HEAVENLY INCLINED...: LOVE IS TOUGH!!!

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 IS TOUGH!!!

TRUE LOVE is TOUGH; that is those whose LOVE is TRUE, are TOUGH enough to REMAIN in said LOVE forevermore, and the TRUE LOVE which THE LORD bids of us IS TOUGH, in that, well, let's look at a few examples:

MATTHEW 22: 37-39..
37/ He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
38/ This is the greatest and the first commandment.
39 The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

MATTHEW 10: 39...
Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

JOHN 14: 15...
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

JOHN 14: 21...
The person who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I, too, will love him and reveal myself to him."

JOHN 14: 23...
Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

JOHN 15: 13...
"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Then, we can continue into what defines LOVE, as found in 1 CORINTHIANS 13, and actually, the standards, and evidences of LOVE are found throughout the entire WORD! It is NOT easy for us to LOVE as THE LORD has first LOVED us, and so PERFECTLY exampled for us! It takes a STRENGTH of toughness to not be tossed around, to not falter, to not be shaken, and so forth! LOVE finds one STANDING STRONG when all else has failed!!!

LOVE RESPECTS, and REGARDS; it is ABLE to ALWAYS consider *GOD*, or others, VOWS, promises, and other such, before anything else! It is NOT a fair weather ally, it is the TRUTH of allegiance, no matter what!!!

Those who LOVE in TRUTH, are HEARTILY HARDY; they can withstand the sure challenges that WILL come to test their LOVE! They don't run for the hills when it is challenged, instead they PROVE LOVE by being as Soldiers on the front lines! They are skilled in endurance, resistance, and HONOURING LOVE!!!

The *GODHEAD* HAS exemplified LOVE PERFECTLY, and BEAUTIFULLY for us; just look at what has been done for us, given to us, and promised! HE SHOULD be the first, and last inspiration to LOVE as we ought, indeed!!!

We have these human fantasies of what perfect LOVE is, and to tell the truth, these fantasies are too wishy-washy to withstand what comes to contest LOVE! Such fantastical LOVE might appease to the mind, senses, and so forth, but is NOT going to survive the trials, and tribulations which SHALL test it! This is WHY there is so much *GOD* LOATHED Divorce, broken spirits, and discontent in this world. What damage we do in LOVE is due to our lack of understanding, and esteem of LOVE...

TRUE LOVE has the POWER to OPPOSE temptation, tests, probing, provocation, threats, and all adverse conditions, because it KNOWS that IT REIGNS SUPREME OVER all against it, and it CARES enough to ENSURE the best for everyone involved, be that *GOD*, others, or self!!!

The enemy is ALWAYS busy, ALWAYS seeking to lessen what really, CAN'T be lessened, except in failure of strength! LOVE IS SURE, STEADY, and ONGOING; NOTHING can remove it, NOTHING can do more than confront it! IF we embrace, and understand LOVE, we KNOW it, like it's origin, *GOD*, IS ETERNALLY BOUND in durability, toughness, fortitude, courage, HOPE, and on the affirmatives go! LOVE IS TOUGHER than the tough times we encounter as we strive to LOVE as HE would have us to!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2014

PRAISE and WORSHIP THE LORD *GOD* for HIS LOVE, and for TEACHING us to LOVE, that we are ABLE to TRIUMPH OVER what is NOT of LOVE, and to INCREASE HIS LOVE! REJOICE IN HIS LOVE, and HONOUR this LOVE in all your ways, all your days!!!