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Today’s Devotional – June 21st

 

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How To Spend My Retirement Years

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Many people in their 50’s and 60’s are getting ready for retirement. And many of these are trying to decide just how will they spend those years. “Shall I take up golfing, or maybe fishing, or some other hobby?”

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Others are considering finding some minor occupation. Maybe becoming a gardener or a big-box-store greeter. Just some little job merely to keep one’s self busy!

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Many have saved enough money over the years to travel. And there are countless wonderful places to visit, enough to keep traveling for years!

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Still others plan to spend their remaining years with family and friends.

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And then there are those who plan to become snow-birds, going down south during the winter months, and then going back north for the summer months.

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And then there are others who simply want to putter around the house, doing various little projects and perhaps watch some TV and go to a movie or restaurant several times a week.

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Now these are just some of the typical ways that people wish to spend their declining years.

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Fly fishing on the South Santiam – cropped – Wikipedia –  Creative Commons – CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

Gardening – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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NO CONSIDERATION FOR ETERNITY

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So, what do all these scenarios seem to have in common? What bottom line do they all seem to share? Just what fatal flaw is there, here?

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You see, all these various retirement plans seem to have one common denominator. They all appear to be based on the idea that there is no eternal life. They all are seemingly in denial that there is a Heavenly battle to win, and a Hell to shun.

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Oh no, to work at a job, if it is to meet one’s basic needs is absolutely necessary! Or to take the spouse on a vacation from time to time can be refreshing, if done in moderation. Or to have a little hobby on the side can be rewarding, as long as it doesn’t become an all-consuming lust.

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But to immerse oneself in such a leisurely lifestyle, while this world is in the midst of the great heated battle for the souls of all Mankind!? Does that make sense!?

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Now of course, the people of the world don’t believe that such a spiritual battle is going on. And so, why not spend one’s last few years on earth, trying to find and enjoy life’s last pleasures? That only makes sense for unbelievers!

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But such faithless lifestyles have nothing to do with biblical Christianity!

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Holy bible – cropped – wikimedia – creative commons lic.

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PAUL’S RETIREMENT PLAN

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Listen to the Apostle, Paul… “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” 2nd Timothy 4:6-9

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Does this declaration by Paul sound as though he was looking forward to a nice long and relaxing retirement? 

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Can you imagine Paul moving to a retirement golf resort for aging evangelists? Can you just picture Paul and Peter and John as a threesome, playing eighteen holes? Well, why not? Because everybody knows what these three men were all about! Everybody knows that these three men had no other desire than to run the Christian Race, and fight that Good Christian Fight, and win that Heavenly prize! 

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Decapitación of Paul – by Simonet – 1887 – cropped – wikipedia – US public domain

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PAUL, PETER AND JOHN

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No, these three men each worked tirelessly to consecrate their lives in such a way, that the world might see Jesus in them!

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These three men each knew the importance of redeeming the time they had yet remaining here on earth. And these three men strove to preach the Gospel to any and every last person who had ears to hear!

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Yes, Paul, Peter and John knew the importance and value of eternal life. They knew that this present life is merely as a tiny “vapor, which appears for a moment and then vanishes away”! (James 4:14)

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If they were looking for any sort of leisurely retirement, it would have to be beyond the grave!

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But while they had any breath in them in this life, it would be used to preach the Gospel to whoever would listen!

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Paul the Apostle – Cropped – Artist-Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier- circa 1500s

crucifixion of Peter-Caravaggio-Martirio di San Pietro wikipedia US public domain

The Apostle, John – Wikipedia – us PUBLIC DOMAIN

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I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK FOR THE PRIZE!

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And none of these three men counted themselves to have “already attained, either were already made perfect”. Philippians 3:12

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No, each of these men would merely, “press on toward the mark for the prize, of that high (and holy) calling of God, in Christ Jesus”. They knew that they needed a much deeper baptism, and a much greater resurrected lifestyle! (see Philippians 3:7-15)

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And so dear Pilgrim, let’s look to such men as these for our examples and role-models. Let’s not look to the people of the world (nor the church) for examples!

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Let’s continue to fan into flames the gift of grace within us! Let’s keep ascending that upward pathway, walking as strangers and pilgrims away from this selfish world, and onward to the Celestial Courts of the Heavenly City of God!

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By so-doing, we will enjoy a rich reward throughout the ceaseless ages to come!

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Paul Shipwrecked – Acts 27:41-44 – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – public domain

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Having said all these things, it must also be said that there are many retirees who can possibly combine their new lifestyle or hobby while continuing to study and contemplate God’s Word and continually praying without ceasing.

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These questions should be a matter of earnest prayer and soul-searching.

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A RETIRED COUPLE – RV on the road – NARA – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me that same fiery Spirit which ignited the lives of these three men…

 

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Running The Christian Race (Part 1: Paul & John: Our Role Models)”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

 

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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HEAVENLY MOUNTAINS

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Well, as just stated, the Lord has created a constellation which shows a woman fleeing. It is called the Revelation 12 Woman Constellation, also known as Ursa Major or The Big Dipper. So if we explore this constellation in the light of the Bible, there can be a wealth of information discovered on this very topic. So come along and dig into this study. And after reading about this heavenly revelation, you just might find yourself fleeing to the mountains. And maybe, just maybe, there are some much better mountains to flee to, than the ones in the above photo of Palestine! Mountains in which you can hide, where tracking devices and black helicopters are useless against you!

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Picture to right: Ursa Major, also known as The Big Dipper

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Woman of Revelation 12 (Flees to the Wilderness)” 

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TOMORROW:

” June 22nd (The Natural Man & Bible Prophecy)” 

Audience hands – cropped & altered – Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain

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