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 foundation for TRUE WORSHIP was laid, even before CHRIST JESUS suffered for us, and was built upon after HE was taken to HIS THRONE ABOVE---

The Disciples/Apostles, and those who believed, DEVOTED their time to PRAYER, to hymns, to the Ministry, to caring for the needy, and whatever else is of THE WILL OF *GOD*! They COMMITTED themselves TO HIM, and to carrying out HIS WILL! They spent their days, and their nights in ONENESS with HIM, patterned after HIS EXAMPLE, and TEACHINGS...

In good times, and in bad times, they committed their thoughts, actions, reactions, and time TO THEIR LORD, and to people, THAT HE REMAINED with them, in them, and thus, through, and around them...

This is important because, a standard was set for future generations to adhere to, and which serves each person OF HIM. In bad times, which these had plenty of, though they feared, their fear was OVERCOME by their commitment TO HIS WILL, which then, brought about increased BLESSINGS in diverse ways, as HIS CHURCH was being formed, and elevated! They did not cower, nor cave into adversity, nor the adversary, instead, their INTENT was upon THE LORD, and the working towards fulfillment of all things aligned to *GOD*, and *GODLINESS*! They DEVOTED their existence TO the sharing of THE LORD, and HIS KINGDOM: they PREPARED themselves, and others for what is to come! They were TOO busy to be shaken out of HIM!!!

As evil increases, we see people SO shaken out of their FAITH, and commitment, that they are falling away, or being overtaken by what is evil, or one of many scenarios! ONLY THEY WHO PERSEVERE until HE returns shall see HIM! The ONLY way to ENDURE what is, and what is to come, is to attach TO the foundation on which our every assistance is built; THE LORD, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, HIS WORD! PRAYER is ESSENTIAL to our contribution to the foundation, as it connects us with HIM, and with those who most need HIM! Hymns and other such, encourage, and drown out the chatter which tends to remove us from our firm standing! PRAISE, WORSHIPING, and REJOICING, well, these ARE as our giving of GLORY TO THE LORD; they ARE HIS, and what ALL in CREATION exists for!!!

Has the current Church tired of it's ability to commit, to devote itself to THE LORD? Not exactly, though many HAVE become lax, and complacent! Time to realize, to understand that we ARE surrounded by the enemy, and that wickedness IS preying upon whom it is possible to! Time to refer to the early Church, and SEE HOW they handled the endless attempts to dismantle it! Time to REVIVE! Time to stabilize! Time to let the world KNOW that THE LORD'S CHURCH IS, and evermore shall be!!!

Many Churches ARE now full of the enemy, therefore, they are teaching, and practicing adversely, and adversity; never forget, the enemy IS well-versed, intelligent, and knows THE LORD! THE SPIRIT guides us, and LETS us KNOW what is what, who is who, and so forth, AND if we can't find PEACE within the Churches we attend, we OUGHT to be creating ones which DO HONOUR THE LORD, and lead us rightly! When change is sought, it CAN be found!!!

We HAVE our model to build on; we only need to study it, and take it to THE LORD, and to the heart! We DON'T have to settle, especially when it comes to knowing how to SERVE HIM, and others! The forerunners of THE CHURCH did NOT waver in their works, in their FAITH, in their PRAISE, WORSHIPING, REJOICING, and PRAYERS; THROUGH commitment they INCREASED, and REACHED, and thus, GLORIFIED THE LORD *GOD*! They UNDERSTOOD that IN CONSISTENCE is found RESISTANCE to what opposes *GOD*, and them! They BELIEVED, and thus, RECEIVED! They EXISTED WHOLLY IN HIS WILL, TRUSTING HIM, and RELYING ON HIM, WHILE EXALTING, EXTOLLING, and EXEMPLIFYING HIM! They left NO room for the enemy, but whatever they faced, they REMAINED DEVOUT!!!

We DON'T exist for the world, and thus, we DON'T base THE CHURCH upon the ways of the world! THE CHURCH IS FAR ELEVATED OVER the world, and while the world is all around us, and HAS infiltrated THE BODY, we KNOW HOW to KEEP ourselves untainted by it!!!

Church exists in the heart, which is then extended to like hearts; the heart of LOVE! The early Church was comprised of those who in likeness, WORSHIPED THE LORD *GOD*, and while they met in rooms, or homes, they did not yet, have brick, and mortar places of WORSHIP, instead, they KNEW TRUE WORSHIP begins, and extends from the heart, in which case, they INVITED others who were also inclined, and spent their time WITH THE LORD from sunrise to late night! They discerned the spirits of others, and those who were not aligned to THE LORD were not allowed to mar their DEVOTION! This is a tough area, because many people DON'T have the ability to discern, yet they discern all the time, and end up judging instead of discerning, which is a whole new subject matter, but which DID lead to the way Churches are today! So, you see, there IS LOTS to be understood concerning Church, and those OF said Churches, AND what WE today, might DO to get them back on the RIGHT foundation, NOT the one the world has shifted it to!!!

There are endless stories of people who have attended many Churches and have come away with negative feelings, and reactions! There are Churches that are SO far removed from THE WAY, and WILL of *GOD* it is frightening! There are those who have gone over the top, and demand far too much of the people! There are those filled with bitterness, rivalry, envy, power-hunger, judgement, and all sorts of adverse behaviours, and so, many people have decided that Church is not for them! Thus, NOW IS the time for TRUE Christians to BE THE BODY OF THE CHURCH, and REPRESENT THE LORD *GOD* IN TRUTH, and IN SPIRIT, FOR HIS GLORY, and for the greater good of those who ARE of HIM!!!

In many countries around the world, Church is as it was back when the Apostles built on the foundation, CHRIST JESUS! Like-minded, like-hearted people meet in rooms, or homes, in commitment TO THE LORD, and in DEVOTION! Yes, I realize that many have no choice in the matter, but there is something SACRED involved in their doing so! Perhaps the rest of us might be able to learn from them, and to RETHINK Church!!!

We SHOULD do Church all the while; day in, day out, even when we are not in the building, for such IS TRUE WORSHIP! Let us look to the early Church, and it's ways, that we have the understanding, and tools to REVIVE THE BODY of THE CHURCH for real! Let us consider the vast, and far-reaching problems within the Churches of this time, and let us renew our commitment TO HONOURING OUR LORD, FOR HIS GLORY, and the INCREASED GOOD of others, especially those who belong to HIM, but are as of yet, lost! Let us PRAY!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2015