HEAVENLY INCLINED...: 'TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY...

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...

'TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY...

In this season, there is LOTS of celebrating going on, and we NEED to have a clear understanding about HOW one should conduct themselves during these celebrations...

THE LORD GAVE us everything which exists, and everything has purpose, HOWEVER, this is where conscientious alignment comes into play; we MUST base our thoughts, decisions, actions, and reactions on HIS WILL, HIS WAY, HIS WORD! Let's take alcohol for instance; *GOD* does not frown upon consumption of alcohol, HE frowns upon drunkedness, SO, IF one can CONTROL themselves, and remain in control, alcohol is fine! The problem lies in many factors, one of which is, we are weakened when we are under ANY kind of influence, AND, we must remember that we have the power to influence those that are not yet spiritually mature; those who are weaker...

I have to attend parties as well as anyone does, and I abstain, for various reasons, one of which is, I don't LIKE alcohol's taste, nor, it's effects! I also, don't like what it does to people, the effects are far reaching through life itself; I have seen more than I need to, believe me! People use empty arguments concerning being under the influence, such as Priest's drink, and this is true, many do, yet, IF they go beyond self-control, they are as apt as anyone to err...

Have fun, but DON'T go past aligned behaviours, and don't place yourself in the hands of the oppressor! Enjoy, but don't prove to the enemy that enjoyment only comes from over-indulgence: in other words, give GLORY, and POWER to *GOD*, not the deceiver, or those of this world!!!

Think real hard about what over-indulgence includes: people become promiscuous, angry, violent, bawdy, argumentative, and all sorts of behaviours NOT fitting of HIS people, AND these behaviours place us head first, into a cesspool of sins which, WITH self-control, could have been avoided! Aligned behaviours do NOT exist to deprive us, they exist to add to us, to BLESS us, and to BLESS others in our path, but mostly, they exist to let the devil KNOW WHOM IS SOVEREIGN RULER OVER ALL, and EVERYTHING!!!

'Tis the season to be jolly, NOT the season of folly! Let us HONOUR *GOD* at ALL times, that HE IS amongst ALL!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013

1 comment:

Lynda said...: Sometimes, in our actions, we are being tested, and at other times, we are testing THE LORD, consciously, or not...; December 3, 2013 at 1:07 PM