HEAVENLY INCLINED...: I TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED...

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...

I TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED...

I won't take a single moment of this *GOD* given day, nor every good thing in this day, including the health, and vigor in my being, for granted...

I will exalt THE LORD for all HE IS, all HE DOES, and all HE has bestowed upon me, for from the very breath I breathe, to the 2 feet on which I walk, to the very hairs upon my head, HE HAS manifested, maintained, and given to me, therefore I am ever so grateful to HIM, especially since I have been through so very much, and remain in pretty good shape, body, mind, heart, and spirit, despite all afflictions, then add to this, the many wrongs I committed along the way! THANK YOU LORD, really, I THANK YOU with my being, and am even more humbled by the knowledge that YOU have preserved me, and led me through!!!

We often, forget just how BLESSED we are! We take for granted the very things that make for a full, and BLESSED life, and we forget to THANK THE LORD! Many people don't even consider how fortunate they are to have 10 fingers, 2 hands, 10 toes, 2 feet, 2 legs, and so forth, let alone all the internal parts which make up the whole of us! There are people whom have suffered great loss, such as limbs, and devastation to the internal makeup of the body, whom have far more gratitude than those who are intact! We just don't consider such things as important to the hours of this allotted time, and so we, forgetful of the fact that *GOD* gave us ALL things, take HIM, and them, for granted...

There is great trouble in the world; there is uncertainty; there are imminent threats to what we take for granted, as evil has increased, and IS ever nearby! In an instant, evil takes lives, while destroying those associated with those taken; in an instant, life can change, and so, to take *GOD*, and what HE HAS given, for granted, is wrong! Evil works all the time to shake FAITH, to take the FAITHFUL down with them, and one just doesn't know when it will strike, nor how devastating the blows might be! Natural disaster happens in a flash, perhaps with some warning, but generally, the warnings are part of the taking things for granted, and so many people suffer because they would not heed them...

LIMITED are we, and what is of this world; we cannot take such for granted, and rely on them! UNLIMITED ARE THE POWERS OF THE LORD, and PRECIOUS IS HIS BENEVOLENCE! If we should lose something while in this *GOD* given time, and ARE aligned to HIM, HE HAS THE POWER TO AID US, DELIVER US, and RESTORE US, HOWEVER, if we are NOT aligned, what we lose is lost forever, and there is no longer HOPE, nor any means because ALL POWER IS HIS, and HIS LOVE IS what moves mountains, dries up seas, and otherwise controls ALL in existence, THEREFORE, CONSIDER HIM, HIS WILL, and HIS POWERS ALWAYS!!!

TRULY, there is NOTHING worthwhile to cling to, to place trust in, of this world, ONLY THE LORD IS WORTHY of such! ONLY HE HAS THE MEANS TO KEEP us, and PROTECT us, and LEAD us past the ever present dangers of this time! Let us RELY ON HIM, and place ALL TRUST IN HIM, let us be THANKFUL, and GRATEFUL, and let us LOVE HIM as HE HAS LOVED us!!!

PRAISE, and BLESS THE LORD, whom HAS PROVIDED EXCEEDINGLY, and IS OUR DELIVERER, our STRENGTH, our HOPE, our SURE, and PRESENT HELP, and IS HIM WHO, OVER ALL ELSE, IS ETERNAL, INDESTRUCTIBLE, UNCHANGEABLE, IMMUTABLE, and ALL POWERFUL! WORSHIP HIS HOLINESS, and REJOICE IN HIS LOVE, and CARE for us! EXALT HIM, EXTOL HIM, and HONOUR HIM ALWAYS!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2014