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...

Abraham, Noah, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, David, all the way through to Apostle John, HAD confidence in THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY---

MORE than FAITH, they had TOTAL confidence in HIM whom they believed in, and WORSHIPED! They EMBRACED HIS SOVEREIGN ROLE AS LORD *GOD*, then theirs as SERVANTS! NOTHING in this world could waver their confidence in HIM, nor challenge it, as it was melded within, and acted upon most times! FAITH IS REITERATED BY THIS CONFIDENCE, it is STRENGTHENED, and becomes COMPLETE, for there is NOTHING lacking in between; no gaps of doubt, no needs to first determine HIS MIGHT or RANK ABOVE ALL, no desire to put HIM to the test, INSTEAD, PURE allegiance from the heart outwardly...

LOVE for *GOD* WAS the foundation on which this confidence, and FAITH was built, and lasting! A LOVE SO strong whatever HE commanded of them, they complied with; not always without discussion of some sort, yet, for the most part, they responded to HIS every word, and intention according to their accepted roles as HIS SERVANTS! They did not feel less in their servitude, in fact they felt BLESSED in it!!!

Confidence in THE LORD *GOD* is far different than confidence in the flesh, for confidence in the flesh leads us away from HIM, while confidence in HIM brings us ever closer to HIM! Confidence in the flesh is part of pride, self-reliance, and self-assurance that we ARE powerful enough to manage this journey on our own, as well as confidence in the world, and worldly things! Fleshy confidence says, "I can", confidence in THE LORD says, "Only IN *GOD*, can I"!!!

You see, WHEN we are ONE with THE LORD *GOD*, there is NO separation; we are OF HIM, IN HIM, and function THROUGH HIM! In the flesh we ARE separated, and IMAGINE that we are able to do whatever it is we might! Listen, as much power as HIS enemy, our enemy has right now, it is but a time before it is gone forever, and ever! Delusion, and illusion, brought on by said enemy HAS shifted confidence away from *GOD* onto flesh, FOR the purpose of taking what belongs to HIM, and chaining it to what is fading! The enemy doesn't have confidence in us, and IS sure that he can rob *GOD* of the majority! So, IF we place our confidence in the flesh, we are partaking in the enemy's plan instead of *GOD'S* SAVING PLAN! Complex to explain, yet simple in TRUTH!!!

We are born into the world, and taught the ways of the world long before we are taught of *GOD*, therefore, WHEN we are awakened to THE LORD, we STRUGGLE greatly, because of the world's influence, and the examples therein, which OFTEN, we believe are in the right, but as we inch closer to *GOD*, LOVE, and TRUTH, our confidence in the world, in the flesh are PROVEN false, which then signifies we ARE ON THE PATH, which IS narrow, and WAY different than anything we were taught, or have existed in! When we are ROUSED to TRUTH, the flesh begins to be OVERTAKEN BY the spirit, which IS THE TRUTH OF our existence, for that is ALL which WILL remain, come HIS DAY OF DAYS!!!

HOW can I have confidence in myself OVER *GOD*, when the fleshy me is prone to err, and HAS led me so far away from HIM, that IF HE had not rescued me, I would be lost eternally? HOW can I trust myself OVER HIM WHO CREATED me, when I HAVE been SO misled, misinformed, and mistaken? NO! I SEE now that it was trickery which had me believing in the flesh OVER HIM, and that trickery's purpose WAS to remove me FROM THE LORD, and my inheritance! I KNOW NOW that my confidence SHOULD reside IN HIM who IS ALL POWERFUL, concerning, LIFE, or death eternal!!!

NOW IN CONFIDENCE OF HIM WHO IS RULER OVER ALL, and EVERYTHING, I am SAFE from the flesh, IF I so REMAIN IN HIM, and in said confidence! In this confidence, my FAITH works to perfect my FAITHFULNESS so that ON THE PATH I am not prone to looking back, to the left, nor to the right, instead I AM FOCUSED ON THE LORD, and what lies ahead, all the while confidently adhering TO, and DOING HIS WILL, as HE LEADS me, TEACHES me, and so on!!!

*GOD* OVER flesh, indeed; it doesn't take a genius to understand WHY!!!

ONLY THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY CAN, and WILL SUPPLY for me ALL I need to safely manage this realm, hence, FULL CONFIDENCE IN HIM! What I might do on my own, would only lead me to permanent danger, and eternal separation from HIM, and my TRUTH!!!

The GREAT delusion/deception is that when we place confidence in this world, it's ways, it's things, and ourselves, IN THE END, all such is gone forever, and the soul is denied the right to the TRUE KINGDOM in which ALL good things shall exist eternally BECAUSE confidence was placed in that which is illusion! So you see, to place our confidence in what is fading away, and will NEVER satiate the entire being, the spirit especially, is an immense, and eternal loss, THEREFORE, IS senseless, for sure!!!

Alas, we LIKE the world, and it's enticements, SO it IS difficult to wean ourselves from it, YET MORE IMPERATIVE than ANYTHING else! The enemy HAS done damages in this realm in which we are, nearly, netted into, HOWEVER, WE TURN TO *GOD*, and WILL be disentangled!!!

CHRIST JESUS has told us that IF we ARE IN HIM, we too, have died to the world, and become spirit! HE FILLED those who LOVE HIM WITH HIS SPIRIT that we ARE EQUIPPED to endure, persevere, and OVERCOME THE WORLD!!!

Let us ALWAYS study that the examples, and tools granted through THE WORD AID us in growing, and developing INTO a TRUE confidence IN THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, FOR HIS GLORY, the greater good of others, and our arrival HOME! PRAISE HIM, WORSHIP HIS HOLINESS, REJOICE IN HIS LOVING CARE for us, and HONOUR HIM BY REMAINING IN HIM, heart, mind, spirit, and body! NEVER STOP PRAYING in absolute CONFIDENCE!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2015