HEAVENLY INCLINED...: TUESDAY: TURNED UPWARD THOUGHTS...

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...

TUESDAY: TURNED UPWARD THOUGHTS...

Someone wrote, and published an article which states that giving to others, and taking care of others is all there is to the role of Christians---

Would that it were that easy! NOTHING in our enjoining to THE *GOD*HEAD is easy, save for LOVING HIM! There are reasons for it is not being easy, such as the fact that IF it were just this, or that, even those NOT OF THE LORD could secure their souls! In TRUTH, it is MANY things which work TOGETHER, in the heart of LOVE, which evidence those OF HIM! It is the regeneration of THE HEART, which then works throughout the entire being, which determines who is who!!!

Absolutely, without doubt, giving, and caring ARE mandatory, but by themselves are not complete! You see, as Christians we are being worked to completion THROUGH THE LORD, and HIS WILL, and mere acts CANNOT be enough, for then, even the insincere, and others could be brought into the fold, which would mean in the end, a remainder of evil seeping into THE KINGDOM, and this is NOT going to happen; ALL evil will be put in it's place, beneath the feet of our PRECIOUS LORD!!!

LUKE 6: 46...
"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?

Those only make sure work for their souls and eternity, and take the course that will profit in a trying time, who think, speak, and act according to the words of Christ. Those who take pains in religion, found their hope upon Christ, who is the Rock of Ages, and other foundation can no man lay. In death and judgment they are safe, being kept by the power of Christ through faith unto salvation, and they shall never perish.

Since we proclaim THE LORD as our *GOD*, and SAVIOUR, we are now NEW beings, and have surrendered to HIS WILL! We are being RECREATED from the spirit outward, which IS a process, and which sees ALL things aligned to HIS WILL, working together, that the heart of our proclamation IS backed by the evidence of TRUTH! IF we are sincere, we relinquish control, and it IS HE who works in our existence in this realm! HE leads us to thinking, saying, and doing what IS aligned to HIS WILL; HE brings it ALL together to RADIATE from us of HIS GLORY, HIS GRACE, HIS MERCY! HE MAKES HAPPEN what HE HAS determined!!!

Just as FAITH is a PART of the process, albeit a HUGE part, the rest works together WITH FAITH to PROVE us FAITHFUL, which in part means we are existing in FIDELITY TO HIS WILL, and WAYS, which means we are employing ALL HE has WILLED at ALL times, which then, begins to work WHOLLY towards GLORIFYING HIM, and AIDING the troubled world, and those who BELONG to HIM, but are lost!!!

NOTHING BUT LOVE is exclusive in our role in THE COVENANT; everything else works TOGETHER to EVIDENCE our LOVE of HIM, and this LOVE KEEPS us nurtured, that we GROW, and PRODUCE IN HIS NAME, FOR HIS GLORY, to the dismay of the enemy! LOVE IS THE LAW BECAUSE LOVE KEEPS US IN THE WAY, and LEADS US TO HIM, and SECURES the fate of our soul!!!

LOVE PRODUCES FAITH, FAITH PRODUCES HOPE, but all in all LOVE IS THE GREATEST OF THESE BECAUSE LOVE SEES ALLEGIANCE, without falter, or fail! LOVE TEACHES, TRAINS, and TRANSFORMS mere humans INTO THEIR REALITY, which is spirit, which IS the likeness of *GOD* into which they WERE CREATED! LOVE LIFTS humans out of the shroud which chains them to this plane, IF they, in their free will, SEEK TO DO THE WILL OF *GOD*, and relinquish the flesh!!!

Works mean NOTHING without the heart of LOVE, yet OF the heart of LOVE, comes works, EVIDENCING said LOVE! Works VOID of the heart of CHRIST JESUS, LOVE, are but acts, whereas IN the heart of CHRIST JESUS, LOVE, acts BECOME works of righteousness, for they have NO agenda other than to fulfill HIS WILL, and COMPLETE our role in HIS WILL! And, in FACT is HIM acting in us, through us, and around us, that there is NO room for us to say that WE did this, or we did that! LOVE CAUSES works to manifest FOR HIS GLORY, and the greater good of others!!!

LOVE IS PARAMOUNT TO THE FAITH WHICH LEADS TO THE PEACE OF HOPE, WHICH OPENS UP TO ALLOWING HIS WILL TO BE DONE, as we settle into the REALITY of our ONENESS WITH HIM! LOVE ACCEPTS HIS WORK IN US, and ALLOWS HIM to DO what HE WILLS, through us, in us, and around us!!!

NO ONE CAN FEIGN LOVE for THE LORD *GOD*! It CAN'T be done, because of what evidences the TRUTH of LOVE in us!!!

ROMANS 2: 13...
for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.

But in true repentance, there must be hatred of former sinfulness, from a change wrought in the state of the mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the evil. It shows also a sense of inward wretchedness. Such is the great change wrought in repentance, it is conversion, and is needed by every human being.Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness.

MATTHEW 7: 21-23...
21+++“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
22+++“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
23+++“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. Let us take heed of resting in outward privileges and doings, lest we deceive ourselves, and perish eternally, as multitudes do, with a lie in our right hand. Let every one that names the name of Christ, depart from all sin. There are others, whose religion rests in bare hearing, and it goes no further; their heads are filled with empty notions.

JOHN 14: 15...
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

HONEST, SINCERE LOVE KEEPS ONE ON THE PATH, and IN THE LORD *GOD*! LOVE INSPIRES us TO REMAINING IN HIM, no matter what! LOVE EVIDENCES HIM MORE than anything we might hope to do in HIS name, and yet, IS what leads us TO DO all GOOD we can, in HIS name! Therefore, LOVE AS HE bids of us IS ONE OF the MOST imperative matters we SHOULD devote our time to, because while in the world, it IS challenged, but CAN grow past all else, and SEE HIS WILL BEING DONE! AMEN!!!

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