Daily Devotional, Year 3 – May 3 (The Evil-Eyed Pharisee Scorner, Part 5: “Cause & Effect Christianity”)

By admin On February 14th, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 3 -May 3

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The Evil-Eyed Pharisee Scorner,

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Part 5:

“‘Cause & Effect’ Christianity”

To read Part 1, click here…November 3rd (The Evil-Eyed Pharisee Scorner!)

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“Master, who did sin,

this man, or his parents,

that he was born blind?”

But Jesus answered,

“Neither hath this man sinned,

nor his parents:

but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”

John 9:2,3

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Have you ever heard someone say, “If only he (or she) hadn’t done that, then they wouldn’t be in such a mess today”?

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Well, this is perhaps one of the most common judgments that people make! It’s how we look at life.

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It’s how we are brought up to think in this atheistic world!

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To a great extent, this is a “Cause & Effect” world in its thinking!

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The Spanking – cropped photo – Wikimedia – Public Domain – Conrad, Giorgio (1827-1889)

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And exactly what is this “Cause & Effect” thinking all about?

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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

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THE BLIND YOUNG MAN HEALED

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Well, perhaps this account from the Gospel according to John will best illustrate what “Cause & Effect” thinking is all about.

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**In the 9th chapter of John is an account of a man born blind.**

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And the disciples of Jesus asked Him, saying, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:2

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These disciples seemed to be uttering a question which was the common viewpoint of that day.

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Either this blind man sinned, or his parents did. Otherwise, he never would be blind.

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And this is still the common viewpoint today.

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Society so often tries to lay the blame on someone. “Someone must take responsibility for this!”

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Christ and the blind Pauper – Mironov – cropped image – Wikipedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

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NOBODY SINNED

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But Jesus answered His disciples by saying, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” John 9:3.

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Jesus was about to give this young man his sight.

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And so, God had allowed this young man’s years of blindness for this very day in which the glory of God would be revealed through the healing touch of Jesus!

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Christ and the blind Pauper – Mironov – cropped image – Wikipedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

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“THOU WAST…BORN IN SINS!”

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But when the young man was healed, the Pharisees heard of it and had the healed young man brought in for questioning.

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So here we have it! “Cause & Effect”!

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Someone must take the blame for the blind man’s physical problem.

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And they pronounced him to be the cause of his own troubles! “Thou wast altogether born in sins!” John 9:34

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Brooklyn Museum – The Pharisees Question Jesus – James Tissot – US Public Domain – Wikimedia

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CAUSE & EFFECT WORLD TODAY

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We live in a world that is very similar to that day.

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“Someone must be held responsible!”

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And so, needless to say, there’s a whole lot of finger-pointing going on in this world!

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Whether it be the leaders of the nations, or the officials within the various governments, even TV & Internet, right down to street-level of our neighborhoods and even in the family circle, the accusing finger is constantly being pointed at someone!

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Anger during a protest – by David Shankbone – cropped photo – Wikimedia – Share-alike-License

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TELEVISION

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And now, with the aid of television, radio, and Internet, this finger-pointing phenomenon is even manifest to a much greater degree!

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jerry Springer, The Opera – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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THIS UNBELIEVING WORLD

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Now of course, neither God, nor Satan ever get any credit or blame, for the most part, in the atheistic societies.

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The people of the world do not generally recognize the fierce battle between good and evil, by invisible spiritual forces!

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Atheist sign Wisconsin State – cropped photo – Wikipedia – share-alike license (2)

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PHARISEEISM IN THE CHURCH

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But when it comes to the Christian community, there should be a much different attitude toward the daily events in the world, and in the local community, and even in the family circle.

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We who call ourselves Christians must not be like the Pharisees of old.

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ABOVE PHOTO: Speaker and Audience hands – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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SATAN: “THE GOD OF THIS WORLD”

2nd Corinthians 4:4

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If, for instance, we see an alcoholic begging for a drink…

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After all, we live in a world in which Satan and his angels are causing untold tragedy and mayhem and spiritual blindness!

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We just don’t have any idea how the dark unseen spiritual world has dragged down that drunkard or that unbeliever into his present tragic condition!

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So how can we make such a simplistic judgment against him!? “He just needs to quit making bad choices in life!”

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Drunk Panhandler – Wikipedia – Public Domain

Satan presiding at the Infernal Council – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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“JUDGE NOTHING BEFORE THE TIME!”

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And the sooner the better, that we learn what Paul is trying to tell us when he says…

…”Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come,

who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness,

and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts:

and then shall every man have praise of God.”

1st Corinthians 4:5

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Here is seen that God is wanting His people to be meek and lowly of heart, and not judgmental of others!

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Girl Praying – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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“LOOK UP, LIFT UP YOUR HEADS”

Luke 21:

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Yes, the best course for Christians to take, is to keep looking steadfastly toward Heaven, and just pray for those other sinners in the world.

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And instead of judging others, we can, rather, say along with Paul…

…”This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,

that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;

of whom I AM CHIEF!”

1st Timothy 1:15

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Starry Night at La Silla – cropped and altered image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike license

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TO READ PART 6, GO HERE…

June 20 (The Evil-Eyed Pharisee Scorner, Part 6: “The Moral Majority in the Churches”)

ABOVE PICTURE – Moon – 2nd Face (exaggerated for clarity) – Pharisee Scorner

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Drive out all my foolish proud judging! Purify my heart. Give me the mind of Christ, so that I too can become meek and lowly on heart…

Woman praying – Heinrich Seufferheld – 1893 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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THE END

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TODAY’S HEAVENLY SIGN

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“THE SCORNER (THE PHARISEE)”

“For from within, out of the heart of men,

proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications…

…murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness…

…deceit, lasciviousness, AN EVIL EYE…

…blasphemy, pride, foolishness…

…All these evil things come from within,

and defile the man.”

Mark 7:18-23

Please tilt your head slightly to the left.

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Do you see a man with a very long pointed nose?

(Obviously, the sketch to the right is just an exaggeration in order to help you find the face in the photo to the left.)

Do you see an angry look? His right eye-brow is raised as if he is judging.

This second face in the Moon appears to be that of a combination of a man as well as a fox.

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Or maybe a wolf. Doesn’t he have a long narrow nose like a wolf or fox?

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Maybe even a dog.

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Nevertheless, the expression on his face, as he appears to look down upon the Earth, is that of scorn.

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**Unlike the first Moon-man’s sad shock and awe; this ‘man/fox/wolf/dog’ appears to be that of anger and scorn.**

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As if he is disgusted at the sinful planet below.

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He is very moral, you see!

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Moon – 2nd face Pharisee Scorner – by Cezar Popescu for Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain – cropped, highlighted & rotated photo

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TOMORROW:

May 4 (Our Favorite Babysitter: Satan! Part 5: “Secularism: From Such, Withdraw!”)

TV – the babysitter

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<h3><strong><span style=”color: #cc99ff;”><a href=”https://theheavensdeclare.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/admin-ajax-8-e1499817833857.jpe”><img class=” wp-image-39718 alignleft” src=”https://theheavensdeclare.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/admin-ajax-8-e1499817833857.jpe” alt=”http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Holy_bible.jpg” width=”96″ height=”161″ /></a></span></strong></h3>
<h2 style=”text-align: left;”><span style=”color: #9ea3d9;”><strong>90-MINUTE OPEN FORUM or BIBLE STUDY</strong></span></h2>
<h3><strong><span style=”color: #000000;”>.</span></strong></h3>
<h3><strong><span style=”color: #cc99ff;”>ALL</span></strong><em><strong><span style=”color: #cc99ff;”>’NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) </span></strong></em><strong><span style=”color: #cc99ff;”>ARE ENCOURAGED TO LISTEN TO THIS BIBLE STUDY or 90-MINUTE OPEN FORUM, A QUESTION/ANSWER CALL-IN, TALK SHOW.</span></strong></h3>
<h3><strong><span style=”color: #000000;”>.</span></strong></h3>
<h3><span style=”color: #cc99ff;”><strong>CLICK HERE TO LISTEN…<a style=”color: #cc99ff;” href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rdWdpp8mvk” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>The Open Forum February 8, 2002 (youtube.com)</a></strong></span></h3>
<h3><strong><span style=”color: #000000;”>.</span></strong></h3>
<span style=”color: #808080;”>ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.

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