HEAVENLY INCLINED...: FEAR & TREMBLING...

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...

FEAR & TREMBLING...

As we approach THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, we do so with fear, and trembling---

NOT in a negative way, instead in a POSITIVE one of being actively involved in the process of Sanctification! We develop great respect, and regard for HIS position of SOVEREIGNTY, and we begin to act upon HIS WILL, which IS in opposition to what we have been taught by the world, and so, as we SEE THE TRUTH, we are humbled; more, and more obedient; more awed, and amazed by HIM, HIS WILL, and HIS WAYS! In fearing *GOD* we shift POWER to where it belongs, NOT feeling deprived by this acknowledgement, instead free!!!

We WORK towards completion, even though we KNOW it IS HIM doing the work in us, through us, and around us; we are PRO-ACTIVE in improving the being THAT we are acting more in spirit, than in the flesh! We STRIVE to become as CHRIST-like as is feasible, while existing in this realm AS HIS reflections, and inspiration for others to take note of, and which leads to seeking HIM!!!

As we move forward on THE PATH, our CONSCIOUS is heightened TOWARDS HIM, and HIS WILL, and we ASPIRE to exist in ways which will please HIM, KNOWING we ARE evidence of HIM in us! We PRACTICE doing, and being good, FOR HIS GLORY, and for the greater good of others, THAT we are bit, by bit, melding, and being perfected therein!!!

There IS a certain sorrow which comes by way of REALIZING just how far removed we were from HIM at one time! This certain sorrow indicates we ARE being transformed, and KEEPS us moving towards HIM, in conscientious diligence, and deliberation! How awful I feel for the many sins I committed against my sweet, LOVING LORD; sins which I did NOT understand, nor realize in my worldly ignorance, and which COULD have been avoided IF someone had taught me correctly, IN HIS WILL, and WAYS, instead of what the world taught me! I feel like a Child in the wake of all I did which was against HIS WILL, and thus, against my soul; like one who has been chastised, and begins to understand why!!!

Approaching THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY is NOT a matter to be taken lightly; HE IS THE CREATOR of ALL, and EVERYTHING; the AUTHOR, and PERFECTER of ALL, and EVERYTHING, AND THE JUDGE of ALL, and EVERYTHING, in which case, those who deny HIM, defy HIM, ignore HIM, or don't know HIM, ARE endangered come HIS DAY of DAYS! HIS LOVE does NOT change, but our choices in our free will determines our meeting with HIM, come that time! It is NOT about works, and is MORE than the kind of FAITH we understand, instead, it is a HEART-FELT DESIRE TO KNOW HIM, and BE counted in HIS KINGDOM, which in turn, PREPARES us for our inheritance, which DOES involve TRANSFORMATION, RENEWAL, and RESTORATION TO the TRUTH of reality, which IS spirit, AND the casting off of the flesh, and the world!!!

Adam and Eve, AFTER their transgression, HID themselves from *GOD*, as if they could, BECAUSE they were now AFRAID of HIM! IF they, either of them, or both, had feared HIM, which is REVERENCE, RESPECT, and REGARD for HIS HOLINESS, POWERS, and TRUTH, IN the first place, they would have NOT had to be afraid of HIM!!!

Fear of *GOD* IS A GOOD THING, NOT the kind the world teaches us, which is to be afraid! Fear of *GOD* PLACES HIM, in our minds, and hearts IN HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE, THE LORD OVER ALL, and EVERYTHING, but which INSPIRES at the same time, TRUST, and RELIANCE in HIM, and of HIM, BECAUSE HE IS SOVEREIGN LORD!!!

Fear of THE LORD KEEPS us in allegiance to HIM, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, and heading towards THE KINGDOM; it does NOT see us cowering, hiding, and thus, heading AWAY from HIM!!!

EVERYTHING IN THE BIBLE SHOULD be taken through levels of understanding, and broken down! Let us remember that it IS written in such a way that those NOT of *GOD*, cannot take it to heart, and use it to pretentiously attempt to change HIS WILL! This is WHY we read, study, and research, repetitiously, THAT it ANCHORS, takes root, and flourishes within us, enlightening, enabling, enriching, endowing, encouraging, empowering, and teaching us, BRINGING us INTO ONENESS WITH HIM!!!

We are kind of backwards in our ways, thanks to the world and it's teachings, as well as it's influences, SO we have to LEARN what is what when it comes to THE *GODHEAD*, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, HIS WORD, and our role in all of this!!!

Fear and trembling in context to approaching *GOD* SEE us HONESTLY relinquishing the hold the world has on us, and placing ourselves in the hands of HE WHO CREATED us, and all else!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2015

Consider your ways—literally, "Set your heart" on your ways. The plural implies, Consider both what ye have done (actively) and what ye have suffered (passively). Ponder earnestly whether ye have gained by seeking self at the sacrifice of God. HAGGAI 1: 5...