HEAVENLY INCLINED...: *GOD* FIRST...

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...

GOD FIRST...

Well, the funeral, and other obligations are past! Very nice service, and see you later, as people flew in from all over the country to pay their final respects to a fine Woman, *GOD* keep, and rest her soul...

It is SO cold here, with promises of even colder weather for the rest of the week! We got teased for a few days with warmer weather, and now, back to icy reality! More than a few people are Winter weary, and holding out for Spring...

Saying farewell to LOVED ones reminds us of how precious, and fragile life is, though often, this doesn't last long in most of us, as we resume our lives, and settle into our usual ways! It is IMPORTANT to ALWAYS remember how precious, fragile, and crucial this *GOD* given time is, for various reasons, one of the most prevalent, humility! There is nothing more humbling than the end of our time in this realm, or the possibility of our time being abruptly taken! ONLY THE GOOD, and GRACIOUS LORD KNOWS the number of our days, therefore, EVERY hour is crucial to what is yet to come! This one FACT, should REMAIN in the forefront of our minds, lives, and decisions, BECAUSE the second after this MIGHT be the second we are taken, and where we wind up IS determined by the second before; thus, the KINGDOM OF *GOD* IS at hand, always, for those of this time!!!

UNDERSTANDING, and EMBRACING the uncertainty of the length of our days SHOULD keep us busy IN SERVING THE LORD, and others! It should keep us ever improving our thoughts, actions, and reactions! It should keep us seeking with our WHOLE being, THE LORD, and HIS PROMISES to the FAITHFUL! It should see us SHINING OF HIM, DOING GOOD, and BEING GOOD, for this IS what pleases HIM!!!

MANY people think that they can exist in the flesh, and SERVE THE LORD, but, the contradiction is MORE than obvious! To SERVE *GOD* is to DENY the self, and place HIM before ALL else, then others! There IS recompense for SERVING HIM, although some of this is found only after HE has brought us home. Our concern is NOT what we can gather from this time, instead, what we can GIVE to this time, in HIS name, FOR HIS GLORY, and the betterment of others...

Listen, a person might be a wonderful person, but if *GOD* is NOT the center of their heart, and life, they have chosen their lot! SO many people have THE LORD on the back burner, while they tend to more important matters, and this is a sign of the flesh being prevalent over the spirit! See, this IS the TRUTH of our lives, and of our hearts, and SHOULD matter to us! There are 54 BIBLE verses about putting *GOD* first, and one of the most clear is: GALATIANS 2: 20...
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Here, in his own person, the apostle describes the spiritual or hidden life of a believer. The old man is crucified, Ro 6:6, but the new man is living; sin is mortified, and grace is quickened. He has the comforts and the triumphs of grace; yet that grace is not from himself, but from another.

Believers see themselves living in a state of dependence on Christ. Hence it is, that though he lives in the flesh, yet he does not live after the flesh. Those who have true faith, live by that faith; and faith fastens upon Christ's giving himself for us. He loved me, and gave himself for me.

As if the apostle said, The Lord saw me fleeing from him more and more. Such wickedness, error, and ignorance were in my will and understanding, that it was not possible for me to be ransomed by any other means than by such a price. Consider well this price.

Here notice the false faith of many. And their profession is accordingly; they have the form of godliness without the power of it. They think they believe the articles of faith aright, but they are deceived. For to believe in Christ crucified, is not only to believe that he was crucified, but also to believe that I am crucified with him. And this is to know Christ crucified.

Hence we learn what is the nature of grace. God's grace cannot stand with man's merit. Grace is no grace unless it is freely given every way. The more simply the believer relies on Christ for every thing, the more devotedly does he walk before Him in all his ordinances and commandments. Christ lives and reigns in him, and he lives here on earth by faith in the Son of God, which works by love, causes obedience, and changes into his holy image. Thus he neither abuses the grace of God, nor makes it in vain.

Seems perfectly clear to me, and makes incontestable sense! There is NO ME, there is CHRIST IN ME, and IN HIM lies my RELIANCE, my guidance, my instruction, my protection, my everything, all the way through absolute deliverance, WHILE I REFLECT HIM, IN LOVE, grace, mercy, charity, and other acts of HIS DIVINE nature! I might not be perfect IN HIM, but I am EVER better than I was...

I LOVE to study people, and the absence of *GOD* as the forerunner of a life is as crystal! That false FAITH spoken of above is powerless to save them! Hence, THE LORD says that when HE returns, many will say to HIM, "LORD, LORD", to which HE will respond, "I knew you not, depart from me" (MATTHEW 7: 20-23). Again, it isn't about guilt, it isn't about impression, it IS ABOUT LOVE, and DEVOTION, in which HUMILITY, OBEDIENCE, and PRODUCING FRUIT worthy of HIS MAJESTY, CHRIST JESUS, KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS...

REV. LWINSOR © 2014
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS