HEAVENLY INCLINED...: HOLY WEEK: 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...

HOLY WEEK: WEDNESDAY'S WISDOM...

CHRIST JESUS came daily to the city---

In this HOLY WEEK, there are many messages which our LORD drives home for those who might hear HIM, for those who might seek HIM, for those who are of HIM; all related to the dire NEED to REPENT, which means to TURN TO *GOD*, and to exist in conduct conformed to HIS WILL, of which CHRIST IS the model for us to pattern ourselves after. We do ourselves justice by following HIS narration through this time to the cross, for many advices have been left for us to heed...

After sternly calling out the Pharisee's, the Sadducee's, the Scribes, and other hypocritical leaders of the time, HE lamented over Jerusalem...

MATTHEW 23: 37-39...
37+++“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
38+++“Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!
39+++“For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’”

Our Lord declares the miseries the inhabitants of Jerusalem were about to bring upon themselves, but he does not notice the sufferings he was to undergo. A hen gathering her chickens under her wings, is an apt emblem of the Saviour's tender love to those who trust in him, and his faithful care of them. He calls sinners to take refuge under his tender protection, keeps them safe, and nourishes them to eternal life.

The present dispersion and unbelief of the Jews, and their future conversion to Christ, were here foretold. Jerusalem and her children had a large share of guilt, and their punishment has been signal. But ere long, deserved vengeance will fall on every church which is Christian in name only. In the mean time the Saviour stands ready to receive all who come to him. There is nothing between sinners and eternal happiness, but their proud and unbelieving unwillingness.

The above speaks to ALL generations, as all have acted, and reacted in like manner towards fulfillment of HIS WILL. ALL who proclaim HIM but do not follow HIM are likened unto those HE speaks to in this passage! It is SO difficult for us to understand that following HIM is not part-time, not lukewarm, not half-hearted as we attempt to hold onto HIM, and the world too...

Now our LORD begins to speak of HIS return, and what HIS people will face until then, and the necessity to BE PREPARED, which doesn't mean being packed and ready, instead, ready in heart, mind, and in spirit, knowledgeable, and equipped to withstand the turbulent shaking which has already begun, of HIS own, of the world, of the HEAVENS, and so forth! We are urged to stay awake, alert, and focused upon HIM, THAT we are able to stand until the end!!!

Deception will increase; people will be misled, and they will be prone to following those leading them NOT to THE LORD, instead away from HIM! Perilous times are coming, in which the WHOLE being MUST be ALIGNED to HIM, otherwise the workers of evil WILL be able to cunningly lead one astray! This is why we are taught, in later BOOKS of THE WORD, HOW to put on the whole armour of *GOD*, for what is coming IS hell bent on taking as many souls as is feasible, down with them forever, and ever. We are in the midst of a raging battle which will increase as time goes by, and in which we HAVE the opportunity, THROUGH THE LORD, to withstand, BUT if we are NOT informed, and NOT following HIM closely, we WILL be endangered, because especially important to the evil enemy ARE those OF THE LORD, and so he CERTAINLY will use ANY means to snatch them as the days come closer to the end! This IS IMPERATIVE information, and MUST be taken for the safety, and benefits of HIS teaching us about what we will face. NEVER forget that the enemy is VERY well versed, and EXTREMELY knowing of THE LORD, and WAS a favoured one before his will defied *GOD*, and who KNOWS his fate, and does NOT want any of us, whom he has no regard for, to MAKE IT HOME!!!

Read, intently, MATTHEW 24 & 25, and take it to heart! Our LORD *GOD*, SAVIOUR and KING, LOVES us SO much that HE not only died for our sins, but HE left us THE WAY to FOLLOW, PRAISE and WORSHIP HIS HOLY NAME, REJOICING for ALL HE has and does GIVE unto HIS own!!!

Let us, as we travel to the cross with THE LORD in this HOLY week, TAKE TO HEART ALL HE has left for us to understand, and know, THAT we REMAIN IN HIM, HIS WILL, and in safety! We CAN'T do this without HIM, and the only way to be IN HIM, is to follow HIM, in more than thought, or word: we should live WORTHY of our *GOD*, HIS endless LOVE, and HIS GIFT(S)!!!

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