HEAVENLY INCLINED...: SUNDAY'S SACRED SCRIPTURES...

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...

SUNDAY'S SACRED SCRIPTURES...

In these times, we are confronted by issues concerning morality, from every front feasible---

And obviously, such matters have ALWAYS existed, as we can study, and learn about!!!

Oh, the excuses, and attempts to justify immoral behaviours! It is almost humourous, despite it's sadness, to listen to, and notice all the excuses humanity has created in order to make their errs less!!!

I don't share such lessons to open up to guilt, or to cause offense, instead, EVERY WORD THE LORD LEFT for us IS to AID us IN CORRECTING our characters, and our behaviours! We are to work TOGETHER IN THE WORD, to encourage ourselves TO TRUTH! As Christians we LEAVE the flesh behind, and take ON THE SPIRIT, which LEADS us PAST our past, and INTO the depths of the spirit, which IS THE TRUTH of our REALITY!!!

Detestable are the constant battles over sin, and in these days, people are PICKING on particular sins over others, as if there were any lesser sins! Sin is sin, therefore, we repent, and we grow past what would chain us to the world! Is it helpful, or right to call out another on their sin when we have our own to work through? YES, we are to, quietly, gently, and kindly, guide others past their errs, but in these times, too many spend more time trying to correct others, than they do for themselves!!!

We are to FLEE IMMORALITY, BECAUSE the body IS THE TEMPLE OF *GOD*, PERIOD, which OUGHT to drive home the point of WHY we retrain the mind, thus the body, towards HOLINESS! It doesn't matter how you USED to exist, it matters WHEN you ACCEPT CHRIST JESUS AS YOUR LORD, and SAVIOUR, how you exist from then on, WHICH MEANS, stepping INTO HIS WILL, and HIS WAYS, NO LONGER ENSLAVED TO THE FLESH, instead FREE IN spirit!!!

We are to master our beings FOR OUR ONE TRUE MASTER! We MUST OBEY *GOD* RATHER than our desires, our whims, our minds, and others! It is about HIM, NOT us, and while we may suffer in our obedience a bit, it WILL be worth it eternally! It is about THE LONG RUN, NOT the short time we have in this realm!!!

Sin WILL be around, yet there are conscious sins we CAN, through WISDOM, knowledge, and understanding, put behind us! It IS a matter of SELF-CONTROL, which begins WITH LOVE FOR THE LORD, then knowledge of HIS WILL! Other sins will be tossed our way as the evil one has his fun with us, YET THE MORE WE KNOW, the greater ease we have in VICTORY OVER them! CONSCIOUS sin is when we KNOW something is against THE LORD, and KNOWING we HAVE control over such, but we CHOOSE to do it anyway, either because we like it, or are so used to it, or any of many other reasons/excuses! Sure, there WILL be a tug of war as we attempt to step into TRUTH, but I tell you what, I KNOW, WE CAN WIN!!!

The mind is a large part of the problem, for we ALLOW it to become as a ruler OVER us! The mind CAN be retrained to think ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF *GOD*, OTHERWISE, we would NOT be able to WIN the battles in this realm! We only have to WANT to grow, and heal, WHILE RELYING ON HIM for whatever is needed to reach a point of success OVER what would chain us!!!

SOME battles are very difficult for they are as addictions to the being; those who are lost in their desires to the point of it seeming impossible to give them up, BUT IT CAN BE DONE; it takes HONEST diligence to please *GOD* OVER the self, and the world!!!

Anyway, let us LEARN THE TRUTH without the bitter judgements, accusations, accosting, and other negatives! Let us ABSORB THE SENSE, and SENSIBILITY with which *GOD* REIGNS, and COMMANDS us to exist in! AS we grow past ourselves, everything HE DECREES MAKES MORE, and MORE SENSE, and MELDS INTO our beings!!!

I could go on, and on, and on about HOW one sin opens up into multiple sins, but, IF one STUDIES THE WORD IN TRUTH, and SPIRIT, it seems that all I could say would be obvious without my doing so!!!

People get downright angry that they have to give up anything, or to realize that suffering is part and parcel TO SALVATION, but I ask you, IS IT ALRIGHT THAT CHRIST JESUS SUFFERED FOR us, and SO DRASTICALLY AT THAT? SHOULD it BE that HE ALONE SUFFERED? IF we are ONE WITH HIM, we take ON what HE ENDURED FOR US, so to speak...

Let us STAND STRONG IN THE LORD, let us PRAY, and let us PROVE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IN our existence, and IN our having left the flesh behind, ALL FOR HIS GLORY, which we WILL SHARE IN ETERNALLY, PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!!!

1 CORINTHIANS 6: 9-20...(There are 20 directly related verses)
9+++Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
10+++nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
11+++Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

12+++All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.
13+++Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.
14+++Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.
15+++Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!
16+++Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.”
17+++But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
18+++Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.
19+++Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
20+++For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

The Corinthians are warned against many great evils, of which they had formerly been guilty. There is much force in these inquiries, when we consider that they were addressed to a people puffed up with a fancy of their being above others in wisdom and knowledge.

All unrighteousness is sin; all reigning sin, nay, every actual sin, committed with design, and not repented of, shuts out of the kingdom of heaven. Be not deceived. Men are very much inclined to flatter themselves that they may live in sin, yet die in Christ, and go to heaven. But we cannot hope to sow to the flesh, and reap everlasting life.

They are reminded what a change the gospel and grace of God had made in them. The blood of Christ, and the washing of regeneration, can take away all guilt. Our justification is owing to the suffering and merit of Christ; our sanctification to the working of the Holy Spirit; but both go together. All who are made righteous in the sight of God, are made holy by the grace of God.

Some among the Corinthians seem to have been ready to say, All things are lawful for me. This dangerous conceit St. Paul opposes. There is a liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, in which we must stand fast. But surely a Christian would never put himself into the power of any bodily appetite. The body is for the Lord; is to be an instrument of righteousness to holiness, therefore is never to be made an instrument of sin. It is an honour to the body, that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead; and it will be an honour to our bodies, that they will be raised.

The hope of a resurrection to glory, should keep Christians from dishonouring their bodies by fleshly lusts. And if the soul be united to Christ by faith, the whole man is become a member of his spiritual body.

Other vices may be conquered in fight; that here cautioned against, only by flight. And vast multitudes are cut off by this vice in its various forms and consequences. Its effects fall not only directly upon the body, but often upon the mind. Our bodies have been redeemed from deserved condemnation and hopeless slavery by the atoning sacrifice of Christ. We are to be clean, as vessels fitted for our Master's use. Being united to Christ as one spirit, and bought with a price of unspeakable value, the believer should consider himself as wholly the Lord's, by the strongest ties. May we make it our business, to the latest day and hour of our lives, to glorify God with our bodies, and with our spirits which are his.