HEAVENLY INCLINED...: OBEDIENCE, FAITH, AND WALKING IN A WAY AS TO HONOUR THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY...

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...

OBEDIENCE, FAITH, AND WALKING IN A WAY AS TO HONOUR THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY...

What is WORSHIP without obedience???---

With the word obedience, people stop reading, or listening almost immediately, which is all the more reason it needs to be discussed, understood, embraced, and acted upon! We are rebellious, indeed, and we freak, for some strange reason when *GOD* or others speak of compliance, and yet, the world itself, cannot function void of compliance, although at the moment, it is sure trying to...

The Bible does not separate persons from their deeds. Neither does the Bible separate worship from obedience. The primary evidence of what is in the heart is not our words or emotions but our deeds. In his parable of the Vine and Vinedresser (Lk 13:6-9) Jesus teaches that branches that do not produce fruit are tossed into the fire. This principle is established by God in the form of covenant blessings and curses (Lev 26; Deut 28). God’s moral law (the 10 Commandments) may be properly understood as a call to live all of life for the glory of God.

Listen, whatever we have been taught this far, we have NOT understood that WORSHIP without obedience, or SALVATION without fruits of THE SPIRIT, are simply, lip service, and no one likes to hear this either, but TRUTH PREVAILS, regardless of our resistance!!!

Current trends of Christianity allow for people to exist as they will, which is NOT guiding them correctly, or TO THE KINGDOM! WHEN we receive CHRIST JESUS as our LORD, and SAVIOUR, we take off the old self, and put on the new (EPHESIANS 4)! THIS MEANS we shed our old ways FOR HIS WAYS, in the best of our abilities, and capacities, ADHERING TO HIS WILL THROUGH HIS WORD, and the DIRECTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! It ISN'T that we will fall right into it, or that we won't falter, instead, that we are HONOURING HIM IN our eagerness, and readiness to come INTO our TRUTH AS HIS CHOSEN, which IS FOR HIS GLORY, and the greater good of ALL! HE KNOWS the difficulties involved, and for those who are SINCERE in their opening TO HIM, HE PROVIDES as we stumble, trip, and even fall! YAH, HE LEADS us past, and through, and ONLY HE CAN, and WILL...

From beginning to the end, obedience, adherence, and allegiance TO *GOD* ARE required for HIS people, NOT because HE is mean, or any other nonsense, instead, because WE ARE TO BE SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD IN HOLINESS (2 CORINTHIANS 6), and BE HOLY BECAUSE HE IS HOLY (1 PETER 1; HEBREWS 13; LEVITICUS 11 & more). We are a peculiar people being MADE INTO A HOLY PRIESTHOOD which WILL SERVE *GOD* FOREVERMORE (1 PETER 2)!!!

In order to PLEASE THE LORD *GOD*, one HAS to HUMBLE themselves, rid themselves of SELF, OBEY HIM, and be constant in SELF-CONTROL! Now, tell me, IF we are allowed to do as we want, WHY so much instruction concerning obedience, and there IS A LOT!??

Christians are held to a HIGHER standard, which makes sense given that we ARE OF THE LORD, and HIS KINGDOM! We have duties, responsibilities, and lessons to learn, and to utilize! We are to SHINE OF HIM THAT others recognize HIM IN us! We are TO DO GOOD, and TO BE GOOD, no matter what! We are to exist in LOVE, and PEACE ALWAYS! We are to ENDURE, and PERSEVERE regardless of what happens! We are to study, learn, embrace, and act IN HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, and HIS WORD, FOR the sake of the lost, and TO GLORIFY HIM! ALL of this indicates knowledge, wisdom, and self-control as we COOPERATE IN HIS WORKS OF PERFECTING us; NOT that we will be perfect on Earth, but that we ARE BEING MADE WHOLE IN HIS IMAGE, and NAME!!!

MANY balk at instruction, and some are downright stubborn in REFUSING to believe HIS WORD, and so, a GREAT problem guiding people who claim to be of HIM for the Preachers, Priests, and other clergy! Too, there is intense competition between Churches and their leaders to fill the pews, which is WRONG, because instead they should be filling the hearts, and minds WITH THE LORD *GOD*, and nothing else! So, the numbers of those NOT receiving what they OUGHT to be, keeps the waters choppy, and inconsistent!!!

No one can force HOLINESS on those that refute it, or rebuke it, but there is ALWAYS HOPE that some might change their minds, and hearts, IF they are offered TRUTH in truth!!!

Getting to KNOW THE LORD *GOD*, and HIS WORD IS imperative to being able to open UP TO HIM! Those that don't seek HIM in HIS WORD, will ever have trouble finding, or staying on THE PATH, THE WAY! ASK HIM to teach you, and to grant you HIS WISDOM; HE WILL LEAD those who are willing! STUDY CHRIST JESUS, whose OBEDIENCE was PERFECT, EVEN UNTO DEATH FOR us, for HE IS OUR EXEMPLAR, and THE WAY TO LIFE!!!

The world IS enfolding the majority, and it's ways ARE ensnaring them, but WE ARE NOT OF THE WORLD, and SO, let us LIFT HIGH our thoughts, words, actions, and reactions ACCORDING TO THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY! The time IS nigh TO STAND HIGH IN HIS NAME!!!

Obedience IS a tough road to follow, at least initially, YET IT IS that road which leads to PARADISE ETERNAL, therefore, after some time on it, we find it easier, and far more pleasant than the rocky, perilous trails in this valley!!!

BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS