HEAVENLY INCLINED...: THANKSGIVING 2021: THE LIGHT SHINES BRIGHT; BE THANKFUL ALWAYS!!!

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...

THANKSGIVING 2021: THE LIGHT SHINES BRIGHT; BE THANKFUL ALWAYS!!!

On this Thanksgiving Eve, we are just returning from a funeral, and we said goodbye to another on the 20TH, now, another one has just passed, and we have to contend with that on Monday. So, we have been dealing with losses, yet, I am grateful, and thankful unto THE LORD *GOD* for many reasons, and with great exaltation for HIS GLORY, and GOODNESS---

In these volatile times when the world is amok, and people are lost, those of us OF THE LORD *GOD* ought to be extra thankful FOR HIS LOVE, GRACE, and MERCY, as we KNOW HE WILL see us through the troubles of the times, and WILL protect us according to HIS WILL!!!

I have LOTS of things I could be bitter, and unhappy about, but know what?, I CHOOSE to hold onto what is good, right, and just, ESPECIALLY in these days when there is less, and less of such! I KNOW what lies ahead, and am TRULY learning via the darkening world WHY we leave the world behind and FOLLOW CHRIST JESUS! ONLY HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE we are privy to, IF we REMAIN IN HIM, regardless of how awful things around us might get, thus it is WISE, and SENSIBLE TO walk closely in HIS footsteps, EVEN WHEN it is most difficult...

We have scores of people altering the world, Holidays, and well, just about everything we took for granted, and once knew, therefore, CLINGING TO *GOD* IS not only calming, it LEADS us in the conflict, and corruption of the hours! MOST things are on the line now, PARTICULARLY what is optimal FOR us, as the evil rising from hell IS wreaking havoc, and is frenzied as it gains power from those who ALLOW it, OR succumb to it! As it gains steam, many will be shaken from what they previously believed, OR, will lose the will to resist it, and so, ONLY THE LORD IS the correct option!!!

Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 THESSALONIANS 5: 18! We are to rejoice in creature-comforts, as if we rejoiced not, and must not expect to live many years, and rejoice in them all; but if we do rejoice in God, we may do that evermore. A truly religious life is a life of constant joy. And we should rejoice more, if we prayed more. Prayer will help forward all lawful business, and every good work. If we pray without ceasing, we shall not want matter for thanksgiving in every thing. We shall see cause to give thanks for sparing and preventing, for common and uncommon, past and present, temporal and spiritual mercies. Not only for prosperous and pleasing, but also for afflicting providences, for chastisements and corrections; for God designs all for our good, though we at present see not how they tend to it.

Quench not the Spirit. Christians are said to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He worketh as fire, by enlightening, enlivening, and purifying the souls of men. As fire is put out by taking away fuel, and as it is quenched by pouring water, or putting a great deal of earth upon it; so we must be careful not to quench the Holy Spirit, by indulging carnal lusts and affections, minding only earthly things. Believers often hinder their growth in grace, by not giving themselves up to the spiritual affections raised in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. By prophesyings, here understand the preaching of the word, the interpreting and applying the Scriptures. We must not despise preaching, though it is plain, and we are told no more than what we knew before. We must search the Scriptures. And proving all things must be to hold fast that which is good. We should abstain from sin, and whatever looks like sin, leads to it, and borders upon it. He who is not shy of the appearances of sin, who shuns not the occasions of it, and who avoids not the temptations and approaches to it, will not long keep from doing sin.

Right this minute, I believe we are being SHOWN the cause and effect of our sinful nature THROUGH the mess this world has created, hence, time to 'get real' IN HIM, HIS WILL, and HIS WAYS VIA THE WORD, which requires study, understanding, embracing, and utilization according to HIS PLAN! AND, we must SERIOUSLY, put on our armour, as we fend off the arrows of the wicked assault on humanity, AS we STAND STRONG IN FAITH, and FAITHFULNESS, FOR HIS GLORY, AND THE GOOD OF OTHERS!!!

Thanksgiving is a door to the HOLY days when we celebrate CHRIST JESUS' arrival on Earth to pave THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH HIS BLOOD, SWEAT, and TEARS, wherefore WE arouse the deeper being and RENEW our eternal bond WITH HIM! We kindle the HOLY FIRES, and yield the carnal in favour of the spiritual IN THANKS, and JOY for we KNOW THE BEAUTY of HIS WORK which WILL manifest sooner than we think, when FOREVER LOVE, PEACE, and REJOICING SHALL BE, AMEN!!!

FORGET creature comforts which rob you of thankfulness when they no longer provide for you; instead step into the comforts of THE HOLY SPIRIT, and EVER find what is necessary TO reaching HIM, and THE KINGDOM! BE THANKFUL FOR HIS LOVE, and HIS PRESENCE despite the anxiety of the Earth, and BELIEVE IN TRUE POWER, THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY OVER all else, and all others, BECAUSE HE SHALL BRING us into THE LIGHT ETERNAL, even though it seems so far away, or seems to be fading as all around us, gloom obscures it!!!

In being grateful/thankful, we find HOPE, and in HOPE, we find the WILL to cope; to move forward, and to be assured of our BLESSED state IN THE LORD *GOD*!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WITH LOVE! *GOD* BLESS & BE WITH US, but mostly, may we BLESS HIM BY SHINING OF HIM SO HE IS EVIDENT in the dimming days!!!

PRAY like never before, and HOLD ONTO HIM! STAND FIRM, and BE NOT SHAKEN by the enemy(ies)!!!

BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS