, and the choices I make to add to, or take from the overall well-being of the entire self!!!

Autumn, and Winter provide a blanket of health for all of life, just as Spring, and Summer provide the evidence of this blanket, and so, IF understanding is in place, OVER emotionalism, and egocentricity, I AM enabled, and empowered to withstand, endure, and persevere! MANY people sink into lows, even long-lasting depression as normal, natural changes occur, in weather, or in life, and it DOESN'T have to be so! We are MUCH MORE equipped than we imagine, and FAR STRONGER than we want to be; *GOD* HAS PROVIDED for us, IN ALL MATTERS, and ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, and so, we only need to remind ourselves of HIM, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, and HIS FAITHFULNESS, as we remain FAITHFUL, HOPEFUL, and TRUSTING, no matter what!!!

In life there is ugliness, there is beauty, there is pain, there is pleasure, there is bad, there is good, but what we CHOOSE to LET prevail is KEY to our happiness, and capacities to move ever forward! Sure, there are times when it seems that only the opposites of what we need, and want are evident, yet, *GOD* says HE PREVAILS OVER all, and thus, GOOD PREVAILS! Frame of mind, and choices, they HAVE to be ALIGNED in order to manifest superlatively!!!

It is cold outside, thank *GOD* I am able to be warmed! It is gray outside, thank *GOD* I can see the sun just beyond that gray! It is a dreary time of year, thank *GOD* that it isn't always like this, and that this time of year lends to the bountiful beauty of the rest of the year! ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING TO BE GRATEFUL FOR, THANK, PRAISE, WORSHIP THE LORD, and REJOICE, for HE IS PRESENT, and WORKING FOR THE GOOD OF ALL, and our well-being!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013