HEAVENLY INCLINED...: WEDNESDAY'S WISDOM...

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...

WEDNESDAY'S WISDOM...

The heart of a human can be as hard as all the hardest rocks on Earth combined...

A heart hardened is that which is not existing in THE WILL OF *GOD*, and instead is, in the will of pride, sin, err, misuse of free will, and THE GRACE, and MERCY OF THE LORD...

We are taught: Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. (PROVERBS 4: 23). We are taught to GUARD our hearts, for it IS the heart which THE LORD peers into, and in which HE discovers our truth...

Let's look into this a bit deeper, from various sources, that understanding takes root:
In the Scriptures various aspects of human anatomy are used to define the whole person, but the most frequently used is heart.
The heart is the seat of emotion ( Psalm 25:1 ; Prov 14:10 ; Isa 66:14 ; John 14:1 ; Rom 9:2 ),
intelligence ( Prov 16:1 ; Luke 9:47 ),
morality ( Psalm 58:2 ; Rom 1:24 ),
human choice ( Deut 8:2 ; Luke 21:34 ; Acts 11:23 ),
and one's religious life ( Deut 6:5 ; Jer 31:33 ; Rom 10:9-10 ; Gal 4:6 ).

The heart, in effect, is the whole person in all of his or her distinctive human activity as a thinking, planning, willing, feeling, worshiping, socially interacting being. And, of course, when the person is not living according to God's will, it is the heart that is described as darkened, rebellious, callous, unfeeling, or idolatrous. It is within the heart that God works; hence the human heart may be tender and soft or as hard as stone ( Eze 11:19 ).

It is in this context that hardening or hardness of the heart must be understood. The heart represents the total response of a person to life around him or her and to the religious and moral demands of God. Hardness of heart thus describes a negative condition in which the person ignores, spurns, or rejects the gracious offer of God to be a part of his or her life.

To better understand the causes and solutions for a hardened heart, it’s important to understand the broad biblical meaning of the word “heart.” The Bible considers the heart to be the hub of human personality, producing the things we would ordinarily ascribe to the “mind.” For example, Scripture informs us that
grief (John 14:1);
desires (Matthew 5:28);
joy (Ephesians 5:19);
understanding (Isaiah 6:10; Matthew 13:15);
thoughts and reasoning (Genesis 6:5; Hebrews 4:12; Mark 2:8);
and, most importantly, faith and belief (Hebrews 3:12; Romans 10:10; Mark 11:23)
are all products of the heart.
Also, Jesus tells us that the heart is a repository for good and evil and that what comes out of our mouth – good or bad – begins in the heart (Luke 6:43–45).

CHRIST JESUS spoke of the hardening of the heart, even to HIS CHOSEN Disciples/Apostles, in interesting ways: HE had fed thousands of people with but a few loaves of bread, and fish, in which case there were always baskets of remanants left; one time 12, another 7; they were on a boat, crossing to the other side, and HE was telling them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and Herod---
MARK 8: 14-21...
14+++And they had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them.
15+++And He was giving orders to them, saying, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
16+++They began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread.
17+++And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart?
18+++“HAVING EYES, DO YOU NOT SEE? AND HAVING EARS, DO YOU NOT HEAR? And do you not remember,
19+++when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.”
20+++“When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they said to Him, “Seven.”
21+++And He was saying to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

IF we are not ALWAYS attuned to THE LORD, and HOLD onto HIS teachings; IF our heart is NOT FILLED with HIM, there is room for the enemy to do his dastardly deeds, and our weaknesses to lead us away from what we actually know; this is the way of sin! We CAN'T do this alone, we KNOW that, and yet, we CAN ABSORB HIM to the point that we THINK, ACT, and REACT according to HIS WILL, which then, strips the heart of hardness, and BLESSES us infinitely...

Scripture makes it clear that if we relentlessly continue to engage in sin, there will come a time when God will give us over to our “debased mind” and let us have it our way (PSALM 81: 12; ROMANS 1: 24 & 28; EPHESIANS 2: 3; EPHESIAN 4: 19; 1 THESSALONIANS 4: 4) . This is even true of those who are FAITHFUL Christians, for when we allow our heart to harden to HIM, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, HIS WORD, we are blinded, and deafened to THE TRUTH! We have witnessed very famous people who 'claim' CHRIST JESUS as their SAVIOUR, and LORD, slide headlong down a very slippery slide because of a hardened heart, as their pride, desires, and passions reigned OVER THEIR LORD in significance! We are witnessing many Christians being hardened by the same, as lust, greed, power, and other worldly ways consume their minds, emotions, heart, bodies, and souls! Their NEED for drugs, sex, power, money, and other worldly ways OVERRIDE their ability to REMAIN IN CHRIST, and HIS WILL! Their hearts have been hardened TO THE TRUTH, and they believe all is well as they indulge themselves in ways which they KNOW ARE NOT OF *GOD*!!!

We HAVE CONTROL in ALL matters, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE LORD, who WORKS IN those who have EMPTIED themselves for HIS WILL!!!

Let us ever seek to understand, let us embrace, let us utilize the ENDLESS GIFTS of HIS LOVE, that we ARE ALWAYS ON THE PATH, and NOT pulled to the edge by deception, perception, confusion, delusion, and whatever snare the enemy might use in lieu of our weaknesses, and let us PRAY without ceasing, THAT we are EVER in touch with HIM WHO SAVES us from that which AIMS to take us down! PRAISE THE LORD, and WORSHIP HIM FOR HIS LOVE which CARES for us, that HE offers continual support, lessons, assistance, and provision FOR those who RELY ON HIM, and have a heart WILLING to be changed!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2015
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS