HEAVENLY INCLINED...: WE HAVE THE POWER TO PROVOKE THE WRATH OF THE LORD, OR TO INVOKE BLESSINGS OF HIM...

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...

WE HAVE THE POWER TO PROVOKE THE WRATH OF THE LORD, OR TO INVOKE BLESSINGS OF HIM...

Oh MERCY, the weather has wrecked havoc on a LOT of US soil in recent days, and is showing no signs of letting up---

Torrential rains, hail, flooding, and LOTS of tornadoes have pounded, or are pounding the heartland! Quite a few people are missing, and/or have perished. Flooding has hit some major crops, so we can expect some shortages this Summer, and escalated prices...

Just as depicted in the OLD TESTAMENT, when THE LORD was angry with the people, HE would destroy crops, stop the rains, send pestilence, and so on! The widespread damage so far, will have impact on our nation for quite some time...

WITHOUT *GOD* there is NOTHING left, I tell you this with all my being! When *GOD* turns away from people, there is NOTHING good to come! When *GOD* is angered to WRATH, you CAN expect consequences, and as subtle as they may seem, since we assume so much, and deny HIS anger, HE DOES make things difficult UNTIL people remember HIS POWERS, and HIS MERCIES, and turn back to HIM...

Our country has done some things in recent years which are NOT acceptable to HIM, and it is increasing all the more as days go by, and anyone who doesn't think that HE will react, is existing in a dream world! I am not saying I know for sure that *GOD* has a hand in the problems of the day, but WHAT IF HE DOES? Shouldn't we be concerned? Shouldn't we attempt to stay HIS anger???

All I know for sure is that there is trouble in the land, and that much of it could have been avoided BY REMAINING IN THE LORD, instead of the world, and its ways! Checking ourselves IS necessary when we are doing things which PROVOKE THE MOST HIGH *GOD* WHO IS in charge of ALL, and EVERYTHING, including our food, basic necessities, and all which we so foolishly take for granted, or assume is by our own means! We NEED to PRAY, to REPENT, and to work towards RIDDING our homeland of abominations, idols, and acts which work against *GOD*!!!

HOW do we help people understand that *GOD* CAN be PROVOKED, and WILL show HIS WRATH, no matter the duration, or damage? HOW do we help people to realize that HE IS SOVEREIGN RULER OVER ALL IN EXISTENCE, and does NOT favour those who turn against HIM? HOW do we stir UP the DEVOUT to PRAYER, that there is chance of HIS STAYING HIS anger???

It isn't just in this country, there is damage all over the globe, and in most of those places, there ARE valid reasons that *GOD* MIGHT be PROVOKED, just saying!!!

I don't know for sure, but I am sensing something greater here than we might imagine! Times have not been pro-*GOD* that is for sure, and add to this that more, and more people are complacent in their stance as HIS people, accepting the ways of the world when they KNOW better...

REALLY, WHAT IF all which is happening IS the WRATH of *GOD* warning us? Shouldn't we DO something???

Anyway, let those who are OF *GOD* PRAY, and continue to STAND STRONG IN HIM, and ALL HE DECREES! Let us UPLIFT ourselves to HIS MERCIES! Let us BE PRO-ACTIVE in KEEPING HIM near, in LOVE, not in anger! Let us TURN TO HIM in a new way, in TRUTH, and in SPIRIT, and let us PRAY for those who won't change, and those who don't 'get' it!!!

May *GOD* BLESS those who have suffered greatly in recent times! May HE HAVE MERCY on us all, and may we INVOKE HIS BLESSINGS, NOT HIS WRATH...

REV. LWINSOR © 2015

Let NOT those OF THE LORD feel helpless, or overwhelmed in the midst of evil throes of the world, instead, let us BE EMPOWERED BY FAITH, FAITHFULNESS, PRAYER, and TOTAL RELIANCE on THE MERCIES OF THE LORD; remember the ancients, such as Moses, and others who cried unto HIM, and WERE able to stay HIS anger!!!

Now we have an important lesson, and something to consider in these times! For instance, in our country, how many righteous would THE LORD *GOD* find? I am confident that there would be more than a few, but let us ponder upon this, and take it to a new level, FOR HIS GLORY, and the greater good of others! This is not important for what we are suffering, instead for what might be wrought, such as an increase in the flock, and so forth...

GENESIS 18: 22-33...
22+++Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the LORD.
23+++Abraham came near and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24+++“Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?
25+++“Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”
26+++So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.”
27+++And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes.
28+++“Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
29+++He spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it on account of the forty.”
30+++Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31+++And he said, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.”
32+++Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten.”
33+++As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the LORD departed, and Abraham returned to his place.

Here is the first solemn prayer upon record in the Bible; and it is a prayer for the sparing of Sodom. Abraham prayed earnestly that Sodom might be spared, if but a few righteous persons should be found in it. Come and learn from Abraham what compassion we should feel for sinners, and how earnestly we should pray for them.

We see here that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Abraham, indeed, failed in his request for the whole place, but Lot was miraculously delivered. Be encouraged then to expect, by earnest prayer, the blessing of God upon your families, your friends, your neighbourhood. To this end you must not only pray, but you must live like Abraham. He knew the Judge of all the earth would do right. He does not plead that the wicked may be spared for their own sake, or because it would be severe to destroy them, but for the sake of the righteous who might be found among them. And righteousness only can be made a plea before God. How then did Christ make intercession for transgressors? Not by blaming the Divine law, nor by alleging aught in extenuation or excuse of human guilt; but by pleading HIS OWN obedience unto death.