HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THE MATTER OF BEING PROACTIVE IN CHRIST...

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...

THE MATTER OF BEING PROACTIVE IN CHRIST...

It's true; we CAN'T fix ourselves, and we CAN'T be perfect---
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TRUTH IS; we CAN'T be reconciled without CHRIST JESUS, our LORD *GOD*!!!

It's TRUTH also that we, IN HIS NAME, STEP INTO HIS WILL, and OPEN UP TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT we ARE being brought INTO HOLINESS, bit, by bit, CONSCIOUSLY, and WILLINGLY, WHILE renouncing as much sin as we have control over! It IS TRUTH that we DO have control OVER much of our sin, which is birthed THROUGH choices! We HAVE choices TOWARDS *GOD*, or to sin, and while some sin just hits us head on, we DO have CONTROL over our desires, and our passions, ESPECIALLY IF we KNOW we ARE IN CHRIST!!!

NO, we CAN'T do this on our own, but we CAN mess with due process of *GOD'S* works in us BY continuing to live in ways which we KNOW are NOT aligned, and serve what is NOT OF *GOD*!!!

YES, CHRIST JESUS PAID THE RANSOM for our sins, but HE said HIMSELF, "Go and sin no more"!! JESUS was not speaking of sinless perfection. HE was warning against a return to sinful lifestyle choices. HIS words both extended MERCY, and demanded HOLINESS. HE did NOT say live in the futility of your mind, until I return for you!!!

People FIGHT for the right to continue in their sins, and this should signal something! People WANT to be everything worldly, and cling to their HOPE! THE WORD says when we take CHRIST JESUS as our LORD, and SAVIOUR, we DIE TO SIN, and the flesh, and LIVE in righteousness, and the spirit! THE WORD says that whoever WANTS to be HIS Disciple MUST DENY THEMSELVES, take up their cross DAILY, and follow HIM (LUKE 9: 23; MATTHEW 10: 38; MARK 8: 34)!!!

WHEN we DENY ourselves, that MEANS we DENY the flesh, and all which proves the flesh, and exist instead, IN the spirit, which IS our reality! We DON'T CLING to our addictions, to our desires, to our sins, INSTEAD, we cling to *GOD* and HIS HOLY WILL! To take up our daily cross IS to die DAILY to our sins, and to our selves, and to move FORWARD IN HIS NAME, and WILL, WHILE enduring, and persevering amid the tests, trials, and tribulations!!!

What IS right, I KNOW; what is wrong, I also KNOW, and though I WILL SURELY do wrong all the days of my life in this plane, IN CHRIST JESUS, AND the REDEMPTIVE WORK OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT, I ENDEAVOUR to RID of as much wrong in my character, and behaviour as is feasible, AS I ASPIRE to step INTO VIRTUE, and GOODNESS FOR HIS GLORY, and the DENIAL OF the rule of what is NOT OF HIM! I AM CHANGED FOR the PURPOSE OF SERVING HIM, and others, and I CAN'T SERVE if I am controlled by that which is worldly, such as lust, greed, addiction, violence, hatred, excess of desires, and passions, and so forth! I am NOW NOT CHAINED to such, I AM BOUND TO THE LORD *GOD* BY MY HEART, and the SENSE, and SENSIBILITY OF HIS WILL!!!

Citizens of HEAVEN are ELEVATED beings, CONSECRATED FOR THE LORD, AND HIS WILL, NOT flesh, and it's desires! We ARE a PECULIAR people, which means we ARE ENABLED BY HIM, TO ARISE ABOVE the flesh, and to exist IN the spirit! We ARE a HOLY RACE, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, a CHOSEN people FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRAISING HIM, ETERNALLY, who CALLED us OUT of darkness INTO HIS WONDERFUL LIGHT (1 PETER 2: 9):
All true Christians are a chosen generation; they make one family, a people distinct from the world: of another spirit, principle, and practice; which they could never be, if they were not chosen in Christ to be such, and sanctified by his Spirit. Their first state is a state of gross darkness, but they are called out of darkness into a state of joy, pleasure, and prosperity; that they should show forth the praises of the Lord by their profession of his truth, and their good conduct. How vast their obligations to Him who has made them his people, and has shown mercy to them! To be without this mercy is a woful state, though a man have all worldly enjoyments. And there is nothing that so kindly works repentance, as right thoughts of the mercy and love of God. Let us not dare to abuse and affront the free grace of God, if we mean to be saved by it; but let all who would be found among those who obtain mercy, walk as his people.

YAH, people LONG to be both of the world, and OF *GOD*, but we are TAUGHT that this CANNOT be, EVEN THOUGH, we are IN this world, we are NOT of it, and so, we MUST gain understanding enough to CHOOSE THIS DAY, WHOM WE WILL SERVE, for we CANNOT serve both! We are TAUGHT; DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD OR THE THINGS OF THE WORLD (1 JOHN 2: 15-17):
The things of the world may be desired and possessed for the uses and purposes which God intended, and they are to be used by his grace, and to his glory; but believers must not seek or value them for those purposes to which sin abuses them. The world draws the heart from God; and the more the love of the world prevails, the more the love of God decays.

The things of the world are classed according to the three ruling inclinations of depraved nature.
1. The lust of the flesh, of the body: wrong desires of the heart, the appetite of indulging all things that excite and inflame sensual pleasures.
2. The lust of the eyes: the eyes are delighted with riches and rich possessions; this is the lust of covetousness.
3. The pride of life: a vain man craves the grandeur and pomp of a vain-glorious life; this includes thirst after honour and applause. The things of the world quickly fade and die away; desire itself will ere long fail and cease, but holy affection is not like the lust that passes away.

The love of God shall never fail. Many vain efforts have been made to evade the force of this passage by limitations, distinctions, or exceptions. Many have tried to show how far we may be carnally-minded, and love the world; but the plain meaning of these verses cannot easily be mistaken. Unless this victory over the world is begun in the heart, a man has no root in himself, but will fall away, or at most remain an unfruitful professor. Yet these vanities are so alluring to the corruption in our hearts, that without constant watching and prayer, we cannot escape the world, or obtain victory over the god and prince of it.

HE NEVER said it would be easy, and so, it IS a dream to imagine that we have NO role in Salvation; we ARE after all, PARTNERS TO A COVENANT which HE HAS FULFILLED, and to which we DO have responsibility! Suffering does not come only by the woes of the world, INSTEAD it comes WITH our STRAINING TOWARDS THE KINGDOM, AND MAINTAINING OUR STATURE AS Children of THE ONE, THE ONLY, MOST HIGH *GOD*!!!

Lastly, we ARE to SHINE FOR the world to see, THAT they are INSPIRED to SEEK THE LORD, and TO be SAVED, and HOW can we SHINE OF TRUTH if we are darkened by the flesh???

Believe what you will, but BE INFORMED before you decide to believe in anything, especially THE WAYS, and WILL OF THE LORD, for our souls BELONG TO HIM, and HE WILL JUDGE them, then HE WILL grant eternal LIFE, or eternal exclusion from sharing IN HIS GLORY! ALWAYS ASK HIM FOR GUIDANCE, RELY ON HIM, TRUST HIM, and EXIST IN HIM, and let THE HOLY SPIRIT FREELY ENHANCE THE WORD FOR THE PURPOSE OF knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and all else necessary TO WINNING THE RACE FOR THE CROWN!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2016
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS