HEAVENLY INCLINED...: IN THE LIKENESS OF OUR LORD...

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...

IN THE LIKENESS OF OUR LORD...

CHRIST JESUS, our LORD, and SAVIOUR does not want HIS FOLLOWERS to walk in darkness; thus HE GAVE us THE example in HIS daily existence on this Earth---

HE IS 'the suffering SERVANT', the absolutely humbled, and selfless exemplar! HE LOVES *GOD'S* LAWS, and LOVES PURELY, *GOD*, and humanity! HE IS THE LAMB OF *GOD*, the SACRIFICE of ALL SACRIFICES, who DIED a cruel death FOR us, and ROSE in VICTORY OVER death! HIS time on Earth saw HIM meek, gentle, kind, compassionate, and simply, THE PERFECT model for us to pattern ourselves after! HE came to crush the enemy under HIS feet! HE IS LIGHT, HE IS BREAD, HE IS ALL, and EVERYTHING, granting to us, sustenance, and THE WAY! Endless ARE HIS attributes, and unwaning ARE HIS ways...

HE teaches us to surrender our silly pride, and to humble ourselves before *GOD*! HE bids us to gain SELF-control in matters of the heart, mind, emotions, body, and spirit, and WITH HIM, we ARE enabled to do so!!!

No self-made people shall be among HIS FOLLOWERS, for human judgement, and perception are fickle, as well as feeble, and our human strengths are too weak for us to heed HIM proper, so, we MUST RELY ON HIS GRACE, hence HIS instructions, and ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT to guide us! We must PRAY always, and open, not only our hearts, but the inner ears to hear HIM, and be WILLING to partake in a sincerely honest relationship with HIM, ACCORDING TO HIS WILL...

HE IS THE TRUTH, THE LIFE, THE WAY; ONLY HE can, and WILL LEAD us through this troubled, dangerous valley! We NEED to FOLLOW HIM IN our hourly existence, as we USE HIS precepts, decrees, ordinances, instructions, and HIS WILL TO stay ON THE PATH; in other words, we walk the talk, and exist in SPIRIT, and TRUTH! HE CALLS on us to IMITATE HIM, more, more, and more, AS we not only study HIS example, but as we GROW INTO the best semblance of HIM as is feasible! We ARE TO BE ACTIVE IN OUR CONSECRATION, and NEW LIFE!!!

Our greatest err is to believe, or imagine that we are lord over ourselves! NOT SO! THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY, CHRIST JESUS, SAVIOUR, KING, and HOLY SPIRIT IS HE WHO IS LORD OVER us, and everything! We are dramatically under equipped to lead ourselves, as is evidenced by the state of the world! WITHOUT HIM we are lost, confused, deluded, and misled, and our TRUTH, our souls, shall suffer eternal IF we choose to deny HIM, defy HIM, or never TURN TO HIM...

To KNOW CHRIST JESUS, our LORD *GOD* and SAVIOUR, is to devour HIS WORD, and to drink of the waters of HIS WILL, and GRACE...

Based on 1 JOHN 2: To those who claim "I have known Christ, and therefore I know HIM", John insists on not mere intellectual knowledge but obedience to GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, in a life conformed to the example of CHRIST: this confirms our knowledge of HIM and IS THE LOVE OF GOD perfected. Disparity between moral life and THE COMMANDMENTS proves improper belief...

What knowledge of Christ can that be, which sees not that he is most worthy of our entire obedience? And a disobedient life shows there is neither religion nor honesty in the professor.
The love of God is perfected in him that keeps his commandments. God's grace in him attains its true mark, and produces its sovereign effect as far as may be in this world, and this is man's regeneration; though never absolutely perfect here. Yet this observing Christ's commands, has holiness and excellency which, if universal, would make the earth resemble heaven itself.

The command to love one another had been in force from the beginning of the world; but it might be called a new command as given to Christians. It was new in them, as their situation was new in respect of its motives, rules, and obligations. And those who walk in hatred and enmity to believers, remain in a dark state. Christian love teaches us to value our brother's soul, and to dread every thing hurtful to his purity and peace. Where spiritual darkness dwells, in mind, the judgment, and the conscience will be darkened, and will mistake the way to heavenly life. These things demand serious self-examination; and earnest prayer, that God would show us what we are, and whither we are going.

Then, we have this from 2 PETER 1: Faith unites the weak believer to Christ, as really as it does the strong one, and purifies the heart of one as truly as of another; and every sincere believer is by his faith justified in the sight of God.

Faith worketh godliness, and produces effects which no other grace in the soul can do. In Christ all fullness dwells, and pardon, peace, grace, and knowledge, and new principles, are thus given through the Holy Spirit. The promises to those who are partakers of a Divine nature, will cause us to inquire whether we are really renewed in the spirit of our minds; let us turn all these promises into prayers for the transforming and purifying grace of the Holy Spirit.

The believer must add knowledge to his virtue, increasing acquaintance with the whole truth and will of God. We must add temperance to knowledge; moderation about worldly things; and add to temperance, patience, or cheerful submission to the will of God. Tribulation worketh patience, whereby we bear all calamities and crosses with silence and submission. To patience we must add godliness: this includes the holy affections and dispositions found in the true worshiper of God; with tender affection to all fellow Christians, who are children of the same Father, servants of the same Master, members of the same family, travellers to the same country, heirs of the same inheritance.

Wherefore let Christians labour to attain assurance of their calling, and of their election, by believing and well-doing; and thus carefully to endeavour, is a firm argument of the grace and mercy of God, upholding them so that they shall not utterly fall. Those who are diligent in the work of religion, shall have a triumphant entrance into that everlasting kingdom where Christ reigns, and they shall reign with him for ever and ever; and it is in the practice of every good work that we are to expect entrance to heaven.

To KNOW CHRIST JESUS is to build a relationship WITH HIM, in FAITH, FAITHFULNESS, RELIANCE, TRUST, and OBEDIENCE, IN HONEST LOVE FOR HIM, and SINCERE REGARD FOR HIS SOVEREIGNTY, in which case, as HIS GRACE is bestowed upon us, it becomes one with our nature, and guides us accordingly. There is SO much debate about works and FAITH, but know this, IN FAITH IS FAITHFULNESS, and therefore WILLINGNESS TO exist IN HIM, and HIS WILL; NOT that OUR works SAVE us, instead that HIS WORKS COMPLETE us, hence show in us, and prove us! More to come...

LWINSOR © 2018
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS