HEAVENLY INCLINED...: PRAYER: BELIEVE TO RECEIVE: FAITH INEXHAUSTIBLE...

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...

PRAYER: BELIEVE TO RECEIVE: FAITH INEXHAUSTIBLE...

THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, KNOWS what you need even before you might, and so, PRAYER is more than asking for such...

Yet there is not a secret, sudden breathing after God, but he observes it. It is called a reward, but it is of grace, not of debt; what merit can there be in begging? If he does not give his people what they ask, it is because he knows they do not need it, and that it is not for their good. So far is God from being wrought upon by the length or words of our prayers, that the most powerful intercessions are those which are made with groanings that cannot be uttered. Let us well study what is shown of the frame of mind in which our prayers should be offered, and learn daily from Christ how to pray.

Christ saw it needful to show his disciples what must commonly be the matter and method of their prayer (THE LORD'S PRAYER). Not that we are tied up to the use of this only, or of this always; yet, without doubt, it is very good to use it. It has much in a little; and it is used acceptably no further than it is used with understanding, and without being needlessly repeated.

PRAYER is a direct means of communication with THE LORD, useful for a wide array of benefits, such as invoking HIS WILL, protection, comforting, empowerment, enabling, guidance, direction, healing, and any of many assistance's, for others, and for one's self...

To communicate with THE LORD requires that one fears HIM, LOVES HIM, trusts HIM, respects HIM, regards all that HE IS, sincerity of heart, and overall submission to HIS WILL, and POWERS, as well as RELIANCE on HIM, while understanding that HIS WILL SHALL be done, meaning that everything happens according to HIS WILL, and that sometimes, what we petition, or PRAY for, is not aligned to HIS WILL, and so, what we ask of HIM might not be granted, or could take a different route to fulfillment, all for SOUND reason, and GOOD purposes on HIS part...

We CAN expect miracles, and SUPERNATURAL results from PRAYERS, though it depends on what we are PRAYING for, whom we are PRAYING for, and so forth! As we know from our studies of THE BIBLE, the PRAYERS of many were granted, and added to, because of their incontestable BELIEF IN HIM, HIS WILL, and HIS POWERS, along with their unfeigned, fervent, heartfelt openness with HIM. PRAYERS ARE POWERFUL WHEN they flow from the spirit, and reflect our allegiance with HIM! Through PRAYERS many incredulous events happened in this world, which came about through HONEST FAITH, and humbled RELIANCE...

One must consider too, that sometimes when we PRAY, we have sins of the moment that have not been repented of, or corrected in the best of our ability! Then too, we have behaviours which are not aligned, things like not being able to forgive, but expecting forgiveness; not sharing what we can, but expecting to receive, and so forth! Such matters have cause, and effect upon our relationship with THE LORD, and so, we should sanctify ourselves before THE LORD, body, mind, spirit, and heart, though, this doesn't mean we can't PRAY, it means that we should come to HIM as purely as is feasible, and realize the effects that impurities might have! This is difficult to explain, but surely important! For instance, HOW could I come to HIM, asking for HIM to remove a thorn from my side, when I am placing thorns in other people's sides? Instead, I would ask for the strength to stop placing thorns in other people's sides, and forgiveness for doing so, and then work on correcting this, before expecting HIM to remove those in my side. Does this make sense enough???

Most of the ancients whose PRAYERS were heard, and answered, DID what was right in the sight of THE LORD, AND their FAITH was as perfect as it gets in the human condition! We have proof of the POWER of PRAYERS from such, as Joshua asked *GOD* to make the sun stand still, and the moon stayed; Elijah asked for the rain to be withheld for 3 + years, then PRAYED for it to return; armies so vast they were like the sands were defeated by such people, and so forth! Their FAITH never waned, it never faltered, and they TRUSTED IN HIS WILL, as well as HIS attention to their petitions...

These people were humbled, meek, and TOTALLY RELIANT on THE LORD! They came to HIM in reverence, with tears, with their fears, with their troubles, and they BELIEVED! They LIFTED others UP in their PRAYERS, and always HOPED for what they KNEW HE could do!!!

PRAYERS are more than words, they are utterings of the heart, or the spirit! They are premised SOLELY ON FAITH, and empowered by FAITHFULNESS TO *GOD*! Many people PRAY in doubt, and are unsure, then too, many expect instant results, which might happen, but in most cases, works according to HIS time, not ours! Also, sometimes *GOD* will take something different to work through towards fulfillment!!!

When one PRAYS, this should be kept between oneself, and *GOD*, unless it is a unified PRAYER between two, or many; it takes from the integrity of the PRAYERS to reveal them, and really, what possible reason is there to share them, except for vainglory? It is alright to let others know you PRAY for them, in order for HOPE to be manifest, but other than that, it is DIVINE, and thus SACRED, and should be kept as such. Many people promise PRAYERS, and never PRAY, and then, those that PRAY and tell, well, most are seeking reward...

I am concentrating on knowledge of PRAYER for the purpose of the POWERS of *GOD* to be witnessed by all the peoples of this Earth, as day in, and day out, evil spreads it's net over the entire globe! I am HOPING for the FAITHFUL to practice PRAYER in such a way that our LORD'S ABSOLUTE PRESENCE SHALL be known, understood, and accepted by more, more, and more! I BELIEVE IN HIM, RELY ON HIM, and COUNT on the MIGHT of PRAYER to DELIVER, SAVE, HEAL, RESTORE, and more, thus I am URGING ALL HIS own, to UTILIZE PRAYER for the greater good of all, that there is a beginning to diminishing the monumental, far reaching suffering inflicted by evil...

More to come! In the meantime, let us PRAY, PRAY, and PRAY! Let us BLESS THE LORD, PRAISE HIM, WORSHIP HIS HOLINESS, REJOICE IN HIS PRESENCE, and LOVE, and CARE for us, let us be THANKFUL, and GRATEFUL, let us LOVE as HE LOVES, and let us HONOUR HIM by USING the knowledge HE HAS GIVEN, and FILLED us with, for the greater good of all!!!

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