HEAVENLY INCLINED...: EVER RUNNING TO WIN!!!

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...

EVER RUNNING TO WIN!!!

By the GRACE OF *GOD*, we are exiting the storm; healing is going well, and things are entering a more 'normal' state; THANK YOU LORD---

All of this caught up with me a few days ago; I had been sleeping little, and doing a LOT, and when things were finally on the upswing, I was exhausted enough to catch some rest, and relax a bit! Sinfully, I stressed, worried, and was anxious, though I retained my FAITH, as imperfect as I could! Some matters in this world just take over, especially when a LOVED one is involved. I repent, and I learn, and I move forward...

CAN we EVER manage PERFECT FAITH? I don't know, but I DO know that we should NEVER stop perfecting in that area, and that we should understand that since we are in this realm, we ARE tried, and tested in regard to such; sometimes it is obscurely done, other times it is obvious! FAITH HAS to be as strong as we are WILLING to allow it to be, and according to our knowledge, and understanding. We HAVE to TRUST THE LORD *GOD*, RELY ON HIM, and WAIT ON HIM; there is NO other way, and NO other path to resolving issues we face...

*GOD* IS GREAT! This I say with all my being, and for good reason, because I AM SURE HIS HAND IS leading me, and sustaining me in ALL things! I am EVER indebted, EVER grateful, and EVER thankful unto HIM, indeed! I KNOW HE LISTENS to PRAYERS, and to hearts, and makes a way for us!!!

For some strange reason, we get lost in the happenings of the moment, and FORGET that it IS ALL IN DIVINE ORDER! I suspect it is leftover feelings of believing we can 'fix' whatever, whenever! It is DEEP rooted in us via the ways of the world, despite our profession of *GOD* IN CONTROL...

HOW do we become perfectly obedient and FAITHFUL? With constant trials, tribulations, and attention to our responses to what is common to this realm! We LEARN as we go along, and as we fail yet again to retain rock solid TRUST IN HIM! FROM our missteps, and tripping, we indeed, LEARN, and acquire greater inspiration TO PLEASE HIM, and TO BE UNSHAKABLE! ALWAYS remember, our Sanctification IS A PROCESS, and we will NOT be perfect UNTIL HE IS FINISHED with HIS WORK IN us!!!

Such is WHY we are taught to keep on in the race (1 CORINTHIANS 9)! The enemy(ies) IS going to throw as much in our way as feasible to keep our attention away from what is of THE LORD, therefore, Paul's advice to concentrate on what lies ahead, sees us FOCUSING on THE LORD, HIS WILL, and the prize, ALL of which involves GROWING FAITH, and FAITHFULNESS...

It is interesting that so many think that being Christian is easy, or a done deal, because what we learn along THE WAY is FAR from easy, in that it IS absolute opposite of what we learned as humans in a worldly plane, and which WON'T take us TO HIM, UNLESS we adapt, and align TO HIM, HIS WILL, and HIS WAYS, and why not?; after all, we KNOW fully just how corrupt, and dangerous this realm IS to us, and our souls...

At any rate, I think I am just about back, and have greater experience, and understanding having been through this! Not fear, anguish, anxiety, nor dread were able to deter my relationship WITH THE LORD, nor able to make me doubt HIM, or HIS WAYS, and in fact, STRENGTHENED my allegiance TO HIM!!!

BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS