HEAVENLY INCLINED...: COURAGE DAY & NIGHT...

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...

COURAGE DAY & NIGHT...

God has not given us the spirit of fear, but the spirit of power, of courage and resolution, to meet difficulties and dangers; the spirit of love to him, which will carry us through opposition---

And the spirit of a sound mind, quietness of mind. The Holy Spirit is not the author of a timid or cowardly disposition, or of slavish fears. We are likely to bear afflictions well, when we have strength and power from God to enable us to bear them.

Christians are strengthened and fortified BY THE LORD, THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT: the minds of Christ's servants are fortified against reproaches and persecutions for his sake, and are strengthened to resist Satan's temptations, to endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ, to quit themselves like men, in opposition to false teachers, and to do the will and work of God...

When we are OF CHRIST JESUS, THE HOLY SPIRIT rests upon us; the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD...

PROVERBS 29: 25...
The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

Fear is a diversion, a trap, an awful thing to allow to get the best of us, and is oh, so common to the world! AGAIN, we MUST at ALL times, RECALL, and EMBRACE IN BELIEF, that we are NOT of this world, and act accordingly; to the WILL of *GOD*! It is NOT easy to escape fear, yet we HAVE IN HIS WORD, the knowledge TO put fear aside, as we REMAIN IN HIM, HIS TRUTH, and HIS PROMISES!!!

HOW can FAITH be held onto when fear aspires to snatch it from us? HOW can we say we BELIEVE IN THE LORD, and TRUST HIM IF fear overwhelms, and overtakes us? TRUTHFULLY, we WILL face times when even our hairs shake, but we must NOT give in to fear, instead we cry out TO THE LORD, PRAY, PRAISE, WORSHIP, and GIVE THANKS FOR HIS PRESENCE, and PROMISES TO DELIVER us! If you just consider the times when fear was so great it nearly took over, you will be able to grasp what I am getting at!!!

PSALM 56: 3-4...
3+++When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in You.

4+++In God, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not be afraid.
What can mere man do to me?

We may flee to, and trust the mercy of God, when surrounded on all sides by difficulties and dangers. His enemies were too hard for him, if God did not help him. He resolves to make God's promises the matter of his praises, and so we have reason to make them. As we must not trust an arm of flesh when engaged for us, so we must not be afraid of an arm of flesh when stretched out against us. The sin of sinners will never be their security. Who knows the power of God's anger; how high it can reach, how forcibly it can strike?

Fear creates a whole slew of complications, and lures, such as distorted thinking, and rationalization, panic, anger all the way through to violence, and well, the list is extensive, plus, add to these the branches which stem from each! When fear RULES us, NONE of our senses function correctly; we cannot breathe properly, hear properly, and so on, SO, more is added to what we are already experiencing, and the traps increase!!!

*GOD* teaches us HOW to cope with fear, FOR our sake, and our REMAINING IN HIM! HE KNOWS the dire effects of fear, and PROMISES that IF we utilize HIS WILL OVER our own, we CAN be LED past it! No doubt about it, fear IS the greatest enemy because it is SO easy to be roped into, BUT IN THE LORD, we find safety, and ability TO withstand it!!!

We could probably spend a year learning about fear, and HOW to stand strong in it! It IS that defeating, and that far reaching in the human condition, AND IS a most common tactic used against us, BECAUSE it DOES affect us, just like that!!!

As ugliness increases in this world, we are wise to steady our beings, to ANCHOR our FAITH, and PLACE *GOD* AT the helm! Anxiety, and other negatives should be dealt with at all times, for they are like cancer, and spread like plagues! We should REALIZE, and CLING to that ALL OF THE LORD IS RIGHT, JUST, and GOOD, and IS POSITIVE, even in the face of the worst adversity; our soundness, and well-being RESIDE IN HIM! SURE we WILL be affected by the events of the day, yet we only have to CALL ON THE LORD, PRAY, and TRUST IN HIM!!!

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