HEAVENLY INCLINED...: LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOU HAVE, WITH ALL YOU ARE!!!

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...

LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOU HAVE, WITH ALL YOU ARE!!!

THE LORD desires our LOVE more than anything, as HE LOVES us more than anything! HE knows that IF we LOVED HIM as we ought to, we would act according to HIS WILL, as LOVE prompts one to act in ways which are wholesome, good, just, and right!

Our LOVE of HIM must be complete, not in part, but in every aspect, and greater than any other LOVE we might have! In this LOVE, we find WILLINGNESS to place HIM ABOVE all, and all else, as IS HIS right as SOVEREIGN LORD! Then, we should be willing to LEARN OF HIM, FROM HIM, FOR HIM, about HIS WILL, and WAYS, that we are always increasing our relationship, and acting accordingly for the good of ALL! Next, we have to be willing to OBEY HIM, to TRUST HIM, to RELY ON HIM, concerning all, and everything! We have to stand in FAITH, while seeking to please HIM, and remaining FAITHFUL no matter what! Of course, SUFFERING is a natural part of this all, just as CHRIST JESUS suffered, so shall we, for good, and *GODLY* reasons, and purposes!!!

LOVE is active, it is not passive, especially, when it comes to LOVING THE LORD as we ought to, and as HE desires! LOVE ENDURES all things, and survives, despite what comes to shake it! Human LOVE suffers greatly in trial, and tribulation, and so, we have to, for HIS GLORY, to ARISE ABOVE this human LOVE, into a more developed, lasting LOVE, unaffected by what the world will throw our way to disturb, and distort it! We can only learn this LOVE from *GOD*, for ONLY HE LOVES as intended, and in the PURITY of it's core!!!

CHRIST JESUS says that if we LOVE HIM, we will keep HIS COMMANDMENTS (JOHN 14: 15)! This is NOT to be taken lightly, because it speaks, exactly, the kind of LOVE we should have for HIM, and what this LOVE entails! Some of you say that CHRIST did not leave us any COMMANDMENTS to live by, that it is a done deal, yet, throughout THE NEW TESTAMENT, HIS instructions are quite clear!!!

SACRIFICE is a HUGE factor to, in, of LOVE! LOVE is such a power that INSPIRES us to sacrifice for it's overall well-being! CHRIST sacrificed as we could never, yet, we find it difficult to sacrifice even in the slightest of ways for HIM, and HIS GLORY! Part of the reason human LOVE fails is because of unwillingness to sacrifice more than necessary, or stubbornness against having to do so!!!

From the first pages of THE BIBLE, through the end, *GOD* has declared HIS desire for LOVE from HIS people, the people HE CREATED of a LOVE PURE, RIGHT, and JUST! HE has met with infidelity, lies, denial, and all sorts of other misbehaviours, while we practically, run from HIS desire for our LOVE! We accept HIS LOVE, alright, as long as it fits our ideals, but the way we LOVE HIM is FAR removed from what LOVE is, and entails!!!

We don't seem to have fear for HIM, even though it is written that fear of THE LORD is the beginning of Wisdom, and HIS favour! Even though HE would strike down thousands in a second, of the ancients for their disobedience, and lack of fear, they never relented in their evil against HIM, and HIS WILL! Just because HE didn't continue with disciplining them, or us, on the spot, doesn't mean that HIS WRATH is stayed! NO WAY! HE PROMISES that HIS WRATH SHALL be vindicated, and eloquently details much of it!!!

HOW can we NOT LOVE THE LORD as HE desires? And, WHY don't we LOVE HIM as HE is worthy of? HE is SO beautiful, SO GOOD, SO PERFECT, and SO WONDROUS! Because we CAN'T seem to get past the carnal, egocentric idea of ME, ME, ME, and because HIS enemy, the oppressor, is very adept at obscuring from us, THE TRUTH!!!

I think it is very, very sad that the ONE who HAS EVERYTHING to offer us, is almost cast aside, in favour of what is of this world, and what we can gather from the world! It is just very sad, and so very wrong of us!!!

We want, want, want, what THE LORD has to offer, and we take, take, take from HIM, but so emptily, and incompletely, are we willing to give to HIM! When it comes down to it, we have NOTHING to give HIM, save for our LOVE, which HE not only desires, but deserves!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS