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Daily Devotional, Year 4: August 6

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Ostriches & Us!

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“Gavest thou…wings and feathers unto the ostrich?

Which leaveth her eggs in the earth,

and warmeth them in dust,

And forgetteth that the foot may crush them,

or that the wild beast may break them.

She is hardened against her young ones,

as though they were not hers:

her labour is in vain without fear;

Because God hath deprived her of wisdom,

neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

What time she lifteth up herself on high,

she scorneth the horse and his rider.”

Job 39:13-18

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Ostriches in a farm, Thailand – CROPPED IMAGE – Wikimedia – GNU Free Documentation license

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In the last few chapters of the Book of Job, God asks Job some pretty tough questions.

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And in this above passage from that wonderful book, God is scolding Job because Job’s pride caused him to think that he was righteous, when actually, he was not!

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Job by Bonnat, Leon Joseph Florentin (1833-1922) Wikimedia – US public domain

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“the ostrich…Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them”

Job 39:13

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But this little critique by God regarding ostriches, from the Book of Job, presents an allegory that should not escape our attention!

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Because in today’s world, WE Christians have far too often conducted our lives in accordance with this passage (which by the way, is not so much about ostriches, than it is about God’s Church.)

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For instance, this passage speaks of the haphazard manner in which the ostrich cares for her soon-to-be-born babies.

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She takes no precautions for their safety!

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She merely leaves her eggs in an open place, even in pathways where they are easy targets for travelers to crush, or beasts to devour!

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Ostrich nest – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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CHOICES, CHOICES, CHOICES

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Just think of how many ways that we Christians have likewise been careless with our young ones!

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Pregnant mothers quite often don’t take good care of themselves during those nine months.

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Constantly eating less-than-wholesome food, and sometimes taking possibly harmful medications.

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And after delivery, nursing Christian mothers are often too quick to begin feeding them formula milk instead of her own milk, merely for convenience’s sake.

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And a little later, the Christian mother needlessly returns to work, leaving them in the care of others for four or five days a week…

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…often for the sake of maintaining a self-indulgent lifestyle that financial affluence affords.

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Junk Food – CROPPED IMAGE – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license

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“SPIRIT…WILLING, BUT…FLESH…WEAK”

Matthew 26:41

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Of course, the Lord fully understands that unanticipated and extenuating circumstances often make our choices limited, in the whirl of everyday business and in the varying circumstances of this present life.

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And Christian parents need to make every possible concession and sacrifice in OUR own lives, to accommodate the health needs of our developing children.

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Girl Praying – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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SECULAR ASSOCIATIONS

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And as the child grows older, Christian parents often willingly allow their children to make friends with children of unbelievers, enabling them to learn the godless ways of the world.

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Instead, we should have been crying out for the Lord’s deliverance from harmful environments.

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Children’s Street basketball during a church fair – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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SECULAR INDOCTRINATION

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Next, Christian parents often send their children to secular institutes to learn, “the three ‘R’s'”.

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A recent survey found that most Christian children attend public schooling!

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And of course, along with the “three R’s”, they also get a thorough indoctrination into godlessness…

…from less-than-wholesome peers…

…and from the atheistic/immoral curriculum which is a normal undercurrent at such places.

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Homeschoolers playing Dutch Blitz at picnic gathering – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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“EVIL COMMUNICATIONS”

1st Corinthians 15:33

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And then, when the children return home from school, many Christian parents permit the children to watch TV and Internet and listen to radio…

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…thus, allowing Satan to further fill their minds with less-than-wholesome talk and often even vile images!

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SEEKING EARTHLY RICHES

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And then, to top it all off, many Christian parents often encourage our youth to pursue some high-paying career, not remembering Paul’s admonition…

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“And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare,

and into many foolish and hurtful lusts…

But thou, O man of God, flee these things;

and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”

1st Timothy 6:8-11. (Condensed)

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Do we somehow think this above advice is not for us? It says here, “having food and raiment, let us therewith be content”.

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college grads – Wikipedia – share-alike license

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OUR BIBLE ROLE-MODELS!

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Look at Jesus!

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Was this what His life on earth was all about?

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Or just look to Paul! Was Paul trying to live out his declining years in a leisurely pursuit of personal pleasure?

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No, but both of these men expended all their time and energy for the love and Salvation of all souls before them!

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And these two, Jesus, and even Paul, are to be our role-models, as Scripture plainly commands!

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And listen to Paul’s declaration of what his life was all about…

“ For to me to live is Christ,

and to die is gain.”

Philippians 1:20, 21.

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Do these words sound like they come from a man who sought to enjoy the pleasures and pursuits of this present life?

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

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SINS OF SODOM REPEATED!

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Through the centuries past, Christian parents encouraged their children to become evangelists.

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Young people were content to live a life of poverty, working menial jobs, in effort to get out the soul-saving Gospel to all those who were starving for the bread of life.

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No sacrifice was too costly!

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No hardship too great, if only they could take the Gospel to the world!

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Girl with a Bible (Faith of Our Fathers) – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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SOME VERY GOOD NEWS!

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Well, none of us can hold our heads up high, since we’ve often ‘dropped the ball’, so to speak, in our own parental responsibilities!

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None of us can judge any other human, since our own wisdom, like the ostrich, has been faulty and deprived in times past, and may even be still!

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Ah, but in all this bad news report, there has been discovered some extremely Good News, O stranger and pilgrim in the earth!

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Yes, we have a very merciful and pitying God who loves happy endings!

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Yes, if we will turn back to Him with all our heart, putting away all our earth-loving pleasures and worldly idols…

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…then who knows if God might just begin to bring our grown-up children back to a rich and dedicated life in Christ!?  

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morning prayers Ebenezer_Newman_Downard_Morning_prayer_1860 – Wikipedia – public domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me the wisdom that accompanies a new heart: a heart that desires to follow Thee, whithersoever Thou goest. Help me to pray unceasingly for my family.

Morning Prayers – Ebenezer Newman – Downard – 1860 – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read…

September 4 (“Satan’s Psychological War Against Our Children!”),

or you can also read… 

“June 22 (The Return of Elijah, Part 1: “Fathers & Children”)”

 

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TODAY’S HEAVENLY SIGN

 

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HOLY-GHOST RIDER CONSTELLATION

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Notice how the right front hoof is trampling on the tail of the Dragon.

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Also notice his eye is a star.

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It’s best seen when in the western half of the sky.

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It is found in mid-sky traveling from east to west.

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In January, it is in the west after midnight.

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As winter progresses, it can be seen earlier and earlier in the evening. a dark sky with good star-visibility is best, but not absolutely necessary to see this constellation.

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It is found on the opposite side of the Dragon Constellation from Orion.

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And as already stated, this Goodly Horse Constellation can be seen best in mid-winter when it is in the western side of the sky, and you are looking at it while you are facing west.

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The nose and head of this horse is partly made from the Perseus Constellation.

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The tail and rear end is partly of the Cassiopeia Constellation. 

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The hind-leg is made partly of stars from the Andromeda Constellation.

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THIS HOLY-GHOST-RIDER

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Now one thing that is noticeable and makes this constellation even more dramatic, is the fact that the Milky Way runs right through it.

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And the question that must be asked is, “What biblical implications does this constellation/Milky Way connection have?”

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Well, very simply put, if stars represent Believers, then this rider works in the world through His True-Worshippers, to a great extent.

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Holy-Ghost-Rider Constellation”

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TOMORROW…

August 7 (The False Prophet, Part 26: “The Perfect Pastor?”)

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

 

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</span></strong></h3>
<h1 class=”style-scope ytd-watch-metadata”><span style=”color: #9ea3d9;”><strong><a href=”https://theheavensdeclare.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Jesus-with-little-children-www.lavistachurchofchrist.org-Creative-Commons-Attribution-Non-commercial-use.jpeg”><img class=” wp-image-38657 alignright” src=”https://theheavensdeclare.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Jesus-with-little-children-www.lavistachurchofchrist.org-Creative-Commons-Attribution-Non-commercial-use.jpeg” alt=”” width=”101″ height=”96″ /></a>The Adventist Home audio 51 Counsel to Children</strong></span></h1>
<h3><strong><span style=”color: #000000;”>.</span></strong></h3>
<h3><span style=”color: #9ea3d9;”><strong><a style=”color: #9ea3d9;” href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLvh03MH9aI” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THIS 14-MINUTE CHAPTER – – The Adventist Home audio 51 Counsel to Children (youtube.com)</a></strong></span></h3>
&nbsp;

<span style=”color: #808080;”>Jesus with little children – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – Creative Commons Attribution – Non-commercial use

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