HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THE OBEDIENCE WHICH IS BORNE 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...

THE OBEDIENCE WHICH IS BORNE OF FAITH...

It is said that we cannot obey our way into THE KINGDOM, and this is true if there is no FAITH, however, in FAITH, is found FAITHFULNESS, of which a dominant part is obedience TO THE WILL of *GOD*, as CHRIST JESUS so PERFECTLY teaches us, in example, and illustrations...

Abraham was obedient to *GOD*, BECAUSE he BELIEVED in HIS OMNIPOTENCE, and HIS PROMISES, and so, you see, his compliance to THE WILL OF *GOD*, was BACKED with FAITH! It is written that Abraham never saw the fulfillment of THE LORD'S PROMISES in his lifetime, yet, he REMAINED obedient, and therefore, was BLESSED, as he held STRONG to his FAITH, and lived in FAITHFULNESS! Those whom *GOD* directly called HIS Friends, EXEMPLIFY the combination of FAITH, and obedience, which was founded on fear of THE LORD, LOVE of HIM, and total REVERENCE, REGARD, and RESPECT FOR HIM, HIS WILL, and WAY!!!

FAITH alone will not lead us to THE KINGDOM either, it is ONLY part of the sum! One who BELIEVES IN CHRIST JESUS, KNOWS HIM, and HIS bid that IF we LOVE HIM, we will KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, and that we MUST DENY ourselves, and take UP our cross daily, which speaks volumes about effort, because of the struggles we have in this realm...

FAITH IS LOVE IN ACTION, and LOVE in action is SERVING, which IS grounded in allegiance TO HIS WILL, therefore, obedience! To me, those who resist that BEING an example of CHRIST JESUS; those who are DENYING that we have roles to fulfill, seem negative in their understanding, as if obeying, and serving are dirty words, with inferior agendas, BECAUSE they imply CHANGE of heart, mind, body, and spirit! It is SO difficult to help people to SEE THE BEAUTY of obedience, and serving when they view such with cynicism! It IS a BEAUTIFUL thing to SERVE THE LORD, and others, IN HIS WILL, and DOES strengthen our relationship WITH HIM, which then, BLESSES us, although we DON'T do anything for what we might gain of it, save for HIS GLORY, and the overall improvement, and well-being of the spirit...

We are NOT striving to be something we aren't, instead we are growing into BEING ALL WE TRULY ARE, from the TRUE self, the spirit outwardly...

ALL HE prescribes IS for our own safety, well-being, and JOY! BEING GOOD, and BEING GOOD ARE NATURAL to REFLECTING CHRIST JESUS, and THE WILL OF *GOD*, FOR HIS GLORY, and the BENEFIT of ALL! There is NOTHING in our role which is too difficult for us, too far removed from our reality, or too against the grain of whom we are; we ARE CREATED FOR GREATNESS, and IN that greatness IS the GLORY of *GOD*, and the GOOD for others!!!

All I EVER wish for is that we TAKE the time to STUDY, DEVOUR, and DIGEST THE WORD; ALL of it, for the sake of BEING FULLY equipped to make decisions that WILL affect our existence in this realm, and ETERNALLY! We must THINK, we must ACT, and we must DECIDE whether we shall be slaves to the world, and its ways, or servants of THE MOST HIGH *GOD*, in ALL HIS GLORY, and BENEVOLENCE...

REV. LWINSOR © 2014

There is great conflict over Apostle Paul saying that we are justified by FAITH alone, and then James saying that FAITH, and WORKS are one! Apostle Paul was speaking to those who BELIEVE that works ALONE will save them; those who have NO FAITH, or BELIEF in CHRIST JESUS, even though they saw HIM, heard HIM, and spent time with HIM! James is saying that FAITH, and works EVIDENCE THE LORD IN US, and IS natural to HIM IN US, as we aspire to BE GOOD, and DO GOOD, it is the innate working of GRACE in us! In TRUTH, each was speaking the same, only to different peoples; Paul to the unsaved, James to the saved. We will get into this deeper later...

2 comments:

Lynda said...: The me that *GOD* CREATED is innately good, but the me that is of the world is sullied, and struggles with this TRUTH, as the oppressor has deceived me, and shrouded the TRUTH, but as I return to THE LORD, and HIS WILL, the TRUE me, the spirit, is naturally inclined towards goodness, which then, begins a PROCESS throughout my entire being, heart, mind, body, and spirit, leading me to ACT according to THE LORD'S WILL, for I KNOW now that THIS IS THE TRUTH of my existence...; January 20, 2014 at 1:08 PM
Lynda said...: Because of my LOVE for HIM, and having opened UP to HIM, THE HOLY SPIRIT is leading the me of the world PAST my own will, into the WILL OF THE LORD...

And NONE of this is to prove anything, nor about me, instead it IS HIS LIGHT SHINING FOR HIS GLORY, for the good of all...; January 20, 2014 at 1:28 PM