HEAVENLY INCLINED...: PENTECOST SUNDAY: PEACE BE WITH YOU...

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...

PENTECOST SUNDAY: PEACE BE WITH YOU...

HAPPY PENTECOST!!!

Pentecost is a Christian feast commemorating the manifestation of THE HOLY SPIRIT upon 120 Disciples of THE LORD, seven weeks (50 days) after Easter, though it's origin began with the Israelites, as they celebrated the grain harvest, called Shavout, the Festival or Feast of Week's, which is a rich celebration, based upon commemoration of *GOD* giving the TEN COMMANDMENTS, 50 days after the Exodus. On Passover, the people of Israel were freed from their enslavement to Pharaoh; on Shavuot they were given the Torah and became a nation committed to serving God. Shavuot is also connected to the season of the grain harvest in Israel. In ancient times, the grain harvest lasted seven weeks and was a season of gladness...

Christian celebration of Pentecost is also rich in celebration, and traditions, which are varied between denominations, yet each celebrating the founding of THE CHURCH, and the GIFT of THE HOLY SPIRIT...

It is written that the 120 Disciples of CHRIST were in an upper room when they received THE HOLY SPIRIT, and it is written that as is the custom, all were gathered in the Temple, and THE HOLY SPIRIT descended upon them, causing them to speak in the various languages of those present, which confounded the people to the point of some saying that the Disciples were drunk, though it was 9 a. m., in which case, Peter and the other 11 CHOSEN Disciples began to teach, with such authority, and power, that 3,000 were that day, added to THE CHURCH. There was a great sense of feeling awe, and many signs, as well as wonders were performed. Those who gave their lives to CHRIST devoted themselves to HIS teachings, the breaking of bread, and PRAYERS. They shared all things in common, sold their belongings, and each was provided for according to their needs. THE CHURCH was founded, and began to grow, and was honoured by it's comm'UNITY' (ACTS 2)...

Some parts of the differing commencements of Pentecost are, the Kneeling Prayer, the colour red, flowers, doves, rose petals, birch branches, hymns, appointed readings, trumpets, and much more...

For the Jewish people, it is celebrated with night long study of the Torah, and in the morning the reading of the BOOK of RUTH, as well as the retelling of how the Israelites were redeemed by THE LORD from Egypt, and other customs such as marking firstfruits, and so on...

There are several chosen readings for Pentecost, such as ACTS 2, and ROMANS 8, but let us take a look at
JOHN 20: 19-23...
19/ So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20/ And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21/ So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
22/ And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23/ “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

This was the first day of the week, and this day is afterwards often mentioned by the sacred writers; for it was evidently set apart as the Christian sabbath, in remembrance of Christ's resurrection.

The disciples had shut the doors for fear of the Jews; and when they had no such expectation, Jesus himself came and stood in the midst of them, having miraculously, though silently, opened the doors. It is a comfort to Christ's disciples, when their assemblies can only be held in private, that no doors can shut out Christ's presence. When He manifests his love to believers by the comforts of his Spirit, he assures them that because he lives, they shall live also. A sight of Christ will gladden the heart of a disciple at any time; and the more we see of Jesus, the more we shall rejoice.

He said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, thus showing that their spiritual life, as well as all their ability for their work, would be derived from him, and depended upon him. Every word of Christ which is received in the heart by faith, comes accompanied by this Divine breathing; and without this there is neither light nor life. Nothing is seen, known, discerned, or felt of God, but through this.

After this, Christ directed the apostles to declare the only method by which sin would be forgiven. This power did not exist at all in the apostles as a power to give judgment, but only as a power to declare the character of those whom God would accept or reject in the day of judgment. They have clearly laid down the marks whereby a child of God may be discerned and be distinguished from a false professor; and according to what they have declared shall every case be decided in the day of judgment.

When we assemble in Christ's name, especially on his holy day, he will meet with us, and speak peace to us. The disciples of Christ should endeavour to build up one another in their most holy faith, both by repeating what they have heard to those that were absent, and by making known what they have experienced. Thomas limited the Holy One of Israel, when he would be convinced by his own method or not at all. He might justly have been left in his unbelief, after rejecting such abundant proofs. The fears and sorrows of the disciples are often lengthened, to punish their negligence.

PENTECOST PRAYER;
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and enkindle in us the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit, and we shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth.

As HE ASCENDED to HIS THRONE, HE left us with HIS SPIRIT, and ALL necessary to LEAD us, to EMPOWER us, and to ENLIGHTEN us that we SHINE of HIS GLORY for the darkness to recognize, to fear, to be swallowed UP by! Let us never forget, wane, or grieve THE LORD, THE HOLY SPIRIT; let us ALWAYS be OPEN to HIS work in us, for HIS WORKS ARE MIRACULOUS, POWERFUL, BENEVOLENT, and FILLED with a LOVE SO PURE, HE CREATED a PLAN incontestably SURE to bring HIS own to HIS GLORY ETERNAL! PEACE BE WITH YOU! Let us RECEIVE ALL HE IS, and is WILLING TO SHARE with us!!!

THANK YOU LORD! BLESS YOU, we PRAISE YOU, and WORSHIP YOUR HOLINESS! We are GLAD, and REJOICE in YOUR LOVING CARE of us! We are appreciative, and may we HONOUR YOU with our firstfruits, and may be they be fit for YOUR GLORY! We EXALT YOU, EXTOL YOU, and LOVE YOU!!!

Pentecost is as COVENANT JOY; the PEACE of HIS binding SPIRIT which welcomes us, the worthy fruits of harvest, into HIS GRACE, and marks HIS own, as HIS very PRESENCE is evidenced in us, FOR HIS GLORY, which inspires the greater good of all...